An Improved Forcing or Hot Bed.
Year: 1892

page_text: COMPLETE STUITIATION.
An Improved Forcing or Hot Bed.
I, OCTAVIUS GREIG, of Thuboro House, Sutcombe, Holsworthy, North Devon,
Horticulturist and Pisciculturist, 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 :-
This invention has for its object an improved forcing or hot bed suitable for
raising seeds and plants, and also for incubating purposes. Such forcing or hot
bed consists of an outer casing furnished with suitable supports, and fitted inside
with a wooden or metal tank containing water. The tank is packed round the
sides and ends, and also underneath with, say, about 3 inches of cocoa nut fibre
refuse, or other suitable nonconducting material or substance, so that the water is
not affected by the outside temperature. In order to heat the water a trumpet
shaped expanding tube is fitted inside the tank, and connected in any convenient
manner with a common oil lamp or gas burner or any other suitable heating
apparatus. For instance the chimney of the lamp or the nozzle of the burner may
be placed in the mouth of the tube which is thus converted into a heating flue.
Such tube runs along the bottom of the tank, being slightly raised above the level
of such bottom, and is thence carried through the side of the tank and also of the
outer case into the open air. A water space is provided all round the lamp
chimney or gas burner, or other equivalent heating apparatus so that the water
may become thoroughly heated by the heat thrown off therefrom, while enough
water is kept in the tank to cover the flue.
A raising box or other similar receptacle is fitted inside the outer casing imme-
diately above the tank. The bottom of such box has one or more perforations
formed therein for drainage purposes, and serves to contain pots, boxes, or pans
wherein are seeds and plants for raising. Or such box may be filled with earth
wherein the seeds or plants can be sown or planted. If such box be used for
incubating eggs no earth is required. The top of such box is covered with glass
lights, or if desired such glass covering may be dispensed with.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure 1, shews a longitudinal section, and Figure 2, a plan of a forcing or hot
bed made according to my invention. The dotted lines in the latter figure shew
the water tank and trumpet shaped expanding flue.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both figures.
c. is
a. is the outer casing which is made of wood and furnished with supports b.
the water tank, and d the cocoa nut fibre or other nonconducting packing which
extends upwards and encloses the ends of the raising box e, wherein the seeds or
plants are placed for raising or forcing. e' are the perforations made in the bottom
of such box for drainage purposes. is a pipe which is used for trying the depth
of water in the tank, and for drawing it off by syphon when required. 9 is the
trumpet shaped expanding copper heating tube. 9 is the water space round same
and g² a flange whereby it is bolted or otherwise fastened to the bottom of the
water tank. The chimney of a "kosmos brenner" lamp h, or the nozzle of a gas
burner, or other equivalent heating apparatus is placed in the mouth of the flue,
so that the heat is drawn into the flue and gradually diffused through the water as
presently described. i is a batten which is fixed to the bottom of the raising box,
and is so placed as to fit inside the top of the tank to prevent the water or con-
densed steam spreading to the packing. As will be seen the outer end of the
copper tube
is carried through the outer casing into the open air. The operation
of my invention is as follows;-The seeds or plants are placed in suitable pots,
boxes, or pans, or in the earth contained in the box e. over the water tank c.
The

page_text: lamp is then lit thus generating the requisite degree of heat to raise the water to
the required temperature. The heat thus generated is prevented from escaping in
any direction except upwards, by means of the cocoa nut fibre or other non-con-
ducting packing; while the small end of the trumpet-shaped copper tube being
nearest the fire or flame, the current of heat is caused to enter the mouth of the
flue at a high speed, but owing to the gradual expansion of the flue, it subsequently
travels slowly through the water; the waste of heat in its so doing being extremely
small, and this being one of the reasons of the great economy of my invention.
During this gradual travel the heated air imparts its warmth to the water in the
tank so thoroughly that the air at the mouth of the pipe and the water in the tank
becomes almost of the same temperature. If a temperature of over 85° Fahrenheit
is required it will be found that two heating apparatus such as I have hereinbefore
described will give better results than one larger one while the heat given off is
sufficient to keep frost out of a large greenhouse. My invention may be applied
to coke or coal stoves as well as to gas and oil lamps, and it cau be made of
any size. It is adapted for almost any purpose where a uniform temperature is
required, as being so well protected from the air neither frost or sun have much
effect, and as the heat generated is retained in a much greater degree than by
any other system, my invention combines the essential features of utility and
economy. Thus for instance, an apparatus similar to that shewn in Fig. 1 of the
drawings consumes during 24 hours only about one third of a quart of cheap oil
at the same time that it gives off a temperature of from 63° to 75° Fahrenheit.
I would here observe that I do not confine myself to the precise details of con-
struction and arrangement herein before described as the same admit of variation
without departing from the essential features of my invention.
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. An improved forcing or hot bed consisting of an outer casing furnished with
suitable supports and fitted internally with a raising box having one or more per-
forations in the bottom thereof, and also with a water tank surrounded with cocoa-
nut fibre or other suitable non-conducting packing and fitted with a trumpet
shaped expanding flue which is connected in any convenient manner with a lamp
or other suitable heating apparatus, and which forcing or hot bed is either covered
or not with glass lights all substantially as hereinbefore described and shewn.
2. In a forcing or raising bed the combination of a water tank with a trumpet
shaped expanding flue for the purpose of inducing a gradual diffusion of the heat
through the water all substantially as hereinbefore described and shewn.
Dated this 24th day of February 1892.
ELT & Co.,
33, Southampton Buildings, Holborn, London, Agents for Applicant.