Improvements in Apparatus for Heating Water for Baths and other purposes.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 31st May, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 28th Feb., 1894-Accepted, 14th Apr., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Heating Water for Baths and other
purposes.
I, OSCAR ELPHICK, of Lambeth Sanitary Engineering Works, Albert
Embankment, in the County of Surrey, Sanitary Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The apparatus consists of four or more hollow walled cylinders placed one within
the other the space between the walls of each being connected to the space between
the walls of the next by tubular stays. The outer cylinder is by preference about
twice the depth of the inner one.
Above the hollow walled cylinders is an annular chamber connected to the inner
or smallest cylinder. Above this chamber three chambers of disc like form are
placed, one above the other. They are connected together by tubular stays and the
lowest is connected to the annular chamber. Each disc like chamber is double
being divided by a central disc which is perforated to make a connection between
the two halves.
At the highest point of the outer cylinder an inlet is formed for the water supply,
this inlet is connected to a tube fixed on the inside of the cylinder and leading to
and into its bottom end.
At the opposite side to the inlet is an outlet, this outlet is connected by a tubular
stay to the top of the upper disc like chamber.
At the bottom of the 3 or more cylinders small gutters are fixed which catch and
direct the condensation.
Beneath the whole of the cylinders a reservoir is placed with a number of brass
or other burners inserted to form the heating power or an atmospheric burner may
be applied. The flow of the water is as follows:-
The water enters at the top end of the outer hollow walled cylinder and flowing
down the tube enters the bottom of the cylinder and fills the same.
It then passes
from the top of the cylinder through the disc like and annular chambers into the
inner cylinder and from thence to the next cylinder and so on finally passing out
from the largest cylinder but one into the outlet pipe.
The supply of gas is dependent upon that of the water. The arrangement is as
follows: The water supply pipe enters the bottom of a cylinder in which there is
a piston with a single cup leather attached to it so that the bottom of the piston is
always exposed to water pressure. The spindle of the piston passes out through an
opening at the bottom of the cylinder through a gland. This opening is connected
by a pipe to the outer cylinder of the water heating apparatus. When the piston
is at the bottom of the cylinder it closes this opening and cuts off the water from
the heating apparatus.
At the top of the valve cylinder is a cock with a hollow plug having four
openings or ports in it. One of these can be brought opposite to a port connected
to the water supply and at the same time a second opening in the plug is brought
opposite to a port leading to the top of the cylinder. The other pair of openings
in the plug are at right angles to the first mentioned pair and they communicate
respectively to ports leading to the top of the valve cylinder and to the heating
apparatus. At the end of the spindle of the piston a weight is attached. Beneath
this spindle and in a line with it is the spindle of a gas valve, this valve is simply a
rubber diaphragm attached to the spindle, beneath the diaphragm a brass spring is
placed the top end of the spindle projects through the cover and comes in contact
with the spindle of the water valve.

page_text: The outlet of the gas valve is connected by a tube to a swing joint by means of
which latter the gas chamber and burners may be drawn out from under the heater
for purposes of lighting &c.
A small pilot gas tap may also be arranged so that a very small light only will
be obtained until the burners are swung under heater.
The action of this portion is as follows:-
:―
The operator turns the hollow plug a quarter turn, this action relieves the
pressure from top of piston and allows it to rise from its seat and the water to pass
through into the heater, the rubber diaphragm of the gas valve is then forced from
its seat by the spring and pressure of gas and the latter passes through to the
burners should the water supply fail the weight is sufficient to close the main gas
valve the pilot keeping the burners at a glimmer until such time as the water again
comes on.
1003
O. ELPHICK.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Heating Water for Baths and
other purposes.
I, OSCAR ELPHICK, of Lambeth Sanitary Engineering Works, Albert
Embankment, in the County of Surrey, Sanitary Engineer, 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:-
The apparatus is shown in vertical section at Figures 1 and 2 and in transverse
section (on the lines 3-3 and 4-4 Figures 1 and 2) at Figures 3 and 4. It consists
of four or more hollow walled cylinders a¹ a³ as a placed one within the other the
space between the walls of each being connected to the space between the walls of
the next by tubular stays b. The outer cylinder is by preference about twice the
depth of the inner one.
'
Above the hollow walled cylinders a² a³ a' is an annular chamber c connected to
the hollow between the walls of the inner or smallest cylinder a*. Above this
chamber four or other number of chambers d' d' d' d' of disc like form are placed
one above the other. They are connected together by tubular stays e and the
lowest is connected by the tubular stays d d to the annular chamber c.
disc like chamber is double being divided by a central disc (shown by the dotted
lines in Figures 1 and 2) which is perforated to make a connection between the two
halves.
Each
At the highest point of the outer cylinder a an inlet is formed for the water
supply, this inlet is connected to a tube fixed on the inside of the cylinder and
leading to and into its bottom end at f.
At the opposite side to the inlet is an outlet g this outlet is connected by a
tubular stay g' to the top of the upper disc like chamber *.
At the bottom of the 3 or more inner cylinders small gutters h are fixed which
catch and direct the condensation.
Beneath the whole of the cylinders a reservoir j is placed with a number of brass
or other burners j¹ inserted to form the heating power or an atmospheric burner
may be applied. The products of combustion escape at an opening at the top of
the apparatus. The flow of the water is as follows:-
The water enters at fat the top end of the outer hollow walled cylinder a¹ and
flowing down the tube f' enters the bottom of the cylinder a¹ at and fills the
hollow wall of the same. It then pusses from the top of the cylinder through the
pipe g¹ to the disc like and annular chambers d' d³ into the wall of the inner
cylinder a and from thence to the next cylinder a³ and so on finally passing out
from the top end of the largest cylinder but one a² and flowing down the passage
into the outlet pipe l.

page_text: The supply of gas is dependent upon that of the water. The arrangement is
shown to a larger scale at Figure 5 and is as follows:-The water supply pipe in
enters the bottom of a cylinder n in which there is a piston n' with a single cup
leather n attached to it so that the bottom of the piston is always exposed to
water pressure. The spindle n³ of the piston passes out through an opening
at the bottom of the cylinder. This opening is connected by a pipe
inlet of the outer cylinder a of the water heating apparatus.
When the piston
is at the bottom of the cylinder a packing on it rests upon a raised edge
around the opening thus closing it and cutting off the water from the heating
apparatus.
o to the
At the top of the valve cylinder n is a cock with a plug having two
passages p p in it. One of these p₁ can be brought opposite to a port m
connected to the water supply and at the same time opposite to a port m² leading
to the top of the cylinder. The other passage p² in the plug is at right angles to
the first mentioned passage and it communicates with ports m³ m leading to the
top of the valve cylinder and to the heating apparatus. At the end of the spindle
of the pistou a weight n' is attached. Beneath this spindle and in a line with it
is the spindle q of a gas valve, this valve is simply a rubber diaphragm r attached
to the spindle, beneath the diaphragm a brass spring is placed the top end of
the spindle projects through the cover and comes in contact with the spindle of the
water valve.
The outlet of the gas valve is connected by a tube to a swing joints by means
of which latter the gas chamber ; and burners may be drawn out from under the
heater for purposes of lighting &c.
A small pilot gas tap may also be arranged so that a very small light only will
be obtained until the burners are swung under heater.
The action of this portion is as follows:-
2°
The operator turns the plug a quarter turn, from the position shown in Figure 5,
this action relieves the pressure from top of piston and allows it to rise from its seat
and the water to pass through into the heater, the rubber diaphragm of the gas
valve is then forced from its seat by the spring and pressure of gas and the latter
passes through to the burners should the water supply fail the weight is sufficient
to close the main gas valve the pilot keeping the burners at a glimmer until such
time as the water again comes on.
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. A series of vertical hollow walled cylinders connected together alternately at
top and bottom substantially as described.
2. The combination of the hollow horizontal discs or plates with the hollow
walled vertical cylinders substantially as described.
3. The water heater substantially as described and shown in the drawings.
4. Operating the gas valve by the flow of water into the heater.
5. The combination of a cylinder, a piston within it always exposed to the
pressure of the water supply, means whereby water and gas are admitted on the
movement of the piston and a cock whereby either end of the piston can be
exposed, to the pressure of the water supply for the purpose of opening or closing
the valve substantially as described.
6. The combination of the cylinder a piston a' spindle n³ packing n' and cock p
substantially as described.
7. The combined gas and water admission apparatus substantially as described
and shown in the drawings.
OSCAR ELPHICK,