Auxiliary automobile heater

• US 3,877,639 A
• Filed: 05/24/1974
• Issued: 04/15/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Charles T. Wilson, George P. Wilson
• Original Assignee: Charles T. Wilson, George P. Wilson
• Inventors: Wilson, Charles T., Wilson, George P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wayner, William E.
• Application Number:
  US05/472,937
• Time in Patent Office: 326 Days
• Field of Search: 237/12.3B,12.3C 236/46 165/12
• US Class Current: 237/12.30C
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/032 from the cooling liquid of the propulsion plant and from a burner
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/2209 arrangements of burners for heating an intermediate liquid B60H1/032 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 11/02 with liquid cooling

Abstract

An automobile heating system that includes a gasoline fueled heater or burner that operates for a heating cycle of adjustably predetermined duration that is selectively initiated by a lock timer or by a remote radio control. The heater is in heat exchange with the engine liquid coolant system, and during heater operation, a pump is energized to circulate heated liquid through the conventional heater (liquid-air heat exchanger) and the fan of the latter is also driven. At least a portion of the hot exhaust gas of the burner is passed in heat exchange relation with the autmobile electric storage battery to warm the latter for improved performance in cold engine starting.

Claims

1. In an automobile having an electric storage battery and a conventional liquid engine coolant system that includes a liquid circulation loop through the engine and in which loop is disposed a liquid-air heater exchanger for heating air moved therethrough by an electric fan, the combination therewith of an electrically operated gasoline burner means for heating liquid in said loop, electrically actuated pump means for circulating liquid heated by the burner means through the liquidair heat exchanger to the engine, whereby heat is delivered to the heat exchanger and to the engine by circulated liquid, and control means for concurrently operating the burner means and electrically energizing the pump means from the battery, said control means including means for initiating operation of the burner means and means for thereafter maintaining the burner means in operation for a predetermined time interval, said last means including a direct current actuated electrical timer means connected to said battery for energization.

2. The combination of claim 1, including the provision of means for initiating operation of the burner means that includes and functions in response to a temperature actuated electric switch means.

3. The combination of claim 1, wherein said timer means is cyclic and serves to initiate operation of the burner means on a cyclic basis upon the passage of equal time intervals.

4. The combination of claim 1, wherein said timer means additionally controls terminating operation of the burner means.

5. The combination of claim 1, wherein the means for initiating and terminating operation of the burner control means additionally includes a temperature responsive electric switch means.

6. The combination of claim 5, including a second temperature responsive electric switch means for energizing the electric fan solely when the burner means is in operation.

7. The combination of claim 5, wherein the means for initiating operation of the burner means also includes a remote radio transmitter.

8. The combination of claim 1, wherein said timer means is electronic and includes a resistor-capacitor network determinative by its time constant of the time interval, and means for selectively varying the amount of resistance in the network, whereby the time constant can be varied and thereby also the length of the time interval.

9. The combination of claim 1, wherein the timer means includes a clock controlled electric switch operatively connected to initiate operation of the burner means on closure.

10. The combination of claim 9, wherein the clock is electrically powered and energized by the battery, and wherein the clock is a 24-hour clock for daily closure of the electric switch at a predetermined time.

11. The combination of claim 9, wherein the timer means also includes a normally open relay switch in parallel with the Clock controlled electric switch, and radio control means operable from a remote location for energizing the relay switch closed.

12. The combination of claim 1, wherein the control means includes radio control means operable from a remote location for initiating operation of the burner means, and said timer means being operative on initiation of operation of the burner means to maintain the burner means in operation for a predetermined time interval.