Improvements in Water Heaters for Domestic and like Purposes.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Water Heaters for Domestic and like Purposes.
I, JAMES SOMERVILLE, of 27, Harmony Row, Govan, Glasgow, Plumber and Gas
fitter, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
-
This invention relates to that class of apparatus known as instantaneous water
heaters wherein the water is heated by means of a gas, oil or other suitable flame,
and it has for its object to improve the construction of such heaters.
In carrying out my invention I make the body of the heater of two metallic
cylindrical or other shaped casings, the one, preferably slightly smaller in diameter
than the other. The space between these casings is or may be packed with silicate
At the
of cotton or any other suitable and well known non-conducting medium.
upper end of the body of the heater is fitted a hollow dome or other shaped top
having an opening in its centre which forms a flue for the escape of the products
of combustion. Fitted round about this flue is a filler of inverted cone shape
which is perforated so as to communicate with the interior of the hollow top.
Situated below the hollow top at suitable distances apart, and communicating
therewith by means of pipe connections, are a series of chambers the uppermost
of which is made cylindrical in shape and slightly smaller in size than the interior
of the casing of the heater. Below this chamber and fitted to the casing of the
heater, are two semi-cylindrical chambers which are constructed of such a size
as to leave a central flue space. Another chamber similar to the uppermost is
suitably placed below these semi-cylindrical chambers. The lower part of the
outer casing is also so constructed to form a water space with an opening in its
centre for the passage upwards of the heated gases. Fitted across the lower part
of the casing is a pipe or like connection which is made in the form of a tee piece
and has coupled to it a pipe which communicates with the chamber above it.
By uncoupling the pipe from the tee piece the whole of the chambers may be
readily removed from the interior of the heater. Situated immediately below the
tee piece is the gas or other flame which serves to heat the water.
The action of the apparatus is such, that, when water from any suitable source of
supply enters through the perforated filler shaped top it passes down through the
various chambers until it reaches the lower part of the outer casing by which time
it is highly heated and may be drawn off therefrom by means of a suitable pipe
connection.
The various chambers are so constructed and connected with each other that
there is always a sufficient quantity of water in the heater to prevent damage
thereto should heat be applied before water is turned on from the source of supply.
The various parts of the apparatus are preferably constructed of metal and if
desired a greater or lesser number of chambers may be used.
Deted this 7th day of Decembe100%
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
70, Wellington Street, Glasgow, Agent.

page_text: Improvements in Water Heaters for Domestic and like Purposes.
I, JAMES SOMERVILLE, of 27, Harmony Row, Govan, Glasgow, Plumber and Gas-
fitter, 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 relates to that class of apparatus known as instantaneous water
heaters wherein the water is heated by means of a gas, oil, or other suitable burner,
and it has for its object, to improve the construction of such heaters.
And in order that my said invention may be properly understood I have here-
unto appended two explanatory sheets of drawings, whereon,
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the water heater.
Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same.
Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken at right angles to the section Fig. 2.
Referring to the drawings whereon the same reference letters wherever repeated
indicate the same parts.
In carrying out my invention I make the body of the heater of two metallic
cylindrical casings, a, b, the one, b, slightly smaller in diameter than and fitting
within the other. The annular space between these casings is, or may be, packed
with silicate of cotton c or any other suitable and well known non-conducting
medium. At the upper end of the body of the heater is fitted a hollow dome or
other shaped top d having a funnel e passed through its centre which forms a flue
for the escape of the products of combustion. Fitted round about this flue is a
filler fof inverted conic shape which is perforated, at f', so as to communicate with
the interior of the hollow top. Situated below the hollow top, at suitable distances
apart, and communicating therewith by means of pipe connections g, are a series
of chambers h which are made of a D or a nearly cylindrical shape and are slightly
smaller in size than the interior of the casing of the heater. These chambers h,
which are superposed, communicate with one another by the water pipe con-
nections and the expansion pipes j. The lower part of the outer casing is also
constructed so as to form a water space k with an opening in its centre for the
passage upwards of the heated gases. Depending from the lowest chamber hand
arranged within the lower part of the casing is a pipe connection in which is made
in the form of a tee piece and has coupled to it pipe bends or branches which
communicate with the chamber k. By uncoupling the pipes n from the tee-
piece m the whole of the chambers h can be readily removed from the interior of
the heater. Situated immediately below the tee piece is the gas or other burner o
which serves to heat the water.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-
Water, say from a tap p or the ordinary water pipe, runs into the filler f and
from thence passes by the holes f¹ into the top chamber d, and then by the coup-
ling pipes g and pipes i to the various chambers h and finally by the connection m
and branches n to the bottom chamber k from whence it can be allowed to run off
by the pipe q into the bath or other receptacle for the hot water.
The pipe connections g, i, j, m, have the orifices at their upper ends a little above
the floor of the respective chambers to which they are connected so as to always
retain a little water in each chamber thereby preventing damage to the apparatus
should heat be applied thereto before water is turned on from the source of supply.
The products of combustion from the burner are caused to travel upwards between
the chambers in a more or less zig-zag course and finally escape by the flue e, which,

page_text: as shown, is made to extend down below the bottom of the chamber d nearly to
the upper chamber h. Holes r¹, are or may be made at the bottom of the flue e
for the passage of the products of combustion.
u are metal baffles.
It is found in practice that very little fume or smell is given off by this heater.
The chamber is, by preference, arranged as shown, so as to communicate with
the annular space s at the bottom of the heater in order to take advantage, for the
purpose of heating the water, of the heat concentrated within the space t at the
bottom of the heater.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I consider novel and desire to claim is:-
1. A water heater having its parts constructed and arranged substantially as
hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings annexed.
2. A water heater having an arrangement of superposed chambers
communicat-
ing with one another substantially as herein before described with reference to the
drawings annexed.
Dated this fith day of September 1898.
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
100, Wellington Street, Glasgow, Agent.