US3296739A

US3296739A - Rotating orchard heater

Info

Publication number: US3296739A
Application number: US433434A
Authority: US
Inventors: Louis A Wiegel
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1965-02-17
Filing date: 1965-02-17
Publication date: 1967-01-10
Anticipated expiration: 1984-01-10

Description

Jan. 10, 1967 L. A. WIEGEL 3,296,739

ROTATING ORCHARD HEATER Filed Feb. 17, 1965 2 Sheets-$heet 1 Fig./ 86

Fig.6

Louis A. W/ege/ 1N VIZN 10R.

Jan. 10, 1967 L. A. WIEGEL ROTATING ORCHARD HEATER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 17, 1965 Louis .4. Mega! INVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,296,739 ROTATING ORCHARD HEATER Louis A. Wiegel, Orlando, Fla, assiguor of one-haif to B. L. Johnson and one-half to Carol Mary Wiegel, both of Orlando, Fla.

Filed Feb. 17, 1965, Ser. No. 433,434 9 Claims. (Cl. 472) This invention comprises a novel and useful rotating orchard heater and more particularly constitutes improvements over and comprises a continuation-in-part of my prior application Serial No. 366,288, filed May 11, 1964, for Defroster and Orchard Heater.

It has become common practice in regional areas in which orchards, nurseries and the like are subjected to dangers of frost or freezing to provide auxiliary heating means for maintaining the temperature in the orchard or nursery above the frosting points and thereby prevent damage to the trees or shrubbery. Heretofore smoke pots have been employed for this purpose. However, the use of smoke pots is not entirely satisfactory owing to the relatively small area which is heated by a smoke pot due to lack of adequate currents carrying the heated products thereof throughout the orchard or nursery. A further disadvantage attending the use of smoke pots is the very considerable labor involved in positioning smoke pots throughout an orchard or threatened area and then replenishing the smoke pots from time to time as their fuel is exhausted.

It is therefore the primary purpose of this invention to largely overcome these disadvantages by providing a heating means which shall have a very great radius or area of effective activity and wherein the heated products of combustion may be uniformly distributed over a very large area.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device which may be supplied with a relatively large quantity of fuel and wherein the supply of fuel may be readily replenished from time to time with a minimum effort.

A still further and more specific object of the invention is to provide an orchard heater in which the burner supplied with fuel from a stationary tank is caused to rotate throughout 360 degrees continuously and thus provide an effective stream of heated air and combustion products over a relatively greater area.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device in accordance with the foregoing objects which shall include an improved means for rotatively mounting the heating unit and an air fan associated therewith for 360 degrees of rotation while continuously supplying fuel from the stationary source to the burner of the device.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide an orchard heater in accordance with the preceding objects wherein the air fan itself shall by its reaction supply the rotating force for the device and whereby through a mere change in the mounting of the unit upon its revolving support the speed of rotation may be readily varied.

Still another purpose of the invention is to provide an orchard heater in accordance with the preceding object wherein through a very simple adjustment the heating capacity of the unit may be widely varied as may be necessary.

A further object of the invention is to provide a revolving fan for producing a stream of air together with means for selectively applying heat and/or water to the air stream for use as a heater and/ or a humidifier or sprayer.

Still another and more specific object of the invention is to provide a revolving orchard heater which may be readily constructed to employ electricity, oil or a combustible gas as the heat source thereof.

Still another purpose of the invention is to provide a 3,296,739 Patented Jan. 10, 1967 power driven air blower particularly adapted for use by nurserymen together with means for supplying moisture to the stream of air to thereby spray or humidify vegetation and the like.

Another and further specific object of the invention is to provide a revolving orchard heater wherein the air stream produced by the power driven fan of the device is utilized to drive a secondary fan which in turn through gearing effects a positive rotation of the device about a vertical axis at a predetermined rate of revolutions.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view of one preferred embodiment of the apparatus in accordance with this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a view in side elevation of the apparatus of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged view in side elevation of a portion of the apparatus in FIGURES 1 and 2 and showing in particular the air driven positive revolving mechanism of the device and the means for feeding water as a spray into the air stream of the device;

FIGURE 4 is a detailed view taken upon an enlarged scale and in vertical central section through the junction of the upper and lower relatively revolvable sections of the support stand of the device and the novel rotary connection therebetween;

FIGURE 5 is a detail view in horizontal section taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 55 of FIGURE 4; and

FIGURE 6 is an exploded perspective view of a portion of the rotatable joint'connection forming an essen tial feature of the invention.

FIGURE 7 is a partial sectional view taken substantially through section line 7-7 in FIGURE 4.

In the accompanying drawings, the numeral 10 designates generally a preferred form of apparatus embodying therein the principles of this invention. The apparatus which is intended primarily as a means for heating or defrosting orchards and the like and/or for discharging a humidified stream of air into plants or shrubbery is generally applicable as a means for effecting a forced discharge or stream of air in a generally horizontal direction from a revolving air blower, with the stream of air being selectively heated or humidified or both if desired.

The apparatus consists of a support consisting of a lower section of base 12 together with an upper section 14, which as shown best in FIGURE 4 is telescopingly and rotatably received within the lower section for rotation about a vertical axis. Conveniently, with continuing reference to FIGURE 4, the two sections are hollow tubes and anti-friction bearing means 16 and 18 are provided by means of which the open lower end of the upper section 14 is rotatably received and supported within the lower section 12. Mounted upon the upper end of the upper section is a mounting means 20 such as a platform or the like and upon which is carried an air blower assembly indicated generally by the numeral 22. The assembly includes a source of power 24 such as an electric motor, an internal combustion engine or the like which has a drive shaft 26 projecting therefrom upon which is mounted at an air blower preferably in the form of a fan blade 28. The axis of the power shaft 26 is disposed horizontally so that the propeller or air blower 28 will produce a stream of air in a horizontal direction and throughout an entire circle as the air blower assembly 22 is rotated about the vertical axis of the support in a manner-to be subsequently set forth.

There is further provided a screen or guard 30 suitably carried by the power source 24 and surrounding the blade or air blower 28 to protect and enclose the latter for safety purposes. Disposed axially of the blade and projecting outwardly from the screen or guard 30 there is a nozzle 32 which serves as a means for introducing either heating fluid or water into the air stream for mixing with the latter and for dissemination by the latter.

It is to be appreciated that any suitable control means is provided for the power source 24. Where the power source is an internal combustion engine, the usual connection with a source of fuel, not shown, will be provided. On the other hand, if the source of power is an electric motor, suitable electric connections for the source of power will be utilized, likewise not shown but of any conventional design.

Referring now again to FIGURE 3, in conjunction with FIGURE 5, it will be observed that means are provided for positively effecting gradual rotation of the air blower assembly 22 about the vertical axis of the support structure in a controllable manner. For this purpose there is fixedly secured to the lower section 12 a stationary bevel ring gear 40 which is engaged by a bevel pinion 42 journalled in a gear reduction assembly 44 and driven by a small propeller 46. The reduction gearing assembly is carried as by a bracket 48 from the lower portion of the mounting means 20 and is so positioned that the propeller 46 is in the air stream or air blast of the main blower 28 so as to be driven by the latter. The arrangement is such that when the blower is operated by the source of power '24, the air stream from the rear thereof will impinge upon the propeller 46 for rotation thereof. Through the

gearing assembly

44, 42 and 40 the rotation of the propeller will cause the upper support section 14 and the air blower assembly 22 mounted thereon to rotate about the vertical axis of the support at a relatively fixed and controlled rate. By way of example, in a preferred embodiment in accordance with this invention, a rotation of about four revolutions per minute is found to be highly effective with the air blower delivering a forced air stream or blast at a rate of 7500 cubic feet per minute.

Disposed within the junction of the two telescoping upper and

lower sections

14 and 12 is a rotary connection or joint comprising relatively revoluble upper and lower

joint sections

50 and 52 respectively. The upper joint section 50 is detachably but fixedly secured to the upper support section 14 as by being threadedly engaged by a nipple 54 extending thereinto. The lower section 52 which is revolubly received within the upper support section 14 is retained in a stationary position as by being engaged upon the upper end of a spring 56 whose lower end rests upon a retainer flange 58 carried by a pipe elbow 60 which extends through and is fixedly secured to the stationary base or lower section 12. The spring yieldingly urges the lower joint section 52 into cooperating rotary contact with the revoluble upper connector joint section 50 carried by the revolving upper support section 14.

Cooperating passage means are provided in the two joint sections. Thus, there is a passage 62 in the lower joint section which registers with a passage 64 in the upper joint section. Received in the passage 62 is a hollow stem, pipe or sleeve 66, see also FIGURE 6, having an axial bore 68 therethrough which is continuously in communication at its lower end with the upstanding portion of the pipe elbow 60. At the upper or the pipe 60 there are provided radial ports 70 which communicate the interior of the stem 66 with the bore or passage 64 in the upper coupling section 50. This bore 64, as shown in FIGURE 4, communicates by a lateral passage 72 with the previously mentioned nipple 54. The upper end of the bore 64 is closed as by means of O-rings 74 engaging the laterally enlarged cylindrical upper portion 76 of the stem 66, with a retaining washer or cap 78 being secured as by a fastening bolt 80 to the stem and to compressively engage a thrust washer 82 against the O-riug 74. Thus to direct a spray of water into the air stream discharged by the air blower 28. In addition, a further conduit 88 under the control of manually operated valve 90, delivers water from the conduit 84 to a water nozzle 92 disposed within the air nozzle 32 for further introducing water directly into the middle of the air stream or air blast from the air blower 28. Thus, water can be selectively supplied into the air stream either at the center thereof through the nozzle 92 or from the exterior thereof through the nozzles 86 or both as may be desired by properly adjusting the

valves

82 and 90.

The water which is received by the nipple 54 is introduced into the lower end of the stem by means of the pipe elbow 60 which latter extending through the side of the lower section 12 is connected by a selector valve 94 alternatively to a source of water supply as through a conduit 96 or to a source of fuel of a combustible nature as by conduit 98.

The fluid may be supplied either from a source of bottled gas 100, see FIGURE 1, or from any other source of a combustible fuel supply, not shown. The fuel can be supplied in any suitable manner as for example by a further branch conduit 102 connected to the selector valve.

As so far described, it will be evident that by properly adjusting the selector valves and 82, that a combustible mixture may be supplied through the conduit 98, through the pipe elbow 60 and through the hollow stem 66 and from thence through the nipple 54 and valve 82 and conduit 84 and conduit 88 to the nozzle 92 where the combustible mixture may be discharged from the nozzle 32 in any suitable manner, and thus will serve to supply and introduce heat into the air blast. Thus, the air blast supplied by the air blower will be effective to heat an adjacent area by the hot combustion products delivered thereto thus serving ideally as an orchard defroster or other space heater.

In some instances, it may be preferred to utilize electricity as the source of heat rather than any combustion products. For that purpose, as shown in FIGURE 4, suitable electrical conduits which extend from any suitable source of electric current, not shown, and enter the lower or base support section 12 as through a grommet 112 therein are connected to connector rings upon the adjoining faces of the upper and lower connector

joint sections

50 and 52. From the latter, the current is conducted as by the conduits 114 and through a grommet 116 in the upper support section to suitable electrical heating elements (not shown) which may be located in the air nozzle means 32.

It will thus be apparent that the device is adapted for use with various sources of power whether a combustible fuel or electricity, may be utilized to effect an air blast either with or without the addition of heat or water thereto.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A revolving air stream generator comprising a support having upper and lower sections, said upper section being rotatable relative to the lower section about a substantially vertical axis, an air blower producing a generally horizontal stream of air, means mounting said blower upon said upper section for rotation about said vertical axis, a power source mounted on said upper section and connected to said blower, gear means connected to said upper and lower sections for transmitting rotation to said upper section about the vertical axis and a propeller mounted in the air stream from said air blower drivingly connected to said gear means for imparting rotation thereto.

2. The combination of claim 1 including means mounted on said upper section forwardly of the blower for discharging a spray of Water into said air stream.

3. The combination of claim 1 including means mounted on said upper section forwardly of the blower for introducing heat into said air stream.

4. The combination of claim 3 further including means mounted on the upper section forwardly of the blower for discharging a spray of water into said air stream.

5. A revolving air stream generator comprising a support having upper and lower sections, said upper section being rotatable relative to the lower section about a substantially vertical axis, an air blower producing a generally horizontal stream of air, means mounting said blower upon said upper section for rotation about said vertical axis, a power source mounted on said upper section connected to said blower, gear means connected to said upper and lower sections for transmitting rotation to said upper section about said vertical axis and means connected to the gear means for imparting rotation thereto in response to airflow produced by operation of said blower by said power source.

6. A revolving air stream generator comprising an elongated support having upper and lower sections, said upper section being rotatable relative to the lower section about a substantially vertical axis, an air blower producing a generally horizontal stream of air, means mounting said blower upon said upper section for rotation about said vertical axis, a power source connected to and operating said blower, rotary coupling means between said upper and lower support sections, fluid discharging nozzle means mounted by said blower mounting means forwardly of the blower and connected to the upper conduit section, and means mounted by the upper section adjacent to said blower and driven by said stream of air for rotating said upper section about the vertical axis.

7. The combination of claim 6 wherein said fluid is a combustible fuel discharged by the nozzle means and said lower conduit section is connected to a source of fuel and conduit means extending through said coupling means connecting said source of fuel to the nozzle means.

3. The combination of claim 6 including separate sources of fuel and water, conduit means extending through the coupling means conducting fluid from said sources to the nozzle means and a selector valve in said conduit means connecting said sources through the conduit means alternatively to said nozzle means.

9. The combination of claim 6 wherein said nozzle means is a flame emitting fuel burner.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,23 8,120 4/ 1941 Launder 239-77 2,712,714 7/1955 McGee 472 3,180,570 4/ 1965 Grabowski 230-254 ABRAHAM G. STONE, Primary Examiner.

R. E. BAGWILL, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

6. A REVOLVING AIR STREAM GENERATOR COMPRISING AN ELONGATED SUPPORT HAVING UPPER AND LOWER SECTIONS, SAID UPPER SECTION BEING ROTATABLE RELATIVE TO THE LOWER SECTION ABOUT A SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL AXIS, AN AIR BLOWER PRODUCING A GENERALLY HORIZONTAL STREAM OF AIR, MEANS MOUNTING SAID BLOWER UPON SAID UPPER SECTION FOR ROTATION ABOUT SAID VERTICAL AXIS, A POWER SOURCE CONNECTED TO AND OPERATING SAID BLOWER, ROTARY COUPLING MEANS BETWEEN SAID UPPER AND LOWER SUPPORT SECTIONS, FLUID DISCHARGING NOZZLE MEANS MOUNTED BY SAID BLOWER MOUNTING MEANS FORWARDLY OF THE BLOWER AND CONNECTED TO THE UPPER CONDUIT
7. THE COMBINATION OF CLAIM 6 WHEREIN SAID FLUID IS A COMBUSTIBLE FUEL DISCHARGED BY THE NOZZLE MEANS AND SAID LOWER CONDUIT SECTION IS CONNECTED TO A SOURCE OF FUEL AND CONDUIT MEANS EXTENDING THROUGH SAID COUPLING MEANS CONNECTING SAID SOURCE OF FUEL TO THE NOZZLE MEANS.