A Method of Utilising Electrical Energy for the Heating of Water and other Liquids.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Jan., 1892.
Complete Specification Left, 29th Sept., 1892-Accepted, 5th Nov., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION..
A Method of Utilising Electrical Energy for the Heating of Water
and other Liquids.
ARNOLD BEAUMONT WOAKES, 78, Harley Street, London, W., Aural Surgeon,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My object is to heat or boil water & other liquids for any purpose, as economically
as possible, by means of the electric current, & also to include a method of regulating
the rapidity of heating or boiling the said liquid. I have especially designed the
apparatus for use with the current supplied for electric lighting-in particular the
100 volt alternating current-but it is adaptable to current obtained from other
sources. The method I employ is to make the water required to be heated the
resisting medium to the passage of the electric current, but instead of actually
using the water thus heated the water for use may be made to obtain its heat by
conduction from the water that forms the resisting medium.
"
In practice 1 place in a tank or receiver, of any material capable of withstanding
the heat of boiling water, two electrodes or two sets of electrodes, of carbon,
platinum, or other suitable conductor held in position by any suitable means, one
electrode being in electrical communication with one of the conductors supplying
the current, the other electrode being in communication with the other conductor.
In order to regulate the heat at which the fluid is to be maintained or to increase
the rapidity of heating or boiling, I cause one of the plates to be moved in such a
manner that the distance between the two can be varied at will. If desired both
plates may be made to move, or they may be submerged to a greater or less depth
in the liquid. If more than two electrodes be used, one or more may be disconnected
from the circuit in order to produce the same result.
A modified apparatus of a portable nature may be employed in which the two
electrodes, preferably of small area & in close proximity to one another & protected
in a suitable perforated cover, are so connected to a flexible conductor that the
apparatus may be placed in, or removed at will from, the liquid to be heated, such,
When this form of apparatus is
for instance as a hand-basin, tank, bath, jug etc.
employed a switch is unnecessary since the current commences to flow immediately
the apparatus is submerged & ceases when it is removed from the liquid.
The apparatus may be used for supplying heat to foot warmers & other similar
articles.
4
For supplying heat to a hot water stove the electrodes may be fixed in the lower
part of an upright tube forming part of a circulating tube of water, the water
heated near the electrodes ascends to the upper part of the tube & as it does so,
cooler water, circulating round, comes in at the lower part of the tube & is in its
turn heated whereupon the cycle is again repeated.
Whatever form of apparatus be employed it is necessary to provide an outlet for
the escape of steam & electrolytic gases.
D
eld of January 1892

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A Method of Utilising Electrical Energy for the Heating of Water
and other Liquids.
ARNOLD BEAUMONT WOAKES, 78, Harley Street, Cavendish Square, London, W.
Aural Surgeon 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 :-
I have discovered that if a current of considerable intensity, say, 100 volts, be
passed through ordinary drinking water the greater part of the energy absorbed by
the water through which the current passes is converted into heat, and that the
amount of electrolysis taking place is comparatively small, and that no added salts
or acids are necessary to obtain these results; and further that this principle may
be applied to the heating or boiling of water and other suitable liquids by electricity
with very practical results. I prefer to conduct the current into and out of the
liquid by means of electrodes of carbon or other suitable material and I find that
the amount of heat developed and the quantity of electricity absorbed increases as
the area of the electrodes increases and as their distance from one another
diminishes.
.1.
For ordinary domestic purposes I fix two carbon electrodes in an earthenware
jar which electrodes are connected through the bottom of the jar with the con-
ductors conveying the electric current, the electrodes being placed either vertically
side by side, or preferably, in a horizontal position one above the other and near
the bottom of the jar, protected by a suitable perforated cover, preferably of a
. non-conducting material, such as earthenware. The water can be drawn off as
required by a tap placed at or near the bottom of the jar. The advantage of
placing the tap below the level of the electrodes, is that when the water is all
drawn off, the current cannot pass from one electrode to the other even if it be
accidently left on. In some cases it is desirable to provide the jar with a continuous
supply of water, in which cases the latter advantage does not accrue. Instead of
passing the conducting wires through the bottom of the jar they may pass through
the sides or over the top.
Another convenient plan is to fix the electrodes in the bottom of a jug, a wire
from each electrode passing through the bottom, and being so arranged as to form
the connection with the current when the jug is placed in position on a bracket
, provided with the electric conductors conveying the current.
In those cases where it is required to keep a liquid at any given temperature for
. a length of time and to have the means of boiling it when necessary, I employ an
apparatus in which the distance between the electrodes can be varied at will or in
which one or more of a number of electrodes can be disconnected from the circuit,
or in which one or more may be partly removed from the liquid. The arrangement
I prefer is to fix one electrode to the inside of a porcelain jar and the other
electrode to an inner rotating cylinder. By this plan the electrodes can be made
to approach or recede from one another, in a convenient manner, by rotating, the
.cylinder; and since the interior of the cylinder is free from the electrodes it is
impossible to short circuit the current by the introduction of any solid conducting
material. The apparatus is fully represented by the drawings Figs. 1. to 9.
Sheets 1. & 2, the scale is reduced to half size.
.
Fig. 7: Sheet 2. is an elevation of the jar with the various parts put together
ready for use. Fig. 1. Sheet 1. is a vertical section, and Fig. 2, Sheet 1 a hori-
zontal section of the same. a a Fig. 1 represent the containing jar, to the inner
side of which the electrode e is attached. The greater part of this electrode is
hidden from view by the inner or rotating cylinder, shown separately in Fig. 3, and
to which is attached the other electrode d. sunk into a slot in the cylinder. A
horizontal section of the two electrodes d and è is shown in Fig. 2. where the inner

page_text: cylinder is represented as having been rotated so that the electrode d, it carries
with it is as close to the other electrode e, as the apparatus permits. Under these
conditions the strongest current permitted passes, and the greatest amount of heat
is the result. When the cylinder b is rotated in either direction the electrode d.
moves away from e, a weaker current passes, and less beat results; until when dis
exactly opposite e, on the other side of the cylinder, the weakest current passes,
and the least amount of heat results.
M. M. Figs. 1 and 3 represent holes bored through the inner cylinder to permit
of a ready circulation of water from the outside to the interior of the cylinder.
The electrical current is conveyed to the bottom of the jar through the flexible
wires and to the terminals K & K. From K' it passes through bottom of
the jar directly to the electrode e, or, preferably, it passes up a tube to one side of
the electrode e and is connected with the latter at its upper end and above the level
of the liquid in the jar. From the other terminal a wire jj passes up a tube
inside the jar and communicates with a metal ring i fixed in the bottom of a slot in
the upper end of the containing jar. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section through A. B.
Fig. 1. and shews this metal ring i lying in the slot in a a a. From i the electric
current passes through h, g and f. Fig. 1. to the other electrode d Fig. 2. This is
fully shewn by Figs. 4, 5, 6. h Fig. 3 is a metal ring which in addition to serving
to conduct the current from i keeps the inner cylinder in position: it rotates with
the inner cylinder being attached by the four metal strips 9 9 9 9 Fig. 5 to the
ring f. Fig. 3 which is rivetted to the electrode d. Fig. 6. is an elevation of the
metal rings and f. Fig. 5 is a plan of the same. Fig. 4 is a plan of the rotating
cylinder.
Fig. 8 Sheet 2, is a plan of the underside of jar shewing where the flexible wire
enters. In order to dispense with the use of a flexible wire when desired, a bracket
(not shewn in drawings) is provided for the jar to stand upon. In this case the
electric conductors from the electric supply mains are led into the bracket, and are
there so arranged that when the jar is placed in position on the bracket, the
necessary electric contact is made between K and K. A switch and safety fuse
are also necessary. In order to supply the jar with water, tea or other liquid the
lid c, Fig. 1, is first removed, which allows the liquid to be poured into the interior
of the inner cylinder, from where it runs into the space between it and the
containing jar.
1
Fig. 9, Sheet 2, is a plan of the top of the jar with lid in situ, and shews a scale
printed on the flat top of the rotating cylinder. The point on the scale that is
opposite the pointer n, indicates approximately the amount of current passing when
using drinking water as supplied by public water companies at 60° F. when
100 volt currents are used. If the water be first warmed it may be maintained
warm for any desired length of time by putting the pointer at ampere, or it
may be kept hot by turning the cylinder so that the scale represents tampere.
The nearer it approaches to the maximum of 3 amperes the more rapidly will
it boil.
Several sizes of the above apparatus are made permitting of a greater or less
amount of electricity to pass.
In addition to its use for the boiling of water the jar forms a convenient resisting
medium which resistance can be varied at will by rotating the inner cylinder. In
this capacity it may be used for a variety of purposes, amongst others, as interposing
the necessary resistance between an electric lighting current and an electric cautery.
Here it is particularly of service where continuous currents are used and where the
use of transformers is unsatisfactory. For the cautery a maximum current of
20 amperes and a minimum of amperes is required.
The jar may also be employed for the purpose of sterilising water for drinking
purposes, organisms and organic compounds being destroyed and oxidised by the
process.
Fig. 16 represents a portable electric water heating apparatus which heats water
or certain other liquids when it is placed into them. It is connected to the electric

page_text: :
supply mains by the flexible conductor n, and it consists of two electrodes e e
enclosed in a porcelain or other suitable case a a a a. PPPP represent holes in
the cover to allow the water to reach the electrodes. To clean the electrodes the
cover unscrews at h. The electrodes are held in position by the metal plates d d
from where conductors pass up the handle to. the bayonet catch K Fig. 11. They
are insulated from one another by the insulating material bb. K. represents a
bayonet catch as used for incandescent lamps with the addition of the loop O for
suspending the apparatus to a hook on the wall.'
.
In some cases I employ a combination of electrodes with a wire heated by
electricity for boiling water, the electrodes being connected in series with the wire
and fixed in one position near the bottom of the vessel containing the water to be
heated, but above the level of the wire that supplies it with heat. Under these
"conditions when the water in the vessel covers the electrodes, the current can pass
through it from one electrode to the other, and on through the wire; but when the
water falls below the level of the electrodes the circuit is broken, and the current
ceases to pass through the wire, which is thus prevented from being fused should
the vessel run dry whilst a powerful current is passing.
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. A method of utilising electrical energy for the purpose of heating or boiling
water by making water the resisting medium to the passage of an electric current
the current being conducted into and led out of the water preferably by means of
electrodes, substantially as described.
2. A method of varying the electrical resistance and consequently the amount of
heat supplied to the water by causing the electrodes to be placed at a greater or
less distance from one another or to be submerged to a greater or less depth in the
water or by employing more than two electrodes and connecting or disconnecting
one or more from the circuit as required.
:
3. A vessel capable of holding water and withdrawing the heat of boiling water
which consists of an outer or containing jar to which one electrode is attached to its
inner surface, and of an inner rotating cylinder, to the outer side, preferably, of
which, the other electrode is attached; the space between the two cylinders being
such that the two electrodes may come opposite one another without touching, and
which vessel may be used for the purposes of heating or boiling water and other
liquids as a means of aerating and oxidising oxidisable materials in impure water
and of forming an electrical resisting medium for any required purpose.
4. In an apparatus for boiling water by electricity the combinations of electrodes
with a heated wire. The electrodes being connected in series with the wire and
being so placed in the interior of the vessel as to cause the electric circuit to be
broken when the water gets below their level.
Dated this 28th day of September 1892.