Improvements in Steam Heating Apparatus.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 10th July. 1895
Complete Specification Left, 12th Nov., 1895-Accepted, 15th Feb., 1876
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Steam Heating Apparatus.
I, WILLIAM DOBSON PICKELS, of 7631 Union Avenue, Auburn Park, in the
City of Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, United States of America, Mechanical
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The invention relates to that class of steam heating apparatus in which a
partial vacuum is created in the returns of the system for the purpose of
inducing circulation and drawing out the air and water. In such apparatus, as
usually constructed, the radiators or heaters are connected with the source of
supply and the heaters are connected through the returns with a suitable vacuum
creating device, such as a pump. The steam from the source of supply is drawn
into the radiators or heaters by the partial vacuum created therein, and the air
and water are sucked out or drawn through the returns by the vacuum creating
device.
My invention relates to the employment with an apparatus of that general
character, of automatic or thermostatic valves located in the returns, or in the
connections between the returns and the radiators or heaters, or in the outlets of
the heaters. These valves remain open to permit the passage through them of
air or water, but close automatically when they become heated by steam. By the
employment of these automatic valves I am able to draw the air and water from
the radiators or heaters without drawing out the steam and wasting it. In an
ordinary heating apparatus having a series of lines through different parts of the
building, some of the circulating lines are materially shorter than others, and with
a given amount of vacuum necessary to induce a proper circulation through the
lines of greater length, there will be an excess of suction in the shorter lines.
This would result in what is known as "short circuiting," i.e. the drawing of an
excessive quantity of steam through the lines of shorter length with a corre-
sponding deficiency of steam in the lines of greater length. To avoid this it is
usual to employ hand valves in the returns and to regulate these valves so as to
throttle the returns of the short lines thus equalizing the quantity of steam in the
different lines. This necessitates hand manipulation on the part of the engineer
and requires the exercise of considerable judgment and care. It also necessitates
the arrangement of the returns close together or in the form of batteries of pipes,
so that the various hand valves may be brought into juxtaposition within reach of
the engineer.
By my invention I am able to avoid these difficulties with the automatic valves
in the returns or at the outlets of the radiators, which, by preventing the passage
of steam into the returns, prevent "short circuiting," and render the regulation of
hand valves in the returns unnecessary. Another advantage of my invention is
that it permits ine to employ smaller return pipes. When the returns receive in
addition to air and water a quantity of steam and vapor, they must be of larger
cubical capacity than is necessary when they receive air and water alone. Another
advantage of my invention is that by means of the valves I am able to catch and
separate from the water of condensation which passes through them, all dirt or
sediment, so that it will not pass into the returns and produce clogging. When
the dirt or sediment passes into the returns, it is necessary to employ larger pipes
to avoid clogging.

page_text: It has been proposed to employ, in connection with ordinary air valves in the
upper part of the radiators, an independent air pipe, in addition to the ordinary
supply and return pipe, for the purpose of drawing off the air from the radiators.
Such an apparatus is effective only on starting up the system, and if all the air is
not drawn out before the valve is closed by the steam, or if air subsequently
collects it is forced to the bottom of the radiator away from the valve by the rising
of the expanding steam and cannot be drawn off as no water passes through the
valves into the air lines, and it is not effective in freeing the radiators from water of
condensation. It also necessitates the employment of additional pipes.
The particular construction of automatic or thermostatic valves employed is not
material to my invention, as such valves are well known in the art.
I prefer, however, to employ a valve consisting of an hollow cylindrical body
provided with nipples for attachment to radiator and return respectively. In the
closed top of the body is an adjustable piece having an outlet and valve seat.
A cover or cap fits the top of the body over the outlet.
A passage way leads
through the body from the nipple to the return line and opens through the top
under the cover or cap. A valve pin adapted to fit the valve seat is carried by a
suitable expanding piece, of gutta percha, composition or other suitable material
within the body and carried by a removable bottom cap. The air and water enter
the nipple from the radiator and pass through the outlet into the space under the
top cap, and are drawn through the passage way in the body into the return.
When steam enters the body of the valve the expanding piece is expanded and the
valve pin is closed on its seat in the outlet.
Dated this 10th day of Lu 1905
WILLIAM DOBSON PICKELS.
Haseltine, Lake
Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.; Agents for the Applicant.
I, WILLIAM DOBSON PICKELS, of 7631 Union Avenue, Auburn Park, in the
City of Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, United States of America, Mechanical
Engineer, 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 :—
More particularly my invention relates to that class of steam heating apparatus
in which the air and water of condensation are drawn or sucked out of the pipes
by means of a partial vacuum created in the returns.
My improvements are designed primarily to produce a more perfect circulation
of steam in the heaters, to render the apparatus self controlling, to cheapen the
cost of construction by enabling smaller returns to be used, and to prevent waste
of steam.
In carrying out my invention I employ automatic valves located in the returns,
or in the outlets of the heaters to the returns, which permit the air and water to
be drawn out of the heaters, but prevent the discharge of the steam, so that the
waste of steam through the returns, and the possible "short circuiting" of the
system is effectively prevented.
I shall now refer to the accompanying drawing for the purpose of more
particularly describing my invention.
Fig. is a sectional elevation of part of a building employing a heating system
embodying my invention.

page_text: Tertical Seal view curargen of an automatic valve AS
may be used in carrying out my invention.
A, B, represent a lower and an upper floor of a building.
C is the steam supply pipe, which is shown as an exhaust pipe of an engine,
but which may be a supply pipe of any character for supplying either live or
exhaust steam.
When an exhaust pipe is used it may be provided with the usual automatic relief
valve D at the top to prevent the inflow of air.
E are the heaters, which may be radiators, coils. drums, drying cylinders, or
heating pipes or appliances of any character. These heaters E are connected with
the steam supply pipe C by suitable connections or branches F, in which the usual
valves may be located to control the supply of steam.
G are the return pipes which are connected with the heaters E and lead from
then at the base or lower portion. I have shown a separate return & leading from
the lower portion of each heater, but it is apparent that a series of heaters may be
connected with one pipe G.
His a return main or pipe into which the various returns G lead.
I is an exhauster, pump, or other vacuum creating device, connected with the
return main H, and adapted to create and maintain a partial vacuum therein.
So far as I have described the apparatus it is of well known construction.
In the operation of that apparatus the partial vacuum created and maintained
in the pipe H extends up through the various returns G into the heaters E and
draws the steam through them producing a circulation below the pressure of the
atmosphere. The air and water of condensation together with the uncondensed
steam and vapors are drawn by the suction into the main or "hot well
"H.
With an ordinary system of piping, such as usually employed in buildings and
factories, some of the lines leading from the supply pipe to the main return are
necessarily shorter than others, and for a given amount of vacuum, which may be
necessary to induce a proper circulation through the lines of greater length, there
will be an excessive suction on the shorter lines, which, unless proper precautions
are taken to prevent it, will be liable to produce "short circuiting," or the
circulation of an excess of steam through the shorter lines with a deficiency through
the longer. This, if permitted, would cause a wasting of steam and a more or less
defective circulation. To prevent this short circuiting it has been usual to adjust
the valves in the various returns G so as to throttle then to a greater or less
extent and thus properly regulate the suction through the different lines. This
necessitates the use of hand valves and requires the attention of the engineer. It
also necessitates, for facility of operating the hand valves, that the various
returns G should be grouped together so as to be within reach.
My invention is designed to avoid these difficulties by rendering the apparatus
automatic or self adjusting, and by effectually preventing the wasting of steam.
To this end I place in each return pipe G, or in the connection thereof with the
various heaters, or in the outlet of the heaters, an automatic or thermostatic
valve J, which will operate to close the outlet to the pipe G when steam reaches
it, but under conditions will remain open. Such automatic valves are well known
and have usually been used on radiators, located at the upper portion thereof, to.
permit the escape of air until the radiator becomes filled with steam. Such valves
are not used to receive water, but are usually constructed so as to prevent the
discharge of water under any conditions. As used by me, however, these valves
are so arranged that any air or water that may be present in the radiator will be
sucked or drawn out by the partial vacuum in the pipes G, without loss of steam,
for the moment the steam reaches the valves they are immediately closed by the
thermostatic action, and remain closed until air or water is again present. In this
way the heaters are kept free from air and water by the suction in the pipes G ;
and the water of condensation, together with the air thus drawn off, is sucked into
the main or "hot well" H and is discharged either by the vacuum pump 1 or by
an additional pump. As the automatic valves effectively prevent the passage of

page_text: C
steam into the returns G there is no liability of "short circuiting" in any of the
lines, and an even circulation may be obtained throughout the various portions of
the system without the necessity of manipulating any hand valves. The arrange-
ment of the piping is also simplified as it is not necessary to group the various
returns, or to form them in batteries, so as to render their valves accessible to the
engineer. It is not necessary to employ these usual hand valves in the returns,
although they may be employed if desired, to enable any particular line of piping
to be cut out of connection with the pump.
Another advantage of my invention is that I am enabled to employ smaller
returns and return main than is possible where the steam flows through them,
because, where the returns receive only water of coudensation and air, smaller
cubical capacity is required than is necessary, where, in addition to air and water,
steam and vapor must also be received. Another reason why smaller return pipes
may be used with my apparatus is that the automatic valves act to catch, or
separate from the water of condensation, the dirt or sediment which otherwise
would pass into the return pipes and produce clogging if small pipes were used.
The dirt or sediment which collects in the automatic valve may be readily
discharged therefrom.
While the particular character or construction of the automatic or thermostatic
valves J employed is not material to my invention, I have, for purposes of
illustration, shown in Fig. 2 a form of valve which is excellently adapted to my
purpose.
K is the hollow cylindrical body of the valve provided with a nipple L for
attachment to the radiator or heater and with a nipple M for attachment to the
return G. N is an adjustable seat plug closing the top of the cylindrical body K
and provided with an orifice O. P is a removable cap fitting over the plug N and
its orifice O. Q is a passageway leading through the body K from the nipple M
through the top of the body.
R is an expanding piece made of gutta-percha, composition, or other suitable
material, of which many kinds are well known in the art. $ is the valve pin
carried by the piece R and adapted, when the piece R is expanded, to close upon
the seat in the piece N and close the orifice O.
T is a removable bottom on the body K. The bottom is shown carrying the
expanding piece R.
The piece R expands sufficiently to close the orifice O in the piece N only when
subjected to steam. When the valve is open air and water are drawn by the
suction in the return G through the nipple L into the body K, and pass thence
through the opening O and the passageway Q into the nipple M which leads to
the return.
The sediment in the water falls to the bottom of the body K and may be
discharged by removing the bottom T. To more effectually catch the dirt in the
water a lug or extension U may be arranged on the inside of the body K adjacent
to the inlet L to obstruct the passage of the water and prevent it being sucked
directly up to the outlet O.
It is to be understood that I do not mean to claim in this Patent as part of my
invention any of the novel features of the automatic valve described.
It has been proposed to connect the ordinary air valves at the top or upper
portion of the radiators with an independent air pipe, in addition to the supply and
return pipes, for the purpose solely of removing air from the radiators. In such
apparatus the water of condensation does not pass through these air valves into
the additional air pipe, but flows back through the ordinary return, whether in a
single or double pipe system. Such apparatus is effective only in removing the air
from the radiator in first starting the apparatus. If all the air is not drawn out,
or if air subsequently collects, the tendency of the expanding steam, rising in
the pipes of the radiator, is to force the air to the bottom, so that it cannot reach
the air valves and be discharged. Such an accumulation of air interferes
materially with the proper circulation of the steam and causes imperfect radiation.

page_text: A further objection to this method lies in the fact that when employed with the
ordinary two pipe system it necessitates the use of a separate and additional set of
pipes; if used in a single pipe system, the return of the water of condensation down,
the same pipe through which the steam rises causes a saturation of the steam and.
a partial condensation with a resulting lowering of temperature and waste of heat
units.
My construction, when applied to an ordinary one pipe system, has the effect of
immediately transforming it into a two pipe system, and of entirely separating the
water of condensation from the steam and returning it by separate pipes, so that
there is no possible waste of steam or loss of temperature by premature.
condensation.
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:
A steam heating apparatus for buildings, in which exhaust steam is used and
the circulation is induced and the heaters or radiators are kept free from air and
water by a vacuum creating device connected with the return end of the system,.
employing automatic thermostatic regulating valves in the outlets of the heaters.
or radiators operating substantially in the manner and for the purpose described.
Dated this 7th day of November 1895.
WILLIAM D. PICKELS..
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant..