Novelties - November 9, 1907

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Motor Car Heater In cold weather the automobilist must wrap himself up into an unrecognizable bundle of fur in order to endure the chilled blasts produced by the rapid travel of his car, while beneath him is an engine that lives on fire, that is continually spitting forth hot gases, and that requires special appliances to prevent it from growing excessively hot. The incongruity of the situation has struck many a one, and efforts have been made to utilize the surplus heat of the engine to warm the occupants of the car. One method is to conduct the hot water from the water jacket to colls in the tonneau, and another method is to use the exhaust gases in a simllar way. The accompanying engraving illustrates the latest development along this line. A jacket is fitted around the muffler, forming a hot-air chamber. The outside air is admitted into this chamber through a port in the forward end of the jacket, while at the opposite end the chamber communicates with a pipe that leads to a register in the floor of the car. The motion of the automobile provides the necessary draft, and the cold air entering the chamber is heated by the muffler, after which it passes through the register into the body of the car. When the register is closed, a shutter is opened, which permits the heated air. to pass into the outside atmosphere. A heater of this class is best adapted for use in a closed car, although it can be used with some benefit in an open car. The makers claim to have heated a closed car with one of these heaters from a temperature close to zero up to 60 deg. F., in a few minutes.

Scientific American Magazine Vol 97 Issue 19This article was published with the title “Novelties” in Scientific American Magazine Vol. 97 No. 19 (), p. 332
doi:10.1038/scientificamerican11091907-332

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