US2562834A - Fluid fuel burner ignition system - Google Patents

Description

y 1951 A. J. TURPIN ET AL 2,562,834

FLUID FUEL BURNER IGNITION SYSTEM Filed Aug. 5, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORS A L EXA N0 5/? d TUEP/N mvo MEL w/wl PAR/(El? ,4 TTORNEY July 31, 1951 A. J. TURPIN ET AL 2,562,834

FLUID FUEL BURNER IGNITION SYSTEM Filed Aug. 5, 194? 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 I N V EN TOR5 A LEXANDER (A Tuep/n/ AND Ma w/w/ P/m/rm July 31, 1951 A. J. TURPlN ET AL 2,552,834

FLUID FUEL BURNER IGNITION SYSTEM Filed Aug. 5, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet f5 ,4 Tram/Ev.

July 31, 1951 A. J. TU RPIN ET AL FLUID FUEL BURNER IGNITION SYSTEM 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Aug. 5, 1947 IN V EN TOR.

2 mm. y 7 E Z} M @w 0 M 1m Wm My, 5 I L 1 A A Patented July 31, T951 2,562,834 FLUID FUEL BURNER IGNITION SYSTEM Alexander J. Turpin, Stewart Manor, and Melvin J. Parker, New York, N. Y., assignors'to Ha'uck Manufacturing Company, Brooklyn, N. Y., a

corporation of New York ApplicationAugust 5, 1947, Serial N 0. 766,184

4. Claims.

The invention relates to safety provisions for use in connection with the starting of fluid fuel atomizing burners of the proportioning type and wherein suitable electrically operated ignition means are utilized to ignite the atomized fuel discharged by the said burner.

In burners of this nature it is highly'undesirable to effect ignition, or re-ignition should the flame for some reason become extinguishedwhen the operating member for controlling the volume of discharge is positioned for maximum capacity or for the delivery of a relatively large volume of the atomized fuel.

It is an object of the present invention to provide in burners of the aforesaid nature means whereby no supply of .fuel nor ignition of the fuel may be effected until the burner operating handle or the like member first has been located in a predetermined position corresponding generally to a minimum or relatively low volume of atomized fuel as discharged by the burner.

A further object of the invention is to provide an ignition arrangement whereby the fuel discharge will be in best condition for prompt ignition.

Another object of the invention is to provide automatically operating means operatively associated with the fuel supply operating means whereby, in the event of the pressure or temperature, developed as a result of the burner operation, exceeding a predetermined value as well as the occurrence of other objectionable contingencies, not only will operation of the burner be discontinued but the said operating member will be returned automatically to the starting position of minimum or relatively low atomized fuel volume.

Still another object of the invention is to provide means whereby the burner operating member will be similarly returned in the event of flame failure.

In carrying out the invention, a switch of an electrical starting circuit is associated with a part movable with the burner operating member of the proportioning burner, said switch being included in circuit with electrical igniter means, such as a spark plug, for effecting then the ignition of atomized fuel discharged by the burner as by manually closing the ignition circuit. Actuation of the included electric switch, however, may not take place until an element of the said switch is mechanically displaced as a result of movement of a burner operating handle or like member to set the burner to a position corresponding substantially to minimum discharge. A sleeve or like member movable with the said operating V 2 handle may to this end be provided with aprojection or cam element which then engages, for example, one end of a flat spring in turn having a portion-designed to bear against a movableelement of the switch, such as a plunger. The latter when pushed inwardly under actuation of the operatinghandle, serves to bring the switch elements into contact; and, when the engagement with the-end of the flat spring terminates, serves to causethe same to separate.

The electrical circuit to the igniter means may therefore be completed initially only when the burner is set, for'example, to discharge a minimum volume of the atomized fuel. This condition of relatively low volume of atomi'zedfuel assures more likely contact of the said fuel With'the starting electrodes of the igniter means since the form of-the discharge coming from the burner will, under these conditions, be broader than when the full maximum volume is discharged. Furthermore, under these conditions of relatively small volume of discharge, minimum concussion effects prevail and starting is more safely and readily to be accomplished.

As soon as ignition takes place, the burner flame may be adjusted, either manually or automatically, to the desired character for running operation by movement of the operating handlev accordingly. This will interrupt the circuit at the switch since the engagement of the projection With the offset spring portion has terminated; and provision is made to by-pass upon ignition the said switch with respect to the power supply for ignition, etc., until the flame is extiguished.

The nature of the invention, however, will best be understood when described in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a front elevation of a burner unit equipped with the novel safety starting means and with oil control portion removed.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged front elevation of the burner and installedswitch and shows the oper ating handle of the burner both in the starting position and in an intermediate, operation position and with oil control portion removed.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevation, on an enlarged scale and partly in longitudinal section, of the proportioning burner with attached switch mechanism and control therefor.

Fig. 4 is a wiring diagram of the ignition and fuel control circuits as controlled by the operation of the burner operating handle.

Fig. 5 is a front elevation of a burner unit equipped with the novel starting means but as designed for automatic operation afterdnitial manual actuation of a starting switch or the like.

Fig. 6 is a wiring diagram of the operating circuits of the automatic burner control arrangement disclosed in Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawings, more particularly Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, the burner is indicated at It! and is of the proportioning type such as the burner set forth in U. S. Letters Patent #2,219,119 and #2290385, assigned to applicants assignee, adjustment for discharge of different volumes of atomized fuel being effected manually by means of an operating member such as the handle or arm Fuel for atomization in the burner is introduced through the supply pipe l2 passing through a filter I3 and pressure regulator l4 before delivery to the burner. The fuel for combustion is in a fluid condition either as liquid or as a solid sufficiently comminuted to flow freely; and the atomizing medium, such as air, steam, etc., is introduced within said burner to the fuel, for example, through the inlet |5-all of which is well understood and forms no particular part of the present invention.

In accordance with the invention, provision is made whereby the supply of fuel may not be effected nor the same discharged from the burner until the ignition means, such as the electrical spark producing means l6, have been activated. These derive power from a source as the mains H, and the intermediate transformer l8, but not unless the handle I is initially in substantially its position for minimum discharge from the burner of atomized fuel-the position indicated in full lines, Figs. 1 and 2. Thus, there is associated with the burner a switch means including the two normally separated contacts 2| and 22, Fig. 4, suitably encased and which are designed to be brought into contact, preferably mechanically, through movement of the operating handle II in a direction to decrease the volume of atomized discharge and preferably to its position of minimum volume.

To this end, the sleeve 23 carries a circumferential projection or camming element 24 to be angularly displaced in accordance with the adjustment of said handle angularly. The said projection is adapted to engage and ride over a free end portion of the outer surface of a flat spring element 25 which is attached at the opposite end to the burner casing to rock about a stud 26 or the like. The arrangement is such that as the operating handle approaches its position for minimum volume of discharge, as indicated by the full line position, Fig. 2 of the drawings, engagement is effected between the elements 24 and 25 to rock the said spring about the stud 26 to raise it and bring a radially offset portion 21 thereof into contact with a brush or, preferably, a reciprocable plunger 28 or like element springurged toward sleeve 23 and operative to bring the contacts 2| and 22 together to close at this point an electrical circuit 29 for energization of the isnition means, such as the sparking points l6 and a solenoid-controlled fuel valve 3 I. Movement of the handle II in the opposite direction, which serves to increase the volume of discharge from the burner, will eventually interrupt this engagement of spring portion 21 with plunger 28, the spring portion 25 then riding directly over the periphery of the sleeve, as indicated in the dotted line position shown in Fig. 2.

At the same time that the ignition is effected, the solenoid-controlled fuel valve 3| is actuated to admit fuel to the burner, the circuit to said solenoid being connected in parallel with the cir- 4 cult to the ignition means. Means are provided, also, to by-pass the switch 20 to maintain the flame when the operating arm II is moved from the low position. Thus a flame-activated photoelectric cell 32 and relay 33 operate to by-pass at the relay contacts 34 said switch 20 when the relay is energized, as will hereinafter be more fully set forth in connection with the completely automatic control, shown in Figs. 5 and 6.

Operation of the switch elements in conjunc tion with movement of the burner operating handle may, of course, be effected automatically and coordinated with one or more control mechanisms such as may be utilized in connection with the maintenance of a predetermined temperature of combustion, prevention of the development of excessive pressure in a boiler fired by the burner, low water level of boiler, and the control of fuel supply. etc. In such combination control, etc., provision is made to return automatically the operating handle to its low discharge volume position especially in case of extinguishment of the burner flame so that reignition may be effected under the proper conditions merely by momentarily closing a starting switch included in the power circuit to the ignition means.

Thus, reference being had to Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings, the operating handle 35 of the burner 36 is linked to the shaft 31 of a servoor like motor under control of various conditions as may be desired. In the particular embodiment shown, the reversible motor is of the automatic maximum-minimum position type, although it may be of the floating control type, whereby to maintain a more or less constant boiler pressure through automatic adjustment of the burner handle in supplying atomized fuel.

As indicated, the motor is controlled through suitable windings from a pair of contacts 40, 4| between which is designed to oscillate a contactmaking, ground-connection arm 42 to engage alternatively the respective contacts 40 and 4|. The arm 42 is actuated under the influence of, for example, the temperature prevailing in the space heated by the burner, as is well understood in the art, for energizing the motor windings in accordance with the required direction of rotation for moving control arm 35 of the burner. Power for operation of the motor is derived through a lead 45 connected to the ungrounded lead of the mains 46 of a source of electrical energythe other, preferably, being grounded. The contact-making arm 42 is maintained normally in a position to engage one of the contacts 40 and 4|, that is to say, the one controlling the motor Winding for returning the burner control arm to its low discharge volume position, thus setting the contacts 41 controlled by movement of said arm for starting of the burner operation. This action also serves to energize a solenoid 49 or like means included in parallel with the starting circuit, and in turn controlling the supply of fuel as through a supply valve 50. In this circuit, also, and in ad- Vance of the starting contacts 41, are one or more controlled switches 5|, 52 operating, for example, to interrupt the power supply to said contacts 41 when the water level of a boiler (not shown) operated by the burner falls below a predetermined level, in the case of switch 5|, or the pressure prevailing in the boiler becomes excessive, in the case of switch 52. It will thus be impossible to restart the burner until these conditions have been remedied.

With all conditions met, there will be energized a transformer 53 whose secondaries produce sparks at the points 54 located in proximity to the burner discharge for igniting the same to provide a flame.

As soon as the flame is produced, a flame-controlled relay 55 operating in manner well understood through a photoelectric cell 56 exposed to the burner flame, is subject to the flame condition of the burner; and becomes effective to energize the relay having two pairs of contacts. The one pair includes a dead contact 58 and a contact 59, the latter being connected to the power lead of mains 46 and ahead of switch contacts 41 and when contacted by the relay arm 60 serves to bypass said switch contacts 41 so that so long as suitable flame conditions prevail, these are without effect on the burner operation, the burner operation, however, remaining subject to the controls 5| and 52. The said relay at the same time it effects the aforesaid by-passing operation, interrupts a grounding connection at the contact 6| through the relay arm 52 which had completed a power circuit through lead 63 to one of the windings of the motor, viz.: the one designed to return (under control of limit switch 64) the arm 35 to its position for minimum discharge of the burner, and completes the circuit to ground through a companion contact 65 and lead 66 to the temperature-controlled arm 42. When this in turn engages the contact 40, the motor is powered to reverse its direction of rotation (under control of limit switch 61). It will be noted that with the relay arm 62 in engagement with contact 65, it will be possible also for the motor to operate in the direction to return the burner arm 35 since the corresponding winding is connected with contact ll so that, should arm 42 engage this contact, the power circuit through said winding will be completed. Thus, in addition to maintaining a desired predetermined temperature by means of the automatic positioning of arm 42, the burner arm will positively be returned to its position for minimum discharge of atomized fuel upon flame failure which causes the relay 55 to function and restore the respective arms 60 and 62 to position for starting burner operation.

We claim:

1. In fuel burner apparatus having an atomizing fuel burner with a movable operating member for control of the volume of atomized fuel delivered by the burner, together with electrical igniter means for the atomized fuel and a switch in circuit with said igniter means including a movable element for efiecting at said switch the closing of the circuit to the electrical igniter means and the opening of the same: means movable with the movable operating member of the burner adapted for engagement with the movable element only when the operating member is located substantially in position for minimum volume of discharged atomized fuel to effect closing of the said igniter means circuit; further electrical means and a fuel supply valve operated thereby, said further electrical means being connected in parallel with the electrical igniter means circuit for energization therewith; an additional switch together with an actuating coil therefor; means responsive to presence of combustion of atomized fuel to energize said coil and close said additional switch; and a circuit including the coil-controlled switch to by-pass the movable-elementcontrolled switch with respect to the electrical means.

2. An atomizing fuel burner apparatus according to claim 1, wherein electric motor means are provided, together with switching means under control of said actuating coil for energizing the electric motor means to move the operating member to increase or decrease the fuel volume according as the actuating coil is energized or deenergized.

3. An atomizing fuel burner apparatus according to claim 2, wherein means are associated with the electric motor means to effect its operation respectively in one direction or the other according as the said actuating coil is energized or deenergized.

4. An atomizing fuel burner apparatus according to claim 2, wherein means responsive to temperatures in a space heated by the burner are provided to control also the electric motor means and are adapted for connection in circuit with the coil-controlled switching means.

ALEXANDER J. TURPIN. MELVIN J. PARKER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,432,464 Jacobsen Oct. 17, 1922 1,730,830 Shivers Oct. 8, 1929 1,762,868 Kais June 10, 1930 2,117,021 Cotea May 10, 1938 2,263,767 Fox Nov. 25, 1941 2,271,903 Stuckenholt Feb. 3, 1942 2,457,862 Briskin Jan. 4, 1949

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