IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR HEATING FOOT- WARMERS to be as follows
Year: 1884

page_text: I WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London in the County of Middlesex do hereby declare the
nature of said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR HEATING FOOT-
WARMERS to be as follows:-
"1
This invention relates to apparatus for heating foot warmers used in railway
carriages and particularly those in which acctate of soda is employed.
In carrying the said invention into practice I provide a heating boiler preferably
in the form of a cylinder and composed of sheet iron. The lower part of the said
boiler is closed and the upper part is provided with a movable lid with or without
hinges. This lid is held in its position by means of a rod, the upper extremity of
which is provided with a screw-thread, whereas the lower extremity is a shaft
moving upon two small bearings fixed to the apparatus. The screw-threaded
portion of the said rod passes between two branches of a U-shaped iron fixed to
the above mentioned lid or cover, and can be tightened thereupon by means of a
thumb screw. This mode of fixing may be modified as desired.
The lid or cover is made water-tight by causing the bent down edges of the
said lid to enter a recess formed between the cylinder and a circular plate placed
at a small distance from the former; at the bottom of this recess is placed a
packing of flax, india-rubber, or the like.
The cylinder is provided internally with a casing having perforated partitions
between which are placed the different foot-warmers, this casing is movable so that
all the foot-warmers may be withdrawn at the same time.
A more rapid reheating of the foot warmers is obtained, when the above boiler
and its contents are placed in a vertical position than when they are in a horizontal
position. In the former case the introduction and withdrawal of the said foot-
warmers necessitate the use of a hoist or lift which renders the apparatus more
complicated, and causes the manipulation of the foot warmers to occupy a much
longer time. When the apparatus is placed in a horizontal position the intro-
duction and withdrawal of the foot warmers are easier to perforin than when it is
placed in a vertical position, but the reheating operation occupies a longer time.
ID C31

page_text: In order to obviate the inconveniences resulting from the two above mentioned
positions of the boiler and of the foot-warmers, the said apparatus may be
provided with two journals and suspended so as to be able to swing to and fro.
These two journals are partially hollow one serving for the admission of steam and
the other as an outlet for the condensed water.
When it is required to introduce the foot-wariners into the apparatus the same is
placed in a horizontal or slightly inclined position, and when tho said foot-warmers
have been introduced the apparatus is allowed to resume its vertical position which
is the best for the rapid reheating of the said foot warmers, tho lid or cover is
then put on and steam introduced. When it is required to withdraw the said foot
warmers the apparatus is placed again in a horizontal position. The journals are
only partially hollow their apertures being closed at a certain point A pipe
conveys the steam from the boiler to one of the journals and another pipe conveys
the condensed water from the bottom of the said boiler to the other journal. The
apertures of the said journals need not be closed but may be connected with the
boiler; the steam would then be introduced directly into the said boiler and
the above mentioned steam pipe could be dispensed with, whereas a pipe may be
placed in the boiler so as to reach the bottom thereof, and serve for the removal of
the condensed water. The former arrangement however is preferable.
"
The above swinging boiler may be actuated by hand or by means of a worm and
a toothed wheel fixed upon one of the journals or by any other suitable means.
The steam does not proceed directly from the generator in which the pressure
varies and is generally too high to permit the apparatus to operate properly.
Between the generator and the boilers containing the foot warmers is placed a
vessel provided with a regulating valve, in which vessel the pressure is always
uniform. This is indispensable in order to obtain a regular reheating of the foot-
wariners which may be completed in an uniform and determined space of time.
The condensed water is used for feeding the steam-generator, being introduced
in the following manner that is to say. Above the steain-generator are placed two
closed vessels which can be alternately put into communication with the reheating
boilers by means of a condensed water pipe so that when one of the said closed
vessels is filled with condensed water, its connection with the boilers may be broken.
The cock which connects its lower part to the steam generator is then opened
whereby steam from the said generator is allowed to pass to the top of the said
closed vessel thus forcing the condensed water into the steam generator after
which the said cock is closed, a communication being again established between the
same vessel and the boilers. This operation is repeated whenever required.
It is necessary that the pressure in the above mentioned closed vessel should be
lower than the tension in the boilers in order to permit the condensed water to
travel from the said boilers to the said closed vessels; cocks can be arranged on the
latter to permit the escape of steam for this purpose.
Instead of injecting steam at a regular pressure into the said boilers the said
steam may be caused to pass through a coil placed in the boiler, this coil being
immersed in water. If the boilers are placed at a certain height above the
generator, the use of vessels designed to collect the condensed water serving
subsequently for the feeding of the generator may be dispensed with; in this case
the boilers must be provided with safety valves in order to avoid too high a
pressure in the saine, these safety valves also cause the temperature to remain
constant and thus permit the reheating operation to be performed in a given
time.
In order to prevent the loss of the hot water contained in the boilers, this water
may, at the close of the reheating operation and whilst the pressure is still on, bo
caused to pass in a receptacle placed a little above the reheating boilers; at the
next operation the hot water thus stored is conveyed back into the boilers.
This arrangement is especially applicable to swinging boilers. When the boilers
are, fixed and in a vertical position the hot water can, without inconvenience, be
7

page_text: left in the boiler during the operation of introducing or withdrawing the foot
warmers.
In swinging boilers it is suflicient to raise the lid or cover, the foot-warmers
being then easily withdrawn. In fixed vertical boilers the lid or cover must be
raised higher than in inclined boilers or must be provided with a hinge or joint in
order to permit the introduction and withdrawal of the foot-warmeis.
Apparatus provided with fixed vertical boilers may be placed in a pit in order
to avoid having to lift the foot-warmers too high when either introducing or
withdrawing them; these foot-warmers may be withdrawn one after the other by
hand or by means of a hoist or lift, or they may be all withdrawn at the same
tine by means of any suitable contrivance such as differential pulleys either fixed
or movable on rails; when all the foot warmers are raised at the same time the
perforated partitions containing them and the boilers are as above described fixed
to a movable casing.
Instead of heating the boilers containing a certain quantity of water by means
of coils in which steam is caused to pass, they may be heated by a fire, the boilers
being similar in every other respect to those above described. This arrangement
would be more economical for stations where the traffic is small, the erection of a
steam boiler would be unnecessary and expensive.

page_text: I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine Lake & Co Patent Agents
Southampton Buildings London, in the County of Middlesex do hereby declare the
nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR HEATING FOOT-
WARMERS 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 apparatus for heating foot-warmers used in railway
carriages and particularly those in which acetate of soda is employed.
In the accompanying drawings —
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of apparatus constructed according to this
invention and fixed.
Figure 2 is a similar view of apparatus mounted upon journals.
Figure 3 is a plan of the same; and
Figure 4 is a sido elevation.
Figure 5 shows the arrangement for utilizing the water of condensation for
feeding the steam boiler.
Figures 6 and 7 are views of apparatus for heating the foot-warmers by means
of water heated by steam coils.
Figure 8 is a view of a modification hereinafter described.
According to the said invention I provide a heating boiler or vessel A preferably
in the form of a cylinder and composed of sheet iron. The said boiler at the
lower part is closed, and at the upper part is provided with a movable lid B with
or without hinges.
This lid is held in position by means of rods or bolts a, the upper extremities
of which are provided with screw-threads while the lower extremities are pivotted
on studs b supported in lugs c fixed to the vessel A. The screw-threaded portions
of the said rods a pass between the branches of a U-shaped iron d fixed to the lid.
Thumb-nuts e are provided, by means of which the said rods or bolts d are held in
position. This mode of fixing may be modified as desired.
The lid B is hermetically sealed by causing its edges to enter a recess formed
between the vessel A and a circular plate fixed at a small distance from the
former; at the bottom of this recess is placed a packing ring g of flax, India rubber
or the like.
The vessel or boiler A is provided internally with a casing having perforated
partitions C, between which the foot-warmers are placed; the said casing is
movable so that all the foot-warmers can be withdrawn at the same time.
By placing the foot-warmers in a vertical position, the heating is effected more
rapidly than when they occupy a horizontal position; in the former case, however,
the introduction and withdrawal of the said foot-warmers necessitates the use of a
hoist or lift which renders the apparatus complicated, and causes the manipulation
of the foot-warmers to occupy a much longer time.
When the apparatus is arranged so that the foot-warmers lie in a horizontal
position, the introduction and withdrawal of the said foot-wariners are easier to
¡erform than when arranged vertically, but the heating operation takes longer.
In order to obviate the inconveniences resulting from the above mentioned fixed
positions of the vessel A and the corresponding positions of the foot-warmers, the
said vessel may be provided with journals O, O', Figures 2, 3 and 4, by which it is
suspended so as to permit of being turned thereon.

page_text: These two journals are hollow; the journal O serves for the admission of steam
and the journal O¹ as an outlet for the water of condensation.
For introducing foot-warmers into the apparatus, the latter is placed in a
horizontal, or slightly inclined, position, and when this operation has taken place.
the apparatus is allowed to resume its vertical position, which is the best for the
rapid heating of the said foot warmers; the lid is then put on and steam introduced.
When it is required to withdraw the said foot-warmers, the apparatus is again.
placed in a horizontal position.
The apertures in the journals do not extend to the boiler or vessel A, being
preferably closed at ii. A pipe t conveys the steam from the journal O to the
vessel A and the pipe conveys the water of condensation from the bottom of the
said vessel to the other journal O¹. The apertures of the said journals need not
be closed at ii; in this case the steam is introduced directly into the boiler, and
the tube can be dispensed with while a tube for the removal of the water may be
placed in the vessel A so as to reach the bottom thereof; these tubes are provided,
if necessary, with flexible connections in order to permit the swinging motion of
tho boiler A.
The above swinging boiler may be actuated by hand or by means of a worm
and a toothed wheel fixed upon one of the journals or by any other suitable
means.
In the improved apparatus the steam does not proceed directly from the boiler
or generator G, in which the pressure varies and is generally too high to permit¸
the apparatus to operate properly, for between the generator and the boilers or
vessels A A¹ Figure 5, containing the foot warmers, is placed a vessel provided with
a regulating valve V, in which vessel the pressure is always uniformn. This is
indispensable in order to obtain a regular heating of all the foot-wariners in the
same space of time according to the pressure in the intermediate regulating vessel
which is found most suitable in practice.
The water of condensation utilized for feeding the steam generator, is introduced
in the following manner, that is to say-Above the steam generator G Figure 5,
are placed two closed vessels D D¹ which can be alternately put in communication
with the heating vessels A, A, A, and with the steam generator G by means of the
pipe for the removal of the water of condensation, so that when one of the said
vessels D, D', for instance the vessel D, is filled with water of condensation its
communication with the heating boilers A A' may be cut off. The cock which
connects its lower part with the steam generator G is then opened, and steam from
the said generator is allowed to pass to the top of the said closed vessel; thus
enabling the water of condensation to flow into the steam generator.
When the communication between the vessel D and the heating boiler A is
interrupted, that between the vessel D' and the heating boilers A, A, is opened;
in this manner the vessel D' receives the water of condensation whilst the water
collected in the vessel D enters the boiler G as aforesaid. It is necessary that the
pressure in the vessels D D' should be lower than that in the vessels A A¹, in order
to permit the water of condensation to pass from the said vessels A, A¹, to the
vessels D D. Cocks can be arranged on the latter to permit the escape of steam
for this purposc.
Instead of injecting into the heating boilers A, steam whose regular pressure and
consequent regular temperature are inaintained by means of a regulating valve
(which permits a more or less variable pressure to be maintained in the steam
generator and a higher temperature than that which is required in the heating
boilers A without providing these vessels with valves which have to be continually.
regulated) the steam, as shown in Figures 6 and 7 (the former representing an.
apparatus with a swinging vessel A and the latter a fixed vessel) coming directly
from the generator may be caused to pass through a coil S placed in the heating
vessel A which contains a certain quantity of water in which the said coil is.
immersed.

page_text: If the heating vessels are placed at a sufficient height above the generator as
shown, the use of vessels designed to collect the water of condensation which
serves subsequently for feeding the generator, may be dispensed with, as the water
will pass automatically back to the generator; in this case, however, the heating
vessel A must be provided with a safety valve in order to avoid too high a pressure
in the said vessel; this safety valve also causes the temperature to remain constant
and thus permits the heating operation to be performed in a given time.
In order to prevent the loss of the hot water contained in the heating vessels,
this water may, at the close of the heating operation and whilst the pressure is
still on, be caused to pass into a receptacle placed a little above the heating boilers;
at the next operation the hot water thus stored is conveyed back into the boilers.
This arrangement is especially applicable to swinging boilers, Figure 6.
When the boilers are fixed and in a vertical position, Figure 7, the hot water
can, without inconvenience, be left in the heating vessel during the operation of
introducing or withdrawing the foot-warmers.
In swinging boilers it is sufficient to raise the lid a short distance and to turn
the heating vessel into an inclined position, the foot-warmers being then easily
withdrawn. In fixed vertical boilers, however, the lid must be raised higher than
in inclined boilers, or must be provided with a hinge joint in order to permit the
introduction or withdrawal of the foot-warmers.
Apparatus provided with fixed vertical boilers may be placed in a pit in order to
avoid having to lift the footwarmers too high when either introducing or with-
drawing them; these foot-warmers can also be withdrawn one after the other by
hand, or by means of a hoist or lift as shewn in Figure 8, or they may be all
withdrawn at the same time by means of any suitable contrivance, such as
differential pulleys either fixed or movable on rails; when all the foot-warmers are
raised at the same time the casing with the perforated partitions placed in the
heating vessel is movable.
Instead of heating the vessel containing a certain quantity of water by means of
a coil through which steam is caused to pass, it may be exposed to the-direct action
of a fire as shewn in Figure 8, the other parts of the apparatus being similar in
every respect to those above described. This arrangement would be advantageous
for stations where the traffic is small and the erection of a steam boiler would be
unnecessary and expensive.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is-
First. The apparatus herein-before described for heating the foot-warmers used in
railway carriages, and especially those in which acetate of soda is employed.
Second. The arrangement of the foot-warmers in a vessel provided with partitions
and closed hermetically, and in which steam is allowed to circulate, the said vessel
being either vertical, horizontal or inclined and either fixed or swinging.
Third. The combination of a swinging boiler mounted upon journals serving for
the admission of steam and the egress of the water of condensation, this boiler being
placed in a vertical position during the heating, and being capable of assuming a
horizontal or inclined position for the insertion or withdrawal, of the foot-warmers.
Fourth. The employment of solid journals and of flexible pipes for supplying the
boilers with steam and removing the water of condensation.
Fifth. The employment of a pressure-regulating vessel in which the steam from
the generator expands in order that the heating boilers should always have an
uniform temperature so as to perform the heating operation in a determined space
of time and obtain a maximum amount of heat.
Sixth. The general arrangement of the apparatus by means of which a continuous
circulation is obtained without any loss of water of condensation, the same being
employed for the feeding of the steam generator,

page_text: Seventh. The modification of the heating apparatus, wherein the heating boiler
is supplied with water, which is heated by means of a steam coil arranged at the
bottom of the boiler or by a fire, tho said boiler being either movable upon its
journals or fixed, substantially as described.
Dated this 14th day of October 1884
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
For the Applicant.