IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS STOVES FOR HEATING AND COOKING
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Thomson, of New Wandsworth, in the County
of Surrey, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS STOVES FOR HEATING
AND COOKING."
Sealed the 3rd May 1867, and dated the 8th November 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Thomson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 8th
November 1866.
I, JAMES THOMSON, of New Wandsworth, in the County of Surrey, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS STOVES FOR
HEATING AND COOKING," to be as follows:-
The Invention has for its object improvements in gas stoves for heating and
cooking, and relates to means whereby more perfect combustion of the gas is
effected. For this purpose, according to one arrangement, I construct a stove
consisting of two chambers connected together, but at a short distance apart,
by hollow pillars or tubes open at their ends to both chambers, the upper.
chamber is provided with a tube open at both ends and fixed in the centre
of a plate forming the bottom of such chamber; in the centre of this tube I
fix a ring burner. The hollow pillars or tubes I fill with small tubes or wires
or other suitable, material in such manner as to divide or cut up the passage
through such hollow pillars or tubes into very small passages. To the centre

page_text: of the bottom of the lower chamber is fixed a tube open at both ends and
rising to within a short distance of the top of such chamber. The area of the
tube, in the centre of which is fixed a ring burner, should be such that a
proper quantity of air may be admitted to effect a proper combustion of the
gas, and find that for a burner consuming two and a half cubic feet of gas
per hour a tube of three inches. in diameter answers well. The upper or
combustion chamber is provided with a moveable lid, which is luted into its
seat, and the lower chamber is provided with a tap for running off the water
produced by the combustion of the gas.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-The gas being lighted at the
ring burner, the products of combustion pass up into the upper part of the
upper chamber, and thence descend through the hollow pillars or tubes where
in their passage they are cooled or condensed and fall into the lower chamber
in the form of water; the nitrogen disengaged from the air passes out of the
lower chamber through the pipe or tube fixed in the bottom thereof.
When employing the apparatus for heating water I prefer to construct it
in the following manner:--The apparatus is constructed with only one chamber,
consisting of two annular boilers placed one within the other; and one circular
boiler, the outer annular boiler is longer than the inner one, and forms the
combustion chamber, being closed at the top by the circular boiler and at the
bottom by a plate, to which the inner annular boiler is also connected. These
boilers are connected together by suitable tubes in such manner as to ensure
a rapid circulation of the water between them as will be well understood. In
the centre of the inner tube of the small annular boiler the ring burner is
fixed, and the products of combustion rise up such tube, and after striking
against the bottom of the circular boiler descend into the space enclosed
between the two annular boilers, and thence pass out at the lower part through
a suitable tube or tubes into the outer atmosphere. If desired this arrange-
ment may be also provided with a lower chamber connected to the upper one
by hollow pillars or tubes, as previously described with respect to the first
arrangement.
When employing the apparatus in combination with an oven I divide the
upper or combustion chamber into two parts horizontally, the upper portion
being provided with an oven formed in any suitable manner, so as to allow the
products of combustion to pass around the oven, such upper portion of the
chamber being luted to the lower portion, as will be well understood. By
these means the upper portion of the chamber may be removed when desired,
and a boiler or other vessel may he placed thereon. In order to regulate the
quantity of gas passing to the apparatus I prefer to employ a regulator formed

page_text: of an ordinary burner placed in the interior of the gas pipe, such burner being
of a suitable size to allow the required quantity of gas to pass to the ring
burner, but other suitable regulators may be employed.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Thomson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
8th May 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, J. JAMES
THOMSON. of New Wandsworth, in the County of Surrey, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of November. in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself. Her heirs and successors. give and grant unto me,
the said James Thomson, Her special licence that I. the said James
Thomson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said James Thomson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland. the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man. an Invention for "Im
PROVEMENTS IN GAS STOVES FOR HEATING AND COOKING," upon the condition
(amongst others) that T, the said James Thomson, my executors or admini-
strators. by an instrument in writing under my. or their, or one of their
hands and seals. should particularly describe and ascertain the nature
of the said Invention, and in- what manner the same was to be performed.
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that. I, ihe said James Thomson, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say:
The Invention has for its object improvements in gas stoves for heating
and cooking, and relates to means whereby more perfect combustion of the
gas is effected. For this purpose, according to one arrangement, I construct.
a stove consisting of two chambers connected together, but at a short distance
apart by hollow pillars or tubes open at their ends to both chambers, the

page_text: upper chamber is provided with a tube open at both ends and fixed in the
centre of a plate forming the bottom of such chamber: in the centre of this
tube I fix a ring burner. The hollow pillars or tubes I fill with small tubes
or wires or other suitable material in such manner as to divide or cut up
the passage through such hollow pillars or tubes into very small passages.
To the centre of the bottom of the lower chamber is fixed a tube open at
both ends, and rising to within a short distance of the siop of such chamber.
The area of the tube in the centre of which is fixed the ring burner should
be such that a proper quantity of air may be admitted to effect a proper com-
bustion of the gas, and I find that for a burner consuming two and a half
cubic feet of gas per hour, a tube of three inches in diameter answers well.
The upper or combustion chamber is provided with a moveable lid which is
luted into its seat, and the lower chamber is provided with a tap for running
off the water produced by the combustion of the gas.
The action of the apparatus is as follows: The gas being lighted at the
ring burner the products of combustion pass up into the upper part of the
upper chamber, and thence descend through the hollow pillars or tubes, where
in their passage they are cooled or condensed and fall into the lower chamber
in the form of water, the nitrogen disengaged from the air passes out of the
lower chamber through the pipe or tube fixed in the bottom thereof.
When employing the apparatus for heating water I prefer to construct it.
in the following manner:-The apparatus is constructed with only one
chamber, consisting of two annular boilers placed one within the other and one
circular boiler. the outer annular boiler is longer than the inner one and
forms the combustion chamber, being closed, at the top by the circular boiler,
and at the bottom by a plate to which the inner annular boiler is also con-
nected. These boilers are connected together by suitable tubes in such manner
as to ensure a rapid circulation of the water between them as will be well
understood. In the centre of the inner tube of the small annular boiler the
ring burner is fixed, and the products of combustion rise up such tube, and
after striking against the bottom of the, circular boiler descend into the space
enclosed between the two annular boilers and thence pass out at the lower
part through a suitable tube or tubes into the outer atmosphere. If desired
this arrangement may be also provided with a lower chamber. connected
to the upper one by hollow pillars or tubes, as previously described with
respect to the first arrangement.
When employing the apparatus in combination with an oven I divide the
upper or combustion chamber into two parts horizontally, the upper portion
being provided with an oven formed in any suitable manner so as to allow
.

page_text: the products of combustion to pass around the oven, such upper portion of the
chamber being luted to the lower portion as will be well understood. By these
means the upper portion of the chamber may be removed when desired and
a boiler or other vessel may be placed thereon. In order to regulate the
quantity of gas passing to the apparatus I prefer to employ a regulator
formed of an ordinary burner placed in the interior of the gas pipe, such
burner being of a suitable size to allow the required quantity of gas to
pass to the ring burner, but other suitable regulators may be employed.
And in order that the Invention may be more fully understood and readily
carried into effect. I will proceed, aided by the accompanying Drawings, more
fully to describe the same.
Figure is a vertical section, and Figure 2 a sectional plan taken on the
line 1. 1. of Figure 1, of a stove for heating purposes constructed according to
my Invention.
a. a, is an upper chamber, which by hollow pillars or tubes b is connected
to the lower chamber c. In the upper chamber is fixed a tube d, in the
centre of which is supported a ring burner e. as shewn. The hollow pillars
or tubes are filled with small wires or tubes or other suitable material in
order to divide or cut up the passage through such tubes or pillars into very
small passages. A tube c' rising to within a short distance from the top of
the lower chamber serves to conduct away the gases produced by the com-
bustion of the gas studs e' or other suitable means are provided in order to
ensure the ring burner e being placed in a central position in the tube d. A
cover a is applied to the top of the chamber a; this cover is rendered air-tight
by luting, as shewn.. or by other suitable means, and if desired such cover may
be removed and a culinary or other vessel may be placed over the opening.
and the contents of such vessel heated thereby.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-The vapours and gases produced
by the combustion of the gas rise to the upper part of the chamber a, and
thence descend to the lower part thereof and pass through the hollow pillars
or tubes into the lower chamber c. whereby the condensible vapours are
condensed in their passage through the hollow pillars or tubes b, and are col-
lected in the chamber in the form of water, whilst the incondensible gases
pass out of the chamber through the tube to the outer atmosphere. A
tap serves for the purpose of drawing off the water from the lower
chamber c.
Figure 3 is a vertical section, Figure 4 is a sectional plan taken on the

page_text: line 2, 2, Figure 3: and Figure 5 is a sectional plan taken on the line 3, 3,
Figure 3. of apparatus suitable for heating water for conservatories, baths, and
other purposes constructed according to my Invention. f. f. is an annular boiler,
in the centre of which is fixed another annular boiler g. g, leaving an annular
space or chamber h. h. between them: a circular boiler is applied at the top
thereof so as to close the chamber h, h. at that part. The boilers and gare
connected together by a tube or tubes rising to within a short distance of the
top of the boiler f. and the boilers and i are connected together by tubes k,
as shewn, in order that a proper circulation of the water between the
different boilers may be maintained; is the flow or delivery pipe. and the
return pipe is a ring burner fixed in the centre of the chamber m; h¹ is a
pipe or tube for conveying away the products of cumbustion to the outer
atmosphere is a tap for running off the contents of the boilers when
desired, and is an air pipe.
The action of the apparatus is similar to that described with reference to
Figures 1 and 2. except that in this case the condensible vapours are more or
less condensed by coming in contact with the comparatively cold sides of the
boilers and g: if desired. however. a condensing apparatus similar to that
shewn at Figures 1 and 2 may be employed in connection with the water-
heating apparatus, and a dome or steam space may be formed at the top of
the boiler when it is desired to employ it for the production of steam, suitable
pressure and water guages being employed, as is well understood.
Figure 6 is a vertical section, and Figure 7 is a sectional plan taken on
the line 4, 4, of Figure 6 of a modification of the apparatus shewn at Figures
and 2, similar parts being marked with similar letters of reference to those
employed at Figures 1 and 2.
is applied, as shewn :
tube c' to the outer
In the apparatus shewn at Figures 6 and 7 an oven
whilst the products of combustion pass away by the
atmosphere a condensing apparatus similar to that shewn at Figures and 2
may be employed in connection with that shewn at Figures 6 and 7; and it will
be seen, by reference to these Figures, that the upper part of the chamber
is luted into a seat a formed in the lower part of such chamber, thereby
permitting of the removal of the upper part containing the oven n, and per-
mitting a culinary or other vessel to be placed on the seat a, as will be readily
understood. If desired a boiler o may be applied. as shewn at Figure 6, or
in other suitable manner.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the mode in which
I carry the same into effect, 1 would have it understood that I do not confine
myself to the precise details herein shewn and described; but what I do

page_text: claim is the peculiar combinations and arrangements of stoves for heating and
cooking, substantially as herein shewn and described.
lu witness whereof, I, the said James Thomson, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eighth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
Witness,
B. J. B. MILLS,
Patent Agent,
.3
35, Southampton Buildings,
Chancery Lane.
JAMES THOMSON. (L.S.)