of APPARATUS FOR HEATING WATER of AIR OR THE LIKE
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson of 47 Lincolns Inn Fields in the
·
"
56
IMPROVEMENTS IN
communicated to
County of Middlesex, Gentleman for an Invention of
APPARATUS FOR HEATING WATER of AIR OR THE LIKE
him from Messieurs Guillot, Pelletier and resident at Orleans in the
Danublic of France Engineers
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th June 1883.
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON of 47 Lincolns Inn Fields in the County of Middlesex
Gentleman "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR HEATING WATER OR AIR OR THE
LIKE a' communication to me from Messieurs Guillot, Pelletier and Co resident at
Orleans in the Republic of France Engineers
"
This invention relates to an improved apparatus for heating water also applicable
to the heating of air or for like heating purposes which apparatus is composed of
three principal parts via:-
First, a Cylindrical body or boiler.-Secondly a hopper or fuel holder and
Thirdly a circular plate resting upon the upper part of the brickwork or masonry
as hereinafter described
At the lower part of the main body forming the boiler there is provided a
furnace or fire place having a moveable circular grating to support the fuel-This
grating is connected to a rod extending to the outside and there provided with a
handle by means of which the grating may be drawn out of the fire place when
required and by means of which a motion of partial rotation may be given to the
grating in order to promote combustion by shaking down the ashes and scoria into
the Ash pit.
The body of the boiler or heater is traversed by large vertical tubes preferably
of a triangular section forming a star like figure and constituting passages for the
fuel which is supplied to the fire place automatically from the Chamber or fuel
holder on the top of the heater-Between the said large tubes are arranged a

page_text: corresponding number of smaller tubes preferably of similar form in section serving
to carry off the products of combustion from the fire place and to discharge it at
openings at the upper part of the heater-The whole of the space between these
large and small tubes and the sides of the apparatus is filled with water-This
water circulates through the heater preferably entering the apparatus near the
bottom and escaping at or near the upper part. The fuel is stored up in the
before named fuel holder which has a conical bottom and is provided with a lid
or cover
In order to prevent the small tubes serving for the escape of the products of
combustion from becoming choked up with the fuel the upper ends of these tubes
are protected by hoods formed in the bottom of the fuel chamber. These hoods
enable the small tubes to discharge the products of combustion into the flue or
chimney Openings corresponding with the ends of the large or feed tubes are
formed in the bottom of the fuel chamber for the purpose of letting down the fuel
into the fire place.
The fuel holder is provided near its upper part with a flange or ring supported
upon a corresponding flange on an annular plate resting on the brickwork or
masonry. The flange on the fuel holder is provided with holes or openings which
by turning or sliding this flange upon the flange on the annular plate may be
caused to coincide or not with corresponding openings I¹ in the flange on the
plate.
Gratings arranged in openings in the side of the fuel holder at the top of the
tubes prevent the fuel from falling out and at the same time afford a passage for
the air and for the smoke of the furnace-These gratings are made adjustable so as
to regulate the rate of combustion in the furnace.
Numerous advantages are derived from the employment of this improved heating
apparatus the principal features of which are, first the multiple and peripheral
system of feeding and the general combustion obtained by the feed tubes herein-
before described and the increased heating surface obtained by the volume of
water brought into direct contact with the fire-Secondly, in the action of the
grate of the furnace or fire place which being moved horizontally from right to
left or from left to right accelerates the combustion by causing the cinders and
clinkers to fall through the bars.-When drawn out horizontally from the furnace
this grating by allowing all the remainders of the fuel to fall into the ash pit
enables the whole of the interior of the furnace and apparatus to be readily emptied
and cleaned out
Thirdly the great length of time during which the fire is maintained by being
automatically and continuously supplied with fuel from the fuel holder or hopper.
Fourthly. The facility afforded for cleaning out the tubes the interior of which
are exposed (as regards large feed tubes) by simply lifting off the cover and as
regards the small tubes by the same operation followed by a circular displacement
of the fuel holder. The circular motion of the fuel holder by moving the flange
upon the annular plate hereinbefore described also enables the outside of the heater
and the inner surface of the brickwork to be cleaned through the openings in the
said flange
Fifthly The extreme division of the smoke which passes principally through
the tubes or through the openings and impinges against and envelopes the apparatus
on all sides before escaping
The large tubes for supplying the fuel may if desired be made in the form of
segments of a Cylinder in transverse section the tubes for the passage of the smoke
and flame being arranged at the centre of the apparatus or they may be otherwise
arranged as desired

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
27th December 1883.
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON of 47 Lincolns Inn Fields in the County of Middlesex
Gentleman "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR HEATING WATER OR AIR OR
THE LIKE a communication to me from Messieurs Guillot Pelletier and Company
resident at Orleans in the Republic of France, Engineers
"
This Invention has reference to apparatus for heating water or air or the like
and consists as follows. The apparatus constructed according to the said Invention
is provided with a case or vessel containing the water or fluid to be heated and a
hopper or fuel holder supplying fuel automatically through vertical or descending
passages to a furnace or fire place provided with a moveable grate A plate
surrounds the said fuel holder and rests upon the upper part of the brickwork or
setting of the heater which is also provided with tubes or passages for the
circulation of the water or fluid being heated and for the escape of the products of
combustion as hereinafter described
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same and for that purpose shall refer to
the several Figures on the annexed sheet of drawings the same letters of reference
indicating corresponding parts in all the Figures
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings is a front elevation of an apparatus
constructed according to this Invention and Figure 2 is a horizontal section of the
same the section being taken on the line 1-2 Figure 1. Figure 3 is a vertical
section taken on the line 3-4 Figure 4 through the axis of the apparatus.
Figure 4 is a horizontal section taken on the line 7-8 Figure 3 and Figure 5 is a
part plan partly in section the section being taken along the line 5-6 Figure 3.
Figure 6 is a modification hereinafter referred to
At the lower part of the cylindrical casing or vessel A containing the water or
other liquid or fluid to be heated there is provided a furnace or fire place K at the
bottom of which is placed a moveable circular grating & serving to support the
fuel This grating is connected to a rod or lever g (Figure 2) extending to the
outside of the apparatus and provided with a handle g¹ by means of which
the grating G may be removed entirely from the apparatus. The said handle may
also be used to impart a reciprocating motion or partial rotation to the grating Ğ
in order to promote combustion by shaking down the ashes and scoria into an
ashpit N Figure 8
In a horizontal section of the apparatus taken across the passages as shewn in
Figure 4 the section of the passages forms a cross the four arms of which are
formed by the sections of four large vertical triangular passages or tubes F forming
a star like figure and constituting passages for the fuel which is supplied auto-
matically to the fireplace K from a chamber or fuel holder B. Between the four
passages F are formed four smaller passages or tubes E preferably of similar form
in transverse section and serving to carry off the products of combustion from the
fireplace K and to discharge them into a flue M figure 3 communicating with a
suitable chimney not shewn in the drawing The whole of the space L between
the sides of the passages F and E and the sides of the cylindrical case or body A
is filled with the water or fluid to be heated. This water or fluid circulates
through the heater being supplied by a pipe P and discharged by a pipe Q A
supply of fuel is stored up in the cylindrical fuel holder B which has a conical
bottom and is provided with a lid or cover D
In order to prevent the passages E serving for the escape of the products of.

page_text: combustion from becoming choked up with the fuel the upper ends of these tubes
are protected by hoods E¹ formed in the bottom of the fuel chamber. These
hoods form passages for the products of combustion to escape from the passages E
into the flue or chimney. Openings corresponding with the ends of the passages F
are formed in the bottom of the fuel chamber for the purpose of allowing the fuel
to descend into the fire place by passing through the said passages.
The fuel holder is provided near its upper part with a flange or ring C supported
upon a corresponding flange or annular plate I resting on brickwork or masonry I
forming the setting of the apparatus. The flange C on the fuel holder is provided
with holes or openings J (see Figure 5) which by turning or sliding the flange C
upon the plate I may be caused to coincide or not with corresponding openings I'
in the plate I. Gratings arranged in openings g³ the side of the fuel holder B
above the passages
prevent the fuel from falling out and at the same time afford
a passage for air and smoke to escape. These gratings are preferably made
adjustable so as to regulate the rate of combustion in the furnace
The arrangement of the passages F supplying fuel to the furnace at several
points simultaneously and at or near the sides of the fireplace is an important
feature of this Invention and is productive of a regular and active combustion
combined with a large extent of heating surface. By means of the moveable
grate G of the furnace or fireplace combustion may be promoted with facility by
shaking or moving the said grating so as to clear it of the cinders and clinkers.
The said grating G when drawn out from the furnace allows all the fuel to fall into
the ashpit whereby the whole of the interior of the furnace and apparatus is readily
emptied and can be cleaned out. Access is obtained to the interior of the furnace
by means of a door H. The fire is capable of being maintained for a considerable
length of time without requiring attention being automatically and continuously
supplied with fuel from the capacious fuel holder or chamber B. It is evident that
the fuel holder B may be employed with a heating apparatus or chamber with
square, oval cylindrical, taper or other forms of tubes or passages for the supply of
fuel or the escape of the products of combustion and these tubes as well as the
other parts of the apparatus although preferably made of cast iron may be made of
wrought iron or other suitable metal
Great facility is afforded for cleaning out the passages the interiors of which are
exposed (as regards the tubes F) by simply lifting off the cover D and as regards
the small tubes or passages E by removing the said cover and turning the fuel
holder B on its axis so as to expose the ends of these passages. The same circular
motion of the fuel holder B by sliding the flange C upon the annular plate I
also enables the outside of the vessel or case A and the inner surface of the
brickwork I' to be cleaned through the openings I provided for this purpose in
the internal flange of the annular plate I and which are exposed by turning the
flange on the holder so as to cause the openings J and I' to coincide as hereinbefore
described
Nearly all the smoke or heated products of combustion is or are caused to pass
through the tubes E on its way to the flue M whereby it is divided into a number
of streams which impinge against and envelope the apparatus on all sides before
escaping into the chimney. The smoke also escapes partly through the gratings g³
placed at the lower part of the fuel holder B above the passages F The said
gratings over the openings g being moveable act as valves which enable the
combustion to be accelerated or retarded as required
It is evident that the number shape and arrangement of the tubes E and F and
the form of the fuel holder B may be changed without affecting the principle of the
Invention
Figure 6 represents an example of a modified form of the apparatus in horizontal
section. According to this arrangement the heating chamber or boiler A is provided
with tubes F which present the form of segments of a cylinder in transverse section
the tubes E for the passage of the smoke and flame being arranged at the centre of
the apparatus

page_text: Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said
Invention and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original
and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the hereinbefore in
part recited Letters Patent is.—
An apparatus for heating water air and the like consisting of a vessel for
containing the water or fluid to be heated, a fuel holder supplying fuel auto-
matically at several points of a fireplace at the lower part of the said vessel and
means for dividing the products of combustion into a number of streams and
enabling the interior of the passages to be readily exposed all substantially as
herein before described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
In witness whereof I the said John Henry Johnson have to this my
Specification set my hand and seal this twenty first day of December One thousand
eight hundred and eighty three
J. HENRY JOHNSON (LS)