On supporting science journalism
If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.
One of the drawbacks to the use of the ordinary water cooler without a separate ice chamber is the great danger that disease-producing bacteria, like typhoid and other germs, may be liberated from the melted ice and contaminate the drinking water. To provide means for preventing this and, further, to provide means for sterilizing water suspected of being contaminated, and then filtering and aerating such water, the combined water heater, filter, and cooler herewith shown has been devised. The device comprises two vessels adapted to be placed one above the other. The upper vessel A is the boiler, and is separate from the lower vessel B. which serves to cool the water. In the vessel A there is a filter consisting of a perforated shell 7), over which filtering material C is placed. The water in the vessel A filters through this material into the shell 7), and thence drips into a chamber E. At one side of this chamber or pan there is a stop cock F. which may be opened to permit the drip of the filtered water into the cooler B. As the water drips into the pan E. and thence into the vessel B, it is thoroughly aerated. In the center of the vessel J is a cylinder, in which ice is placed. This serves to thoroughly cool the water in vessel B, which may be drawn off, as desired, through the usual stopcock. In use, before placing the vessel A over the cooler, it is set on a stove or range to boil the water, and thus sterilize it. In Fig. 2 another construction of the vessel A is shown. The pan ? is dispensed with. The bottom of the vessel is provided with a flat surface at the center, to permit its resting conveniently on the top of the range; but the outer portion of the bottom is inclined. Several filter shells are used, and are provided with stopcocks which project from this inclined Ijortion, By means of this construction the drii)coclis are free from contact with the top of the range when the water is being boiled. The use of several filters increases the filtering capacity. A patent on this improved device has been granted to Dr. P. A. Aurness, Minneapolis, Minn.
