Memoir of a mechanic Being a sketch of the life of Timothy Claxton . avored to fixupon some method which would be free from thedisadvantages of those above alluded to, and at thesame time equally efficacious. It occurred to me that most small families havethe convenience of heating water by their commonculinary fire ; and that considerable heat was re-quired to raise three or four gallons of water to the 158 MISCELLANEOUS PAPERS. boiling point, and that if this water, so heated,could be placed in a small bed-room, so that itsheat might be quickly distributed, (the fire-place,doors and windows
Memoir of a mechanic Being a sketch of the life of Timothy Claxton . avored to fixupon some method which would be free from thedisadvantages of those above alluded to, and at thesame time equally efficacious. It occurred to me that most small families havethe convenience of heating water by their commonculinary fire ; and that considerable heat was re-quired to raise three or four gallons of water to the 158 MISCELLANEOUS PAPERS. boiling point, and that if this water, so heated,could be placed in a small bed-room, so that itsheat might be quickly distributed, (the fire-place,doors and windows being closed,) the room wouldbe warmed, at least so as to be comfortable—thewater being made ready just before bed-time. The next step then was, to provide that the^heat of the water should be quickly abstracted, byexposing a large surface of it to the air, or theconducting material of the containing vessel. Sev-eral forms of apparatus suggested themselves, twoof which are represented in the engravings, whichit is proposed to construct of tin or copper. Fiff. WARMING ROOMS. 159 Fia:. 2. Fig. 1, is a vessel consisting of several flat oroval shaped tubes, which are closed, except at thetop, where is a tunnel to pour in the water; andat the bottom is a cock to discharge it. It will beobserved, that the tubes are connected at top andbottom, so that from one tunnel all the tubes arefilled. Fig. 2, consists of two flattenedor elliptic tubes, one within theother, between which the wateris to be poured; and the waterwill be thus exposed within andwithout to the air. A currentof warm air will pass up theinner tube, which is perforatedwith small holes at the bottom,and open at top. A tunnel andstop-cock are provided, for theentrance and discharge of thewater. The effect of both instrumentswill be at once perceived ; andit will be observed that the dan-ger from fire, as well as fromimpure or contaminated air fromthe heating apparatus, is entirelyobviated.
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