Improvements in and Relating to Apparatus for Heating and Agitating Air.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Mar., 1898-Accepted, 7th May, 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and Relating to Apparatus for Heating and
Agitating Air.
I, EDWIN FORSYTHE PORTER, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at
109, Bower Street, in the Town of Roxbury, County of Suffolk, and State of
Massachusetts, United States of America, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:—
My invention relates to improvements in apparatus for heating and agitating air,
and its object is to heat air by direct contact with a source of heat, such as gas or oil
burners and to mingle said air and the products of combustion with the normal air of
an apartment while the said normal air is in agitation and afterwards to diffuse the
same throughout the apartment to be heated.
In carrying out my invention I use a fan with a gas or oil burner in front or behind
the same and in the region of calm at the vortex or center of the fan, as shown
in the drawings. By placing the burner in this location with relation to the fan
the flame is not appreciably disturbed by the action of the air as it is moved by
the fan as would be the case if it were placed in any other relation to the fan.
It will be seen that the heat and products of combustion generated by the burner
will mingle with the air drawn in from the apartment by the exhaust action of the
revolving blades and will be diffused throughout the apartment to be heated. By
adopting this arrangement of the fan with relation to the burner, the heated air and
products of combustion are mingled with the air of the apartment and circulated
throughout the apartment without being allowed to ascend through the normal air
to the ceiling, thereby heating a part of the room which is not occupied and wasting
heat, as is the case in the present style of gas or oil radiators.
As it is necessary to revolve the fan by means of some power, the power, in this
invention, is supplied by a current resulting from the heating of a thermo-pile or
thermo-electric generator by the same source of heat which is used to heat the
apartment, so that the means for diffusing and for heating the air are from one
source.
My invention consists broadly of a source of heat such as gas or oil burners for
heating the air by direct contact with movable means such as a fan for iningling
said heated air and the products of combustion with the normal air of the apartment
and then diffusing the same.
My invention further consists of certain novel features hereinafter described and
particularly pointed out in the claims.
In the accompanying drawings which illustrate a construction embodying my
invention―
Figure 1 is a side view of a motor in full lines and a sectional view on the
line XX, Figure 2 through the burner, thermo-electric generator on the burner, and
tubes which supply gas to the burner; also showing the fan in section.
Figure 2 is a detail view of a thermo-electric generator and burner around which
the thermo-electric generator is located and also showing the ring to which the usual
radial wires of a fan guard are secured.

page_text: Figure 3 is a perspective view of the fan.
Like letters of reference refer to like parts throughout the several views.
On a suitable base A there is located the motor B which is operated by a current
generated by the thermo-electric generator operated by the burner, as hereinafter
described. To the shaft D of said motor there is fixed at its outer end the fan E, and
located around the fan E is a suitable guard F secured to the motor B by screws F¹.
The fan E is of a new construction and consists of a drum shaped hub E¹ closed at
the back by a head E² secured to the spider D¹ and provided with a series of
triangular openings Es from which project the bifurcated blades E' composed of two
plates E and E placed at an angle one with the other and joined at the edge which
cuts the air in the revolution of the fan. This fan is adapted by its construction to
draw in part of the air and products of combustion at the center through the drum-
shaped hub by its exhaust action and vent the same through the bifurcated
blades.
This fan is essentially of that type known as exhaust fans, and in this case it draws
the heated air and products of combustion from a given point and exhausts
them through the blades which are agitating the outside air, thus mingling the
heated air with the air of the apartment.
In the construction shown the air and products of combustion vent at both
the open side and the end of the blades, but, if desired, the end may be closed,
thereby causing all the air and products of combustion entering the blades to vent
at the open side of the blades where it is thrown out by contact with the inclined
surfaces of the next blade in the revolution of the fan.
Gas is fed through the tube G and tube F2 to the guard F which is wholly or
partially made of tubing to conduct gas from the source of supply to the burner H
at the vortex or center of the fan, and located in the supply tube G is a gas and air
mixer G¹. The gas with the air passes into the tube F, which forms one of the
supports of the guard, then into the tube F which surrounds the fan, and from it to
one or more tubes F which form a part of the guard F, and the gas then passes to
the burner H. In front of the burner H there is located a disk of wire gauze or
asbestos I held in place on a suitable ring J and which acts as a screen to the flame
for purposes of safety, and to said ring the usual radial wires are secured, as in
practice two tubes of the guard are sufficient to convey gas to the burner H. Where
gasoline or oil is used, the same passes from the source of supply through the guard
to the burner in a similar manner to that shown for gas.
In Figure 2 there is shown the thermo-pile K for generating the current to give
motion to the fan. K¹ represents a sheet of iron in electric contact with a similar
sheet of German-silver K forming one of the several couples of the thermo-pile,
which couples are sufficiently numerous to entirely encircle the burner H having
their inner joints K³ in contact with said burner. It will be readily seen that the
inner joints referred to being in contact with the heated burner H are kept at a much
higher degree of temperature than the outer joints, thereby causing a flow of electric
current which is carried through the wire C to the motor B from the thermo-pile K*
and through the wire C to the thermo-pile, through the thermo-pile terminal K³, the
motor being operated by said circuit.
From the above it will be understood that the burner not only forms a source of
heat for heating the air of a room, but is also the source of the electric current used
to operate the fan for diffusing the air so heated. When the fan is revolving the air
is blown from the blades, producing a decided current of air excepting at the center
near the hub, where there is a region of calm which offers opportunity to locate the
burner where the flame will be practically undisturbed by the revolution of the fan.
Part of the heated air and products of combustion from the burner rise in front of the
fan and mingle with the flow of air therefrom and are blown or diffused throughout
the room to be heated, while the remainder of the heated air and products of com-
bustion from the burner pass into the drum-shaped hub and through the triangular
openings into the blades E venting at the end and sides, the heated air and products
of combustion venting from the sides being thrown out by the inclined surfaces of the

page_text: succeeding blade and the heated air and products of combustion venting at the ends
being thrown off at a tangent. By this combined action there is produced a general
diffusion of the heated air and products of combustion in various directions throughout
the apartment, instead of their rising directly to the ceiling and remaining there as
is, at present, the case with gas or oil radiators.
While I have shown in this construction a thermo-pile for energizing the electric
motor and operated by the same source of heat which also heats the air, yet it will be
understood that any other or independent source of current may be used for
operating the electric motor; furthermore, I do not limit my invention to the use of
an electric motor, as any other form of motor may be used for operating the fan for
diffusing the heated air and products of combustion.
In properly heating an apartment it is necessary to mingle the air from a suitable
source with all the air contained therein, and to accomplish this result I take
advantage of the fact that a fan draws, in the course of its revolution, all the air of an
apartment through its blades, and the heat from a suitable source taken up by the
fan will be mingled with the air of the apartment during its passage through the
fan, and eventually as all the air of the apartment is carried through the fan,
the apartment must necessarily be uniformly heated.
This method of heating differs from other well-known methods where a stream of
hot air is allowed to flow through the normally agitated atmosphere of the apartment
rising to the ceiling and remaining stored there.
It will also be understood by referring to the drawings that the heated air comes
in contact with the blales of the fan, which may be made of heat conducting
material, thereby acting as moving radiators and imparting their heat to the agitated
air by conduction and radiation.
I do not limit myself to the arrangement and construction shown, as the same may
be varied without departing from the spirit of my invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim, is :-
1. In an apparatus of the character specified, a source of heat for heating the air
by direct contact, movable means in direct contact with the air of an apartment for
directly agitating the said air and for mingling therewith the heated air and products
of combustion and for diffusing the same, and a motor for operating said means.
2. In an apparatus of the character specified, gas or oil burners for heating the
air by direct contact, a fan in direct contact with the air of an apartment for directly
agitating the said air and for mingling therewith the heated air and products of
combustion and for diffusing the same, and a motor for operating said fan.
3. In an apparatus of the character specified, gas or oil burners for heating the
air by direct contact, a rotary fan in direct contact with the air of an apartment for
directly agitating the said air and for mingling therewith the heated air and
products of combustion and for diffusing the same, and a motor for operating
said fan.
4. In an apparatus of the character specified, a fan in direct contact with the air
of an apartment for directly agitating the said air and for mingling therewith the
heated air and products of combustion and for diffusing the same, gas or oil burners
located at the center of the fan in the vortex of motion for heating the air by direct
contact, and a motor for operating said fan.
5. In an apparatus of the character specified, gas or oil burners for heating the air
by direct contact, a fan in direct contact with the air of an apartment for directly
agitating the said air and for mingling therewith the heated air and products of
combustion and for diffusing the same, a guard for said fan, one or more tubes forming
part of said guard for supplying gas or oil to the burners, and a motor for operating
said fan.
6. In an apparatus of the character specified, a fan in direct contact with the air
of an apartment for directly agitating the said air and for mingling therewith the

page_text: heated air and products of combustion and for diffusing the same, gas or oil burners
for heating the air by direct contact and located at the center of said fan in the
vortex of motion, a guard for said fan, one or more tubes forming part of said guard
for supplying gas or oil to said burners, and a motor for operating said fan.
7. In an apparatus of the character specified, gas or oil burners for heating the air
by direct contact, a fan in direct contact with the air of an apartment for directly
agitating the said air and for mingling therewith the heated air and products of
combustion and for diffusing the same, a motor for operating said fan, and a pro-
tecting screen for said burners.
8. In an apparatus of the character specified, a source of heat for heating the air 1
by direct contact, movable means in direct contact with the air of an apartment for
directly agitating the said air and for mingling therewith the neated air and
products of combustion and for diffusing the same, and a motor for said movable
means operated by the said source of heat.
9. In an apparatus of the character specified, a source of heat for heating the air 1
by direct contact, a rotary fan in direct contact with the air of an apartment for
directly agitating said air and for mingling therewith the heated air and products of
combustion and for diffusing the same, and a motor for said rotary fan operated by
said source of heat.
10. In an apparatus of the character specified, a source of heat for heating the air
by direct contact, a fan in direct contact with the air of an apartment for directly
agitating said air and for mingling therewith the heated air and products of com-
bustion and for diffusing the same, a motor for said fan, and a source of heat for
operating said motor.
11. In an air heating and agitating apparatus, a source of heat for heating the air?
by direct contact, a fan for diffusing the heated air and products of combustion, a
motor for operating the fan, a thermo-electric generator for supplying current to the
motor, and a source of heat for operating said generator.
12. In an air heating and agitating apparatus, a source of heat for heating the air
by direct contact, a fan for diffusing the heated air and products of combustion, a
motor for operating the fan, and a thermo-electric generator operated by the said
source of heat for supplying current to the motor.
13. In an air heating and agitating apparatus, a source of heat for heating the air
by direct contact, a fan for diffusing the heated air and products of combustion, a
motor for operating the fan, and a thermo-electric generator operated by the said
source of heat for supplying current to the motor.
14. In an air heating and agitating apparatus, a source of heat for heating the air
by direct contact, a fan for diffusing the heated air and products of combustion, a
motor for operating the fan, and a thermo-electric generator operated by the said
source of heat for supplying current to the motor.
15. In an air heating and agitating apparatus, gas or oil burners for heating the air
by direct contact, means for diffusing the heated air and products of combustion, a
motor for moving said means, a thermo-electric generator for supplying current to the
motor, and a source of heat for operating said generator.
16. In an air heating and agitating apparatus, gas or oil burners for heating the air
by direct contact, means for diffusing the heated air and products of combustion, a
motor for moving said means, and a thermo-electric generator operated by said gas or
oil burners for supplying current to the motor.
17. In an air heating and agitating apparatus, a fan for diffusing the heated air
and products of combustion, gas or oil burners located at the center of the fan for
heating the air by direct contact, a motor for operating the fan, and a thermo-electric
generator operated by said gas or oil burners for supplying current to the motor.
18. In an air heating and agitating apparatus, a fan for diffusing the heated air
and products of combustion, a guar I for said fan, gas or oil burners for heating the
air by direct contact, one or more tubes forming part of said guard for supplying gas
or oil to said burners, a motor for operating said fan, a thermo-electric generator for
supplying current to the motor, and a source of heat for operating said generator.

page_text: 19. In an air heating and agitating apparatus, a fan for diffusing the heated air and
products of combustion, a guard for said fan, gas or oil burners for heating the air by
direct contact, one or more tubes forming part of said guard for supplying gas or oil
to said burners, a motor for operating said fan, and a thermo-electric generator
operated by said gas or oil burners for supplying current to the motor.
20. A fan blade constructed of two sides with a space between said sides.
21. A fan blade constructed of two sides at an angle to each other with a space
between said sides.
22. A fan blade constructed of two sides at an angle to each other and joined at
one edge with a space between said sides.
23. In a fan, a series of blades each constructed of two sides with a space between
said sides, and a hollow hub provided with openings cominunicating with said space
between said blades.
24. In a fau, a series of blades each constructed of two sides at an angle to each
other and with a space between said sides, and a hollow hub provided with openings
communicating with said space between said blades.
25. In a fan, a series of blades each constructed of two sides at an angle to each
other and joined at one edge with a space between said sides, and a hollow hub
provided with openings communicating with said space between said blades.
26. In an apparatus of the character specified, a source of heat for heating the air
by direct contact, a fan in direct contact with the air of an apartment for directly
agitating said air and for mingling therewith the heated air and products of combustion
and for diffusing the same, and a motor for operating said fan, the said fan being
constructed of a series of blades each consisting of two sides at an angle to each other
and joined at one edge with a space between said sides, and a hollow hub provided
with openings communicating with said space between said blades and through which
heated air and products of combustion are adapted to pass from the said source of
heat.
27. In an apparatus of the character specified, gas or oil burners for heating the
air by direct contact, a fan in direct contact with the air of an apartment for directly
agitating said air and for mingling therewith the heated air and products of combus-
tion and for diffusing the same, and a motor for operating said fan, the said fan being
constructed of a series of blades each consisting of two sides at an angle to each other
and joined at one edge with a space between said sides, and a hollow hub provided
with openings communicating with said space between said blades through which
heated air and products of combustion are adapted to pass from the said gas or oil
burners.