32 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



IMPROVED SUPPLY PIPE POH HOT AIR FURNACES. 



Hon. Simon Brown : — Dear Sir — I send here- 

 with cuts representing an invention by Mr. Sam- 

 uel L. Hay and myself, by means of -w'tiich a near- 

 ly uniform amount of fresh air is admitted 

 through the supply pipes of fui'naces, notwith- 

 standing the tendency to increase of current from 

 external cold, or winds. From the following ta- 

 ble may be seen the great difference in speed be- 

 tween light and strong winds ; and how irregular 

 would be the supply, if the openings were always 

 the same. 



Velocity of the Perpendicular ftjrce 

 wind. on 1 square foot, in 



Miles in an hour. avoirdupois lbs. 



005 



079) 



123 



492 



1.107 i 



4.429 



85 6.027 j 



50 12.300 



80 31.490 i 



100 49.200 



Common appellations 



of the force of 



such winds. 



Hardly perceptible. 



Gentle, pleasant wind. 



Brisk gale. 



High wind. 

 A storm. 

 A hurricane. 



Persons living in furnace-heated houses have 

 experienced the discomfort from currents of air 



in cold weather, when the wind v.'as blowing into 

 the mouth of the supply pipe ; and also an ab- 

 sence of heat from the furnace because of the 

 wind blowing on an opposite side of the house 

 from the supply pipes, producing a partial vaci»- 

 um about the mouth of the pipe, causing a cur- 

 rent of warm air to pass out of the house, and be 

 lost. 



The usual way of preventing the air from com- 

 ing in too freely is to put a sliding valve into the 

 pipe, by which the opening may be diminished ; 

 but the wind is fitful, gusts and lulls alternating, 

 and the most careful watchfulness and persona] 

 attention cannot govern the supply. Some close 

 these valves, and damp, unwholesome air is taken 

 fi'om the cellar. Others, after experiencing th« 

 inconvenience of regulating the current of fresk 

 air through the supply pipc> have had them clos- 

 ed entirely and taken their supply from an open- 

 ing through the hall floor ; but this practice of 

 making bad air by using it over and over again 

 is depressing to the spirits and destructive to 

 health. How often do we hear a person (wishing 

 to be refreshed and "get an appetite,") remark, 



"I must go out and breathe the fresh air;" yet 1 in the open fields. It sometimes happens from 

 how few realize that they can have air almost as the valve being closed to prevent the warm air 

 fitesh and invigorating in their own dwellings, as | from passing out, that heat has accumulated to 



