Humidifier

Feb. 10, 1953 e. w. denman 2,628,084

HUMIDIFIER

Filed May 8, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 ss>

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BY

Feb. 10, 1953 _E. _w. denman 2,628,084

HUMIDIFIER

Filed May 8, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 2

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S3

Feb. 10, 1953 e. w. denman

HUMIDIFIER

Filed May 8, 1950

FIG. 3

1-2

2,628,084

Sheets-Sheet 3

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INVENTOR.

EARL. W DENMAN

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Patented Feb. 10. 1953

2,628,084

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

2,628,084

HUMIDIFIER

Earl W. Denman, Cranford, N. 3.

Application May 8,1950, Serial No. 160,651

Claims.

This invention relates to humidifiers that can be used especially in large rooms such as factories of different kinds. To supply moisture in proper form the large areas require a sizable unit consequently, one of the objects of the invention is to provide a structure which can be readily taken apart for ease of installation.

Another object is to provide a unit that can be suspended from the ceiling of a room which tends to eliminate noises which may occur where the apparatus is mounted on a solid room support. By suspending the unit from the ceiling I have found a further advantage and this is, it is easier in the majority of cases, to make connections to the motor and to the source of water supply.

A further object is to provide means in the unit for preventing any flooding of the water therefrom.

Another object is to provide a new and novel way of feeding water to the diffuser.

Still another object is to provide a construction in which the various parts can be easily made and quickly assembled thereby keeping the cost to a minimum. These and other objects will occur to one familiar with humidifiers from a reading of the following specification taken with the annexed drawings wherein,

Figure 1 is a part sectional and elevational view on the longitudinal axis of the structure;

Figure 2 is a view the major part of which is on the line 2—2 of Figure 1 with a portion being on the line 2—2 of Figure 3, the baffle plate in front of the water feed tube being removed;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the major part of the humidifier with the cover, over the motor end removed;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view of a portion of the distribution grill;

Figure 5 is a view on the line 5—5 of Figure 4.

In the drawings wherein like numbers refer to corresponding parts, the humidifier unit is made up of a base frame structure I on which is mounted an operating unit generally referred to by the number 2. This unit includes an electrical motor 3 supported on a base member 4 which in a way forms part of the frame structure. The motor has a shaft 5 extending from one end and on this extensoin is mounted a sleeve 6 having a collar 7. The sleeve 6 is fastened to the shaft 5 in a satisfactory manner as by a set screw 8. Fastened to the sleeve 6 as by screws 9 is a fan 10 having a plurality of blades ί I. Fastened to the collar 7 is a cup shaped member 12 the flange of which grips a disc plate 13 and holds it by screws 14 to the collar 7. A pan-like structure 15 is (CI. 261—28) fastened to the base member in any satisfactory manner as by brackets 16 and 17 that in turn are fastened as by screws 64 to the motor base member 4.

® The pan-like member 15 supports through the medium of bushings 18 and screws 19, a grill 20, which is circular in shape having a large number of vanes 21 which are preferably integral with the grill ring 20 which is mounted in a support 1® ring 22. The vanes 21 are positioned at an acute angle about as shown in Figures 2 and 4 to break up and discharge the water that is thrown against them by the disc 13.

The water is carried in a container 23 that is ¹⁶ supported by the frame structure at about as indicated in Figures 1 and 2 and it will be noted from Figure 1 that the pan-like structure 15 extends downwardly into the water container 23, a considerable distance and has a hole 24 therein ²⁰ to pass the water through the lower portion of the grill 20. The lower part of the pan 15 carries a bracket 25 and to this bracket is held a small tube 26 that is formed so that its end projects into the cup 12. Also fastened to the bracket 25 ²⁵ as by screws or studs 27 is a baffle plate 28, the use of which will be later described. Attached to the rim of the pan 15 is a hood member 29, gaskets 65 preferably being used at this junction as well as at places where they may be useful. The hood 30 member 29 has an extension 30 carrying the humidified air outward into the room where the structure is installed.

This structure Is made so it can be suspended from the ceiling of a room by means of hangers 31 35 and 32 that can be fastened directly to the frame

I or to blades 33 that are fastened as by spot welding at 34 to the frame structure I. As shown, the members 31 and 32 are fastened to the parts 33 by screws and lock nuts 35 and with this con40 struction the members 31 and 32 may be slotted up to point 66 to provide a vertical adjustment of the unit if desired. Water is fed to the unit by means of a pipe 36, reducing coupling 37 and smaller pipe 38 with a float valve 39 that is 45 connected to float 40 which is hinged to the valve lever at 41, adjustment being provided by an adjusting screw 42 so that the water level in the tank 23 can be controlled. However, should something go wrong with the float control mechanism, 50 an overflow drain pipe 43 is provided to carry off any water that may arise above the water level indicated by the broken line 44.

As the disc 13 is turned rapidly in a right _ handed direction looking at Figure 2, it forces ⁸⁶ water into the tube opening 61 and up the tube

2,628,084 into the cup 12 from which it is forced through the orifice 62 onto the disc 13 and through the grill 21. In doing this, some spray is caused which is directed against the baffle plate 28 placed in front of the water pick-up end of the tube 26. While some water may possibly get through into the hood member 29 which also extends downwardly along with the pan 15 into the water tank 23 and to prevent the air blown by the fan I i from circulating around in the bottom of this hood 29 a baffle plate 45 across the bottom of the hood 29 is preferably utilized, it being so placed with respect to the hood 30 that it makes a smooth, even flow of the air and the water mixture coming from the grill 20.

It is to be noted from Figures 1 and 2 that the bottom of the frame structure has a channel shaped member 46 along one side and a L-shaped member 41 on the opposite side. This is to receive a block 48 of porous material such as spun glass or the equivalent for filtering the air coming up through the openings 49 to the fan blades i t through the circular opening 50 in the bottom of the pan i5. The filter is preferably held in place by spring members 51 and 52 each having arms 53 positioned over the edge of the filter block 48 as shown in Figure 2. By this construction an operator by taking hold of the arms 53 can pull them back away from the edge of the filter block 48 allowing this end to drop down so that it may be pulled out of the channel 46. The motor 3 is held in position by a U-shaped member 54 that is fastened to the base 4 by screws 55. Clamps 56 and 57 pass around the opposite bearing ends of the motor and engage fingers 58 on the member 54. The clamps 56 and 57 are held in place by screws and nuts 59. Preferably a cushioning member such as soft rubber is used between the clamps 56 and 57 and the bearing ends of the motor. This method of mounting the motor acts to absorb any vibrations which would make noise by the running of the motor. The motor and its directly associated parts are preferably covered by a casing 60 which may be made as an integral unit or into parts such as shown in Figure 1.

In the operation of the humidifier, as the disc i 3 is turned by the motor it forces the water in the tank 23 to move toward and into the end 61 of the tube 26 and through this tube into the hollow cup 12 from which it is displaced through orifices 62 in the flange of the cup out onto the disc 13 from which it is thrown into the grill 20 and through the vanes 21, by reason of the fan 10 which draws air through the filter 48 and the openings 4S and drives it through the vanes 2! of the grill 20 into the hood 30 out through the hood 30 into the room. To prevent the movement of the water as it passes into the tube end 6! from spraying out into the hood the baffle 28 is utilized as well as the baffle 45. It will be noted that the hood member 29 has a hole S3 in the bottom. This is for the purpose of draining the water out of the section 29 when it is desired to disconnect the entire hood from the pan member 15.

From what has been said it will be seen that the base or frame member i is made separately from the vaporizing unit, which includes the motor and is the heaviest part of the structure, whereby it can be easier installed in position and then the vaporizing unit set in place afterwards and the electrical connections made to the motor and the water connections to the base support.

I have found that the horizontal mounting of the motor as shown is preferable to a vertically mounted motor both as to the life of the motor as well as the ease of replacement or repairs thereto.

It will be obvious that many of the details may be varied without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the appended claims.