Improvements in Laundry Stoves or Ranges.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application (in United Kingdom), 31st Aug., 1893
Complete Specification Left. 31st May, 1894-Accepted, 7th July, 1894
Improvements in Laundry Stoves or Ranges.
I, DIETHELM LAVATER, of Freyastrasse 14, Zurich-Aussersihl, Mechanical
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Laundry operations, such as washing, rinsing, boiling, scalding, blueing, clearing &c.
have heretofore been effected chiefly in large open wash-tubs, whereby a large
quantity of hot water is allowed to evaporate and a considerable loss of heat is thus
caused. In large laundries or wash-houses (for instance in those of institutions)
three, four or more stoves or ranges, either portable or built up in brickwork, have
been employed, in order to heat a sufficient amount of water, and to enable some of
the above mentioned operations to be effected simultaneously over the fire.
these ranges have generally been provided with separate fireplaces and therefore a
great waste of fuel has been caused.
But
Now a laundry stove or range according to this invention is constructed in such
a manner that water entirely surrounds and flows in direct contact with the
fireplace and a flue leading therefrom, and in some cases also passes through a
passage between two fire-holes, the water becoming heated by heat that is in
ordinary stoves or ranges taken up uselessly by the brickwork. The water then
passes into a water vessel or dome situated at some distance from the fireplace and
projecting above the surface of the range; or the water may pass into a tubular
extension. With such an arrangement the fire-place can be open at the top and be
used for heating ordinary utensils. The water vessel or dome, which is provided at
its bottom with a strainer and is open at the top, but is also capable of being closed
tight, thus forms a further utensil so that the fuel is utilized as much as possible,
and the clothes can be easily lifted from one vessel to the other in order to effect a
continuous series of successive washing operations.
In the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of the stove or range (on the line y-y,
Fig. 3).
Fig. 2 is a vertical cross section, on the line x-x, Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a plan.
Figs. 4 & 5 show respectively in plan and in section an additional cover plate
hereinafter described.
a is a water tight vessel of strong, preferably galvanized sheet iron, in which are
located the fireplace b, the ashpit c, and the flue d which passes through the water
in the vessel a and is preferably made of copper. The fireplace is open at the top
and the grate & extends under two apertures a and a² in the top plate of the range
upon which the utensils or boilers e and f are placed.
Between the two fireholes a¹ and a' there is a passage g for water.
At the rear of the range and projecting from the range plate there is arranged a
kind of dome or vessel h which is open at the top or may be closed by a cover, and
which communicates with the interior of the water reservoir a.

page_text: A strainer-bottom h¹ is preferably fitted in the dome h whose cover may if
desired be so constructed as to be capable of being hermetically closed, in order,
when desired, to place the water in the range under pressure.
This range enables the fuel to be utilized practically without waste because,
without any reduction of the heating effect upon the vessels e and f, the water in
the range takes up the heat radiating towards the sides, and partly that which
radiates towards the top, and thus the water in the dome also becomes heated.
Therefore, clothes can be placed into the vessel / and be scalded therein in the same
manner as in a vessel over a fire, without the necessity of a separate fireplace.
When fresh water is poured into the dome h, and the temperature of the body
of water therein thus lowered it will be quickly raised again to the required
temperature in consequence of the efficient utilization of the heat.
Of the two pots e and shown in the drawing, the front one e is preferably an
"American automatic washer" in which, with a small quantity of lye, a large
quantity of clothes can be thoroughly washed in a number of successive charges,
whereupon the clothes are rinsed in the second pot f, and are scalded or boiled in the
dome without it being necessary to wring them out.
The range thus forms a washing plant suitable for household use, for institutions,
hotels and the like.
The coverplate shown in Figs. 4 and 5, serves as an insertion piece, in case a
range is formed without the water passage g. In such case, only one opening for
a single vessel over the grate might be used, or two fire holes might be formed by
inserting said plate.
Several domes h and flues d may be provided if desired.
Improvements in Laundry Stoves or Ranges.
I, DIETHELM LAVATER, of Freyastrasse 14, Zürich-Aussersihl, 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 :-
Laundry operations, such as washing, rinsing, boiling, scalding, blueing and
clearing, have heretofore been effected chiefly in large open washtubs, but with
this arrangement a large quantity of hot water is allowed to evaporate and con-
siderable loss of heat is thus caused. In large laundries or wash-houses (for
instance, in those of institutions) three, four or more stoves or ranges, either
portable or built up in brickwork, have been employed, in order to heat a sufficient
amount of water, and to enable some of the above mentioned operations to be
effected simultaneously over the fire. But these ranges have generally been
provided with separate fireplaces and therefore a great waste of fuel has been
caused.
Now a laundry stove or range according to this invention is constructed in such
a manner that water entirely surrounds and flows in direct contact with the fire-
place and a flue leading therefrom, and in some cases also passes through a passage
between two fireholes, the water becoming heated by heat that is, in ordinary
stoves or ranges, taken up uselessly by the brickwork. The heated water then
passes into a water vessel or dome situated at some distance from the fireplace and
projecting above the surface of the range; or the water may pass into a tubular
extension. With such an arrangement the fireplace can be open at the top and be

page_text: used for heating ordinary utensils. The water vessel or dome-which is provided
at its bottom with a strainer and is open at the top, but is also capable of being
closed tight, thus forms a further utensil so that the fuel is utilized as much as
possible, and the clothes can be easily lifted from one vessel to the other in order
to effect a continuous series of successive washing operations.
In the drawings filed with my Provisional Specification,
Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of the stove or range taken on the-
of Fig. 3.
line
y y
Fig. 2 is a vertical cross section on the line x-x of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a plan.
Figs. 4 and 5 show respectively in plan and in section an additional cover plate.
hereinafter described.
a is a water tight vessel of strong, preferably galvanized, sheet iron in which are
located the fireplace b, the ash pit cand the flue d which passes through the water in
the vessel a and is preferably made of copper. The fire-place is open at the top and
the grate 6' extends under two apertures a¹ and a² in the top plate of the range upon
which the utensils or boilers e and fare placed. Between the two fireholes a¹ and a²
there is a passage g for water. At the rear of the range and projecting from the
range plate there is arranged a kind of dome or vessel which is open at the top,.
but may be closed by a cover, and which communicates with the interior of the water
reservoir a. A strainer-bottom h¹ is preferably fitted in the vessel h the cover of
which may if desired be so constructed as to be capable of being hermetically
closed, in order, when desired, to place the water in the range under pressure.
By the construction described, the heat of the burning fuel can be nearly wholly
utilized because, without any reduction of the heating effect upon the vessels e
and f, the water in the range will take up the heat radiating towards the sides of
the range and part of that which radiates towards the top, this heat serving to
partly heat the water in the dome or vessel h, whilst a large proportion of the heat.
carried away by the flame and hot gases escaping from the fireplace, will be
transmitted to the water in the vessel a through the wall of the flue d. Therefore,.
clothes can be placed into the vessel h and be scalded therein in the same manner
as in a vessel over a fire, without the necessity of employing a separate fireplace.
When fresh water is poured into the dome h, and the temperature of the body of
water therein thus lowered, the body of water will be quickly raised again to the
required temperature in consequence of the efficient utilization of the heat.
Of the two pots e and f shown in the drawing, the front one e is preferably an
"American automatic washer" in which, with a small quantity of lye, a large
quantity of clothes can be thoroughly washed in a number of successive charges,.
whereupon the clothes are rinsed in the second pot f, and are scalded or boiled
in the dome without it being necessary to wring them out. The range thus
forms a washing plant suitable for household use, and for institutions, hotels and
the like.
The cover plate shown in Figs. 4 and 5, serves as an insertion-piece, in case a
range is formed without the water passage g. In such case, only one opening for
a single vessel over the grate might be used, or two fireholes might be formed by
inserting the said plate in place across the single opening.
Several domes or vessels and flues d may be provided, if desired.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:
1. A laundry stove or range constructed with a surrounding hot water tank or
reservoir such as a and with one or more upward extensions forming, or each
forming, a water vessel such as h that is in free communication with the said hot
water tank or vessel, so as to receive heated water therefrom, and is provided with
a perforated bottom or strainer plate, substantially as hereinbefore described with
reference to the drawings.

page_text: 2. The improved laundry stove or range constructed substantially as described
and shown, whether one or more vessels h, or one or more flues d be used.
Dated this 31st day of May 1894.
W. LLOYD WISE,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Chartered Patent Agent.