US2554879A - Dehumidifying device - Google Patents

Description

A. T. RACE, JR

DEHUMIDIFYING DEVICE May 29, 1951 Filed July 12, i949 Patented May 29, 1951 DEHUMIDIFYING DEVICE Austin T. Race, Jr., Winter Haven, to Race &'Race, Inc., Winter corporation of Florida v v Application July 12, 1949, Serial No. 104,327

' 4 claims. (c1. 18a-'4.8)

This invention vrelates tondehumidiiers, and more particularly to small, portable dehumidii'lers particularly intended for v household `use in connection with basement recreation rooms, closets and the like, where excessive humidity vis particularly objectionable, resulting in mold and an unpleasant atmosphere.

An object of the invention is to provide a prac tical, commercial article which will be light in Weight, contain no moving parts or mechanical apparatus, and which can-be readily reconditioned by heating in an oven-at periodic intervals.

A further object of the invention is to provide animproved dehumidier of the type indicated, with an indicator positioned lin such a manner and in such relationship to theV other elements of the device as to assure lits maintaining its proper position, thus assuring the maximum eiliciency in the use of the device.

Further objects willmoreparticul'arly appear in thecourse of the following detailed descrip tion.

The invention consists in the novel construetion, arrangement and combinations of parts hereinafter more particularly described and claimed. Y

One sheet of drawings accompanies this specication as part thereof, in which like reference characters indicate like parts throughout.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation ofothe improved device, partly broken away to disclose its construction;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal transverse cross section taken on line 2 2 of Figure 1'; and

Figure 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal cross section illustrating a modied form of water absorbent material.

In accordance with the present invention a container I is formed preferably of woven metal wire having a natural resilience and in the preferred form illustrated this tubular container is formed from a rectangular piece of such woven Wire bent into tubular shapeland thus secured by means of spaced staples 2 embracing the overlapped margins to form a tube.

The bottom of the tube may be closed in any convenient manner, herein illustrated as compressing opposed sides of the tubes and securing them in close engagement by,.a channel-shaped clip 3 secured in position as by rivets 4.

Preferably, the bottom portion of the tubular container thus formed is lined with a sheet of aluminum or other metallic foil yI5 to prevent the sifting of powdered portions -of the water absorbent material out of the container.

Fla., assignor Haven, Fla., a

The container thus formed is filled substantially to its top with water absorbent material such as activated alumina in small particles, as indicated at 5, by reason of which the maximum surface area is. exposed and a free circulation of air permitted through the container.

A Optionally, the Water absorbent materiallmay be formed into uniform shaped pellets 5', as illustrated in Figure 3.

Adjacent the top of the container a transparent Vial IIl is positioned inverted, this vial being loaded with a suitable indicator material suchA as cobalt chloride having the characteristic of changing its color depending upon the` water content. In practice, a relatively small quantity of this material is charged into the bottomV of the vial I I and thus held by a packing of gauze, wick or other suitable material, a certain amount of the water absorbent material 5 being permissible, the idea being to permit access of moisture laden air to this indicator material. The vial is closed with a screw cap I2 having a vent I3, and aperipheral fin I4 preferably made of similar Awoven wire material as the container, is positioned on the vial II conveniently by engagement of the screw` cap I2 against the n and a shoulder Il den-ingthe neck portion of the vial.

In assembling the indicator vial II with the container I, it is inverted, as illustrated in the drawing, and the fin I4 disposed transversely of the container I being securely held by the particles of water absorbent material positioned below, above and around said fin, whereby the position of the vial is assured with relationship to the container I.

This central positioning of the vial II is further assured by the mode of closing the top or upper end of the container, which consists in compressing opposite sides 6 6 of the "tubular container I and by tucking inwardly the intermediate portions 1 'I. The overlapped edge portions of these side portions 6 6 and 'I I are clamped together by a channel-shaped clampv 8 which embraces one side of the triangular handle ID and is secured in position as by rivets 9.

By reason of the natural resiliency of the woven wire screen material, of which the container I is made, these in-turned sides 6 6 and folds I 'I exert a constant permanent pressure against the adjacent particles of water absorbent material 5 directing said particles against the upper end of the vial II, and thus assuring the permanent positioning of that portion ofthe vial containing the indicator material I6 with the transparent top of the vial exposed to observation through the screening material at the top of the container.

In use these devices will be hung in cupboards or small basement rooms to be protected and the indicator material will show at a glance on periodic inspection whether the water absorbent material 5 has reached its saturation point, at which time the devices can be removed and by baking in an oven for a relatively short time the moisture content will be expelled from the water absorbent material with a result in change in color of the indicator material to show dryness, and the device can be re-used repeatedly.

Water absorbent materials other than activated alumina and indicating materials other than cobalt chloride can, of course, be used, the only essential in connection with the latter being that they be of a character to change in color dependent upon the moisture absorbed.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. Dehumidifier comprising a container, a .water absorbent material in small particles substantially filling the container, and a transparent indicator vial having a vent in one end, said container formed of woven metal screen in tubular {form with opposed portions of an end bent inwardly into contact, with the intermediate portions tucked inwardly and with the edges secured together, whereby an inward resilient pressure is directed against the particles of -water absorbent material at that end, and against the indicator vial centrally positioned with respect to the container at that end and with the closed end of said vial exposed and the end having a vent positioned inwardly.

2, Dehumidifier comprising a transparent foraminous container for water absorbent material in small particles, a transparent indicator vial having a vent at one end, `and means for anchoring said vial centrally of the mass of absorbent material with its closed end exposed within and at the end of the container and its vented end imbedded centrally of the mass of material, comprising a fin of foraminous material, said fin surrounding and extending `in' a plane perpendicular to the long axis of said vial,

4 whereby the vial is stabilized in position when it withsaid 1in is embedded in the water absorbent material.

3." Dehumidier comprising a tubular woven Wire container filled with Water absorbent material in small particles, a transparent vial containing material reflecting moisture content by color change, said Vial having a vent in one end and a peripheral iin extending in a -plane perpendicular to its long axis, said vial and n embedded in the particles of water absorbent material at the top end of the container with the top closed portion of the vial exposed, and the bottom vented end imbedded in the absorbent material said container having its opposite sides at the top endY compressed together and the intermediate portions turned inwardly to exert a compressive inward and downward pressure on the water absorbent particles surrounding the vial and a metallic foil liner interposed between the Water absorbent particles and the container at the bottom/of the latter.

4. De-humidifier comprising a foraminous container substantially filled with water absorbent material, an elongated transparent vial containing material reflecting moisture content by color change,l said vial having a vent in one end only and means for positioning said vial imbedded in said water absorbent material with the vent substantially central of the mass of said material and its opposite closed end exposed for inspection from the exterior of the container.

' AUSTIN T. RACE, JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the .file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,341,893 Baker Feb. 13, 1944 2,469,435 Hirsch May 10, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Y, Country Date 345,672 Great Britain Mar. 23, 1931

Images