Apparatus for Treating Air and Water, specially applicable for use in Laundries.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application. 9th July, 1891-Accepted, 14th May, 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Apparatus for Treating Air and Water, specially applicable for
use in Laundries.
=
I, WILLIAM HENRY MURRAY, Gentleman, a citizen of the United States,
residing at Imperial Building Chicago in the County of Cook, and State of
Illinois, 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 an improved construction and arrangement of devices
for treating air in respect to its temperature, and at the same time treating a body
of water in respect to the same, the object being to initially apply a comparatively
high heat to a body of air for the purpose of insuring that every particle thereof
shall be elevated in temperature to the degree ultimately required, some of said air
being raised to a higher degree and subsequently subjecting it to a cooling action
for the purpose of having it all brought to a uniform temperature, and in parallelism
with the above utilize the surplus heat; that is, heat which at the high temperature
used may not be carried away by the air, to raise the temperature of a body of
water adjacent to the chambers in which the air is heated. The invention alsc
relates to providing a construction and arrangement of parts by which the devices
that are subjected to the high heat of the fire shall be rendered more durable than
in mechanisms of this sort as heretofore made.
In the drawings.:
Figure 1, is a front elevation of a heating or tempering mechanism embodying
my improvements.
Figure 2, is a horizontal section on the line x, r, Fig. 1.
Figure 3 is a section on the line y, y, Fig. 2.
Figure 4, is a section on the line =, <, Fig. 2.
Figure 5 is a perspective showing an arrangement of parts adapted for use in
laundries.
Figure 6 is a vertical section of a modified form.
Figure 7, is a section on the line 2', '.
Figure 8 is a perspective showing the arrangement of the modified form together
with a centrifugal drier.
Figure 9 is a longitudinal section of the centrifugal drier.
A fire chamber is illustrated at A, it having the grate at a, and the ash pit at a'.
At the sides of the ash pit there are air chambers B, B, which initially receive the
air that is to be treated and used. They are provided with a series of registers
or dampers at b, b, for regulating the entrance of the air.
C, C, indicate the air pipes which rise from the top walls of the said air
chambers, these pipes extending up to and communicating with the air
ducts D, D.
The products of combustion in their passage from the fire chamber at A impart
heat to the air pipes C. In mechanisms of this Bort as heretofore constructed the
pipes C, C, if made thin enough to be efficient, are attacked by the high heat to
such an extent as to be rapidly destroyed. In the present construction theac pipes
are surrounded by jackets of water, or by a common body of water.
c, c, represent bottom plates for receiving the lower ends of the pipes C, and o¹, c',
are plates at the upper ends of these pipes, the last said plates preferably forming
parts of the aforesaid air ducts D, D., c, represent the exterior side walls, and
the end walls of the furnace preferably joined to the aforesaid walls c³, c. Inside
of and parallel to these there are walls, c, which at the lower and top edges are
secured to diaphragms or walls c, c.

page_text: E, E, are pipes concentric with the aforesaid air pipes C, C, and secured to the
last said interior horizontal diaphragms c, . The upper diaphragm e, is so
arranged as to form, with the adjacent walls chamber E at the top; and the lower
diaphragm together with the adjacent parts form lower water chambers E', Ẹl.
At B, B', there are walls between the lower part of the fire chamber or the ash
pit and the side cold air chambers. The water chambers E', E', communicate
with a drum or boiler E, at the top lying between the hot air ducts, D, D. The
Baid air ducts D, D, communicate at one end of the furnace with a chamber D',
which, in turn, communicates with a series of air pipes D'. The latter are situated
directly in the fire chamber and over the fire bed. These pipes are made of cast
iron. They communicate with a chamber D³ which is connected by a pipe D'
with the cooler. The latter is indicated, as a whole, by F. As shown it consists
of a central cylindrical part with coned. ends, the cylindrical part having
diaphragms, in which are supported air pipes f'. The chamber in which
these pipes lie is adapted to hold a body of water which passes to it through the
pipe G, and escapes therefrom through the pipe G¹. From the latter there extends
branch pipes g, 9, communicating with the above described water chambers E!, the
inlets being at e, e.
It will be seen that the pipes 9 and g and the bottom water chamber E' form
a duct which connects the water pipes E with the water chamber in the cooler
at F.
. H represents the discharge pipe for the hot water. This is shown as being
connected to a series of machines such as are used in laundries for washing.
The water in the chambers E', as it becomes heated rises from the,lovel of the
inlets at e, e, to the top, and is withdrawn as it is wanted.
I herein refer to the fact that the reheating tubes D' communicate with the air
tubes C, meaning that the air passes from the latter to the former, and it may so
pass more or less directly as is desired.
By the sides of the fire chamber there are provided bridge walls E, these being
made of sheets of iron riveted together and partially enclosing a chamber which
communicates with the chamber E. To permit the hot water to escape from these
bridge walls pipes el are employed, communicating with the chambers in the bridge
walls and also with the top water chamber E³.
The interior water chambers in these bridge walls extend down to the grate,
and all of the metal parts which are in proximity to the fire bed, and are apt to be
very highly heated, are protected by a water jacket.
The products of combustion rise from the fire bed, pass over the bridge walls E*
and around the pipes E, and escape through pipes E to a smoke duct E', there
being preferably one of these on each side communicating with a chimney or stack
at E
I have thus described in detail the construction and arrangement of the details
which I prefer to use in embodying my improvements. But it will be understood
that these can be modified, so that some features of the invention can be retained
while others are omitted.
At Lis shown a fan adapted to force the air in, and exhaust it from the passages
and chambers I have above described.
The top and bottom water chambers may be of a size differing from those shown
in the drawings, namely that at E', and that at E'.
With a construction of this sort it will be seen that I fully protect all of the
metal which is liable to be injured by the exceedingly high heat which I generally
apply. The only parts which are apt to burn or be destroyed are the air re-heating
pipes D', these being so situated as to receive the full force of the fire. But they
are so arranged that they can be readily withdrawn and others substituted if
necessary.
It is now well known that if a body of air is to be utilized for drying purposes
it can be made most efficient by subdividing it into a number of currents of relatively
small diameter and applying to it a high degree of heat, a degree in faot, higher

page_text: than that at which it is intended to use it, in order to insure that every particle of
it shall be thoroughly heated, and then before applying it to the articles to be
desiccated lowering its temperature to the desired point, thus insuring a perfect
uniformity of temperature. through the whole mass. This is in contradistinction
from the method of heating the air which consists in merely passing it in large
volumes or currents of large transverse diameter over heated surfaces, through
large chambers or pipes, and then delivering it to the articles to be dried.
It is also well known that the application of a ligh degree of heat to bodies of
air results in the destruction of foreign matters, especially vitalized organic matter,
which may be suspended therein,.and that air freed therefrom is of superior quality
for the desiccating of many materials such as meat and various foods. And again,
not only can the humidity of the air be relatively lowered, in the manner herein
provided for, but can be absolutely lowered if the surfaces of the air ducts be
heated to a sufficiently high point, as those at D' can be heated, so that it (the air)
becomes thereby a still more efficient drying agent. But in either of the cases
referred to it becomes.necessary, after permitting the heat to do its work, on the
air, to lower the temperature of the air bofore applying it to the material to be
dried, almost all of the substances which, in the various arts are desiccated being
treated with the best effects when the air is at a temperature neighbouring upon
100°, F.
.
But much of the exceedingly high heat which I employ is in danger of being
wasted, not only at points immediately in proximity to the fire chamber but also
because of the above described fact that after heating the air I withdraw more or
less of the heat therefrom. This surplus or waste heat I make a second time
available, by conducting it into a body of water which can be thereby raised to the
boiling point or to any desired degree. In almost all of the establishments where
materials are manufactured or treated which at one stage or another require
desiccation, use is made of engines, or of boilers; and heretofore in such establish-
inents two or more separate and independent fires have been employed, one for
heating the water in such boiler, and another in connection with the drying
apparatus; and in consequence there has been such a waste of fuel that the
desiccating processes have been found very expensive, and in many of the arts
their respective materials when manufactured or handled on large scale, are still
submitted to the ordinary action of the elements (as the open air, solar heat, etc.)
for drying them.
After the air reaches the tempering devices, at F, its temperature will be lowered
to an extent proportional to the quantity and character of the water or other
tempering agent present in the chamber around the ducts f. If the air is heated
up to several hundred degrees F., the water in the chamber will be heated con-
siderably, and as this water is subsequently conveyed into the boiler or receptacle E,
the heat contained in it is utilized. The air which escapes from the tempering
devices at F can be used for any of many purposes as will be understood.
The mechanism as shown is particularly well adapted for automatically and
efficiently preparing both the air and the water which are necessary for carrying
on laundry operations on a large scale. The heated water can be used either for
the generation of steam for driving machinery or can be conveyed to the tubs or
receptacles wherein articles are washed and the air delivered from the fan Loan
be forced in large volumes into the apartments where the articles are exposed for
drying.
But the great advantage possessed by the devices herein set forth for the
particular purpose last referred to, namely for heating the air and the water used
in laundries, is that by means of them I have succeeded in doing away entirely
with the large boilers, commonly used in these places for. the generation of steam.
In order that my invention when applied to laundry purposes may be fully under-
stood I will briefly call attention to the devices used in all laundries at present
with which I am acquainted, that is in those in which work is carried on to Buch
extent as to require the presence of power machinery.
"

page_text: First, large boilers are present, and correspondingly large furnaces for the
purpose of generating sufficient steam to drive the machinery, to heat the washing.
water, or to supply the drying rooms, or the pipes therein. The drying rooms are
closed compartments provided with coils or pipes to receive the steam from the
boilers or the exhaust steam from the engines, and the clothes are introduced and
supported on sliding racks. The heat in these drying rooms is high, at times
intense, in order to effect the drying rapidly and is necessarily so, owing to the
principle involved in the drying operation.
Again, the heat is exceedingly high throughout all of the rooms owing to the
proximity of the highly heated boilers and the steam pipes necessarily present.
·
With devices such as those I have herein shown in Fig. 5, (which illustrates
the parts shown in detail in the other figs., in conjunction with others constituting
a laundry plant) it is possible to carry on all the necessary operations, and yet
avoid the exceedingly high heat which is experienced in laundries as tliey are at
present constructed.
A relatively low température can be maintained not only in the drying room,
but throughout all the parts of the plant as it is not necessary in any case to
generate in the furnace a beat beyond that which is represented by the boiling
point of water (or thereabouts). Of course the air is primarily heated to a higher
point, but it is almost immediately thereafter cooled, as above described, the
water being the medium for effecting this. And having thus provided for a large
body of drying and ventilating air and a sufficient body of heated water the
power necessary to actuate the various machines can be supplied from an electric
meter, which as is well known dispenses with a highly heated agency such as
steam.
The air which I deliver to the drying room is a forced circulation, and therefore
operates in a mauner much superior to that in which the highly heated steam ducts
act in a tightly closed apartment. The temperature of this dry air being com-
paratively low its action on the articles of clothing (upon some articles particularly)
is radically different from, and better than, the action of the exceedingly highly
heated contents (moisture-charged air) of the ordinary laundry drying room.
As illustrated in Fig. 5 the suction fan drives the air through the ducts L', L¹
into the drying room O. The water is received from the outside main, or other
supply, and carried through the pipe k', to the inlet pipe G and the tempering
device F. There is a pipe at by which it can go direct to the pipe G and the
boiler E, when it is desired to stop or modify the cooling action, and by means of
the valves, &, any desired temperatures of the air can be attained, as the amount
of water passing through the cooler can be graduated as desired.
The electric motor is connected by shafts and belting with the fans at L
and L Fig. 7 when used, and also with the washing machines at N, N, which
receive the heated water.
Of course, as concerns the novel features of construction and arrangement of
the parts of the heater and cooler or air and water tempering devices, the invention
herein is not limited to a specific apparatus such as shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5.
But that particular construction and arrangement of the parts of a plant of that
character possess many novel and desirable characteristics.
One of the important advantages incident to the construction herein shown and
described, is that the fire chamber is practically separate from the other chambers
or compartments, that is, it is so independent of them, that no entrance into it is
necessary in case repair is required in respect to any of the tubes. The vertical
tubes or pipes are in chambers at the side of the fire chamber, and therefore do
not require access to it in case they need repairing, or changing. And the air
tubes D, are placed horizontally so that it is necessary only to open the doors in
the walls of the chambers D', Ď³, in order to have all the necessary access. My
experience with furnaces of the earlier sort used for treating air in drying
apparatus, and in which the air pipes were vertically arranged directly over the
fire chamber, has led me to see the difficulty and expense incident to them. The
i - C

page_text: tubes rapidly burn, and require frequent replacing in fact to such an extent as
to make them entirely too expensive for successful use.
But with a furnace constructed on the plan herein described, these difficulties
and this expense are almost entirely obviated.
There are many features of the present invention which are independent of the
presence of the water jackets around the vertical air pipes; that is to say, there
cau be modification in numerous respects without departing from all parts of the
invention.
In Figs. 6 and 7, I have shown a mechanism of one of such modified forms.
Here the water from the air tempering mechanism F, passes directly to the
upper boiler proper at E. The products of combustion pass out from the rear end
of the fire chamber through exits at A', and come directly in contact with the air
pipes C. As the air can be heated highly in the vertical tubes the horizontal pipes.
such as shown at D2, D3, Fig. 3, are not required.
Both constructions, to wit, that in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4, and that in Figs. 6 and 7,
are similar in the arrangement of the lower and the upper air chambers, the
vertical pipes, the heater.E, and the other parts in relation to the fire chamber.
The heater, as a whole, may be considered as made of three main parts, namely,
the central fire chamber, and the two chambers at the sides of the fire chamber,
these side chambers being principally intended to receive, and effect the heating
of, the air, they being divided up by the above described horizontal and vortical
partitions, whereby the air, and the products of combustion (and the water when
used) are kept separate. But the primary purpose of the side chambers is to
accomplish therein the heating of the air. Each of the air tubes is surrounded
by a space through which the products of combustion pass. In Figs. 2, 3, and 4,.
this space is outside of the spaces occupied by the bodies of water in the pipes E;.
while in the form shown in Figs. 6 and 7 this space extends up to the air tubes;
but in both cases tho air tubes are heated because of the passage of the products
of combustion through the space around them.
In Figure 81 have shown in perspective, somewhat conventionally, the heater
and tempering apparatus in use with a centrifugal drier, the latter being indicated
as a whole by P. Any drier of ordinary construction may be used, but I prefer
the form shown in the drawing. The centrifugal drier shewn in Figs. 8 and 9 to.
which make no claim has the outer stationary casing or shell P mounted on
Buitable legs or supports. It is surrounded by an annular ring from which an
exhaust duct pleads, to a suction fan R, there being passages or openings p³ in the
casing to permit the air to be withdrawn therefrom. The cover is shown at P* and
has an extension P³ which fits around and slides upon the tube L', there being.
weights, attached to cords p, p, passing over pulleys p, p, to balance
the weight of the cover, and allow it to be raised and held up in order that
material to be dried may be placed in said drier. An exhaust port for the water.
is shown at q.
Inside of the stationary shell or casing P, is a perforated revolving basket P',
mounted upon and driven by the shaft Q, which may be rotated in any
suitable way.
The fabrics to be desiccated are placed in the basket P, the cover P is lowered
and secured in place, and power is applied to shaft Q, revolving the said basket at.
a very high speed. A large part of the water is forced from the clothes by
contrifugal action into the outer shell or casing, and runs off through the exhaust
duat 9. In order to hasten the drying, the treated air passing from the heater and
tempering apparatus, through tubes L, enters the drier through the extension P
down through the revolving basket into the shell or casing, being withdrawn.
therefrom by the fan R, through the annular ring p, and tube p³. It passes around
and through the fabrics in the revolving basket until they are thoroughly dried,.
when they are removed, and another lot is placed therein to undergo the same
operation.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
:
1. The combination with the fire chamber of the water heater directly above
the fire chamber, and extending longitudinally thereof, the air ducts as at D, D,
extending longitudinally along the said water heater, the air tubes C communicating
with and extending downward from the chambers D, D, the air chambers B, B,
below said tubes, and the passages across the bridge walls for the entrance of the
products of combustion into the space around the air tubes, substantially as Bet
forth.
2. The combination of the exterior walls as at the interior walls E, B', the
grate and fire chamber between the said walls E, B', the lower chambers B
between the vertical planes of the exterior walls and the vertical planes of the
interior walls E, B', the horizontal walls c', the air chambers D above the said
walls c', the air tubes C extending from the chambers B to the chambers D, the
passages over the walls E, and the escape passages E through the exterior wall,
substantially as set forth.
3. The combination with the fire chamber, and the chambers at the right and the
left of the fire chamber, of the vertically arranged air tubes in the side chambers,
the air ducts at the top of the side chamber, the horizontally arranged air tubes
in the fire chamber, and chambers as at D' D³ communicating with said. horizontal'
air tubes, substantially as set fortb.
4. The combination with the fire chamber and the passages for the products of
combustion of the vertically arranged water pipes in said passages the air
tubes within and surrounded by the water pipes and the water chambers at the
top and the bottom of the vertical water pipes, substantially as set forth.
the
5. The combination with the fire chamber, the boiler above said chamber and
upper air chambers D, of the vertically arranged air tubes communicating with
said air chambers, and situated in the path of the products of combustion the
bottom air chambers communicating with said air tubes, the vertical water pipes
respectively surrounding said air tubes and communicating with said boiler, and
means substantially as described for supplying water to and withdrawing it from
the last said pipes, as set forth:
6. The combination with the fire chamber and the air heating tubes at the
right and the left of the fire chamber, of the hollow bridge walls, and means
substantially as described for supplying water to and withdrawing it from said
walls, as set forth.
7. The combination with the fire chamber, and the boiler above said chamber, of
the hollow bridge walls having interior chambers which extend down to the grate,
the pipes communicating with the interior chamber in said bridge walls and with
said boiler, and means for supplying water to said bridge walls, substantially as
set forth.
8. The combination with the fire chamber, of the chambers for the products of
combustion at the right and the left of the fire chambor, the hollow bridge
walls on each side of the last said chambers, the air tubes passing through the
said chambers, and means for supplying water to and withdrawing it from the.
interior of the said hollow bridge walls, said walls forming interior water chambers
extending down to the grate, substantially as described.
9. The combination with the fire chamber, of the air tubes C situated in the path
of the products of combustion, the air cooler communicating with said' air tubes, the
water chamber in the said cooler, the water pipes E' respectively surrounding the
aforesaid air tubes, and the duet coniecting the water chambers in the cooler with
the said water pipes E, substantially as set forth.
10. The combination with the fire chamber, of the air tubes C, situated: in the
path of the products of combustion, means for holding a body of water around each

page_text: of the said tubes, and air heating tubes D³, communicating with the aforesaid
air tubes C and situated directly in the path of the products of combustion,
substantially as set forth.
11. The combination with the fire chamber, of the chambers at the sides of the
fire chamber to receive the product of combustion, the air tubes C situated in the
said side chambers and the air tubes D2 connected as described with tubes C and
situated in the fire chamber, and a pipe D' for taking the air away from
the tubes D, all arranged substantially as set forth whereby the air initially
passes through the water jacketed tube C, and then through the tubes D³,
Bubstantially as set forth.
12. The combination with the fire chamber, and the chambers at the sides
of the fire chambers to receive the products of combustion, the vertically
arranged air heating tubes in the said side chambers, and the horizontally arranged
air heating tubes D communicating with those aforesaid and situated directly in
the fire chamber, substantially as set forth.
13. The combination of the fire chamber, the boiler situated directly above the
fire chamber, the air heating tubes on vertical lines other than the vertical lines of
the fire chamber, the upper air collecting chambers arranged horizontally by the
sides of the boiler and at the upper ends of the vertical tubes, the heating
chambers at the right and left. of the fire chamber; and cut off from said upper air
collecting chambers; and the bottom air chambers situated outside of the vertical
planes of the fire chamber and cut off from communication with the upper air
collecting chambers except through said tubes, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 9th day of July 1801
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.