Vapor Systems to look for

Steamhead

Dan has seen and written about in Lost Art, here are some that Alfred King (Dead Man) mentions in his book "Practical Heating & Ventilation". Some of these may be rare- let's not let them fall victim to the sledgehammer!

1. The Ryan System- an air-line system built like the Morgan and Trane mercury-seal systems, but it used an air trap rather than a mercury pot to hold vacuum. I think it could be used with one-pipe or two-pipe installations.

2. The Bishop & Babcock Vacu-Vapor System- This was B&B's take on heating small buildings with Vapor. It used an Alternating Receiver with a twist- the dry return went straight into the receiver instead of dropping below the water line. Rad valves were called "Multiflex" and the traps looked a lot like Dunham's.

3. The Simplex System- This had a regulator like that used on the Vapor Regulator Co's Atmospheric system, except that the air line didn't go into the chimney- a standard-type air vent was used. Simplex also used water seals on the rad returns.

4. The Illinois Vapor System- from Boilerpro's home state! In this system the "equalizing (alternating) receiver" was also the main air vent. A condensing pipe or radiator kept steam from reaching the vacuum check.

5. The Gorton & Lidgerwood One-Pipe Vapor System- one of two such systems I've heard of. Mr. King doesn't say much about it, but I'm sure it spawned the Gorton #2 main vent we all know and love.

Mr. King also mentions these but doesn't discuss them much-

The McAlear Co. (Chicago- there ya go again, BP!) Vapor system: This also used a combination return trap/air eliminator unit, as well as radiator traps with vertical elements (latter info from my 1922 and 1943 McAlear catalogs).

The Holmberg Steam Trap Co. (Lindsborg, KS) Vapor system

The Johnson Vapor Heating Co. (Boston) system

The Hutchison Co. (Washington, DC) who marketed a one-pipe modulating Vapor system as well as a two-pipe system like Dan Foley restored recently.

Mr. King notes that all of the above companies were "more or less nationally known". So there are probably surviving examples of each. All we have to do is find them!

And don't forget the Staneley system someone posted a pic of a while back!







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DanHolohan

And

all of this came and went in just 25 years! Thanks for the additions to the list. This one's a keeper!

Steamhead

Here's one more

which I think is one of the original Dunham setups- The Dunham Vacuo-Vapor system, marketed by National Vacuum Heating Co, Marshalltown, IA.

This system had the familiar Dunham rad traps and modulating rad valves. The dry returns emptied into a receiving tank from which a return led to the bottom of the boiler. The tank also had an equalizing pipe coming out the top and piped into the boiler, extending down into the steam-dome to the boiler's minimum water line. The boiler was normally filled above this point (just try this on a modern boiler with no steam-dome!). As steam was generated, the water line dropped. As water returned, it was held in the tank. Air was released from the tank thru a vacuum-type main vent.

When the water line dropped below the level of the equalizing pipe, steam shot up the pipe into the tank. This drove the water out of the tank and into the boiler, raising the water level which again covered the equalizing pipe. The steam then condensed in the tank, forming a vacuum. The vacuum pulled air from the system and lowered the boiling point of the water. When the water line dropped again, the cycle repeated. I wonder if this was the inspiration for the Hoffman Differential Loop?

I have one of the original salesman's books describing this system. It dates back to at least 1909, when it was stamped "Received" at the Library of Congress.

For those of you who have the now-collectible book "The Lost Art of Steam Heating Companion" it lists some other Vapor systems in the first chapter. The Hutchison two-pipe system appears here, as do the Imico and Ideal systems.

If anyone runs into any of the systems described in this thread, I'll be glad to scan and send you whatever info I have on them.

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