US2270395A - Air heating and conditioning - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 20, 1942. E. J. TJERNLUND 2,270,395

AIR HEATING AND CONDITIONING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 2, 1940 3 SheetsSheet 1 Cw r%% Jan. 20, 1942.

E. J. TJERNLUND AIR HEATING AND CONDITIONING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 2 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 331 r/iyy/ Patented Jan. 20, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AIR HEATING AND CONDITIONING APPARATUS Emil J. Tjernlund, St. Paul, Minn. Application January 2, 1940, Serial No. 311,979

Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in air heating and conditioning apparatus.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a simple, efilcient, compact and inexpensive unit heater and air conditioner which may be employed for filtering, heating, and humidifying the air. Another object is to provide an apparatus of this kind in which the maximum heating effect of the fuel may be utilized by the employment of a novel form of combustion chamber for feeding the heated gases into a series of down draft fiues and thence into the smoke pipe, and a fan arranged to blow the air over the entire exterior of this structure before finally discharging the air into the heated and conditioned enclosure. A further object is to provide an apparatus of this kind which is so arranged that all heated parts are constantly wiped by the circulating air in process of heating and conditioning and in which the maximum volume of air, and wipage thereof, is secured at the point subjected to the greatest heat, thus making it possible to employ relatively light material in the construction of the apparatus without danger of burning out parts thereof and effecting a reduction in cost, size and weight of the completed assembly. A further object is to provide a novel arrangement of the air filtering and humidifying means by means of which all of the circulated and recirculated air may be thoroughly filtered as it enters the unit and then humidified to the proper degree as it leaves the unit and is conducted to the conditioned enclosure.

These and other more detailed and specific objects will be disclosed in the course of the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a vertical and longitudinal section through my improved apparatus.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the apparatus, the cover portion of the exterior casing being removed to disclose interior parts.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section along the line 3-3 in Fig. 1, this view also showing a water heating coil in place.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the essential working elements of my invention, with the exterior housing removed.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary horizontal section along the line 5-5 in 4, showing only the fiue and smoke pipe assembly.

Referring now with more particularity and by reference numerals to the drawings, A designates an exterior casing in which is mounted the furnace housing or assembly B, the burner C, and

the fan D, these being the major parts of the structure.

The casing A comprises a closed bottom 6 supported above the floor level by legs I, and the rectangular box-like shell made up of the sides 8-9 and front and rear ends Ill-H. A cover I2 is secured atop the casing, but has the large inlet and outlet openings l3 and I4 to which the discharge and return air ducts E and F are connected in usual manner. The frontal end In is removable for interior servicing and inspection of parts, and fasteners iii are provided for looking this end in place. I

The furnace housing B comprises an upright rectangular portion l6 defining and including a main chamber ll, but the frontal lower corner of this portion I6 is extended forwardly in the form of a tapered inlet portion 18 which terminates in a tubular neck l9 receiving the nozzle of the burner C as shown. The burner thus may discharge its heated products into the lower portion of the housing causing the heat and gases to ascend therein.

The furnace housing also includes a series of vertically extended and transversely spaced fiat flues 20 which are supported at the upper frontal portion of the housing portion It by welding or otherwise fastening at 25. These flues are of rectangular cross section and open individually, laterally, and rearwardly at their upper ends at 22 into the upper frontal portion of the chamber. The rear upper wall of the housing is curved upwardly and forwardly, as indicated at 23, so that the ascending gases in the chamber will be directed into the fiues and in which these gases will be reversed in their direction of travel to flow downwardly. At the lower ends of the flues 20 a smoke pipe 24 is transversely extended and supported by welding at 25 to the flues, and the fiues each open by individual vents 26 .into this pipe. The ends of the smoke pipe extend to points adjacent the casing sides 8-9 which are provided each with an opening 21 so that the usual chimney pipe G may be inserted into either end of the smoke pipe to carry off the gases. The unused opening 21 may be closed by the removable cap plate 28, and it will be evident that this arrangement makes it possible to locate the unit with either side adjacent the chimney and thus makes it possible to meet the exigencies of any installation. v

The heatedgases thus circulating upwardly through the chamber I6, downwardly through the flues 20, and outwardly through the smoke pipe 24, thus heat all surfaces of the furnace housing and the construction is obviously such that a large heated area is provided in a small space.

It will be noted that the furnace housing B is supported in spaced relation to all parts of the casing 0, thus affording air circulation space around the bottom and all sides of the housing, as indicated at H. This construction further simplifies installation in that the unit may be installed upon a wood floor without danger from a heated casing bottom, and rusting is prevented by free circulation of air beneath the bottom.

Legs 23 support the rear of the furnace housing B upon a transverse mounting bar 30, and the frontal end is supported by an angularly formed metal plate 3| which forms a wall isolating a lower frontal portion I of the interior of the casing A in which the burner C is mounted. The air for combustion may be admitted into this space I through inlets 32 in either front or lower portions of the casing, and this wall thus prevents gases of the burner from entering the circulating air stream through the unit. The lower rear margin 33 of the plate 3| rests on the bottom 6 and has an opening 34 nicely fitting the neck I! while the frontal upper edge 35 of the plate is afllxed to and supported by a narrow cross strip 36.

The fan D is of the silent rotary type including a series of blades 31 set in end rings 38 and supported on an axle 39 which in turn is supported and iournaled at its ends in bearings 40 on the fan housing 4|. The fan is located eccentrically in said housing 4| and air is taken in through large circular end openings 42 concentric with the fan and is discharged from the large rectangular discharge opening 43 in the rear side of the housing. The bearings 40 are supported upon end bars 44 secured across the ends of the fan housing as shown. In mounting the fan D the lower surface 45 of the housing is rested upon themclined plate 3| above the burner C and the discharge opening 43 is thus disposed rearwardly to direct the discharge air blast downwardly around the tapered portion l8 of the furnace housing, as well as directly around the smoke pipe 24 and upwardly between the dues 20. The housing tips rearwardly, and at the upp r edge 46 of the discharge opening rests against the lower edge of a transverse partition plate 41 extending between the casing sides 89 and depending from the cover l2 at a point between the openings l3 and I4 therein. The arrangement is such that the fan itself is located substantially on a level with this margin 46, of the discharge opening 43, and the maximum flow of air will thus be directed immediately around the smoke pipe 24 and between the fines.

Laterally arranged guide members or wings 48 and 49 are provided at each side of the fan housing and at their rear edges fit tightly against the lateral margins of the discharge opening 43 and the rear end portion of the plate 3!, as indicated at 50, while their side portions flare rearwardly as at 51 to direct the air streams from the fan around the sides and bottom of the furnace housing 3.

The fan is rotated by a fan motor 52 supported upon the fan housing 4| by a plate 52a hung at one edge on the portion 41 (and so that the.

weight of the motor will aid in holding the fan in place), and this motor is connected by a belt 53, trained over its drive pulley 54, to a large pulley 55 on one end of the fan axle. Also located adjacent this motor is a conventional thermostat J having its heat responsive element K extended rearwardly through the partition 41 between the ilues 20 and which serves to control the operation of the unit in the usual manner.

An inner or secondary wall assembly, including upright sides 36 and 61 and rear end 63, is provided and is supported within the casing A around the furnace housing B in spaced relation between these parts in such manner as to form an insulating air space 53 around the heated parts of the casing. This structure prevents overheating and reduces waste heat radiation from the unit.

In operation the fan D serves to draw in air from the conditioned enclosure through the inlet l3 and discharges this air in a continuous stream around the furnace housing B so that it reenters the enclosure, in a heated condition, through the outlet l4. The construction and arrangement of the fan and furnace housing is such that the air will wipe all heated areas, including the bottom, of the housing and which feature not only provides a maximum of heating efllciency but also allows the use of an inexpensive and compact fabricated sheet metal assembly for the housing without danger of burning out. In this connection attention is directed to the flue assembly, and it will be noted that the spaces 60 between adjacent flues increase in width outwardly from.

the center (transversely) so that th amount of air will be evenly distributed over all flues even though the maximum volume and velocity of airfiowage occurs at the center of the assembly.

The air entering the unit from the enclosure is caused to pass through filter elements 6| and 62 which are marginally supported in guides 63, secured to the side walls 89, in such manner that all communication between the inlet l3 and the fan D must be through the conventional filtering material used in these members. The removable frontal end l0 permits convenient servicing of all working parts of the unit, including these filters.

The air after filtering and heating is humidified by use of an elongated water pan or receptacle 64 which has a rounded bottom 65 to rest at the upper frontal portion of the furnacehousing B upon its rounded top 23. Hooks 66 depend from the pan and fit downwardly between the fiues 20 to hold the pan in place, and it will be noted that both front and rear walls 61 and 68 of the pan are so inclined that the air ascending vertically between flues and over the end 23 will now along in contact with these walls to heat the water and facilitate humidification of the air. The pan may be arranged with an exterior feed and overflow system in a usual manner.

The rate of air flow may be varied and controlled by a narrow damper or shutter 69 located at a lower rear portion of the fan housing 4| and provided with an exterior handle I0 by which it may be oscillated to various positions relative to the direction of travel of the discharged air. This damper may, of course, be automatically controlled if desired.

A by-pass duct or tubing ll connects the smoke pipe 24 horizontally with the furnace chamber i1 and the usual water heating coil 12 may be arranged through this duct and in the chamber with the ends 13 extended endwise from the smoke pipe and through the cap plate 28 for connection to the water system. The rear of the furnace housing has a collar portion 14 normally closed by a removable door 15 and which facilitates installation of the water coil serves as a cleanout.

The unit may of course be made up,..in any size desired, and lends itself well to the modern practice of .omamental casing'lor such heating installations. Further details as to the operation and utility of the assembly will be obvious to those skilled in the art, and it is understood that suitable modifications maybe made in the structure as disclosed, provided such modifications come within the-spirit a d scope of the appended claims.

Having now therefore fully ustrated and described my invention, what I claim to be new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

l. A heater comprising a burner, a chamber for carrying heated gases upwardly from the burner, a smoke pipe located below the upper end of said chamber and above the burner, a series 01 flues connecting the upper end of said chamber with the said smoke pipe, and a by-pass duct connecting the smoke pipe directly with a lower portion of the said chamber above the burner. I

2. A heatercomprising a furnace housing having a chamber, a burner for discharging heated products of combustion into a lower portion of the chamber, a smoke pipe extended transversely above the burner and opening at one end for conducting gases therethrough, and a series of spaced, vertically extended flat flue members connecting the smoke pipe with an upper portion of the chamber. 4

3. A heater comprising a casing having side walls, a closed bottom and a medial dividing partition spaced from the said bottom, a furnace housing mounted in the casing at one side of the partition and spaced at all sides from said partition, side walls and bottom of the casing, the said housing including a tapering portion extending beneath said partition, a burner for projecting heated products into this tapered end of the housing, a protective wall isolating the burner and its connection to the furnace housing from the interior of the casing, and a fan supported against the wall and partition for blowing air downwardly around said tapered end and upwardly around all exterior surfaces of the furnace housing and discharging the heated air from the casing.

4. A heater comprising a casing having side walls, a closed bottom and a medial dividing partition spaced from the said bottom, a furnace housing mounted in the casing at one side of the partition and spaced at all sides from said partition, side walls and bottom of the casing, the said housing including a tapering portion extending beneath said partition, a burner for and ' projecting heated products into this tapered portion of the housing, a wall member inclined tolower end of the partition to isolate a lower portion of the casing containing the burner and its connection to the furnace housing, and a fan ,one side of the partition and having a tapering,

portion projecting beneath the partition, a burner for feeding heated products into said tapered portion of the housing, a wallmember supported 5! over the burner and beneath the partition, 9. fan

mounted on the said well member for blowing air downwardly beneath the partition and around the said tapered portion of the furnace housing and around all exterior surfaces of the housing, and side members mounted between the partition and wall ember at the outlet of the fan and flaring outwardly and away from the fan to direct the air discharge around the said opening.

6. A heater comprising a furnace housing having a series of transversely spaced and vertically extended flues, a smoke pipe connected to the flues, a burner associated with the housing, a fan supported with its discharge means in position to blow air between the flues, and the said flues being so arranged that the spaces therebetween increase in size toward outer sides of the housing and the extremities of the fan discharge to thereby evenly distribute and appor-' tion the air from the fan in the spaces between the flues.

7. A furnace, comprising an outer casing, an upright inner furnace housing supported in spaced relation on all sides with respect to the casing, heating means in the lower end portion of the housing, a series of spaced flat flues communicating with one upper side of the housing and extending downwardly therefrom toward the heating means, the opposite upper side of the housing being curved to direct heated products into the upper ends of the flues for travel downwardly therein, a smoke pipe disposed across the lower ends of the flues over the heating means and connected to said flues for carrying off heated 40 products therefrom, and means for blowing air downwardly beneath the lower end of the housing, upwardly around all sides thereof, around the smoke pipe and upwardly between the flues.

8. A furnace comprising an outer casing, an

upright inner furnace housing supported in spaced relation from top, bottom, and all sides of the casing and having a reduced extension at a lower end, means for injecting heated products through'said extension for travel upwardly in the housing, one upper side of the housing being curved to direct said heated products toward the opposite side, a series of spaced upright flues supported from said opposite side of the housing and communicating therewith to receive the heated products from the upper end of the housing and carry them in a downward direction, a smoke pipe disposed across lower ends of the flues above the extension of the housing and connected to the flues for carrying oil the said 0 heated products, and means for: blowing air ward said tapering portion and spaced from the downwardly around the extension, upwardly around all sides of the housing and around the smoke pipe upwardly between the fiues.

9. In a furnace, an upright housing, heating av a h s w h cl ned p t s ap d as means in a lower portion of the housing, flues to rest upon the said wall and "having a discharge opening co-extensive with the space between the wall and partition for discharging air over the exterior surfaces of the furnace housing, the

inclination of the wall member and fan directing the air from the fan downwardly-around the tapered portion of the housing.

5. A heater comprising a casing having side walls, a closed bottom and a partition spaced from said bottom, a furnace housing mounted at the smoke pipe and the housing, and a water heating member extending from within the said smoke pipe through the duct and into the housing above the lower portion thereof.

10. In a furnace, an upright housing, heating means in a lower portion 0! the housing, tiues extending from an upper portion of the housing downwardly alongside the housing to a point above the heating means, a water heating pipe extending through one end of the smoke pipe through the by-pass duct and into the housing above the lower end thereof, and the said housing having an opening in the side opposite the bypass duct for access to said water heating pipe.

EMIL J. TJERNLUND.

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