Is this a hercules coal furnace ? What is this ?

CoachBoilermaker

bburd

That looks like a household size incinerator. Before environmental laws were passed, people commonly burned their trash at home.

Larry Weingarten

Hi, To me it looks like a coal or trash burning side-arm water heater. Could be in slightly better condition 😏

Yours, Larry

EBEBRATT-Ed

I agree with @Larry Weingarten, The two disconnected pipe tappings are a clue. Must have a coil in it.

Pumpguy

Me too. My grandparents had one alongside their coal fired gravity hot air furnace.

mattmia2

Hercules is Sears, can problem find it in an old Sears catalog online

Dave in QCA

This is a coal fired gravity water heater (aka monkey stove) for connection to a galvanized, uninsulated, hot water storage tank. These were for use mainly in the summertime as in the winter, a coil located in the coal hot air furnace or boiler would heat the water. This would have been fired up only when hot water was needed, mostly for wash day or bathing. Kitchen hot water would be heated on the stove because it's more convenient than firing up this contraption.

In 1963 we moved into a craftsman styled house. It had been built in the mid 1920s and had not had many upgrades other than a gas conversion burner installed in the furnace and a gas water heater. All of the old parts for the coal furnace, the ash door, grates, poker, clinker claw, etc., as well as the monkey stove were way back in a corner behind the furnace just in case it was necessary to go back to coal. I was curious about these things and asked Dad what they were. He explained in detail. I thought it would be cool if they were all put back in use. He frowned and said I wouldn't think so if I had actually had to live with coal heat.

Now that I'm much older, I can't even imagine living with the inconvenience.