A.o. Smith Corporation

Aos Holding Company

John D Pfeffer

James L Chevalier

Douglas D King

Thomas F Brownell

Timothy H Houle

Leslie R Wright

Allen L Johnson

A vehicle including a structural member treated with a coating, the coating having imbedded therein refractory materials in areas where the structural member is subjected to high temperatures greater than 180 degrees Fahrenheit, the refractory materials being greater than 400 wire mesh in size and comprising 65 to 90 percent of the combined coating and refractory materials by weight.

Method of protecting metal against corrosion and a vehicle including a

A method of producing a foam insulated vessel, such as a water heater. The water heater includes a tank to contain water to be heated and a jacket is spaced outwardly of the tank to provide a cavity therebetween. A band of self-supporting, gas entrained, foamable resin is applied to either the outer surface of the lower end portion of the tank, or to the inner surface of the jacket. The band of foamable resin expands radially to form a closure or dam that divides the cavity into a pair of isolated spaces. A liquid foamable resin composition is then introduced into one of the spaces and expands to fill the space and provide an insulating layer between the tank and the jacket.

Method of making a foam insulated vessel

A foam insulated vessel, such as a water heater. The water heater includes a tank to contain water to be heated and a jacket is spaced outwardly of the tank to provide an annular cavity therebetween. An annular flexible strip is secured to the surface of one of said members, and is in sealing relation with the other of said members, thus forming a closure or dam at the lower end of the cavity. In a preferred form, the strip includes a flange secured to the tank and a body portion extends outwardly from the flange and terminates in a downwardly extending lip, which is located at an acute angle with respect to the body portion. The lip is in sealing engagement with the jacket. When a liquid foamable resin is introduced into the upper end of the cavity, the pressure acts to force the body portion of the seal downwardly, increasing the sealing effect against the jacket to retain the liquid resin within the cavity.

Foam insulated vessel and method of making the same

A water heater includes a lower skirt ring (10, 50) supporting and spacing an inner storage tank (2) above a support surface (10a), and an outer jacket (42, 54) spaced outwardly therefrom to define an annular cavity space (22) therebetween. The outer jacket is slid along the inner storage tank during assembly. A seal (46) on the inner surface of the outer jacket, preferably in the form of a rolled-in dimple, engages the inner storage tank and/or the lower skirt ring, either at a seal (44) or a flange (52), and forms a dam (48) during sliding of the outer jacket along the inner storage tank. The dam prevents leakage of liquid therepast during foaming insulation. The rolled-in dimple (56) may extend all the way through the annular space to engage the tank wall or skirt ring.

Water heater with outer jacket dam

A water heater includes a lower skirt ring (10) supporting and spacing an inner storage tank (2) above a support surface (10a), a flange (44) extending radially outwardly from the sidewall (42) of the lower skirt ring, an outer jacket (12) around the inner storage tank and spaced outwardly therefrom to define an annular cavity space (22) therebetween and extending downwardly past the flange, and a seal provided by fiberglass (46) secured by a band (48) to the inner storage tank above the skirt ring and drapped over and around the edge (50) of the flange to form a dam between the flange and the outer jacket sealing the annular space. The dam prevents leakage of liquid therepast during foaming insulation.

Water heater with dam draped over flange

A hot water storage unit includes an outer decorative shell with a hardened foam insulation within a cavity therebetween. A prefabricated bottom wall is secured between the opposed sidewalls of the tank and shell. The bottom wall is secured just above the temperature sensing and drain connectors of the storage tank with the top connections protected by a fiberglass covers. A top shell cover includes an air foam insulation injection hole. The bottom wall is a stable supporting body member having an outer sealing portion which is integrally formed with the body member or which is a separate element affixed to the body member to form an extension of the body member. The outer sealing portion has sufficient compression or deflection to produce a seal in response to positioning the shell about the tank. The insulation is introduced as a liquid which expands to form the insulation, with the bottom wall preventing the liquid insulation from passing downwardly of the dam. The bottom wall is shown as a single piece styrofoam body member slightly smaller than the width of the cavity with an outer polyurethane seal element secured to the outer wall of the body member. The styrofoam element or body member has radial slits to permit wrapping about the tank and has abutting ends, and is attached to the tank by an adhesive.

Insulated fluid storage unit and method of making

A method and apparatus for providing foam resin insulation for a vessel, such as a water heater. The water heater includes a tank to contain water to be heated and has a plurality of openings to receive components of the water heater. A jacket is spaced outwardly of the tank to provide a space therebetween to receive foam resin insulation. Prior to introducing the resin into the space, an elongated member, such as a rod, is engaged with the opening in the tank and the rod extends outwardly through an aligned opening in the jacket. A resilient pad, which is movable on the rod, is compressed against the outer surface of the jacket to seal the space between the jacket opening and the rod. A liquid foamable resin is introduced in the space between the tank and the jacket and expands to fill the space and provide an insulating layer.

Method and apparatus for foam insulating a vessel

A clamping apparatus for use in applying foam resin insulation between the tank and the outer jacket of a water heater. The jacket of the water heater is spaced outwardly of the tank to provide a space that receives a foamable resin, such as polyurethane. The upper end of the jacket is enclosed by a thin, sheet metal cover. To clamp the cover to the jacket and prevent deformation of the cover due to the pressure of the resin foam, a clamping mechanism is utilized which includes a plate or clamping member that is positioned flatwise against the cover, and a clamp assembly secures the clamping plate to the upper end of a flue, or other tubular opening in the tank. In a preferred form, the clamping mechanism consists of a resilient, expandable plug which is inserted within the opening in the tank and is expanded outwardly into tight engagement with the wall bordering the opening to secure the clamping plate to the tank.

Clamping apparatus for use in foaming water heaters

An improved anode mounting construction for a water heater. The inner surface of a steel water heater tank is coated with a corrosion resistent material, such as glass, and the tank is provided with an opening which receives an anode rod. The outer end of the anode is secured to a metal cap and the cap is carried by a steel spud which is welded to the outer surface of the tank bordering the opening. The internal diameter of the spud is greater than the diameter of the opening in the tank and a resislent sealing member or gasket is employed to seal the gap between the anode and the annular edge of the tank ordering the opening. The sealing member seals and protects the annular edge against corrosion, as well as protecting the spud, thereby eliminating accelerated consumption of the outer end of the anode adjacent the tank.

Anode mounting construction for a water heater

A hot water heater includes a storage tank and an outer decorative shell spaced from the tank. A foam insulation fills a cavity between the tank and the shell and a bottom wall in the form of preassembled fiberglass belt. The belt is wrapped and secured about to the tank by an encircling compressing and centrally located band. The outer ends of the belts flare outwardly to a diameter in excess of the inner diameter of the shell. A flat, flexible plastic sheet has a narrow portion draped over the top of the tank and sides extended down and overlap the opposite sides of the belt. The lower ends of the sheet essentially covers the belt. The flexible plastic sheet has a slight angle between the tank top and the belt. The outer shell which has a diameter somewhat less than that of the flared belt is telescoped downwardly over the tank and sheet folds the apron into a circular configuration, compressing the belt tightly between the storage tank and the shell. The apron is then removed by grasping the top end and pulling longitudinally outwardly. The compressed fiberglass readily expands to maintain a firm seal with the adjacent shell after removal of the apron. Foam insulation material is then introduced into the cavity, and enters into and is interconnected with the fiberglass belt.

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Brookfield, WI, United States of America

John D Pfeffer