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US 4,474,166 AGranted
Wick heaters
AssigneeKoehring Company
InventorsRobert F. Shaftner, Michael A. Kagan
Life of this patent
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AssigneeKoehring Company
InventorsRobert F. Shaftner, Michael A. Kagan
Estimating the term…
A wick heater comprises a housing the top and front panel of which are so constructed and interrelated with each other and the remainder of the housing to provide for their relative expansion and contraction in a manner to avoid warping, buckling or distortion or any undue stress on the housing or its component parts during operation of the heater. The top of the housing comprises a frame and inserts, a principal insert being interconnected with and for expansion and contraction relative to the frame and to position directly above the chimney of the heater and the area encompassed by its backing heat reflecting surface. This principal insert has a unique pattern of slots the bounding edges of which are flanged and a portion of which are oriented in directions at right angles to other of said slots to lend both strength and stress accommodation to the top of the housing. The front panel structure has a slip fit relation to the housing and is connected to the remainder of the housing only in an area adjacent its base. It also has a distinctive profile and mounts a guard the nature, character and interrelation thereof is such to add an important element of safety in use of the heater. The heater has numerous improvements providing a total construction which lends itself to a distinct moderation of the surface temperature of the heater housing.
A wick heater comprising a housing including a base, side and back walls, a top and a front panel structure, said front panel structure with said top framing an opening to the interior of said housing to expose a chimney surrounding a wick, means defining a heat reflective surface in backing relation to said chimney, said top including a portion thereof constructed and arranged to contain upper end portions of said front panel and to provide means for relative movement therebetween in correspondence with a relative expansion and contraction thereof in response to the temperatures to which said housing is subjected, said top including a frame portion and at least one insert within said frame portion, said insert being positioned over and in a substantially direct vertical alignment with said chimney and being bounded by and normally spaced from portions of said frame and having therein a plurality of slots arranged in a pattern substantially in correspondence with the shape of the area bounded by said heat reflecting backing surface which has a generally parabolic peripheral outline.
A wick heater comprising a housing including a base, side and back walls, a top and a front panel structure, said front panel structure with said top framing an opening to the interior of said housing to expose a chimney surrounding a wick, means defining a heat reflective surface in backing relation to said chimney, said top including a portion thereof constructed and arranged to contain upper end portions of said front panel and to provide means for relative movement therebetween in correspondence with a relative expansion and contraction thereof in response to the temperatures to which said housing is subjected, said front panel structure having in front elevation a laterally expanded generally rectangular U-shape the lower edge of the bridging portion of which is bent inwardly to and forms a forward extension of said base of said housing, a portion of said bridging portion being inclined upwardly and outwardly of the forwardmost edge of said base to provide outermost surface areas of said bridging portion with which outermost surface areas of the arms of said U shape merge as they incline rearwardly and upwardly therefrom.
A wick heater or comprising a housing including a base, side and back walls, a top and a front panel structure, said front panel structure with said top framing an opening to the interior of said housing to expose a chimney surrounding a wick, means defining a heat reflective surface in backing relation to said chimney, said top including a portion thereof constructed and arranged to contain upper end portions of said front panel and to provide means for relative movement therebetween in correspondence with a relative expansion and contraction thereof in response to the temperature to which said housing is subjected, said front panel structure being an integral plate structure formed to provide a forward extension of said base and said side walls of said housing the outermost surface of which is relatively projected intermediate its vertical limits and has in recessed relation thereto operating controls for said heater.
A wick heater comprising a housing including a base, side and back walls, a top and a front panel structure, said front panel structure with said top framing an opening to the interior of said housing to expose a chimney surrounding a wick, means defining a heat reflective surface in backing relation to said chimney, said top including a portion thereof constructed and arranged to contain upper end portions of said front panel and to provide means for relative movement therebetween in correspondence with a relative expansion and contraction thereof in response to the temperatures to which said housing is subjected, said means defining a heat reflective surface mounting perpendicular to a plate providing a second heat reflective surface about said chimney defining a chamber with said base of said housing containing a tank providing therein a supply of fuel and mounting a burner unit embodying a wick arranged to be saturated with said fuel and ignited to produce a flame within said chimney, said plate providing said second heat reflective surface having a flange, portions of which slip fit in hook-like projections from said front panel structure in the assembly thereof to said housing and said front panel structure being connected with the remainder of said housing only in the area of its base.
A wick heater comprising a housing including a base, side and back walls, a top and a front panel structure, said front panel structure with said top framing an opening to the interior of said housing to expose a chimney surrounding a wick, means defining a heat reflective surface in backing relation to said chimney, said top including a portion thereof constructed and arranged to contain upper end portions of said front panel and to provide means for relative movement therebetween in correspondence with a relative expansion and contraction thereof in response to the temperature to which said housing is subjected, a blower system including duct means having an air inlet in communication with the environment to the exterior of said housing by way of apertures in said back wall thereof, said duct means including a portion extending through and transverely of said means defining a heat reflective surface to position above said chimney and embodying therein a blower unit and in following relation to said blower unit an expanding duct portion opening to the exterior of said housing through means defining an opening in said front panel structure and said side walls being free of apertures which open to the interior of said housing.
A front panel for a wick heater comprising an integral plate structure having in front elevation a laterally expanded generally rectangular U-shaped configuration the lower edge of the bridging portion of which is bent inwardly and rearwardly thereof to form a base for said plate structure, a portion of said bridging portion inclining upwardly and outwardly of the front edge of said base to provide outermost surface areas of said bridging portion with which outermost surface areas of the arms of said U shape merge as they incline rearwardly and upwardly therefrom.
A wick heater comprising a housing including a base, side and back walls, a top and a front panel structure, said front panel structure together with said top framing an opening to the interior of said housing to expose a chimney therein surrounding a wick, means defining a heat reflective backing surface in spaced relation to said chimney and facing outwardly of said opening to the interior of said housing, said top being comprised of separate portions which are interconnected by means constructed and arranged to accommodate their relative expansion and contraction while inhibiting their separation, said separate portions of said top including a frame portion and at least one insert which positions over and in a substantially direct vertical alignment with said chimney, said insert being bounded by and normally spaced from portions of said frame to accommodate its relative expansion and contraction as it is affected by the issuance of heat from said chimney or the subsequent absence of such heat, said front panel structure having in front elevation a laterally expanded generally rectangular U shape the lower edge of the bridging portion of which is bent inwardly to and forms a forward extension of said base of said housing, a portion of said bridging portion being inclined upwardly and outwardly of the forwardmost edge of said base to provide outermost surface areas of said bridging portion with which outermost surface areas of the arms of said U shape merge as they incline rearwardly and upwardly therefrom.
A wick heater comprising a housing including a base, side and back walls, a top and a front panel structure, said front panel structure together with said top framing an opening to the interior of said housing to expose a chimney therein surrounding a wick, means defining a heat reflective backing surface in spaced relation to said chimney and facing outwardly of said opening to the interior of said housing, said top being comprised of separate portions which are interconnected by means constructed and arranged to accommodate their relative expansion and contraction while inhibiting their separation, said separate portions of said top including a frame portion and at least one insert which positions over and in a substantially direct axial alignment with said chimney, said insert being bounded by and normally spaced from portions of said frame to accommodate its relative expansion and contraction as it is affected by the issuance of heat from said chimney or the subsequent absence of such heat, said front panel structure being an integral plate structure formed to provide a forward extension of said base and said side walls of said housing the outermost surface of which is relatively projected intermediate its vertical limits and has in recessed relation thereto operating controls for said heater.
A wick heater comprising a housing including a base, side and back walls, a top and a front panel structure, said front panel structure together with said top framing an opening to the interior of said housing to expose a chimney therein surrounding a wick, means defining a heat reflective backing surface in spaced relation to said chimney and facing outwardly of said opening to the interior of said housing, said top being comprised of separate portions which are interconnected by means constructed and arranged to accommodate their relative expansion and contraction while inhibiting their separation, said separate portions of said top including a frame portion and at least one insert which positions over and in a substantially direct vertical alignment with said chimney, said insert being bounded by and normally spaced from portions of said frame to accommodate its relative expansion and contraction as it is affected by the issuance of heat from said chimney or the subsequent absence of such heat, a blower system including duct means having an air inlet in communication with the environment to the exterior of said housing by way of apertures in said back wall thereof, said duct means including a portion extending through and transversely of said means defining a heat reflective surface to position above said chimney and embodying therein a blower unit and in following relation to said blower unit an expanding duct portion opening to the exterior of said housing through means defining an opening in said front panel structure and said side walls being free of apertures which open to the interior of said housing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.