Steven Gold's Mattress Radiator

Dan Holohan shares his knowledge about the first safe and successful steam radiator for house heating. Steven Gold patented his "mattress" radiator on October 3, 1854. It was comprised of two thin plates of sheet iron fastened together in many places by rivets. He rolled the edges together around a rope-like material to seal the radiator against steam leaks. He used a valve on the inlet side to let the steam in and a small cock on the opposite end to let air out. Gold's radiator looked so much like a quilted mattress that the name stuck. Gold's system became the first attempt at what we today call one-pipe steam heating.

You can find the patent here.

Want to learn more? Read Dan Holohan’s book The Lost Art of Steam Heating Revisited.