Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
2088670
The present invention relates to a smoke generating
device according to the precharacterizing preamble of claim 1.
Smoke senerating devices of this type are employed for
burning grasses or similar fuels which generate smoke when
burning to permit the apiarist to work more easily with the
beehives since ~ees take on nourishment to an increasing
degree during the development of smoke.
The primary drawback of the prior art known devices is
the supply of fresh, oxygen containing air is insufficient
and thus the combustion dies down a short time after the
-~terial .o `-e burned bursts in.o flzme. ~crec~er, the
[pocr~ circul2tic.n of air 2nd dischzrce of zir from within
t.,e container inhibit combustion since .he deve'oping smcke
is e>:lr2cteà cnly insu'ficier,tly znd thus, .he co.,ponen.s
contained in the smoke conàense and thus increzse the
..,oisture ccn.ent of the air, zgzin smotheri-,s .he ire. ~hus
i. is necess2ry for the apiarist to open the smcke generating
cevice after tne fire h2s died cown, to e>:chznge the combus-
tible m2.eri21 znd newly ignite it.
208~670
In oràer to prevent prer.ature fl2r,e e~.inc.ion it has
21ready been proposed to equip the smo~e generating device
a bello-~s, .he actu2-ion of ~hich pu",ps air into the air
inlet channels. This is àone to prevent the thre2tening
e~t-i-nction of the fl2me or glow. However, insufficient smo~e
extraction 2nd poor air circulation cannot be compensated
thereby.
Suchlike smoke generating devices are related by the
present invention, the devices h2ve a pipe-stem with a
mouthpiece at its end in the 2rea of the cover, whereby the
pipe-stem hat a nozzle le2ding to the cover interior 2nd
cap2ble of leading air blown into it. ~he nozzle is 2djusted so
'
that it is directed to the air outlet-channel. After ignition
cf the burning materi21 the 2ir stre2m blown into the
mouthpiece t2kes gases out of the container interior suction
like along with in the manner of a Venturi-tube, which serves
for maintaining of the combustion. At any rate it is necessary
to blow in air continously to prevent a choking of combustion.
In FR-A-~13 903 there is suggested a smoke generator
having a lower air inlet channel an an upper air outlet channel
in its container in which an inner container pot is arranged
208~670
for taking up combustion material, the pot extending
substantially over the full height of the container interior
and limited to the top and to the bottom by grids, whereby an
annular chamber is formed between its side wall or the side
walls. But even this smoke generator has the drawback that air
.
streams passing lateral at the container interior wall can lead
to turbulences which hinder a ventilating and exhausting of the
interior from smoke originating from the combustion process.
Therefor it is necessary to blow in air into the smoke
generator continously to prevent a choking of the combustion.
It is therefor an object of the present invention to,
further develop a smoke gas generating device of the above
mentioned type so that the air circulation curve in the
combustion chamber is improved so as to prevent the combustion
process from bein smothered.
This is accomplished by the smoke generating device as
defined in claim 1, whose characterizing portion provides that
the inner container pot has air-passage-openings in at least
one side wall or its cylindrical side wall.
20~670
Suchlike smoke generating devices are related by the
present invention, the devices-have a pipe-stem with a
mouthpiece at its end in the area of the cover, whereby the
pipe-stem haS a nozzle leading to the cover interior and
capable of leading air blown into it. The nozzle is adjusted so
that it is directed to the air outlet-channel. After ignit~on
of the burning material the air stream blown into the
mouthpiece takes gases out of the container interior suction
like along with in the manner of a Venturi-tube, which serves
for maintaining of the combustion. At any rate it is necessary
to blow in air continously to prevent a choking of combustion.
It is therefore an object of .he present invention to
further develop a smoke gas generating device of the above-
mentioned type so that the air circulation curve in the
combustion chamber is improved so as to prevent the combus-
tion process from being smothered.
~,~
20~670
This is accomplished by the smoke generating device as
defined in claim 1 whose characterizing portion provides that
an upwardly open inner container pot for accommodating the
mat-erial to be burned is disposed in the (outer) container
and extends essentially over the entire height of the con-
tainer interior. In its bottom as well as at least in one of
its side walls or in its cylindrical side wall, this inner
container is provided with air passage openings and the space
formed
between the side wall or side walls and the interior wall of the
container for~.s an annular cha~er which is also in com~.unication
with the air discharge channel as is the upwardly open inner
container pot interior.
The inner pot, in its confisuration and arrangement in
the container, initially causes the air flowing in through
the air inlet channel to be forcibly guided in the direction
of the material to be burned and no turbulence formation
occurs due to the streams passing laterally by the interior
container wall which would cause the smoke in the combustion
~0~67a
chamber to cool resulting in damaging condensation. The air
which is "spent" with respect to its oxygen content is able
to flow off, according to the invention, directly upwardly as
well as in part through the lateral air passage openings into
a annular cha~ber which at the top also opens into
the air discharqe channel. In this way, there result two
ways for the air and smoke to travel in the interior of the
container which is structurally divided into at least two chambers.
By ensuring the required air circulation, smo~e development
is adapted to requirements and is uniform without choking off
combustion A bellows or a continously blowing air into the
mouthpiece is at most required to primarily ignite the
combustion process, but ~y then be omitted.
_
Similarly, e~cess and undesirable smo~e formation generated
essentially by the above-described condensation, is also
prevented in the combustion chamber.
' Features of the invention are defined in dependent
claims 2 to 16.
20~670
For example, for the sake of structural simplification,
the lower region of the container is provided with bead-like
bulges which project into the interior and extend annularly
over the entire interior cylinder, with the inner container
pot removably resting on these bulges. In the simplest case,
the bulges are configured as crimp qrooves.lThe air flowing
into ~ is able to flow through the air
passage openings in the inner container pot bottom, past the
material being burned, into the interior cf the inner pot
container, the inner air chamber. The outer air chamber is
formed annularly ne~t to the inner container cylinder as a
space toward the inner container cylinder, with this
annular chamber having no direct connection with a possible
first chamber below the inner conta_ner pot bottom or with
the outside air.
According to a further embodiment of the invention, the
side wall air passage openings are disposed only in the lower
region of the inner pot cylinder, while in the upper region,
which is defined by at least one quarter of the structural
2~3$6~
.
height, the side wall or walls are completely closed. In
this way, it is ensured that the air flowing into the annular
chamber is unable to flow back in the upper region into the
second chamber formed by the interior of the inner pot.
Preferably the lower inner pot region provided with the air
passage openinqs extends up to a maximum of 50% to preferab-
ly one-third of the structural height of the inner pot.
In principle, the configuration of the air passage
openings is not limited to a concrete geometry, but it has
been found to be favorable - also with respect to manufacture
- for the air passage openings to be composed of columns and
rows of preferably equidistant bores or slots. The bore
diameter of the width is preferably 3 mm to 5 mm. In a
corresponding manner, the bottom of the inner container is
also provided with bores or slots which are preferably
arranged concentrically there.
In order to ensure that the annular chamber between the
inner pot cylinder and the inner container cylinder has a
constant flow cross section over its entire cross-sectional
208~70
area, the upper end of the inner pot is provided with at
least three radially projecting spacers so as to center it in
the container. If necessary, these spacers may cooperate
with the above-described bulges if the latter, seen from the
top, have a certain conicity which likewise centers the lower
edge of the inner container pot. In the simplest case, the
stated spacers may be configured as a flange on the upper
edge or edges of the inner pot.
Preferably, the container and the inner container are
configured as cylinders or blocks; however, other polygonal
or oval, elongate or round or similar cross-sectional
configurations are also permissible.
The annular chamber between the side walls or at least
the side wall (for a cylindrical shape) has a cross-sectional
width of 5 to 10 % of the inner diameter of the inner
container.
Preferably, the container cover has a bell or hemi-
spheric shape or it may be conical. The directed outflow of
the smoke is realized if the cover is provided with an
20~670
obli~uely upwardly oriented discharge spout. The cover may
also be provided with a handle for opening so as to facili-
tate folding over of the lid.
. . .. .. . ~v C
~ , ,
In a first prefered embodiment the smoke generatinglhas a
chamber formed by the outer container under the inner container-
bottom, the chamber is exept for the air inlet channel and the
air passage openinqs substantially airtight, in particular
against the annular chamber between the inner container and the
outer container.
Alternative hereto this inferior chamber can be omitted,
in particular if the cover is povided with a pipe-stem having a
nozzle with a mouthpiece at its end and an air-outlet-channel.
Preferably the mentioned nozzle leads to the upper middle area
of the cover interior and/or is directed to the air outlet
channel. Furthermore an adjustable passage valve can be
disposed in the pipe-stem in front of the nozzle. Omitting the
said under chamber the inner chamber bottom ends approximately
in the area of the under container-bottomedge or slightly above
20~670
it. Furthermore the inner chamber bottom can povide a collar
round about, which is connected to the edge of the outer
container or lies onto an annular bearing surface being
directed to the inside there.
Moreover, the inner pot preferably extends with its
upper edge slightly below the plane defined by the closed
cover edge so that only a slot-shaped passage opening remains
toward the interior of the cover, causing the gases to flow
off from the annular chamber through the air discharge
channel or the discharge spout, respectively, without there
being any danger that the gases reach the interior of the
inner pot container.
Preferably, the smoke generating device is configured as
a portable hand-held device which has a stirrup-like handle
that can also be employed as a hanging device. The smoke
generating device even can provide eyes at the outer container
~or fixing of clip-fastenings, snap hooks or the like at a
carrying strap.
2~670
A concrete embodiment of the invention is illustrated in
the drawing figures.
Fig~re 1 a schematic cross-sectional view of a smoke
generat-ing device configured as a piece of hand-held equip-
ment; and
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the inner pot.
Figure 3 a schematical cross-sectional view of a
further embodiment with a mouth-blow-device,
Figure 4a,b in each case variants of the smoke generating
device o. Figure 3.
The hand-held device shown in Figure 1 is essentially
'
composed of a cylindrical outer container 10 which has a pot
shape and has, at its upper edge, an articulated hemispheri-
cal cover 12 which is attached by w2y of a hinge or joint 11,
thus enabling the pot to be closed at the top. Container 10
is provided with an annular bead groove 13 disposed in its
lower region which simultaneously serves as a support for
inner container pot 14. In this way, three chambers are
created, namely a first, lower chamber 15 which is delimited
2088670
toward the top by the bottom 16 of the inner container and is
sealed (except for the air passase openings to be described
below). The second chamber is formed by the interior 17 of
the inner container pot, with this interior being formed by
the third chamber, the annular chamber 18 between the inner
container pot 14 and container 10. Cha~bers 17 and 18 open
upwardly into the chamber 19 formed by cover 12, from where
the air and the smoke are able to be discharged through the
air discharge cnannel, in the present case, discharge spout
20. The lower region of container 16 is provided with one or
a plurality of air inlet channels 21 throush which air is
able to flow from the outside into chamber 15. Container
bottom 16 is provided with concentrically arransed air
passage openings 22 which permit transfer of air from
chamber 15 to chamber 17. The side ~all of the inner con-
tainer pot, configured in the present case as a cylinder, is
also provided with air passage openinss 23 in the form of
rows and columns of bores that extend in the lower region
approximately to half its structural height (see Figure 2).
20~8670
13
Through these bores 23, air is able to flow radially out on
the sides into annular chamber 18.
In order to center the inner container pot 14 in
container lO; the former is provided with spacers 24 which
radially project from its upper edge 2nd which, in the
simplest case, may also be configured as a flange on the
upper edge.
~dditionally the smoke generating device shown in Figure
2 is provided with a handle 25 which is given the shape of a
s.irrup and can simultaneouslv be em?loyed as a h2nging
cevice. Cover 12 is further provided with an opening grip
26. If necessary, the smoke generating device may also be
provided with a protective cage 27 which e~tends over its
entire circumference, which, however, is essentially unneces-
sary because the inner pot cylinder already shields container
lO against the heat generated by the combustion . Moreover,
a prior art bellows (not shown) may be mounted on container
lO or on cage 27.
In a concrete embodiment, the hand-held device has a
structural height of about 20 cm, with the diameter of the
208~670
14
outer container being about 7 to 8 cm. The diameter of the
inner pot is about 1 cm smaller.
Fig. 3 shows an embodiment of the smoke generating device
with a mouth-~low-device. The smoke generating device has a
pot-like shaped container 28, at its upper outer casing area an
outer thread or a respective aperture of a bayonet-joint. The
inner thread or the noses as a part of the said bayonet-joint
of the cover 30 engages hereto, the cover 30 being connected
disengagably from the container 28 respectively its
connection 29. At the lower edge the outer container has a
crimp 31 as a connection to the corresponding annular collar 32
being connected to the bottom 16 of the inner pot 14
respectively its under casing-edge. Compared with the level
formed by the crimp the bottom 16 is staggered slightly to the
inside.
The cover 30 provides two tube-like projections 33 and 34
whose longitudinal axis lie on a straight line 35. A pipe-
stem 36 is sticked in the projection 33, the pipe-stem 36
2a88~70
having a mouthpiece 37 at its free end. The pipe-stem is in the
shown example U-shape formed with an angular piece annexed
thereto, it can be even formed in other ways known from pipes.
An adjustable valve 38 is provided in the pipe-stem 36, the
valve canbe made in the easiest case of a srew fixed in a
corresponding thread, the srew projecting into the passage
channel of the pipe-stem. In the area of the projection 33 the
pipe-passage-channel is formed as a nozzle 44.
Blowing air in the cover interior through the mouth-
piece, the air drags gases along with which are in the
interior 17 and the annular chamber 18 so that the gases are
lead off over the outlet 34. For the rest the construction
corresponds to the embodiment shown in Fig. 1 exept the under
chamber 15 omitting here.
The outer- and inner container 39 and 40 shown in Fig.
4a, b are built up in principle in the way as described to
Fig.~ 3. Different thereto is only the respective bottom
construction. So the outer container 39 has an own annular
20~70
16
bottom 41 staggered to the inside, the bottom 41 ends in the
direction to the longitudinal axis a vertical ring-edge 42. The
inner pot 40 has an annular lower bearing edge 43 which is set
upon the rins~bottom 41. The projecting spacers can be formed
for example as devices for the purpose of hooking in
corresponding groovers or the like, too.