Intresting Steam Rad...

David Sutton_6

Saw this today in a house built in 1909, There is also a hole house steam indirect with outside air intake, as soon as i can get my stupid puter to download my camera i will add the picture ;-)

Where my finger is i am holding open a springloaded tray about 2" wide with a slight dip in the back side when shut, i was wondering if this was filled with water for moisture or some kind of clip to hold a  curtain of sorts???





David

aka DrPepper

DanHolohan

Looks like

American Radiator's Rococo. Scroll down to page 48:

http://www.heatinghelp.com/files/articles/1256/205.pdf



Nice find!



I'd say the tray is for what you suggested. Thanks for sharing.

Steamhead

Close

but not a Rococo. That's an H.B. Smith "Imperial". No other manufacturer used that pattern on the center column. EDR, page 76.

David Sutton_6

Springfield, Mass

This house over looks the Conn river , it 4200 sq ft built in 1909



Look at the bathroom sink, its the original sink

DanHolohan

Thanks!

I should start reading my own books. ;-)

DanHolohan

Gorgeous!

What a house!

David Sutton_6

Tub fawcett

this is the original tub as well

Steamhead

Must be a mansion

is the steam system one-pipe, Vapor or 2-pipe air-vent? 

David Sutton_6

yup nice Mansion

2 pipe steam /vent, got some great pictures of the inside of the whole house indirect, post them as soon as i can.





update !!  got the photos to upload !!! yea !!

David Sutton_6

more pics

.In the picture you can see the outside make up air was disconnected,

Steamhead

That might be

an original Gold indirect system, from way back. Have to look it up when I get home. 

David Sutton_6

this system is still being used right now !!

.

Charlie from wmass

You must be down the street from me on Long hill!

Thats the only area near me in Springfield that has houses like that. It must be H.B.Smith radiators if it is in Springfield. Thanks for sharing the photo's

David Sutton_6

yup Longhill,

you working on longhill ???

Charlie from wmass

I live off of Sumner St.

David. I drive up Long Hill on my way home every day. I am out at Da's house this week though. It is school vacation week and I am out here with the boys.

Steamhead

Found it

the following attachment is from the illustration opposite page 64 of Susan Reed Stifler's book, "The Beginnings of a Century of Steam and Water Heating" which chronicles the rise of the industry and of the H.B. Smith Company. I believe Ms. Stifler was the daughter of John Reed, an early member of H.B. Smith who, among other things, invented the Reed radiator. This book is required reading.



The boiler shown in these illustrations is the Gold boiler, the first one the Smith company made, and the indirect heaters inside the brick chamber are clearly shown. But the one in this house is a Mercer, a later Smith model which may have been the first to use the three-pass design (and the one that isn't built into the brickwork is a Mills).



So this is either a much older installation than we think, and the Mercer replaced a Gold boiler, or if 1909 is correct it's a much later installation that may be one of the last of its type. Not sure if this is true in Massachusetts, but around Baltimore we sometimes find that a house is older than the real-estate records.



David, you have a museum here. I wonder if the owner would consent to a tour?

David Sutton_6

You come out ...

And i will get you in Frank any day is good :-)



David