US3766356A

US3766356A - Engine block heater

Info

Publication number: US3766356A
Authority: US
Inventors: R Feldmann
Original assignee: PYROIL CO Inc
Current assignee: PHILLIPS TEMRO Inc A CORP OF ND; PYROIL CO Inc
Priority date: 1972-08-10
Filing date: 1972-08-10
Publication date: 1973-10-16
Anticipated expiration: 1990-10-16
Also published as: CA963518A

Abstract

An engine block heater has a cylindrical body member adapted to be inserted into a round opening in an engine block wall and carries an electric heating coil for heating the space on the inner side of the wall. The body member is secured in the opening by means of an angular claimping member mounted on the inner side of the body member and formed of a bendable material. The clamping member has a longitudinal dimension less than the diameter of the opening and is engaged on the inside angle thereof by a pressure bar which is threaded on a screw extending through the body member whereby as the screw is turned from the outer side of the body member the pressure bar bears against the clamping member to straighten it into a longitudinal dimension greater than the diameter of the opening to engage against the inner side of the wall. The clamping member is channel-shaped in cross section and the pressure bar has its ends seated in the channels.

Description

United States Patent 1191 Feldmann ENGINE BLOCK HEATER [75] Inventor: Robert G. Feldmann, Eden Prairie, Minn.

[73] Assignee: Pyroil Company, Inc., La

Crosse,Wis. [22] Filed: Aug. 10, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 279,670

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,987,283 6/1961 Bleckmann 219/336 2,242,503 5/1941 Baule 292/212 X 3,646,314 2/1972 Windsor 219/208 3,587,548 6/1971 Wernicke 123/1425 E 2,401,847 6/1946 Urbant et a1 219/208 X Primary Exam1'r 1er-A. Bartis Attorney-Carlsen, Carlsen 8r. Strum [5 7] ABSTRACT 7 An engine block heater has a cylindrical body member adapted to be inserted into a round opening in an engine block wall and carries an electric heating coil for heating the space on the inner side of the wall. The body member is secured in the opening by means of an angular claimping member mounted on the inner side of the body member and formed of a bendable material. The clamping member has a longitudinal dimension less than the diameter of the opening and is engaged on the inside angle thereof by a pressure bar which is threaded on a screw extending through the body member whereby as the screw is turned from the outer side of the body member the pressure bar bears against the clamping member to straighten it into a longitudinal dimension greater than the diameter of the opening to engage against the inner side of the wall. The clamping member is channel-shaped in cross section and the pressure bar has its ends seated in the channels.

PAIENTEI] MI 18 i975 FIE: 3

FIE: 4'

1 ENGINE BLOCK HEATER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION It is common, particularly in northern climates, for vehicle owners to install an electric block or jacket heater in the internal combustion engine of an automobile to keep the engine coolant warm during inoperative periods to facilitate starting.

Generally these heaters are permanently installed and are provided with electrical leads adapted to be connected to a nearby electrical outlet. Typical examples of such heaters are disclosed in U. S. Pat. No. 3,148,268, dated Sept. 8, 1964, to Heinbuch, Canadian Pat. No. 512,017, dated Apr. 19, 1955, to Beaton et al. and Canadian Pat. No. 850,767, dated Sept. 1, 1970, to Ehgoetz.

The present invention is not concerned with the heater itself but rather with the means for permanently mounting the heater in the block. It is desirable that the heater have a relatively simple yet foolproof mounting means so that vehicle owners, service stations and the like might install the heater without the need of special skills or special tools.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The primary object of the invention is to provide an engine block heater whichcan be readily, simply and securely installed in the block of an internal combustion engine and wherein the locking or mounting means can be effectively operated without the need of special tools. I

With this and other objects in view the invention broadly comprises a heating coil mounted on a cylindrical body member and adapted to be inserted into a round opening in the engine block wall in plugging relation thereto, a clamping member of bendable material mounted on the innerside of the body member having two legs arranged in a V-shape and having a channel shape in cross section, and a pressure bar of rigid material carried by a screw extending axially through the body member with the ends of the bar disposed in the legs of the clamping member whereby as the screw is turned the pressure bar will be tightened against the clamping memberand bendthe legs thereof into alignment and against the inner side of the block wall to secure the body member in the opening.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings;

FIG. 1 is aright side elevation of the heater just after manual insertion into the opening in the wall of the engine block.

FIG. 2 is similar to FIG. 1 but showing the clamping member tightened against the inside of the wall to lock the heater in place.

FIG. 3 is an inner side elevation of the heater in mounted condition taken on line 33 of FIG. 2 and with the heating element partially broken away to fully expose the clamping member.

FIG. 4 is a diametrical section through the heater taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 3 and showing a tightening wrench in broken lines.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now more particularly to the drawing reference numerals will be used to denote like parts of structural features in the different views. The numeral 10 denotes a portion of the side wall of the block of an internal combustion engine of an automobile, the wall being the outer wall of the engine coolant jacket and having a round opening 11 therein.

The heater is designated generally at 12 and the basic member thereof is a disk-like cylindrical body member 14 adapted to fit in opening 11 and having an external flange l5 and a peripheral groove 16 receiving the sealing ring 17. The flange bears against the outer side 18 of the wall 10 with the ring 17 providing a peripheral seal between the member 14 and the circular wall of the opening 11.

A heating element 19 is mounted in an off centered position in member 14 with the end portions 20 thereof extending through the member and being connected to the electrical lead line 21 whereby when the line 21 is connected to a source of electric energy the element 19 will be heated to the desired temperature.

A machine screw 24 extends in an axial direction loosely through the member 14 at or near the center thereof. The member 14 may be provided with a recess 25 on its outer side for receiving the head of the screw and a liquid sealing washer 26 is provided between the head and body member 14 to prevent liquid leakage through the screw receiving passage. The screw head is slotted or hexagonal or the like for gripping and turning the same.

The clamping member is designated generally by the number 27. It is formed of an elongated stripof meta] having a bendable center section 28 connecting a pair of channel shaped sections 29 each of which terminates in a friction tab 30. The center section 28 is bent, as shown in FIG. 1, so that sections 29 are disposed at an obtuse angle to each other in the range of about degrees to degrees. In this condition the straight line length of member 27 between the ends of tabs 30 is about the same or slightly less than the diameter of the opening 11.

An elongated pressure bar 32 has its longitudinal center threaded on the inner end portion of the screw 24. This bar may also be channel shaped in cross section with side walls 34 serving to stiffen the bar. The bar is shorter than the clamping member 27 and has a width such that the end portions will seat rat-her snugly but slidably in the channel shaped sections of member 27.

The device is manufactured and sold to the motorist, service station or the like assembled as shown in FIG. 1 with the clamping member in a bent or shortened condition for easy insertion of the heater through opening 11 and the body member 14 into seated or plugging relation therein. The installer then grips the head of screw 24 with a suitable tool and tightens it up.

Members

27 and 32 will be held against rotation by engaging element 19. I

As the screw is tightened into bar 32 the bar will be forced inwardly toward the body member 14. As this occurs and with the center section 28 of the clamping member 27 engaging against the body member, the ends of the pressure bar sliding along the channels of sections 29 will straighten the clamping member about its center until the friction tabs 30 thereon are moved into engagement with the inner side 36 of wall 10, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, to securely lock the heater 12 in the wall 10. Inasmuch as tabs 30 curve slightly out of the plane of the clamping member toward wall 10 there is a bow in the clamping member between each tab 30 and center portion 28. The ends of the pressure bar engage the member 27 at the approximate center of the bows to hold the channel sections under tension and assure a tight and permanent locking engagement. 5

The construction accordingly provides an engine block heater which can be quickly and securely mounted in an engine jacket wall.

Having now therefore fully illustrated and described the invention, what I claim to be new and desire to protect by United States Letters Patent is:

1. An engine jacket heater adapted to be inserted inwardly through a round opening in a cylinder block wall and secured thereto comprising,

a. a cylindrical body member adapted to plug said opening and having a heating element mounted thereon to extend inwardly into the block with electric connection terminals projecting from the outer side thereof,

b. a screw extending axially and loosely through the body member with the head thereof on the outside,

c. an elongated clamping member having a broad V- 1 with the ends thereof slidably seated in the saidv leg channels whereby as the screw is turned from the outside and threaded into the pressure bar the pressure bar will be pulled toward the body member to spread the legs of said clamping member and bend said member toward a flattened condition,

y f. said clamping member having an initial length from tip to tip of the legs less than the diameter of the opening but having a length greater than the diameter of the opening when it is in its flattened conditron.

Claims

1. An engine jacket heater adapted to be inserted inwardly through a round opening in a cylinder block wall and secured thereto comprising, a. a cylindrical body member adapted to plug said opening and having a heating element mounted thereon to extend inwardly into the block with electric connection terminals projecting from the outer side thereof, b. a screw extending axially and loosely through the body member with the head thereof on the outside, c. an elongated clamping member having a broad V-shape with a pair of legs joined by a bendable center section, said center section journaled on the screw on the inner side of the body member with the legs diverging in their extension from the body member, d. the legs of the clamping member being channel shaped in cross section opening away from the body member, e. a pressure bar having a length less than the diameter of the opening and being threaded on the screw with the ends thereof slidably seated in the said leg channels whereby as the screw is turned from the outside and threaded into the pressure bar the pressure bar will be pulled toward the body member to spread the legs of said clamping member and bend said member toward a flattened condition, f. said clamping member having an initial length from tip to tip of the legs less than the diameter of the opening but having a length greater than the diameter of the opening when it is in its flattened condition.