Gas Fired Patio Heater With A Manual Igniter

Abstract

A patio gas fired heater includes a burner element for supporting a gas flame and a manual igniter device for igniting the gas. A monitoring thermocouple element controls a valve so that the gas flow will be interrupted when the flame is extinguished. A manual override device on the valve is provided for superceding the monitoring device. A cam member controls both the manual override device and the igniter device to permit the cam member to activate both the igniter device and the manual override device while insuring the flow of gas to the burner element.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention is directed generally to gas control systems for gas fired heaters and more particularly to patio gas fired heaters.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Gas fired patio heaters are generally utilized in residential or commercial environments to compensate for cool weather. Most gas fired patio heaters are elevated a large distance above the ground by suspension or supporting on appropriate support members such as posts. Usually the gas fired patio heaters require an auxilliary electrical connection for igniting the gas.

The use of an electrical igniter increases the expense by requiring the appropriate electrical outlet; and particularly adjacent swimming pools, creates a safety problem.

In the general environment of gas burners, the prior art has frequently relied upon perpetual pilot frames to ignite the burners. The pilot flame, however, is wasteful of fuel and, as can be readily understood, is frequently extinguished if utilized on an outside gas burner such as a patio gas heater.

In the broad field of gas burners, the Weber U. S. Pat. No. 3,136,355 is an example of utilizing a piezoelectric element in combination with a thermocouple to store mechanical energy from a preceding firing of the burner for the purposes of igniting the gas.

The U. S. Pat. No. 3,298,421 granted to Tezuka et al. is an example of an ignition system frequently utilized in the prior art.

To date, the prior art has not provided an economical and safe patio gas fired heater that meets all of the demands of its intended use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A gas fired patio heater is provided that does not require an electrical outlet. A piezoelectric crystal is utilized to produce an electrical spark for a spark electrode. The piezoelectric cell or crystal has its plunger member deformed by the striker end of a cam. The cam also controls a manual override on a thermomagnetic shut-off pilot control valve. This pilot control valve is connected to a thermocouple and is automatically shut off by the thermocouple when the flame of the burner element is extinguished.

In operation, an operator handle that is connected to the cam member can be rotated to the "on" position and the cam member is placed in its igniting position whereby a pilot control valve override permits both the flow of gas and the plunger of the piezoelectric igniter to be depressed. The deformation of the piezoelectric cell produces the appropriate spark for the spark electrode. The operator continues to hold the cam member in its igniting or light position so that the manual override can supercede the effect of the monitoring thermocouple. After a period of 10 to 15 seconds, the thermocouple is sufficiently heated to hold the pilot control valve in an open position. The operator can then release the cam member. If the gas flame on the burner element is extinguished, the thermocouple will sense the change in heat and immediately shut off the fuel or pilot control valve.

The features of the present invention which are believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The present invention, both as to its organization and manner of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an elevated view of the patio gas heater of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial plan view of the cam and igniter device; and

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the burner element of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIG. 1, the patio gas heater 2 of the present invention is supported by a support member 3. The patio gas heater 2 can be suspended from a ceiling or supported on a post such as the support member 3. Generally, the patio gas heater 2 of the present invention is utilized in an outdoor environment; for example, adjacent a pool and will be elevated about eight feet above the ground.

Referring to FIG. 3, the burner element 4 comprises essentially a screen grid 5 of interwoven wires. A spark electrode 8 is positioned adjacent the intake flow of gas to the screen grid 5 and can be any of the well known spark electrodes utilized in the prior art. A reflector, not seen, is generally positioned behind the screen grid 5 and a hood member 10 is utilized to both protect the resulting gas flame from ambient winds and to direct the resultant heat produced. Thermocouple 6 is positioned adjacent the burner element 4 to monitor the existence of a gas flame by measuring the resultant heat and transforming it into an electrical signal.

Referring to FIG. 1, a three-way pilot or fuel valve 12 is disclosed which is connected to the thermocouple 6 through the wire 7. The valve 12 is also connected to both the gas input line 38 and the gas burner output line 40. The valve 12 includes a shut-off fuel control device 13 that is connected to the valve 12 and is responsive to the thermocouple 6 signal to prevent the gas flow when there is no gas flame heat. The fuel shut-off control device 13 can comprise a magnetic shut-off pilot member (not shown) that is responsive to the electrical signal of the thermocouple 6.

As can be seen from FIG. 2, a cam member 20 carries peripheral cam teeth 24 for intermeshing with an on-off control gear 22 of the valve 12. A spring, not shown, can be utilized for pre-loading the cam to insure a positive meshing between the gear teeth and the cam teeth 24. A striker head 26 is positioned on the cam member 20 for contacting a plunger 18 of the igniter device 14. The igniter device 14 comprises a piezoelectric cell as is well known in the prior art. The combination of the plunger 18 and a spring, not shown, in the igniter device 14 permits a deformation of the piezoelectric cell to produce a spark or charge that is transmitted to the spark electrode 8 via the electrode wire 9.

The cam member 20 can be controlled by an operator handle 36 attached to the cam member 20 through an elongated shaft 34. In this embodiment, a pointer member 32 is positioned adjacent a dial face 30 so that the operator can determine the correct amount of rotation of the handle 36 for operating the gas patio heater 2.

In an alternative embodiment, the cam member can be attached to a string or chain (not shown) to effectuate the same rotation.

The cam member 20 further includes a cam portion 21 extending upward from the plane of the cam for contacting the override shaft 28 of the manual override device 29. The manual override device 29 supercedes or overrides the operation of the shut-off fuel control device 13 and maintains the flow of gas through the gas burner line 40 to the burner element 4. The cam portion 21 is effective as can be seen in FIG. 2 only when the cam 20 is rotated to its "light" position. As disclosed in FIG. 2, the cam member 20 is shown in an "off" position. The clockwise rotation of the cam member 20 by an operator will depress the override shaft 28 while at the same time permitting the striker head 26 to depress the plunger 18 of the igniter device 14.

In operation, the operator will rotate the handle 36 in a clockwise direction to "light" or ignite the gas on the screen grid 5. The operator will maintain the handle in the "light" position for a period of ten to fifteen seconds to permit the thermocouple 6 to be sufficiently heated to maintain the safety monitor means or fuel shut-off control device 13 in an open position.

The igniter device 14 is so constructed with the plunger 18 that a single depression will trigger a single impact of the piezoelectric cell 16 to produce the spark necessary for the spark electrode 8. With the cam member 20 rotated to the operative "light" position, it will turn on the fuel control valve 12 through the gear 22; with additional rotation the override shaft 28 will be depressed to permit fuel to flow to the burner, and finally, the cam member 20 will activate the manual ignition through the piezoelectric cell 16 of the gas at the burner element 4.

While the preferred embodiment has been disclosed and illustrated, it should be clear that various modifications can be made by a person skilled in the art and accordingly, the present invention should be measured solely from the following claims.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A patio gas fired heater adapted to be connected to a source of gas comprising:

a support member;

a burner element for supporting a gas flame;

a hood member on the support member connected to the burner element and directing the heat of the gas flame in a predetermined direction;

valve means connected to the source of gas for supplying gas to the burner element;

a thermocouple element positioned adjacent the burner element to monitor the heat produced by the gas flame and to produce a corresponding signal;

a safety monitor means connected to the valve means and responsive to the thermocouple signal for automatically preventing gas flow when there is no gas flame heat;

manual override means for superceding the operation of the safety monitor means;

manual igniter means for igniting the gas on the burner element; and

a member for controlling the manual override means, the member further controlling the igniter means, whereby the member can activate the igniter while rendering the safety monitor means inoperative through the manual override means to permit the initial ignition of the patio heater.

2. A patio gas fired heater as in claim 1 wherein the member includes a cam portion and a shaft on the valve means, the cam portion depressing the shaft to override the safety monitor means.

3. A patio gas fired heater as in claim 2 wherein the manual igniter means includes a piezoelectric spark igniter and the member further includes an integral striker head for directly contacting and deforming the igniter means to trigger the ignition spark.

4. A patio gas fired heater as in claim 3 further including an elongated shaft member connected at one end to the member and an operator handle connected at the other end.

5. A patio gas fired heater as in claim 4 wherein the valve means includes a gear and the member includes teeth for intermeshing with the gear.

6. A patio gas fired heater as in claim 1 further including control means on the valve means for controlling gas flow, the member being a cam and contacting the control means to initially permit the flow of gas to the burner element.

7. A patio gas fired heater as in claim 6 wherein the control means includes a gear member mounted on the valve means and the cam member has teeth capable of intermeshing with the gear member.

8. A patio gas fired heater as in claim 7 wherein the support member is an elongated post having a base portion and an elongated shaft member is attached to the cam member whereby an operator can activate the patio heater through the turning of the shaft member.

9. A patio gas fired heater as in claim 7 further including a dial and indicator attached to the cam to disclose the operative positions.

10. A patio gas fired heater adapted to be connected to a source of gas comprising:

a support member;

a burner screen grid of interwoven wires for supporting a gas flame;

a hood member mounted on the support member and supporting the burner screen grid whereby the heat of the gas flame can be directed in a predetermined direction;

valve means connected to the source of gas for supplying gas to the burner screen grid;

a thermocouple element positioned adjacent the burner screen grid to monitor the heat produced by the gas flame and produce a corresponding signal;

a safety monitor means connected to the valve means and responsive to the thermocouple signal for automatically preventing gas flow when there is no gas flame heat;

manual override means for superceding the operation of the safety monitor means including a cam member;

manual igniter means for combusting the gas on the burner screen grid including a piezoelectric spark igniter, the cam member having a striker head for directly contacting and deforming the igniter means to produce the igniter spark; and

a cam member for controlling the manual override means, the cam member further controlling the igniter means whereby the cam member can activate the igniter means while rendering the safety monitor means inoperative through the manual override means to permit the initial ignition of the patio heater.