Abstract:
A water heater door assembly includes a base plate sized and shaped to substantially sealingly cover an access opening in a water heater combustion chamber and has at least one opening through which a fuel supply line extends at least partly between a burner in the combustion chamber and a gas control valve, and a flexible seal positioned at least partly within the opening including an engaging portion substantially sealed to an edge portion of the opening, and a through hole that is shaped to receive the fuel supply and has a size slightly smaller than the size of an outer dimension of the fuel supply line such that the flexible seal and the fuel supply line are friction fit together to form a seal.
Abstract:
A method of making a circular support base for a water heater in which a sheet of material having two ends is formed with corrugations such that the corrugations are progressively more pronounced towards one longitudinal edge thereby creating a generally circular shape out of the formerly straight sheet material, the two ends are connected to form an unbroken circular shape, the corrugated material is shaped to form a lip at an inner circumferential region, and the circular lip intersects with an outer circumferential region of the support base to form a circular trough for supporting and positioning a water tank of the water heater.
Abstract:
A water heater door assembly includes a base plate sized and shaped to substantially sealingly cover an access opening in a water heater combustion chamber and has at least one opening through which a fuel supply line extends at least partly between a burner in the combustion chamber and a gas control valve, and a flexible seal positioned at least partly within the opening including an engaging portion substantially sealed to an edge portion of the opening, and a through hole that is shaped to receive the fuel supply and has a size slightly smaller than the size of an outer dimension of the fuel supply line such that the flexible seal and the fuel supply line are friction fit together to form a seal.
Abstract:
A water heater door assembly includes a seal positioned over an access opening in a water heater combustion chamber and having at least one opening through which a fuel supply line extends at least partly between a burner in the combustion chamber and a gas control valve, the seal including a pair of complementary seal pieces adjacent each other in sealing contact with at least edge portions of the access opening and in sealing contact with the fuel supply line and a retainer affixed to edge portions of the combustion chamber adjacent the access opening which sealingly holds the seal pieces over the access opening.
Abstract:
A water heater includes a water container, a combustion chamber having an opening that may be covered by a door and located adjacent the water container, a burner associated with the combustion chamber and arranged to combust fuel to heat water in the water container, and a control valve for regulating fuel flow from an external fuel source. A fuel line extends between the control valve and the burner, the fuel line has a first substantially rigid portion connected to the control valve, a second interior portion extending from the door to the burner and a third flexible portion fixedly connected to both of the first and second portions.
Abstract:
The method of fabricating a tank connector assembly comprising the steps of first providing a metal spud member having an internally threaded portion and a cylindrical wall portion. Mounting an insert member of polymer material inside the cylindrical wall portion of the spud member, the insert member having a cylindrical wall portion. Positioning a bonding member between the cylindrical wall of the spud and the cylindrical wall of the insert member. Applying heat to the spud insert member and bonding member to cause the material of the bonding member to become bonded to the spud wall and the insert wall. In a preferred embodiment, the polymer material of the bonding member is maleated olefin. The metal spud member is welded in an opening in the wall of a steel tank. A polymer material is introduced into the interior of the steel tank and the tank is then subjected to a rotational casting movement in the presence of heat to cause the polymer material in the tank to be uniformly distributed over the internal surface of the tank. The heat applied during the rotational casting step serves to cause the bonding member to become bonded to the spud and insert member.
Abstract:
A water heater including a water tight tank and a source of heat for heating water inside the tank. A hot water outlet is located in the top of the tank. An inlet agitator tube is mounted in the tank. The tube includes a straight vertical portion, a first curved portion lying in a vertical plane and a second curved portion lying in a horizontal plane adjacent the bottom of the tank. The second curved portion has a plurality of openings in the underside thereof through which streams of water will be directed into the tank each time water is drawn out of the top of the tank, said streams of water serving to agitate the water in the bottom of the tank to prevent accumulation of sediment therein.