Improvements in Hot water circulating heaters.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Apr. 1897-Accented, 15th May, 1897
Improvements in Hot water circulating heaters.
I, STEPHEN TAPLIN, of 952 Fort Street West, in the City of Detroit, County
of Wayne, State of Michigan, United States of America, Florist, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained, in and by the following
statement:-
The object of the invention is to make a heater which, while especially adapted
for heating large areas in which even and moderate temperature has to be
maintained at ail times, such as in greenhouses and like structures, permits the
use of cheap fuel such as slag coal and at the same time requires less attention
than is usually required, all as more fully hereinafter described and shown in the
drawings, in which,
Fig. 1 is a front elevation.
Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on line x-x.
Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the heater detached on line y-y, Fig. 2 and
Fig. 4 is a vertical cross section on line - Fig. 1.
The heater is enclosed in an outer setting of brick which is divided into two
entirely separate and independent heating chambers by. means of a central
transverse water column A. This central water column is intersected by
horizontal transverse water chambers which form upon opposite sides a series of
like transverse water sections CCC, which project into the heating chambers
and communicate into the central column.
3.T
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The lowest one of each series of transverse water sections is provided with a
dependent water leg D, thereby forming in conneetion with the central column the
sides and top of two separate and independent combustion chambers. E, each of
which is provided with the usual grate E', a furnace door G and an ash-pit H
below the grate, all arranged in any desired manner. The transverse water
sections divide each heating chamber into a vertical series of horizontal smoke
flues, and in connection therewith the brick setting is so constructed as to connect
these flues alternately in front and rear in such manner that the products of
combustion from one furnace chamber have to travel successively through all the
flues on one side of the central water column, and those of the other furnace
correspondingly traverse successively all the flues on the other side of the central
water column and thence the two sets of flues are suitably united into a common
exit flue into a chimney.
.
: 1
As shown in the drawings, there are three flues B B B2, formed on each side of
the central column by the sections C C C and the course of the products of
combustion is indicated by the arrows, G being the exit flue which unitedly carries
the products into the chimney.
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The horizontal transverse water sections on each side further communicate with
each other through vertical connections H, which are placed near the outer end
and permit the circulation of the water from the top of the lower section into the
bottom of the next one above, and these connections are preferably staggered so
that they are not directly in vertical line with each other.
The setting may be constructed of brick, or of any suitable material; and in anyib
preferred manner, which will accomplish the object in view, and afford facilities

page_text: for cleaning the interior from ashes and soot, and the heater may be constructed
of cast-iron, or boiler iron, or partly of one and partly of the other, and the
transverse sections may be increased or diminished in number or size as the duty
desired of the heater may dictate.
The connections for the circulating system of pipes may be made in any desired
manner, as shown, the return pipes are preferably connected into the outside
water legs and into the water leg of the central column, and the outgoing
connections may be made from the top of the central column and from the top of
the uppermost lateral water sections.
In practice, it will be seen that while the construction is relatively simple, it
affords comparatively a very large heating surface and the internal circulation is
ample and free in a horizontal as well. as in a lateral and vertical direction, the
water therefore will circulate very freely and be quickly heated, thus affording
the very best conditions for producing and maintaining a mild and even heat as
required in heating greenhouses, conservatories and like places, for which it is
also specifically adapted on account of its form and relative dimensions, which
easily admit of a heat distribution on the ground for producing a desirable bottom
heat and of using a large number of independent circulating branches, as the
connections can be made at distant points of the heater, so that these branches will
not rob each other.
The principal advantage of the heater however, lies, in its having the two
independent furnaces and heating chambers; this not only permits of the utmost
economy of fuel but also greatly reduces the attendance required for maintaining
the fires. To this end I use the cheapest kind of fuel, such as refuse from coal-or
screening and this, if of sufficient geod quality I mix to a large extent with some
inert substance such as clay, to make it slow burning. After starting a good fire
in one furnace, I fill the furnace completely with this cheap fuel, enough to ensure
its burning for twenty-four hours more or less, and while the combustion in this
furnace. is about at its height I start the fire in the other furnace. In this manner
while one fire is gradually burning out the other to an equal degree increases in
giving out heat and thus I have in the aggregate always an equal amount of heat
given out by the two furnaces together, thus maintaining an even circulation
while at the same time each fire may be left to burn out entirely until the last
unit of heat is obtained from it, when the debris is removed to start a new fire.
The principal attendance required, is thus, only in building alternately a new fire
every twelve hours, more or less, according to circumstances, and this materially
lessens the cost of attendance and fuel heretofore required in heating greenhouses
and the like.
Incidentally to this mode of using cheap and slow burning fuel, the debris is
valuable for greenhouse work on account of its admixture with clay or earth,
while the debris from ordinary fuel would be of little or no use.
It will be understood that slow burning. fuel cannot be burned in the usual
manner, as the fire must be left undisturbed, and thus it is obvious that without
the construction of heater herein described, this economical mode of heating could
not be used.
The saving of fuel with my invention does not only result from the use of cheap
fuel, but also from its complete combustion, whereas, in the ordinary way of
heating, the admission of large quantities of air and fresh fuel produces smoke,
and much waste is produced from the poking and constant removal of hot ashes
aud cinders which is required to keep an even fire.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is.
The combination with the casing. or setting of a central, vertical water
chamber dividing the setting into distinct heating chambers and a plurality of

page_text: laterally extending water arms on opposite sides of this central water chamber,
and furnaces upon each side of the water chamber, each furnace having one set of
the lateral arms in it.
Dated this 12th day of March
STEPHEN TAPLIN.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.