US2866884A - Electric heaters for showers - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 30, 1958 EuG. MlNlER 2,866,884

ELECTRIC HEATERS FOR SHOWERS Filed July 11, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 2 l 1 .2 V W 7,, l 4! 7a 3 g Dec. 30, 1958 E. G. MlNlER 2,866,884

ELECTRIC HEATERS FOR SHOWERS Filed July 11, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 if /g 25 I g if 7/3 A? W A? X k '87 \Z: Z7 E i E United States atent 2,866,884 ELECTRIC HEATERS FOR SHOWERS Eudoxie Georges Minier, Havana, Cuba Application July 11, 1957, Serial No. 671,215

2 Claims. (Cl. 219-39 This invention relates to electric heaters for showers, and it has for its object to provide an improved electric heater of that kind.

The heater device of this invention comprises a cylindrical casing having an upper end tap and a lower end tap for connection with the water supply line and for the egress of hot water respectively. Feed water does not flow directly from the top end to the lower end of the device but through a tube that leads from the top end and reaches near the lower end to fill the inner space of the casing, and the water then overflows by an overflow tube that leads from near the top end and reaches near the lower end wherethrough it flows in ahot condition. The heating of the water is effected by means of a tube containing an electric resistance which is soldered to the casing through openings in the top portion of ,the latter and it is wound twice lengthwise the inner spztce of the casing, the first end of said tube being connec ed directly to one of the terminals of the electric supply l;'ne within an electric connection box which is attachedte the upper middle portion of the casing and encloses a bridge framing comprising an electrically insulated head that supports a metal plate between a stationary post connected to the other terminal of the electric supply line and another post in the shape of an open fork within which the free end of the metal plate is enclosed.

Within a head metal plate which is partly superposed to the electrically insulated head there is supported at its edge a bimetallic sheet which is made of two metals of dissimilar coefficient of expansion and when the water temperature rises beyond a certain limit said sheet bends in an opposite direction to thereby cause the metallic plate to disengage from the open-fork post contact through a stop attached thereto and to break the electric circuit through the resistance tube. The electric circuit is closed by means of a button which is subject to elastic tension and which is slidably mounted across an opening in the front portion of the electric connection box to move the metal contact plate so that its free end will contact the open-fork post which is secured to the electricity insulated head of the bridge framing mounted across a big opening in the heater casing.

The invention is described with reference to the figures of the accompanying drawings, of which:

Figure 1 is an outer elevational front view of the electric heater for showers of this invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal diametral sectional view of same on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a cross-section view on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a similar sectional view to Fig. 2, showing the bimetall c sheet in its normal position.

Fig. 5 is a similar sectional view to Fig. 2, showing the bimetallic sheet bent to withdraw the metallic plate from contact with the open-fork post secured to the bridge framing.

Fig. 6 is a detailed inner view showing the electrically insulated head on which the contact plate is mounted.

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Fig. 7 is a detailed view showing the bimetallic sheet mounted on the metallic head of the bridge framing.

Fig. 8 is a detailed inner view showing the metallic head of the bridge framing-.-

In the drawings, 1 indicates a cylindrical metal casing which is threadedly connected at its ends with two metal taps 2 and 3 which are internally cylindrical and narrowed to form a thread mouthpiece 4 or 5 at their outer portion to be threaded on the water supply line (not shown) and for the egress of hot water respectively. The upper mouthpiece 4 is closed at its base portion by ahorizontal partition 6 and has a central opening from which leads a tube 7 that bends to one side and ends near the lower tap 3 to permit the passage of the water entering through upper mouthpiece 4 and the filling of the inner space of easing 1. The water overflows by an overflow tube 8 that leads from near the upper tap 2 and passes across at: opening in the central portion of a horizontal partition 9 that interiorly obturates the lower mouthpiece 5 and thereby permits the free egress of hot water. I

Water is heated by means of a metallic tube 10 enclosing an electric wire resistance 11 and wound twice in opposite directions along and within the inner space of the casing 1, the ends of said tube 10 passing across and being soldered to openings in the upper front portion of the casing 1. Each end of said tube 10 is provided with. an electrically insulated plug 12 crossed by a bolt 13 secured by a nut 14, and the uppermost tube end is connected'directly with the post 15 of the electric supply line 16 which is inserted through a mouthpiece 17 in an electric connection box 18 secured to the outside of the upper front portion of the casing 1 by means of curved lugs 19 secured to the casing 1 by screws 20'. p

The box 18 has mounted therein through an enlarged opening 22 of casing 1 a bridge framing consisting of a cylindrical head 21 made from electric insulating material such as porcelain and being partly covered by another opposed metal sheet cylindrical: head 23. The head 21 has fixed to the base thereof a post 24 secured directly to the b0lt'14; of the second terminal of electric power line 25 leading from mouthpiece 17, and another post 26 extending and bent to form an open fork, which is connected through a link 27 to the terminal of the electric resistance tube 10. A metallic plate 28 has one end oscillatorily mounted Within the fork of post 26 and it is secured at its other end to the base of head 21, said latter end being secured by bolt 14 to the second terminal of the electric consumption line 25, plate 28 having at its middle portion a bolt 29 with a stop 30 adapted to be actuated by a bimetallic sheet 31 whose edge is inserted in a hole formed between a right angle bent section 32 of head 23 and the edge of the cylindrical portion of head 21. The base of head 21 has an outer recess 34 and an inner recess 35, the latter having mounted thereon a disc 36 secured to a horizontal stem 37 which in turn is secured to another disc 38 attached to an electrically insulated axle box 39 within which a coil spring 40 is wound about said stem 37, the threaded head of stem 37 being screwed within a threaded button 41 that projects outwardly through an opening 42 in the box 18.

The operation of the electric heater of this invention is as follows: In the normal position, the valve of water line is opened to allow water to enter and till the inner space of easing 1, and by pressing the button 41 upon the axle box 39, the stem 37 will move the metallic plate 28 which will oscillate within the open fork of post 26 and thereby close the contact with the latter and close the electric circuit between the terminal 25 of electric consumption line and the terminal of electric resistance wire 11. This effects the heating of the water entering through tube 7 and overflowing through tube 8. In the event that the user overlooked to switch off the electric current once the heater utilized, the casing 1 and the inner tubes will attain a temperature such that the bimetallic sheet 31 will bend outwards to cause the stop 30 to oscillate the metallic plate 28 which will withdraw from contact with the post 26, thereby breaking the electric circuit through the heater. Then, when it be desired to use the heater again, it will sufiice to press the button 31 to thereby apply the free end of metallic plate 28 within the fork of post 26 against the latter so that the electric circuit will be closed and the water heated.

It is obvious that changes may be made in the number of turns of the electric resistance tube within the inner space of the heater casing, without thereby altering the essential character of the invention which is such as claimed hereinafter.

What I claim is:

1. In an electric heater for showers comprising a casing having closed mouthpiece taps for connection with the water supply line and for the egress of hot water respectively, the combination of a water inlet tube leading from the inlet mouthpiece to near the opposed mouthpiece to fill with water the inner space of the casing, an overflow tube leading from near the Water inlet mouthpiece to the opposed mouthpiece to allow the egress of hot water, an electric resistance tube being wound in a plurality of longitudinal turns within the inner space of the casing, an electric connection box secured to the front of the casing and wherein one of the ends of the electric resistance tube is connected with one of the terminals of the electric consumption line, a bridge framing comprising an electricity insulated head and another opposed metal sheet head mounted across an opening in the easing, the electricity insulated head having oscillatorily mounted thereon a metallic plate fixedly secured to a post connected with the other terminal of the electric consumption line and having its free end ending within an open fork of the former post connected with the electric resistance wire, and means within the metallic head of the bridge framing which actuates upon being expanded by the action of the water heat and withdrawing the free end of the said metallic plate from contact with the forked post to thereby break the electric circuit.

2. In an electric heater for showers comprising a casing having closed mouthpiece taps for connection with the water supply line and for the egress of hot water respectively, the combination of a water inlet tube leading from the inlet mouthpiece to near the opposed mouthpiece for filling with water the inner space of the casing, an overflow tube leading from near the water inlet mouthpiece to the opposed mouthpiece for the egress of hot water, an electric resistance tube being wound in a plurality of longitudinal turns within the inner space of the casing, an electric connection box secured to the casing front and wherein one of the ends of the electric resistance tube is connected with one of the terminals of the electric consumption line, a bridge framing comprising an electricity insulated head partly superposed by another opposed metal sheet head and both being mounted across an opening in the casing, the electricity insulated head having oscillatorily mounted thereon a metallic plate fixedly secured at one end to a post connected with the other terminal of the electric consumption line and having its free end ending in an open fork of the other post connected with the electric resistance wire, and a bimetallic circular sheet made from two metals of dissimilar coeflicient of expansion and being inserted at its edge in a hole formed between the metallic sheet plate head and the edge of the electricity insulated head, a stop secured to the middle portion of the oscillatorily mounted metallic plate, a stem mounted across the base of the electricity insulated head under the elastic tension of a coil spring and ending in a button passing across an opening in the electric connection box so that upon the button being pressed down the metallic plate will be brought into contact with the open-fork post secured to the base of the electricity insulated head and the electric circuit through the electric resistance wire will be closed and upon the Water temperature rising beyond a certain limit the heat will cause said bimetallic sheet to bend and through the stop secured to the metallic contact plate it will push the free end of the latter out of contact with the forked post and will break the electric circuit.

Hinkle May 8, 1917 De Khotinsky Sept. 11, 1917

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