Improvements in Apparatus for Supplying Hot Water to Restaurants, Lavatories, and other places.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Feb., 1897-Accepted, 29th Jan.,
1898
Improvements in Apparatus for Supplying Hot Water to
Restaurants, Lavatories, and other places.
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I, FREDERICK LAMPLOUGH, of Glon Ridge, New Jersey in the United States o
America, Engineer, 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 invention has for its object an improved apparatus for general use by which
a constant supply of boiling water is always at hand without the necessity for
individual attention.
It comprises a boiler and container, means for preventing the delivery or drawing
off of water below the required temperature, means for regulating the supply of gas
to the burners in proportion to the temperature of the water, a reducing or shut off
valve to be employed in cases where water at a high pressure is delivered to the
boiler, menns for liberating steam from the apparatus in the event of too great an
accumulation thereof and an indicator showing the condition of the contents of the
apparatus whether cold or boiling or whether steam is being generated too
freely.
I will describe my invention in connection with the accompanying drawings in
which: Fig. 1. is a general external view of the apparatus, Fig. 2. a side elevation
of the container, Fig. 3. a front elevation of the container partly in section, Fig. 4.
a vertical section of the boiler and heating apparatus, Fig. 5. a section drawn to an
enlarged scale of parts of the water regulating or shut off valve and Fig. 6 a section
of parts of the gas supply regulator also drawn to an enlarged scale. A is the boiler,
Bis the container and C is the connecting tube. The boiler A is of bell form and is
provided with fire tubes a passing vertically through the crown water space and it
has a hood or cover A¹ over its crown with only a narrow intervening space in
order to keep the heat in contact with the boiler as long as possible; b is the gas
supply pipe, c the main burner tubes fitted with burners c¹ for use when a full leat
is required and care bye pass burner tubes fitted with similar burners, c' for use
when the water has been boiled and only sufficient heat is required to maintain the
temperature of the water as also to re-light the main burners when required. For
the sake of clearness only some of the burners are shown. The regulation of the
supply of gas to the burner tubes c c is effected as follows:-a loose flexible
chamber d filled with alcohol or other suitable fluid is placed in a chamber e¹ in the
flexible bottom e² of the chamber e. The said flexible chamber d rests on the upper
end of a tubular rod d pressed upwards by a spring d. A oross pin dis
fixed near the lower end of the rod and passes through an elongated, slot in the
upper end of the valve rod d', a spring is placed between the valve do and the
lower end of the rod d¹.
The valve seat d' is in the form of a cup having gas passages at its lower end and
fitting a cylinder 18 which is in communication with the gas supply. Such valve
sent d' is attached to the upper end of a screwed roll screwing through the bottom
of the cylinder 10 enclosing the valve, valve seat &c. The burner tubes c c are
screwed into such cylinder d¹º.

page_text: When the heat has risen to the desired point the expansion of the liquid in the
chamber & expands the latter and forces down the road d', which through the spring d'
forces the valve to its seat and thereby shuts off the gas from the main burner
tubes c, gas will however continuo to pass to the bye pass burner tubes c through
the bye pass which latter is regulated by the needle valve d to allow only just
sufficient gas to pass to maintain the water at the desired temperature. By raising
or lowering the valve sent d' the temperature to which the water is heated can be
varied as desired, the valve having a greater or less distance to travel before it shuts
off the gas to the main burner tubes c. By means of the cross pin d and slot in the valve
rod d' the flexible chamber d is capable of moving the rod d' a short distance even
after the valve has reached its seat; in this way on a reduction of temperature
causing the contraction of the chamber & the rod d will be raised a certain distance
by the spring before it removes the valve d from its seat and will then act
.suddenly on said valve and thus prevent the wire drawing of the gas to the main
burners and consequent offensive smell from faulty combustion.
When the apparatus is used with high water pressure I employ a reducing or shut
off valve farranged and operated as follows: The water supply tube g enters a
chamber g' and is attached to the valve seat f¹ which is closed below but has side
passages to permit the water, after passing the valve to flow into the chamber e
and thenco into the boiler. The valve f has resting upon it a screw f passing through 2
a bar f' connected by rods f³ to the top of the chamber e' attached to the flexible
bottom of the chamber e. Thus when the pressure of water in the apparatus rises
beyond a certain point it will by acting on the flexible bottom depress the same
and consequently the valve f thereby shutting off the water. When water at a low
pressure is delivered to the apparatus the above described reducing apparatus is 2
dispensed with and the water is delivered to the boiler through a downwardly bent
tube.
In order to indicate the temperature &c. of the contents of the apparatus and to
ensure safety I employ the following arrangement.
To the container B is fixed a gauge h having a pointer h' and preferably on the 3
face the words "Cold", "Boiling", "Steam." This gauge is operated by a piston h²
working in a cylinder h³ and connected by a link to an arm on the pointer axis.
The piston his connected to the flexible diaphragm which latter is acted upon by
the pressure occasioned by the expansion of fluid within the chamber ho to move the
piston in one direction whilst a spring / moves it in a contrary direction. A 3
lever i passing through the piston h and operated thereby is arranged to depress a
valve when a given pressure is exceeded and thereby permit the escape of steam
and indicate that the gas requires to be attended to by hand until the apparatus has
been again adjusted.
When a small amount of steam is required with the water to take off the chill of 4
a teapot or other vessel, the apparatus above described is adjusted so that a small
amount of steam is always ready the amount of which is indicated by the position
of the pointer. For a speedy delivery I employ the following arrangement; j is a
handle fixed to a quadrant having internal teeth gearing with a pinion on the
axle k of a valve in the discharge spout k. On this axle is also fixed a ratchet 4
.wheel in connection with which acts a pawl at the end of a lever l. This lever
is connected by link with the lever 2. Thus when the water in the apparatus is
cold the parts are in the position shown in the drawings with the pawl acting to
prevent rotation of the ratchet wheel and consequently of the valve, but when
the water attains the desired temperature the pawl is lifted from the ratchet 5
wheel thereby permitting hot water to be drawn off as may be required.
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 :-
1. A hot water supply apparatus comprising a boiler and container connected 5

page_text: temperature of water when main burners are shut off, regulating apparatus to
regulate and shut off supply of gas to main burners according to temperature of
water, a water supply pipe attached to boiler, a reducing and shut off valve for
regulating pressure of water in the apparatus, a gauge to indicate the temperature of
the water and the pressure of steam in the apparatus, an automatically operated
escape valve to permit the escape of steam when a given pressure is exceeded, a
ratchet wheel on the axis of delivery valve and a stop pawl to prevent rotation of the
valve until the water has reached the desired temperature, and a toothed wheel on
axis of delivery valve operated by a toothed quadrant and handle for quick delivery,
substantially as herein described and shown.
2. In hot water supply apparatus of the character herein described, a gas regu-
lating apparatus comprising au adjustable valve seat, and a valve pressed against the
seat by the expansion by heat of a flexible chamber charged with alcohol or other
fluid and raised from said seat by a spring on the contraction of said flexible
chamber by a reduced temperature, substantially as herein shown and described.
3. In hot water supply apparatus of the character herein described a water pres-
sure regulating and shut off apparatus comprising a water supply pipe delivering the
water to a valve chamber, and a valve pulled down by the action of the flexible
bottom of a chamber acted upon by the water pressure substantially as herein shown
and described.
"
4. In hot water supply apparatus of the character herein described a gauge having
divisions and the words "Cold" " Boiling" and "Steam on its face, a pointer
connected to an operating piston, a flexible diaphragin of an alcohol chamber acting
in one direction on such piston and a spring acting in the contrary direction thereon
substantially as herein shown and described.
5. In hot water supply apparatus of the character herein described, a steam
escape valve operated by a lever nctuated by the piston operating the pointer of the
indicator substantially as herein shown and described.
6. In bot water supply apparatus of the character herein described, a ratchet wheel
on the axle of the discharge valve and a stop pawl acting in connection with said
ratchet wheel to prevent the rotation of the valve until the water has risen to the
desired temperature, substantially as herein shown and described.
7. In hot water supply apparatus the peculiar construction and arrangement of
parts substantially as herein shown and described.
100P
Dated February 2nd
100
του.
HARRIS & MILLS,
23, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents.