IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR HEATING FLUIDS
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR HEATING FLUIDS." A communication
from abroad by Charles S. Comins, of Boston, Massachusetts, United States of
America
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th April 1880.
William Robert LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltinc, Lake, and Co., Patent Agents,
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR HEATING
Southampton Buildings, London.
FLUIDS." [A communication from abroad by Charles S. Comins, of Boston,
Massachusetts, United States of America.]
This Invention relates to improvements in apparatus for henting fluids.
A device or apparatus constructed according to this Invention has a base con-
sisting of a hollow split annulus with inlets and outlets for the admission of steam,
and a clamping screw whereby the annulus is brought more or less in contact with
the base of a superimposed vessel containing the fluid to be heated, as is more
particularly hereinafter described.
In carrying the said Invention into practice I provide a base which consists
essentially of an annulus with a hollow interior split at one side, the ends of the
split part being closed, and with lugs cast or otherwise secured on the annulus,
which lugs are on cach side of the split part. One or both of these lugs may have
screw-threads formed in a hole which passes through them, and into these holes is
fitted the shank of a screw-shaft with a device for turning the same. In the
underside of this annular base, and at or near the split ends of the same, are two
openings. The thickness of metal composing this annular base may be of any
suitable degree.
Within an opening of the base is placed the cylindrical projecting base of a vessel
which contains the liquid that is to be heated; this projecting base should be of a
size about equal to or slightly less than the opening of the annular base, and when
it is received within this opening one part rests upon the upper surface of the
annular hoen

page_text: The said device or apparatus for heating or boiling boing constructed substantially
as above described, it is operated as follows, that is to say,-
The vessel contain the liquid is placed on the base so as to rest on the same with
the projecting part of the vessel within the opening of the base; then steam being
admitted into one of the openings, it circulates around the hollow interior of the
sides of the base, finding exit at the other of these openings, and imparting heat to
the surface of the projecting part of the base of the vessel and to the part which
rests upon the top of the annular base. Now when in this position, if it is desired
that the fluid in the vessel shall speedily boil, then the screw shaft is turned to the
right, and the annular base, or more properly the inuer sides of the base, are brought
tightly in contact with the surface of the projection of the bottom of the vessel
within it, and the closer the contact of the base with this bottom the moro rapidly
will the fluid boil. The moment the screw shaft is turned from right to left the
annulus, from its elasticity, will spring from around the projection of the vessel and
admit a thin stratum of air between the projection and the inner sides of the baso,
which being a non-conductor checks the too rapid boiling, and the more this space
between the projection and the sides of the opening of the base is increased the less
beat will be imparted to the base of the vessel, and the boiling be checked. So it
will be seen that the fluid in the vessel may be kept at boiling temperature, or hot,
or warm, as may be desired, by simply turning the turning device and theroby
bringing the inner sides of the base more or less in contact with the surface of the
part which projects within it. So accurately is this found to be the case in practice
that a very slight movement of the turning device will sensibly affect the amount
of heat imparted to the fluid within the vessel, and that fluid may therefore be kept
at any temperaturo desired.
It is obvious that if desired the base of the vessel may be constructed to project
down and enclose the outer surface of the annular hase, instead of projecting within
the opening of the base, when the same result will be obtained by increasing or
diminishing the diameter of the heating base by means of the screw-device, as
herein before described; or if desired the heating base may be made in the form of
a continuous hollow ring. The bottom of the vessel in this case will be separate,
and by means of a screw may be made to embrace more or less tightly the heating
base.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Robert Lako in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 11th
October 1880.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR HEATING
FLUIDS." A communication from abroad by Charles S. Comins, of Boston,
Massachusetts, United States of America.
This Invention relates to improvements in apparatus for heating or boiling
fluids.
The said heating or boiling apparatus has a base consisting of a hollow split_or
divided annulus with inlets and outlets for the ingress and egress of steam, and a
clamping screw whereby the said annulus is brought more or less closely in contact
with the base of a superimposed vessel containing the fluid to be heated, as herein-
after described.
In the accompanying Drawing,-
Figure 1 represents a vertical section of the said Invention, and
Figure 2 a plan or top view partly in section of the heating base of the same.
Similar letters indicate the same parts in both of these Figures.
A is the base of the said heating or boiling apparatus. This base consists
essentially of a hollow annular part or annulus a split or divided at one side as at b,
the edges at the division being closed, as shewn at c. Lugs B and C are cast or
otherwise secured on the annulus on each side of the split or division b; one or both
of these lugs may have screw-threads formed in a hole d which passes through them,
and into these holes is fitted the shank e of a screw-shaft D with a device E for
turning the same. In the underside of this annular base, and at or near the split
portion of the same, are two openings F und G; the metal composing this annular
base may be of any suitable thickness.
Within the opening J of the base is placed the cylindrical projecting base H of a
vessel I which contains the liquid to be heated; this projecting base should be of a
size about equal to or a little less than the opening J of the annular base, and when
it is received within this opening the part f rests upon the upper surface of the
annular base A.
The vessel I is placed on the base A so as to rest on the same, with the projecting
part H of the vessel within the opening J of the base A. Then steam being
admitted into one of the openings F, G, it circulates around the hollow interior of
the sides of the base, finding its exit at the other of the openings F, G, and imparting
heat to the surface of the projecting part H of the base of the vessel I, and to the
part f which rests upon the top of the annular base. Now when in this position, if
it is desired that the fluid in the vessel I shall speedily boil, the screw shaft D is
turned by the device E to the right, and the annular base, or more properly the
inner sides of the base A, are brought tightly in contact with the surface of the
projection H of the bottom of the vessel within it, and the closer the contact of
the base A with this bottom the more rapidly will the fluid boil. The moment the
scrow-shaft is turned from right to left the annulus, from its elasticity, will spring
from around the projection H of the vessel I and admit a thin stratum of air between
the projection H and the inner sides of the base A, which being a slow heat con-
ductor checks the too rapid boiling, and the more this space between the projection
Hand the sides of the opening J of the base is increased the less heat will be
imparted to the base of the vessel, and the boiling will be proportionately checked.
It will be seen therefore that the fluid in the said vessel may be kept at a boiling
temperature, or hot, or warm, as may be desired, by simply turning the device E and
thereby bringing the inner sides of the base A more or less in contact with the

page_text: surface of the part H which projects within it. It is found in practice that a very
slight turning of the device E will sensibly affect the amount of heat imparted to
the fluid within the vessel I, and this fluid may therefore be kept at any temperature
desired.
.
It is obvious that the base of the vessel I may be constructed to project down
and enclose the outer surface of the annular base A instead of projecting within
the opening J of the base. In this arrangement the same result will be obtained
by increasing or diminishing the diameter of the heating base by means of the
screw-device D, E, as herein before described; or if desired the heating base may he
made in the form of a continuous hollow ring, the bottom of the vessel being
separated, and by means of a screw made to embrace more or less tightly the
heating base.
Having thus fully described the said Invention, as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim,
First. A device for heating fluids with a base consisting of the hollow annular
piece or annulus divided or separated at one side, its separated edges being closed,
and provided with means whereby the annulus may be enlarged or contracted,
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Second. In a device for beating fluids, a divided hollow annular base and inlet
and outlet openings for the ingress and egress of steam, and means for enlarging or
diminishing the annular opening of the base, in combination with a superimposed
vessel having its bottom within the said annular opening, substantially as and for
the purpose set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eleventh day of October, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.