Improvements in Water Heaters.
Year: 1899

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Water Heaters.
I, THOMAS PATTON SHAW, of No. 1260, Dorchester Street, in the City of
Montreal, in the District of Montreal, and Province of Quebec, Dominion of
Canada, Doctor of Medicine, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows;-
My invention relates particularly to heaters for heating water for domestic use
although the principal features thereof are applicable to advantage to the con-
struction of the furnaces of hot water systems for heating buildings, and the
object of the invention is to simplify the construction and increase the efficiency
of hot water heaters generally.
The casing is in the form of a drum having its top closed and of conical form,
and having a central opening with which the flow pipe communicates; while a
second opening formed with a stuffing box is located adjacent to said central
opening, and an opening is provided near the lower end of its body through
which the feed water enters.
The lower end of the drum is flanged and has a casting of annular dish form
bolted thereto. A diaphragm of truncated conical form is secured at its periphery
to the top of said casting, and has its central opening of greater diameter than
that of the inner divisional wall of the casting, and arranged eccentrically thereof.
An opening at one side of said casting is connected by a pipe to the chimney, and
a branch extending from said pipe is taken downwardly through the stuffing
box to the interior of the casing, as will be presently alluded to, said main and
branch pipes being furnished with dampers.
A flat annular diaphragm has its periphery located between the flanges upon
the lower and upper edges of the drum and bottom casting respectively, the edge
of the opening in the diaphragm corresponding to that of the central opening in
the casting, with which opening it registers, the edge thereof resting upon the
upper edge of said inner divisional wall, while a series of circular openings are
cut through said diaphragm.
A hollow head, provided with vertical tubular passages, is located within and
a short distance from the upper end of the casing, and has in its bottom a central
flanged opening of less diameter than the opening in the flat annular diaphragm,
and a series of circular openings corresponding to the circular openings in the
said diaphragm while the periphery thereto is corrugated.
A tapered tube connects the opening in the flat diaphragm to the central flanged
opening in the bottom of the hollow head and a series of tubes elliptical in cross
section and having round ends connect the two series of circular openings together,
(in a manner to be presently described) while the top of the hollow head has an

page_text: opening to the edge of which the end of the branch pipe above alluded to is
connected.
The tubes connecting the two series of openings are arranged with their
elliptical portions tangential of the central tapered tube in order to allow a
greater number of them to be set in place between said tube and the surrounding
casing and also to allow the heated gases to come into closer relationship with the
sides of the tubes, thereby allowing the gases to give up their heat more rapidly
to the water surrounding them. These tubes are secured in place in the following
manner.
The round ends thereof are exteriorly screw-threaded and are coupled by sleeves
having their interiors screw-threaded, to short tubular sections exteriorly screw
threaded and extended into the openings in the diaphragm.
By connecting the tubes in place in this manner, the ends thereof or the tubes
themselves can be readily renewed without trouble and at very small cost.
In the tubular sections are set nipples preferably of slightly conical form, and,
when jambed into place, serve the double purpose of expanding the lower ends of
the tubes and retaining them rigidly in place, and at the same time cutting down
the area of the passage through said lower ends.
This sudden diminishment of the lower and exit ends of these passages has the
effect of converting what would otherwise be a direct passing current, into a
vibratory current, in said tubes, and thereby greatly increasing the heating
efficiency of this portion of the heater.
A. conical hood formed with a central vertical tubular portion is set upon the top
of the hollow head.
The diaphragm head and tubes constitute what I term the interior heat distri-
buting section, and the function thereof is to present the greatest possible extent
of heating surface within a water heater of given capacity, and this heat distri-
buting section can be applied with advantage and without departing from the
spirit of my invention, to the construction of furnaces for hot water heating
systems for buildings.
The heat generator I prefer to use is a removable gas burner located immediately
beneath the lower end of the tapered tube although if desired other burners may
be used.
In order to clear the annular casting of water that will naturally collect owing
to sweating of the pipes, I make a depression in the floor of said casting and
connect the end of the tubular portion of a trap consisting of a block having a
central vertical passage, communicating with said tubular portion and a series of
diagonal passages communicating at their lower ends with the lower end of the
said central vertical passage.
It is obvious that any water tending to collect in the casting will find its way
down this tube and passage, flood the diagonal passages overflow the edge, and run
down the outside, the water flooding the passage and diagonal passages obviously
serving as a trap to prevent the escape of any gases from the casting.
The circuits through my improved heater are as follows:-
The cold water enters and completely floods the interior of the drum from the
flat diaphragm upwards, and envelopes the head and the tubes connecting it to
the diaphragm, and the inside of the hood and fills the space above it and the house
pipes while the heated gases rise from the burner and pass upwardly through
the central tube through the head either directly through the branch pipe to
the chimney connection, if the damper be closed, or from the head as will
generally be the case downwardly through the elliptical tubes around the conical
diaphragm to the chimney connection.
The hood has the effect of directing the heated water directly from the heat
distributing section through the body of colder water directly to the mouth of
the flow pipe, thus enabling hot water to be supplied within a few minutes.
Under certain conditions the branch pipe and stuffing box, can be dispensed with
as for instance when the draught is of sufficient strength to fulfil all requirements.

page_text: In applying my heat distributing device to the construction of a furnace the
hood is dispensed with and the hollow head located near the upper end of the
casing. This is done for the reason that it is not necessary to store a body of
hot water, as is the case in a water heater for domestic purposes.
Dated this 20th day of November 1899.
CARPMAEL & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.
I, THOMAS PATTON SHAW, of No. 1260, Dorchester Street, in the City of
Montreal, in the District of Montreal, and Province of Quebec, Dominion of
Canada, Doctor of Medicine, 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: —
My invention relates particularly to heaters for heating water for domestic use
although the principal features thereof are applicable to advantage to the con-
struction of the furnaces of hot water systems for heating buildings, and the
object of the invention is to simplify the construction and increase the efficiency
of hot water heaters generally.
For full comprehension however of my invention reference must be had to the
accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification in which like symbols
indicate the same parts and wherein
Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of my improved water heater;
Figures 2 and 3 are transverse sectional views taken on lines 2, 2, and 3, 3,
Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a detail view of the connection of the tubes with their carrying
parts; and
Figure 5 is a similar view to Figure 1 but with my invention applied to a
furnace.
The casing is in the form of a drum having its top e, closed and of conical
form, and having a central opening d, with which the flow pipe communicates;
while a second opening e formed with a stuffing box f. is located adjacent to said
central opening, and an opening is provided near the lower end of its body
through which the feed water enters.
The lower end of the drum is flanged as at g, and has a casting of annular
dish form, bolted thereto through a flange . A diaphragm of truncated conical
form is secured at its periphery to the top of said casting, and has its central
opening of greater diameter than that of the inner divisional wall of the
casting, and arranged eccentrically thereof. An opening at one side of said
casting is connected by a pipe m to the chimney, and a branch a extending from
said pipe, is taken downwardly through the stuffing box to the interior of the
casing, as will be presently alluded to; said main and branch pipes being furnished
with dampers m¹ and n' respectively.
A flat annular diaphragm o has its periphery located between the flanges upon
the lower and upper edges of the drum and bottom casting respectively, the edge
of the opening p, in the diaphragm corresponding to that of the central opening
in the casting, with which opening it registers, the edge thereof resting upon the

page_text: upper edge of said wall k, while a series of circular openings 9 are cut through
said diaphragm.
A hollow head r, provided with vertical tubular passages plis located within and
a short distance from the upper end of the casing, and has in its bottom a central
flanged opening s of less diameter than the opening 2, and a series of circular
openings t, corresponding to the openings q, while the periphery thereto is
corrugated as at p³.
P
A tapered tube u connects the openings and s and a series of tubes elliptical
in cross section and having round ends connect the openings q and t together, (in
a manner to be presently described) while, the top of the hollow head has an
opening to the edge of which the end of the branch pipe n is connected.
These tubes are arranged with their elliptical portions tangential of the central
tube u, in order to allow a greater number of them to be set in place between said
tube and the surrounding casing and also to allow the heated gases to come into
closer relationship with the sides of the tubes, thereby allowing the gases to give
up their heat more rapidly to the water surrounding them. These tubes are secured
in place in the following manner:
The round ends thereof are exteriorly screw-threaded as at 2, and are coupled
by sleeves 3, having their interiors screw threaded, to short tubular sections 4
exteriorly screw threaded and extended into the openings q in the diaphragm o.
By connecting the tubes v in place in this manner, the ends thereof or the tubes
themselves can be readily renewed without trouble and at very small cost.
In the tubular sections are set nipples preferably of slightly conical form,
and, when jambed into place, serve the double purpose of expanding the lower
ends of the tubes and retaining them rigidly in place and at the same time
cutting down the area of the passage through said lower ends.
This sudden diminishment of the lower and exit ends of these passages has the
effect of converting what would otherwise be a direct passing current, into a
vibratory current, in said tubes, and thereby greatly increasing the heating
efficiency of this portion of the heater.
A conical hood 6 formed with a central vertical tubular portion 7 is set upon
the top of the head r, and encloses the upper ends of the passages p', the upper
end of the tubular portion 7 extending to within close proximity of the upper end
of the casing.
The diaphragm o, head r, and tubes u and constitute what I term the interior
heat distributing section, and the function thereof is to present the greatest
possible extent of heating surface within a water heater of given capacity, and as
shown in Figure 5 this heat distributing section can be applied with advantage
and without departing from the spirit of my invention, to the construction of
furnaces for hot water heating systems for buildings.
The heat generator I prefer to use is a removable gas burner supported in
this instance, upon legs y, and is located immediately beneath the lower end of the
tube u, although if desired other burners may be used.
In order to clear the section of water that will naturally collect owing to
sweating of the pipes, I make a depression 8 in the floor of said section h, and
connect the end of the tubular portion 9, of a trap consisting of a block 10
having a central vertical passage 11, communicating with said tube 9, and a series
of diagonal passages 12 communicating at their lower ends with the lower end of
passage 11.
It is obvious that any water tending to collect in the chamber h, will find its
way down the tube 9, and passage 11, flood the passages 12, overflow the edge and
run down the convex outside of the block and drip from the point 13. The water
flooding the passage 11 and diagonal passages obviously serving as a trap to
prevent the escape of any gases from the chamber h.
The circuits through my improved heater are as follows:-
The cold water enters at 61 and completely floods the interior of the drum from

page_text: the diaphragm o upwards, and envelopes the head and the tubes u and e, and the
inside of the hood and fills the space above it and the house pipes; while the
heated gases rise from the burner and pass upwardly through the tube u,
through the head r either directly through the branch pipe n to the chimney
connection, if the damper n be open, or from the head as will generally be the
case downwardly through the elliptical tubes v, around the diaphragm j and
through the pipe m to the chimney connection.
The hood has the effect of directing the heated water directly from the heat
distributing section through the body of colder water directly to the mouth of the
flow pipe, thus enabling hot water to be supplied within a few minutes.
My object in arranging the opening through the diaphragm eccentrically of
the wall is to provide a greater draught area at the side opposite to the chimney
connection, than adjacent thereto in order to equalize the draught which is
naturally stronger near said chimney connection.
It is obvious that any expansion or contraction of the parts within the casing
will be accommodated by the yielding connection, between the interior and
exterior parts, provided by the stuffing box f, under certain conditions the branch
pipen and stuffing box, can be dispensed with as for instance when the draught
is of sufficient strength to fulfil all requirements.
My object in making the tube tapered is to increase the direct heating near
the upper part of the heater.
As shown in Figure 5 in applying my heat distributing device to the con-
struction of a furnace the hood is dispensed with and the hollow head located near
the upper end of the casing. This is done for the reason that it is not necessary
to store a body of hot water, as is the case in a water heater for domestic purposes.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what J.
claim is:-
1. A heater consisting of a casing having an exit port at its upper end and a
diaphragm cutting off the lower portion of said casing; a hollow head located within
said casing a short distance from the top thereof; and having a series of vertical
passages therethrough a tubular connection extending from the lower end and
the exterior of the casing to an opening in the bottom of said hollow head; and a
series of pipes connecting openings in said diaphragm to corresponding openings
in the bottom of said head; substantially as described and for the purpose set
forth.
2. A heater consisting of a casing having exit and inlet ports; a diaphragm
cutting off the lower portion of said casing said lower portion being of annular
dish form; a hollow head located within said casing near the top thereof; a
tubular connection extending from the opening in said lower portion to a central
opening in the bottom of said hollow head; a series of pipes elliptical in cross
section and connecting a series of openings in said diaphragm to corresponding
openings in the bottom of said head, said elliptical pipes being arranged
tangentially of said central tubular section; substantially as described and for
the purpose set forth.
3. A heater consisting of a casing having exit and inlet ports, a diaphragm
cutting off the lower portion of said casing said lower portion being of annular
dish form, a hollow head located within said casing near the top thereof; a
tubular connection extending from the opening in said lower portion to a central
opening in the bottom of said hollow head; a series of pipes connecting a series
of openings in said diaphragm to corresponding openings in the bottom of said
head, a series of nipples located in the exit ends of said pipes; substantially as
described and for the purpose set forth.
4. A heater consisiting of a casing having exit and outer ports; a diaphragm
cutting off the lower portion of said casing said lower portion being of annular

page_text: dish form; a hollow head located within said casing near the top thereof; a
tubular connection extending from the opening in said lower portion to a central
opening in the bottom of said hollow head; a series of pipes elliptical in cross
section and connecting a series of openings in said diaphragm to corresponding
openings in the bottom of said head, said elliptical pipes being arranged
tangentially of said central tubular section; a series of nipples located in the
exit ends of said pipes; a pipe connected to the edge of an opening in the upper
side of said head and extending through an opening in the top of the casing to
the chimney connection; substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.
5. A heater comprising a series of tubular sections and means for connecting
said tubular sections to their carrying parts, consisting of an exteriorly screw
threaded short tubular section detachably connected to the carrying part in line
with the exteriorly screw-threaded end of the main tubular section, and an
interiorly screw threaded coupling sleeve for connecting said end of the main
tubular section to said short tubular section.
G. A heater consisting of a casing having flow and return connections; a
diaphragm cutting off the lower portion of said casing; said lower portion being
of annular dish form; a diaphragm of truncation conical form connected at its
edge to the top of said lower portion; a pipe leading from said lower portion to the
chimney connection; a hollow head located within said casing near the top
thereof, a tubular connection extending from the opening in said lower portion
to a central opening in the bottom of said hollow head; a series of pipes elliptical
in cross section and connecting a series of openings in said diaphragm to corre-
sponding openings in the bottom of said head said elliptical pipes being arranged
tangentially of said central tubular section; a branch pipe connected to the edge
of an opening in the upper side of said head and extending through an opening
in the top of the casing to the said first mentioned pipe; and a stuffing box
carried by said opening in the casing, substantially as described and for the
purpose set forth.
7. A heater consisting of a casing having flow and return connections; a
diaphragm cutting off the lower portion of said casing; said lower portion being
of annular dish form; a pipe leading from the said portion to the chimney
connection; a hollow head located within said casing near the top thereof, a
tubular connection extending from the opening in said lower portion to a central
opening in the bottom of said hollow head; a series of pipes elliptical in cross
section and connecting a series of openings in said diaphragm to corresponding
openings in the bottom of said head said elliptical pipes being arranged
tangentially of said central tubular section, a stuffing box, a branch
pipe connected to the edge of an opening in the upper side of said head and
extending through an opening in the top of the casing to the said first mentioned
pipe; a diaphragm of truncation conical form connected at its edge to the top
of said bottom portion; the opening through said diaphragm being eccentric of
and encircling said central tube; and a stuffing box carried by said opening in the
casing, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.
8. A water heater having a heat distributing device located a short distance
from the upper end thereof and a hood for conducting the heated water from
within close proximity to said heat distributing device to the upper end of said
heater.
9. In a heater the combination with the casing thereof and a pipe leading from
the interior to the exterior of said casing, of a flexible connection between said
pipe and the casing for the purpose set forth.
10. In a heater having tubular passages through the interior thereof, means
for abruptly diminishing the exit ends of said tubular passages for the purpose
set forth.
11. In a heater having tubular passages through the interior thereof, nipples
for abruptly diminishing the exit ends of said tubular passages substantially as
described and for the purpose set forth.

page_text: 12. A trap for the purpose set forth consisting of a block 10 having a central
tubular extension 9, a vertical passage 11, communicating with said tubular
extension 9, and a series of passages 12, and the underside of said block being of
convex form terminating in a central point 13 substantially as described.
Dated this 27th day of November 1899.
CARPMAEL & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.