US2331407A - Vapor heating system - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 12, 1943. C, F, MAHONEY 2,331,407

VAPOR HEATING SYSTEM Filed March 1 1941 mvENToR 'unmfs EHnnoa/fv Patented Oct. 1,2, 1943 2,331,407 VAPOR HEATING SYSTEM Charles F.v Mahoney, Baldwin, Long,r Island, N. Y., assignor ,of one-half to Thomas A. Cetrino,

Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application March 1, 1941, Serial No. 381,339

2 Claims.

My invention relates to vapor heating systems, and more particularly to the class of heating systemsv Where the vapor or steam is supplied through a single pipe to the various radiators, the latter having vent valves to allow the exit of air, and to prevent the escape of steam or water or other heating fluids therefrom, in other words to form a zone control system. l

My invention is also an improvement in that type of valves that permits the air in the radiators to escape, but as soon as the heating fluid enters, the thermostatic element therein operates to close the same. The improvement includes a second thermostatic element that has been previously adjusted for a predetermined room temper- -ature, and is arranged to prevent escape of radiator air while the room remains at the desired room temperature. This second thermostatic element, as has been noted, acts to hold a radiator venting valve closed if the room has been raised to the desired temperature, thus preventing the steam or other heating fluid from circulating and heating the room to an excessive temperature.

An object of the invention is to provide a heating'system, whereby as the fuel burner control system will appear from a. consideration of the description which follows with the accompanying drawing showing for purely illustrative purposes embodiments of this invention. It is understood, however, that the description is not to betaken in a literal sense, the scope of the description being defined in the appended claims.

Fig. 1 is a view of a vapor heating system showing my invention applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged elevation with parts in section, a radiator with my control valve attached.

'I'he heating system as shown in Fig. 1, consists of a boiler I0 with its main fuel burner and pressure control switch II and the forward part of the nose of a fuel burner I2, while extending from the top of the boiler is a single pipe I3 leading the heating fluid to the desired place or places; in the drawing three floors are shown or indicated eachprovided with one or more radiators I4, I5 and I6, and with my improvements attached. The fuel burner control thermostatic switch unit I1 is connected with starting wire b thermostatic unit operates, the fuel burner will start generating heat. The heating fluid forces the air out'of the radiator if the room is below the desired temperature; the air passes through the first valve element, then through the second one also; but should the room be at the desired temperature the second valve element will prevent the circulation of any additional vapor by holding the valve closed until the temperature has been lowered.

A further object is to provide an economical, neat compact automatic controlling means that will perform its functions for which it was designed withefciency and reliability.

And a further object is to provide independent automatic pressure or temperature controlled switches to control the complete system and prevent the fuel burner from operating until the heating fluid pressure and temperature has dropped to a predetermined point.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an automatic valve system that is adapted to be used as a zone heating control one pipe system; the valve system by its construction and operation will effect fuel saving and prevent over heating, by reason of the several elements being each adjusted so as to insure cooperation with each other to accomplish the desired effect.

Further aims, objects, and advantages of this lprimary side of transformer.

and the running wire a, and the wire a is the holding circuit for the relay control switch which operates the fuel burner I2 and c is a return wire for both the starting and running circuits.

Pressure or thermostatic delay starting switch I8 is a make and break switch which effects fuel saving and independently controls the fuel burner by allowing the burner to operate only when the pressure and temperature of the system is reduced. This control switch is so located that it is heated by the supply pipe I3, which may either pass through the switch box I8 or be secured thereto, in other words, it opens on high temperature and closes on low temperature. As shown the switch I8 is in series with the wire a and thermostatc switch l1. The action of said switch causes the burner to delay until the temperature is reduced below the normal. Again, by my new arrangement the device prevents waste of fuel by control of heating fuel pressure and temperature, and the device may be set so as to prevent the burner from operating until any desired low vapor pressure and temperature is reached.

The action of the circuit control is as follows: The line voltage ground wire passes through limit switch II, to terminal I, then to And the line hot wire extends to terminal 2 then to other side of transformer, completing line circuit for transformer; The secondary Voltage is for the operation of the relay transfer circuit action, also for closing the high voltage circuit to load, be it fuel, coal or other heating means.

It should be noted that the secondary supply wire extends from terminal W, through the thermostat I 'I by wire c, and returns by Wire a, to terminal B, then to starting delay switch I8. and continues to relay and then returns to transformer secondary coil, and the other Wire to secondary coll extends to terminal W, completing the starting circuit. The latter actuates the relay closing contacts g, h, e and d. e and d being the high voltage circuit to furnace, and g and h is the transfer circuit contacts for the holding or running circuit which is completed as follows: Starting at the starting terminal W. then to the thermostat I1 on the wire c and returning on wire b, to the terminal R, and from R, to contacts g and h, then to the relay, and returning as noted to secondary coil back to terminal W, which completes the' holding circuit. It will be notedthat operation of the relay for starting, can only take place when the delay switch I8, is in a closed position, that after any supply interruption of the electric current or opening of the limit switch II, or the thermostat I1 that the second cycle of operation for again starting must pass through delay switch I8.

It should be noted in this wiring circuit to obtain the delay action as is intended, for instance, for a long delay action according to weather conditions, to use the thermo capacity of the heating equipment, radiators, pipes, etc., the delay starting switch circuit prevents in this case a second cycle of burner and heating operation, although the thermostat and other limit control switches are in a closed or starting position. That a second cycle of operation will take place only when the temperature of the radiators, pipes, etc., drop to a predetermined setting on the delay starting switch. The effect of the above action saves many hours of burner heating operation which results in a fuel saving and improves heating, prevents over riding of heat, and is also positive and automatic in its action. Because of the following facts; when the temperature drops the delay period is shortcned, and as the temperature in or outside of a given building, the delay action time is increased, and this delay action time period varies between l5 minutes and one hour.

Referring now to Fig. 2, a portion of a radiator is shown at 20 with my invention attached, the latter comprising a rectangular perforated or wire housing 2I with an insulated partition 22 which divides the housing into two compartments 23 and 24 thus forming a room thermostatic control air vent valve (zone control). In compartment 23, I desire to place air vent 25 of any well known manufacture now on the market, said element having the usual connection 26 extending to the radiator through which the heating fluid is conveyed into the chamber 21 which contains a hollow cylindrical body 28, which contains a fluid that expands and thereby lifts the valve pin 25 to the port, and on contraction the fluid will cause the pin 25 to open the valve and permit the escape of air there from. The bottom of the body 2B which rests on a short pedestal 29 having adjusting means for regulating the distance that the body will move to operate the valve 25 to open or close the port 30. When the heating fluid enters said compartment it will close the port after having for a suitable time permitted the air in the system to escape.

To the top of the valve 25 is secured, a short pipe 3l, which conveys the air or heating fiuid to its destination. As shown herein, the pipe is provided with a ilaring seat 32 for the valve 33 carried by the thermostatic element 3B comprising suitable metallicstrips that act on becoming heated or when cooled. As before noted this thermostatic element while shown in close proximity with the air vent valve 23, may be placed at any suitable distance therefrom. It is preferable to place these two units side by side within a perforated or Wire mesh housing 2i which may be wholly or partially closed, thus forming a room thermostatic control air vent valve (zone controlled).

With a housing equipped with room temperature controlled air valves for the purpose of individual room control heating radiators, the thermostat in any room will operate to complete the required circuit to control the operation of the -burner motor so as to develop and maintain the desired steam pressure in the system. During such operation of the burner, the temperature controlled air valve permit the escape of air from the radiators as required for proper room heating. In the system just described, the usual steam pressure control means I I will function to limit the required pressure Within the system and a vacuum breaking means for the system such as a spring pressed ball valve indicated at I9 in Fig. 1 may be employed to prevent any radiator from creating a vacuum after condensation takes place. The steam pressure control switch II may be of any Well known type and is connected in series with the fuel burner motor. In like manner, the thermostatic switch I8 may be of any well known type and as shown is connected in series with line a and attached to the supply pipe I3, at its further end is a return pipe I9' which will convey any water or condensation in the system back to the boiler, said pipe being provided as noted with a valve I9 for vacuum venting the system.

The control wiring diagram shown in the drawing is similar to that known in the trade as series #10 of the Ztl/.linneapolis-Honeywell Manufacturing Company.

Many changes could be made in the construction and arrangement of parts, and many apparent widely different embodiments of the invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the description or shown in the accompanying drawing is as it is now intended to be arranged, but those skilled in the art may vary this arrangement without departing from the scope of the claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1.1Zone control means in combination with a steam heat system having a boiler, firing means therefor, radiators, a single-pipe line from the boiler to the radiators, a valved air vent means on each radiator, a master thermostat control means for the firing means, and a boiler pressure responsive control means for the firing means; atmospheric temperature responsive means in operative connection with each air vent for controlling air discharge therefrom in accordance with local temperature conditions, and means responsive to temperature in the heating system for delaying action of the ring means control until the heating system temperature falls to a predetermined point, and means in the heating system for breaking radiator vacuum following each heating and subsequent cooling thereof.

2. Zone control means in combination with a steam heat system having a. boiler, firing means therefor, radiators, 4a, slngle-pipe-line from the boiler to the radiators, a vaved air vent means on each radiator, a master thermostat control means for the firing means, and a boiler pressure responsive control means for the ring means; atmospheric temperature responsive means in operative connection with each air vent for controlling air discharge therefrom in accordance with local temperature conditions, and means responsive to temperature in the heating system at a position remote from the boiler for delaying action of the firing means control until the heating system temperature falls to a predetermined point, and means in the heating system for breaking radiator vacuum following each heating and subsequent cooling thereof.

CHARLES F. MAHONEY.

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