Improvements in Oil Vapour Heating Apparatus.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Jan., 1893-Accepted, 25th Mar., 1893
Improvements in Oil Vapour Heating Apparatus.
I, EMIL STRAUSS of 64 Naunynstrasse Berlin, Model Maker, 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:-
This invention relates to an oil vapour heating apparatus for heating rooms, cars,
or other places at a low cost.
On the annexed drawings I have shown the apparatus, by way of example, as
applied to a tram-car.
Fig. 1. is a side elevation of a tram-car heated by my apparatus.
Fig. 2 shows, in plan, an arrangement for supporting the burner on springs.
Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view.
Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the oil reservoir.
Fig. 5 is a vertical section of the apparatus.
Fig. 6 is an enlarged plan of the interior of the apparatus, Fig. 5.
Fig. 6 is a plan view of the starting pan.
Fig. 7 is an enlarged part plan of the flame spreader.
Fig. 7 is an enlarged vertical section of the vapour burner.
Fig. 8 is a vertical section of the burner nipple on line c, d Fig. 94.
Fig. 9 is a plan view of Fig. 8.
Fig. 9 is a horizontal section on the line a, b, Fig. 8.
Referring to the drawing whereon the same reference letters wherever repeated
indicate similar or like parts,
The apparatus consists of a chamber a which is enclosed, preferably, in a sheet
iron casing a¹, secured to the bottom of the car, for safety against fire. The
chamber is, preferably, placed in the middle of the car between the two axles as it
is, in this position, less liable to be affected by sudden movements or jolts of the car.
When the chamber a projects up through the bottom of the car the sheet iron is
extended, as shown, at Fig. 5, so as to protect the adjoining woodwork.
The casing protects the chamber a from damage and from influence of the weather
it also prevents useless radiation of heat. A door a² (Fig. 1) is fitted at the front
of the casing for purposes of access and another is fitted at the back for cleaning
purposes.
The chamber a is, preferably, made of sheet copper and is or may be expanded
outwards towards its base, as shown, and has two heating branches or pipes b, b¹
which pass under the seats of the carriage; and, to deflect the heated gases into said
pipes, the top 7 of the chamber is made dished or concaved. The heating pipes are
preferably of copper and are or may be inclined as shown. Brass or copper outlet
or escape pipes c (Fig. 1) are fitted at the ends of the pipes b, b¹.
The paraffin or other oil reservoir consists of a brass pipe or vessel d which is
supported on the top of a stand pipe or oil conduit d2 at the side of the car.
The reservoir d is held in position by means of a support or collar fitted on the
tube d' and which is held in place by means of a spiral spring t which is capable of
being adjusted to any desired tension by means of the screw nuts d³ on the screwed
part of said tube d¹.
The support bears against two air tubes s fitted on the upper side of
reservoir d and thereby retains the reservoir steadily in place. The spring support
prevents sudden jars or jolts seriously affecting the oil vessel. The oil vessel is:
filled by means of a cup d' on top of tube d' and which is provided with a
strainer d³ to prevent dirt etc., passing downwards with the oil into the reservoir d.

page_text: The lid d of the cup has preferably a small hole in it for the admission of air or
the escape of vapour.
The oil passes from the reservoir d down the stand tube d² and through a branch f
(see Fig. 5) to the vapour chamber h of the burner. The branch f¹ is push jointed
or connected by a cover nut (as shown) to the pipe d². One or more strainers g
may be inserted at the joint. Fitted on the branch pipe f¹ is a supply controlling
valve i which is operated by means of a lever i (see Fig. 6) which passes through a
recess in a projection r¹ (see Fig. 3) fitted eccentrically on a turnable disc k.
W.
The disc turns on the pivot pin k² secured in the plate The disc k is turned,
by means of a lever k¹, between the stops, 1 (see dotted lines Fig. 6).
The mechanism for turning the valve allows for a very nice adjustment in opening
the valve and also consequently in regulating the flame. If it is desired to turn
the valve completely off, the lever handle is lifted out of the recess in the
projection and it is turned over to the back of the peg .
The chamber has a false bottom plate u between which and the true bottom u¹
the air entering at u² passes. The plate u prevents the air passing directly up to
the burner of the apparatus.
The ring e supports on its inner side two strong S shaped springs of which, in
their turn, support the plate w to which the burner and its accessories are secured.
Between the ends of the spring f is a cast-iron plate g (see Fig. 2). The vapour
chamber is held in place in this plate g by means of screws h². Screwed into the
upper end of the chamber is the tube of the burner l. The chamber h has a
gutter for collecting any oil or drips which may fall down whenever the height
of the nipple m is altered. The vapour chamber has a removable bottom to
facilitate cleaning.
The burner is preferably made of cast copper and it is made with a retort 1³
from which the gas passes downwards through the channel ³ to the burner nipple m.
The burner nipple m is hollow and is screwed into the burner head as shown.
1 is a strainer which may be fitted at the bottom of the nipple to prevent the entry
of any impurities along with the gas. A central outlet orifice is made in the top of
the nipple and through this hole is passed a needle m² which is supported on a
spring m. As the car runs, its movements cause the needle m² to oscillate up and
down and thus prevent the flame orifice, around the top of the needle, from
.choking up.
The spreader plate n is adjustably supported on the top of the retort l² by means
of screws x and nuts.
A number of holes may be made in the spreader n and it may be bent down at
the periphery and dished or convexed at the centre to facilitate the spreading of
the gas and flame.
The burner head is heated at starting by means of a spirit lamp o (see Figs. 6ª
and 7). This lamp consists of a pan in which oil is placed and ignited and the
heat generated is sufficient to heat up the burner head and retort, so that, when the
cock i is turned on and oil begins to flow in small quantities into the retort it is
immediately turned into gas and escapes at the nipple m, where it ignites and heats
up the tubes b, b and chamber a. After the gases have been ignited the spirit
flame in pan o may be put out and the apparatus allowed to work automatically on
the self generating gas principle.
The spirit lamp o may be made with a recess o² in it, which, when the lamp is in
place, grips round the pipe l' so that the position of the lamp and the heating of
the burner is always practically the same. A number of tubes o' may be fitted in
the lamp through which air is allowed to pass and mingle with the vapour so as to
produce needle-like flames.
There is no liability of an explosion with this apparatus as with a great tension
of gas, the increased pressure will but force back the inflowing oil, so that any
excess of gas passes into the inlet tube and is there condensed. The different parts
of the apparatus are so arranged as to be easily accessible for being cleaned or
repaired.

page_text: The quantity of paraffin oil used for heating a tram-car has been tested to be
about 1 litre per 6 hours at a cost of 2 to 3 pfennig (8 pfennig are equal to ld.
English money).
There is, with this apparatus, no bad smell, dust, or danger from fire.
As there is a possibility that, when the car may be severely jolted, the flame may
be put out, it is advisable to have a pilot light or torch p always burning so as to
re-ignite the burner in such a case.
An elastic bed is formed for the burner and its parts by the springs.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The general arrangement and combination of parts of the oil vapour heating
apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described and shown on the drawings
annexed.
2. In an oil vapour heating apparatus, a vapour chamber (h) which is adjustably
supported in a plate (g) by means of screws or equivalent, and upon the top of
which is a vapour burner (1) having an adjustable spreader (n), substantially as
hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings annexed.
3. A burner nipple (m), having, or not, strainers (14) at its under side and
provided with a spring-acting cleaning needle (m²), substantially as hereinbefore
described and shown on the drawings annexed.
4. The combination with the supply cock (i) of a lever handle (¿¹), a movable
disc (k), a projection fitted eccentrically on said disc and having a
said lever handle, and a rod or equivalent for turning said disc, substantially as
recess for
and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.
5. The arrangement of springs fandt for giving an elastic support to the
burner and its accessories, substantially as hereinbefore described and shown
on the drawings annexed.
Dated this 29th day of December 1892.
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
70, Wellington Street, Glasgow, Agent.