IMPROVEMENTS IN HEATING APPARATIIS.
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Rundle, of Shipley, in the County of York,
Heating Apparatus Maker, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN HEATING
APPARATIIS.
"
Sealed the 6th August 1878, and dated the 28th May 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Rundle at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th May 1878.
RICHARD RUNDLE, of Shipley, in the County of York, Heating Apparatus
Maker. "IMPROVEMENTS IN HEATING APPARATUS."
The object of this Invention is to construct a high-pressure circulating boiler for
houses and buildings of larger dimensions, from which the water can at any time
be withdrawn and refilled when required.
I accomplish the above object in the following manner:-I construct an upright
boiler, composed of strong wrought-iron hydraulic tubes, with the ends welded up
and connected together by means of tubes of smaller diameters, tees, and elbows of
great strength. This series of pipes when in position form two sides of a triangle,
in order to utilize all the heat rising from the fire at the base of such triangle.
Into the main pipe I insert a stop tap, having outlets on both sides. This stop tap
is to cut off the communication between the outlets at such times as it is necessary
to empty or refill the boiler with water, and is composed of a centre spindle
terminating in a material of compressable substance. Over this spindle is place a
cap, which on screwing down on to the spindle closes the passage through
the tap.
When the apparatus is at work this spindle is withdrawn and the cap
When boiler
placed on the top of the tap, thus preventing the escape of water.
is at rest, and it is desirable to draw off the water for any purpose whatever, the
spindle is taken out and a small rotary force pump, an appendage of each boiler, is

page_text: set to work to draw out the water. This pump is also so arranged as to fill the
boiler when required.
The boiler is very compact in form, and will be the means of saving a large per-
centage of fuel as compared with ordinary water heaters in general use.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Richard Rundle in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 28th
November 1878.
RICHARD RUNDLE, of Shipley, Heating Apparatus Maker.
HEATING APPARATUS."
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
The object of this Invention is to construct a high-pressure circulating boiler for
houses and buildings of large dimensions, from which the water can at any time be
withdrawn and refilled when required.
I accomplish my object in the following' manner:-I construct an upright boiler
composed of strong wrought-iron hydraulic tubes, the ends of which are welded up
or reduced in diameter. The ends of these tubes are connected together by means
of tubes of smaller diameter coupled to tees and elbows of great strength. This
series of pipes when in position form two sides of a triangle, the apex of which is
perpendicular over the fire in order to utilize all the heat arising from the fire at
the base of such triangle. Into the main return pipes of the apparatus, near to the
bottom of the triangle and at each side of the same, I insert a stop tap, having
outlets formed on both sides of the plug spindle of the tap; these outlets may be
formed in the pipes immediately on each side of the said tap, for the purpose to be
herein-after described. These stop taps, inserted in the main return pipes as
described, are to cut off the communication between the outlets at such times when
it is necessary to empty or refill the boiler with water. The taps are composed of
a centre spindle, which is covered from one end, about half its length, with a com-
pressable material, such as vulcanited india-rubber. On the other half of the
spindle is fitted a collar, which is free to slide on the spindle, and when the spindle
with its coating is placed in the body of the tap the material is compressed by
screwing a cap on the body of the tap, which presses the sliding collar down the
centre spindle and compresses the material and closes the passages through
the tap.
When the apparatus is at work the spindle is withdrawn from each tap, and a cap
is screwed on the end of each tap, thus giving a free and uninterrupted channel for
the return water to flow into the bottom of the boiler.
The water is heated in passing from the bottom to the top of the boiler, where I
form the outlet or flow, to which is coupled the pipes that run through the building.
On these pipes, at the highest point in the circulation, and immediately before the
water returns to the boiler, I fix in a vertical position one or more air vessels or
expansion pipes. These air vessels, fixed in the position named, prevent the possi-

page_text: bility of any very high pressure being obtained in the pipes and boiler, in con-
sequence of the major portion of the heat being radiated from the water contained
in the pipes in circulating round the building.
When it is desired to fill the boiler with water I replace the spindle in the tap,
and connect a small rotary pump or the water main to the bottom opening of the
boiler, through which the water is forced into the boiler and through the pipes, the
air being driven before the water escapes out of the upper opening; thus by these
means I am enabled to fill the boiler and pipes with water, and discharge all the air
therefrom, except the air in the air vessels or expansion pipes, which is required for
a cushion when the water is heated.
When the boiler and pipes are full of water the openings are made good and the
spindles withdrawn from each tap, as before described, then the boiler is ready
for use.
Such being the nature and object of this my Invention, I will now proceed to
describe the same in detail, and in order that the same may be fully understood, I
have hereunto annexed one Sheet of Drawings, and have marked the same with
letters of reference.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved heating apparatus with the brick-
work and fire-grate removed; Figure 2 is a front view of the same.
Figure 3 is a section of my improved tap with the plug removed and the cap
screwed in position.
Figure 4 is a section of the spindle and plug.
In all the Figures similar letters represent similar parts.
The main tubes of the boiler are indicated by the letter A. These tubes are
welded at the ends B, or the bore reduced to such a diameter that the small con-
necting pipes C can be secured therein. These connecting pipes C are also secured
to the tees and elbows D, which are dowelled together, and thus each line of tees
and elbows form a continuous pipe. At the bottom or base of each series of pipes
forming the triangle I attach a pipe, which projects through the brickwork, and on
the ends of the said pipes I secure tees E, E; to the branch from each of the said
tees I secure my improved tap H; an enlarged view is shewn in section in
Figure 3; to the other end of each of the taps H, I secure another tee J, J. To
these tees I attach the return circulating pipes K, K.
At the top of the apparatus I branch the flow circulating pipes L, L, and conduct
the same through the building it is desired to warm. On the circulating pipes in
the building, and at the highest point of the same from the boiler, I attach in a
vertical position one or more air vessels or expansion pipes M on each circulating
pipe. By fixing the air vessels M in the position described I prevent any great
pressure of steam forming in the pipes, in consequence of the distance of the air
vessels M from the boiler. The heat contained in the water radiates from the
pipes into the room or rooms, so that by the time the water arrives at the air
vessels M the water is much reduced in temperature, therefore it does not contain
the heat to raise steam to a high pressure, and thus the danger of bursting the
boiler or circulating pipes is reduced to a minimum.
The tees E, E, and J, J, at each side of the taps H are for the purpose of filling
or emptying the boiler and circulating pipes. When it is desired to fill the boiler
and pipes I insert the plug shewn in Figure 4 into the tap H, and screw the cap P
on the end of the tap, which presses the sliding collar Qon the spindle R towards
the bottom of the tap, and compresses the india-rubber or other flexible material R¹
until the same fills up the openings or passages through the tap. The covers or
caps S are then taken off the ends of the tees E, E, and J, J; and to the tees E, E,
I connect a small rotary pump or the water mains, by which means I fill the boiler
and circulating pipes with water from the bottom of the boiler, and force the air
contained therein out of the boiler and pipes, which makes its escape through the
openings in tees J, J. When the boiler is filled with water and the caps S screwed
in position on the tees E, E, and J, J, I withdraw the plug from the tap H, and

page_text: screw the cap P on the end of the tap. I then obtain a free and uninterrupted
passage for the return water into the bottom of the boiler.
The fire for heating the water is placed between the two sides of the triangle, at
the base of the same; the heat rising from the fire impinges on the diagonal pipes A,
the water therein, which flows to the apex and through the pipes L, which are
connected to the circulating pipes in the building, through which the water flows,
and returns through the taps H to the bottom of the boiler.
Having now described the nature of my Invention and the manner in which I
carry the same into effect, I wish it to be distinctly understood that I do not con-
fine myself to the precise details herein described and delineated, as the same may
be varied without departing from the peculiar characteristic nature of my Invention,
but that what I believe to be novel and original, and claim as the Invention secured
to me by the herein-before recited Letters Patent is,―
The arrangement and combination of a series of tubes fitted together and placed
over the fire in a triangular form, for the purpose herein-before described. These
tubes are in connection with the circulating pipes in the buildings, which pipes are
fitted with one or more air vessels, substantially in the manner herein-before
described.
The arrangement of a tap and plug used in combination with the before-
mentioned tubes, substantially for the purpose herein-before described. .
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Rundle, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of November, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
Witness,
JOHN WAUGH,
Engineering and Patent Offices,
Bradford,
Yorks.
RICHARD RUNDLE. (LS)