US3317706A - Electric water heater - Google Patents

Description

y 2, 1967 H. c FISCHER 3,317,706

ELECTRIC WATER HEATER Filed March 5, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet l I NVENTOR.

HARRY C- F\$CHER /M W/Zw y 2, 1967 c. FISCHER 3,317,706

ELECTRIC WATER HEATER Filed March 5, 1964 2 SheetsSheet 2 l Fig?? if 55% if ii I i j ll/I ' INVENTOR. HARRY C. F" SCHER 45 45j v 15 Arrow 57.5

United States Patent Filed Mar. 5, 1964, Ser. No. 349,599

Claims. (Cl. 219-312) My invention relates to hot water heaters, and particularly to hot water heaters that may be used as an auxiliary source of hot water, and the principal object of my invention is to provide new and improved heater constructions of this character.

In the drawings accompanying this specification and forming a part of this application, there are shown, for purposes of illustration, embodiments which my invention may assume, and in these drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of my improved heater in operative relation with a wash basin,

FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken through the heater,

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view corresponding generally to theline 33 of FIGURE 2,

FIGURE 4 is a horizontal sectional view corresponding generally to the line 4-4 of FIGURE 3, and drawn to a slightly smaller scale, and

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating a different embodiment of a portion of the invention.

With reference to FIGURE 1, the hot water heater herein illustrated to disclose my invention is shown in combination with a wash basin 11. It will be understood that the heater may be used to supply hot water to any other suitable means where hot water is required and that my invention is therefore not limited to the combination disclosed in FIGURE 1. My invention is particularly adapted for use as an auxiliary water heater or as a heater for water where no hot water source is available or convenient. Thus, for example, my invention may be used to heat water for gasoline filling stations, small otfices or stores, cottages, travel trailers, boats, small shops, and the like.

With reference to FIGURES 2 through 4, the hot water heater preferably includes a decorative outertubular wall 12 which is here shown as cylindrical. A top andbottom 14 and 15 respectively, fit on opposite ends of thewall 12 to close the same.

Disposed within thewall 12 is a closedtank 16 which may be formed of any suitable material, and preferably metal such as brass and the like. Thetank 16, as herein disclosed, is formed of two cup-shaped members 17, 13 which are telescoped at their open ends and silver soldered at the seam to prevent leakage of water.Suitable insulation 16a may be disposed between thetank 16, thedecorative Wall 12, and thetop 14, as seen in FIGURE 2.

A pipe means 19 passes through thetank 16 and may include a single pipe as shown in FIGURE 2, or a plurality of pipe sections, as shown in FIGURE 5, and the term pipe means is intended to include both. The pipe means may be made of any suitable material, and preferably a metal such as brass.

With reference to FIGURE 2, thevertical pipe 19 has a portion passing through an opening in thebottom wall 20 of thetank 16 and constituting theinlet end 21 of the pipe. The pipe also has a portion passing through an opening in thetop wall 22 of the tank and constituting theoutlet end 22a of the pipe. The connections at the openings in the top and bottom tank walls are silver soldered to guard against leakage of water. It will be apprediated that the fused connection between the pipe and tank relatively locates the two for a purpose to later appear.

Thepipe 19 hasopenings 23 and 24 respectively located adjacent the top and bottom walls of thetank 16 and preferably these openings may be formed by drilling through opposed walls of the pipe, as best seen in FIG- URE 3 with respect to opening 24. Slightly below theupper opening 23, anorifice 25 is formed in the pipe, and this orifice may be formed as a brass nipplewhich has a press fit with the interior wall of the pipe.

Means are provided for heating the water within the tank and in the presently disclosedembodiment, the heating means takes the form of acoiledjelectric immersion heater 26 of any well known type. The heater comprises a metal tubular sheath 27 which is coiled several turns and preferably has itsterminal legs 28, 28 extending downwardly in side-by-side relation and through openings in thebottom wall 20 of thetank 16. The terminal legs are silver soldered to thetank bottom wall 20 to prevent leakage and to position the heater.

Within the usual immersion heater is aresistance coil 29 which is electrically insulated from the metal sheath 27 by compactedrefractory material 30. Terminal pins are connected to the opposite ends of theresistance coil 29 and extend outwardly of the extremity of respective terminal legs, such as shown by theterminal pin 31 in FIGURE 3. The terminal pins are connectable to a source of electrical energy by wires, as is customary.

A thermostat 32 is disposed within awell 33 and is interposed in series relation between the electrical source and the heater to regulate operation of the latter. The well is preferably in the form of an inverted metal shell which is disposed within the lower end of thetank 16 and extends through an opening in thetank bottom wall 20. Theshell 33 preferably has a silvered soldered connection with the tank to prevent leakage of liquid from the tank. As best seen in FIGURES 3 and 4, the heater is coiled around thepipe 19 and well 33 to conserve space and to bring the heater close to the thermostat 32.

Adeflector 34 is provided adjacent to thelower opening 24, to cause water flowing therethrough to fan out laterally within the lower end of the tank. As herein shown, the deflector may be in the form of an inverted metal shell which surrounds the pipe and is silver soldered thereto.

Anupper collar 35 is secured to theoutlet end 22a of thepipe 19, sucha'as by means of aset screw 36 and this collar locates thetop 14. In the present embodiment, the collar has a reduced threaded end 37 passing through an opening on thetop 14, and a clamping nut 38 holds thetop 14 to the collar. If desired, thecollar 35 may be formed without the threaded end 37, and a similar collar may be secured to thepipe 19 in place of the clamping nut 38. g

Alower collar 40 may be secured to theoutlet end 21 of thepipe 19, as by aset screw 41, and as before, aclamping nut 42 may be threadedonto a reduced threaded collar extremity to hold thebottom 15 in pla-ce. The threaded collar extremity passes through an opening in the bottom and also through an opening injthelower leg 43 of ametal bracket 44. The bracket also hasupright legs 45, 46, the former having an integral angular portion 47 overlying and parallel to thelower leg 43. The angular portion 47 is provided with a pair of openings to closely pass theterminal legs 28 of the heater. Aninsulating grommet 48 assembly passes through aligned openings in thebottom 15 andlower leg 43 and thus holds thebracket 44 against rotation about thepipe 19. It will be noted that thecollars 35 and 40 hold thetop 14, andbottom 15 in position relative to thepipe 19 and thus the top and bottom may be adjusted to confine the cylindricaldecorative wall 12 therebetween.

As shown in FIGURE 1, theoutlet end 22a of thepipe 19 is connected to thehot water tap 51 of the wash basin 11, apressure relief valve 52 being interposed in the connection for safety purposes. Theinlet end 21 of the pipe .3 19 is connected to a source of water, such as a Water conduit leading from a water main. In FIGURE 1, aconduit 53 connects theinlet end 21 to thewater pipe 54 which leads to thecold water tap 55. Asaddle connection 56 may be used to connectconduit 53 topipe 54, or this may be replaced by a conventional T.

The thermostat 32 limits the temperature of the water within thetank 16 to a predetermined degree, such as 190 F., for example. The water coming into thepipe 19 from the source is at a much lower temperature, such as 60 F., for example. When thehot water tap 51 is opened, water flows through thepipe 19 and as it flows through the orifice25 it increases the speed of the restricted water and thus decreases the pressure in the pipe at the outlet side of the orifice and in the vicinity of theupper opening 23. The decrease in pressure causes hot water from the tank to be drawn through the opening 23 and to corningle with the colder water flowing to theoutlet 22a, the resultant water being at a moderated temperature, such as 130 F., for example, for use by a person at the wash basin. A portion of the water entering thepipe 19 is drawn through thelower opening 24 and spread laterally by thedeflector 34 to replenish the water within thetank 16.

Instead of theopening 23 andorifice 25, the upper portion of thepipe 19 may have a nozzel-like extremity 57 (such as shown in FIGURE which injects cold water into the open lower end of the upper portion of the pipe, and thus established the same action as before described.

Thewater tank 16 may be quite small so that its contents are easily and quickly heated, and maintained in a heated condition without any large amount of electrical energy. In a construction found suitable for ordinary use, a tank of two gallon capacity has been found suflicient to provide eight gallons of hot water every hour at the hot water tap.

In view of the foregoing it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that I have accomplished at least the principal object of my invention and it will also be apparent to those skilled in the art that the embodiments herein described may be variously changed and modified, without departing from the spirit of the invention, and that the invention is capable of uses and has advantages not herein specifically described; hence it will be appreciated that the herein disclosed embodiments are illustrative only, and that my invention is not limited there- 10.

I claim:

1. A hot water dispenser, comprising a metal water storage tank, an electric immersion heater in the lower end of said tank to heat the Water in said tank, an upright metal pipe passing completely through said tank, having one outward extension at the lower end of said tank which is connectable to a source of Water and another outward extension at the upper end of the tank which is connectable to a conduit for leading heated water to a place of use, said outward extensions having fused water-tight connections with respective tank ends which locate said pipe relative to the tank, said pipe interiorly of said tank having an opening adjacent to the upper end of said tank and an orifice near to but below said opening, said orifice causing an increase in speed of water flowing therethrough and a resultant decrease in pressure above said orifice, the decrease in water pressure inducing hot Water from said tank to be drawn through said pipe opening and into said pipe to mix with the water flowing to said other outward extension, said pipe also having a lower opening within and adjacent to the lower end of said tank to replenish water withdrawn from said tank, an inverted cup-shaped shield carried by said pipe and surrounding said lower opening to laterally distribute water entering said tank through said lower opening, thermally responsive means for maintaining the water within said tank at a selected temperature, said thermally responsive means being disposed within an inverted metal shell which has fused water-tight connection with the lower end of said tank and with its closed end disposed within said tank in the vicinity of said immersion heater, a tubular casing surrounding said tank and having removable top and bottom ends, and abutments carried by said pipe outward extensions outwardly of respective upper and lower ends of said tank, said abutments locating and holding respective top and bottom ends of said casing, said casing ends in turn locating and holding said tubular casing.

2. A hot water dispenser, comprising a water storage tank, means for heating the water within the tank, pipe means having one portion passing through a lower wall portion of said tank and constituting the inlet end of said pipe means, said pipe means having an intermediate portion passing inwardly through said tank and having an outlet end portion passing through an upper wall portion of said tank and outwardly of the latter, the inlet end of said pipe means being connectable to a source of water supply and the outlet end portion being connectable to a conduit for leading heated water to a place of use, said intermediate portion of said pipe means having a first opening for delivering water to said tank and a second opening above said first and adjacent to that part of the tank having the hottest water and also having a restricted orifice-forming nipple therein and located adjacent to but below said second opening, whereby hot water from said tank is drawn through said second opening by action of inlet water flowing through said pipe means to mix with the relatively cooler inlet water and thereby deliver to said outlet portion and to the place of use water at a temperature lower than that within said tank but higher than that coming from said source.

3. The construction of claim 2 and further including deflector means within said tank and above said first opening for deflecting inlet water flowing through the latter in a direction radially from said pipe means and toward the side wall of said tank.

4. The construction of claim 2 wherein said heating means is an electric immersion heater coiled about the inlet end of said pipe means.

5. The construction of-claim 2 and further including an inverted cup-shaped baflie secured around the inlet end of said pipe means and disposed above said first opening for deflecting inlet water flowing through the latter in a direction radially from said pipe means and toward the side wall of said tank, and wherein said heating means is an electric immersion heater coiled about the inlet end of said pipe means adjacent to said baflie.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,494,326 5/1924 Adams 219-299 X 2,013,914 9/1935 Hartmann 219-3 14 X 2,621,901 12/1952 Wheeler 126-362 X 2,903,551 9/1959 Fischer 219-312 3,065,764 11/ 1962 Lyle 137337 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,299,281 6/1962 France.

360,734 11/ 1931 Great Britain.

414,512 8/1934 Great Britain.

433,075 8/ 1935 Great Britain.

921,676 3/ 1963 Great Britain.

593,128 5/1959 Italy.

References Cited by the Applicant UNITED STATES PATENTS 985,834 3/1911 Parker. 1,113,232 10/1914 Mergott. 1,762,215 6/ 1930 Dahlquist. 3,086,682 4/ 1963 Martin.

ANTHONY BARTIS, Primary Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. 2. A HOT WATER DISPENSER, COMPRISING A WATER STORAGE TANK, MEANS FOR HEATING THE WATER WITHIN THE TANK, PIPE MEANS HAVING ONE PORTION PASSING THROUGH A LOWER WALL PORTION OF SAID TANK AND CONSTITUTING THE INLET END OF SAID PIPE MEANS, SAID PIPE MEANS HAVING AN INTERMEDIATE PORTION PASSING INWARDLY THROUGH SAID TANK AND HAVING AN OUTLET END PORTION PASSING THROUGH AN UPPER WALL PORTION OF SAID TANK AND OUTWARDLY OF THE LATTER, THE INLET END OF SAID PIPE MEANS BEING CONNECTABLE TO A SOURCE OF WATER SUPPLY AND THE OUTLET END PORTION BEING CONNECTABLE TO A CONSUIT FOR LEADING HEATED WATER TO A PLACE OF USE, SAID INTERMEDIATE PORTION OF SAID PIPE MEANS HAVING A FIRST OPENING FOR DELIVERING WATER TO SAID TANK AND A SECOND OPENING ABOVE SAID FIRST AND ADJACENT TO THAT PART OF THE TANK HAVING THE HOTTEST WATER AND ALSO HAVING A RESTRICTED ORIFICE-FORMING NIPPLE THEREIN AND LOCATED ADJACENT TO BUT BELOW SAID SECOND OPENING, WHEREBY HOT WATER FROM SAID TANK IS DRAWN THROUGH SAID SECOND OPENING BY ACTION OF INLET WATER FLOWING THROUGH SAID PIPE MEANS TO MIX WITH THE RELATIVELY COOLER INLET WATER AND THEREBY DELIVER TO SAID OUTLET PORTION AND TO THE PLACE OF USE WATER AT A TEMPERATURE LOWER THAN THAT WITHIN SAID TANK BUT HIGHER THAN THAT COMING FROM SAID SOURCE.

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