Enclosed public baths and the like

Claim 2

An enclosed bath system, comprising: a housing defining a bath chamber; means for receiving a body of water having a surface exposed to the air in said chamber; a heat pump having an evaporator, a condenser, a circulating primary heat-transfer fluid in the form of a compressible refrigerant carrying thermal energy absorbed at said evaporator to said condenser for dissipation at the latter and a compressor connected between said evaporator and said condenser for circulating said refrigerant; means for circulating air from said chamber into heat-exchanging relation with said evaporator and said condenser whereby said evaporator abstracts heat and moisture from said circulated air and said condenser reheats said circulated air prior to its return to said chamber; And means for heating said body of water and constituting the sole energy input apart from said compresser for said bath system and covering all of the thermal energy requirements of said chamber and all of the thermal energy supplied to said heat pump is transferred through the air of said chamber from said body thereto.

Claim 3

The system defined in claim 1 wherein said means for circulating air includes means for bringing said air from said chamber into direct contact with said evaporator.

Claim 4

The system defined in claim 1 wherein said means for circulating air includes means for bringing said air after heat exchanging relation with said evaporator into direct contact with said condenser.

Claim 5

The system defined in claim 1, further comprising a cold-water circuit including pump means for circulating water into heat exchange with said evaporator and a liquid-gas heat exchanger for traversal by the circulated air from said chamber and the cold water of said circuit for transferring heat from said air to said evaporator.

Claim 6

The system defined in claim 4, further comprising a hot-water circuit including pump means for circulating water into heat exchanging related with said condenser and liquid-gas heat exchanger traversed by air from said chamber and hot water for transferring heat to the air prior to its re-entry into said chamber.

Claim 7

The system defined in claim 5 further comprising static heating means in said chamber connected to said hot-water circuit for heating said chamber in addition to the heating of the air re-entering said chamber.

Claim 8

The system defined in claim 5 further comprising at least one heat-utilizing device independent of said body and said chamber, and means for passing a portion of the hot water of said hot-water circuit to said device.

Claim 9

The system defined in claim 7, further comprising at least one cold-consuming device, and means for passing at least part of the cold water of said circuit to said device.

Claim 10

The system defined in claim 1 wherein said means for heating said body of water includes a heater connected with said body and driven by said energy input, and means for electrically heating said auxiliary heater.

Claim 11

The system defined in claim 9, further comprising means for circulating water from said body through said heater for heating the water of said body.

Claim 12

An enclosed bath system, comprising: a housing comprising a bath chamber; means for receiving a body of water having a surface exposed to the air in said chamber; a heat pump having an evaporator, a condenser and a circulating primary heat-transfer fluid carrying thermal energy absorbed at said evaporator to said condenser for dissipation at the latter; means for circulating air from said chamber into heat-exchanging relation with said evaporator and said condenser whereby said evaporator abstracts heat and moisture from said circulated air and said condenser reheats said circulated air prior to its return to said chamber; at least one cold convector extending along said wall and proximal thereto; means connecting said cold convector in heat-exchanging relation with the evaporator of said heat pump for inducing a downward flow of air along said wall; at least one hot convector extending along said wall but spaced on the opposite side of said cold convector therefrom for inducing an upward flow of warm air inwardly of the downwardly flow of cold air; and means connecting said hot convector in heat-exchanging relation with the condenser of the heat pump for heating thereby.

Claim 13

An enclosed bath system, comprising: a housing comprising a bath chamber; means for receiving a body of water having a surface exposed to the air in said chamber; a heat pump having an evaporator, a condenser and a circulating primary heat-transfer fluid carrying thermal energy absorbed at said evaporator to said condenser for dissipation at the latter; means for circulating air from said chamber into heat-exchanging relation with said evaporator and said condenser whereby said evaporator abstracts heat and moisture from said circulated air and said condenser reheats said circulated air prior to its return to said chamber; at least one cold convector extending along said wall and proximal thereto; means connecting said cold convector in heat-exchanging relation with the evaporator of said heat pump for inducing a downward flow of air along said wall; at least one hot convector extending along said wall but spaced on the opposite side of said cold convector therefrom for inducing an upward flow of warm air inwardly of the downwardly flow of cold air; and means connecting said hot convector in heat-exchanging relation with the condenser of the heat pump for heating thereby.

Claim 14

The system defined in claim 11 further comprising an electric heater constituting a thermal storage reservoir and means for circulating the water of said body through said electric heater.

Claim 15

The system defined in claim 11 wherein said housing includes an upwardly open shaft extending along said wall, a partition subdividing said shaft into two shaft portions communicating at the bottom and including a first shaft portion proximal to saiD wall and receiving said cold convector and another shaft portion distal from said wall and receiving said hot convector.

Claim 16

The system defined in claim 1, further comprising means for returning moisture condensed at said evaporator to said body.