IMPROVEMENTS IN FOOT- WARMERS OR HEATERS FOR RAILWAY AND OTHER CARRIAGES, AND APARTMENTS.
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Denton Abel, of No. 28, Southampton Buildings,
in the County of Middlesex, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FOOT-
WARMERS OR HEATERS FOR RAILWAY AND OTHER CARRIAGES, AND APARTMENTS.
A communication from abroad by Alphonse Morel, of Epinal, Vosges, France.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Denton Abel at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th January 1880.
CHARLES DENTON ABEL, of No. 28, Southampton Buildings, in the County of
Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN FOOT WARMERS OR HEATERS FOR RAILWAY AND
OTHER CARRIAGES, AND APARTMENTS." [A communication from abroad by Alphonse
Morel, of Epinal, Vosges, France.]
The foot warmer or heater usually employed in a railway or other carriage is
usually a vessel of approximately elliptical section placed on the floor or under the
seat of the carriage. This vessel being filled with hot water becomes ineffective as
a heater when its contents are cooled. This Invention relates to means of
maintaining for a considerable period the temperature of the heater by arranging
it to operate as a slow burning stove in the following manner :-In the middle of
the vessel is fitted a tube extending from end to end of the vessel, and open at
both ends like the flue tube of a Cornish boiler. From the middle of the tube
there is formed an outlet passage to the upper side of the vessel, and this passage,
as well as the two ends of the tube, is provided with a cover having a ventilator or
other adjustable valve. Into each end of the tube when its cover is removed is
inserted a perforated metal box containing incandescent fuel, the cover is then put
on and the valves in the covers of the ends and of the outlet passage are adjusted,
so as to admit a small quantity of air to the fuel maintaining it in a condition of
slow combustion, which keeps hot the water contained in the heater. The heat of
the products of combustion issuing from the outlet may be utilised for heating
water or other liquid in a pan or vessel placed over the outlet. When it is desired
to avoid contamination of the air in the carriage by the products of combustion
the heater is inverted, and a tube fixed to the outlet being passed through a hole
in the floor, the products of combustion escape into the open air. The fuel
employed may be carbonaceous matter made up into bricks or blocks with
argillaceous or other substance, or with asbestos. Or, instead of blocks of fuel,
oil lamps may be used, these being made of such shape that they can be introduced
into the tube. The heater arranged as above described may obviously be used in
apartments or localities other than carriages.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Charles Denton Abel in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
23rd July 1880.
CHARLES DENTON ABEL, of No. 28, Southampton Buildings, in the County of
Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN FOOT WARMERS OR HEATERS FOR RAILWAY AND
OTHER CARRIAGES, AND APARTMENTS." A communication from abroad by Alphonse
Morel, of Epinal, Vosges, France.
The foot warmer or heater usually employed in a railway or other carriage is
usually a vessel of approximately elliptical section placed on the floor or under
the seat of the carriage. This vessel being filled with hot water becomes ineffective
as a heater when its contents are cooled. This Invention relates to means of
maintaining for a considerable period the temperature of the heater by arranging
it to operate as a slow burning stove in the following manner:-In the middle of
the vessel is fitted a tube extending from end to end of the vessel and open at both
ends like the flue tube of a Cornish boiler. From the middle of the tube there is
formed an outlet passage to the upper side of the vessel, and this passage, as well
as the two ends of the tube, is provided with a cover having a ventilator or other
adjustable valve. Into each end of the tube, when its cover is removed, is inserted
a perforated metal box containing incandescent fuel, the cover is then put on and
the valves in the covers of the ends and of the outlet passage are adjusted so as to
admit a small quantity of air to the fuel, maintaining it in a condition of slow
combustion, which keeps hot the water contained in the heater. The heat of the
products of combustion issuing from the outlet may be utilised for heating water
or other liquid in a pan or vessel placed over the outlet. When it is desired to
avoid contamination of the air in the carriage by the products of combustion, the
heater is inverted and a tube fixed to the outlet being passed through a hole in
the floor, the products of combustion escape into the open air. The fuel employed
may be carbonaceous matter made up into bricks or blocks with argillaceous or
other substance, or with asbestos. Or, instead of blocks of fuel, oil lamps may be
used, these being made of such shape that they can be introduced into the tube.
The heater arranged as above described mas obviously he used in apartments or

page_text: through the floor of the vehicle into a pipe T having side branches provided with
wind guards L, L. Figs. 8, 9, and 10, represent respectively a longitudinal and a
transverse section, and a plan of a small portable heater with its flue tube opening
at one end only, and provided with a handle S by which it may be conveniently
carried.
Having thus described the nature of this Invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent,
I claim,-
The construction of a foot warmer or heater for a carriage or apartment with an
internal flue tube in which slow combustion of fuel is maintained, substantially as
and for the purposes herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Denton Abel, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.