Heat source for curing underwater adhesives

• US 3,906,926 A
• Filed: 09/19/1974
• Issued: 09/23/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Richard M. Staples
• Original Assignee: Richard M. Staples
• Inventors: Staples, Richard M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dority, Jr., Carroll B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Capossela, Ronald C.
• Application Number:
  US05/507,918
• Time in Patent Office: 369 Days
• Field of Search: 126/263 44/3R,3A,3B
• US Class Current: 126/263.05
• CPC Class Codes: C06B 33/00 Compositions containing particulate metal, alloy, boron, silicon, selenium or tellurium with at least one oxygen supplying material which is either a metal oxide or a salt, organic or inorganic, capable of yielding a metal oxide
• CPC Class Codes: F24V 30/00 Apparatus or devices using heat produced by exothermal chemical reactions other than combustion
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 44/902 Flameless or glowless, e.g. hair curler

Abstract

A portable electrochemical source of heat particularly applicable to operate in underwater environments is provided for use in the curing of underwater adhesives and for other underwater heating requirements. Properly selected and mixed dry reactant materials are prepackaged in a waterproof container which is valved to subsequently allow water to be introduced to the dry mix and for reaction to occur with the generation of heat.

Claims

1. A PORTABLE ELECTROCHEMICAL UNDERWATER HEAT SOURCE, COMPRISING:

A. A WATERPROOF CONTAINER OPERABLE FOR USE AS A HEATING CHAMBER, B. AT LEAST ONE WALL OF SAID CONTAINER OPERABLE TO CONDUCT HEAT THERETHROUGH FOR TRANSFERRING HEAT FORM INSIDE SAID CONTAINER TO A SURFACE IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT SAID AT LEAST ONE WALL OPERABLE TO CONDUCT HEAT THERETHROUGH, THE REMAINING WALLS OF SAID CONTAINER BEING THERMALLY INSULATED FROM THE SURROUNDING ENVIRONMENT, C. SAID CONTAINER HAVING AN OUTER WALL AND AN INNER LINING, AND THERMAL INSULATION MATERIAL IS PROVIDED BETWEEN SAID OUTER WALL AND SAID INNER LINING ONLY IN SAID REMAINING WALLS WHERE INSULATION IS DESIRED, SAID AT LEAST ONE WALL OPERABLE TO CONDUCTHEAT THERETHROUGH BEING FREE OF SAID THERMAL INSULATION MATERIAL, D. A MIXTURE OF DRY POWDERED CHEMICALS IN SAID XONTAINER WHICH ARE NON-REACTING IN THE DRY STATE, SAID MIXTURE OF DRY POWDERED CHEMICALS UPON THE ADDITION OF WATER THERETO OPERABLE TO REACT RAPIDLY TO GENERATE HEAT IN AN EXOTHERMIC REACTION, E. MEANS FOR INTRODUCING A DESIRED AMOUNT OF WATER INTO SAID CONTAINER AND RETAINING THE WATER HEREIN, F. MEANS FOR VENTING AWAY ANY GASES FROM SAID CONTAINER THAT MAY BE GENERATED DURING SAID EXOTHERMIC REACTION, G. THE PROPORTIONS OF SAID MIXTURE OF DRY POWDERED CHEMICALS AND SAID WATER BEING VARIED AS DESIRED TO PRODUCE VARIOUS TEMPERATURES FROM SAID REACTION, H. SAID THERMALLY INSULATED CONTAINER WALLS ALSO BEING OPERABLE TO DIRECT HEAT GENERATED INSIDE SAID CONTAINER IN THE DIRECTION OF SAID AT LEAST ONE WALL OPERABLE TO CONDUCT HEAT THERETHROUGH.

2. A heat source as in claim 1 wherein the walls of said container are made from flexible plastic material capable of withstanding high temperatures.

3. A heat source as in claim 1 wherein said mixture of dry powdered chemicals when reacted with water will generate usable heat sufficient to boil water and greater.

4. A heat source as in claim 1 wherein said water introduced is seawater.

5. A heat source as in claim 1 wherein said mixture of dry powdered chemicals consists of dry prepared forms of magnesium metal, soluble copper salt and an amine salt.

6. A heat source as in claim 1 wheRein said mixture of dry powdered chemicals consists of dry powdered magnesium metal, anhydrous copper sulfate and dry hydroxylamine hydrochloride in predetermined proportions depending upon the amount of heat desired.

7. A heat source as in claim 1 wherein dry partially reacted chemicals are used in said mixture of dry powdered chemicals.

8. A heat source as in claim 1 wherein said container is made from mylar plastic material.

9. A heat source as in claim 1 wherein 15 grams of said mixture of dry powdered chemicals consisting of the ratio of 1.0 mole of hydroxylamine hydrochloride, 0.055 moles of copper sulfate-anhydrous, and 0.945 moles of powdered magnesium, when reacted in 250 milliliters of water will yield a temperature of 88*C in 15 minutes time with the reaction components.

10. A heat source as in claim 1 wherein said mixture of dry powdered chemicals consists of magnesium and anhydrous copper sulfate.

11. A heat source as in claim 1 having means thereon for holding said at least one wall operable to conduct heat therethrough against a surface to be heated.

12. A heat source as in claim 1 wherein said outer wall and inner lining form a dual wall container, the non-insulated portion of which operates to conduct heat generated by exothermic reaction sufficient to cure an adhesive applied underwater to a surface adjacent said non-insulated wall portion, said means for introducing water into said dual wall container being a control valve which allows the water to be drawn as desired into the interior of said container under a vacuum.

13. A heat source as in claim 1 wherein said means for venting away any gases from said container comprises a valve to release the gas generated during said exothermic reaction and a tube for conducting said gas away from the area where the heat source is being used.