Improvements in Domestic Hot Water Supply Apparatus with the object of rendering the same Inexplosible and Uncollapsable.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Feb., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 13th Nov., 1891-Accepted, 24th Dec., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Domestic Hot Water Supply Apparatus with the
object of rendering the same Inexplosible and Uncollapsable.
I, CHARLES WILLIAM CARTER, of Buckingham Street, Liverpool, in the
County of Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
My present invention has reference to apparatus for heating water, and especially
to such as is used for providing a supply of hot water for domestic purposes, and
the object is to prevent or minimise the risk of explosion or injury to the
apparatus.
In the ordinary arrangement of such apparatus, the cold water supply is led from
an overhead cistern to the lower part of a reservoir or "cylinder" of considerable
volume, usually of copper or wrought iron; this cylinder communicates by means
of two pipes with a boiler placed at the back of the fire-place, one of these pipes,
which I term the down-cast pipe, leaves the cylinder near its bottom and opens into
the boiler near its bottom; the other pipe, which I term the upcast pipe, leaves the
boiler near its top and enters the cylinder at a higher level than the downcast pipe,
the arrangement thus causing a continuous circulation, due to convection, between
the cylinder and the boiler; the hot water is taken from the cylinder by means of
a delivery pipe leading from the top thereof, and this pipe also serves for the escape
of steam.
In the event of the supply and delivery pipes becoming accidentally closed by
frost or otherwise, the steam may accumulate and cause sufficient pressure to burst
the boiler which is usually the weakest part of the apparatus; also, if the water
supply should fail and the boiler become unduly heated, an explosion may result
from the sudden generation of steam upon the readmission of water.
In my improved apparatus, I obviate these risks by connecting the ends of the
down-cast and the upcast pipes within the boiler by a "U" or other shaped pipe, so
that the water in the cylinder has no communication with that in the boiler.
The boiler is supplied with water through a pipe leading from an independent
cistern fitted with a ball cock so as to maintain the water in the boiler at a constant
level; this cistern may be placed at the same level as the boiler or somewhat
higher, in the former case the boiler top may be closed with a loose lid, and in the
latter case it has a water-tight top and is provided with a steam escape pipe carried
up the chimney to a higher level than the boiler supply cistern. As the boiler
supply cistern and escape pipe are close to the fire-place and the outlet from the
boiler very free, the risk of a boiler explosion arising from the effects of frost or a
failure in the water supply are eliminated.
As it is found that, when the water supply to the cylinder is not continuous, the
latter is liable to collapse from the formation of a partial vacuum therein, I there-
fore in my improved apparatus strengthen the said cylinder by rivetting or
otherwise attaching thereto a series of stiffening rings placed either inside or outside
as may be preferred, or by placing therein an open metal frame.
Dated this 11th day of February 1891.
SLOAN & LLOYD BARNES,
Castle Chambers, 26, Castle Street, Liverpool,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Domestic Hot Water Supply Apparatus with the
object of rendering the same Inexplosible and Uncollapsable.
I, CHARLES WILLIAM CARTER, of Buckingham Street, Liverpool, in the
County of Lancaster, 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 :-
My present invention has reference to apparatus for heating water, and especially
to such as is used for providing a supply of hot water for domestic purposes, and
the object is to prevent or minimise the risk of explosion or injury to the
apparatus.
In the ordinary arrangement of such apparatus, the cold water supply is led from
an overhead cistern to the lower part of a hot water reservoir or "cylinder" of
considerable volume, usually of copper or wrought iron; this cylinder commu-
nicates by means of two pipes with a boiler placed at the back of the fire-place,―
one of these pipes, which I term the down-cast pipe leaves the cylinder near its
bottom and opens into the boiler near its bottom; the other pipe, which I term the
upcast pipe leaves the boiler near its top and enters the cylinder at a higher level
than the down-cast pipe, the arrangement thus causing a continuous circulation, due
to convection, between the cylinder and the boiler; the hot water is taken from the
cylinder by means of a delivery pipe leading from the top thereof, and this pipe
also serves for the escape of steam.
In the event of the supply and delivery pipes becoming accidentally closed by
frost or otherwise, the steam may accumulate and cause sufficient pressure to burst
the boiler which is usually the weakest part of the apparatus; also, if the water
supply should fail and the boiler become unduly heated, an explosion may result
from the sudden generation of steam upon the readmission of water.
In my improved apparatus, obviate these risks by connecting the ends of the
down-cast and the upcast pipes within the boiler by a "U" or other shaped pipe, so
that the water in the cylinder has no communication with that in the boiler, the
boiler being supplied with water through a pipe leading from an independent
cistern fitted with a ball cock so as to maintain the water in the boiler at a constant
level.
In the accompanying drawings which serve to illustrate my invention,
Fig. I shows diagrammatically the general arrangement of domestic hot water
supply apparatus constructed according to my invention, the cistern 5 being in
vertical section, and the boiler being in section on the line A A. of Fig. III and
the pipe 11 being shown in front of the plane of section;
Fig. II is a section on the line B B of Fig. I, the pipes 9 and 11 being shown
in front of the plane of section, and
Fig. III is a plan of the boiler and its connections.
Throughout the drawings similar parts are indicated by the same reference
figures, and in the case of sections, the direction in which they are viewed is
indicated by the small arrows placed adjacent to the letters denoting the plane of
section; common details of construction, such as pipe couplings, are not shown.
I is the hot water cylinder or reservoir, receiving its supply from the ordinary
overhead store cistern through the pipe 2; 3 is the boiler, having the flue
passages 4, and placed in the fire-place in the ordinary way. 5 is an independent
cistern-receiving its supply, which is controlled by the ball cock 6, from the pipe 2,
and connected to the boiler by:the pipe 7. This cistern may be placed at the same
level as the boiler, in which case the latter may have a loose lid, or the cistern may
be placed somewhat higher as shown in the drawings, in which case, the boiler is
water-tight and is fitted with the steam escape pipe 8, carried up the chimney to a
higher level than the water level in the cistern 5.
F

page_text: 9 is the down-cast, and 10 is the upcast pipe, the two being really continuous as
their ends are connected by the U shaped pipe 11 within the boiler, so that the
water in the cylinder has no communication with that in the boiler, which simply
acts as a heat transmitting medium. The U tube is inclined upwards, as shown,
from the down-cast end to the upcast end so as to facilitate convection.
12 is the draw-off pipe from the cylinder which serves also as an escape pipe for
vapour.
As the cistern 5, the connecting pipe 7 and escape pipe 8 are close to the fire-
place, and as the outlet from the boiler is very free, the risk of a boiler explosion
arising from the effects of frost or a failure in the water supply are eliminated.
As it is found that, when the water supply to the cylinder 1 is not continuous, the
latter is liable to collapse from the formation of a partial vacuum therein, I there-
fore in my improved apparatus strengthen the said cylinder by rivetting or
otherwise attaching thereto, either inside or outside, a series of stiffening rings, or
preferably as shown in the drawings, by placing within the cylinder a detached
open frame 13 made of rigid rings of Tee or angle cross section, kept in place by
uprights to which they are attached.
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 domestic hot water supply apparatus, the combination of a hot water
reservoir or cylinder 1, having down-cast and upcast pipes, a boiler 3 with free
outlet for the escape of vapour and fed by an independent cistern 5, and a pipe
connecting the ends of the down-cast and upcast pipes within the boiler, whereby
the water in the cylinder is heated by the water in the boiler without being in
communication therewith, substantially as described and illustrated.
(2) In domestic hot water supply apparatus, the use of a detached frame of rigid
rings and connecting bars such as 13 placed within the hot water reservoir or
cylinder for the purpose of preventing the collapse of the latter, substantially as
described and illustrated.
(3) The combination and arrangement of parts forming the improved domestic
hot water supply apparatus, substantially as described and shown in the drawings.
Dated this 12th day of November 1891.
SLOAN & LLOYD BARNES,
Castle Chambers, 26, Castle Street, Liverpool,
Agents for the Applicant.