Bradford White Corporation

Thomas L Gort

Eugene L West

David H Beck

A high-efficiency insulated water heater including a base pan having a bottom portion with cut-out holes. Feet are positioned in the cut-outs having an upper portion extending above the bottom of the pan. The upper portions of the feet have inclined centering surfaces arranged for contacting and centering the water tank substantially equidistant from the outer edge of the base pan. The water tank has a lower edge engaging the centering surfaces of the feet. A method of producing a high-efficiency insulated water heater including the steps of forming a plurality of cut-outs in the bottom of the base pan having an outer edge, inserting feet into the cut-outs in such a way that the feet have upper portions extending above the bottom of the pan and lower portions extending below the bottom of the pan and wherein the upper portions of the feet have inclined centering surfaces located substantially equidistant from the base pan outer edge. The bottom of the water tank is then positioned over the base pan and within a retaining wall extending around the outer edge of the base pan, the tank being lowered into engagement with the centering surfaces of the feet. An outer jacket is positioned around the water tank and into engagement with the base pan retaining wall to form an intervening annular space. Insulation material is then introduced into the concentrically-oriented annular space.

Growing community of inventors

Wyoming, MI, United States of America

Thomas L Gort