I saw this kettle for sale on the bay of evil and thought "Mmm... That looks interesting". As it turns out it is very interesting indeed. It is an Australian designed "quick-boil" kettle, patented in the 1920s (patents below). The kettle is no shrinking violet. It weighs (empty) 1.58 kilograms (3.5 lbs). Filled to the bottom of the spout it holds 2.75 litres (a bit under 5 imperial pints or a bit under 6 US pints). I boils 2.25 litres (4 imperial pints or a bit under 5 US pints) comfortably without water spilling out. It has a heavy lid for the spout (which also doubles as the filler, as there is no kettle lid). The spout lid is hinged and operated by this elaborate trigger mechanism. The handle and hinge is attached to the kettle by way of four stud-posts soldered to the kettle. Here, underneath, is what makes this kettle very interesting: Note the copper pipes at slight angles to each other. They have direct access to the body of the kettle and the water circulates through them. Patents for this kettle are shown on the bakelite handle (Nos 4957/28 and 20870/29). I have attached the patents to this thread. James Dowson Jackson (Sydney, Australia) had a few patents about this time. I'm assuming the name "James Dowson Jackson" was not common in Australia around that time, so there is a distinct possibility that our inventor is the same person referred to in a coronial inquest, having suffered and a heart attack and died in Wombat Street Forbes, NSW on 15 January 1938: http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/219519108?searchTerm=james dowson jackson&searchLimits= Here is the kettle in operation: ... Oh! Apparently I have two! Cheers Tony
Wow, what a piece of engineering! Not dissimilar in principle to the Thompson and Ritchie idea, but a radically different interpretation and a very high quality product Ian.
We don't drink a lot of tea here in California but if I had one of those I might take it up just to use the kettle. What a solidly built unit.
Well, well, there's a thing. The Quest for Speed (of boiling) isn't just a modern phenomenon for sure. Ian's mentioned the Thompson and Ritchie approach to incorporating tubing to increase the heated surface area the water is in contact with. Interesting variation. John
I don't think it's just a matter of increasing the heated surface area, John; the fact that the tubes slope upwards on one side make them thermic syphons; as the water inside the tube heats up, it expands, becomes less dense, and flows up the sloping tube into the main body of the kettle, drawing cooler water from above into the lower end of the tube. If you look at marine water tube boilers, they are built on identical principals - and thermic syphons were also used to great effect on Oliver Bulleid's 'Merchant Navy' and 'Battle of Britain' class locos. (it's a pity that he utterly messed them up with his crackpot designs of valve and reversing gear, but that's another story) And what beautiful craftsmanship! Jack
@Jack Enright That seems logical to me. It certainly puzzled me why this design was so complex. James Dowson Jackson also patented a baffle inside the kettle to stop heated water being forced through the spout/whistle. My kettles don't have this baffle. Instead the lid of the spout, which also serves as the whistle, is very heavy. I'll clean my other one up soon, and post it here. Cheers Tony
On the kettle I was referring to it is because the tubes through the kettle just convey the hot air and not water, but I see your point about the usefulness of setting up a thermo-syphon in Tony's kettle.
Ah, I didn't realise that, John - so, assuming the tops of the tubes are open, to allow the heated air to flow up inside them, whereabouts do they vent? I wouldn't have thought they could be open at the top inside the kettle without making the hot water taste of paraffin. I'm intrigued! With best regards, Jack
@Jack Enright Yes they vent at the top of the kettle, but outside it Jack. The 'boiler tubes' are wider in the concave base than at the top and the tubes slope inwards. A fair amount of the heat of the flame is transferred to the water but some emerges from the top, though not a troublesome amount - enough to scorch the wicker of the handle if it's left down though. Sacrilege, suggesting our clean-burning pressure stoves emit paraffin fumes! John
