IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR UTILIZING THE HEAT OF THE SMOKE AND GASEOUS PRODUCTS OF COMBUSTION IN STOVES OR FIRE PLACES
Year: 1879

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Robert Lake at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 1st July 1879. A communication
from abroad by Julien Surmont and Charles Surmont, both of Lille, France.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR UTILIZING THE
HEAT OF THE SMOKE AND GASEOUS PRODUCTS OF COMBUSTION IN STOVES OR
FIRE PLACES." [A communication from abroad by Julien Surmont and Charles
Surmont, both of Lille, France.]
In nearly all the apparatus such as stoves and the like employed heretofore for
heating purposes, and especially in those of small dimensions designed to be placed
in rooms or apartments, the greater part of the heat furnished by the apparatus is
obtained by direct radiation from the fire-place, the smoke liberated from the fuel
escaping directly up the chimney. Attempts have however been made to utilize a
greater or smaller part of the heat contained in the smoke and gases by causing
them to circulate within the pipes, but the apparatus heretofore constructed have
generally been too costly, and have moreover had the effect of greatly diminishing
the draught.
The heating apparatus or stove constructed according to this Invention permits
of obtaining the best possible utilization of the fuel, and at the same time may be
employed for several purposes. It also possesses the following advantages, namely.
The heating surface being considerable, economy of fuel is ensured, and the
apparatus is of such simple construction that it can be manufactured and sold at a
small price.
In carrying the said Invention into practice, I make the lower part of the
apparatus and the fire place or grate of any ordinary suitable construction, but
provide means by which the heat contained in the smoke and hot gases escaping to
the chimney is utilized, that is to say, I provide a drum or cylinder around the
circumference of which there are tubes designed to be heated by the smoke and
gases before they reach the chimney, and the number of the said tubes and
their diameter may be varied. The smoke and gases coming from the fire pass
through the drum or cylinder, and so heat not only the periphery of the same, but
also the aforesaid tubes before escaping to the chimney or smoke conduit which is
at the upper part of the apparatus.
The lateral plates of the drum or cylinder may be made of cast iron, and the
periphery of smooth sheet iron, or the sheet iron may be corrugated when it is
desired to increase the heating surface of the apparatus.

page_text: The said apparatus may be surrounded by an envelope either of masonry, sheet
iron, or pottery ware, and will thus become a stove or heating apparatus whose
heating effect may be increased at will by superposing several drums or cylinders
provided with heating tubes.
The said apparatus may be constructed in a more or less ornamental form, and
may therefore be placed within a room or apartment.
The open space in the centre of the drum or cylinder may be employed for
various uses, amongst which the following may be named, that is to say:-First.
It may be made into an oven for cooking.
Secondly. A vessel containing water may be placed therein, the evaporation of
the water causing the apparatus to be more conducive to health than when the
atmosphere is too dry.
•
Thirdly. When the apparatus is to be used for heating a green house or the like,
a boiler may be placed in the said open space and will form a thermosiphon. The
heating surface of the boiler may be considerably increased by closing the two
extremities of the tubes and putting them in communication with the said boiler.
In this manner the effect of the hot water apparatus will be considerably increased
for the purpose stated.