IMPROVEMENTS IN FOOT WARMERS AND OTHER HEATERS APPLICABLE FOR USE ON RAILWAYS, IN CARRIAGES, APARTMENTS, AND OTHER SITUATIONS WHERE FOOT WARMERS, CHAFING DISHES, AND THE LIKE ARE USEFUL, AND IN THE CONVERSION OF THOSE AT PRESENT IN USE
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Phillips Thompson, of the Firm of W. P.
Thompson and Co., Solicitors of Patents, of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, in the
County of Lancaster, and of 323, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex,
Consulting Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FOOT WARMERS
AND OTHER HEATERS APPLICABLE FOR USE ON RAILWAYS, IN CARRIAGES,
APARTMENTS, AND OTHER SITUATIONS WHERE FOOT WARMERS, CHAFING DISHES,
AND THE LIKE ARE USEFUL, AND IN THE CONVERSION OF THOSE AT PRESENT IN
USE." A communication from abroad by Messieurs Jean Meresse and Pierre
Rondepierre, both of 5, Rue de Chateaudun, Paris, in the Republic of France.
Sealed the 4th November 1879, and dated the 4th July 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Phillips Thompson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 4th July 1879.
WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, of the Firm of W. P. Thompson and Co., Solicitors
of Patents, of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, and of 323,
High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS
IN FOOT WARMERS AND OTHER HEATERS APPLICABLE FOR USE ON RAILWAYS, IN
CARRIAGES, APARTMENTS, AND OTHER SITUATIONS WHERE FOOTWARMERS, CHAFING
DISHES, AND THE LIKE ARE USEFUL, AND IN THE CONVERSION OF THOSE AT PRESENT
IN USE." (A communication from abroad by Messieurs Jean Meresse and Pierre
Rondepierre, both of 5, Rue de Chateaudun, Paris, in the Republic of France.)
This Invention consists in a new method of converting the hot water footwarmers
into dry heat footwarmers; also in the application of the principle to foot warmers
and heating apparatus generally.
1st. The inventors arrange a movable cap as usual to the footwarmer, and inside
place a sort of carriage or capsule, in which the fuel is placed on a sort of grating
above the central tube hereafter described. Above this grating is a fixed shield to
prevent the radiant heat of the fire striking the top of the foot warmer directly.
This shield, the grate, and the two ends of the carriage almost surround the fire,
leaving only a little space on each side for air. The foot warmer is preferably fastened
to a board, through which a composite pipe passes into the foot warner just below
the fire. Two compartments of this pipe having a separate exit lead to each end of
Price RI

page_text: the footwarmer below the carriage, preferably through a sheath; the other two
compartments of the pipe lead direct into the carriage. This exact arrangement of
tubes is not absolutely necessary, the main points being, 1st, to get a perfect circula-
=tion-to-both ends.of.the.footwarmer..
2nd. To prevent the radiant heat striking directly against the sides of the foot-
warmer;-3rd, though this is not so important, to relieve the returning air and
products of combustion of their remaining surplus heat by passing them along com-
partments of the same tube that supplies the fresh air to the fire; 4th, so arranging
the carriage that it can be drawn out through the lid and replenished without
disturbing the remaining parts; 5th; to make the apparatus sufficiently-portable
yet supplied with air tubes that carry the products of combustion away to the
outside. Arrangements can of course be made for giving an artificial draft. In
railway footwarmers this can be done by letting the orifices of the entrance and
and exit tubes debouch respectively against and with the current of air in which
the carriage moves, with trumpet or injector mouths.
2nd. This arrangement of tubes and of fire carriage is applicable to foot warmers
and small heaters generally, and has these advantages,-1st, the products of com-
bustion do not escape into the room; 2nd, the small carriage of fuel is all that
has to be removed and replenished instead of the entire footwarmer, as at present.
The foot warmer can consequently be permanently or temporarily fixed in situ, and
the fuel carriage only removed from time to time by the employés, or even the
passengers if desirable; a handle on the carriage makes this easy. Sometimes it
may be desirable to place a stop to prevent the carriage being pushed in too far,
so that it may always be in the centre immediately over the entrance pipes... The
central tube can be so arranged that the fire can be lighted through it. The lid too
can if desirable be immediately above the grate and the carriage fixed. One com-
posite tube is preferably used if the apparatus be movable, several if it be fixed.
One great value of this Invention will be that all the present footwarmers can be
utilized, and it is this transforming of the present hot water apparatus to a heating
apparatus worked by combustion that forms a main part of this Invention.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Phillips Thompson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
3rd January 1880.
WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, of the Firm of W. P. Thompson and Co., Solicitors
of Patents, of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, and of 323,
"IMPROVEMENTS
High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer.
IN FOOTWARMERS AND OTHER HEATERS APPLICABLE FOR USE ON RAILWAYS, IN
CARRIAGES, APARTMENTS, AND OTHER SITUATIONS WHERE FOOT-WARMERS, CHAFING
DISHES, AND THE LIKE ARE USEFUL, AND IN THE CONVERSION OF THOSE AT PRESENT
IN USE" A communication from abroad by Messieurs Jean Meresse and Pierre
Rondepierre, both of 5, Rue de Chateaudun, Paris, in the Republic of France.
The object of this Invention is to transform the sheet metal tubes or tins called
foot warmers filled with boiling water, which at present serve to warm travellers,
into heaters burning carbon and eliminating to the outside air the products of com-
bustion, at the same time leaving to these heaters a nobility sufficient to permit
travellers to displace them and for employés to withdraw then easily from the
carriages at the end of the winter season.
The same transformation could be applied to heaters for ordinary carriages in
which the emanations incommode the occupants.
It is to be understood that the construction of new.apparatus founded upon the
principle of this transformation forms a part of the subject matter of my Letters
Patent,
-
The Invention consists in furnishing the foot warmer A with a tube B placed
below, which traverses the floor of the carriage in such manner as to carry away
the gas of the combustible. This tube will be divided into several parts, of which
some serve for the entrance of the air and the others for the exit of the gas. One
can also from this tube make lateral conduits to go out, which bring the extremities
of the heater into communication with the air.
I now proceed to describe a general model of these foot warmers, so as the
better to explain the various arrangements enumerated above. I take an ordinary
foot warmer A, which is only a flat sheet iron tube, really designed to be filled with
hot water; to the lower part I adapt the tube B divided into four parts by the
planes a, b, c, d, e, f; two of these parts, E and D, commuicate directly with the
bottom of the foot warmer. Two others, C and F, communicate by the parts
g, h, k, l, m, with the extremity of the foot warmer by the flat tube k, l, m, arranged
below. The parts g, g¹, are widened in such manner as to force the entry of the
air and the exit of the gas. It is the same with the parts D and E in n, n¹. At
one of the extremities of the foot warmer is shown a port P, designed for the intro-
duction of carbon. This carbon is preferably that described in Letters Patent,
No. 2818, of 1877, an amianthus and carbon agglomeration lasting 12 to 18 hours,
fabricated specially in Paris for this purpose; and all the dimensions of these foot
warmers are calculated for this especial combustible.
The carbon is placed in a movable grate K armed with a handle L; it is placed
ready lighted in the grate, and then by means of the handle it is introduced into
the foot warmer. To prevent the heat of the carbon striking directly upon the
upper part in N a double envelope is arranged n, o, p, q, enclosing sand; and also
one can without inconvenience pierce the upper part of n, o, p, q, with little holes,
which serve to moderate the heat and elevate the temperature of the air of the
wagon.
The door P ought to close hermetically, and any known mechanical means can
be used for this purpose, and in particular the arrangement of closing shown by
Figs. 3 and 4. This closing is double, the lower part is movable in relation to
the upper part and forms the first door, held by springs against the joint; the outer

page_text: part is applied on a lining of india rubber or other material capable of forming a
close joint.
The key makes the bolt slide upon an inclined plane in such manner as to obtain
a greater or less lockage, according to the amount of movement of rotation.
In-place-of-one-exterior-tube.B.it is evident that I can put several if the foot
warmer is not required to be movable.
Having now described the Invention exactly as it has been communicated to me,
I-wish-it-to-be-understood that-what-I.claim as new and desire to protect under the
herein before in-part-recited Letters-Patent is,―
1. The footwarmer, of a type substantially as herein described, arranged so as
to eliminate the gaseous products-of-combustion by_tubes which traverse the floor
of the carriage.
2. The construction of foot warmer and tubes substantially as described, these
tubes being furnished with lateral shields, which facilitate the draught and cause
the heat to diffuse at the extremities.
3. The construction of foot warmer substantially as described, and furnished
with the arrangement of closing herein described, which prevents all emission of
deleterious gaseous products of combustion into the interior of the wagons.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Phillips Thompson, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of December, in the year of our
Lord 1879.
WM. P. THOMPSON. (L.S.)