CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF HEATING APPARATUS
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Marc Antoine François Mennons, of the British and
Foreign Patent Offices, 89, Rue de l'Echiquier, Paris, in the Empire of
France, and of 4, South Street, Finsbury, London, E.C., for the
Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF HEATING
APPARATUS."A communication.
Sealed the 11th June 1858, and dated the 24th March 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Marc Antoine François
Mennons at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,.
on the 24th March 1858.
I, MARC ANTOINE FRANÇOIS MENNONS, of the British and Foreign Patent
Offices, 39, Rue de l'Echiquier, Paris, in the Empire of France, and of
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, E. C., do hereby declare the nature of
the Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF HEATING
APPARATUS," to be as follows, that is to say :-
The Invention consists in an improved construction or arrangement of
heating apparatus for the purpose of lessening its wear by the fire, and
rendering its management more easy.
The apparatus is composed of a sheet-iron box surrounded by a double
envelope or casing filled with water to protect its sides, and is provided at its
upper part at a distance from the fire with a thick iron frame which serves
to close the double envelope or casing in this direction, and to support. an
iron plate which covers the interior of the apparatus. The apparatus has no
other opening than that necessary for introducing the fuel, and consists of a
tube provided with valves: At the lower part of the apparatus, the double
casing or envelope, instead of being closed by a thick frame, like the upper,

page_text: part, is closed by sheets of iron united together by rivets placed beyond the
reach of the fire.
By this arrangement the lower part of the apparatus being cooled by the
water in the double casing cannot be injured, and thus permits it to be placed
beneath the grate which may be easily cleaned. The sides of the apparatus
are pierced with holes, through which the fuel may be stirred, and thus
increase the disengagement of gas.
The apparatus is provided externally with a water level safety valves,
manometers, and guage cocks.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Marc Antoine François Mennons in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 31st August 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, MARC
ANTOINE FRANÇOIS MENNONS, of the British and Foreign Patent Offices,
39, Rue de l'Echiquier, Paris, in the Empire of France, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-first year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Marc Antoine François Mennons, Her special licence that I,
said Marc Antoine François Mennons, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Mare Antoine François Mennons, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within
the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and
Isle of Man, an Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
HEATING APPARATUS," (a communication,) upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Marc Antoine François Mennons, my executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands
and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the
same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Mare Antoine François Mennons, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same

page_text: is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawing, and
to the various letters marked thereon, that is to say:-
It has been found in practise that the frame closings of the double case
gas heating apparatus as at present constructed are subject to rapid deterio-
ration from the action of the fire, especially in the lower parts, which, from
their position and the thickness of the nietal, are to a great extent beyond
the protecting range of the water contained in the casing. The object of the
present improvements is to do away with this and some of the minor defects
inherent to the original system. To this end the frame which closes the lower
part of the apparatus is entirely suppressed in the improved construction, and
replaced by a prolongation of the sheet metal forming the interior of the case.
This prolonged portion is bent over towards the exterior of the casing, to
which it is rivetted, the joint being thus placed beyond the action of the fire,
and consequently free from all possibility of injury. Independent of this, the
inner capacity of the casing being enlarged, the increased volume of water
contained in it affords more efficient protection to the body of the apparatus
than was attainable in those hitherto constructed. The result of the improved
arrangement is a complete uniformity of thickness in the casing of the
structure, the different surfaces of which are equally and efficiently cooled
during the working of the apparatus.
In the accompanying Drawing, Figures 1 and 2 are sections of the appa-
ratus; Figure 3 is a view of the apparatus mounted on its ash-box; Figure 4
represents the engine and ventilator; Figure 5 is a plan of the engine, venti-
5 lator, and air canal; Figure 6 is a front view of the boiler; Figure 7 is a
side view of the same; and Figure 8 is a plan of the apparatus. In the
section, Figure 1, the lower part of the apparatus is closed by the bent sheet
metal A proceeding from the interior of the casing, and joined to the exterior
by the rivet B placed beyond the action of the fire. C is the interior of the
casing which contains the water, and which is carried up to the dome D. In
the circumference of the casing the sides are strengthened by the tie-pieces
E, E. The fuel is supplied to the chargers X, X, in opening the lids L, L,
the lower registers F, F, being closed. To pass the fuel to the interior of the
apparatus the upper lids L, L, are closed, and the registers F, F, are opened
by means of the guide O, Figure 2, and are immediately reclosed by the
same guide to prevent escape of the gases. This arrangement possesses the
additional advantage of preventing all communication between the interior of
the apparatus and the atmospheric air. The water case is fed by a pump
(worked by the engine G, Figure 4,) or by a direct communication between

page_text: the boiler and the apparatus, by means of which a joint supply is obtained.
The amount of water is regulated by the level N, which may be accompanied
by guage cocks for additional security. M is the grate of the apparatus.
While the fuel is being converted into gas the water is vaporised. The
steam, which is regulated by a manometer and safety valve P, puts in motion
the engine seen in Figure 4, which works the feeding pump and ventilator,
Figure 5. The air supplied by the ventilator, and which sustains the com-
bustion of the fuel, enters the apparatus by the passages Q, Q, and escapes
from the reservoir R, R, which communicates with the ventilator by the
canal 5, Figure 4. This canal, which is prolonged to the furnace of the boiler,
supplies to it the air necessary for the combustion of the gases. When
possible to reheat this air in transit a still more thorough combustion is
obtained. This system is adopted in the boiler shewn in Figure 7, under
which the air arrives by the conduit I, I, passes into the masonry surrounding
the boiler, and returns after having been heated by the canal 40, 40, 40, to
mix with the gases escaping from the apparatus by the aperture 17, and thus
enter the boiler furnace by the tubes 19, 23, 23. The flow of the gases is
regulated by the valve 18 placed at the commencement of the pipe leading
them to the furnace; their escape, when necessary, is effected by closing this
valve and opening that shewn in 21. The circumference of the apparatus has
several orifices (3, Fig. 2, and 3, 3, 3, Fig. 3) for the introduction of instru-
ments for breaking up the fuel when caked to facilitate the disengagement of
the gases.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and the manner of
carrying it into effect, I would have it understood that I do not confine myself
to the precise details of construction laid down, as these may be modified
according to circumstances; but what I claim specially, independant of the
minor arrangements above enumerated, is, the improved construction of the
lower parts of double case gas-heating apparatus in substitution of the frame
closing hitherto employed, substantially as above described, and represented
in the different Figures of the accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Marc Antoine François Mennons, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of August, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight.
M
T MENNONS
Gal
M. F. MENNONS (Is)