Improvements in Water Heaters and Automatic Valve Attachments therefor.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Jan., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Feb., 1899-Accepted, 12th Aug., 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Water Heaters and Automatic Valve Attachments
therefor.
I, JOSEPH WINTERFLOOD, Gas Engineer, of 173, King's Road, Camden Town,
London, N.W., do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:——
This invention relates to certain improvements in water heaters and auto-
matic valve attachments therefor, specially constructed to withstand a high con-
stant water pressure and wherein the gas supply is controlled by the opening
and closing of the water way.
For the purpose of this invention I employ a double cylindrical casing the
inner cylinder of which is corrugated, and within which I fix a tubular boiler by a
series of cross tubes. From the lower part of the tubular boiler I carry a tube
to the top of the apparatus to form the water outlet.
The water inlet in the side of the outer cylinder of the double cylindrical
casing leads from the automatic valve attachment which consists of a valve,
wherein the gas way is controlled by the pressure of water, in connection
with another valve through which the gas is made to pass before entering the
first valve, this second valve is in connection with a safety valve fixed in the
outlet of the water heater.
This arrangement of valves allows that the water on passing through the
first valve opens the gas way to a series of burners in the lower part of the
heater and providing that the pressure of the hoated water becomes too great
for the heater, the safety valve opens and allows the water to pass into the
second valve and shut off the gas way to the burners.
Improvements in Water Heaters and Automatic Valve Attachments
therefor.
I, JOSEPH WINTERFLOOD, Gas Engineer, of 173, King's Road, Camden Town,
N.W., London, 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:-
This invention relates to certain improvements in water heaters and auto-
matic valve attachments therefor, specially constructed to withstand a high con-
stant water pressure and wherein the gas supply is controlled by the opening
and closing of the water way.

page_text: For the purpose of this invention I employ a double cylindrical casing, the
inner cylinder of which is corrugated, and within it I fix a tubular boiler by a
series of cross tubes. From the tubular boiler I carry a tube to the top of
the apparatus to form the water outlet.
The water inlet in the side of the outer cylinder of the double cylindrical
casing leads from the automatic valve attachment which consists of a valve
wherein the gas way is controlled by the pressures of the water, in connection
with another valve through which the gas is made to pass before entering the
first valve. This second valve is in connection with a safety valve fixed to the
outlet of the water heater. This arrangement of valves allows that the water
on passing through the first valve opens the gas way to a series of burners in
the lower part of the heater, and, providing the pressure of the heated water
becomes too great for the heater the safety valve opens and allows the water.
to pass into the second valve and shut off the gas way to the burners.
As shown in the annexed drawings of which Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of
the water heater and automatic valve attachment; Fig. 2 is a detailed sectional
elevation of the automatic valve attachment and Fig. 3 is an isometric projection
of the check valve arrangement; the inner cylinder 1, of the double cylindrical
casing is corrugated and within it is the tubular boiler fixed to the double
gylindrical casing and in connection therewith by a tube 5 leading from the
lower part of the tubular boiler to a cross tube or tubes 4.
The tubular boiler consists of two short cylindrical or disc shaped vessels 6,
and 6¹ of a little smaller diameter than that of the corrugated cylinder 1, which
are connected together by a series of tubes 7 arranged close together and near
the circumferences of the cylindrical shaped vessels 6 and 6. The upper cylin-
drical shaped vessel 6¹ contains a pipe through its centre to allow the products of
combustion to pass, and in the top of the vessel 6' a tube 8 is fixed to form the
outlet of the heater.
The water-course through the heater will be as follows:-
On entering the inlet 9 in the side of the outer cylinder 2 of the double
cylindrical casing, the water circulates round the double cylindrical casing
through the cross tube or tubes 4 and the tube 5 into the lower vessel 6 of the
tubular boiler, it then rises up the tubes 7 into the upper vessel 61 of the tubular
boiler and flows out of the outlet 8.
The above mentioned inlet 9 of the heater leads from the automatic valve
attachment which consists of a valve 10 hereinafter termed the "primary valve,'
the gas inlet of which leads from the gas outlet of another valve 11 hereinafter
termed the "supplementary valve."
The primary valve consist of a double chamber the two cavities of which are
separated by a rubber diaphragm 12. In the upper chamber there is a water
inlet 13 and outlet 14 and in the lower chamber there is a gas inlet 15 and
outlet 16. In the upper chamber there are two valves 17 and 18, the diameter
of the plate of the upper valve 17 being greater than the diameter of the plate
of the lower valve 18. These two valves are connected to a spindle 19 which
passes through the centre of the upper chamber and works in a hole 40 in the
centre of the plug 42 which forms the seating of the lower valve 18. At the
side of this hole 40 a second hole 41 is drilled (or any number of holes that may
be required) through which the water can pass when the lower valvo 18 is open
Below the lower valve 18 there is a small water outlet 20 the area or water way
of which must be made smaller than the area or water way of the hole or
holes 41 in the plug 42. Above the upper valve 17 there is a check valve 21.
the rods 22 of which are to prevent the weight from being carried away by the
water. A hole is partly drilled through the centre of the weight the purpose
of which is to act as a guide to the spindle. In the lower chamber of the
primary valve there is a gas valve 23 fixed, below the gas inlet 15 to a spindle 24
which passes through the centre of the chamber terminating at the upper end
in a plate 25 which rests under the rubber diaphragm 12. A tube 26 is. fixed

page_text: at its upper end to the wall of the chamber its lower end being closed with the
exception of a hole for the spindle 24 to work through; a spring 27 is wound
round the spindle within the tube 26, its upper end terminating at the plate 25
and its lower end at the closed end of the tube 26.
The gas inlet 15 of the primary valve leads from the gas outlet of the supple-
mentary valve which consists of a double chamber the two cavities of which are
separated by a rubber diaphragm 28. In the upper chamber there is a water
inlet 29 and outlet 30, the outlet being closed by a cap 31.
The lower chamber is constructed in a similar way to the lower chamber of
the primary valve with the exception that the gas valve 33, on the lower end
of the spindle, is open when out of action and closed when a pressure is exerted
upon the rubber diaphragm 28.
The water inlet 29 of the supplementary valve leads from the outlet of a
common safety valve 32 which is fixed on the water outlet 8 of the heater.
The gas outlet of the primary valve leads to an atmospheric burner 34 situated
within the lower part 3 of the heater, the products of combustion from which
rise to the lower vessel 6 of the tubular boiler passing up between the said lower
vessel and the corrugated cylinder 1, round the tubes 7 to the upper vessel 6¹
of the tubular boiler and finally round the outer edge of the vessel (and through
the pipe in the upper vessel 6'.
I will now explain the automatic action of my improved valve attachment:-
When the operator opens the water cock or valve in the outlet 8 of
the heater the water commences to flow entering the upper chamber of the
primary valve at the inlet 13. There are now two pressures acting within
this chamber one on the plate of the upper valve 17 tending to lift it up, the
other on the plate of the lower valve 18 tending to force it down, but the area
of the plate of the upper valve is greater than that of the lower valve and the
pressure will therefore be greater upon the plate of the upper valve than on the
plate of the lower valve, consequently the valves will both rise with the flow of
the water, which passes through the check valve into the heater. The lower
valve now being open the water passes through the hole or holes 41 on to the
rubber diaphragm 12, and the area or water way of the outlet 20 between the
lower valve and the diaphragm 12 being smaller than the area or water way of
the hole or holes 41 in the plug 42, there becomes a pressure upon the rubber
diaphragm which is forced down and consequently the plate of the gas valve 22
is simultaneously forced down, thereby opening the way for the gas to pass to
the burners.
If the operator now closes the water cock or valve in the outlet 8 of the heater,
the water ceases flowing and the pressure upon the plate of the upper valve 17
of the primary valve becomes neutral but there is a downward pressure upon
the plate of the lower valve 18 which forces the plate upon its seating, for the
upward or neutralizing pressure is diminished by the outflow of the water through
the small outlet 20.
The lower valve 18 now being closed and the remaining water below the lower
valve flowing away the pressure upon the rubber diaphragm is released and the
diaphragm rises to its normal position, the gas valve 23 in the lower chamber
simultaneously closing in consequence of the action of the spring 27.
If by any accident whatever the primary valve became out of order and the
gas valve 23 would not close the water would get heated to such an extent that
its pressure would become greater than that of the main and tend to force its
way back through the valves into the main. For this reason I use the check
valve 21, the weight of which in such circumstances would be forced more tightly
upon its seating thus checking the way from the heater to the main. The
pressure of the heated water is now liable to become great enough to burst the
apparatus, I therefore employ the above mentioned safety valve 32 which
when the pressure of the heated water becomes too great, opens and allows the
water to pass through into the upper chamber of the supplementary valve and

page_text: exert a pressure upon the rubber diaphragm, 28, which is forced down, and con-
sequently the plate of the gas valve 33 is simultaneously forced down upon its
seating thereby closing the gas way to the burners 34.
Before the gas way can be again opened. the water must be extracted from
the pipe 29 leading from the safety valve by means of unscrewing the cap 31.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and the manner in which the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:
1. The improvements in automatic valve attachments as applied to water
heaters consisting of a primary valve in the form of a double chamber the two
cavities of which are separated by a rubber diaphragm one chamber containing
a water inlet and outlet, the other a gas inlet and outlet, the water chamber
containing two valves which close or control the water way and are opened and
closed by the pressures of the water, the gas chamber containing a gas valve
which controls the gas way, being opened by the pressure of the water upon the
rubber diaphragm in consequence of the opening of the water valves and closed
by the action of a spring, and a small outlet substantially as and for the purpose
herein set forth described and illustrated.
2. The improvements in automatic valve attachments consisting of a "supple-
mentary valve" in the form of a double chamber wherein the gas valve control-
ling the gas way is closed by the pressure of the water upon the rubber dia-
phragm and opened by the action of a spring substantially as and for the purpose
herein set forth described and illustrated.
3. The improvements in automatic valve attachments as applied to water
heaters consisting of the combination of a "primary valve" and " supplemen-
tary valve
as herein before described, and a "safety valve" and "check valve
all substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth described and illus-
trated.
"
4. The improvements in water heaters shewn in Fig. 1 Sheet 1 consisting of
a tubular boiler the two short cylindrical or disc shaped vessels of which are
connected by a number of tubes substantially as and for the purpose herein set
forth described and illustrated.
5. The improvements in water heaters shewn in Fig. 1 Sheet 1 consisting of
a double cylindrical casing the innor cylinder of which is corrugated substan-
tially as and for the purpose herein set forth described and illustrated.
6. The improvements in water heaters consisting of the combination of a
double cylindrical casing the inner cylinder of which is corrugated, with a
tubular boiler, the two short cylindrical or disc shaped. vessels of which are
connected by a number of tubes; and an atmospheric gas burner substantially
as and for the purpose herein set forth described and illustrated.
7. The improvements in water heaters and automatic valve attachments there-
for, consisting of the combination of a "water heater," a "primary valve
and a "supplementary valve" as herein before described and a "check valve,"
and “safety valve" all substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth
described and illustrated.
1000