Solar heater for mounting on a boat
OwnerLarry J. Dixoninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A solar water heater comprises a tank formed from dark colored, heat absorbent material, with an adapter fitting depending from the bottom of the tank for demountably mounting the heater in the deck ring of a boat. An upstanding neck is formed at the top of the neck, defining a fill port for filling the tank. A vented closure member is demountably carried in the neck of the tank and a removable transparent cover member is provided for fitting over the neck and enclosing the tank so as to retard the escape of solar energy. An outlet passage is formed in the adapter fitting, and coupling means are provided for coupling a water distribution element to the tank in order to deliver heated water below the deck of the boat.
Claims20
A solar water heater for mounting on a boat deck having a deck ring defining an axial bore, said heater comprising:
- (a) a tank including an upper shell portion formed from a dark colored, heat absorbent material, and a base plate secured to the bottom of said shell portion, said shell portion and said base plate cooperatively defining a water containment chamber;
- (b) a neck portion at the top of said tank, said neck portion defining a fill port through which liquids may enter said chamber;
- (c) vented closure means demountably secured to said neck for closing said fill port;
- (d) an adapter fitting depending from said base plate and engageable with the deck ring for demountably mounting said tank above the bore of the deck ring, said fitting defining water passage port means communicating with said water containment chamber;
- and
- (e) coupling means associated with said adapter fitting for coupling a water distribution element to said fitting.
A solar water heater for mounting on a boat deck having a deck ring defining an axial bore, said heater comprising:
- (a) a tank including an upper shell portion formed from a dark colored, heat absorbent material, and an enlarged base plate secured to the bottom of said shell portion, said shell and said base plate cooperatively defining a water containment chamber;
- (b) an upstanding hollow neck formed at the top of said tank, said neck portion defining a fill port through which liquids may enter said chamber;
- (c) vented closure means demountably carried in said neck;
- (d) a removable cover member for enclosing said tank, said cover member being formed of transparent material which is capable of admitting high amounts of solar radiation but which is virtually opaque to any longer wavelength energy reradiated from the tank;
- (e) an upstanding boss on said cover member, said boss defining a bore for engaging the outer surface of said neck when said cover is mounted on said tank;
- (f) an adapter fitting depending from said base plate and engageable with the deck ring for demountably mounting said tank above the bore of the deck ring, said fitting defining water passage port means communicating with said water containment chamber;
- and
- (g) coupling means associated with said adapter fitting for coupling a water distribution element to said fitting.
A water heating assembly comprising in combination:
- (a) a deck ring for mounting in a deck of a boat, said deck ring defining an axial bore;
- and
- (b) a solar water heater demountably mounted in said deck ring, said solar water heater including,
- (I) a tank including an upper shell portion formed from a dark colored, heat absorbent material, and a base plate secured to the bottom of said shell portion, said shell portion and said base plate cooperatively defining a water containment chamber,
- (II) an upstanding hollow neck formed at the top of said tank, said neck portion defining a fill port through which liquids may enter said chamber,
- (III) vented closure means demountably secured to said neck for closing said fill port;
- (IV) a removable cover member enclosing said tank, said cover member being formed of transparent material which is capable of admitting high amounts of solar radiation but which is virtually opaque to any longer wavelength energy reradiated from the tank;
- (V) an upstanding boss on said cover member defining a bore for surrounding said neck of said tank;
- and
- (VI) elements of a demountable interconnection on the neck of said tank and in said bore of said cover member for removably securing said cover to said tank;
- (VII) an adapter fitting depending from said base plate and extending into and engagable with the bore of said deck ring for demountably securing said tank thereto, said adapter fitting defining a port means in liquid communication with the water containment chamber of said tank;
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- (VIII) coupling means associated with the port means of said adapter fitting for coupling a water distribution element to said adapter fitting.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.