IMPROVEMENTS IN PORTABLE HEATING APPARATUS
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles' Denton Abel, of 28, Southampton Buildings,
in the County of Middlesex, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
PORTABLE HEATING APPARATUS." A communication from abroad by Alphonse
Morel, of Epinal, Vosges, France.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Denton Abel at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st January 1881.
CHARLES DENTON ABEL, of 28, Southampton Buildings, in the County of
Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN PORTABLE HEATING APPARATUS." [A com-
munication from abroad by Alphonse Morel, of Epinal, Vosges, France.]
.
This Invention relates to portable heating apparatus of the kind described in
the Specification to the Patent dated the 28th January 1880, No. 382, applicable
in vehicles, apartments, muffs, and the like situations. As a footwarmer for a
vehicle, the apparatus consists of a close rectangular water vessel rounded at the
top, and having an elliptical fire tube extending through it from end to end. The
fuel burns in this tube, being supplied with air by a transverse tube at the middle
of its length. The ends of the fire tube are provided with removeable covers, from
which bent tubes conduct the products of combustion back along a flue tube within
the heater, these products escaping at a lateral central opening, which may be
provided with a flue tube to carry them outside the vehicle. The air supply may
be taken in at the ends of the fire tube, the products of combustion issuing from
its middle, and the passages for air and products of combustion may pass downwards
through the floor. For a hand warmer, applicable in a muff, a stick of charcoal
ignited at the end is pressed by a spring along an internal tube against a shoulder
at the end of the tube, so that it advances as it is consumed. This internal tube
is surrounded by an annular air space, around which is the casing for water. This
casing has perforated end covers which can be slid telescopically out or in to vary
the length of the apparatus. For a vehicle, such as an omnibus or tram car
presenting a considerable area of floor, the heater is made in the form of a shallow
rectangular casing containing water which is heated by one or more fires below
the floor, these fires being enclosed in water casings which communicate with the

page_text: casing above, preferably by separate passages to aid the circulation of the water.
Instead of fires, lamps may be used to heat the water. All the parts from which
heat would radiate uselessly are clothed with non conducting material. To allow
for the various inclinations to which the vehicle is subject, a pipe from the lower
side of the water casing, and also a pipe from its upper side are carried up some
distance vertically at the end of the vehicle. The former pipe may terminate in
a funnel for feeding the apparatus with water, and the upper pipe may be carried
up to the driver's seat to give warmth by the vapour passing up it. It is of
advantage to divide the shallow water casing by a horizontal partition into an
upper and lower compartment, the upper compartment receiving the ascending
heated water from the upper part of the fire casing, and the lower compartment
transmitting the cooled water to the lower part of the fire casing. In all these
constructions the water is dealt with in very thin layers.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Charles Denton Abel in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
19th July 1881.
CHARLES DENTON ABEL, of No. 28, Southampton Buildings, in the County of
Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN PORTABLE HEATING APPARATUS." A communi-
cation from abroad by Alphonse Morel, of Epinal, Vosges, France.
This Invention relates to portable heating apparatus of the kind described in the
Specification to the Patent dated the 28th January 1880, No. 382, applicable in
vehicles, apartments, muffs, and the like situations. As a foot warmer for a vehicle
the apparatus consists of a closed rectangular water vessel rounded at the top and
having an elliptical fire tube extending through it from end to end. The fuel
burns in this tube, being supplied with air by a transverse tube at the middle of
its length. The ends of the fire tube are provided with removeable covers, from
which bent tubes conduct the products of combustion back along a flue tube
within the heater, these products escaping at a lateral central opening, which may
be provided with a flue tube to carry them outside the vehicle. The air supply
may be taken in at the ends of the fire tube, the products of combustion issuing
from its middle, and the passages for air and products of combustion may pass
downwards through the floor. For a hand warmer applicable in a muff, a stick of
charcoal ignited at the end is pressed by a spring along an internal tube against a
shoulder at the end of the tube so that it advances as it is consumed.
internal tube is surrounded by an annular air space around which is the casing for
water. This casing has perforated end covers, which can be slid telescopically out
or in to vary the length of the apparatus. For a vehicle, such as an omnibus or
tram-car presenting a considerable area of floor, the heater is made in the form of a
shallow rectangular casing containing water which is heated by one or more fires
below the floor, these fires being enclosed in water casings which communicate
This

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section, Fig. 2 a transverse section, and Fig. 3 a sectional
plan of a foot warmer according to this Invention, suited for fuel in agglomerated
blocks. C, the fire tube, of size suited to the fuel blocks with which it is charged,
extends the whole length within the casing A. It has a lateral aperture V for
admission of air, and is closed at the ends by air tight covers communicating by.
bent tubes V, VI, with a flue tube X from which there is a lateral passage X' to
the exterior of the vehicle, where it may terminate in a chimney. Fig. 4 is a
longitudinal section, and Fig. 5 a transverse section of a muff heater. It consists of
a double tube A enclosing an annular water space, and provided with a cap Z¹ at
each end made to slide so that the heater can be lengthened or shortened at will.
These caps are perforated or are covered with wire gauze. Z is an inner tube
containing the stick of charcoal c, which is pressed forwards by a spring a against
lips b, b, so that it advances only as it is consumed, burning at the end. Fig. 6 is
a longitudinal section of a foot warmer A, the fire tube C of which is supplied with
air by tubes c, c, passing through the floor. The gaseous products of combustion
descend by a middle tube d, and issue by the T-tube e. Fig. 7 is the longitudinal
section, and Fig. 8 the plan of a heater having its fire outside the vehicle or
compartment heated; Fig. 9 is a longitudinal section of the fireplace. A is the
reservoir for hot water extended in a thin layer over the floor. It has on its upper
side an aperture for charging it closed by a screw plug, and it communicates by a
pipe on its underside passing through the floor with the water casing of the fire
place C. g is the fire-grate, and a pipe for emptying the apparatus. As there is
free passage for air through the fire-grate no chimney is needed. In order to promote
circulation of the water a diaphragin j may be employed, as shewn in Fig. 10, so as
to separate the ascending and descending water columns. Two or more fires may be.
employed as shewn in Fig. 11, and these may be lamps, as indicated at C, in
which case the double shell of the fire place may be used as an oil reservoir. The
heaters having external fires as described are surrounded by non-conducting
material, or a casing containing liquid, which may be a mixture of water with
spirit or glycerine. The quantity of water employed is very small and disposed
in a thin layer. Figs. 12 and 13 are transverse sections shewing heaters arranged
for water circulation. In Fig. 12 the heated water ascends by the central tube, and
the colder water returns by the pipes f. f. In Fig. 13 the heated water ascends
by pipes g, g, to two separate compartments A, A, the colder water returning by
the pipes f, f; Fig. 14 is a longitudinal section; Fig. 15 a sectional plan, and
Fig. 16 a plan of apparatus in which the heated water ascends by an annular
passage C (formed by introducing a tubular core F), and spreads itself over
diaphragm plates M and D, returning along funnel shaped spaces E, E, under the
plate D, and descending to the fire casing by pipes t, t. The portion of the lower
compartment marked M is filled with non-conducting material, which serves to
diminish the volume of water to prevent waste of its beat on the floor, and to

page_text: strengthen the apparatus. In large vehicles, such as tramway cars, in order to
keep the heater always full, notwithstanding varying inclinations of the floor of
the vehicle, and to permit of expansion, the arrangement shewn in Fig. 17 is
adopted, that is to say, a pipe c with a funnel mouth for feeding leads from the
water vessel M to the outside at a higher level; also a vapour pipe b extends up to
the driver's seat, conveying warmth thereto. A part of the pipe e may be made of
glass to serve as a gauge indicating the water level. Fig. 18 shews an arrangement
of one fire C supplying two warming vessels A, A, with double pipes and t, and
a diaphragm i in the water space of the fire casing, so as to ensure the circulation
of the water. This arrangement may be modified, as shewn in Fig. 19, in which
the double pipes l, m, join in one double pipe n, o. In like manner more than
two warming vessels, such as A, A, might be supplied. Fig. 20 shows a convenient
form of heater consisting of an outer bell shaped vessel p and an inner vessel q
with an intermediate circulating diaphragm s, an outer casing r, and a layer of non-
conducting material u; the double pipe communicates with the. heating vessels,
and it is protected by non-conductor m. The warming vessels may be divided by
partition plates, as shewn in Figs. 21 and 22, to promote circulation of the water
in thin layers through them.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent,
I claim in respect of portable heating apparatus,-
First. The construction, consisting of a hot water casing, with an internal com-
bustion chamber, and passages for air, and products of combustion, as herein
described with reference to Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 6 of the accompanying Drawings.
Second. The construction of muff warmer, as described with reference to
Figs. 4 and 5.
Third. The construction, consisting of water vessel, communicating with one
or more external combustion chambers, as described with reference to Figs. 7, 8, 9,
and 11.
Fourth. The modified constructions with circulation tubes and diaphragms, as
described with reference to Figs. 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, and 20.
Fifth. The combination of external pipes a and b with the internal warming
vessel M, as and for the purposes set forth with reference to Fig. 17.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Denton Abel, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
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