Improvements in Domestic Heating Apparatus.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Oct., 1-894
Complete Specification Left, 15th July, 1895 Accepted, 31st Aug., 1895
[Communicated from abroad by RICHARD NICKERSON (AKMAN the Younger, of
Greenfield, in the State of Massachusetts, United States of America,
Gentleman.]
Improvements in Domestic Heating Apparatus.
I HENRY EDWARD NEWTON of The Office for Patents, 6 Bream's Buildings,
Chancery Lane, in the City of London, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to domestic heaters adapted particularly to be fired by
gas, for heating air, or air and water, to be circulated in a building to be warmed.
The object of the invention is to provide for creating a suitable draft, and the
circulation of hot gaseous products in the heater and also for effectively utilizing
both the sensible and latent heat of the burning gas, by maintaining, a high column
of burning gas, ascending in a combustion chamber, and a vertical flue, forming a
continuation of such chamber, and by causing condensation, and continuously
increasing gravity of the products of combustion, as they descend through tubes or
flues in the heating chamber, in opposition to the inflowing and rising currents of
air to be heated. The heat is abstracted from the descending and outflowing hot
products by the ascending and inflowing cold air, so that the large percentage of
moisture contained in the products, is condensed, and the latent heat utilized
within the furnace, instead of escaping to a chimney, for creating a draft there.
The products of combustion which are not condensed within the heater, are passed
directly to the outer air without the use of a stack or chimney.
Condensation of the large percentage of moisture or steam contained in the
products, by the inflowing cold air, creates a partial vacuum, which assists
circulation, and the tall ascending column of burning gases, also assists circulation,
by pushing the non-condensable products down through the heating flues, and out
through the escape pipe.
The heater is constructed with a ceutral vertical combustion chamber and an
extension flue forming a tall central column for the rise of flame and highly heated
gaseous products. The combustion chamber is constructed with an exterior iron
jacket having a lining of fire bricks, and the lower part of the chamber is
preferably made with the walls converging from the base upward, as shown. The
iron jacket is continued upward above the combustion chamber, to form the hot gas
flue or column, and carries a dome or crown piece.
The burner, which is made of a size to fill the whole area of the combustion
chamber, and fits up snugly against the lower ends of the fire-brick lining, is
constructed with radial perforated arms, and a plate above such arms provided
with radial slots, so that only the desired limited amount of air shall be supplied to
the jets of gas issuing from the perforated radial arm. A burner may also be
provided, the admission of gas and air to which is controlled by a lever, so as to
ensure a proper admixture of the heating elements.
The dome or crown is constructed so as to receive or fit into a circular series of
downtake flues, which are formed with deep radial grooves or channels, and which
rest in seckets of a circular flue carried by supporting legs, and provided
with a horizontal outlet having a goose-neck seal pipe for carrying off water of
condensation.

page_text: The dome and also the lower outlet are preferably connected to a large escape
flue, which, in practice, extends out through the wall. The heater is enclosed by a
hot air shell, with a large opening and passage to the lighting door of the
combustion chamber. In case it is desired to also heat water in the air heater, a
bot water chamber is constructed above the dome, with a water inlet pipe and an
outlet pipe to provide for the circulation of water.
Additional water circulating pipes may be connected to the chamber if desired.
It is thus seen that by a slight modification in the construction of the air heater, it may
be adapted for also heating water. Cold air is supplied to the heater at the base.
The construction of heater is quite simple, and the parts can be quickly assembled
and fitted together for use.
Dated this 15th day of October 1894.
NEWTON & SON,
Agenta for the Applicant.
Improvements. in Domestic Heating Apparatus.
1 HENRY EDWARD NEWTON of The Office for Patents, 6 Bream's Buildings,
Chancery Lane in the County of London, Patent Agent, 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 domestic heaters adapted particularly to be fired by gas
for heating air, or air and water, to be circulated in a building to be warmed.
The object of the invention is to provide for creating a suitable draught, and the
circulation of hot gaseous products in the heater, and also for effectively utilizing
both the sensible and latent heat of the burning gas:-(1) By maintaining a high
column of burning gas in a combustion chamber, and a vertical flue forming a
continuation of such chamber and (2) by causing condensation and a continuously
increasing gravity of the products of combustion, as they descend through tubes or
flues in the heating chamber, in opposition to the inflowing and rising currents of
air to be heated. The heat is abstracted from the descending and outflowing hot,
products by the ascending and inflowing cold air, so that the large percentage of
moisture contained in the hot products is condensed, and the latent heat utilized
within the furnace, instead of escaping to a chimney, as heretofore, in order to
create a draught there. The products of combustion which are not condensed
within the heater, are passed directly to the outer air, without the use of a stack or
chimney..
Condensation of the large percentage of moisture or steam contained in the
products by the inflowing cold air creates a partial vacuum, which assists
circulation, the tall ascending column. of burning gases also assisting circulation, by
pushing the non-condensable products down through the heating flues and out
tbrough the escape pipe.
In applying gas to heating domestic air, and to hot water heaters, many
difficulties have been encountered that are not present in the ordinary coal-fired
heaters, some of which are as follows:-
"
f. With up-draught heaters, the tendency of the hottest products of combustion is
to ascend, and quickly escape, to the chimney, without imparting a fair share of
their heat to the pipes or chambers containing the air or water to be heated.
"
Gases used as fuel, such as natural gas, water gas, and illuminating gas, contain
a large percentage of hydrogen, and hydrogen compound, such as light carburetted
hydrogen, which, on being burned,, results in aqueous vapour or water, which
cannot be discharged to the atmosphere without much difficulty, and the sacrificé
of a large percentage of heat. If the products of combustion pass to the chimney
at a low temperature, the aqueous vapor condenses in the chimney, penetrates the

page_text: brick, work, and stains the walls. When the amount of gas being burned in
the usual up-draught heater or furnace is small, as in mild weather, the vapor
condenses before leaving the heater, dripping back upon the burner. In attempts
heretofore made to remedy these difficulties, the aqueous vapors were discharged at
the top of the chimney, resulting in much loss of efficiency of the heater, and waste.
of fuel.
Among the methods heretofore used are the following:-More air was admitted
at the burners than was required to effect the combustion of the gas, and the
chimney temperature was thus reduced, but as the volume of the products of
combustion, was increased, no real economy was effected.
Air has also been admitted into the escape flue from the heater, producing the
same result as above stated, but no real economy was effected in the use of gas,
since the products of combustion, as they met the inflowing air, must be of
aufficiently high temperature to raise the mixture to a temperature that will cause
it to discharge at the top of the chimney without condensation.
Some heaters are constructed with a small space for the products of combustion,
so that when they are run with little gas, in moderate weatlier, the products will
escape quickly without condensation. The waste in these heaters in cold weather
is very large, as the products escape at very high temperatures.
All heaters now in the market lose not only that heat which is carried away as
sensible beat in the products of combustion, but also the latent heat of the steam or
aqueous vapor.
The present heater is designed, by its construction and arrangement, to reduce
to the minimum the amount of sensible heat wasted, and to save all the latent
heat.
In the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 represents a vertical section of the air heater.
Fig. 2 represents a horizontal section thereof, on the line xx, Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 represents a vertical section of a combined air and water heater.
Fig. 4 represents a top plan view of one half of the heater, and a horizontal
section of the other half, on the line y y, Fig. 3.
A is the heater, which is constructed with a central vertical combustion
chamber B, and an extension flue B', forming a tall central column for the rise of
flame and highly heated gaseous products. The combustion chamber B is con-
structed with an exterior iron jacket E, having a lining of fire-bricks, which are
supported by the inwardly projecting rib of the flange e e, aud the lower part of
the chamber B is preferably made with the walls converging from the base upward,
as shown. The iron jacket E is continued upward above the combustion chamber,
to form the hot gas Hue or column B', and is provided on its exterior surface with
the radial vertical ribs.e, for conducting heat into the surrounding air heating
chamber: it is also provided, at the top, with a flanged socket el, for receiving the
downwardly extending flange of the dome or crown piece F. The combustion
chamber B is closed at the bottom by a plate b, and is provided at the side, above
the burner, with a lighting opening 61, closed by a door a. The burner C, which
may be of any convenient construction, is made of a size to fill the whole area of
the combustion chamber, and fits up snugly against the lower ends of the fire-brick
lining, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, so that the air necessary to support combustion
will pass through the burner in regulated quantity.
The dome or crown of the heater is constructed with a central_downwardly
extending flange, which fits. into the socket e' of the jacket E (as before
mentioned), and also with the downward extending flanges or necks f', for fitting
into the sockets g of the circular series of down-take Hues G.
These fines Gare formed with deep radial grooves or channels g', as shown in
Figs. 2 and 4, and are provided at their lower ends with circular necks or collars g",
which rest in the sockets of a circular horizontal flue H. This annular Hue is
provided at its underside. with bosses n, which rests upon the supporting legs N, as
shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The circular flue H is also provided with a horizontal

page_text: outlet H, to which is connected, at its under side, a goose-neck seal pipe I, for
carrying off water of condensation.
The dome F is provided with a horizontal escape pipe f, having a damper p,
for use when starting the operation of heating up the furnace: The lower outlet H
and the upper outlet f" for waste products, are preferably connected to the large
escape flue P, which has a damper p', and the upper horizontal portion of this
flue P may, in practice, extend out through the cellar wall into the outer air, or
elsewhere.
The heater is enclosed by the hot air shell K, resting at its lower end upon the
anunlar supporting ring k, and having at the top the thimbles for connection of
the hot air pipes. At the lower end of shell K, there is formed a large opening
and passage m, giving access to the lighting door a of the combustion chamber B.
When it is desired to also heat water in the air heater, a hot water chamber L
is constructed above the dome F, as shown in Fig. 3; and the upper surface of such
chamber is formed with radial strengthening ribs a, as shown in Fig. 4.
A water
inlet pipe l'connects at one side of chamber L, and an outlet pipe connects with
the top central portion thereof, to provide for the circulation of water through a
radiator or other heating. device, and through chamber L. Additional water
circulating pipes may be connected to chamber L, if desired. It is thus seen, that
by a slight modification in the construction' of the air heater, it may be adapted for
also heating water. Cold air is supplied to the heater at the base between the
supporting ring & and the combustion chamber B, as shown by the arrows. The
construction of the heater is quite simple, and the parts can be quickly assembled
and fitted together for use.
The operation is also simple, the heater requiring little or no attention after the
gas is ignited at the burner."
In operating the furnace, care is taken that the gas shall be burned with the
smallest proportion of air that will complete the combustion, and the necessary
amount of air being supplied while the highest attainable temperature results at the
Burner with the volume of gas burned.
The gas having been ignited at the burner, the products are at first allowed to
escape through the top flue" by opening its damper p while the damper pl in the
large Hue P is closed. After a strong draught has been established up through
the tall central column B₁, the damper p is closed, and the damper opened,
causing the hot products of combustion to pass down through the down-take flues G,
and out through the circular flue H, and its horizontal branch H, to the escape
flue. The incoming cold air entering the bottom of the heater, strikes the flues
containing the outgoing products of combustión as they leave the heater, thus
reducing them to the lowest possible temperature before escaping from the heater.
A's the air rises, it comes into contact with more highly heated surfaces, and finally
passes around the dome F, where the temperature is hottest, and then escapes
through the hot-air pipes k¹ kl.
1.11
Most of the heating surface is in the dome, the descending flues G, and the
bottom circular flue H, so that the condensation of aqueous vapor contained in the
products will take place in the descending flues, and will he completed in the bottom
circular fluie, since that is first struck by the inflowing cold air. The condensation
being effected as above described; does not interfere with the proper working of
the heater, and the water of condensation cannot drip back upon the burner, and it
is conveniently discharged through the seal pipe 1, or any other suitable trap.
A tank or tub may be used for receiving the water of condensation.
The heated gases will impart much more of their beat to the flues by being passed
down through them, than they would by being passed upward, for the reason that
the hottest gases have a tendency to rise, and stay in the upper part of the heater,
until they have imparted their heat, after which they drop down through the flue,
their descent being aided by the condensation and partial vacuum formed in the
lower flue. The non-condensable products are finally forced out by the hot column.
of gases rising through the central flue.

page_text: In practical operation, the furnace has proved quite effective, and given very
economical results in the combustion of gas, and the utilization of the sensible heat
in resulting products and the latent heat in the condensed aqueous vapor.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to
me from abroad, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In a gas-fired domestic heater, a combustion chamber and extension flue
forming a tall column for the rise of flame aud heated gaseous products, in com-
bination with the beating flues descending from the top of such coluran, and an
escape flue leading outward from the lower ends of said heating fines, substantially
as described.
2. In a gas-fired domestic heater, a central vertical combustion chamber and
extension flue forming a central column for the rise of flame and heated gaseous
products, in combination with a dome, down-take heating flues surrounding said
central column, and an escape flue, connecting at their lower ends, substantially as
described.
3. In a gas-fired domestic heater, the combination with the outer hot-air shell,
having a cold-air inlet at the bottom, of a tall vertical combustion chamber, and
extension flue for the rise of flame and hot gaseous products, return flues connecting
with the upper end of said combustion chamber and extension flue, an escape flue
connecting with the lower ends of said return flue, and having a seal trap for water
of condensation, whereby the inflowing cold air will be heated by the outgoing hot
products, and both the sensible and latent beat of such products will be imparted
to the air, substantially as described.
4. In a gas-fired domestic heater, the vertical combustion chamber B and extension
Hue forming a tall column, in combination with an atmospheric burcer arranged to
fill the transverse area of the combustion chamber, and down-take heating flues
connecting with the top of said tall column, and discharging at their lower end
near the level of the combustion chamber, substantially as described.
5. In a gas fired domestic heater, the central combustion chamber B and extension
flue B' forming a tall central column for the rise of flaine and hot gaseous products,
a dome Fat the top of said column, the down-take flues G connecting with the
dome and surrounding said column, the aunular escape flue H, and escape pipe H',
all in combination, substantially as described.
6. In a gas-fired domestic heater, the combination with the combustion chamber
of a burner C filling the transverse area of said chamber, and constructed with
perforated gas distributing pipes, and of plates having slots above said perforated
pipes, for controlling the flow of air in contact with the gas jets, substantially as
described.
7. In a gas-fired domestic heater, the combination with the combustion chamber
and extension flue forming a tall column for the rise of flame and hot gaseons
products, of a distributing dome at the top of said column, a water chamber
provided with inlet and outlet pipes above said chamber, downtake flues connecting
with the dome, and an escape flue connecting with the lower end of said flues,
substantially as described.
Dated this 15th dex of July 1895.
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.