Abstract: A compact gas combustion furnace includes a substantially rectangular casing having an interior defined by a plurality of compartments. A draft inducer is mounted above the heat exchanger compartment to allow a multipass heat exchanger to be used while allowing the furnace to be fitted within a mobile home closet. A transition box couples the horizontally disposed inlet of the inducer and the vertically disposed outlet side of the heat exchangers. In a preferable arrangement, the furnace includes a burner assembly utilizing a plurality of burners, each having an arcuate shape in relation to a corresponding plurality of heat exchangers, and thereby occupying a minimum of space without loss of efficiency.

Abstract: An improved high-efficiency furnace for use with manufactured housing has a modular heat exchanger assembly having a drum and a plurality of serpentine shaped tubes. A burner extends at least partially into the drum portion of the heat exchanger which acts as a combustion chamber. Hot combustion gases flow upwardly within the drum and enter the tubes heating the drum and tubes. Room air is drawn into the furnace by a circulating blower and blown against the plurality of tubes. The room air is then directed to flow around the drum portion of the heat exchanger where it is further heated before being discharged into the space being heated. The burner includes an inwardly tilted target plate having a plurality of fingers for facilitating the formation of a stable ball of flame within the drum.

Abstract: A heating apparatus for delivering heated air to an enclosure comprising a casing with at least two compartments separated by a panel. A burner with an arcuate profile is located within a first compartment of the casing for burning a combustible fuel-air mixture delivered thereto and producing products of combustion. A heat exchanger is located within a second compartment of the casing and has an opposed inlet and outlet. The inlet is in fluid communication with the burner through an aperture in the panel. The heat exchanger receives the products of combustion. A blower is located within the casing for directing a flow of air across the heat exchanger into the enclosure. Through the heat exchanger heat is transferred from the products of combustion to the air. An exhaust system is in fluid communication with the outlet and includes a vent for exhausting the products of combustion from the casing. The vent is contained within the casing.

Abstract: A humidifier for use with counter- or down-flow furnaces such as those traditionally found in mobile homes. The humidifier includes a louvered tip-out access door, behind which is housed a drawer containing a water panel. The drawer is detachably snap-fitted to the inside of the access door. Water is directed onto the water panel by a water dispersion bar, which is snap-fitted into the top of the drawer above the water panel. As air is drawn through the humidifier which is installed over the return air louvers of a counter-flow furnace, tiny water droplets in the water panel are picked up by the moving air stream and carried into the home. The tip-out feature of the access door and the snap-fit connections allow for simple, easy repair and cleaning, even by an untrained person, thus avoiding the need for a skilled technician when only routine maintenance is necessary.

Abstract: An airhouse for supplying conditioned air to the interior area of an enclosed building. The airhouse incorporates one or more blowers having variable speed controllers enabling them to be operated at variable volumetric flow rates. The airhouse housing includes variable area dampers for controlling the inlet of outside or building return air. A dedicated controller is provided for adjusting the inlet areas of the two inlet pathways to provide a constant flow velocity through a direct fire burner through a range of blower volumetric output settings. In addition the units may include variable area diffuser units which tend to maintain constant discharge velocity pressure at various blower volumetric flow rate settings. In addition various control and operating strategies are provided for the individual airhouse units and a distributed array of such units in a large building structure controlled by a central computer.

Abstract: An upflow/downflow high efficiency furnace includes a means for mounting a secondary heat exchanger by use of a hinge member, which permits the furnace to be installed in either an upflow or downflow mode of operation, without any modification to the furnace as manufactured.

Abstract: A combustion furnace is provided which is convertible in the field for upflow or downflow operation. The furnace includes a cabinet in which a burner, heat exchanger, air blower and combustion gas blower are located. The burner, heat exchanger and combustion gas blower are mounted on a vestibule panel, which is removably mountable at opposed first and second mounting positions within the cabinet, whereby the burner, heat exchanger and combustion gas blower are reversibly positionable with respect to the air blower. The combustion gas blower is coupled to an elongated flue for exhausting combustion gases from the cabinet and is positionable with respect to the air blower to allow the flue to clear the compartment in which the air blower is located when the apparatus is configured for downflow operation. The vestibule panel includes an extruded portion extending into the air flowing across the heat exchanger.

Abstract: An airhouse for supplying conditioned air to the interior of an enclosed building. Matched twin blowers symmetrically arranged within the airhouse enclosure are operated in unison to insure a balanced air flow into the airhouse and through the blowers. A burner unit mounted intermediate the blowers is flanked by matching outside air inlets having controllable dampers, preferably of a canister-type, operable in opposition. A building return air inlet located midway between the blowers likewise has canister-type dampers operable in opposition. The blowers may be independent and operated at the same speed by separate drive means, or they may be mounted on a common shaft operated by a single drive means. A controller may be provided for varying the speed of the drive means. In one embodiment dampers may be provided for the building air outlets along with dampered openings from the blower enclosures to the external atmosphere for rapidly expelling contaminated air from the building interior.

Abstract: A wall furnace is disclosed in which a secondary heat exchanger is provided to maximize the heat transfer efficiency of the furnace. The secondary heat exchanger faces the room to be heated but is aligned directly behind the primary heat exchanger. The length of the secondary heat exchanger is shortened as compared to the combined length of the combustion chamber and primary heat exchanger so as to reduce inefficiencies due to reheating of the combustion gases and to promote air flow and heat transfer around the secondary heat exchanger. Thus, this configuration provides for two essentially separate circulation circuits for heat transfer and maximum furnace efficiency. Separate heated air deflectors are also provided for each of these circuits. A side venting draft hood is also disclosed.

Abstract: An upflow or downflow furnace comprising a housing; a heat exchanger section in the housing, a blower section in the housing, and a blower deck in the housing having an upward side and a downward side. The heat exchanger section includes at least one heat exchanger and the blower section includes a blower for moving air through the heat exchanger section. The blower deck separates the blower section and the heat exchanger section. The blower deck includes an aperture and means, in proximity to the aperture, for either mounting the blower to the downward side of the blower deck for an upflow furnace configuration or mounting the blower to the upward side of the blower deck for a downflow furnace configuration.

Abstract: Airhouses for supplying conditioned air in controlled amounts to the interior of large enclosed buildings. An improved air inlet, burner and damper construction adapted for utilization with both newly constructed and existing airhouses is provided. A burner assembly and an outside air inlet are incorporated in a unit adapted to be affixed to the airhouse. A building return air inlet provides communication between the airhouse and the interior of the building. Shear dampers or valves of equal flow capacity varying linearly between open and closed positions are provided in the outside and building return air inlets. The dampers are controllably interconnected to operate in opposition so as to admit a uniform combined volume of outside air and building return air to the airhouse. The burner assembly and outside air and building return air inlets are sized so that air entering the airhouse through the burner unit and the outside and return air inlets are at substantially equal velocities.

Abstract: A hot air heat exchanger comprises a heat exchanger housing having a floor, which is essentially formed by a ceiling of an outer chamber and has at least one heat exchanger pipe extending from the floor to a ceiling element having exhaust openings, each pipe is secured to an exhaust opening in the upper wall of the outer chamber and a burner is disposed in an inner chamber which is positioned inside of the outer chamber with a spacing between the wall of the inner chamber and the outer chamber to allow air to flow therethrough. The upper wall of the inner chamber is provided with an exhaust gas opening, which is aligned with the exhaust opening of the outer chamber, and both openings have peripheral walls that are tapered to form a Venturi-like nozzle for drawing air in the space between the inner and outer chambers into each pipe as the exhaust gas from the burner in the inner chamber flows into the pipe to pass up through an exhaust element in the ceiling of the heat exchanger housing.

Abstract: An arrangement for the uniform heating of a room, especially a living room, by equalization of the temperature distribution between the ceiling and floor of the room. The arrangement includes at least one upright column extending between the ceiling and floor of the room. Each column comprises two channel-shaped shells fastened to each other which form an air channel in which a fan, which creates an air current from top to bottom, and an electrical heating element are arranged. The fan and electrical heating element are located between an upper air inlet and a lower air outlet. Also included is a control unit which is attached to a front panel. The front panel can be installed and fastened to a front recess of the column, while the fan is fastened to a plate on whose lower surface the heating element in the shape of a tubular spiral body is attached and hung.

Abstract: A furnace utilizing, in the upper portion of its cabinet, a blower acting downward through a separator opening to circulate room air past a combustion chamber whose gases flow upward through a sideward-positioned board radiator member which reaches up to the flue. A substantial increase in efficiency results from drawing the combustion gases out of the combustion chamber at the side opposite to the lower end of the broad radiator member, and interposing therebetween, directly beneath the separator opening, a plurality of tubes which serve as an intermediate heat exchanger. A still greater increase in efficiency is achieved by utilizing, instead, a finned tube heat exchanger across and beneath said separator opening; its heat transfer may be so great as to result in condensation of water vapor in the combustion gas. To purge this, a motorized inducer-blower is used in the inlet air system, driving the condensate through the finned tube heat exchanger to an appropriate drain.

Abstract: A heater is adapted to provide heat for heating a room by effecting heat exchange in a heat section which is between combustion and ventilation sections. The heat exchange section comprises a rotary body positioned across the combustion and ventilation sections so as to rotate at that position. The rotary body has air flow passages extending in the same direction as the axis of rotation of the rotary body. The heater can effect heat exchange with an increased efficiency and also can prevent the interior of the room from being abnormally dried.

Abstract: The heat exchanger of a gravity flow wall furnace defines a tortuous, mostly vertical path for the combustion gases to improve heat transfer to the room. The gases are directed upwardly in a combustion chamber and then split into two portions and conducted through two radiators having paths which extend downwardly adjacent to but spaced from the chamber and then upwardly again leading to a flue. The chamber and the radiators are oriented edgewise with respect to the wall so that all can fit within the space between a pair of studdings in a conventional stud wall.

Abstract: A heating system comprising a firebox defining a combustion chamber that is substantially sealed from the atmosphere. The system includes a flue for conducting combustion gases from the combustion chamber. A first duct surrounds the flue and defines an inner passageway with respect thereto. A second duct surrounds the first duct and defines an outer passageway. An inlet means is provided for introducing ambient air into the outer passageway. The air in the outer passageway is drawn through the inner passageway by a negative pressure in the combustion chamber. The ambient air in the inner and outer passageways is heated by heat transmitted from the flue. This heated ambient air is then introduced in the combustion chamber to improve the efficiency of combustion.

Abstract: A portable hot air circulator comprises concentrically mounted cylindrical members, the inner member being closed at its upper end to form a cup-like structure designed to mount over a conventional liquid fuel heater in closely-spaced relation. Air is forced downwardly through an annular passageway between the cylindrical members by a fan mounted through the top of the outer cylindrical member which is closed to form a plenum space between the tops of the concentric cylinder members. The fan is shielded by a louvered hood member, and spacer clips accomodate the mounting over the liquid fuel heater.

Abstract: This invention relates to a compact high efficiency furnace having a cylindrical combustion chamber and a fin and tube type heat exchanger substantially parallel, transverse to the furnace air flow, and closely spaced in the air flow direction with no other major heat exchange being utilized. Condensation of fluids from the combustion gases occurs at the fin and tube type heat exchanger, whereby a high efficiency furnace results. The fins and tubes of the heat exchanger are of different materials, requiring that the combustion gas temperature at the heat exchanger inlet be limited.

Abstract: A furnace having a primary heat exchange unit also providing a combustion chamber, a secondary heat exchange unit connected by an upper crossover conduit to the primary heat exchange unit, and a tertiary heat exchange unit connected by a lower V-shaped crossover conduit to the secondary heat exchange unit. A third crossover conduit connects the V-shaped crossover conduit with the primary heat exchange unit. A fly ash removal screw is located in the V-shaped crossover conduit to move fly ash therefrom through the third crossover conduit back into the primary heat exchange unit to an ash depository for removal therefrom. Vibrating means are provided between the secondary and tertiary heat exchange units to vibrate the walls thereof and dislodge clinging fly ash so that it falls into the V-shaped crossover conduit for removal by the screw conveyor. A burner assembly of the furnace includes a combustion air housing carrying a circular, stationary grate with an annular valley for carrying fuel during combustion.

Abstract: The heating equipment includes an auxiliary heating apparatus having a space heater mounted within an air recirculating furnace system for heating air therein. A thermostat responds to a first predetermined ambient temperature to activate the space heater for heating air within the furnace system. A conduit, connected electrically between the output of the thermostat and the air recirculating blower of the furnace system, sends an electrical signal to the blower to activate it when the thermostat is energized upon the ambient temperature falling below the first predetermined temperature.

Abstract: A compact secondary heat exchanger, installed above the preliminary heat exchanger in a down draft-type gas burning furnace, so greatly reduces combustion gas temperature as to recover a portion of the latent heat in the water vapor created by burning the hydrocarbon gas.

Abstract: A combustion device has a negative pressure combustion burner and an ejector air flow generating mechanism and is designed so that the warm air flow rate is approximately proportional to the combustion rate. The device is simple in construction, and by controlling the warm air flow rate it is possible to adjust the heat output of the device while maintaining the temperature of warm air at a constant value. The device disclosed herein is particularly suitable for use as an air circulation type room heater.

Abstract: A heat circulation device is provided which is portable to be usable placed upon conventional space heaters and particularly upon kerosene fueled heaters which includes a plenum housing adapted to be placed upon the heater which defines a plenum chamber therein for gathering heated air. The upper surface of the plenum chamber defines a generally convex heated surface and the sidewalls of the plenum chamber include apertures therein. A main housing is located immediately above the plenum housing which is adapted to provide a flow of cool air via a blower assembly wherein this cool air is guided to travel across the convection surface to be warmed thereby and then to travel past the hot air apertures to create a suction thereagainst similar to the Venturi principle and hence draw warm air outward therefrom. In this manner the heated air being supplied into the plenum chamber from the kerosene or other heater will be re-circulated in an outwardly directed manner 360.degree.

Abstract: A heat recapture device for attachment to a furnace or fireplace exhaust flue is disclosed. Duct work in the device allows ambient air to be warmed by combustion exhaust gases. Air thus heated may be used to heat the surrounding living space. Additional duct work causes circulation of fresh air into the room and serves as a heat insulating shield around the periphery of the device.

Abstract: A space heater having two heating elements and a motor/fan combination for circulating air over the heating elements to supply heated air to an environment includes a system for controlling the operation of the heating elements and the motor in response to heating requirements of the environment. The control system includes a first circuit for sensing temperature to determine a heating requirement to maintain a desired ambient temperature of the environment, a second circuit for independently activating and deactivating the heating elements in according with the heating requirements determined by the first circuit, and a third circuit for activating, deactivating, and variably controlling the volume of air circulated by the motor/fan in accordance with heating requirements determined by the first circuit. The heater housing includes a main housing portion housing the heating elements, an ambient air intake opening, a heated air exhaust vent, and the motor/fan.

Abstract: An improved downdraft furnace wherein two combustion grates are used, with the lower one being maintained completely covered with glowing coals, which totally oxidize combustion gases and particles passing through, with the result that the exhaust is free of smoke.

Abstract: A warm air furnace including a plenum, a blower, heat exchanger disposed within the plenum and an air distribution chamber. The heat exchanger includes an encasement surrounding a plurality of vertically extending heat exchanger tubes. The tubes are in communication with the plenum and with the air distribution chamber. A fibrous refractory inorganic tubular flame chamber is positioned within the encasement and is partially surrounded by the vertically extending tubes. The tubes are positioned in a generally U-shaped pattern and one of the tubes contacts the flame chamber. The tubes along the sides of the pattern are interconnected by upper and lower side baffles. The baffles are vertically spaced from each other to define exhaust outlets. A rear baffle extends between the tubes along the base of the pattern. A flue extends from the encasement for exhaust of combustion gases.

Abstract: The specification discloses a novel energy saving forced-air furnace. In contrast to previous forced-air furnaces, which ran only on gas or oil and in which approximately half of the energy derived from the burning fuel was lost through the chimney, the furnace of the present invention can run on coal, wood, gas or oil and retains a substantial portion of the heat which normally would be lost by the utilization of special tubing units and refractory plates. My furnace saves the greatest amount of energy possible by providing a heat chamber having a special tubing unit therein from the surface area of which heat generated in a stove chamber is transferred to a heat chamber and simultaneously through which exhaust gases air conducted from the stove chamber mounted below the heat chamber to the exterior of the furnace. Refractory plates are placed in a serial arrangement within the furnace heat chamber with spaces provided between them.

Abstract: A downflow furnace assembly having a combustible floor base including a pair of parallel side rails, a pair of parallel, variable length cross rails, and integral spacing flanges, and a method of constructing the combustible floor base. The integral spacing flanges are for maintaining the lower plenum of the downflow furnace assembly at a preset distance from the edge of a combustible floor and are formed by die pressing the same metal sheets that are pressed to form the rails of the floor base. The variable length cross rails are each comprised of a pair of interfitted channel members that are in slidable communication with each other. By sliding the channel members with respect to each other, the lengths of the cross rails and the width of the base can be adjusted. The surface of each channel member defines a plurality of holes, and each cross rail can be adjusted to various preset lengths by aligning different holes.

Abstract: The invention is comprised of a heat exchanger around the exhaust stack of any combustible fuel-burning system and also around the outside of any fuel-burning device; each heat exchanger filled with a porous heat-conducting material so that fresh outside air pulled by motor-powered means into any building operates to replace the cold air therein with fresh warm air pre-heated from the combustion device and stack.

Abstract: A microwave furnace having an impervious housing with an inlet and an outlet and a fan or blower for inducing within the housing a moving air stream. Supported within the housing within the air stream is a body of microwave lossy material. Also within the housing upstream of the body of microwave lossy material is a microwave source and a transmission line for transmitting the microwave energy from the source to the body. The body is configured with respect to the cross sectional shape of the air flow path such that the moving air passes through a relatively small gap between the body and the inner surface of the housing, thereby affording sufficient residence time for the air to be heated by radiation from the body.

Abstract: A portable electric space heater has a case that surrounds separate electric heating elements, and the case has separated upper and lower airflow openings. A control switch allows manual selection of two different operating cycles, respectively suited for heater use in a large room requiring heater outputs approximately 65 to 100% of maximum to maintain a comfort level, and in a small room requiring heater outputs of only 20 to 100% of maximum. Thermostatic controls respond to the sensed ambient air temperatures to shift the heater operation automatically, in either operating cycle, for maximum heat output, for a lower modulated heat output, and for no heat output. Simultaneously with this modulated heat output, air moving means located in the case is operated at different speeds, at maximum speeds for the high heat outputs and lesser speeds or is even stopped for the lower or no heat outputs.

Abstract: A hot air furnace includes a cylindrical combustion chamber with enclosed upper and lower ends. A plurality of apertures are formed in the lower end of the combustion chamber wall through which flame jets are radially discharged into a flue chamber defined by the space between the combustion chamber wall and a flue chamber wall circumscribing and spaced from the combustion chamber wall. The end of the flue chamber wall nearest the apertured end of the combustion chamber is closed with a domed panel and the opposite end is closed with a streamlined closure member. A plurality of vertically extending fins extend a substantial distance between the combustion chamber wall and flue chamber wall along a portion of the length of said flue chamber wall spaced from the apertures in the combustion chamber wall. An air chamber wall circumscribes and is spaced from the flue chamber wall which includes a plurality of vertically extending fins disposed in the air chamber so formed to surround the flue chamber wall.

Abstract: This disclosure teaches a heater which is especially well suited to handling large flows of a process stream at low pressure losses. A cylindrical sleeve, having a first end and a second end, is mounted by means of a bellows in a cylindrical shell having a first end and a second end each corresponding with that of the sleeve. The first ends converge to form a convection input passage therebetween, the second ends diverge to form a radiant zone therebetween. Hot gas passes between the shell and the sleeve through the radiant zone and then the convection input zone, the process stream passes through the inner flow space. A baffle is mounted within the sleeve in its first end to channel the process stream into a convection output passage boardered inwardly by the baffle and outwardly by the sleeve. Extended surface projects from the sleeve into the convection input zone and additional extended surface projects from the sleeve into the convection output passage.

Abstract: This disclosure teaches a heater which is especially well suited to handle large flows of a process stream at low pressure losses. A cylindrical sleeve is mounted by means of a bellows inwardly of a cylindrical shell to separate an inner hot gas flow space from an annular outer process flow space. The sleeve encloses an entrance combustion zone and has an exit end. A baffle is mounted inwardly of the sleeve with a closed end projecting into the exit end of the sleeve to channel the hot gas into an annular convection space bordered outwardly by the sleeve. Extended surface projects from the sleeve into the process flow space and additional extended surface projects from the sleeve into the convection space.