Claims
- 1. A water heater comprising:a water tank; a combustion chamber beneath the tank; a plate defining a boundary of the combustion chamber and including an aperture, the plate being substantially unperforated such that substantially all air entering the combustion chamber passes through the aperture; a flame arrestor covering the apterture such that substantially all air entering the combustion chamber passes through the flame arrestor; a retainer positioned near the aperture to at least partially hold the flame arrestor in an operating position with respect to the aperture; a gas burner in the combustion chamber; and a flue extending upwardly from the combustion chamber and through the water tank.
- 2. The water heater of claim 1, further comprising an air plenum below the combustion chamber, wherein the flame arrestor is positioned between the plenum and the combustion chamber such air in the plenum passes through the flame arrestor to reach the combustion chamber.
- 3. The water heater of claim 2, wherein the plate separates the plenum from the combustion chamber and supports the flame arrestor.
- 4. The water heater of claim 3, wherein the plate has therein a recess at least partially housing the flame arrestor.
- 5. The water heater of claim 4, wherein the plate has an upper surface, and wherein the retainer is seated on the upper surface of the plate and overlaps the flame arrestor to retain the flame arrestor in the recess.
- 6. The water heater of claim 5, wherein the retainer has a lower surface and the flame arrestor has an upper surface, and further comprising a seal between the lower surface of the retainer and the upper surface of the flame arrestor.
- 7. The water heater of claim 3, wherein the flame arrestor is substantially sealed with respect to the plate.
- 8. The water heater of claim 1, wherein the retainer supports the gas burner in an operating position within the combustion chamber.
- 9. The water heater of claim 1, further comprising a generally horizontal radiation shield above the flame arrestor, the radiation shield having therein an opening, and the retainer having a portion extending upwardly and through the opening in the radiation shield to hold the radiation shield in an operating position.
- 10. The water heater of claim 1, further comprising a burner manifold which communicates with the burner and which has an end, and wherein the retainer supports the end of the burner manifold.
- 11. The water heater of claim 10, further comprising a wall partially defining the combustion chamber, wherein the burner manifold extends through said wall, and a boot surrounding a portion of the burner manifold, and providing a substantially airtight seal between the wall and the burner manifold, the boot including a plurality of folds to permit movement of the burner manifold without breaking the substantially airtight seal.
- 12. The water heater of claim 10, further comprising a generally horizontal radiation shield above the flame arrestor, the radiation shield having therein an opening, and the retainer having a portion extending upwardly and through the opening in the radiation shield so as to hold the radiation shield in place, the portion also having therein an opening through which the end of the burner manifold extends.
- 13. The water heater of claim 10, further comprising a wall partially defining the combustion chamber, the wall having therein an opening, a plurality of conduits extending through said wall, and a grommet disposed within said opening, said grommet having channels extending therethrough in a longitudinal direction, and respective slits connecting said channels to an outer surface of said grommet such that each of said conduits may be inserted into a respective channel from a radial direction via a respective slit.
- 14. A water heater comprising:a water tank; a combustion chamber beneath the water tank; a burner element disposed within said combustion chamber; a gas manifold tube for supplying gas fuel to said burner element; a radiation shield; a flame arrestor; and a retainer member at least partially supporting said burner element, holding said gas manifold tube in an operating position with respect to said burner element, holding said flame arrestor in a sealed condition such that substantially all air flowing into said combustion chamber flows through said flame arrestor, and positioning said radiation shield in an operating position within said combustion chamber.
- 15. The water heater of claim 14, wherein said retainer member includes a ring portion, said ring portion at least partially creating a seal around a circumference of said flame arrestor to create said sealed condition.
- 16. The water heater of claim 14, wherein a portion of said retainer member extends through a portion of said radiation shield.
- 17. The water heater of claim 14, wherein said retainer member includes a protrusion resisting vertical movement of said radiation shield.
- 18. The water beater of claim 14, wherein said retainer member includes a slot, and wherein a portion of said manifold tube extends through said slot.
- 19. The water heater of claim 18, further comprising a wall partially defining the combustion chamber, wherein the manifold tube extends through said wall, and a boot surrounding a portion of said manifold tube, and providing a substantially airtight seal between said wall and said manifold tube, said boot including a plurality of folds to permit movement of said burner manifold without breaking said substantially airtight seal.
- 20. The water heater of claim 14, further comprising a wall partially defining the combustion chamber, the wall having therein an opening, a plurality of conduits extending through said wall, and a grommet disposed within said opening, said grommet having channels extending therethrough in a longitudinal direction, and respective slits connecting said channels to an outer surface of said grommet such that each of said conduits may be inserted into a respective channel from a radial direction via a respective slit.
- 21. A water heater comprising:a water tank; a combustion chamber/plenum beneath the tank; a flame arrestor support having an opening and dividing said combustion chamber/plenum into a combustion chamber and a plenum; a flame arrestor disposed within said opening; a flame arrestor seal disposed between said flame arrestor and said flame arrestor support; a mounting member mounted to said flame arrestor support to sandwich said flame arrestor seal between a periphery of said flame arrestor and said flame arrestor support such that substantially all air flowing from said plenum into said combustion chamber flows through said flame arrestor; a retainer member including an upwardly-extending portion having a slot and a protrusion; a radiation shield having an aperture through which said upwardly-extending portion of said retainer member extends, and including feet resting on said flame arrestor support to provide a space between said flame arrestor and said radiation shield, said protrusion of said retainer member being disposed above said radiation shield to resist vertical movement of said radiation shield with respect to said retainer member; a burner element; and a gas manifold tube for supplying gas fuel to said burner element, said burner element being mounted on said gas manifold tube, and said gas manifold tube having a substantially flattened end extending through said slot in said retainer member such that said retainer member supports said gas manifold tube and said burner.
- 22. The water heater of claim 21, wherein said flame arrestor support includes a recessed portion surrounding said opening in said flame arrestor support, and wherein said flame arrestor seal is at least partially disposed within said recessed portion.
- 23. The water heater of claim 21, wherein at least one threaded member is secured to a lower surface of said flame arrestor support, and wherein said mounting member is mounted to said flame arrestor support by threading a nut onto said threaded member.
- 24. The water heater of claim 21, further comprising a cam mechanism interconnected with said flame arrestor support, said mounting member being releasably securable to said flame arrestor support by actuation of said cam mechanism.
- 25. The water heater of claim 24, wherein said cam mechanism includes a ramp mounted to one of said flame arrestor support and said mounting member, and a tab mounted to the other of said flame arrestor support and said mounting member.
- 26. The water heater of claim 21, further comprising a wall partially defining the combustion chamber, the wall having therein an opening, a plurality of conduits extending through said opening in said wall, and a grommet disposed within said opening in said wall, said grommet having channels extending therethrough in a longitudinal direction, and respective slits connecting said channels to an outer surface of said grommet such that each of said conduits may be inserted into a respective channel from a radial direction via a respective slit.
- 27. The water heater of claim 21, further comprising a wall partially defining the combustion chamber, wherein the manifold tube extends through said wall, and a boot surrounding a portion of said manifold tube, and providing a substantially airtight seal between said wall and said manifold tube, said boot including a plurality of folds to permit movement of said burner manifold without breaking said substantially airtight seal.
Parent Case Info
This application is a divisional application of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/359,089, filed Jul. 22, 1999.
US Referenced Citations (44)
Foreign Referenced Citations (3)
Number |
Date |
Country |
1581702 |
Sep 1969 |
FR |
1557 |
May 1914 |
GB |
58-72818 |
May 1983 |
JP |
Non-Patent Literature Citations (3)
Entry |
1952—MIT Fourth Symposium on Combustion. |
1960 (Apr.) ; pp. 172-174, Coke and Gas, “Reports of the Industrial Gas Development Committee”. |
1963—Research Bulletin 97, Some New or Unusual Methods for Heating Water with Gas, J.C. Griffiths. |