US2116896A - Metal covered fluid conductor - Google Patents

Description

1/ J I 9% WAGE/0A9 0 F. S. HUDSON' METAL COVERED FLUID CONDUCTOR Filed June 17, 1935 May 10, 1938.

/51 Z/mv 0 U .75! A TTORNEY 11v VENTOR I I I I I I I I I I I u Patented May 10, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Dealers Manufacturing Company,

Kansas City, Mo., a. corporation of Missouri Application June 17, 1935, Serial No. 27,005

1 Claim.

My invention relates to improvements in metal covered fluid conductors.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a novel fluid conducting unit which has a maximum heat absorbing or heat radiating capacity, whereby it is enabled to heat or cool fluid passing therethrough with a maximum of efliciency.

A further object of my invention is to provide an apparatus of novel construction in which the constituent elements are united together to form an integral structure adapted for removal and replacement as a unit.

My invention provides still further a novel electrical heating unit which is simple, cheap, durable, strong, not likely to get out of order, and which has a maximum of efliciency.

The novel features of my invention are hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing, which illustrates the preferred embodiment of my invention, and a modification thereof,

Fig. 1 is one side elevation, partly broken away, of my improved unit, with the adjacent side insulation plate removed.

Fig. 2 is an elevation, partly broken away, looking at the opposite side of the unit. I

Fig. 3 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in vertical section of the heat conductor and its metal covering.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged central vertical sectional view, partly broken away, of my improved unit. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the complete unit.

Fig. 6 is a view partly in side elevation, partly in longitudinal section and partly broken away, of a modified form of the unit shown disposed in a motor exhaust pipe.

Fig. 7 is an end view of the unit shown in Fig. 6, on the plane of the line I-I of Fig. 6.

I designates the body of my improved fluid conductor which is of the form of a flat involute spiral, the inner end of the body I being attached to a central plug 2 having opposite ends threaded and provided with a discharge or receiving passage 3 leading to one of the threaded ends of the plug 2 and communicating with the interior of the spiral body I.

The outer end of the body I is attached to and interiorly communicates with an elbow 4 adapted to receive or discharge fluid, as water or gas.

The body I and plug 2 are embedded in a metal covering 5 having flat smooth parallel opposite sides which are respectively parallel with the opposite sides of the spiral body I.

The body I is, preferably, a metal of relatively high heat conductivity, and a high melting point, as copper. The metal covering 5, has, preferably, a melting point lower than that of the body I, to enable it to be readily cast about and in intimate contact with the conductor body I. The 5 covering 5 has high heatconductivity to enable it to rapidly convey heat to or from the body I.

,Such covering 5 is, for its cheapness and efllciency, aluminum, although silver could be advantageously used as the covering.

The complete conductor body I is immersed in the melted aluminum in a mold, not shown, which provides parallel smooth flat sides to the covering 5, the body I being disposed midway between the sides of the covering 5 and parallel l5 therewith. The body I is preferably made from copper tubing which is circular in cross section. The tubing after being formed into the spiral form with the coils convoluted, or wound one on the other, as shown in Fig. 3, is exteriorly cleaned so as to be free from scale or other coating, whereby when immersed in the molten aluminum, it will have intimate contact therewith.

The aluminum covering will completely flll in between the coils of the body I and, when permitted to cool and removed from the mold will hold the body I from any distortion due to temperature changes or other cause.

As shown in Fig. 4, the ends of the horizontal plug 2 project from opposite sides respectively of the covering 5, whereby the closed threaded end of the plug may be employed as a supporting means to be attached to a suitable support, not shown. The threaded end of the elbow I and the threaded end of the plug having the passage 3 may be respectively connected with tubing, not shown, which is to supply the fluid to be heated or cooled, as the case may be.

If the fluid to be treated is to be cooled, ice or refrigerating brine may be applied to the covering 5, upon which the heat in the fluid treated will be absorbed through the body I and the aluminum covering 5.

If the fluid in the body I is to be heated, heat is applied to the covering 5, and will be absorbed therefrom through the body I by the fluid. For heating and boiling water, the covering 5 serves as an eflicient conductor of heat to the water.

For heating fluid in the body I, I have shown two V shaped flat units composed of electrical resistance wires 6 disposed respectively between two pairs of flat insulating plates 1, as mica, and arranged flatwise against one side of the covering 5.

A similar V shaped resistance wire 6 mounted between insulating plates 1 is disposed against the opposite side of the covering 5. By having these heating units disposed flatwise, as shown against the flat smooth surfaces of the sides of the covering, the conduction of the heat therefrom through the covering 5 is evenly distributed throughout the resistance wires, thereby preserving the wires from injurious uneven heating. By having the body I in the form of a flat spiral with the coils convoluted and tightly wound upon each other, and opposite sides of the spiral embedded in the metal covering or body 5, a very compact structure is afforded in a minimum of space, thus enabling a maximum heating effect to be obtained with the heating units at a minimum expense for electrical current.

The convoluting of the tubing in flat form in making the spiral body I, enables the latter to be easily, quickly and cheaply formed without liability of kinking or making abrupt bends that would interfere with the passage of fluid therethrough. It also enables the employment of a minimum amount of covering metal 5 for the length of tubing used, thus reducing weight and cost.

Fastened by bolts 8 to opposite sides of the covering 5, at the outer sides respectively of the mica insulation plates 1, are two protecting insulation plates 9, having holes l through which respectively extend the end portions of the plug 2.

The covering so rapidly absorbs heat that when exposed to the sun, and the elements 6, I and 9 are removed, water placed in the fluid conductor may be raised to the boiling point, and steam produced. The constituent elements of the heating apparatus just described, and which is shown in Figs. 1 to 5, are united together so as to form an integral structure adapted for removal or replacement as a unit, thus making for convenience and economy in assembling where it is to be used, or in making repairs when needed.

In the modification shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the fluid conductor is in the form of a helical spiral ll of tubing, preferably of copper, which is embedded in and integrally united to a metal covering [2, preferably aluminum, or a metal having a melting temperature lower than that of the conductor H. Such embedding is effected by immersing the conductor I I in the molten metal i2 and permitting the latter to solidify in a suitable mold, not shown. The inner and outer surfaces of the covering [2 are, preferably provided with longitudinal ribs l3 which facilitate the conduction of heat to the conductor spiral ll.

As shown in Fig. 6, the unit, comprising the conductor H and the metal covering 12, is shown disposed in an exhaust pipe M of an explosive engine, not shown. The hot exhaust passing through the pipe I4 will highly heat the metal covering 12, which will heat the conductor i l and such fluid as may be passed through the latter.

As used herein, the term embedded, as ap plied to the manner of associating the conductor I, or II, as the case may be, with the metal covering 5, or l2, means the integrally uniting in intimate contact of the covering metal with the metal conductor, such as is obtained by immersing the conductor in the molten covering metal and permitting the latter to solidify upon the conductor, as distinguished from merely mechanically attaching the conductor to and between two metal plates.

The invention is subjective to various other modifications, within the scope of the appended claim, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim is:

In an apparatus of the kind described, a convoluted flat spiral metal tubing, the coils of which contact with each other, the ends of the tubing being respectively at the inner and outer ends of the spiral, a solid metal covering in which said tubing, excepting its ends, is embedded, said covering at opposite sides of the spiral having flat surfaces, two heating units one being against and electrically insulated from each of said surfaces, and two thermal insulation members respectively against the outer sides of said heating units, said metal covering having a melting point higher than that to which it will be heated by said units, said elements being united together to form an integral structure adapted to be removed or replaced as a unit.

FINN S. HUDSON.

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