IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF HOT WATER APPARATUS FOR HEATING BUILDINGS
Year: 1883

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Thomas Charles Olney at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th March 1883.
THOMAS CHARLES OLNEY of Manchester in the County of Lancaster "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF HOT WATER APPARATUS FOR HEATING BUILDINGS
"
This invention relates to the construction of apparatus for heating buildings by
means of hot water circulating in pipes the object of the invention being to combine
the advantages of the high pressure system with the safety of the low pressure
system.
Outside the water supply cistern I fix a pipe or cylinder in a vertical or other
position closed at both ends but having a communication from the lower portion
of it with the flow pipe of the hot water apparatus (at or near its junction with the
return pipe) by means of a bent or other tube.
This pipe or cylinder has also a second pipe entering it near the upper part
thereof which passes horizontally or obliquely into the water supply cistern (near
the bottom of the same) where it is fitted with a double acting inlet and outlet
safety valve.
The valve may be in its construction somewhat like the safety valve for which
Letters Patent were granted to Christopher Shields Dated October 10th 1881 -
N° 4393. or other similarly constructed valve, but as in the present case the valve
is surrounded by water, it will either admit water into the flow pipe or allow
water to escape from the same back into the cistern as may be required. The
ordinary feed water pipe leading from the supply cistern into the hot water
pipes is provided with a stop cock and when the pipes and boiler are filled this
stop cock is to be closed, the water will then fill the reservoir pipe or cylinder up
to a little above the level of the safety valve in the supply cistern, the upper part
of the reservoir pipe or cylinder being filled with air.
The action of the apparatus is as follows.
When the water in the hot water pipes expands by heat it opens the main or
spring safety valve (or other weighted safety valve) and the overflow passes into
the supply cistern and thus relieves the hot water pipes from excessive pressure.
On the other hand if by evaporation or leakage the level of the water in the
pipes should fall, the falling of the hollow float-opens the smaller or inlet valve and
PO31

page_text: allows water from the supply cistern to enter the pipes until the level in the
reservoir pipe or cylinder rises to about the level of the valve, when the float will
close the latter.
By these means the hot water pipes are always kept full, and the water and
steam is not blown away through air pipes nor the water driven back into the feed
cistern until the pressure by its force opens the safety valve in the steam cistern
which may be set to any pressure desired, also less steam is made to check the
circulation, the temperature of the water is greater and the speed of the circulation
of the water is not impeded but probably increased.
No air pipes are used but safety vacuum and air vent valves of any suitable
construction are used in place of them. The working pressure can be adjusted and
controlled at pleasure.