Apparatus for and Method of Thawing Frozen Water Pipes and their Surroundings.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Apr., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Dec., 1895-Accepted, 4th Jan., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Apparatus for and Method of Thawing Frozen Water Pipes and
their Surroundings.
DUNCAN KENNETH CAMPBELL RUSSELL, 2 Albert Terrace, Edinburgh, Civil
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is the maintenance of an improved water supply
in street mains and service pipes, and also in house pipes during frosty weather
for domestic convenience and as a protection against fire.
The method of effecting this object divides itself into two branches :-namely,
that of preventing the freezing of the pipes before they have become frozen; and,
secondly, that of thawing the pipes after they have become frozen accidentally
from want of alert attention in the application of the preventitive.
The first part of the method consists in the internal application of steam, and
thereby heating the pipes, and so radiating or conducting heat to the immediate
surroundings or covering of the pipes, and combating the frost before, or when it
has reached the pipes, as to thaw the frozen covering material for a considerable
radius, so as to render a repetition of the operation unnecessary for several more
days frost.
•
!
The second part also consists in the internal application of steam, but in direct
contact with the ice, which consequently melts and falls to a lower level by gravity
along with the condensed, steam, which action permits the fresh contact of live
steam with the hard ice, and is repeated continuously until the frozen material-has
become exhausted and the steam has free access along the pipe. The thawing of
the ice is accelerated, from the mere longitudinal action, by the conductivity of
the pipe, if a thick one, which causes circumferential thawing, and so immediately
admits live steam to the opening round the cone of ice, and, hence, forms a much
larger thawing surface, in comparison with the entire cubic capacity to be thawed,
than the area of the pipe bore only.
The means or apparatus employed consists of a portable boiler on wheels, with
usual accessories, to be drawn by one or two horses, having a supply of coal and
water attached and having a flexible steam pipe attached to the boiler mounting,
with a steam tight coupling at the other end. This coupling is fastened to a steam
stand pipe with two ways, to be either attached to one or two boilers, and having
a steam tight connection with the street hydrant, and as quickly attached as an
ordinary stand pipe. The boiler is accompanied by a coal cart, and a water cart
with discharge hose, the latter having a spare hydrant stand pipe and hose for
filling the water cart and letting off surplus water or steam from any suitable
bydrant; and also a key to turn the house connections should they be open and
steam entering the house cisterns. The boiler can be 8 or 12 horse power
according to the work to be done, and has a steam blast in lieu of the usual exhaust
steam from the eugine.
The application of the apparatus is as follows:-
The houses without water are ascertained, usually on an eminence where
radiation is greatest, and seldom in a shaded hollow; the spare stand pipe is tried
on the hydrants to find where the water ceases to flow.
WIDGM RIVORY АБ METHOD

page_text: When the pipe is frozen solid the boiler is driven to an open hydrant at a lower
level than the frozen pipe, which may thus be attacked from both extremities by
a second boiler, if the frozen pipe is on a crest, and connection effected, when the
superior head of steam will force the water back in the pipe, or if the water is
shut off, the stand pipe may be used at another hydrant to empty the pipe, and as
the steam melts the ice the resulting water flows to the lower level until a free
passage has been cleared. The steam can be continued for some hours so as to
prevent a recurrence for some days. The house connections being shut as steam
enters each cistern until the pipe is all clear and the steam turned off.
Should steam appear in the road way at one or more places-that indicates a
rupture of the pipe, which must be dug up and replaced at those places only, and
not the whole length of pipe as done at present.
A small boiler with a long hose is supplied for plumbers for thawing house
fittings by inserting a cock with a junction, or a removeable plug at the lowest
part of each pipe, to which is attached the steam hose cock with a blow-off-cock
beyond, so as to shut off the steam and allow the thawed ice escape as the water
forms.
.
A simple contrivance for keeping up the cold water feed to kitchen boilers is to
have an inclined cock between the hot water pipe from the boiler up to the cold
water feed to the boiler which can be opened in frosty weather and so allow the
hot water from the boiler go up the cold water feed to the cistern and so prevent
it freezing all other fittings being treated by the cock or plug as already
described.
Dated this Fourth day of April 1895.
DUNCAN KENNETH CAMPBELL RUSSELL,
2 Albert Terrace, Edinburgb, Civil Engineer.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Apparatus for and Method of Thawing Frozen Water Pipes and
their Surroundings.
I, DUNCAN KENNETH CAMPBELL RUSSELL of No. 2 Albert Terrace,
Edinburgh, Civil 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 object of this invention is the maintenance of an improved water supply

page_text: in street mains and service pipes, and also in house and other water pipes during
frosty weather for domestic convenience and as a protection against fire.
The method of effecting this object divides itself into two branches, namely
that of preventing the freezing of the pipes before they have become frozen ;
and, secondly, that of thawing the pipes after they have become frozen, accidentally
from want of alert attention in the application of the preventative.
My invention or apparatus for effecting the first part of the method consists
in the internal application of steam to the street or house or other water pipes,
more conveniently at a lower point than that to be thawed, through the ordinary
street hydrants, or junction cocks, or hydrants with hollow metal balls and steam
hose seats, or hollow metal balls covered with steam hose to be attached for
that purpose; and so the forced or ascending steam radiating or conducting heat
to the immediate surroundings, or covering of the pipes, and combating the frost
before, or when it has reached the pipes, as to thaw the frozen covering material
for a considerable radius, so as to render a repetition of the operation unnecessary
for several more days frost.
To leave room for expansion from the heat of the steam, at 392° F. or
210 lbs. pressure, street pipes should be laid one fourth inch apart at each nine
foot joint, 25 lbs. steam pressure requiring the joints to be one sixth inch apart,
and not laid haphazard, or driven together with a sledge hammer as at present;
and the joint should be a parallel one, and turned smooth inch beyond the packing,
to expand and contract freely and tight.
My invention or apparatus for effecting the second part of the method also
consists in the internal application of steam to the street or house or other water
pipes, at a lower point or level than that to be thawed, through the ordinary
street hydrants or junction cocks, or hydrants with hollow metal balls and steam
hose seats, or hollow metal balls covered with steam hose to be attached for
that purpose, but the forced and ascending steam in direct contact with the ice,
which consequently melts and falls to a lower level by gravity along with the
condensed steam: which action permits the fresh contact of live steam with the
hard ice, and repeats itself continuously until the frozen material has become
exhausted and the steam has free access along the pipe either by pressure or
buoyancy.
The thawing of the ice is accelerated, from the mero longitudinal action, by
the conductivity of the pipe, if a thick one, which causes circumferential thawing,
and so immediately admits live steam to the opening round the cone of ice, and,
hence, forms a much larger thawing surface in comparison with the entire cubic
capacity to be thawed, than the area of the pipe bore only.
The particular means or apparatus employed in carrying out my said invention
consists of a portable steam boiler on wheels, with usual accessories, to be drawn
by one or two horses, having a supply of coal and water attached; and having
a flexible steam pipe attached to the boiler mounting with a steam tight coupling
at the other end; this coupling is fastened to a steam stand pipe with two ways,
to be either attached to one or two boilers, and having a steam tight connection
with the street hydrant, or the hose may be attached direct to the street hydrant
without a stand pipe, and as quickly attached as an ordinary stand pipe. The
steam stand pipe may have a cock for heating the hydrant externally. The
boiler is accompanied by a coal cart, and a water cart with discharge hose, the
latter having a spare hydrant stand pipe and hose for filling the water cart and
letting off surplus water or steam from any suitable hydrant; and, also, a key to
turn the house connections should they be open and steam entering the house
cisterns.
The boiler can be 8 or 12 horse power, according to the work to be done, and
has a steam blast in lieu of the usual exhaust steam from the engine. The 8 horse
power boiler being vertical, on two wheels, and the 12 horse power boiler horizontal
on four wheels; or both boilers may be on four wheels.

page_text: ррисц
He apparatus is its 10110ws
The houses without water are ascertained, usually on an eminence where radiation
is greatest and seldom in a shaded hollow; the spare stand pipe is tried on the
lydrants to find where the water ceases to flow :-
FIRST BRANCH OF METHOD.
If the water still flows, though feebly, that proves that a blow-through can take
place the water is shut off on the main, and the boiler is driven, in the direction
whence the water flows, to a hydrant at the lower extremity of the houses without
water; the flexible steam pipe and stand pipe are then attached to the hydrant,
and the spare stand pipe attached to a hydrant beyond the frozen houses to afford
the necessary escape or blow through, and the boiler valve opened when the steam
will immediately enter owing to its high pressure, forcing the water and condensed
steam in front of it, until the pipe gets hot and thaws the surrounding street
material to the amount desired: it will also thaw the house connections, and each
house cock is shut as steam enters the house cistern. If the supply water runs off,
the relief stand pipe can be shut, and some more water may be turned on from the
main to confine the steam to that part of the road way to be thawed. This
operation should be done at night as less water will be running away. Should the
hydrant valves be of guttapercha and unshaped by the heat of the steam or
forced in and chocking the pipe-they can be renewed by spare ones, or hollow
metal balls on steam hose seats or the balls coated with steam hose may be
substituted.
i
SECOND BRANCH OF METHOD.
When the pipe is frozen solid, the boiler is driven to an open hydrant at a
lower level than the frozen pipe, which may thus be attacked from both extremities
by a second boiler, if the frozen pipe is on a crest, and connection effected, when
the superior head of steam will force the water back in the pipe on the flow side,
or if the water is shut off, the stand pipe may be used at another open hydrant to
empty the pipe, and also on the opposite side to the water flow, and as the steam
melts the ice the resulting water flows to the lower level until a free passage has
been cleared.
If the frozen pipe is on a level it can be attacked from either side by
shutting off the water and placing relief stand pipes beyond the boiler open
hydrants on either side to drain and blow off the melted ice as it forms.
The steam can be continued for some hours so as to prevent a recurrence for
some days. Change of temperature ascends rapidly but descends slowly. The
house connections being shut as steam enters each cistern until the pipe is all clear
and the steam turned off. Should steam appear in the road way at one or more
places that indicates a rupture of the pipe which must be dug up and replaced
at those places only, and not the whole length of pipe as done at present.
The blow through can also be used to detect leaks in the pipe at the latter
end of frost, as the escaping steam will readily thaw the street at definite
points only.
In carrying out my said invention I further particularly describe a small
portable steam boiler for plumbers with a long steam hose attached, ending in a
stop-cock and junction piece beyond, with a bottle and blow off cock, for thawing
house fittings or other water pipes by inserting a cock with a junction piece, or a
removeable plug at the lowest part of each pipe, to which is attached the steam
hose junction piece, and steam turned on, when through the bottle and blow off
cock the condensed steam and thawed ice trickles out as it forms; or, by suddenly
shutting off steam and opening the blow off cock ensure a violent blow off from the
pipe in course of thawing.

page_text: The boiler with a protected hose can also be used in frosty weather to heat a
coil on the roofs of houses while plumbers are at work, the condensed steam being
blown off from the coil by a stop-cock.
I further particularly describe the use of the ordinary kitchen or other boiler,
in the case of houses with a hot water circulating system, as the steam or hot
water generator, and using the hot water flow pipe as my steam pipe, I effect a
junction with the cold water feed pipe from the main cistern to the boiler, at the
height of the kitchen mantlepiece, or any convenient height. The said junction
being formed of branch pipes of two tangent curves to the hot and cold pipes with
an upward inclined stop cock of 45 degrees inclination between them: the curves and
stop cock being of larger diameter than the pipes-such as for 1 inch pipes I use
1inch bore of curves and stopcock-the stop cock being of full and clear bore to
offer no resistance to the passage of the water. The rising steam taking the
passage of least resistance: the stopcock is used as a regulator to prevent the
freezing of the circulating system from excessive diversion of steam. This
junction is somewhat similar to a railway junction. After dinner with the remains
of the good fire, in frosty weather, the stopcock is opened and allows the steam and
hot water ascend to the main cistern all night, if there is no unsurmountable loop
on the pipe, which is a sure remedy against frost, and keeps the water closets going
with tepid water. The cock is shut in the morning, as frost seldom comes during
the day with the sun shining.
Each application being on the same principle, with the exception of the blow
through, namely that of steam or expanded water from some point at a lower
level forced or ascending, and cold water descending by gravity through the
advancing steam in the existing pipes, as distinct from and contrasted with the
existing system, of cutting the pipes and forcing a small flexible tube along and
inside the existing pipes and through which hot water is syringed towards the ice
as the ice melts and the tube advances. But which small tube cannot pass a
stopcock, unless by extreme accident, as it slides against the internal side of the
frozen pipe as a directrix, and the seat of the stopcock invariably projects in the
pipe, and the cockway being an erect oblong and not circular, and to which I make
no claim, but should steam be used to pass a stopcock, with the melted ice and
condensed steam returning by gravity, that would be my invention, as if the pipe
liad not been cut and no small pipe inserted. Nor do I claim another invention of
placing a spare pipe alongside the pipe to be thawed, through which a hot current
is passed and thaws the original pipe by radiation, but should the spare pipe be laid
in long lengths without taps and from any carelessness, or should any steam
condense and accumulate in a hollow and freeze, 'or should there be several such
freezings then the thawing of the spare pipe by taps at the lowest points and the
insertion of steam and drainage of the coudensed steam and melted ice by gravity
would be my invention as if applied to the original pipe. Hot air does not
condense as steam to admit more coming forward hence it is useless.
An 8 horse power boiler will thaw 108 yards of 3 inch pipe in an hour; and a
12 horse power boiler will thaw 108 yards of 4 inch pipe in an hour; and both
together will thaw the same length of 5 inch pipe in the same time.
In order that it may be the more easily understood I append the accompanying
drawings illustrating how my said invention may be conveniently carried into
practice in which
Figure 1. is an elevation of a portable steam boiler with steam hose attached to
a steam stand pipe and strut hydrant:
A. is the boiler;
B. is the steam hose;
C. is the steam stand-pipe; -

page_text: 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. In street or other water pipes and through the ordinary hydrants, or
junction cocks, or hydrants attached at suitable points with a hollow metal ball and
steam hose sent, or hollow metal ball covered with steam hose, the employment of
a blow through of steam towards an open hydrant, or pipe left empty by the
utilized service water, from a portable steam boiler and flexible steam hose with or
without a steam stand pipe attached to the street bydrant to radiate heat to and
thaw and heat the surroundings, and so discover a leak if any, in frosty weather,
substantially as hereinbefore set forth and shown in the accompanying drawings.
2. In street or other water pipes and through the ordinary hydrants, or junction
cocks, or hydrants attached at suitable points at a lower level if possible than the
frozen portion of pipe with hollow metal balls and steam hose seats or hollow metal
balls covered with steam hose, the employment of steam from a portable steam boiler
and flexible steam hose with or without a steam stand pipe, in direct contact with the
ice inside the frozen street or other water pipe; the condensed steam and thawed
ice or water receding by gravity, as the steam advances, and falling towards a
hydrant at a lower level, or blown out of an open hydrant in successive waves or
columns by the spasmodic opening and shutting of the hydrant, until the frozen
pipe has been thawed and the usual water supply attained, substantially as herein-
before set forth and shown in the accompanying drawings.
3. In house or other water pipes at their lowest points and through the existing,
or cocks and junctions to be attached for that purpose, the employment of steam to
the inside of the pipes from a portable steam boiler with a long, flexible, steam
hose, to be led through the coal shoot or other convenient passage, ending in a
stop cock and junction piece with bottle and blow off cock attached, so as to thaw
the pipes wherever frozen; the condensed steam and thawed ice or water falling
to the bottle by gravity and to be blown off by the stop cock; the steam advancing
by pressure as the water recedes by gravity, until the pipes are all clear and the
usual domestic facilities attained, substantially as hereinbefore set forth and shown
in the accompanying drawings.
4. In kitchen or other boiler and circulating and supply pipes the employment
of branch pipes united by an inclined cock of greater diameter than the circulating
or supply pipes and the branches tangents to the pipes and of the same internal
diameter as the inclined cock, to send the steam and hot water from the circulating
pipe up the cold water pipe to the main cistern, and to be regulated by the inclined
cock in frosty weather, to prevent the freezing of the supply pipe, cistern, and

page_text: water closets supplied from the cistern, substantially as herein before set forth
and shown in the accompanying drawings.
5. In street or jointed metal water pipes the laying of the nine foot joints one
fourth inch apart to permit of expansion in the internal application of steam, and
the joint to be a parallel one and turned smooth inch beyond the packing,
substantially as hereinbefore set forth.
6. In street or other water pipes the making of the hydrant valves of a hollow
metal ball on a steam hose seat, or the ball covered with steam hose to be suitable
for the passage of steam, substantially as hereinbefore set forth.
7. The general arrangement, construction, and combination of the several parts.
and methods constituting my invention for the preventing of the freezing, and
thawing of street, house and other water pipes, substantially as hereinbefore set forth
and shown in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 30th day of November 1895.
DUNCAN KENNETH CAMPBELL RUSSELL,
Of No. 2, Albert Terrace, Edinburgh, Civil Engineer.