PROCEEDINGS OP THE POLYTECHNIC ASSOCIATION. 421 



ing the radiation of heat from a stove very efiectually by applying the 

 principle, and almost the identical mechanism used by Bonnemain, of 

 France, for regulating' the heat of the water in his eccalobion or egg-hatch- 

 ing apparatus. A brass rod was fastened at one end by a set screw to a 

 cast iron frame, which was placed vertically on the outside of the stove, 

 and at the other end by a hook to a lever, which moved a damper within 

 the same frame. The heat of the stove expanded the brass rod, and allowed 

 the damper to fall by its own weight, the hook passing out of the lever 

 if the rod continued to expand. The damper being closed, the supply of 

 air to the fire was shut off and combustion was checked; as the stove 

 cooled the brass rod contracted until the returning hook caught into the 

 lever and opened the damper. By turning tlie nut of the screw, at the top 

 of the frame, the rod was virtually made longer or shorter, and thus it was 

 adjusted, so that the heat could be maintained, quite regularly at a fixed 

 point. The apparatus was not near as sensitive as that of Judge Foot, 

 but it was sufficiently so for ordinary stoves. It could not easily get out 

 of order, and was a cheap device. I think the first cost of a regulator was 

 less than fifty cents. It was not surprising, therefore, that this cheap and 

 quite ornamental addition to the ordinary sheet iron stove, which had been 

 improved by the addition of a cast iron top and bottorn, should have a very 

 extensive sale. I think I am within bounds when I say that more than 

 100,000 stove regulators have been manufactured at Seneca Falls. There 

 was hardly a township in all the country, where wood was used as a fuel, 

 in which these self-regulating stoves were not to be found. 



As I have before stated. Judge Foot claimed the use of a metallic rod in 

 connection with the damper to make it self-acting. He conunenced an action 

 for an infringement of his patent against the manufacturers of Race's regu- 

 lator, which resulted in his recovering very heavy damages. About this 

 time Benson Owen, Esq., another lawj^er of Seneca Falls, invented a regu- 

 lator which was even more simple and cheaper than that of Mr. Race. It 

 consisted of a strip of brass about a foot in length, riveted at both ends to 

 an iron frame, so as not to be taut in the coldest weather. A lever 

 damper rested, by means of screw, on the middle of this brass strip. As 

 the heat of the stove increased the strip expanded, and being fastened at 

 the ends its gieatest action was at the middle, which allowed the damper 

 to descend by its own weight. As the stove cooled the strip was less 

 slack, and its motion raised the lever dumper. By turning the screw rest- 

 ing on the strip, the damper was raised or lowered, and thus set for any 

 required heat. 



For stoves in which anthracite coal is used, these self-regulating dam- 

 pers are of little use, because it requires a strong draft for a long time, 

 comparatively speaking, to start a coal fire, and when once kindled the 

 combustion cannot be checked so readily by closing the damper. Heat, at 

 any rate, is given off with but little diminution for some time after the 

 damper is closed. But in wood burning districts., where people have dis- 

 covered the folly of wasting fuel in an open fire place, when nine-tenths of 

 the heat can be saved and utilized by means of an air-tight stove, these 

 automatic dampers are very efficient. They have been found of great use 



