Improvements in or relating to Hot Water Supply or Heating Apparatus.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Aug., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 27th Apr., 1894-Accepted, 7th July, 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Hot Water Supply or Heating
Apparatus.
I, JOHN PERRY BARK of 65 Balliol Road, Bootle, in the County of Lancaster,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
:-
This invention relates to improvements in hot water supply apparatus, the same
being more especially applicable for domestic purposes, and the main object is to
prevent explosion of the boiler or pipes during frost, and also to enable a supply of
hot water to be drawn at once from the taps, instead of having to draw off an
accumulation of cold water in the pipes before the hot will run. The invention is
also applicable for heating purposes.
An important defect in all domestic hot water supply systems at present in use
and with which I am acquainted, is the fact that the water in the hot water supply
pipes rapidly gets cold, and in cold weather is liable to freeze, unless circulation is
kept up by allowing the taps to run, but this constitutes a serious waste of water in
localities where water is scarce.
Now by my invention I propose to so arrange the system of hot water pipes as to
provide a constant circulation of hot water without having to run the water to
waste. This is effected by joining the main descending pipe from the cistern with
the ascending pipe from the cylinder, thus producing a complete circuit through
which the water circulates. This joining is effected by means of one or more pipes
at or near the top of the building which connect the main descending pipe with the
ascending pipe, or the same result is produced by means of a device composed of a
pair of pipes joined together or merged into one and communicating with each
other. (This form of pipe is less liable to burst than the ordinary form as it will
expand or contract with varying temperatures.) The result is that the cooler
water is carried from the cistern through the descending pipe while the hot water
rises in the ascending pipe and a constant current or circuit is thus set up in the
system. The velocity of the current depends of course upon the difference in the
temperature of the ascending and descending currents. So long as heat is applied
to the boiler, the water in the hot or cold water pipes will be kept from freezing,
but to enable the fire to be extinguished at night time, I propose to include in the
system a small cylinder or water container in the lower part of the building
adapted be heated by means of an oil lamp, gas jet or other suitable means.
purpose of this is to keep the water in the circulating pipes at a normal temperature
above freezing point to prevent their freezing during frost.
The
In some cases it may be found inconvenient to carry the circulating pipes to
every tap in the house, and I therefore propose in cases where the main circulating
pipes cannot readily be carried to a tap, to supply the said tap by a branch from
the main circulating pipe. The branch is placed horizontal or preferably sloping
upward towards the tap, and is peculiarly constructed being formed with a very
small internal pipe (or an external one will do) leading from the extremity of the
branch downwards and joining the main ascending pipe, with or without a short
upward turn at the point of junction. The result is that the hot water flows
through this branch to the tap and the small internal pipe induces a secondary
circulation of water through the branch which is independent of the circulation in
the main circuit. This arrangement of duplex pipe will be found well adapted for
heating purposes, and will be cheaper than the ordinary form so much used for
greenhouses.

page_text: All the taps, whether in the ascending pipe of the main circuit, or in the branch
pipe of the branch circuit, will immediately deliver hot water for use. It will of
course be understood that the length of the circuit is determined by various
conditions. In many cases it may be found advantageous to connect the ascending
and descending pipes at two or even more points, each of these connections being
regulated by suitable faucets. If only a short circuit is required, the faucet in the
upper connection can be closed, or if it is required that hot water circulate through
the entire systern of pipes, the faucets in the highest connecting pipe are opened,
while those in the lower connections are closed.
The cold water supply is preferably admitted to the descending pipe, somewhat
below the highest point of the circuit.
To ensure certainty of action an automatic valve may be placed between the
ascending pipe, and the junction with the cold water descending pipe.
The main ascending pipe may be connected direct with the pipe from the boiler,
leaving of course the cylinder as usual in circuit. By this means hot water can be
drawn almost instantly after the fire is lit, as it is drawn direct from the boiler.
I propose also to place a syphon at the top of the main ascending pipe adapted
to syphon the water out at the top, when the water is at boiling point into the cold
water tank. This dispenses with the usual escape pipe on the roof of the house
which is often so objected to.
Dated this 5th day of August 1893.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co..
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Patent Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Hot Water Supply or Heating
Apparatus.
I, JOHN PERRY BARK of 65, Balliol Road, Bootle in the County of Lancaster,
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:-
This invention relates to improvements in hot water supply apparatus, the same
being more especially applicable for domestic and other like purposes, and the
main object is to prevent bursting or collapse of the boiler or cylinder pipes, and
insure a supply of water during frosty weather, also to enable a supply of hot
water to be drawn at once from the taps, instead of having to draw off an accumu
lation of cold water in the pipes before the hot will run. The invention is also
applicable for heating purposes.
An important defect in all domestic hot water supply systems at present in use
and with which I am acquainted, is the fact that the water in the hot water supply
pipes rapidly gets cold, and in cold weather is liable to freeze, unless circulation is
kept up by allowing the taps to run, but this constitutes a serious waste of water
in localities where water is scarce.
Now by my invention, I propose to so arrange the system of hot water pipes as
to provide a constant circulation of hot water without having to run the water to
waste.
It will be understood from the following description, reference being had to the
accompanying drawings and the letters and numerals marked thereon, in which :-
Figure 1 is a complete general arrangement of my improved water supplying,
heating and circulating apparatus ;
Figure 2, a detail view in part of an auxiliary branch from the main circulating
pipe;
Figure 3, a modified arrangement of this auxiliary branch;

page_text: auxiliary boiler in or out of circuit ;
Figure 6, 7 and 8, slightly different arrangements for joining the main descending
pipe from the cistern with the ascension pipe from the cylinder;
Figure 9, a detail view of the device G ; and
Figures 10 and 11 cross sections on lines w x and y = respectively.
In these figures,
A is the high pressure boiler fitted in the range on the ground floor or basement;
B, the cylinder; C, the hot water ascension pipe supplied with hot water service
taps cc; D, the cold water supply or descending pipe from the cistern; E, the
cold water cistern in the attic or top flat; F, the cold water supply pipe from the
main; F, ball cock for regulating the supply to the cistern; and F branches
from cold water supply pipe leading to the service taps ff on the various floors of
the building. I effect a continuous circulation of warm water through the system
by joining or connecting the main hot water ascension pipe C with the main
descending cold water pipe D. This joining may be effected by means of the
apparatus G which is composed essentially of a pair of pipes c'd (Figures 1, 9, 10
and 11) joined together or merged into one and having a lateral passage connecting
one with the other so that the water can flow from one pipe c' to the other pipe d.
The two merged pipes are separated at the bottom into two separate necks to
which the ascension pipe C and descending pipe D are respectively attached, or a
short connecting pipe H may be employed whereby the cold water supply from the
cistern is admitted to pipe D somewhat below the highest point in the circuit. To
ensure certainty of action and prevent the cold water going direct to the hot water
taps, an automatic back pressure valve L may be placed in this pipe H.
The mode of action is as follows:-
The cold water supply is led from the cold water cistern E to the cylinder B.
This cylinder communicates by means of pipes with the boiler A located at the
back of the fire range. The hot water is taken from the cylinder and boiler by
means of the ascension pipe C, and delivered to the various hot water service
taps cc in the building, and to the pipe c', from which latter it flows through the
lateral passage to pipe d and from thence to the main descending pipe D, this
arrangement causing a free and continuous circulation of warm water through the
boiler, cylinder and pipes. This continuous circulation of water therefore, enables
warm water to be at once draw from the taps, the water in pipe C being always
hot and there being no accumulation of cold to run to waste as in the ordinary
system; moreover all danger of freezing of water in the boiler, cylinder and pipes
is entirely removed. I is the usual escape or expansion pipe for the steam and Ja
syphon or outlet pipe. One leg of this syphon is placed over the cistern E, and the
other leg has a connection with pipe & through pipe c'. Should the water rise
above the top of J through excessive heat and pressure generated in the boiler, a
continuous flow of hot water will be immediately syphoned out into the cold water
cistern, thus preventing the boiling water being discharged through the steam pipe
on to the roof of the house which is so often objected to, and the water will continue
to flow out through J until it falls to its normal level, when the syphoning action
ceases. The syphon also acts as a safety valve should the exhaust pipe get
stopped, as it sometimes does by the accumulation of frozen steam, et cetera, in very
severe weather.
To enable the fire to be extinguished at night time, I propose to include in the
circuit an auxiliary boiler or container K in the lower part of the building
(Figures 1 and 4) adapted to be heated by an oil lamp, gas jet or other suitable
means. Thus, when the fire is out for the night, the necessary temperature to
maintain the continuous circulation aforesaid can be obtained. A tap L' (Figures 1
and 5) is arranged to turn on or shut off the gas for these jets, and put the
auxiliary boiler in or out of circuit simultaneously. e is the gas pipe: c the water
pipe which puts the boiler K in or out of circuit. The auxiliary boiler K may
also be used in addition to the range to heat water exceptionally quickly or in

page_text: cases of special urgency, if so required. For the purpose also of obtaining
quickly a supply of hot water, I couple the hot water pipe leading from the
boiler A to the cylinder B with the ascension pipe C, by which arrangement,
the water can be drawn direct from the boiler behind the fire without passing
through the body of water in the cylinder. This arrangement prevents that
disagreeable rumbling noise that is made by boiling water coming in contact
with a volume of water of a lower temperature in the cylinder B.
In some cases, it may be found inconvenient to carry the circulating pipes
to every tap in the house in the manner shown on the left hand side of
Figure 1, and I therefore propose, in cases where the main circulating pipes, C
and D, cannot readily be carried to the taps, to supply the said taps by a
branch or local circuit constructed in a special manner. This branch, which is
shown on the right hand side of Figure 1, and in part in Figure 2, is com-
posed of an outer pipe M, preferably sloping upwards from the main ascension
pipe C towards the tap, and a small internal pipe N (or an external one will
do) leading from near the extremity of the outer pipe M and joining the main
ascension pipe C, preferably with a short upward turn at the point of junction.
The result is that the hot water flows through this branch to the tap, and
back through the small internal pipe N, and thus a circulation of water is
induced through the branch, which is an auxiliary to the circulation in the
main circuit. This arrangement of duplex pipes will serve all the purposes of
the usual flow and return pipes, and will be found well adapted for heating
purposes, besides being cheaper than the ordinary form so much used for
greenhouses and the like. The same result will be obtained by providing two
separate flow and return pipes and joining them together at intervals, as shown
in Figure 3. The ascension pipe C may be made of somewhat larger area at
the point of junction of the pipes M and N as shown, but this is not absolutely
necessary.
I have described one method of joining the pipes C and D, but it is obvious
that, once given the general idea, other arrangements may be adopted, such as
those shown in Figures 6, 7 and 8. In the first of these, the ascension pipe C is
provided with an internal perforated pipe H and syphon which communicate with
the descending pipe D: in Figure 7, the arrangement is just the reverse, the
pipe H, communicating with D, being an external instead of an internal one, and
C is perforated instead of H: in Figure 8, the pipe H is joined at intervals to
pipe C by diagonal branches. The remaining reference letters in these figures are
the same as like parts described in connection with Figures 1, 9, 10 and 11, and
therefore do not need further description. It is obvious that the connecting
pipe H and valve L may be omitted, and the pipe D joined direct with C.
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. The improvement in hot water supply apparatus for private houses, hospitals
and other purposes, substantially as set forth, whereby danger of bursting or
collapse during frost is prevented, and hot water can be drawn at once from the
taps instead of having to draw off an accumulation of cold water in the pipes before
the hot will run.
2. The arrangement and use in hot water supply systems of apparatus for con-
necting the hot water ascension pipe C from the boiler with the cold water supply
or descending pipe D substantially as described, whereby a continuous circulation
of water throughout the entire system can be set up, while such apparatus allows
of hot water being supplied immediately the tap is turned on without having to run
any water to waste.
3. In hot water supply systems, the use in combination with the apparatus G of
the syphon or outlet pipe J arranged substantially as described and shown and for
the purposes set forth.

page_text: 4. In hot water supply and heating apparatus, the special arrangements for
inducing a circulation of hot water through a branch, or local circuit as an auxiliary
to that in the main circuit, substantially as described and shown in reference to.
Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings.
5. The general construction and arrangement of the parts forming my improved
hot water supply or heating apparatus, substantially as described.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, Nottingham, and London,
Patent Agents.