IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR HEATING AND VENTILATING GREENHOUSES AND OTHER PLACES BY MEANS OF GAS."
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Tidcombe, the younger, of the Firm of George
Tidcombe and Son, Engineers, of Watford, in the County of Herts, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR HEATING AND
VENTILATING GREENHOUSES AND OTHER PLACES BY MEANS OF GAS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Tidcombe at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st July 1877.
GEORGE TIDCOMBE, the younger, of the Firm of George Tidcombe and Son,
Engineers, of Watford, in the County of Herts. IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR
APPARATUS FOR HEATING AND VENTILATING GREENHOUSES AND OTHER PLACES
BY MEANS OF Gas."
This improved process of heating by gas is especially adapted for warming
greenhouses, but it is also advantageously applicable to other places requiring
to be maintained at an increased temperature.
The distinctive features of this Invention are the following:-
The abolition of a localized stove, the necessary heat being applied direct to a
tubular heating and draught pipe.
The withdrawal of water and other liquid products of the combustion of gas by
means of downcast pipes attached to a droop or downward bend or depression in
the heating and draught pipe.
The method hereafter described of increasing the heating power of the air and
maintaining its heat in any length of pipe by re-enforcements of gas burners, and
effecting immediate ventilation by draught flames turned by elbows and diaphragms
in the direction of the current of heated air.
Means of sweeping or scraping out from time to time condensed volatile salts and
other prejudicial depositions.
In carrying out my improvements I employ an arrangement of Liebig or other
gas-heating means in which atmospheric air is mixed with the gas to be consumed

page_text: before ignition, and the heat of the flame obtained is received into a tube which
becomes the means of heating the greenhouse or other place. This tube will vary in
length and diameter with the size of the chamber to be heated or the extent of
heating required; but supposing the diameter of this tube to be three inches I form
the mouth or receiving end to dip downwards to within a short distance, say, one
inch, of the gauze of a Liebig flame or gas burner, and I turn the lip of this mouth
upwards inside so as to form a channel to collect any products of condensation
of moisture or gas consumption from which they may be drawn off or conveyed
away.
The sides of the mouth or receiving end should be formed sufficiently steeply
inclined to insure the liquid products of combustion being correctly conveyed to
the lip or channel at their bottom part.
The tube to be heated I form in most cases of glazed earthenware or fire-clay, on
account of its greater durability and moderate conducting power, and in order to
equalize the distribution of the heat I find it advantageous to form the conducting
pipe thicker, or with a second enclosing pipe or part pipe near the flame tapering in
thickness away from it. This tube I arrange so that after its descent from a
vertical direction at its mouth it may be formed to follow any desired direction
provided it has a dip or dips for a short distance to a point at which I apply a tube
to receive, and by which to draw off any liquid products of condensation. From
this point the pipe progressively but slightly rises, except at such parts where it
may be desirable to apply other such pipes and dips for collecting and drawing off
the liquid products of combustion.
When the length of pipe to be heated is considerable, the heat thereto may be
assisted or maintained by re-enforcements or relays of Bunsen or other combined air
and gas-heating media through junction pipes turned into the main pipe by pro-
portionate bends turned in the direction of the flow of the air current or by
diaphragins to turn the heated air from these auxiliary burners or relays in the
same direction; and these auxiliary heating means I apply at intervals, as may be
found desirable.
When gas containing volatile salts is employed I use elbow bends to the heating
pipes, with doors, to facilitate the scraping out of matters that may be formed
therein.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said George Tidcombe in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 19th
January 1878.
GEORGE TIDCOMBE, the younger, of the Firm of George Tidcombe and Son,
Engineers, of Watford, in the County of Herts. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR
APPARATUS FOR HEATING AND VENTILATING GREENHOUSES AND OTHER PLACES
BY MEANS OF GAS."
The improved means or apparatus for heating by the combustion of gas is
especially adapted for use in the warming of greenhouses, conservatories, and other
plant houses, but it is also very advantageously applicable to the warming of other
places requiring to be maintained at an increased temperature.
In carrying out my improvements I employ an arrangement of Liebig or other
gas-heating means in which atmospheric air is mixed with the gas to be consumed
before ignition, and the heat of the flame obtained is received into a tube which
becomes the means of heating the greenhouse or other place. This tube will vary
in length and diameter with the size of the chamber to be heated or the extent of
heating required; but supposing the diameter of this tube to be three inches, I form
the mouth or receiving end to dip downwards to within a short distance, say, one
inch or less, of the gauze of a Licbig flame or gas burner, and I turn the lip of this
mouth upwards inside, so as to form a channel to collect any liquid products of
condensation or gas consumption from which channel they may be drawn off or
conveyed away.
The sides of the mouth or receiving end should be formed sufficiently steeply
inclined to ensure the liquid products of combustion being correctly conveyed to the
lip or channel at their bottom part.
The tube to be heated I form in most cases of glazed earthenware or fire-clay, on
account of its greater durability and moderate conducting power, and in order to
equalize the distribution of the heat I find it advantageous to form the con-
ducting pipe thicker, or with a second enclosing pipe or part pipe near the
flame, tapering in thickness away from it. This tube I arrange so that after
its descent from a vertical direction at its mouth it may be formed to follow
any desired direction provided it has a dip or dips for a short distance to a
point at which I apply a tube to receive and by which to draw off any liquid
products of condensation. From this point the pipe progressively but slightly
rises, except at such parts where it may be desirable to apply other such pipes
and dips for collecting and drawing off the liquid products of combustion.
When the length of pipe to be heated is considerable the heat thereto may be
assisted or maintained by re-inforcements or relays of Bunsen or other combined air
and gas-heating media through junction pipes turned into the main pipe by pro-
portionate bends turned in the direction of the flow of the air current, or by
diaphragms to turn the heated air from these auxiliary burners or relays in the same
direction; and these auxiliary heating means I apply at intervals, as may be found
desirable.
When gas containing volatile salts is employed I use elbow bends to the
heating pipes, with doors to facilitate the scraping out of matters that may be
formed therein.
But in order that my Invention may be the better understood I will proceed
more fully to describe the same by the aid of the accompanying Drawings, in
which Figure 1 shows a front view of an arrangement of apparatus adapted to
carry my Invention into effect; Figure 2 shews 80 much of such apparatus to
a larger scale in section as is included within the dotted lines A, A, and B, B,
of Figure 1; and in like manner Figure 3 shows so much more of such appa-
ratus in section to the like scale as Figure 2 as is included between the lines C, C,
and DD of Figure 1.

page_text: Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each of the Figures of
the Drawings.
a is a burner for the gas, somewhat of the kind known as a Liebig burner, that
is to say, the gas is admitted at the lower part thereof by a pipe a¹, the supply by
which being controlled by a tap a³, thence by means of a cylindrical vessel a³,
perforated around its sides with numerous small holes a*, the gas is distributed into
the cylindrical chamber a³, where before ignition it becomes mixed with atmospheric
air, admitted by the holes at in the base ao of the burner, and the mixed air and
gas thence flows through the sheet or diaphragm of wire or other gauze a into the
upper part of the burner, and thence through the platinum or other suitable wire
gauze as to be burned thereon, as usual in the "Liebig" burner. This wire gauze a
is retained upon the upper inclined outer sides or edges of the cylindrical chamber a³
by a ring or hoop a having its inner edge or surface correspondingly inclined, so as
the better to retain the edges of the gauze a¹¹ pressed between them. The inner gauze
diaphragm a is supported on pins, studs, or a projecting rim from the inner surface
of the chamber a³.
The cylindrical chamber a³ is received within and held in position by the annular
projections or wall a formed to the base a¹0 of the burner. b is a tube formed in
the present instance of fire-clay, except at those parts 6* adjacent to the burners,
which parts I find it convenient and economical to form of iron, but this tube may
be formed wholly or partly of iron or glazed earthenware or fire-clay of suitable
length and diameter, according to the size of the chamber to be heated, or the degree
of heat required to be maintained, but supposing the diameter of this tube towards
the end furthest from the outflow or escape flue to be three inches, I form the mouth
or receiving end b' to dip downwards to within a short distance, say, one inch or
less, of the gauze of the Liebig flame or gas burner a8, and with a lip b² around it,
which I turn or form to incline upwards inside, so as to form a channel 63 to collect
any liquid products of condensation or gas consumption from which they may be
drawn off or conveyed away where necessary by a pipe. These turned up or inclined
sides or lip b² to the mouth or receiving end should be formed to a sufficiently steep
angle to ensure the liquid products collected being correctly conveyed into the
channel b³.
When desired, the parts of the gas burners a may be protected from any liquid
dripping from the tubes b by a cover or screen, such as shown by dotted lines 2, 2,
(Fig. 3), adapted to throw off any such liquid clear of the burner. care standards
or supports for the portions of the tube b, to which they may be connected or other-
ised is a pipe for conveying away to a reservoir d', or otherwise, the products
of combustion or the condensation of moisture conducted to such pipe by the
depression 64, by the inclined inner surfaces of the pipe b draining into it.
I find it advantageous to coat the outer and inner surfaces of the pipe d when
such pipe is formed of iron with tin or other suitable material adapt to resist the
injurious action of the liquid products of the gas combustion, as well as other of the
parts, when formed of iron coming in contact with the liquid products of the
gas combustion and not exposed to sufficient heat to destroy such coating. e is an
opening capable of being closed by a flanged plate and bolts and nuts, or otherwise
to afford means of access for cleansing the flue b, and other similar openings may be
applied at such parts as may be required. ƒ and g are two plates fitting closely
against the under surface of the mouth when turned upon their axis formed by the
bolt f' passed through and secured to the projection 65 from the bent end of the
tube b. When it is desired to diminish the amount of heat to be obtained, the
supply of gas will be reduced to the burner a by the tap a², and to prevent a greater
inflow of air by the mouth of the pipe 6' than can be properly heated by the cor-
respondingly reduced flame of the burner; the plate g having a hole or opening in
it g' will be turned to beneath the mouth or opening b' on its centre of motion f',
so as to partly close or diminish such opening, and when upon the extinguishing of
the flame of the burner, heat is no longer generated, the second door or plate of is

page_text: slided or turned over the opening to close it, and cause the contained heated air to
be retained, so that its heat may be imparted to the air of the chamber to be
heated.
From the liquid collecting depression 64, the pipe b progressively but slightly
rises except at such parts where it may be desirable to apply other depressions or
bends downward, and pipes for collecting and conveying away the liquid products
of combustion, and is connected with a chimney or other suitable means for
carrying off the vitiated air and products of combustion from the pipe b.
When the length of the pipe b to be heated is considerable, the heat thereto may
be re-inforced or maintained by auxiliaries or relays of combined air and gas burners,
such as described, or of Bunsen, Liebig, or other combined air and gas-heating media
applied through junction pipes / turned into the main pipe b by proportionate bends
turned in the direction of the flow of the heated air current therein; the diameter
of the pipe b being increased in some cases to compensate for the increased volume
of such current by this addition at those parts.
Figure 3 shows in section more clearly means adapted for carrying out this part
of the improvements, h being the bend for introducing the auxiliary, or maintaining
heating air to the tube b, which is, as shown, somewhat enlarged at that part.
Repetitions of these re-inforcing burners and their accompanying parts may be applied
at intervals, as may be required.
In place of, or in addition to the bent junction pipes for maintaining the direction
of flow of the heated air, diaphragms or plates suitably inclined to check back
draught may be employed.
The principal distinctive features and advantages of the Invention are the
following:
The abolition of a localized stove or furnace, the necessary heat being applied
directly to a tubular heating and draught or flue pipe.
The withdrawal of water and other liquid products of the combustion of the gas
employed by means of downcast or draining away pipes attached to a droop or
downward bend or depression in the heating and draught pipe.
The method herein-after described of increasing the heating power of the heat
resulting from the consumption of gas, and for maintaining such heat in any length
of pipe by re-inforcements of gas burners, the draught from the flames of which is
turned by elbows, if necessary aided by diaphragms or plates, in the direction of the
current of heated air or fluid, and effecting as a consequence immediate ventilation
of the place heated by intake of air to feed the burners.
The means afforded for ready and frequent sweeping or scraping out of the parts
to remove from time to time the accumulations of condensed volatile salts and
other prejudicial depositions, especially requisite when employing certain descriptions
or qualities of gas.
The facility that apparatus arranged as described affords for instantly reducing or
increasing the consumption of gas by the burner, and the adaptation to such
diminished supply of the amount of in-draught of air, and the consequent regulation
of the heating power of the apparatus to a great nicety.
Also the further facility afforded by the valves or cut-off for detaining the heating
fluid within the pipes, so that its contained heat may be thoroughly absorbed after
the burner has been extinguished.
Having now described the nature and objects of my Invention, I would have it
understood that I do not limit myself to the particular arrangement of the apparatus
shown and described, so long as the peculiar character of the Invention is retained,
but what I do claim, is the arranging or combining parts forming means or apparatus
for heating and ventilating greenhouses and other places, whereby facility is afforded
for the immediate removal of the delecterious products arising from the combustion
of the gas used, and an economical generation, distribution, and partial retention of
the heat obtained is secured, and whereby in the use of apparatus of considerable
size, the maintenance or re-inforcement of the heat obtained is effected, whilst at

page_text: the same time the proper direction of flow of the current of heated air is preserved,
substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Tidcombe, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Nineteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
G. TIDCOMBE, JN*. (L.S.)