Safety system for hydronic water heaters and boilers

• US 4,944,253 A
• Filed: 10/10/1989
• Issued: 07/31/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Richard C. Bellofatto
• Original Assignee: Richard C. Bellofatto
• Inventors: Bellofatto, Richard C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dority, Caroll B.
• Application Number:
  US07/419,471
• Time in Patent Office: 294 Days
• Field of Search: 126/374, 126/351, 126/383, 126/385, 137/312, 122/504, 122/504.2, 122/507
• US Class Current: 122/14.21
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/12 Preventing or detecting fluid leakage
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/20 characterised by control inputs
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/31 of valves having only one inlet port and one outlet port, e.g. flow rate regulating valves
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/355 Control of heat-generating means in heaters
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/395 Information to users, e.g. alarms
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 9/17 Means for retaining water leaked from heaters
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 9/2007 for water heaters
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/5762 With leakage or drip collecting

Abstract

A water proof sheet slopes into a built-in shallow basin under a water device to collect any water leaking from the water tank in the device. Water sensitive elevated low voltage contacts in the basin are electrically connected to a relay. Conductors from the relay connect to shut-offs in the cold water supply, the hot water outflow and the power supply. Additional conductors connect from the relay to a valve on the outflow pipe to drain the tank and to a signal device. Alternatively, a water pump may be used instead of the valve on the outflow pipe to pump water to a distant drain, when there is no drain below the tank level into which to empty the tank.

Claims

1. An electrical safety system for shutting off all elements of a water heating device, wherein the electrical safety system comprises:

a water heating device having a tank for heating water, a means for heating the water, a water supply means feeding into the tank, a hot water distribution system leading from the tank, an overflow drain connected to the hot water distribution system and a power supply means feeding the means for heating the water;

a water collecting means comprising a water proof sheet of material having a shallow collecting basin on a portion of the sheet, wherein the water collecting means is placed under the tank of the water heating device for collecting any water which leaks from the water heating device;

a water sensing means comprising low power electrical contacts sensitive to water on the sheet within the shallow collecting basin for detecting any water which begins to accumulate within the collecting basin, wherein the electrical contacts are elevated above the sheet to a level which is below the height of the shallow collecting basin;

a normally open valve connected to the water supply means, which normally open valve closes to shut off the supply of water when the water sensing means detects water in the water collecting means;

a means for preventing backflow of hot fluid connected to the hot water distribution system;

a power shut-off means attached to the power supply means and electrically connected to and activated by the water sensing means;

an outflow pipe leading out of the water tank and, connected to the water sensing means, a means for activating an outflow of water out of the tank into the outflow pipe upon detecting water in the water collecting means;

an extension of the overflow drain into the water collecting means.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein the water collecting means comprises a thin plastic sheet with a stiff pan built into the plastic, wherein the stiff pan forms a shallow water collecting basin.

3. The invention of claim 2 wherein an outer edge of the water collecting means is lifted and attached to an outer edge of the water heating device.

4. The invention of claim 1 wherein the water collecting means comprises a thin plastic sheet with a stiff pan built into the plastic, wherein the stiff pan forms a shallow water collecting basin, and wherein the thin plastic sheet is formed with three slots evenly spaced around an outer edge of the plastic sheet with each slot extending radially into the sheet to accommodate a leg of a water heating device within each slot, and wherein the slots form three flaps inbetween the slots, so that the water collecting means slides under an existing water heating device and the flaps of the plastic sheet may be attached to the water heating device.

5. The invention of claim 1 wherein the water sensing contacts are connected to a low voltage relay and the normally open valve to the water supply, the power shut-off means and the means for activating an outflow of water are all connected to the low voltage relay and all are activated upon closing of the low power electrical contacts by the presence of water in the water collecting means.

6. The invention of claim 5 wherein the means for preventing backflow comprises a normally open shut-off valve between the hot water distribution system and the water tank, wherein the normally open shut-off valve is connected to the low voltage relay and is activated upon closing of the low power electrical contacts by the presence of water in the water collecting means.

7. The invention of claim 5 wherein the water sensing contacts are connected to the low voltage relay and the normally open valve to the water supply, wherein the normally open valve is activated by the presence of water in the water collecting means to shut off the water supply.

8. The invention of claim 7 wherein the means for activating an outflow of water out of the tank into the outflow pipe comprises a pair of electrical contacts between the water supply control valve and a normally closed solenoid valve attached to a water tank drain so that when the water detector closes the water supply control valve a signal from the water supply control valve then opens the tank drain solenoid valve to drain all of the water out of the tank to empty the tank and prevent any further leakage from the tank, wherein an air vent automatically opens when the tank drain solenoid opens so that the water would flow freely out of the tank through the tank drain.

9. The invention of claim 7 wherein the means for activating an outflow of water out of the tank into the outflow pipe comprises a pair of electrical contacts between the water supply control valve and a normally closed water pump attached to a water tank drain so that when the water detector closes the water supply control valve a signal from the water supply control valve then activates the tank drain water pump to pump all of the water out of the tank to a distant drain to empty the tank and prevent any further leakage from the tank, wherein an air vent automatically opens when the tank drain solenoid opens so that the water would flow freely out of the tank through the tank drain.

10. The invention of claim 5 wherein the water heating device comprises an electric water heater having an electrical power supply and the power shut-off means comprises an electrical shut-off switch connected to the electrical power supply, wherein the power shut-off means is electrically connected to the low voltage relay and is activated upon closing of the low power electrical contacts by the presence of water in the water collecting means.

11. The invention of claim 5 wherein the water heating device comprises a gas water heater having a gas supply and the power shut-off means comprises a normally open shut-off valve connected to the gas supply, wherein the normally open shut-off valve is electrically connected to the low voltage relay and is activated upon closing of the low power electrical contacts by the presence of water in the water collecting means.

12. The invention of claim 5 wherein the water heating devices comprises an electric boiler having an electrical power supply and the power shut-off means comprises an electrical shut-off switch connected to the electrical power supply, wherein the power shut-off means is electrically connected to the low voltage relay and is activated upon closing of the low power electrical contacts by the presence of water in the water collecting means.

13. The invention of claim 5 wherein the water heating device comprises a gas boiler having a gas supply and the power shut-off means comprises a normally open shut-off valve connected to the gas supply, wherein the normally open shut-off valve is electrically connected to the low voltage relay and is activated upon closing of the low power electrical contacts by the presence of water in the water collecting means.

14. The invention of claim 5 wherein the water heating device comprises an oil powered boiler having an oil supply and the power shut-off means comprises a normally open shut-off valve connected to the oil supply, wherein the normally open shut-off valve is electrically connected to the low voltage relay and is activated upon closing of the low power electrical contacts by the presence of water in the water collecting means.

15. The invention of claim 14 further comprising an additional power shut-off means comprises an electrical shut-off switch connected to the electrical power supply for the oil powered boiler, wherein the additional power shut-off means is electrically connected to the low voltage relay and is activated upon closing of the low power electrical contacts by the presence of water in the water collecting means.