Improved Means of and Apparatus for Facilitating the Cooling of Steam Boilers for Cleaning and other Purposes.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Aug., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 12th May, 1894-Accepted, 14th July, 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means of and Apparatus for Facilitating the Cooling of
Steam Boilers for Cleaning and other Purposes.
We, HENRY MELLON of Askam-in-Furness, County of Lancaster, Mining
Engineer, and JOHN JOSEPH COULSON of 61, John Street, Askam-in-Furness
aforesaid, Boiler Cleaner, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention consists of novel means for facilitating the cooling of steam
hoilers preparatory to cleaning or other purposes, and for giving thorough
ventilation inside the boiler while being cleaned, consequently effecting a great
saving of time and labour, and also permitting of the work being more satisfactorily
done. For this purpose, we form a tube connection or a series of tube connections
from one man-hole to another in such a manner as to cause a circulation of air
throughout the entire boiler to the chimney, which will speedily effect a cooling of
the boiler flues and shell.
There may be various ways of carrying out our invention. In one method, as
soon as the steam is blown off, the man-hole covers are removed, one in front and
one on top of boiler, also man-hole cover on flue to chimney. The air tubes-.
which are preferably telescopic-may be fixed on man-hole on the top of boiler,
and made to communicate with the man-hole on flue to chimney. The air enters
by the man-hole in front, which for the purpose is open, and after circulating
throughout the boiler passes to the chimney.
A strong and continuous circulation of air is thus kept up, which may be
controlled at will by means of a regulating valve or valves in the air-tube or
tubes.
In some cases, when it is inconvenient for the air-tubes to communicate with flue
to chimney from top man-hole, they may be connected instead with the side flue or
flues.
To ensure a thorough circulation of air throughout the side flues, the air.tubes
at the top of boiler may be dispensed with, and the top man-hole kept open, whilst
the man-hole from flue to chimney may be closed. By means of air tubes, a
communication is now made between the man-hole in front of boiler and the side
flues. A current of air is thus established, which enters at the top of the boiler,
and after circulating throughout the interior of the boiler shell enters the air tubes
in front of boiler, when it then traverses the side flues, and forward to the chimney.
In every instance, a valve or valves in the tubes may regulate the air currents.
From the foregoing description of our invention, it will be evident that the air-
tubes may be made so as. to connect any openings in boiler with any openings in
flues to meet all circumstances.
Where there are groups of boilers at large manufactories, and particularly where
inferior water. is used-the boilers requiring frequent cleaning this arrangement
of air-tubes will be found of the greatest possible advantage.
Dated this 11th day of August 1893
F. RICHMOND,
79, St. James Street, Burnley, Patent Agent.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means of and Apparatus for Facilitating the Cooling of
Steam Boilers for Cleaning and other Purposes.
We, HENRY MELLON of Askam-in-Furness, County of Lancaster, Mining
Engineer, and JOHN JOSEPH COULSON of 61, John Street, Askam-in-Furness
aforesaid, Boiler Cleaner, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention consists of novel means for facilitating the cooling of steam
boilers preparatory to cleaning or other purposes, and for giving thorough
ventilation inside the boiler while being cleaned, consequently effecting a great saving
of time and labour, and also permitting of the work being more satisfactorily done.
For this purpose we form a tube connection or a series of tube connections from
one man-hole to another in such a inanner as to cause a circulation of air throughout
the entire boiler to the chimney, which will speedily effect a cooling of the boiler
flues and shell.
There may be various ways of carrying out our invention. In one 'method, as
soon as the steam is blown off the manhole covers are removed, one in front and one
on top of boiler, also manhole cover on flue to chimney. The air tubes-which are
preferably telescopic-may be fixed on manhole on the top of boiler, and made to
communicate with the manhole on flue to chimney. The air enters by the manhole
in front, which for this purpose is open, and after circulating throughout the boiler
passes to the chimney. A strong and continuous circulation of air is thus kept up,
which may be controlled at will by means of a regulating valve or valves in the air
tube or tubes.
In some cases, when it is inconvenient for the air tubes to communicate with flue
to chimney from top manhole, they may be connected instead with the side fluo
or flues.
whilst
To ensure a thorough circulation of air throughout the side flues, the air tubes
at the top of boiler may be dispensed with, and the top manhole kept open,
the manhole from flue to chimney may be closed. By means of air tubes, a
communication is now made between the manhole in front of boiler and the side
flues. A current of air is thus established, which enters at the top of the boiler,
and after circulating throughout the interior of the boiler shell, enters the air
tubes in front of boiler, when it then traverses the side flues, and forward to the
chimney.
In every instance a valve or valves in the tubes may regulate the air currents.
From the foregoing description of our invention, it will be evident that the air
tubes may be made so as to connect any opening in boiler with any opening in flues
to meet all circumstances.
Where there are groups of boilers at large manufactories, and particularly where
inferior water is used, the boilers requiring frequent cleaning, this arrangement of
air tubes will be found of the greatest possible advantage.
In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 (Sheet 1) is a longitudinal section of a
steam boiler with our invention applied for cooling boilers preparatory to cleaning.
A is an air tube or tubes, which are preferably telescopic, but need not
necessarily be so. In this view, the cover of manhole B at top of boiler is removed,
and the air tube or tubes are fixed to such manhole and made to communicate with
the flue to the chimney, the cover of manhole C for this purpose being also
removed.
The cover of manhole in front D is now removed, and it will at once be evident
that a strong and powerful current of air will thus be established, which enters the
front manhole D, traverses the boiler shell as indicated by arrows, enters the

page_text: connecting tubes at B and makes its way through the tubes and through manhole C
to the chimney. The boiler is thus exhausted of hot air, and at the same time the
cold air traversing the boiler shell speedily reduces its temperature. Valve or
valves E are provided to regulate at will the air currents passing through the
interior of the boiler.
Fig. 2 (Sheet 2) is a front elevation of a series of boilers with our invention
applied.
To the manhole in front of boiler F. is fixed tube G which communicates with.
the bottom flue. Cold air enters by the manhole L or other opening on top of
boiler, and after circulating round the interior passes through the connecting tube
along the flues to the chimney.
In the boiler J the connecting tube is fixed to the manhole I in front of boiler,.
and connected at H to manhole on side flue of boiler F. In this way the flue of
boiler Facts as an exhauster of the hot air in boiler J, cold air being constantly
supplied by any opening on the top.
In boiler J the tube A is front elevation of the arrangement shown on Sheet 1.
Other modifications of arranging the connecting air tubes are illustrated. The
boiler M is here shown with a tube N connecting the manhole O in front of boiler
with one of the internal tubes P of boiler. The fresh air enters at the top of the
boiler, passes through the connecting tube to the flues, and on to the chimney.
On the top of boiler M, connecting tubes are shewn from manhole Q to manhole
on side flue of boiler. Fresh air is admitted in this arrangement by the manhole O,.
circulates through the boiler, and passes by connecting tube to side flue and on to
chimney.
Instead of connecting the tubes to flues as hereinbefore described, they may be
made to communicate with a fan or other generator of air currents, and cold air
drawn or forced thereby through the interior of the boiler shell and tubes.
It will be at once apparent that our invention need not in any manner be confined
merely to the particular methods of arranging the air tubes described, and shewn
in the accompanying drawings, as there may be various other methods of arranging
the tubes to accomplish the same object. We would observe also that our invention.
may be applied to and equally serviceable for Lancashire, Cornish, multitubular or
any class of boiler.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. The construction and arrangement of apparatus, or air tube or tubes-
telescope or otherwise to be applied to steam boilers for the purpose of creating a
continuous current or circulation of air throughout the entire boiler, and rapidly
cooling the same for cleaning or other purposes, substantially as described and
illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2.
2. The use of air tubes in conjunction with a steam boiler and a fan or other
generator of air currents, substantially as described for the purpose specified.
Davi
11
Poh day of May 1904
AVOR VERD
F.. RICHMOND,
12, Slandish Street, Burnley, Agent for Applicants.