Fowler's Patent Theniiosiphon. 453 



Fowler Thos. : A Description of the Patent^Thermosiphorn {thermos, hot, 

 and sijjkon, a tube) ; with some modes of applying it to Horticultural and 

 other useful and important Purposes. London. Pamph. 8vo, 4 pis. 

 3s. 6d. 



Mr. Fowler has had the good fortune to hit on the idea that water may 

 be heated and made to circulate through a siphon, as well as through 

 horizontal pipes, or by force through [jipes in any direction ; provided 

 always, that the height of the siphon be not greater than to be counter- 

 balanced by the pressure of the atmosphere ; say not greater than soft. 

 Any person might have discovered the same thing by reflection, or in 

 answer to the question asked; but we are not aware that the idea has 

 occurred, either to the original inventor of the hot-water system. Bonne- 

 main ; to its first introducers into England, Bolton and Watt ; to its sub- 

 sequent introducer, Chabbannes ; to Count Rumford ; to its reinventors, 

 or English inventors, Atkinson and Bacon; or to any of the numerous 

 engineers now occupied in applying this mode of heating. _ Mr. Fowler's 

 discovery is not likely to be of very important use in gardening, though it 

 may occasionally be resorted to for the purpose of overcoming difficulties ; 

 but it will be of most advantageous application in private houses for heat- 

 ing baths, apartments, water for washing, &c. He has illustrated his prin- 

 ciple and its application by four copper-plates containing thirty-six figures, 

 and we are sorry he has not had these figures cut in wood and placed 

 along with the text, because, placed as they are, and referred to by 

 numerous letters, they are troublesome to the reader, though of themselves 

 well calculated to show the varied and extensive application of the 

 principle. 



" The variety of forms in which this invention may be applied, for the 

 purpose of communicating and transmitting heat, are innumerable ; but the 

 general p -inciple of the apparatus is always the same ; viz. — it elevates and 

 circulates the hot fluid from an open boiler, or vessel containing the fluid, 

 without the external application of any mechanical force or pressure what- 

 soever except the common pressure of the atmosphere. My invention also 

 consists in employing the power of the descending fluid in the Thermosi- 

 phon, for the purpose of causing hot fluids to flow from boiler to boiler, 

 tkroitgli connecting tubes of various lengths and forms, for the purpose of 

 heating the lower parts or ground-floors of hot-homes, conservatories, green' 

 houses, ayid other buildings, and also for other purposes requiring heat on the 

 ground or in low situations." 



Any gardener may prove that hot water will circulate in a siphon, by 

 taking a piece of lead pipe, say of half an inch bore, and 4 or 5 ft. long, 

 bending it like a siphon, but with one leg a good deal more bent than the 

 other, in order to give the descending water time and space for giving 

 out its heat; and then filling this tube with warm water, and placing 

 one hand on each end to retain it full, immerse the extremities in a pot 

 of water over a fire. (flg. 95.) Supposing the water of a 

 uniform temperature in both legs of the siphon, no circu- 

 lation would take place; but supposing it to cool sooner in 

 the long leg (a) than in the short leg {b), then the equili- 

 brium would be destroyed and the water in the long leg (a) 

 would descend and draw up hot water through the short 

 leg (.6), and this circulation would continue as long as the 

 water in the pot (c) was maintained at a temperature above 

 that of the surrounding atmosphere. It is easy to conceiye 

 that in this way a gardener might conduct a tube of hot 

 water, from his horizontal pipes in the floor of a stove, up 

 to a shelf suspended from the roof or against the back wall ; or he might 

 carry the circulation over a door instead of under it, as is now commonly 

 done, both by flues, steam, and hot water. But it can seldom be necessary 



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