IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO STEAM BOILERS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Crompton, of Liverpool, in the County of Lan-
caster, and James Taylor Cochran, of Birkenhead, in the County of Chester,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO STEAM BOILERS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Crompton and
James Taylor Cochran at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the
25th February 1878.
EDWARD CROMPTON, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, and JAMES TAYLOR
COCHRAN, of Birkenhead, in the County of Chester. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND
RELATING TO STEAM BOILERS."
Vertical boilers, though very convenient for their shape, are anything but
economical as usually constructed, unless of an inconvenient height, owing to their
small heating surface (and if supplied with crown plates and vertical tubes) the
difficulty that steam has in escaping from a vertical surface. Now our Invention
consists in a vertical boiler with large heating surface, yet without vertical tubes.
The furnace can be of any ordinary construction common to boilers.
We prefer,
however a dome-shaped furnace in small boilers. The products of combustion
escape into a combustion chamber through a flue to the back, and thence pass
through the boiler by means of horizontal or inclined tubes to the front, when they
either pass off through the chimney, or in exceptional cases again pass through
tubes above the previous ones, and escape up a chimney.
The combustion chamber is formed preferably wholly or partially inside the
cylindrical shell of the boiler, which is cut away at this point and provided with
doors, so that the tubes can be cleaned.
The tubes are preferably in two groups, with a vertical space left clear between
them, so that the steam from the furnace crown can ascend between the two groups.
of tubes.
The smoke box we also prefer to make partially inside the cylindrical shell, the
tube plate being flanged on to the said shell. The smoke box extends down below.

page_text: the lowest range of tubes, and has a door standing at a steep angle with the bottom
to enable one to get at both smoke box and tubes for cleaning and other
purposes.
The top of the boiler forms the steam space and is egg-ended or flat, and is stayed
in the usual manner with gusset plates or otherwise.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Edward Crompton and James Taylor Cochran in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 23rd August 1878.
EDWARD CROMPTON, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, and JAMES TAYLOR
COCHRAN, of Birkenhead, in the County of Chester. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND
RELATING TO STEAM BOILERS."
We arrange vertical, cylindrical, or other shaped boilers with horizontal or nearly
horizontal flue tubes by means of tube plates flanged and rivetted or otherwise
fixed to the shell of the boiler. These tube plates are made of such a shape that
they form two flat parallel surfaces, between which the flue tubes are fixed in the
ordinary manner. The distance between these tube plates is preferably less than
the diameter of the shell in the case of cylindrical boilers, and the spaces left outside
the tube plates are in such case utilized as a combustion chamber on one side, and
as a smoke box on the other side. The products of combustion from the furnace
are led to the combustion chamber by a tube or tubes, thence through the aforesaid
flue tubes to the smoke box, and thence up a chimney of any convenient form.
The furnace may be of any convenient shape. For moderate sized boilers we
prefer vertical dome-shaped furnaces, open at bottom, and elsewhere surrounded by
water; but the furnace may be altogether external, and its sides constructed of fire-
brick or otherwise. In this latter case the products of combustion are led from the
furnace to the flue tubes through openings or passages in the brickwork, and not
through a tube or tubes as mentioned above.
In the case of boilers with vertical dome-shaped furnaces surrounded by water,
the open side of the combustion chamber is made up with iron plates lined if
required with fire-brick or other suitable refractory material, and is made moveable
or with doors, and the open side of the smoke box is made up with iron plates and
doors, so that both tube plates are accessible.
We also sometimes arrange these boilers double, in which case the combustion
chamber is internal and surrounded on all sides by water, and there are two smoke
boxes with two up-takes to funnel; or the smoke box may be made internal, and
the combustion chambers partly external.
In the case of very large single boilers the combustion chamber is formed
entirely inside the shell of the boiler, stayed thereto, and entirely surrounded with
water.
In very small boilers we prefer to bolt on the top of the boiler to allow access to
the inside.

page_text: Drawings Nos. 1, 2, and 3 show a vertical cylindrical boiler with vertical
dome-shaped furnace, and combustion chamber and smoke box partially external.
Drawings Nos. 4, 5, and 6 show a double boiler with combustion chamber
internal and entirely surrounded with water, and two smoke boxes, each partially
external.
Drawings Nos. 7, 8, and 9 show a boiler with vertical dome-shaped furnace,
combustion chamber, internal, and entirely surrounded with water, and smoke box
partially external.
Referring to Figs. 1, 2, and 3, A is the dome-shaped furnace; B, the smoke box;
C, the combustion chamber; D, D, the tube plates; E, water space; F, gusset plates
to stay the boiler; G, the tubes.
In Figs. 4, 5, and 6, before described, the same letters apply to the same parts
in this double boiler; H are two converging up-takes to the chimney; I, doors at
side of smoke boxes for access to tubes for cleaning and other purposes.
In Figs. 7, 8, and 9, before described, like letters refer to like parts as in the
other Figures.
Having now described our Invention and the best mode known to us of carrying
it into effect, we wish it to be understood that what we believe to be new and
desire to claim under the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
1. The combination of the horizontal tubes G with the tube plates D, D, com-
bustion chamber C, smoke box D, and doors I, or their mechanical equivalents, in a
vertical boiler, substantially as described.
2. The general arrangement of vertical boiler, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, we, the said Edward Crompton and James Taylor Cochran,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twentieth day of August,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
EDWARD CROMPTON.
(L.S.)
Witness,
W. P. THOMPSON,
JAMES TAYLOR COCHRAN. (LS.)
British and International Patent Agent,
6, Lord Street,
Liverpool.