IMIROVEMENTS IN THE REGULATION OF HEAT, PARTS OF THE INVENTION BEING APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1860

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Samuel Alfred Varley and
Cromwell Fleetwood Varley at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents, with their Petition and Declaration, on the 22nd November
1860, pursuant to the 9th Section of the Patent Law Amendment
Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, SAMUEL
ALFRED VARLEY, of 7, York Place, Kentish Town, and CROMWELL FLEETWOOD
VARLEY, of 4, Fortess Terrace, Kentish Town, in the County of Middlesex.
send greeting.
WHEREAS we are in possession of an Invention for "IMIROVEMENTS IN THE
REGULATION OF HEAT, PARTS OF THE INVENTION BEING APPLICABLE TO OTHER
PURPOSES," and have petitioned Her Majesty to grant unto us, our executors
administrators, and assigns, Her Royal Letters Patent for the same, and have
made solemn Declaration that we are the true and first Inventors thereof.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Samuel Alfred Varley and Cromwell
Fleetwood Varley, do hereby declare that the following Complete Specification
under our hands and seals fully describes and ascertains the nature of the said
[Price 8d.]

page_text: Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, reference being
had to the accompanying Drawings, that is to say:-
The principal feature of our Invention is the regulation of heat whenever
a uniform temperature may be required. The chief peculiarity of our
Invention consists in the way in which we make self-acting valves which are
actuated by changes in the temperature, and which we name thermo-
regulators.
When coal or other inflammable gas is employed as the source of heat,
these valves cut off the flow of gas when the temperature exceeds the desired
amount, and turn it on again when the temperature falls below the desired
degree.
When charcoal or other combustible matter is employed for the source of
heat, a self-acting damper cuts off the air from the fire on the heat of the
chamber exceeding a certain determined temperature.
Our Invention chiefly relates to those cases in which gas is used as the source
of heat, and the method which we prefer the most for making our self-acting
valve is shewn in Fig. 1, where a, a, a, a, is a tube, to one end of which is
attached the vessel b, b, which we call the bulb, as it answers the same
purpose as the bulb of an ordinary thermometer; the other end of the tube is
bent into a U, as shewn at a. Mercury or other suitable fluid is poured into
the tube, and rises to a certain height on each side of the bend, as shewn at
m, m; the remaining portion of the longer limb of the tube, as well as the
bulb is then filled up generally with spirits of wine. But we do not confine
ourselves to any particular fluid, and sometimes we employ atmospheric air
or other gas in place of a liquid. A second tube c slides into the tube a through
a stuffing box d, and can be adjusted to any desired distance from the surface
of the mercury.
Gas is admitted into the tube e, and passes from it into the tubes c and g,
as shewn by the arrows. The gas, after passing this apparatus, is led on to
the burner or burners h, which may be made to heat water, and to circulate
it around the chamber to be heated in the well-known way where rooms are,
heated by hot water, or the heated air arising from the combustion of the gas
may be made to traverse tubes in the room to be warmed.
Another pipe is led from the gas main direct to the neighbourhood of the
burner h, and has one or more small burners attached to it; this small
burner is kept constantly burning when the apparatus is at work, and ignites.
the gas when admitted into the large burner h.
As the temperature of the chamber which is being heated raises the fluid
in the bulb b and glass tube a expands, and causes the mercury in a at m,

page_text: when the temperature reaches a certain degree the mercury is raised so high
as to close the mouth of the sliding tube c, cutting off the gas from the burner
or burners. On the temperature lowering, the mercury at m falls, unclosing
the mouth of the tube c, when the gas is again turned on, and relit by the
small burner j.
The bulb of our thermo-regulator b, b, is generally constructed of metal, and
may be made of a single vessel, as shown in the figure, or of a series of tubes
ranged side by side, or of a long tube wrapped into a spiral, or in one long
length, but we do not confine ourselves to any particular form.
The mode of charging our thermo-regulator is as follows:-The screw S is
removed, and I, which is a ball of lead or other suitable material taken out
after the mercury has been poured into the tube a; the opening of the shorter
limb of the tube is closed either by a good fitting cork or otherwise. Spirits
of wine or other suitable fluid is then poured in at S, and the bulb and longer
limb of the tube a filled quite full; the ball is then replaced, and the screw S
screwed down upon it forcibly so as to make an air-tight joint.
Explanation of Tints and Letters. The pink colour denotes the space filled
with spirits of wine, and the blue the space filled with mercury; the letters
throughout in all the figures refer to the same parts; yellow represents the
fluid in the fluid joints, glycerine or oil being generally used in them.
We do not confine ourselves to any particular kind of burner, but we prefer
generally one similar to that shewn in the Figure in which gas is let into a
chamber, the lower end of which is open to the air and the top covered with
wire gauze to prevent the combustion of the mixed gases passing into the
chamber itself.
In some cases the lower end of the tube c is cut off diagonally, as shown in
Fig. 2; the gas then is cut off gradually, and in some cases a small hole or a
slot is made in the tube so that the gas shall never be turned quite off; then
the tube i can be dispensed with, but we prefer generally to cut off the gas
suddenly, and then re-light it as described.
An index is attached to the tube, which moves over the graduated
scale 1, and by raising or lowering the tube f, the exact temperature can be
determined at which the gas shall be turned on or cut off; n is a joint to
allow the tubes and c to be elevated or depressed. We prefer making this
a fluid joint, as shown in the Figure where the yellow tint indicates the
fluid, which we prefer being oil, as it does not evaporate, or glycerine.
In certain cases where one fixed temperature is required we charge our
thermo-regulator with a fluid that boils at the temperature it is desired
should not be exceeded-for example, suppose a temperature of 52° Fahr. is

page_text: required, we charge the bulb with hydrochloric ether which boils at about
this temperature; and we so arrange the mercury in the tube, that the column
in the longer limb shall be greater than that in the shorter limb, and that
they shall just balance one another when the mouth of the sliding tube c is
closed. When the temperature at which the fluid boils is exceeded, vapour
is generated which quickly raises the mercury, and cuts off the supply of gas.
The moment the column of mercury in the shorter limb of the tube exceeds
that in the longer limb it exerts a pressure on the fluid in the bulb, and
raises thereby its boiling temperature, and it ceases to boil. The advantage of
this method is, that the bulb may be of very small capacity, an advantage in
certain cases.
In some cases, instead of having an opening in the side of the tube a, the
tube is divided into two compartments, as shown in Fig. 3; the gas then
flows from the main down one compartment and up the other, as shown by
the arrows, and is then led on to the main burner in the way before described.
When the temperature exceeds a certain degree, the mercury closes the mouth
of the compartments, cutting off the supply of gas.
Fig. 4 shows a slightly different construction to Fig. 3, in which no
stuffing-box is necessary.
The sliding tube C is divided into two compart-
ments, but is made of such a length that, with the amount of motion allowed.
the lower end is always covered with mercury; n, n, are two fluid joints to
allow of the motion of the divided tube. As there are many obvious ways of
effecting the same purpose, we do not confine ourselves to the precise forms
described.
The sliding tube C may be done away with, and replaced by a fixed tube,
and the adjustment obtained by connecting the portion of the tube a con-
taining the mercury with a leather bag filled with mercury, and an adjustment
to face the mercury up the tube, or to lower it in a similar way to that which
is employed with barometers. We do not confine ourselves to using mercury
to act directly as the valve; it may be made to lift up a valve of any suitable
material.
Fig. 5 shows an arrangement where the expanded fluid is made to lift up
a solid valve to cut off the gas. a, a', Fig. 5, is the shorter limb of the tube
described in Fig. 1; o is a chamber terminating in a tube c.. which slides into
the tube a, a¹; the lower end of this tube is always immersed in the mercury
or other suitable fluid m; o' is a compartment in this chamber.
compartment has an opening Q into the chamber o; r is a conical valve
attached to a rod, which fits loosely into the tube c; s is a guide not always
necessary.
This

page_text: The gas flows from the main, as shown by the arrows, into the compart-
ment o, through the opening Q into the chamber o, and from thence to the
burner h, already described in Fig. 1. On the temperature being raised,
the valve r is raised up until it closes the opening Q; on the tempera-
ture falling below the desired degree the gas is turned on again. n, n,
are two fluid joints to allow of the motion of the tube c, which is raised or
lowered according to the temperature at which it is desired the gas shall be
turned on or off.
This apparatus may be employed as an auxiliary in chambers heated by
other means, only to come into play on the other source of heat failing. We
also use a modification of it in greenhouses and other chambers not heated
by gas to control the temperature, as shown in Figs. 6 & 7, where a is the
end of the tube described in Fig. 1, o a chamber terminating in the tube c,
which slides into the tube a, and is of such a length that with the amount of
motion permitted its lower end is always below the surface of the fluid m;
o is a compartment in the chamber o, having an opening into it Q; a valve r
closes this opening when it falls.
On the temperature being raised the valve r is lifted by the fluid at m, and
the gas then flows from the main, as shown by the arrows, on to the main
burner h. The gas, which is in this case turned on by the increase of tem-
perature, heats the fluid contained in the boiler T, which it rapidly boils. In
connection with this boiler there is a cylinder, in which a piston fp works;
on vapour being generated the piston is raised, and by suitable gearing a
damper is turned on so as to prevent access of air to the fire, or a shutter is
opened which lets cold air into the building. The boiler and burner may be
close to the furnace, whilst the bulb and its valve are in the room heated by
the furnace, no matter how distant the one may be from the other. This
apparatus is of great value in greenhouses for admitting cold air when the
enclosed atmosphere from the action of the sun has exceeded the desired tem
perature. But one of the most important applications of this form of our
apparatus is that of regulating the temperature of the interior of steam
boilers; our regulator bulb in this case is placed in the interior of the steam
boiler, and the limb a led through the boiler to the outside. On the steam
and water exceeding the desired pressure and consequent temperature, the gas
of our thermo-regulator is turned on, and the damper (as already described)
checks the fire until the temperature abates; in this way the temperature of
the boiler can be regulated to a fraction of a degree. A safety valve may be
fixed in the boiler U to remove any danger of explosion, as it will take some
little time for the fire and boiler to cool down, and during this time the gas

page_text: will be on, and the fluid in our little boiler generating steam. We prefer, how-
ever, to make the piston which moves the damper to cut off the supply of gas
when it has risen beyond a certain height. The way of effecting this, and of
actuating the damper being self-evident, we give no Drawing of it. This
apparatus incidentally becomes to a certain extent a pressure guage. In
some cases we use the apparatus shewn by Fig. 7, in which electricity plays
an important part.
The expansion of the fluid in our bulb closes and opens electrical circuits;
these are so arranged that they will give signals to a distance, indicating that
the temperature is either too low, right, or too high. The electric current is
sometimes used to work a damper, or sound an alarum. Fig. 7 explains this.
a, a, the tube, as before described; a float r, whose top is made of platina and
conical, and in whose centre there is a non-conducting pin u; a piece of
wood, to which are attached the metal wires w¹, w, 1, and which are insu-
lated from each other, slides between the metallic guides z, x; y, y, y,
connecting wires; z, a voltaic battery; a, a, galvanometers; B, an electro-
magnet. The wire has on its tip a thin platina spring y.
Action On the temperature falling too low, the float r drops, and allows
the spring to touch w; the circuit is then closed and a current flows through
the galvanometer or alarum a ", giving notice to any distance of the fact.
When the temperature is at the proper height the insulating pin is elevated,
and opens the circuit, and no current passes. On the temperature becoming
too high, the float Y comes into contact with ¹ and closing the circuit
through the galvanometer a announcing the fact, and at the same time
rendering the electro-magnet B active, which may be made to apply a damper
to the fire.
In some cases, instead of using two galvanometers we construct one galva-
nometer with two circuits, and so arrange it that the current flows round it in
one direction when the temperature is below that desired, and in the opposite
direction, when it exceeds the desired temperature; the needle therefore when
the temperature is lower than desired is deflected on one side; when it has
increased to the desired degree the circuits are broken, and the needle stands
at zero, and when too high the needle is deflected to the other side.
In the construction of our galvanometers and electro-magnets we use the
following improved methods, which make them more sensitive, and less liable
to get out of order: First, instead of using a long thin insulated wire, we
weave a ribbon using a series of parallel wires in place of the warp thread, and
silk or cotton threads for the weft. In some cases the warp consists of wires
and threads laid alternately. For laying the thread on the wires we prefer

page_text: using a machine similar to that employed for making "bobbin," or that used
in the manufacture of what is known by the name of "elastic." These
ribbons are generally made of such a size that two of them equal the width of
the coil, and we commence wrapping them by placing the ribbon at its centre
across the coil, as shewn in Fig. 8. and then proceed to wrap the two halves
of the ribbon in opposite directions.
When the wire is required to act
Fig. 9 shows the coil when wrapped.
as one continuous wire, we joint the end of the first wire in the ribbon to the
beginning of No. 2 wire, and the end of No. 2 to the beginning of No. 3, and
so on, as is shewn in Fig. 10, where the ribbon is represented as having only
four warp threads. and the weft threads removed to show them. The advan-
iages obtained by this construction are that the wires lay closer than in the
ordinary construction of galvanometers; we therefore get more convolations in
the same space.
Secondly and chiefly, they cannot form "short circuits; "the coils therefore
are more trustworthy in addition to being easier and cheaper to construct.
The soft iron cores of our electro-magnets we prefer making of electrotyped
iron; this we throw down by means of the galvanic battery upon sheets of
metal; we then remove the deposited iron and cut it up into plates, and from
these plates build up our cores. These wire ribbons of ours and electrotyped
iron cores are particularly good for induction coils also.
In the construction of the magnetized needles for our galvanometers, instead
of making them of one piece of steel as is commonly done we make them of a
series of parallel bars laid side by side and soldered together, as shown in
Fig. 11. Sometimes we place a thin piece of brass or non-magnetic metal
between the steel bars to keep them a little distance from each other, and our
mode of manufacture is as follows:-The centre magnet is composed of two
bars 1, 1, and the two internal ends are separated from each other to leave
an opening for the axle: the bars after being dipped into a bath of chloride of
zinc, and bound in their place on a metal frame, are then first dipped into a
solution of chloride of zinc and then into a bath of red hot melting solder:
this tins and solders the bars to each other, and also makes them red hot, the
whole then is plunged into water to harden the bars.
The making magnetic needles of a series of bars side by side is not new; our
Invention consists in the mode of manufacture of such needles.
When, to insure more perfect combustion, it is found desirable to employ a
gas regulator, we prefer using one of the following construction, as shown in
Fig. 12, where A, A, A, is a chamber generally made of iron; B, B. is an

page_text: inverted bell, having a chamber in the top of it, B', B'; C, C, is an inverted
bell attached to the chamber A, A, A; D is a pipe led into C, C. and termi-
nating at an angle, as shown at D'; the interior of the bell C, C, is in com-
munication with the inverted bell B, B, through the pipe E, E, and with the
pipe F; glycerine oil or other suitable fluid is poured into the chamber
A, A, A, until it reaches about three-fourths of the way up the bell B, B:
glycerine or other suitable fluid is poured into the chamber B', B', until it
covers the edge of the bell C, C; the pipe D is in connection with the gas
main, and the pipe F with the heat regulating apparatus. When at work the
gas passes from the main, as shown by the arrows, into the bell C, C, and
into F, and also through the pipe E, E, into the inverted bell B, B; this bell
is so balanced, that it just floats when the gas is at the desired pressure; should
the gas exceed this pressure the bell is forced up, and the fluid in the chamber
B', B. is also raised, and partially closes the mouth of the pipe D. and lessens
the flow of gas, thus keeping it always uniform in its pressure.
In those cases where there is objection to the introduction of gas owing to
leakage in the pipes and joints, we enclose our gas pipes in other pipes, and
connect the space between the pipes with a gazometer or receivers, so arranged
that the pressure in them is either less or the same as that of the atmosphere.
In this way not only are the injurious effects of the escape of gas cut off, but
any such escape is collected and not lost.
A useful application of our themo-regulator is that of heating forcing
houses and small ferneries, so as to facilitate the cultivation of tropical ferns
and other delicate plants in ordinary rooms when applied to this purpose. The
mode we prefer is shown in Fig. 14, where T is a metal chamber, through
which the tube G, G", passes; this chamber is placed in the bottom of the
fernery, and filled nearly full of water: the tube G, G", is terminated at one
end with an inverted funnel G. The two ends of this tube are brought outside
the fernery; the tube G, G, slopes downward towards G to let the water
arising from the combustion of the gas run down and escape by the pipe N. O
is a pipe to let any air there may be in the water escape, or vapour should it be
generated. As the fluid in the chamber T slowly evaporates, we keep it at a
uniform height by the following means:-P is a vessel attached to the upper
part of the chamber T, and terminates in the tube Q. In the top of the
vessel P there is an opening, closed either with a valve or an air-tight fitting
screw R. After the chamber has been filled to the right height, the mouth
of the tube O is closed, the screw R removed, and the vessel P filled quite
full; R is then screwed in again, and the mouth of the tube O unclosed. When

page_text: the fluid, from evaporation, gets below Q, the fluid runs out of P into T, until
the mouth of the tube Q is covered, and as long as there is any fluid in P the
liquid in T will always cover the mouth of the tube Q.
In certain cases when a uniform temperature is required in the interior of a
chamber we employ the plan shown in Fig. 13, where F¹, F¹, is an upright
boiler, constructed with a metal tube G, G, passing through its centre; at the
bottom of the tube G, G, there is a hinged box H, with numerous holes in it,
which serve the purpose of a grating; a cylinder I, with a piston K working
in it is fitted into the upper part of the boiler, and the piston rod rests against
the lever L, which is attached to the damper M; the weight of the lever L'
removes the damper from the tube G, G, when the piston is down; the boiler
is charged with water or other fluid. Charcoal or other suitable fuel is placed
in the tube G, G, and lighted. The fire being in the interior of the boiler, the
liquid is rapidly boiled, and the vapour generated forces up the piston, and
closes the mouth of the tube G, G, with the damper; the piston not being able
to move any further a pressure is exerted and the liquid ceases to boil; the
combustion of the charcoal is then almost entirely stopped, and the temperature
falls. N is a stop cock in the top of the boiler, through which it is filled, and
which is left open in the first place to let air that may be in the liquid escape;
there is also a steam-tight opening not shown in the Fig. to enable whatever
may be desired to be placed in the boiler. The boiler is made strong to enable
it to bear pressure, and by weighing the piston the temperature of the interior
can be increased. A safety valve is generally fitted in the top of the boiler for
security against explosion.

page_text: Seventh. We claim the use of ribbon for electrical apparatus, where the
warp is composed partly or wholly of conducting wires, and the weft of non-
conducting material.
Eighth. We claim the use of electrotyped iron in the construction of
magnetic apparatus.
Ninth. We claim the method described for making compound magnetic
needles in Fig. 11.
Tenth. We claim the tropical ferneries described in Fig. 14.
-
Eleventh. We claim the method of controlling the temperature, as
described in Fig. 13.
Twelfth. We claim the use of glycerine for making the fluid joints in our
apparatus.
Thirteenth. We claim the prevention of the deleterious effects arising from
the escape of gas, and the collection of such escape, as described.
In witness whereof, we, the said Samuel Alfred Varley, and Cromwell
Fleetwood Varley, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twenty-
second day of November, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and sixty.
DAMULE
(..)
CROMWELL FLEETWOOD VARLEY. (L.S.)