Improvements in Apparatus for Preventing or Removing the Deposit of Moisture on Windows or the like.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Nov., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 14th Sept., 1899-Accepted, 4th Nov., 1899
Improvements in Apparatus for Preventing or Removing the Deposit
of Moisture on Windows or the like.
We, JOHN GRICE STATTER, of 3, Lurgan Mansions, Sloane Square, in the
County of London, Electrical Engineer, and EDWARD HERBERT MAULE, of 6,
Princes Chambers, Corporation Street, Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Brewer, do hereby declare the nature of our invention to be as follows:-
Our invention has for its object to provide apparatus for readily and efficiently
preventing or removing the deposit of moisture on windows and is especially
adapted for use in clearing windows of shops or the like in which large surfaces
of glass are exposed to the atmosphere.
In carrying out our invention we form ventilators or openings below the glass
window to be cleared or kept clear by which the air from outside the building
is admitted we heat the air so admitted by electric heaters formed of helical
coils each enclosed in asbestos or the like and supported by a metal collar or
between metal collars by means of screw threads cut in the said collar or collars
with which the helical coil engages. The coils may be enclosed in outer protecting
tubes each supported in a bracket or the like provided with gills or plates for
preventing transmission of heat from the electric heater to the wall or the like
to which the bracket is secured. The metal forming the coil is preferably semi-
circular in cross section the flat portion of the section being turned inwards so
that a coil has a smooth surface internally whilst the exterior presents a spiral
groove.
For alternating current circuits the helical coils are wound double in order
to minimise induction. In this case one collar may suffice placed at one end the
ends of the helices being brought out to terminals at the other end.
Or we may 'dispense with the aforesaid outer protecting tube and in this case
we mount the coil on a mandrel for convenience in operation, having previously
spaced its convolutions as desired. We then lay over the coil, and beyond the
ends if so desired, successive layers of thin asbestos paper or the like cemented
together with a suitable heat resisting cement until a sufficient thickness has
been attained to give the walls of the asbestos tube so made the desired mechanical
strength. In case of double wound coils the ends of the wires may be brought
down in grooves formed in the mandrel and allowed to project beyond the end of
the asbestos tube when finished. Or a few of the first or inner layers of the
asbestos paper or the like may be passed under the ends of the said wires between
them and the mandrel so that when the tube is finished they are embedded in the
asbestos walls. When the tube so constructed is set the mandrel is withdrawn for
which purpose a collapsible mandrel may conveniently be used. Suitable electric
connections are made to the ends of the coils for connecting them together and to
a current interrupting device.
The aforesaid heaters are arranged at intervals inside the window and just
below the glass thereof in a casing which is closed to the interior of the shop or
other building save at its top side where the elongated narrow opening or slot

page_text: extending along the window is provided with a hinged lid or cover. In con-
nection with the hinged lid or cover we arrange a contact-making device or switch
forming part of a suitable current interrupter or the like which is so arranged
that the opening of the lid or cover causes the electric circuit to be completed and
a current of electricity to be supplied to the heating coils, while, when the lid
or cover is closed, the contact is broken and the heating of the coils stopped.
Wire gauze or other suitable non-inflammable material may be arranged so as to
form a guard over the aperture or slot and prevent articles dropping through
when the lid is opened and the heating apparatus is at work.
By the arrangement described we dispense with air tubes and fans or the like
for supplying air under pressure and we provide an electric heater very superior
to any hitherto in use, which is supplied with simple but efficient means for
keeping the cold air out of the interior of the shop or other building and for
readily starting and stopping the heating of the apparatus with the risk of fire
reduced to a minimum.
Dated this 14th day of November 1898
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.
Improvements in Apparatus for Preventing or Removing the Deposit
of Moisture on Windows or the like.
We, JOHN GRICE STATTER, of 3, Lurgan Mansions, Sloane Square, in the
County of London, Electrical Engineer, and EDWARD HERBERT MAULE, of 6,
Princes Chambers, Corporation Street, Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Brewer, 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:-
Our invention has for its object to provide apparatus for readily and efficiently
preventing or removing the deposit of moisture on windows and is especially
adapted for use in clearing windows of shops or the like in which large surfaces
of glass are exposed to the atmosphere.
:
In carrying out our invention we form ventilators or openings below the glass
window to be cleared or kept clear by which the air from outside the building
is admitted we heat the air so admitted by electric heaters formed of helical
coils each enclosed in asbestos or the like and supported by a metal collar or
between metal collars by means of screw threads cut in the said collar or collars
with which the helical coil engages. The coils may be enclosed in outer protecting
tubes each supported in a bracket or the like provided with gills or plates for
preventing transmission of heat from the electric heater to the wall or the like
to which the bracket is secured. The metal forming the coil is preferably semi-
circular or shaped in cross section the flat portion of the section being turned
inwards as hereinafter described.
For alternating current circuits the helical coils are wound double in order
to minimise induction. In this case one collar may suffice placed at one end, the
ends of the helices being brought out to terminals at the other end.
Or we may dispense with the aforesaid outer protecting tube and in this case
we mount the coil on a mandrel for convenience in operation having previously
spaced its convolutions as desired. We then lay over the coil, and beyond the
ends if so desired, successive layers of thin asbestos paper or the like cemented
together with a suitable heat resisting cement until a sufficient thickness has

page_text: been attained to give the walls of the asbestos tube so made the desired mechanical
strength. In case of double wound coils the ends of the wires may be brought
down in grooves formed in the mandrel and allowed to project beyond the end of
the asbestos tube when finished. Or a few of the first or inner layers of the
asbestos paper or the like may be passed under the ends of the said wires between
them and the mandrel so that when the tube is finished they are embedded in the
asbestos walls. When the tube so constructed is set the mandrel is withdrawn for
which purpose a collapsible mandrel may conveniently be used. Suitable electric
connections are made to the ends of the coils for connecting them together and to
a current interrupting device.
The aforesaid heaters are arranged at intervals inside the window and just
below the glass thereof in a casing which is closed to the interior of the shop or
other building save at its top side where the elongated narrow opening or slot
extending along the window is provided with a hinged lid or cover. In con-
nection with the hinged lid or cover we arrange a contact making device
forming part of a suitable current interrupter or the like which is so arranged
that the opening of the lid or cover causes the electric circuit to be completed and
a current of electricity to be supplied to the heating coils, while, when the lid
or cover is closed the contact is broken and the heating of the coils stopped. Wire
gauze or other suitable non-inflammable material may be arranged so as to
form a guard over the aperture or slot and prevent articles dropping through
when the lid is opened and the heating apparatus is at work.
Referring to the accompanying drawings Figure 1 shews in section one form
of an electric heater used and Figure 2 is a modified form thereof.
Figure 3 shews in section one arrangement of the apparatus for heating the air
applied to a shop window, Figure 3 is a section taken through 1-2 Figure 3,
and Figure 4 shews a modified form of arrangement, both Figures 3 and 4 being
provided with contact making and breaking devices working in conjunction with
the opening and shutting of the lid as aforesaid.
The heater shewn in Figure 1 consists of a helical coil A of metal wire supported
between metal collars B B2 by means of screw threads b cut in the said collars
with which the ends or outer parts of the helical coil A engage. C is an asbestos
covering which may be enclosed in an outer metal protecting tube D; d', d
indicate the binding screws or connections for connecting up one electric heater
to the next of the series or to the contact making and breaking device. The
metal wire forming the coil A is preferably semicircular or D-shaped in cross
section, the flat portion of the section being turned inwards so that a coil has a
smooth surface internally whilst the exterior presents a spiral groove.
For alternating current circuits the coils are wound double as shewn in
Figure 2 so as to minimize induction. In this case a collar B at one end may
suffice, the ends of the coils being brought out to the opposite end and connected
up as shewn at the terminals d', d². Or we may dispense with the outer protecting
tube 1) and then we mount the coil on a mandrel for convenience when covering
the same with the asbestos as already described.
Figure 3 shews one arrangement of heating apparatus. The tubes A are sup-
ported from brackets E. The ventilator F supplies the cold air from outside the
building; the said heaters A which are set at short distances apart as shewn in
elevation in Figure 3ª are contained in a casing F¹ with elongated slot or
opening and lid f. To the lid is attached the contact making device H which
when the lid is open enters between the spring jaws of the current interrupter H'
whereby the current is supplied to the set of coils A forming the electric heater.
When the lid f is closed contact is broken and the current cut off from the
coils. K is a piece of wire gauze or the like for guarding the slot when the lid
is open. In the modified arrangement shewn in Figure 4 we use a switch M for
making and breaking contact. The lid h² is connected by a link m¹ to the said
switch M, so that the opening of the lid operates the switch to complete the
circuit and the shutting of the said lid breaks the circuit.
In this arrangement

page_text: the wire gauze or the like is laid over the opening as shewn at K¹. The supporting
brackets E are preferably provided with gills e¹ for preventing transmission of
heat from the electric heating coils to the wall against which the brackets
are secured.
By the arrangements described we dispense with air tubes and fans for supplying
air under pressure and we provide a novel electric heater which supplies a steady
film or sheet of warm air to travel up against the inside surface of the glass
window N, simple but efficient means being provided for keeping the cold air
out of the main interior of the building and for readily starting and stopping the
heating apparatus with the risk of fire reduced to a minimum.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :-
1. The improved apparatus for preventing or removing the deposit of moisture
on windows comprising the combination of the following parts, electric heating
coils, the means described for supplying air directly from outside the building, a
casing to contain the said heating coils closed to the interior of the building but
with an elongated opening at its top side fitted with a lid, and a contact making
and breaking device arranged to operate in conjunction with the opening and
shutting of the lid.
2. For use in apparatus of the kind described in the preceding claiming clause,
electric heaters each consisting of a single or double wound coil A. of the described
section, with a metal collar B or collars B B and an asbestos covering C with
or without an outer protecting tube D, as described and shewn in the drawings.
Dated this 14th day of September 1899.
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.