Abstract:
A system for pre-heating an internal combustion engine includes a heated gas generator unit that is connected to water flowing through the engine in a manner to transfer heat from the heated gases to the water. Once the engine is pre-heated, the system embodying the present invention is disconnected from the internal combustion engine.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates to the general art of heaters, and to the particular field of heating equipment.  
         [0003]     2. Discussion of the Related Art  
         [0004]     Many vehicles must remain outside nearly all the time. During winter, these vehicles are often difficult to start, and once started, take a long time to warm up. During start-up and warm-up, many of these vehicles are quite inefficient and wasteful of fuel. During warm-up periods, some engine parts may be subject to increased wear. The foregoing is true for nearly all internal combustion engines.  
         [0005]     Therefore, there is a need for a system for pre-heating an internal combustion engine.  
         [0006]     While the art contains several examples of engine pre-heating systems, the inventor is not aware of any engine pre-heating system that is easily connected to the engine and will safely, efficiently and effectively pre-heat an internal combustion engine.  
         [0007]     Therefore, there is a need for an engine pre-heating system that is easily connected to the engine and will safely, efficiently and effectively pre-heat an internal combustion engine.  
         [0008]     While some known engine pre-heaters are somewhat efficient, the inventor is not aware of any such system that is amenable to use with a wide variety of engines, or which is amenable for use in a variety of applications.  
         [0009]     Therefore, there is a need for a system for pre-heating an internal combustion engine that is versatile and is amenable for use with a wide variety of applications.  
         [0010]     In order to be most versatile, such a system should be amenable to use with a wide variety of accessories, such as pumps, additional heater elements, special valves, fans, various heating sources, control systems, insulating systems, fluid flow control elements, shielding, and the like.  
         [0011]     Therefore, there is a need for a system for pre-heating an internal combustion engine that is versatile and is amenable for use with a wide variety of accessories.  
       PRINCIPAL OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION  
       [0012]     It is a main object of the present invention to provide a system for pre-heating an internal combustion engine.  
         [0013]     It is another object of the present invention to provide an engine pre-heating system that is easily connected to the engine and will safely, efficiently and effectively pre-heat an internal combustion engine.  
         [0014]     It is another object of the present invention to provide a system for pre-heating an internal combustion engine that is versatile and is amenable to use with a wide variety of accessories.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0015]     These, and other, objects are achieved by an engine pre-heater system that includes a gas burner which generates heated gas and a flow system that circulates water from an internal combustion engine past the heated gases to have heat from the heated gases transferred to the water. The heated water is then circulated back to an engine to warm that engine.  
         [0016]     Using the engine pre-heater system embodying the present invention will permit the efficient and effective pre-heating of an internal combustion engine. The system embodying the present invention is easily connected to and disconnected from an engine and thus is very versatile. The system is amenable for use with a wide variety of engines in both commercial and military areas. The system is also amenable to use with a wide variety of accessories whereby the system is made even more versatile. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES  
       [0017]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an engine pre-heater embodying the present invention.  
         [0018]      FIG. 2  is a schematic representation of the engine pre-heater flow circuit.  
         [0019]      FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective of the engine pre-heater embodying the present invention.  
         [0020]      FIG. 4  is a cut-away view of an assembled engine pre-heater embodying the present invention.  
         [0021]      FIG. 5  is an exploded perspective of alternative forms of the engine pre-heater embodying the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0022]     Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings.  
         [0023]     Referring to the Figures, it can be understood that the present invention is embodied in an engine pre-heater system  10 . System  10  comprises a gas burner unit  12  which includes a source of gas  14 , a burner  16  fluidically connected to the source of gas  14 , and a fluid conduit  18  having an inlet end  20  that is fluidically connected to the burner  16  to receive heated gas HG from the burner  16 . Fluid conduit  18  has an outlet end  22  and an outlet end axis  24 .  
         [0024]     A first support element  30  is fixed to the fluid conduit  18 . First support element  30  includes a plurality of fluid passages  32  defined therethrough to be in fluid communication with outlet end  22  of fluid conduit  18 .  
         [0025]     A second support element  36  is fixed to the fluid conduit  18  and includes a plurality of fluid passages  38  defined therethrough. Fluid passages  38  are in fluid communication with outlet end  22  of fluid conduit  18  via fluid passages  32  defined in first support element  30  whereby heated gas HG exiting the outlet end  22  of the fluid conduit  18  flows through fluid passages  32  defined in first support element  30  to and through fluid passages  38  defined in second support element  36 .  
         [0026]     A first hollow cylindrical housing  40  is fixed to the first and second support elements  30 ,  36  to be supported on fluid conduit  18 . First hollow cylindrical housing  40  surrounds the fluid conduit  18  near outlet end  22  of the fluid conduit  18 . First hollow cylindrical housing  40  includes a first end  42  supported on first support element  30 . First end  42  of the first cylindrical housing  40  is impervious to fluid.  
         [0027]     A second end  44  of housing  40  is supported on second support element  36 . Second end  44  of first cylindrical housing  40  is impervious to fluid.  
         [0028]     A longitudinal axis  46  extends between first end  42  of the first cylindrical housing  40  and second end  44  of the first cylindrical housing  40 . Longitudinal axis  46  is co-linear with longitudinal axis  24  of outlet end  22  of fluid conduit  18 .  
         [0029]     A cylindrical wall  50  connects first end  42  of the first cylindrical housing  40  to second end  44  of the first cylindrical housing  40 . Cylindrical wall  50  has an outside surface  52  and an inside surface  54  that is located adjacent to fluid conduit  18  and which is in heat-transferring communication with fluid conduit  18 .  
         [0030]     An inside volume  58  is defined by inside surface  54  of cylindrical wall  50  of first cylindrical housing  40  and fluid conduit  18 .  
         [0031]     Outside surface  52  of cylindrical wall  50  of the first hollow cylindrical housing  40  is in fluid communication with heated gas exiting fluid conduit  18 .  
         [0032]     Two ports  66  and  68  are defined through cylindrical wall  50 . The ports  66 ,  68  are spaced apart from each other in the direction of longitudinal axis  46  of the first hollow cylindrical housing  40 .  
         [0033]     A second hollow cylindrical housing  70  is fixed to the first and second support elements  30 ,  36  and surrounds first hollow cylindrical housing  40 . Second hollow cylindrical housing  70  includes a first end  72  supported on first support element  30 . First end  72  of second cylindrical housing  70  is impervious to fluid. Housing  70  further includes a second end  74  which is supported on second support element  36 , and a longitudinal axis  76  extends between first end  72  of the second cylindrical housing  70  and second end  74  of the second cylindrical housing  70 . Longitudinal axis  76  of the second cylindrical housing  70  is co-linear with outlet end axis  24  of fluid conduit  18 .  
         [0034]     Second cylindrical housing  70  further includes a cylindrical wall  78  connecting first end  72  of the second cylindrical housing  70  to second end  74  of the second cylindrical housing  70 . Cylindrical wall  78  of the second cylindrical housing  70  has an inside surface  82  that is located adjacent to outside surface  52  of cylindrical wall  50  of first cylindrical housing  40 .  
         [0035]     A gas flow volume  84  is defined by inside surface  82  of the cylindrical wall  78  of second cylindrical housing  70  and outside surface  52  of cylindrical wall  50  of first cylindrical housing  40 .  
         [0036]     Outside surface  52  of cylindrical wall  50  of first hollow cylindrical housing  40  is in heat-transferring communication with gas flow volume  84 .  
         [0037]     Two ports  86  and  88  are defined through cylindrical wall  78 , and are spaced apart from each other in the direction of longitudinal axis  76  of the second hollow cylindrical housing  70  and is aligned with ports  66  and  68  respectively of first cylindrical housing  40 .  
         [0038]     System  10  further includes first and second flexible fluid conduits  100  and  102  extending through the ports  66 ,  68 ,  86 ,  88  defined through the cylindrical walls  50 ,  78  of the first and second cylindrical housings  40 ,  70 . First flexible fluid conduit  100  has an inlet end  104  fluidically connected to a fluid circuit FC of an internal combustion engine IC and an outlet  106  fluidically connected to inside volume  58  of first hollow cylindrical housing  40 . The fluid circuit and the internal combustion engine are not shown as those skilled in the art will understand the nature and makeup of such elements. Second flexible fluid conduit  102  has an inlet end  107  fluidically connected to inside volume  58  of the first hollow cylindrical housing  40  and an outlet end  108  fluidically connected to the fluid circuit of the internal combustion engine.  
         [0039]     Quick-connect and disconnect hardware  130  and  132  can be located on flexible conduits  100  and  102  so connection and disconnection of the system  10  to the engine is facilitated.  
         [0040]     Operation of system  10  can be understood by those skilled in the art based on the teaching of this disclosure. System  10  is connected to the engine to be heated and burner  16  is activated. Heated gas flows from burner  16  through conduit  18  and then through volume  84  and transfers heat to fluid flowing in volume  58 . The heated fluid flows to and through an engine block of an internal combustion engine and heats that engine block. The fluid flows due to thermal factors. Once the engine is sufficiently heated, system  10  is disconnected from the engine.  
         [0041]     System  10  can include several accessories, such as a support stand  120  shown in  FIG. 1 , a flame arrester  122  shown in  FIG. 5 , a casing  124  or a half casing  126  also shown in  FIG. 5 , flow control valves, pressure relief valves, pressure and temperature gauges, pumps, nozzles, control systems, various nipples and fluid connectors, fans, conduits, insulating blankets, drains, plugs and the like.  
         [0042]     It is to be understood that while certain forms of the present invention have been illustrated and described herein, it is not to be limited to the specific forms or arrangements of parts described and shown.