Abstract: An expansion joint, which connects pipes to each other and is capable of expanding and contracting, the joint being provided with: a first end pipe and a second end pipe; a connecting pipe for connecting the first end pipe to the second end pipe so as to be capable of approaching and separating from each other; and a thrust-absorbing device having a pressure chamber, which can expand and contract in the direction in which the first end pipe and the second end pipe are linked and into which a fluid pressure that differs from the pressure inside the pipes can be introduced, the pressure chamber comprising a first pressure-receiving section, which is fixed to the first end pipe and faces in the direction from the second end pipe toward the first end pipe, and a second pressure-receiving section, which is fixed to the second end pipe and faces in the direction from the first end pipe towards the second end pipe.

Abstract: A furnace having improved heat exchanger, which is particularly suitable for use in a positive pressure, direct-vented hot air furnace. The heat exchanger has a split housing construction allowing the heat exchanger to be partible into halves. Parting the heat exchanger housing of the present invention permits access to the ceramic combustion chamber disposed therein, facilitating periodic repair and replacement. The partible portions of the present heat exchanger housing are connectable using one of several available connection means, including bolted mating flanges, encircling clamps, and twisting quick-locking means. The connection between the partible portions is gasketed to provide a positive pressure seal of the connection, impeding leakage of pressurized combustion gases from within the heat exchanger to the occupied air.

Abstract: A heat exchanger manifold (44) is provided which includes a plurality of manifold inlet openings (58) including sealant means such as grommet means (62) which receive the tube outlets (40c) of the condensing section (34) of a heat exchanger (28). The heat exchanger manifold (44) is made of a corrosion-resistant material such as a polymer such as one sold under the trademark LEXAN.TM. and the grommets (62) are preferably made of a resilient, corrosionresistant polymer such as rubber, e.g., a nitrile rubber. The condensing tubes (38a, 38b, 38c) are slanted to facilitate drainage of the condensate into the heat exchanger manifold (44) and a flue gas outlet (64) and a condensate drain (49) are provided to discharge, respectively, flue gas and condensate from the heat exchanger manifold (44). The condensing tubes (38a, 38b, 38c) are connected to the primary heating section (30) of the heat exchanger (28) through swaged joints (37).

Abstract: A heat exchanger assembly comprises a partition or mounting plate with an aperture therethrough and a heat exchanger wall with an opening therethrough where the plate and wall are assembled together with the plate aperture and wall opening adjoined and sealed by a sponge pad in accordance with the method of the invention.

Abstract: The edge seal mechanism of the present invention may be used in connection with clamshell or other formed sheet metal heat exchanger apparatus of the kind utilized for directing hot flue gases into a defined combustion chamber and into various forms of flue passes for radiation from such heat exchanger such combustion chamber. The improved edge seal structure for a clamshell heat exchanger of the present invention includes a first plate flange portion, around which a second flange plate portion is wrapped to define a channel for disposition of the first plate flange portion therebetween. The seal between the first and second flange portion is further formed and stabilized by means of a lateral bend in the first and second flange portions, with such lateral bend being in the direction of and toward the terminal portion of the second plate flange in order to secure maintenance of the seal between the first and second plate flange portions.

Abstract: A connecting structure of a blast furnace hot stove of the type in which a heat accumulation chamber dome and a combustion chamber dome are directly connected to each other through a dome connecting pipe which does not have any expansion joint. The ratio (RD/TD) of the diameter (RD) of the dome connecting pipe to the diameter (TD) of the heat accumulation chamber dome approximately meets the condition wherein 0.24.ltoreq.(RD/TD).ltoreq.0.60, while the ratio (RD/ND) of the diameter (RD) of the dome connecting pipe to the diameter (ND) of the combustion chamber dome approximately meets the condition wherein 0.44.ltoreq.(RD/ND).ltoreq.0.80. The connecting structure may have a reinforcement ring provided on straight barrel portions immediately under the heat accumulation chamber dome and the combustion chamber dome, and a connecting beam may be fixed at one end to one of the reinforcement rings and engage at its other end with the other of the reinforcement rings for limited sliding motion.

Abstract: A forced air furnace has its blower mounted on a blower shelf beneath the heat exchanger, by screws that enter aligned clearance holes in the blower mounting flanges and blower shelf and which engage gripper holes in a bottom lip of the vertical cell panel that serves as the proximal wall of the furnace heat exchanger cell. This provides vertical support for the blower and absorbs stresses from up-and-down motion.

Abstract: Element structures are assembled from separately formed modular elements. Incorporated in the modular elements are stressing members, for example, connecting rods or the like, which can be aligned when the modular elements are positioned for installation. The adjacent connecting rods are secured to a coupling by means of which the rods can be tensioned and the entire assembly braced and rigidified. Tensile or compressive forces, due to elongation and shrinkage, are transmitted to and absorbed by the stressing members. The separate modular elements can be easily assembled or disassembled. The element structure has numerous uses, for example, in prefabricated wall or ceiling construction, in the manufacture of tiled stoves, and the like.

Abstract: A bulkhead is formed of a sheet of material which is preformed so as to have alternatingly opposed S-shaped creases at spaced intervals which define pairs of mutually facing recessed grooves between adjacent creases. Resilient surface area enlarging members are each provided with a pair of lips formed on the opposite edges thereof. Each pair of lips are received within a pair of mutually facing recessed grooves of the bulkhead. The surface area enlarging members can be snapped into or out of operative position with respect to the bulkhead to adjust the surface area of the device.

Abstract: A heat exchanger unit having opposed pan shaped sections with perimeter flanges which are folded one over the other to secure the sections together. The section having the inner flange is formed with a displaced flange portion or bead all along the perimeter flange portions, which bead is elastically displaced by the folded over flange to form a substantially leakproof joint.

Abstract: A furnace heat exchanger and support plate assembly are joined together at respective openings for the burner assembly and for the combustion products outlet by an oval rim defining the heat exchanger opening and a cooperating flange on a partition plate and extending perpendicular to the plane of the plate. The flange on the partition plate is inserted in the opening in the heat exchanger unit and expanded radially outward with respect to the central longitudinal axis of the openings to form a leakproof joint. An improved method of forming the joint includes the use of an expander mechanism which may be inserted through the opening in the plate into the interior of the heat exchanger and engaged with the plate flange to expand the flange radially outwardly. A complete nonwelded furnace heat exchanger assembly includes one or more support members which are secured to flanges of the heat exchanger units without welding or mechanical fasteners.

Abstract: A plate assembly is secured to a heat exchanger unit for a hot air furnace at each of one or more apertures in the unit by expanding a flange extending around an aperture on the plate within the aperture in the unit to cause such flange to conform to the exact shape of the aperture in the unit and form a leak-proof joint between the heat exchanger unit and plate assembly.

Abstract: Disclosed is a heating device of assembled cast panel construction with flanges joined together and whose front, side, back and top walls and bottom grates define a combustion chamber. The angled side walls define an obtuse interior angle and the side and top walls define an obtuse interior angle. An embodiment of the heating device is a boiler incorporated by operatively connected expansion tank, holding tank and a coil of water tubes disposed in the combustion chamber's top area. Another embodiment of the heating device is a hot-air furnace incorporated by a plenum chamber, cold-air return and blower fan with such blower fan directing cold air from the cold-air return to and through the plenum chamber where it is heated. A still further embodiment combines the boiler and hot-air furnace with such heating device.

Abstract: A coal-burning boiler wherein primary air is admitted in the boiler front, below the grate, and secondary air is admitted in the rear of the boiler, below a box-like baffle member. The baffle member is disposed parallel to the grate and divides the boiler into upper and lower chambers communicating adjacent the boiler front, whereby the streams of primary and secondary air merge to flow over both the lower and upper surfaces of the baffle prior to exiting the boiler by way of a stack at the rear thereof. Secondary combustion thus occurs along the lower or under surface of the baffle member. The baffle is subdivided by parallel, longitudinally extending members so as to define a single, continuous fluid flow channel, whereby water may be efficiently heated by passage therethrough. The boiler is formed of upper and lower halves bolted together along mating peripheral flanges.

Abstract: A space heating wood burning stove, formed as a rectangular fire box, having a plurality of horizontal flue ducts leading to a flue manifold, adapted to generate substantial vertical convection currents of air, and further including vertical fins to enhance said convection currents, and further including a plurality of draft valves in substantial alignment with respective ones of said flue ducts for efficient burning of wood within said fire box. Assembly of the fire box of the stove is completed under stressed conditions to prevent warping of the fire box panels from heating and cooling cycles.

Abstract: An improved combustion chamber comprises a shell having a circular array of integral teeth formed at one end thereof. Shrunkfit onto said shell end at or near the roots of the teeth is a ring. The toothed end of the shell is received in an opening in a sheet header so that the ring engages against the header sheet and a continuous weld bead is formed between the ring and the header sheet all around the shell. The shell teeth are bent radially outward and engage the header sheet on the opposite side thereof from the ring so as to be in intimate thermal heat exchange contact with the sheet and these teeth are also welded to the header sheet. The aforesaid engagement between the chamber and rear head minimizes stresses on hot end of the chamber and prolong its useful life. Means engaged around the opposite end of the shell supports, and yet permits lengthwise movement of, that end of the shell.

Abstract: A hot air furnace which includes at least one heat exchange unit having at least one mounting flange section defining an opening therein and a plate member having an aperture therein corresponding to at least one of the openings in said heat exchange unit and in alignment therewith with sheet insulating material interposed between said plate member and heat exchange unit by virtue of the said flange being expanded into a plane parallel to that of said plate member to thereby secure the plate member and interposed insulating material in place on said heat exchange unit.