The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1882-07-20
BOILER EXPERIMENTS.
Testing of Boilers of Steam
Vessels.


the Mechanical News for copy OF the
reports of the Government Commission
prs who witnessed the experiments re-
Gently made at Munhall station, near
Pittsburgh, by Mr.. d. L. Lawson, or
WelIsville, Ohio, illustrating his theory
of steam-bOiler explosions, ana denhon-
strating the utility of his device lot
their prevention. Inc TWO repOIls 0i
these CommissiOners-one giving a full
and circumstantial account Of the man
ner in which the tests were conducted,
and the other, OF supplemental report
expressing their opinion as to the yall-
dity of Mr.. LawsOn's claims-haYe been
forwarded to Secretary Folger.
The following Is the supplemental
report:
OFFICE OF THE SUPERVISING IN
SPECTOB OF STEAM VESSELS,
CINCINNATI, o., May 6, 1882.
Hon. Charles ]. Folger, Secretary of the
Treasury, Washington, ID. G.:
SIR-YOur letter of the 18th ult. came
duly to hand. You ask that the experts
appointed upon the committee VINO VIII
messed the experiments maze at !n muu-
hall, Pa. by b. T. Lawson, Esq, illus
trating his theory of steam lboller ex-
plOsiOns, make a supplemental report,
giving their opinion as to the merits OF
the claims made for Mr.. LaWs0ns Ihe-
oTies as deducted from the said expert
ments. In compliance with your request,
we will say that the construction OF
steam boilers on Mr.. Lawson plan no.
only adds materially TO the strengtn OF
the boiler, but it insures greater saIety
in its use and management mere can
he no sudden disturbance OF the water
by sudden opening of the thr0ttle-
valve. or from any other cause by which
the steam is suddenly drawn from the
boiler and as suddenly checked. AS to
the merits of the claims made tOr MI
LawsOn's theory for steam boiler eX-
pIOsions, in our opinion their validity
was fully established. The boilers used
in making the experiments, IN point OF
workmanship, dimensions, maleTlaI anu
tensile strength of material, were pre-
cisely alike, and capable OF carrying Ihe
same pressure per square men. Inc
steam pressure in one of the boilers,
through an accident in breaking the
lever of the throttle ran up to 20
pounds to the square inch without eaus-
ing a rupture, or in any other manner
weakening the boiler. This was the
plain cylindrical boiler. We are con-
WINGED, however, that had the lever OF
the throttle-valve not broken lpreYent-
ing the opening of the yalye), the boiler
would have exploded at less pressure
plOde had at the time TO the explosion
235 pounds. -.
Another proof of the utility of dia- |
phragm, such as, or similar to, the one |
EMPLOYED in making the experiments Is
the fact that the boiler containing the |
diaphragm carried pressure OF 800 lbs.
TO the square inch without producing |
any weakness whatever in any OF its
parts, Notwithstanding the lnrOttie-
valve was opened repeatedly during tue |
test, while after the center OF the dla- |
phragm was removed so as 10 allow d
free and unObstructed passage OF the |
steam from the water to the steam-space,
the boiler exploded with a pressure at
the time the thrOttle-valve was opened,
of 235 lbs. The manner in which the
opening was made could not have ma
terially weakened the boiler. The eX.
plOsion was not confined to any particu-
lar part of the boiler, but at the very
instant the thTOttle-yalve was opened
the boiler was blown to pieces. Inc
manner in which the iron was torn sim
ply places it beyond our ability TO estl-
mate with any degree Of TellaOlllty the
force exerted at the instant of ex-
plOsiOn.
We are convinced that the attachment
to a boiler of a diaphragm such as, or
similar to, the one exploded while max
ing the experiments, will, in great
measure, remove the dangers which
now surround the management and use
of steam boilers. A boiler with such an
apparatus attached is safer, for the rea-
son that no cOncussiOn can take place
in it. Aside from this it strengthens the
boiler, and in addition thereto 1t pro-
duces dry steam, great desideratum In
the running of steam engines. The ex-
Deriments made have not proven the
theory held by many that low water IS
the cause of boiler explosions TO be cor
rect.
The water in boiler which carried
pressure of 300 pounds to the square
inch, was four inches below the fire.
line during the trial, while the same
boiler afterward exploded with the
water five inches above the fire, making
a difference of nine inches of water
against the low-water theory. From
what we say here we do not wish to be
understood as advocating low water in
steam boilers. On the contrary, we ad-
wise that the heating surface of boiler
should be properly covered with water.
Yet it would seem from the experiments
made by Mr.. Lawson, that it made little
or no difference how low the water was
carried in boiler with his invention
attached.
In conclusion, we trust that our labOrs
will be satisfactory to you, and that the
world will be benefited by themi in ever
SO small a degree by the knowledge
gained from the experiments made at
Munhall, Pa, as to the cause and pre-
VentiOn of steam boiler explosions.
Very respectfully,
JOHN FEHRENBATCH,
Supervising Inspector of Steam Vessels.
GEO. H. ATKINSON,
Q. s. Local Inspector of Steam Vessels.