Abstract:
An improved heat arrester boot interposed between sections of a smoke pipe or like conduit means for extracting heat from waste gases and smoke. The heat arrester boot includes an inner core which can be easily removed for the purposes of cleaning when coated with creosote and the like while the remainder of the heat arrester boot remains in place.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to an improved heat arrester boot, specifically a heat arrester boot which may be easily cleaned. It is known in the art to pass heated gases and smoke through a plurality of fixed cylindrical tubes to heat the air surrounding the tubes as exemplified by the patents to Faunce U.S. Pat. No. 2,343,542 and Leonard U.S. Pat. No. 417,874. However, the insides of the cylindrical tubes often become coated with creosote and the like and must, therefore, be periodically cleaned in order to maintain a high degree of efficiency in conducting heat. The patent to Leonard supra at lines 49-54 and Smith U.S. Pat. No. 349,534 at lines 53-68 disclose devices which may be disassembled for the purpose of cleaning the cylindrical tubes. However, these devices are inconvenient in that either the cylindrical tubes cannot be removed as a unit as in the patent to Smith supra or require removal of a significant portion of the heating structure as in the patent to Leonard supra in order to clean the tubes. Furthermore, these devices generally must be disconnected from the pipes to which they are connected in order to clean the tubes. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The instant invention discloses an improved heat arrester boot which may be interposed between portions of a smoke pipe for extracting heat from waste gases of combustion and smoke flowing through the smoke pipe. The heat arrester boot has a portion which can be easily removed for cleaning, while other portions of the boot can remain in place between portions of the smoke pipe which are hereinafter termed an inlet pipe and an outlet pipe. The heat arrester boot generally comprises a bottom inlet chamber through which the waste gases and smoke enter, a top outlet chamber from which the waste gases and smoke exit and, an at least partially closed central chamber between the bottom inlet chamber and the top outlet chamber. The heat arrester boot further includes the improvement of a removable inner core positioned within the central chamber. The inner core includes at least one passageway connecting top and bottom ends thereof through which the heated waste gases and smoke pass from the inlet chamber to the outlet chamber so as to heat the air surrounding the inner core. 
     Instead of being partially closed, the central chamber can include the further improvement of a portion which is movable so as to form an opening when it is desired to remove the inner core. Furthermore, the movable portion can be configured and movable outwardly from the inner core so as to vary the flow of heated air directed against it. Also, means can be provided for mounting the outlet chamber for movement towards and away from the central chamber. Moreover, means can be provided for causing the top outlet chamber to move toward or away from the central chamber along a path defined by the means mounting the outlet chamber. 
     Various advantages and features of novelty which characterize the instant invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed hereto and forming a part hereof. However, for a better understanding of the instant invention, its advantages, and objects obtained by its use, reference should be had to the drawing which forms a part hereof, and to the accompanying descriptive matter in which there are illustrated certain preferred embodiments of the instant invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     FIG. 1 is a fragmentary view in perspective showing an arrester boot according to the instant invention in position to receive waste gases and smoke; 
     FIG. 2 is a view partly in top plan and partly in section taken along line 2--2 of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is an enlarged view in perspective of the removable inner core of the heat arrester boot; 
     FIG. 4 is an enlarged view in perspective of part of the movable portion of the central chamber of the heat arrester boot; 
     FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5--5 of FIG. 2; and 
     FIGS. 6 and 7 are fragmentary sectional views according to FIG. 5 of a second embodiment of the heat arrester boot. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     As shown in FIG. 1, a heat arrester boot 10 is positioned between an inlet pipe 11 and an outlet pipe 12 through which hot waste gases and smoke move in a direction indicated by the arrows. Although not shown, it can be assumed that the inlet pipe 11 extends from a stove, furnace, or other fuel burning device, and that the outlet pipe 12 extends to a chimney or like conduit. As particularly shown in FIG. 5, the heat arrester boot 10 includes a bottom inlet chamber 13 having an entrance port 14, a top outlet chamber 15 having an exit port 16, and a generally cylindrical central chamber 17 between the top outlet chamber 15 and the bottom inlet chamber 13. Positioned within the central chamber 17 is a removable inner core 18 more particularly shown in FIG. 3. The inner core 18 includes a plurality of hollow elements such as cylindrical tubes 19 in spaced generally parallel relationship to one another, the upper ends of these cylindrical tubes being fixed in apertures 20 in the top end of the inner core such as circular top plate 21, the lower ends being fixed in similar apertures 20 in the bottom end of the inner core such as circular bottom plate 22. As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 5, the central chamber includes a partially closed portion such as fixed semicylindrical chamber wall 17a mounted on the inlet chamber and a movable semicylindrical wall portion 23 which comprises a cross-sectionally arcuate left-hand door member 24 and a similar right-hand door member 25. Each of the door members can have formed therein a multiplicity of perforations 26. Door members 24 and 25 are pivotally mounted on or connected to opposite horizontally spaced ends of chamber wall 17a by suitable means such as upper hinges 28 and 29, lower hinges 30 and 31 respectively so that either the left-hand door member 24 or the the right-hand door member 25, or both thereof, may be pivoted outwardly and open about generally vertical axes, as shown by dotted lines and arcuate arrows in FIG. 2, in order to direct the flow of air coming out of central chamber 17. As shown in FIG. 4, the hinges can be in the form of portions 29a and 31a attached to the door member releaseably insertable in portions 29b and 31b attached to chamber wall 17a so that the door members can be removed for the purpose of cleaning, etc. 
     As particularly shown in FIG. 5, rails 32, 33 are carried by, mounted on or attached to chamber 15 and slidably move within receiving cylinders 34, 35 carried by, mounted on or attached to chamber wall 17a. A pair of handles 36, 37 are pivotally connected to the receiving cylinders 34, 35 at ears 38, 39. A pair of links 40, 41 are each pivotally connected at one end to a respective handle 36, 37 at ears 42, 43. The other ends of the links 40, 41 are pivotally connected to anchoring members 44, 45 respectively at ears 46, 47. The anchoring members 44, 45 are fixed in place on the rails 32, 33 by suitable means such as bolts 48, 49 so that the anchoring members 44, 45 can be adjustably positioned at various places along the rails 32, 33. When the handles 36, 37 are swung outwardly and upwardly as shown by the arcuate arrows in FIG. 5, the top outlet chamber 15 moves upwardly along the path defined by rails 32, 33 and the receiving cylinders 34, 35. 
     In order that the top outlet chamber 15 can be moved while the heat arrester boot 10 remains in place between pipes 11 and 12, the exit port 16 is preferably sized for at least sliding engagement with pipe 12. A collar for attaching the exit port to pipe 12 can be used if necessary to prevent the escape of smoke into the room. When the inner core is removed from the central chamber when the door members are swung open or removed, access to the inner wall surfaces of the several chambers 13, 15 and 17 is convenient for cleaning if necessary. If desired, an identical second inner core may be positioned within the central chamber while the first inner core is being cleaned. 
     A blower 50 is shown as being attached to the central chamber 17. As hot gases and smoke pass through the tubes 19 from the bottom chamber 13, the tubes 19 and the air within the chamber 17 become heated. By opening one or both of the door members 24, 25 and by energizing the blower 50, the heated air is circulated about the room in which the heat arrester boot is disposed. The amount of heat transferred to the room can be varied as desired by the extent to which either or both of the door members 24, 25 are open. As the waste gases and smoke move upwardly through the tubes 19, they become cooled and exit through the outlet chamber 15 and the outlet pipe 12. If desired, the door members 24, 25 can be closed so as to enhance the overall appearance of the structure with perforations 26 enabling heated air to escape from the central chamber into the room. 
     A temperature sensing device such as 56 can also be mounted on the top outlet chamber to automatically control the operation of blower 50, e.g., turn blower on when heated gases enter the outlet chamber and turn blower off when heated gases are no longer entering the outlet chamber. 
     As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, when the outlet chamber is movably mounted on the central chamber, a second embodiment 110 of the heat arrester boot according to the present invention can be utilized. As shown in FIG. 6, outlet chamber 115 is provided with a portion, such as generally circular lip 152, which is connected to a generally frusto-conical portion 115a. 
     Lip 152 is sized so as to surround the top end of the inner core when the outlet chamber is moved towards and near the top end of the central chamber. Inlet chamber 113 can also be provided with a portion, such as circular lip 154 which is connected to and extends generally upwardly from inverted generally frusto-conical portion 113a. Lip 154 is sized so as to receive the bottom end of the inner core so that the inner core is securely positioned within central chamber 117 when outlet chamber 115 is moved towards and near the top end of the central chamber. 
     Numerous characteristics and advantages of the instant invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the instant invention, and the novel features thereof are pointed out in the appended claims. The disclosure, however, is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principle of the instant invention, to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.