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Two-stage electric water heater

  • US 4,514,617 A
  • Filed: 01/19/1983
  • Issued: 04/30/1985
  • Est. Priority Date: 01/19/1983
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A dual-purpose water heater consisting of a storage vessel and a heating unit inserted therein, said heating unit comprising:

  • an elongated, imperforate heater tube of a heat-conductive material within said storage vessel and having an outer, closed end attached to the wall of said storage vessel, and an inner, open end terminating short off the top of said storage vessel, said heater tube being provided with a water outlet pipe proximate its outer end, said pipe extending to the outside of the vessel;

    an elongated resistance-type immersion heating element positioned in said heater tube parallel to the tube axis and extending from its outer end to near the inner end of said tube, said heating element being provided with electric terminals on the outside of said vessel;

    a thermostatic switch having its feeler inserted into said heater tube from the outside of said vessel, for energizing said heating element in accordance with the water temperature within said tube;

    an elongaged tubular heat-insulating body in said vessel surrounding a major portion of the length of said heater tube concentrically and distanced therefrom so as to create a water passage of annular cross section between said insulating body and said heater tube, said insulating body being provided with at least one first opening communicating the interior of said vessel with said water passage proximate the outer end of said heater tube and with at least one second opening communicating the interior of said vessel with said water passage proximate the inner end of said heating element, said at least one second opening being positioned at a higher level than said at least one first opening for establishing a convective flow of water through said water passage from said first to said second opening.

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