HEATER FOR USE IN AN AGRICULTURAL HOUSE

Abstract

A radiant heater is configured to be positioned above a floor at a predetermined distance and to produce a generally quadrangular zone of heat within a predetermined temperature range, preferably between approximately eighty-five degrees Fahrenheit and one-hundred degrees Fahrenheit, on the floor. The heater includes an elongated burner assembly, an inner cone member, at least one emitter assembly and end plates which define a combustion chamber. The emitter assembly is configured to direct heat produced within the combustion chamber downwardly and outwardly to the floor to form the generally quadrangular zone of heat. A canopy is provided which directs heat heading upwardly and outwardly back downwardly toward the floor and toward the emitter assembly. A reflector pan is positioned below the burner and the emitter assembly and assists in directing the heat from the emitter assembly toward the floor. A blower assembly may be incorporated into the heater.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The features of the invention which are believed to be novel are described in detail hereinbelow. The organization and manner of the structure and operation of the invention, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals identify like elements in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a top view of a floor of a poultry house and the different zones of heat that are produced on the floor by prior art pancake and radiant brooders;

FIG. 2 illustrates a top view of a floor of a poultry house and the different zones of heat that are produced on the floor by prior art ceramic brooders and tube heaters;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are perspective views of a heater which incorporates features of a first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the heater of FIGS. 3 and 4 with one of the end plates and some insulation removed;

FIG. 6 is a side view of the heater of FIGS. 3 and 4 with one of the end plates and some insulation removed;

FIG. 7 is a side view of one of the end plates used to form the heater of the first embodiment;

FIG. 8 is a side view of one of the emitter assemblies used to form the heater of the first embodiment;

FIG. 9 illustrates a top view of a floor of a poultry house and the different zones of heat that are produced on the floor by the heaters of the present invention;

FIGS. 10 and 11 are perspective views of the heater which incorporates features of a second embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 12 is a side view of one of the end plates used to form the heater of the second embodiment.

Claims

1. A radiant heater configured to be positioned above a floor at a predetermined distance, said heater comprising: a burner assembly having an elongated burner;an inner cone member generally positioned above said burner;at least one emitter assembly, said at least one emitter assembly and said inner cone member defining a combustion chamber therebetween;wherein said burner assembly is configured to introduce flue gases into said combustion chamber and to light a flame which produces heat to heat up said at least one emitter assembly and which causes at least a portion of said flue gases to combust to produce more heat which further heats up said at least one emitter assembly, said at least one emitter assembly being positioned to direct a substantial portion of the produced heat toward the floor in such a manner as to produce a generally quadrangular zone of heat within a predetermined temperature range on the floor.

2. The radiant heater as defined in claim 1, wherein said predetermined temperature range is between approximately eighty-five degrees Fahrenheit and one himdred degrees Fahrenheit.

3. The radiant heater as defined in claim 1, wherein said at least one emitter assembly includes a plurality of emitter panels, each said emitter panel having a flat screen portion and side portions which extend outwardly therefrom, said screen portions of adjacent emitter panels being planar to one another, said side portions configured to abut against said side portions of an adjacent emitter panel.

4. The radiant heater as defined in claim 3, wherein each said screen portion has a plurality of perforations therethrough in order to allow the produced heat and the flue gases to exit said combustion chamber.

5. The radiant heater as defined in claim 3, wherein each said emitter panel is formed of stainless steel.

6. The radiant heater as defined in claim 1, further including first and second end plates having inner and outer surfaces, said burner, said inner cone member and said at least one emitter assembly extending at least partially between, and being secured to, said first and second end plates, said inner surfaces of said first and second end plates forming end boundaries to said combustion chamber such that said first and second end plates restrict the flow of the produced heat and said flue gases out of ends of said heater.

7. The radiant heater as defined in claim 6, further inclding at least one deflector which extends outwardly from at least one of said outer surfaces of said first and second end plates.

8. The radiant heater as defined in claim 1, wherein said inner cone member defines a inner cone cavity, said inner cone member separating said inner cone cavity from said combustion chamber.

9. The radiant heater as defined in claim 8, further including insulation within said inner cone cavity, the heat produced in said combustion chamber heats said inner cone member, said insulation within said inner cone cavity reflects the heat heating said inner cone member back toward said at least one emitter assembly.

10. The radiant heater as defined in claim 8, further including a blower assembly which is at least partially positioned within said inner cone cavity.

11. The radiant heater as defined in claim 10, wherein said blower assembly includes a blower which is positioned outside of said inner cone cavity, an inner tube member which extends from said blower and which is positioned within said inner cone cavity, and an outer tube member which extends around a portion of said inner tube member within said inner cone cavity, said outer tube member having an inner diameter which is larger than an outer diameter of said inner tube member.

12. The radiant heater as defined in claim 1, further including a canopy which extends over and at least partially around said inner cone member and said at least one emitter assembly, said canopy configured to reflect a portion of the produced heat and said flue gases back toward said at least one emitter assembly in order to further heat up said at least one emitter assembly.

13. The radiant heater as defined in claim 1, further including a reflector pan positioned below said burner and said at least one emitter assembly, said reflector pan being configured to further direct said substantial portion of the produced heat toward the floor in order to produce said generally quadrangular zone of heat.

14. A radiant heater configured to be positioned above a floor at a predetermined distance and to produce a generally quadrangular zone of heat within a predetermined temperature range on the floor, said heater comprising: first and second end plates having inner and outer surfaces;a burner assembly having an elongated burner, said burner extending at least partially between said inner surfaces of said first and second end plates and being secured to at least one of said first and second end plates;an inner cone member generally positioned above said burner, said inner cone member extending between said inner surfaces of said first and second end plates and being secured to at least one of said first and second end plates, said inner cone member and said inner surfaces of said first and second end plates defining an inner cone cavity;at least one emitter assembly extending between said inner surfaces of said first and second end plates and being secured to at least one of said first and second end plates, said at least one emitter assembly, said inner cone member, said end plates and said burner defining a combustion chamber therebetween;a reflector pan being positioned below said burner and said at least one emitter assembly, said reflector pan extending between said inner surfaces of said first and second end plates and being secured to at least one of said first and second end plates; anda canopy which is secured to at least one of said first and second end plates, said canopy extending over said inner cone member and around at least a portion of said at least one emitter assembly.

15. The radiant heater as defined in claim 14, further including insulation which separates said inner cone member and said inner surfaces of said first and second end plates from said inner cone cavity.

16. The radiant heater as defined in claim 14, further including a blower assembly having a blower, an inner tube and an outer tube, said blower being secured to said first end plate and extending outwardly from said outer surface of said first end plate, said inner tube member being secured to said blower and extending within said inner cone cavity from said inner surface of said first end plate toward said inner surface of said second end plate, said outer tube member being secured to said second end plate and extending within said inner cone cavity from said inner surface of said second end plate toward said inner surface of said first end plate, said inner tube member protruding at least partially into said outer tube member, said outer tube member having an inner diameter which is larger than an outer diameter of said inner tube member.

17. A radiant heater configured to be suspended above a floor at a predetermined distance, said heater comprising: a burner assembly configured to introduce gases into said radiant heater and to ignite at least a portion of said gases in order to produce heat; andmeans for directing the heat produced by said burner toward the floor, said directing means being configured to direct the heat in such a manner as to produce a generally quadrangular zone of heat within a predetermined temperature range on the floor.

18. The radiant heater as defined in claim 17, wherein said predetermined temperature range is between approximately eighty-five degrees Fahrenheit and one hundred degrees Fahrenheit.

19. The radiant heater as defined in claim 17, wherein said directing means includes at least one of an emitter assembly, a reflector pan and a canopy.

20. The radiant heater as defined in claim 17, farther including a blower assembly which is configured to move air positioned around said heater.