Secondary flue restrainer for condensing water heater

Abstract

A flue restrainer and a method is provided for restraining a secondary flue conduit of a condensing water heater wherein to prevent damage to the connections of the secondary flue conduit during transport and manipulation of the condensing water heater prior to being placed into service. The flue restrainer is an inexpensive, single molded plastics part, which is clamped or friction fitted to the secondary flue during fabrication of the water heater.

1 . A flue restrainer for condensing water heaters equipped with an internal secondary flue conduit disposed inside a water holding tank of said water heater, said restrainer comprising a support member having a flue conduit engaging portion for restraining engagement with one or more portions of said secondary flue conduit, and an abutment end for abutting engagement with a stationary internal surface of said water holding tank. 
     
     
         2 . The flue restrainer as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said support member is a flat support plate formed of plastics material having properties suitable for maintaining its rigid shape in hot water to be contained in said water holding tank of a domestic or commercial condensing water heater. 
     
     
         3 . The flue restrainer as claimed in  claim 2  wherein said plastics material is one of polypropylene or polysulphite or equivalents thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The flue restrainer as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said flue conduit engaging portion has one or more flue conduit engaging formations. 
     
     
         5 . The flue restrainer as claimed in  claim 4  wherein said one or more flue conduit engaging formations is a jaw formation having a throat section shaped for reception of a section of said secondary flue conduit, said abutment end being located at a free end of an extension brace arm section of said support plate for abutment against said internal surface of said water holding tank. 
     
     
         6 . The flue restrainer as claimed in  claim 5  wherein said jaw formation has a mouth opening defined between a pair of clamping fingers dimensioned for frictional engagement with the outer surface of said section of said secondary flue conduit. 
     
     
         7 . The flue restrainer as claimed in  claim 6  wherein at least one of said clamping fingers has an extension free end for abutment against said primary flue wherein said secondary flue conduit is retained captive between said primary flue and said internal surface of said water holding tank, said internal surface being an internal surface of a side wall of said water holding tank. 
     
     
         8 . The flue restrainer as claimed in  claim 5  wherein said secondary flue conduit has a helical tubular section formed by two or more coil windings, each said coil windings being spaced from adjacent coil windings, there being at least two of said jaw formations disposed side-by-side and spaced apart a distance substantially the same as the distance between said coil windings for frictional and clamping engagement of said jaw formations on associated ones of said coil windings with said support plate extending substantially vertically in said water holding tank. 
     
     
         9 . The flue restrainer as claimed in  claim 8  wherein said support plate extension brace arm is shaped for restraining abutment in a lower surrounding through defined between a top wall of a combustion chamber of said water holding tank and a surrounding side wall of said water holding tank. 
     
     
         10 . The flue restrainer as claimed in  claim 5  wherein said jaw formations are dimensioned for friction fit engagement with said section of said secondary flue conduit. 
     
     
         11 . The flue restrainer as claimed in  claim 5  wherein said secondary flue conduit is secured in said water holding tank by a top connection for receiving hot combustion gases from a top end of said primary flue and a bottom connection connected to a lower end portion of a side wall of said tank for exhausting combustion gases having been reduced in temperature by heat exchange with water in said water holding tank in contact with said secondary flue conduit, said flue restrainer restricting displacement of said secondary flue conduit due to manipulation of said water heater prior to its placement in service and thereby preventing stress on said top and bottom connections by movement of said secondary flue conduit during manipulation of said condensing water heater. 
     
     
         12 . A method of restraining a secondary flue conduit of a condensing water heater during manipulation of said condensing water heater before being placed into service, said method comprising securing a flue restrainer to said secondary flue conduit during fabrication of said condensing water heater to prevent the displacement of said secondary flue conduit during said manipulation of said condensing water heater. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 12  wherein said flue restrainer is a support member having a secondary flue conduit engaging end for restraining engagement with one or more portions of said secondary flue conduit, said method comprising frictionally engaging said flue tube engaging end with said one or more portion of said secondary flue conduit. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13  wherein said flue restrainer support member has an opposed abutment end for abutting engagement with a stationary internal surface of said water holding tank, said method comprising automatically disposing said abutment end in contact with said stationary internal surface after installation of said secondary flue conduit in said water holding tank.