IMPROVED BOILERS FOR GENERATING STEAM
Year: 1871

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Edward Kochs at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
2nd November 1871.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD KOCHS, of the City of Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVED BOILERS FOR GENERATING STEAM," to be as follows :-
Each boiler is composed of sections formed of a series of longitudinal
and vertical tubes of various sizes according to the required form and
power of the boiler. Each longitudinal tube, which may be called a main
tube is either rolled out of one piece of iron or made of sheets rivetted
together, and its transverse section has the shape of a circle with two
portions cut off. The vertical tubes which connect the main tubes
together transversely are made conical, the smaller ends being fixed in a
lower main tube and the larger ends in an upper one, the fastenings in
both cases being effected by rings driven in internally from above, similar
to those used for the tubes of locomotive boilers. The front ends of the
main tubes aro tapered, and are each fitted with a hollow piece of
malleable or cast iron having towards the internal extremity an external

page_text: groove, in which there is a belt or ring of copper or other metal wire, so
that when the piece is driven tight up a steam and water tight joint is
made, and the piece is kept fast by keys and cotters through the tube
plate, there being also a cover which can be removed for the inspection
and cleansing of the tubes, and the boiler is supplied with water through
these covers and through the lower series of main tubes either singly or
combined. The opposite ends of these tubes are permanently closed by
plates rivetted or forged into the tubes.'
In cases where the main tubes lie in a horizontal or inclined position
a series of two or more of them are placed one above the other, and are
kept in their respective positions by the vertical tubes in the manner
before described, and each such series of main and vertical tubes I call a
section. Two or more sections placed side by side in connection with a
suitable grate would form a boiler, but at the same time each section
with a corresponding grate is a boiler in itself.
If any required number of sections be placed between two walls so
that all the main tubes are in one horizontal line, the spaces thus formed
between these tubes will form heating chambers or flucs, the exteriors of
the tubes being the heating surfaces. If there are two series of main
tubes it is called a two-flued boiler, the one flue from the furnace to the
back of the boiler being one and the upper returning one another; if
three series, a three-flued boiler, and so on; the water in the first case
filling the greater portion of the upper tubes and in the second case of
the central tubes.
The sections can be placed either longitudinally or transversely within
the surrounding brick walls, but if longitudinally then the upper or main
tubes of the two series system and central tubes of the three scries
system resting on the back brickwork would be of greater length than
those below to allow a space for the flucs from the furnace and between
the tube ends and back wall to return upwards to the front of the boiler.
When the tubes are encased in metal plates instead of brickwork I
form the side walls of the fire-box or furnace of the tubes themselves in
such a manner that the fire does not come in contact with the outer
casings at all. In this manner I extend the two outer sections of the main
and vertical tubes a little below the fire-grate, and place the main tubes
of the outermost section midway between those of the second, so that the
spaces between the main tubes are covered by the roundness of tho

page_text: others, the enclosure being to all intents and purposes sufficiently tight
to prevent the casing being affected by the fire.
If deemed expedient ashes or other non-conductor of heat might be
filled between the outer casing and the tubes to prevent any radiation or
waste of heat, and tho boiler might in this manner be so constructed that
no side plates be required for an outer casing.
In the case of a five-flued boiler where the heat circulates forwards
and backwards as in Cornish boilers, I place a series of main tubes below
the fire-grate, and connect them with those above by means of vertical
tubes behind the bridge, and in a similar manner as before described.
In these five-flued boilers the two outer sections of tubes are also placed
lower than their neighbours nearest the fire and midway between the
main tubes of the second section. The outer section on each side being
also sufficiently shortened at the back of the boiler to allow the hot air to
pass round their extreme ends and between the spaces of the second
section into the side flue, so that the heat shall circulate between the
outer section and wall to the front of the boiler, and from thence both
above or between the upper and below the lower tubes to the chimney.
The final flue into which both side flues unite being midway between
the upper and lower flue in order to cause an equal draught.
Immediately above and in line with the vertical tubes there arc
cylindrical openings for enabling the vertical tubes to be fixed and
cleansed, and these openings are covered by closely fitting caps.