MENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING BATH ROOMS AND OTHER PARTS OF DWELLING HOUSES AND SIMILAR BUILDINGS WITH HOT WATER
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick Dyer, of No. 66, High Street, Camden
Town, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVE
MENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING BATH ROOMS
AND OTHER PARTS OF DWELLING HOUSES AND SIMILAR BUILDINGS WITH HOT
WATER."
Sealed the 12th March 1869, and dated the 19th September 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick Dyer at
the Office of 'the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 19th September 1868.
I, FREDERICK DYER, of No. 66, High Street, Camden Town, in the
County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING BATH
ROOMS AND OTHER PARTS OF DWELLING HOUSES AND SIMILAR BUILDINGS WITH HOT
WATER," to be as follows:-
The object of this Invontion is to enable water to be heated in a
very short time, and maintained at a high and almost equal temperature
throughout all parts of the apparatus with a small fire, whereby a large
saving of fuel is effected, and to remove all danger of explosion. To

page_text: .
attain these objects I construct a tubular fire-back or coil of pipes,
which I place at the back of any ordinary fire-place which does not
connect with a boiler. I construct a cylinder of any kind of sheet
metal and of sufficient strength, which I place vertically and higher
than the tubular fire-back in any recess near the fire-place. I connect
this cylinder and the tubular fire-back with a pipe leading from the
bottom of the cylinder to the bottom of the tubular fire-back. In
this connecting pipe at its lowest part I leave a tee piece with a cock
for the purpose of cleaning the whole apparatus when it is necessary
to do so. I lead another pipe from the cylinder about fifteen or
twenty inches from the bottom to the top of the tubular fire-back. The
action of the fire upon the water in the tubular fire-back causes it to
flow into the cylinder, and its place is supplied by the lower pipe with
colder water, and thus a continual circulation is maintained. The
surface of the tubular fire-back exposed to the fire is extensive, the
flames having free access to the whole surface of the tubes, and
as there is only a small quantity of water in the tubes at any one
time, and it is continually circulating a very short time after the appli-
cation of fire, the water in the cylinder becomes sufficiently hot for
any practical purpose. The cylinder is supplied with cold water from
the cistern at the top of the house with a pipe which I call the cold
water pipe. This pipe enters the cylinder at the top. Another pipe,
which I call the hot water pipe, draws the hot water supply from the
cylinder. This pipe leads from the top of the inside of the cylinder
as direct as convenient, to the highest point in the house where hot
water is required. The supply is obtained from all parts below by
tapping this pipe or by branch pipes leading from it. I lead another
pipe, the expansion pipe, from the most convenient part of the hot
water pipe to the top of the inside of the cistern, where it is turned
downwards. This pipe is always open, so that as the water in the
cylinder becomes overheated and expanded it will drip into the cistern.
In all other hot water apparatus the water in the pipes leading from
the boiler or source of supply when motionless becomes cold, and it is
often necessary to draw off the whole contents. of these pipes before hot
water can be obtained; this difficulty I obviate by means of a pipe
which I call the return pipe, which connects with the hot water pipe
in the part most convenient, and is brought direct to and connected
with the cold water pipe a few inches from the top of the cylinder, or
if preferred is led direct to the cylinder, entering the cylinder at the

page_text: top. This return pipe completes the circulation of the water in the
whole apparatus. As by a natural law the hottest water rushes upwards,
the water in those parts of the hot water pipe adjacent to the taps is
the hottest, while there is a continual flow of the colder water through. the
return pipe to the cylinder. Thus the water in the whole apparatus
will be maintained at almost an equally high. temperature.. I prevent
the possibility of cold water rising in the return pipe by inserting a
ball valve in a part of the return pipe near to its junction with the
cold water pipe. If the supply of cold water should be stopped by
the cistern becoming empty, by the water in the pipe freezing, or
from any other reason, as the hot water pipe leads from the top of the
cistern the stoppage of the supply would be immediately known, as
water would not flow from the taps when they were turned on, while
the cylinder would remain full of water, thus preventing all danger.
of explosion..
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Frederick Dyer in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 19th March 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FREDERICK.
DYER, of No. 66, High Street, Camden Town, in the County of Mid-
dlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Ninteenth day of September, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the
thirty-second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and succes-
sors, give and grant unto me, the said Frederick Dyer, Her special
licence that I, the said Frederick Dyer, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Frederick Dyer, 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 ." IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING BATH ROOMS AND OTHER. PARTS OF

page_text: DWELLING HOUSES AND SIMILAR BULLDINGS WITH HOT WATER," upon the condi-
tion (amongst others) that I, the said Frederick Dyer, my executors or
administrators, 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, the said Frederick Dyer, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:-
The object of this Invention is to heat water in a very short time
and to maintain it at a high and almost equal temperature throughout
all parts of the hot water apparatus in such manner that a large saving
of fuel is effected, and to remove all danger of explosion. To attain
these objects I use a fire-back of malleable iron or any other metal cast
in one piece from tubes crossed or wrought, or if preferred I use pipes
or tubes of any metal or of any form or shape, which I place at the
back or side of an ordinary fire-place which may or may not connect
with a boiler. I construct a cylinder of any kind of sheet metal and
of sufficient strength, which I place vertically and higher than the
tubular fire-back in any recess near the fire-place.. I connect this.
cylinder and the tubular fire-back with a pipe leading from the bottom
of the cylinder to the bottom of the tubular fire-back. In this con-
necting pipe at its lowest part I leave a tee picco with a cock for
the purpose of cleaning the whole apparatus when it is necessary to do.
so. I lead another pipe from the top of the fire-back to the cylinder.
entering the cylinder about fifteen inches from the bottom. The action
of the fire upon the water in the tubular fire-back causes it to flow
into the cylinder through the upper pipe, and its place is simultaneously.
supplied by the lower pipe with colder water, and thus a continual
circulation is maintained. The flames. have free access to the whole
surface of the tubular fire-back; and as there is only a small quantity
of water in the tubes at one time and it is continually circulating,
soon after the application of fire the water in the cylinder becomes
sufficiently hot for any practical purpose. The cylinder is supplied
with cold water from the cistern at the top of the house by means

page_text: of a pipe which I call the cold water pipe. This pipe enters the
cylinder at the top and is carried to within a few inches of the
bottom. Another pipe, which I call the hot water pipe, draws the hot
water from the cylinder. This pipe leads from the top of the inside
of the cylinder as direct as convenient to any part of the house where
hot water is required. I lead another pipe which I call the expansion
pipe from the most convenient part of the hot water pipe to the top of
the inside of the cold water cistern where it is turned downwards. This
pipe is always open so that if the water in the cylinder should become
overheated and expanded it would escape by dripping from this pipe into
the cistern. In other hot water apparatus the water in the pipe leading
from the boiler or from any other source of supply when not being
drawn from is motionless and soon becomes cold, often rendering it
necessary to draw off the whole contents of these pipes before hot water
can be obtained; this difficulty I obviate by means of a pipe of smaller
size than the others, which I call the return pipe, and which connects
with the hot water pipe in the part most convenient, and is brought
direct to and connected with the cold water pipe a few inches from
the top of the cylinder or if preferred is led direct to the cylinder
entering the cylinder at the top. or at the side. This return pipe
completes the circulation of the water in the whole apparatus, and as
by a natural law the hottest water rushies upwards the water in those
parts of the hot water pipes adjacent to the taps is the hottest, while
at the least diminution of its heat it flows through the return pipe
to the cylinder. Thus the water in the whole apparatus will be
maintained at almost an equally high temperature. I prevent the
possibility of cold water rising in the return pipe by inserting a
ball valve in a part of the return pipe near to its junction with the
cold water pipe. If the supply of cold water should be slopped by the
cold water cistern becoming empty, by the water in the pipe freezing,
or from any other cause, the hot water pipe leading from the top of
the cylinder, the stoppage of the supply would be immediately known,
as water would not flow from the taps when they were turned on, while
the cylinder would remain full of water, thus preventing all danger
of explosion.
And in order that my said Invention may be clearly understood I

page_text: A is the tubular fire-back made of malleable iron or any other
metal or constructed of pipes or tubes, and is placed at the back of the
kitchen firc-grate; D is the cylinder acting as a hot water reservoir or
tank, and is made of any kind of durable sheet metal; B is a pipe
connecting the bottom of the cylinder D with the bottom of the tubular
fire-back A, and by this pipe B the coldest water in the cylinder D
being the lowest is conveyed to the fire-back A; C is a pipe connecting
the top of the firc-back A with the cylinder D entering. the cylinder
about twenty inches from the bottom, and conveying the heated water
from the fire-back A to the cylinder D; E is a T piece with cock, by
means of which the cylinder, the firc-back, and all parts of the apparatus
can be cleaned by drawing off when necessary; H is the cold water
cistern at the top of the house; and G, G, G, the cold water pipe lead-
ing from the cistern HI to within a few inches of the bottom of the
inside of the cylinder; I, I, I, is the hot water supply pipe leading from
the top of the inside of the cylinder D and supplying hot water cither
direct or by branch pipes to any part of the building where hot water is
required; K, K, is the return pipe which conveys the water from the
hot water pipes I, I, I, to the cylinder D and thus completes the
circulation of the water in the whole apparatus, and prevents the water
in the hot water pipes I, I, I, becoming motionless and cool when not
being used; F is a ball valve inserted in the return pipe K, K, a few
inches from its junction with the cylinder D, and it prevents cold water
rushing upwards in the return pipe; L, L, is the expansion pipe leading
from the hot water supply pipe I, I, I, to the cistern H, and acting as
a safety valve to the whole apparatus by furnishing an outlet for any
overheated and expanded water in the cylinder D; J represents a bath
supplied with hot water; M and N, wash stands in bed rooms with hot
water taps; O is side stand with hot water tap; P, the hot water tap
in the scullery, and Q the hot water tap in the kitchen.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner
in which the same is put into practice, I would have it understood that
I do not confine myself to the exact details herein described and set
forth; but what I specially claim is,-
Firstly. The use of the tubular fire-back made of malleable iron or
other metal cast in one piece from tubes crossed or cast or wrought in
any other way, or constructed of pipes or tubes of any form or shape
and of any metal, for the purpose as herein-before described.

page_text: Secondly. The manner of connecting the tubular fire-back with the
hot water cylinder as hercin-before described.
Thirdly. The application and use of a return pipe with ball valve
inserted to prevent the upward flow of water in the return pipe, as
herein-before described.
Fourthly. The method or mode of connection as herein-before described
by which all parts of a dwelling house or other building can be supplied
with hot water by the use of a hot water cylinder, reservoir, or tank
placed near the kitchen fire and in connection with the tubular fire-
back.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederick Dyer, have hereunto set
my hand and affixed my seal, this Eighteenth day of March, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-
nine.
15
Witness,
JAMES HENRY RICHARDSON,
No. 11, Poultry,
London, E.C.
FREDERICK DYER. (L.S.)