US1783289A - Motor heater - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 2, 1930. G..W. HoKlNs MOTOR HEATER Filed Sept. 11, 1928 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS 19 vehicle during Patented Dec. 2, 1930 UNITED STATES MOTOR Application filed September This invention relates to a heating apparatus and more particularly'to an apparatus adapted to heat the engine of a motor vehicle during cold weather preparatory tostarting the engine.

An-object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus of the character referred to which will quickly, safely and economically warm, the engine of a motor starting. l

With the objects above indicated and other objects hereinafter. explained in view, the invention consists in the relationship ofthe ele ments embodied in" the apparatus as willbe more fully. described and claimed.

Referring to the drawings Fig. I is a diagrammatic view of the apparatus embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the mercury switch employed in the apparatus showing the switch in its extreme high and low positions. 1

In the drawings, represents a motor vehicle, a fragmentary portion of which is herein illustrated having at its forward end a radiator 11' connected in the usual manner to the engine 11 which is partly shown, and at the lower portion of the radiator 11 is a pet cook 12 for the purpose of drainingthewater from the circulating system. The upper portion ofthe radiator 11 is provided with a water inlet 13 which receives the usual radiator cap, in this instance the latter being removed.

The apparatus, of course, is preferably located within a garage or like structure and may be suitably supported upon the walls of the structure, although it is not thought neces sary to herein illustrate the garage or similar structure. However, the floor of the garage is indicated by 14: upon which the motor vehicle may rest. A metal drainage pan '15, of any suitable size, is supported by the floor 14 and extends downwardly and rearwardly communicating with a sump 16, of any desired size, which is adapted to receive the water or non-freezing solution contained within the circulating system of the engine, after it is drained out through the pet cock 12, the flow coldweather preparatory to PATENT OFFICE fenonen w. 'HorKINs,

or oLEvEnANn, OHIO HEATER.

11, 1328. Serial No. 305,290. a

of liquid from the pet cock 12 contacting with the drainage pan 15 and running down the declined surface into thesump 16. i

'A'hot water storage tank 17, of any desired capacity, is suitably supported at a height so that the under side of the storage tank is above the water inlet 13 of the radiator 11. The water or other solution within the storage tank 17 is heated by means of water heaters 18 disposed upon opposite sides offthe storage tank, as clearly shown in Fig. 1, and comprise vertically arranged water coils 19, the upper ends 20 being connected through the pipe connections 21 to the storage tank 17 below the normal level of the water or other liquid within the storage tank. The lower ends 22 of the water coils 19 are also connected to the lower portion of the storage tank 17 by suitable pipe connections 23. These water coils 19 are enclosed in suitable casings 24 with flues 25 connected to the upper portions thereofthrough which products of combustion may pass to the atmosphere. Thelower ends of the casings 24 are open and disposed therein, directly beneath the water coils 19, are gas burners 26 for the purpose of heating the coils and the water contained therein. It will be noted, inasmuch as the level of the water within the storage tank 17 is maintained above the upperends 20 of the coils 19, that upon applying heat from the burners 26 to the coils a continuous circulation is set up, the colder water passing from the storage tank 17 through the lower ends 22 into the water coils 19 and subsequently through the upper ends 20of'the coils 19 andback into the storage tank 17.

The burners 26 are connected together by a gas pipe 27 having disposed therein, between the burners 26, a thermostatic control valve 28 of any standard construction. the details of which are not herein illustrated. EX- tending upwardly from the thermostatic control valve 28 and into the liquid withinthe storage tank 17 is a thermostat 29 adapted to act upon the valve 28 and maintain the liquid within the storage tank 17 at any predetermined temperature. Gas is supplied to the :burners 26 through a gas supply pipe 29 connected to any suitable source ofsupply,

the low being controlled by a manually-operated valve 39 in the gas supply line. This gas supply line 29 is connected to the gas pipes 21' by a branch pipe 31 connected through the thermostatic control valve 28. lt will, therefore, be noted that the thermostatic control valve 28 may be predeterminately set so as to maintain the water or liquid 'ithin the store tank 17 at any desired tem perature. v

The storage tank 17 is provided at its lower portion with a fitting 32 through which extends an overflow pipe 33 extending vertically through the storage tank 17 and terminating adjacent the normal level of the water within the storage tank. Therefore, as the water or liquid within the storage tank 1'? rises above the end of the overflow pipe 33 it passes downwardly through the pipe 33 by gravity and out through, preferably, a rubber hose having one end connected with the pipe 33 while the free end is adapted to be positioned within the water inlet 13 of the radiator 11. Therefore, the heated water or solution within the tank 17, rising above the overflow pipe 33, is caused to pass downwardly therethrough and into the radiator 11 and through the circulating system of the engine of the motor vehicle and subsequently out through the pet cook 12 into the drainage pan 15.

It is, of course, desirable to return the water or liquid drawn from the circulating system of the engine, and any suitable pumping appa 'atus may be employed for this purpose, although the following is the preferable arrangement.

A pump is supported upon the floor 14 or any other suitable structure, and has its inlet end communicating, by a pipe with the water or liquid within the sump 16, while the outlet of the pump connected, by a suitable pipe 37, with the storage tank 17 through a suitable connection 33 in the under side of the storage tank. This pipe 37 extends upwardly within the storage tank and is bent in the term of an inverted U with the loop substantially above the normal level of the water or liquid within the storage tank and subsequently extends back downwardly within the liquid to a point adjacent the lower portion 01 the storage tank, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. A motor 39 is suitably supported as upon the floor 14 and is connected to the pump 35 to thereby actuate the latter. fhen this pump is in operation the water or liquid within the sump 1b is drawn tl'irough the pipe 33, passes through the pump 35, thr 1 the piping 37 and empties the water or liqu in into the storage tank 17 adjacent the lower edge thereof, the water within the sump 16 being pumped into the storage tank 17 so long as any water remains within the sump 16.

The current for the motor 39 is supplied from main line conductors 40 and 41 across which there is connected. a main line switch 42 which may be manually operated to break the circuit. 42 is connected to a terminal 44 of a mercury switch 45, while the terminal 46 of the switch is connected by a conductor 47 with one terminal of the motor 39. The other terminal of the motor 39 is connected by a conductor 48 with the other side of the main line switch 42.

The mercury switch is provided with an extension 49 having an opening at the end within which a rod 50 is slidably disposed. The upper end of the rod 50 is provided with a stop 51 positioned above the extension 49 and with a stop 52 positioned below the ex tension 49, while the lower end of the rod is connected to a float 53 adapted to rest upon the water or liquid within the sump 16. The motor is adapted to operate the pump 35 and thereby pump the water from the sump 16 Fig. 2, thereby breaking the current to the a motor and discontinuing the operation of the pump 35. The same is equally true where the water or liquid within the sump 16 rises to a point above a predetermined level in which instance the lower stop 52 engages with the extension 49 of the mercury switch 45, cansingthe latter to be moved upwardly about the axis of the pivot 54 and assume the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, the mercury assuming the position indicated therein which would break the circuit to the motor 39 and consequently cut off the operation of the pump 35.

It is to be understood that in cold weather the engines of motor vehicles, the latter of which are not kept in heated garages, become very cold and are exceptionally difficult to start, resulting in the running down of the battery and loss of considerable time and poor combustion. lVith the apparatus described these objections may be avoided. The water or other liquid within the circulating system of the engine may be drained oii through the pet cock 12 into the drainage pan 15 where it will run into the sump 16, there by removing the water from the circulating system. The burners 26 may be lighted in order to heat the water within the storage tank 17, in the manner already described, and the thermostatic control valve 28 predeterminately set in order to maintain the water within the storage tank at the desired temperature. With the main switch 42 thrown to closed position the motor 39 will actuate the pump 35 and consequently draw the $0111- A conductor 43 from the switch tion in the sump 16 through the pump and force the same through the pipe 37 into the storage tank 17 The level of the water or other liquid therein having been raised above the overflow pipe 33 a quantity runs downwardly through the pipe and out through the hose 34, the end of which has beenprevlously placed within the water inlet 13 of the radiator 11. The hot water, therefore, running into the water inlet 13 from the hose 84 passes throughthe circulating system of the engine and the radiator 11 and efficiently and quickly heats the motor block, subsequently running out through the pet cock l2 and back into the drainage pan 15. After this circulation of heated water has taken place for a couple of minutes the gas may be shut OE and the main switch opened to thereby stop the operation of the apparatus. It will be found 4 that this heated water has heated the motor block considerably, and as a result the engine is very easily started. While I have described the preferred embodiment of the invention it is to beunderstood that I am not to be limited thereto as changes and modifications may beresorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I

. claim:

1. In a heating apparatus of the character described, the combination wit-h the water.

circulating system of a motor vehicle, of

means adapted to receive the liquid drained off from said system, a liquid, storage recep-.

tacle, means for transferring said drained off liquid to saidstorage receptacle, means for heating the'llquid in said-receptacle, and

means for conveying heated liquid from said receptacle to said circulating system.

, 2. In a heating apparatus of the character described, the combination with the water circulating system of a motor vehicle, of a receptacle adapted to receive the liquid drained off from said system, a liquid storage.

tank, pumping means for transferring said drained off liquid'from said'receptacle to said storage tank, means for heating the liquid in said tank, and means for conveying heated liquid from said tank to said circulating system.

3. In a heating apparatus of the character described, the combination with the water circulating system. of a motor vehicle, of means adapted to receive the liquid drained off from said system, a liquid storage receptacle adapted to contain liquid, means for transferring said drained ofi? liquid to said storage receptacle, means for heating the -liquid in said receptacle, and an overflow pipe for conveying heated liquid from said receptacle to said circulating system.

4. In a heating apparatus of the character described, the combination with the water circulating system of a motor vehlcle, of a sump adapted to receive the liquid drained off from said system, a liquid storage tank adapted to contain liquid, means for pump ingsaid drained off liquid from said sump to said storage tank, heating means associated' with the tank adapted to heat the liquid in, said tank, and means for conveying the overflow of heated liquid from said tank to said circulating system.

5.- In a heating apparatus of the character described, the combination with the water circulating system of a motor vehicle, of-a sump adapted to receive the liquid drained off from said sytsem, a liquid storage tank, a pump for transferring said drained off liquid to said storage tank, a motor for operating said pump, control means for said motor actuated by the liquid in said sump, means for heating the liquid in said tank, and means for conveying heated liquid from said tank to said circulating system.

6. In a heating apparatus of the character described, the combination with the water circulating system of a motor vehicle, of a sump adapted to receive the liquid drained off from said system, a liquid storage tank, a pump for transferringsaid drained off liquid to said storage tank, a motor foractuating said pump, a switch associated with said motor, a float associated with the liquid in said sump and with said switch whereby said motor is stopped when said liquid reaches certain limits, means for heating the liquid in said tank, and means for conveying heated liquid from said tank to said circulating system.

7 In a heating apparatus of the character described, the combination with the water circulating system of a motor vehicle, of means adapted to receive the liquid drained ofi from said system, a liquid storage tank, means for transferring said drained efi' liquid to said storage tank, means for heating the liquid in said tank, means for maintaining the liquid in said tank a predetermined temperature, and means for conveying the overflow of heated liquid from said tank to said circulating system.

8. In a heating appartus of the character described, the combination with the water circulatingv system of a motor vehicle, of means adapted to receive the liquid drained off from said system, a liquid storage receptacle, means for forcibly transferring s id coils associated with'said sterage receptacle,

-means for heating said coils to thereby heat the liquid in said receptacle, and means for conveying heated liquid from said receptacle to said circulating system.

9. In a heating apparatus of the character described, the combination with the water circulating system of a motor vehicle, of a receptacle adapted to receive the liquid drained off from said system, a liquid storage tank adapted to contain a predetermined quantity of liquid, a pump for transfer 'ing said drained of? liquid from said receptacle to said storage tank an electric motor for actuating said pump, a switch associated with said motor, a float for actuating said switch associated with the liquid in said receptacle, means for heating the liquid in said tank, a thermostat associated with said tank for maintaining the liquid at a predetermined temperature, and means for conveying the overflow of heated liquid from said tank to said circulating system.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto ai'fix my signature.

GEORGE N. HOPKINS.

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