Fowler’s Patent Model of a Furnace Steam Boiler - ca 1856
date: label: date made
content: ca 1856
label: patent date
content: 1856-09-30
name: label: inventor
content: Fowler, David H.
notes: label: Description
content: This model was filed with the application to the U.S. Patent Office for Patent Number 15,803 issued to David H. Fowler of New Orleans, Louisiana on September 30, 1856. Mr. Fowler’s patent was for a new design for a boiler with both internal and external flues . The goal of the two flues was to increase the amount of boiler surface area exposed to the hot combustion gases from the furnace. His design called for a central boiler that was mounted above the furnace. The three supporting legs for the boiler surrounded the furnace and were tubes that allowed the introduction of water into the boiler via the legs. The internal flue passed through the center of the boiler and was surrounded by the water. Combustion gases flowed upward through this flue, transferring heat to the water. The external flue was implemented via a four inch space between the boiler’s side and the surrounding brickwork. This space ran around the entire circumference of the boiler. This allowed a portion of hot combustion gases to also heat the external wall of the boiler, significantly increasing the surface area of boiler metal being exposed to the gases. The external flue was capped at the top of the brickwork, and horizontal openings were provided at regular intervals around the circumference which communicated with the external flue. The chimney was located above the external flue, and a separate pipe connected the internal flue to the external. In 1861 Mr. Fowler advertised as a Steam Boiler Manufacturer in New Orleans. Research of available trade literature and other sources has not revealed any additional commercial use that may have made use of Mr. Fowler’s invention.
label: Description
content: The patent model is constructed of unpainted tinplate. It illustrates the central boiler and its internal and external flues as well as the brickwork surrounding the boiler. The aperture at the top for the external flue is present. The furnace door is modelled as are example apertures in the brickwork for ashes to be removed from the external flue. At the bottom of the boiler a single valve or cock for the introduction of water into the boiler via its three supporting legs is modelled. Diagrams showing the complete design can be found in the patent document online and are helpful in terms of understanding the orientation of the boiler and the surrounding brickwork (www.USPTO.gov/patents/process/search/index.jsp).
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: associated place
content: United States: Louisiana, New Orleans
topic: label: Subject
content: Patent Models
label: Subject
content: Heating
setName: label: See more items in
content: Work and Industry: Mechanical and Civil Engineering
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content: Engineering, Building, and Architecture
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content: Patent Models
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of Raymond F. OReilly, Valley Stream, New York
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 1997.0380.01
label: catalog number
content: 1997.0380.01
label: accession number
content: 1997.0380
label: patent number
content: 15,803
objectType: label: Object Name
content: patent model, furnace, steam boiler
label: Object Type
content: Patent Model
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: tin (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 9 7/8 in x 4 3/4 in x 5 1/2 in; 25.0825 cm x 12.065 cm x 13.97 cm