Apparatus for Heating Apartments and Conveying Regulated Supply of Vapour to Green- houses, &c.; Machinery for the Manufacture of Stoves
Year: 1838

page_text: Air Stoves; Apparatus for Heating Apartments and
Conveying Regulated Supply of Vapour to Green-
houses, &c.; Machinery for the Manufacture of
Stoves.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JEHIEL
FORBES NORTON, late of Manchester in the County of Lancaster, but now of
Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Merchant, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West-
minster, the Eighth day of October, in the second year of Her reign, did for
Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said Jehiel Forbes
Norton, my exors, adiñors, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Jehiel
Forbes Norton, my exors, admors, and assigns, should at any time agree with
and no others, from time to time and at all times during the term of years
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick upon Tweed, the Invention
of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN STOVES OR FURNACES, AND IN INSTRUMENTS OF
APPARATUS FOR MAKING THE SAME;" in which said Letters Patent is contained
a proviso that I, the said Jehiel Forbes Norton, shall cause a particular
description of the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, to be
inrolled in Her Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent,
as by reference to the same will more fully appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Jehiel Forbes Norton, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and
the manner in which the same is to be performed, are fully described and
ascertained by the following Specification thereof, reference being had to the
Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked thereon.
For the sake of distinctness I have placed the before-mentioned improvement
under eight distinct heads, namely:-
:-.
The first head consists of a novel construction of stove or furnace, which
I denominate "Norton's Patent Single Pillar Air Stove;" its construction
(without regard to ornament) is represented by the diagrams marked Figures
1, 2, and 3, whereof Figure 1 is a vertical and diametrical section; Figure 2
represents a horizontal section (or plan) through Figure 1, as shewn thereon by
the dotted line a, b; and Figure 3 is another section through the same line a, b,
but with the valves or dampers differently positive.
(Note.) The same letters of reference wherever they occur indicate the same
parts, though differently viewed. c, c, c, represents the innermost cylinder, made
of wrought or cast iron; d, d, is the grating; e, e, is a cylindrical pot of fire clay,
between the walls of which, forming the fire chamber-f, is deposited the fuel for
combustion; is a drawer to receive the ashes that drop from the grate, which
slides between the guide pieces in the base h, h; i, i,. is the aperture for carrying
off' the smoke and vapour to the chimney; and are two throttle valve dampers.
for regulating the currents of draft; is another similar valves, the use of which
will presently be noticed; m, m, are small tale windows for inspecting the fire;
n, a cap having an aperture in the centre for supplying or managing the fire in
f, which aperture is provided with a close lid o, and a conical shoot t, for direct-
ing the course of the fuel. At p, p, p, p, is an intermediate cylinder fixed con-
centrically around the innermost cylinder and at a few inches apart therefrom,
so as to form an annular space or chamber q, q, through which a column of the
cold or external air ascends, and in its passage becomes warmed before it is dis-
charged through apertures at the top of the stove into the apartments;
r, r, r, r, is the external cylinder fixed concentrically around the intermediate
cylinder and at a few inches apart therefrom, so as to form another annular space
or chamber s, s, for the reception and circulation of the heated air and smoke
emanating from the fire chamber before it enters the chimney; air is admitted
through a small draft hole in the front of the Drawing (as expressed by dotted
lines), through which hole a poker is at times introduced for raking the fire
bars.
The various parts of the stove being thus explained, its action will be easily
understood upon igniting the fuel in the chamber f; the valves or dampers j, k,

page_text: cur-
should be opened (the latter k may be always partially open) in order that the
smoke and vapour may proceed direct to the chimney. A rarefaction of the
air contained in the annular chamber 7, 7, now commences, and as that air
ascends, it is replaced by cold air entering at the bottom; and a
rent of air will continue to ascend and circulate in the apartment so long as the
fire lasts, or the 'stove is warmer than the external air. The position of the
valves when the stove is only employed in the manner just described, is repre-
sented in the diagram, Figure 2. But when it is desired to encrease the
temperature of the apartment, the valve ; may be partially or wholly closed, and
the valve be partially or wholly opened, as shewn in Figure 3. Herein the
valvej is shewn as quite closed, consequently the smoke and heated air cannot
pass, as before noticed, direct to the chimney, but proceeds out of the fire
chamber through the partially opened valve into the annular chamber or "hot
air jackets, s, through which it circulates, as indicated by the arrows on
Figure 3, before it proceeds to the chimney through the short pipe i, i.
By this arrangement it will be obvious to the reader that a very extensive
heated surface is brought into effective operation, as all the six sides (inside and
outside) of the three concentric cylinders are employed to receive and transmit
the caloric to the atmosphere of the room; and it appears that all the available
heat that can be obtained from a given quantity and kind of fuel is thus
acquired, and that a wholesome and continuous circulation of warm air is
thus maintained. I claim as original in this stove, first, the general combi-
nation of the parts described; but in particular, second the hot air jackets, r,
by which is obtained a greater extent of heating surface in a single air stove of
given dimensions than has heretofore been constructed. Third, the arrangement
of the parts of the furnace, by which is obviated the ordinary necessity of a fire
door at the front or the side of the stove, the downward draught being sufli-
ciently powerful to prevent the egress of the smoke, &c. even when the
lid o is removed.
The second head of improvements consists of a new arrangement of apparatus
for warming apartments, and which I denominate "Norton's Patent Treble
Pillar Air Stove with Descending Flue;" a, b, c, are the three pillars, connected at
their upper ends by collars d, e, in which are placed valves or dampers f, g, and
at the lower ends by corresponding collars h, i; j is the ash pan; k, the fire grate,
in which the fuel is deposited through a charging door at w; 1, the fuel chamber
surrounded by a fire clay pot m, m, and having at the front and back an aperture
guarded by vertical iron bars n, which are at pleasure closed externally by an iron
door, in which are apertures covered with plates of tale, for inspecting the fire.
By the combustion of the fuel, the chamber o becomes charged with heated air,

page_text: which proceeds on each side through the collars d, e, and circulates between
the annular chambers p, p, q, q, formed by the concentric cylinders in the
pillars b, c. Hence the two currents of heated matters proceed in the direction
represented by the arrows through the lower collars h, i, under the ash drawer;
and uniting at 1, they go down the descending flue s, connected with a pipe or
chimney. In this stove the cold air enters at the bottom of the central
cylinders v, w, and ascends (as shown by the arrows) through the same-in a
continuous current. In some cases I modify the arrangement of the 'lower
part of the last described stove in the manner represented in Figure 5. Instead
of employing the connecting collars h, i, to conduct the heated air into the
chamber under the ash pan, as in Figure 4, the heated air descends direct from
the annular chambers P. P. and q, q, into one extended liollow base or chamber-
r,r,, under the drawer j; and uniting in the middle of this chambers they descend
the pipes leading to the chimney. The upper ends of the chambers v'and u,
have in all cases perforated covers, one of which is shewn in section in its place
over v, and the other is shewn in plan over u. In this last described apparatus
I claim the parts represented at h and i; also the part represented below the ash
drawer at r, in Figure 4. By this arrangement it will be seen that I effect a
coniplete and effectual circulation of the products of combustion, bringing them
into contact with the most minute parts of the apparatus, so as to make the whole
structure available in heating the apartment wherein it is placed: I also claim
the modification delineated in Figure 5 as wholly new.
The third head of improvements consists of another modification of a tripar
tite stove, which 1 denominate Norton's Patent Three Pillar Air Stove,"
adapted to ascending flues. The three pillars are shewn at a, b, c, in Figure 6.
The centre one at a has its fire-place d, its grating at e, and ash pan at f g is
the hot air chamber, from which flow the heated gases in opposite directions
through certain compartments (herein-after explained) in the short. pipes h, i,
into the conical annular chamber j,j, and k, k, around which they are caused to
circulate and give out their heat by means of interposing partitions or guide
pieces, properly disposed to attain that object; after thus circulating through
the apparatus, they pass off though another distinct compartment in the pipes
h, i, into a short horizontal pipe leading to the chimney. The pipes employed
for receiving the cold air in ordinary air stoves are cylindrical or parallel sided,
but I find it advantageous to give them an expanding figure, and without
presenting any angles or projections to interrupt the current, as represented by
the frustrums of cones land m, in the Figure. The compartments in the short
pipes h and i, before alluded to, I will now explain with reference to Figure 7,
which exhibits a horizontal section through the line a, z, drawn at Figure 6.

page_text: The sixth head of improvements consists in an apparatus for receiving the
heated air and smoke from any kind of stove situated in an apartment under-
neath, (or it may be on the same level contiguous thereto,) and in employing the
heat obtained therefrom in warming other apartments, instead of wasting the
same, as is usually done by throwing it into the atmosphere. This apparatus I
denominate "Norton's Patent Calorific Air Drum," of which I have given a
vertical section in the diagram marked Figure 9. At a is the pipe which con-
ducts the heated matters into the external or hot air drum; b, b, which surrounds
concentrically the cold air drum c, c. From b, b, the heated air, &c., passes
upward through a series of pipes d, d, d, d, (having externally the appearance-
of ornamental pillars) into a smaller drum e above. At f, f, are two smaller
pipes, open at both ends, through which the cold air of the apartment ascends
into the internal drum c, c, the air in which becomes warmed, owing to its being
surrounded by a jacket of hot air and smoke in b, b. In the top of the drum.
c, there is a central hole g, which conducts the now warmed air into the apart-
ment, while the heated air, &c., in the drum e escapes either through the pipe
h into another similar apparatus to that just described, placed in an apartment
above, or laterally through a pipe at i, into a contiguous chimney. The diagram
marked Figure 10 is a plan or horizontal section, and is sufficiently elucidatory
of itself.
My claim under this sixth head of improvements consists, first, in the peculiar
form of this heating apparatus, by which an upper and a lower hot air chamber
are connected by a series of pipes, whose outsides are exposed to the action of
the air in the apartment, &c., where it may be placed; and, second, in the lower
hot air chamber having within it a cold air chamber, as expressed c, c.
The seventh head of improvements consists in an improved apparatus for
conveying regulated quantities of aqueous moisture to any apartment, but
especially to greenhouses, hothouses, and such like. This apparatus I denomi-
nate Norton's Patent Vapour Meter for Greenhouses, &c." A section of
this little apparatus is given by Figure 11, and an elevation of the same by
Figure 12, which shows that the top or cover is perforated. a is a vase con-
taining water, the hollow base of which is supposed to be placed over the hot
air chamber of a stove. b is a metallic tube, open at both ends, passing through
the centre of the vase vertically, and soldered or secured in a water-tight manner
to the bottom thereof. c is a hollow plunger accurately fitting the tube b, so as
to slide therein without the application of much force, or it may have a stein
above, cut into a screw with a nut, supporting the plunger by means of a cross bar
over the tube b. By raising or depressing this plunger, it will be observed that
more or less of the external copper tube is acted upon by the hot air underneath,

page_text: Ath and i are the short pipes connecting the cylinders b, c, with the hot air
chamber g. At m and n are the partitions before mentioned, which divides each
short pipe into the compartments p, q. To that edge of each partition m, n,
that is next to the hot air chamber, a flap valve o is connected, so jointed thereto
as to permit the flap to close either of the compartments on each side of the
partitions. The position of this valve in h.shows that the current of heated
matters must pass around the annulus j, before they can enter the horizontal
flue leading to the chimney. For the sake of illustration, the valve o in the
other connecting pipe, is shown in the reverse position, which causes the current
of heated matters to proceed directly to the horizontal tube that leads to the
chimney... In each of the horizontal tubes there is placed a throttle valve r, in
which are made two apertures, as a security against the mismanagement or
negligence of persons entirely cutting off egress to the chimney. In this
apparatus, represented by Figures 6 and 7, I claim, as original and useful the
following parts; viz, the peculiar construction or mechanism contained in the
connecting pipes h and i, as above described and as particularly illustrated by
Figure 7; also the conical form of the cold air chamber I and m.
The fourth head of improvements consists of a simpler arrangement of an air
stove, and which I denominate "Norton's Patent Double Pillar Air Stove."
Its construction is in all respects the same as that described under Figure 6,
when the third cylinder c is taken away and the aperture leading from 9 is closed
up; this is sufficiently explained by the red ink lines and inscription in the
Figure.
My claims under this fourth head is the connecting pipe or collar h and
the arrangement of the partition and valve o therein, and in the form of
the cold air chamber 7.
The fifth head of improvements consists in a grating of a peculiar construc-
tion. It is represented by Figure 8, and consists of a combination of bars
connected to a circular rim, excepting the middle portion of the said bars, which
constitutes a trap door, supported on one side by gudgeons at a, a, which turn in
grooves made in, the rim, while the other side is supported by the extremity of
a bolt, which upon being drawn back, allows the trap door to fall down and the
fuel to drop into the ash pan; and what little fuel may remain on the fixed
segments of, the bars on each side of the trap, are readily pushed down the trap
hole with a poker. This improved grating for closed fire-places has been designed
purposely to obviate the great inconvenience and difficulty of removing the ashes
and: refuse, fuel that has been experienced in gratings of the ordinary form.
The employment of a trap door in the grating is an important improvement in
grates of the kind described, and is herein especially claimed as new and useful.

page_text: and that consequently the water which is in the other side of the tube will be
evaporated in a corresponding degree. By this apparatus combined with one of
my patent stoves, a very high temperature may be obtained without lessening the
moisture of the atmosphere.
My claim in this Invention consists in the employment of a metallic tube and
plunger, to regulate the supply of moisture to the atmosphere without increasing or
diminishing the fire in the stove.
The eighth head consists in improved instruments for facilitating the manu-
facture of. the stoves described, which instruments are also applicable to the
manufacture of other kinds of stoves and to various descriptions of metallic-
work. The first which I shall describe is for producing beads and mouldings
on the work in a rapid and superior manner, and which I denominate "Norton's
Patent Rotative Swaging Machine." This is represented at Figure 13. a, a, a,.
is a stout metallic frame, which is to be fixed to a bench of oak, partially repre-
sented at 6 in section, and to which it is secured by large iron straps or staples
C, by means of nuts and screws underneath. dand care revolving shafts, having
at one extremity equal spur wheels f, g, taking into one another; to these motion
and force is communicated by turning the winch h, which, through the medium
of a pinion i on a separate axis, drives the spur wheel j on the axis of the
shaft d. The ends of the shafts & and are tapered, as shewn by the dotted lines,
so as to receive and change the various tools employed, according to the form
of moulding required. A pair of the tools for making a simple bead are shewn
as placed and fixed by keys on the tapered ends of the shafts, and a piece of
iron plate t is represented as having just been compressed between them, so as
to produce a bead or moulding thereon, corresponding with the concavity on the
revolving die k, and the convexity of the revolving die 7. m is the guage by
which the distance of the proposed bead or moulding from the edge or end of
the plate of metal is regulated. The piece m is connected with a correspond-
ingly shaped piece on the other side of the machine, and to each of these is
fixed a sliding rod n, which passes through the frame of the machine, whereunto
it is fixable at pleasure by means of thumb set screws 0, 0, 0. p is a loop pass-
ing round the shaft d, and having a vertical stem q, which passes through the
frame a, and is provided with a nut and screw at the top, for confining the action
of a helical spring, the tendency of which is to lift the shaft & when the down-
ward pressure upon the latter is removed by turning back the screw r by means
of a winch S. No other example of mouldings is illustrated by the diagrams;
except the simple bead on 'k, 7, because it must be obvious to every mechanic
that these may be varied indefinitely according to the requirements of taste or
necessity. I claim as new and useful, the whole combination of mechanism
'

page_text: which constitutes this machine, as applied to the formation of beads and mould-
ings upon thin plates of metal.
The second and only other machine or instrument I have to describe, I
denominate "Norton's Patent Folding Machine." It is represented at Figures
14, 15, and 16, whereof 14 is a plan, 15 an end view, 16 a transverse section.
At a, a, a, is an oaken plank, to each end of which is fixed a plummer block
b, b, for the gudgeons c, c, of a massive cast iron bar d, d, to which is cast a
short flat bar, for the purpose of fastening. thereto the wooden lever e; ƒ, f, f,
represents a flat malleable iron bar, covering the top of the cast bar d, and to
which it is attached by means of square-headed screw bolts g, g, g,
that pass
through it and are secured thereto by screwed nuts.h. One of the margins i, i,
of the bar f; is bevelled off downwards and formed into a straight edge, between
which straight edge and the bar d'there is a narrow space, adapted to receive
the margin of a sheet of iron or other metal intended to be 'lapped or folded.
This narrow space or slit may be increased or diminished in breadth and depth,
and may be rendered equal or unequal, parallel or divergent, at pleasure, or in
accordance with the nature of the work to be performed. This is effected by
a simple slidge or guage moving between the two bars f and d, acted upon by
regulating screws i, j, and also by the media of the square-headed bolts g; g.
The plan of the sliding guage (which is a thin piece of steel) is represented by
the 'dotted linės at k, k, k. It has two horizontal stems l, l, which are jointed
at m, m, to the short sliding bars n, n. The latter are connected to the regu-
lating screws, and are pushed forward or drawn back thereby. And as a little
"play" is given to the joints at m, m, the edge of the guage k, k, may be made
to assume an angle with respect to the line of the straight edge i, i, and conse-
quently will enable the workman to make a fold or turn over of unequal breadth
whenever desired. To adapt the slit to various thicknesses of metal, or to the
degree of sharpness of the bend, the nuts h, h, of the square-headed bolts g, g,
are to be screwed or unscrewed, so as to give more or less free space for the
operation. When the position of the guage k has been adjusted to the work
in hand, it is fixable there at pleasure by means of set screws at o, o, which hold
fast the regulating screws j, j. p, p, represents a moveable oaken bar, having
a handle atq; over this bar the plate of metal is laid, and the edge of it that
is to be folded is pushed under the straight edge i, and against the edge of the
steel guage k; then the lever is raised by the workman and turned over into
the position shewn in the section Figure 16, wherein the edge of a piece of
metal so bent is intended to be represented by the vermillion line drawn. The
fold, it will be observed, is not made quite parallel with the other part of the
sheet, and when it is desired to compress the fold nearer to the sheet, the sheet

page_text: of metal is to be withdrawn, the lever is to be returned into the position repre-
sented in Figures 14 and 15, the oaken bar p lifted out of its place, as
represented in the drawing and put on the other side of the pressing bar, where
it falls into adjusting mortices. Now by putting the fold between the oaken
bar and a rebate on the under side of the pressing bar, the compression of the
metallic edges will be produced to any desired extent. I claim the whole com-
bination of this machine as new and useful.
In witness whereof, I, the said Jehiel Forbes Norton, have hereunto put
my hand and al

page_text: Stove which is included within these
red Ink Lines shall be taken away, the
two remaining Pillars will constitute
a double pillar Stove having only one
pipe leading into the Chimney.