US2833905A - Heating apparatus - Google Patents

Description

May 6, 1958 T. J. KENNY HEATING APPARATUS Filed May 2, 1955 IN V EN TOR. 720/7755 Jjf flfij, BY

A TTORNEY United States Paten HEATING APPARATUS I Thomas J. Kenny, Elkins Park, Pa. Application May 2, 1955, Serial N 0. 505,337 6 Claims. (Cl. 219-34) This invention relates to heating apparatus, and more particularly concerns heating devices that .are used to heat passenger railroad cars. A

More specifically, this invention relates to improvements in electric heating devices, and other types of heating apparatus, for instance steam heaters, and heater guards installed along the base of the inside wall of a railroad passenger car.

Various types of heating apparatus and heater guard devices have heretofore been used to Warm the air in passenger railroad cars. Such devices have produced hot spots on the vertical covering thereof where the temperature has ranged as high as 270 F. and have burned passengers legs and clothing, and melted pocketbooks and womens plastic overshoes. Heating apparatus which have used electric heating elements have been notably deficient in this respect. Others of such previous devices have failed to protect the heater elements from foreign objects such as papers, cigar wrappers, umbrellas and other articles that are likely to be thrust through the openings in the heater covering.

Accordingly it is one object of this invention to provide means whereby to overcome the aforementioned deficiencies of previous devices, means whereby hot spots are eliminated and the heater elements are protected. Another object of this invention is to lower the temperature of the heater guard without lowering the temperature of the heater elements. A further object of the present invention is to increase the stack height of the heating apparatus within the overall height limitations placed on the heating apparatus by reason of passenger railroad car construction design. A still further object of this invention is to increase the rate of air flow that passes the heater elements.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a heating apparatus of the convector type which will transfer the heat energy from an electric strip heater element to a maximum volume of air with the greatest degree of efiiciency.

A further object of this invention is to convert electrical energy into heat energy to heat a maximum volume of air and to provide a maximum flow of unrestricted heated air.

Afurther object of the present invention is to provide a heating apparatus of the convector type which will foment a natural circulation of air through the heating apparatus to produce the largest volume of-heated air at a predetermined temperature.v

A still further object of this invention is to provide aheating apparatus having cover members which are maintained at a moderate temperature without mechanically moving the air such as by use of fans and similar devices.

Further objects and advantages will be apparent from the description which follows, having particular reference to a preferred embodiment of this invention as shown in the drawing, in which:

The drawing is a broken perspective view partly in assaaes section of one end of the unit mounted along the inside wall of a railroad passenger car in the corner formed by the juncture of the inside wall and the floor of the car.

In the drawing there is shown an inside wall 21 of a railroad passenger car and a floor 22 of that car. A carpet 23 covers part of the floor 22. Mounted on inside wall 21 is a cover guard supporting angle bracket 24 which extends horizontally along the side of the car. Afiixed to the cover guard supporting angle 24 by means of screws 25 is a cover guard or enclosure 26. Enclosure 26 is bent to form a first vertical surface 27, a first horizontal surface 28, a second vertical surface 31, and a second horizontal surface 32 attached to the cover guard supporting angle bracket 24. The upper portion of the first vertical surface 27 is provided with a plurality of elongated slots 33 to form a first air outlet designated generally by the numeral 34. Similarly, the upper portion of the second vertical surface 31 is provided with a plurality of elongated slots 35 to form a second air outlet designated generally as 36. The bottom of first vertical surface 27 is terminated at a distance short of the floor 22 to form an air inlet 37. The bottom edge of the first vertical surface 27 is turned outwardly from the center of the railroad car to form a flange 38 in order to present a smooth curved surface to possible contact with a passengers foot or leg. Supporting bracket 41 is bolted to the bottom portion of the first vertical surface by bolt 42 and is screwed to the floor 22 of the car by screw 43. The supporting brackets 41, only one of which is shown in the drawing, are spaced along the floor of. the car at intervals of about eighteen inches and together with the cover guard angle supporting bracket 24 serve to maintain the cover guard or enclosure rigidly in place.

Below the cover guard supporting angle bracket 24 is mounted a U-shaped bracket 44 which is bolted to inside wall 21 by bolts 45 and nuts 46. A bracket 47 is bolted to U-shaped bracket 44 by bolt 48 and nut 51, and a baflle 52 is supported within enclosure 26 between bracket 47' and U-shaped bracket 44 by the bolt 48 and nut 51. A first electric strip heater element 53 is mounted on bracket 47 by nut 54 and bolt 55. Between the head of bolt 55 and the electric strip heater element 53 there is provided an insulator 56 and between the electric strip heater element 53 and the bracket 47 there is provided an insulator 57. Two electric terminals 58 are mounted on the electric strip heater element 53 for attachment of wires 59 and 60 that transmit the electric power necessary to energize electric strip heater element Another bracket 61 is bolted to the U-shaped bracket 44 by nut 62 and bolt 63. A second strip heater element 64 is mounted on bracket 61 by nut 65 and bolt 66. Between the head of bolt 66 and the electric strip heater element 64 there is provided an insulator 67, and between the electric strip heater element 64 and the bracket 61 there is provided an insulator 68. Two electric terminals (not shown) are provided on the electric strip heater element 64.

The baffle 52 is positioned so that its upper edge 71 is contiguous with the upper portion of the first vertical tween the first heater element 53 and the second heater element 64. Then the baflle 52 cuwes downwardly to pass between the second heater element64and the first vertical surface 27, terminatingshort offloor 22 toleave an air space 73 between said bafiie 52 and the floor 22.

Similar heater element andbaflle supports are provided at the other end of the heater elements 53 and 64 shown. in the drawing, and a plurality of heater elements53f and64 are provided along the length ofth'e inside-wall 21 of the railroad passenger car.

The operation of this heater and heaterguard will now: be apparent. In accordance with the invention cool airg which will lie near the floor 22of the railroad passengercar will enter air inlet 37. A portion ofthis air willebe deflected by bafiie 52 to the area surroundingthe first' heater element 53, there to be warmed and deflected by baffie52 to first air outlet 34 for dischargeinto the car.

The other-portion of the air'from air inlet 37- will pass beneath bafiie 52 through air space 73 to the area surrounding the second heater element 64, there to be" warmed and then pass along the inside wall 21 to second air outlet 36 for discharge into the car.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention shown in the drawing the first heater element 53 is a 200'watt' electric strip heater of 0.8 watt density (watts per square" inch of emittingrsurface), and the second heater element 64 is an 800 watt electric strip heater of 3.2 watts density;

Thisarrangement of the apparatus as shown-intth'e drawing has many advantages. The first vertical surface 27is exposed to the radiant heat of only the smaller capacity first heaterelement 53, since-the bafile 52 shields the first vertical surface 27 from the radiant heat emitted by the larger capacity second heater element 64. This helps to keep the first'vertical surface 27 at a moderate temperature. The baffle 52 and-air space 72 help maintain the first horizontal-surface 28 at a moderate" rem: peraturc.v

It has been. found that making the enclosure 27 of. aluminum results in lower surface temperatures than when enclosure 27 has been made of stainless steel.

Supporting the heater elements 53 and 64 on-bra'ekets extending,a-distance away from the inside wall 21 pre-- vents hot spots from developing on the inside wall=21and permits -free passage ofa volumeof air fromsecond heater element to second air outlet 36.

The distance between the second heater element- 64"- and the second air outlet 36 is referred to inthe art'asther'stack height; Increasingzthe stack height increasesthe1stack effect, which is to increase the volumeof-air-i that-passes thesecond heater element 64 in a certain: time interval. This: increased-volurne-rate of 'air"results* ina lower temperature of the air'since the'heatemitted by the second heater element 64 remainsfixeds Positioning'the second and-larger capacity heater element-64 near the floor 22 of the-car,'and positioning the second air outlet 36 near the top of enclosure 26 accomplishes the object of providing maximum stack height and effect and of heating a large volume of airto the desired tem- 1 peraturewithout developing hot spots onthe" heating apparatus, including the heater guard.

In the preferred embodimentof the inventionthe elomgated slots-of the air outlets 36 and 34are a /2-inch'- wide and 1% inches high, while the air inlet'37 is 1%{ inches high. These dimensions may be varied somewhat but it is important to provide air outlets of-=adequate size, for the air outletsize, the bafile 52 and-the stack height combine topermit free passage of air. and to eliminate the stagnant hot air pockets which cause hot spots on the, heatingv apparatus.

While I have disclosed a-preferred-embodiment of-tltev present invention it will beunderstood that various J modifications, including the use of equivalent means are included within the broad outlines of the present-inverts. tion, and it is intended thatsuchmodifications shallwbez included within the definitionof -the present inventiomasset forth in the appended claims. Forinstance the inlet 37 may be a plurality theelongated slots 33 and 35 forming first air outlet-34' of elongated slots similar to and second air outlet 36, respectively, and the baflle 52 may assume more of an S-shape.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. Heating apparatus for mounting on the inside wall and floor of railroad passenger cars for warming the interior of said railroad passenger cars, comprising in combination an enclosuretincluding a first and a second vertical surface and'a'fi'rst and" a secondhorizontal surface, the second horizontal surface extending inwardly from the inside wall of the railroad. passenger car substantially parallel'to and spaced away from the floor, the second verticalsurface'textending"downwardly from the inner edge of the second horizontal surface substantially parallel to and spaced away from the inside wall, the first horizontal surface extending inwardly from the lower edge of the second vertical surface substantially parallel toand spaced away from the'fio'or and the second horizontal surface, the first vertical surface extending downwardly from the inner edge of the first horizontal surface substantially parallel to the inside wall and the second vertiealsurface, th'e first vertical surface having its'loweredge space'd'away from the floor to forman air inletythe'first vertical surface having a plurality of elongated slots in the upper portions thereof to form a first air'ou'tlet, the second vertical surface having'a plurality ofelo'ngated slots in the upper portion thereof to form a second'iairroutl e't; 'a'first'electric strip'heater element ofabo'ut-OJS watt'zdensity mounted' within said enclosure between-the first'horizontal surface'and the floor and positioned midway"between the first vertical surface and the *insidewall; a second electricstrip heater element of about 32 watts density mountedwithin said enclosure below-thefirst electric 'stn'pheatcr' element and within the-loweronc-third'ofthe'first vertical surface; a curved bafile'coritiguous to thefirst vertical surface and curving downwardlyto'pass between the inside wall and the first electric strip, heater element, then extending substantially horizontallyto' pass between the first andjthe second electric-strip heater elements, then" extending downwardly to' pa'ssbetween theseco'nd electric strip heater element and"the-first vertical surface and terminating short of th'e' 'fl'oor to*1eave'an air space between said battle and the floor; whereby to admit cool air through the airinlet, pass aportioniof said'cool air to the area adjacent the fir'sf'ele'ct'rie-strip heate'r'towarm the air, the warm air risingtobedefiectedby said bafile'to said first air outlet for discharge into the railroad passenger carj whereby topass "a po'rtion of saideool air behind said curved battle to 'the areaadja'cent the second electric strip heater to warm the air, said warm air rising. to said second air outlet for discharge into the railroad passenger car; and whereby"tomaintain'said' enclosure at such a temperature-s'o as to prevent burning of passengers and their clothing;

2. Heating apparatus for mounting on the inside wall of 'railroadcars" and the like, comprisinga cover guard having an airinlet formed therein, said cover guard includin'g'a first anda second vertical surface spaced apart from each other and joined together by a connecting surfa'c'ee'xtending fromthe lower edge of the second vertical surface to'the"upper' edge of the'first vertical surface, each-of said vertical surfaces having an air outlet formed therein; a" first a'nda second heater element. fixedly mounted and positioned inside" the cover guard and spaced therefromymeans for energizing said heater elements, and-battle= mea'nsmounted'within said cover guard for shielding the'second 'vertic'al surface, the connecting surface; and the secbndheater element from the first heater element.

3 The heatingappatatus defined -:in. claim 2,. wherein-- said first heaterelement is positioned above said second heater element.

4. The heating apparatus defined in claim 3, wherein References Cited in the file of this patent said second heater element is of greater heating capacity UNITED STATES PATENTS than said first heater element.

5. The heating apparatus defined in claim 2, wherein g i s 'd connecting surface is substantially horizontal. 5 10 S Sal 1,705,769 Kercher Mar. 19, 1929 6. The heatmg apparatus defined in claim 5, wherein 1,986,350 Logan Ian. 1, 1935 said cover guard is also provided with a second horizontal surface which is joined to the top edge of said second FOREIGN PATENTS vertical surface. 141,341 Australia May 22, 1951

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