Improvements relating to the Construction of Steam Boilers.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Nov., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 26th Aug., 1896-Accepted, 24th Oct., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to the Construction of Steam Boilers.
I JOSEPH EDWIN CULVER of No. 561 Summit Avenue, Jersey City, in the
County of Hudson and State of New Jersey, United States of America, Doctor
of Medicine, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of my invention is to construct a steam boiler which shall embody
great strength, durability, simplicity of parts, and compactness of structure, and
which shall be capable of operating economically, and of developing great power
with safety, and which shall be easily manageable.
A foundation or base of masonry or other material, level horizontally, supports
the boiler, and may be of circular form, with a segment cut vertically out of the
front wall, and also with a central vertical excavation broad enough to receive the
fire-grate of the furnace, and deep enough for the ashpit. The outward extension
of the ashpit is continuous with the central excavation, and both have the same
transverse and vertical measurement. The entrance to the ashpit is closed by a
door of suitable construction. There is erected upon the margin of the foundation
which encloses the ashpit, a semicircular rear wall, and the parallel side walls of an
upright fire chamber, which may be built entirely of fire brick, with or without
interlocking T-irons, or may be of iron or steel lined with fire brick, and which is
open at the top. At the bottom of the fire chamber there is secured to the base,
the frame of a fire grate, upon which iron grate bars, preferably with projecting
fingers, rest side by side. These bars extend from the rear to and through the
front of the furnace, and they can be operated by a shaker bar.
Adjusted concentrically upon the foundation, and surrounding the lower part of
the fire chamber, is an annular water chanıber, composed of two short upright
cylinders, an annular sole plate, and an upper annular plate, which constitutes a
tube sheet, and which receives the lower ends of upright water tubes. The inner
cylinder is irregularly circular within, and is flanged inwardly, and its flanges come
close to the exterior walls of the fire chamber. The outer cylinder is circular, and
is flanged outwardly. The annular plates above mentioned are of such inner and
outer circumference as to include the circumferences of the flanges of the cylinders,
to which they are riveted. It is obvious that the cylinders might be made without
flanges, and be united with the annular plates by means of angle irons and rivets.
The inner cylinder follows a liue parallel to, and just outside the furnace wall, and
approaches the outer cylinder, narrowing the water chamber on either hand, until
it turns across the front of the furnace wall, and bridges over the cut in the
foundation. Thus, the water chamber forms the furnace front between the furnace
door and the ashpit.
Within the water chamber, between the cylinders, is an upright transverse
partition, to divide the current of the water in said chamber. On one side of this
partition is arranged the feed tube by which the boiler is supplied with water, and
on the other side is arranged a blow-off.
Some distance above the top of the fire chamber is arranged a circular horizontal
plate, the outer circumference of which corresponds with that of the lower tube
sheet, and which constitutes the upper tube sheet for the tubes, and also constitutes
a crown plate to the fire chamber. The tubes, the upper and lower ends of which
are expanded or otherwise secured in their respective tube sheets, are preferably

page_text: arranged in an annular group in several concentric circles, the space occupied by
the furnace being without such tubes.
On the crown plate is erected a cylinder which combines with said plate to
constitute the upper water chamber, and part of the steam chamber of the boiler.
This cylinder is united with the crown plate by flanges, or angle iron and rivets.
The said cylinder has a dome-like top, on which there is a turret or steam drum,
whence is the steam pipe connection. This turret may be dispensed with, and the
cylinder carried up to a greater height. As the boiling of the water in this
chamber may be violent, it should be sufficiently high for the upper strata of the
steam therein to become dry.
It will be understood that there is a lateral opening between the upper edges of
the walls of the fire-chamber and the plate which forms the bottom of the upper
water and steam chamber.
An accessory water reservoir, connected with the lower water chamber, completes
the front of the fire chamber from side to side above the furnace door, extending
thence upward nearly to the height of the top of the fire chamber wall, and back
to the perimeter of the untubed circular space beneath the crown sheet. It is
constructed of steel, iron, or other metal, and has an outward flange around its
upper horizontal border, to which a tube sheet is riveted or bolted; into this tube
sheet the lower ends of short water tubes are expanded, the upper ends of said
tubes being expanded into the crown sheet above. The accessory water reservoir,
thus forming part of the wall of the fire-chamber, is full of water at all times
when the boiler is in use, being supplied from the lower reservoir by elbowed tubes,
which form communication between the lower part of the said reservoir and the
bottom of the said accessory reservoir, the said tubes passing through the fire
chamber close to the sides thereof. The accessory reservoir and its tubes and
braces can be added or omitted, as preferred, in the construction of this boiler.
Outside of the outer circle of water tubes, there are arranged, at suitable
distances apart, for bolding the upper and lower tube-sheets in parallel planes, a
suitable number of upright shouldered stays, the shoulders of which are at a
distance corresponding to two tube sheets, and the ends of which pass through the
tube sheets and the flanges of the cylinders of the lower and upper water chambers,
and are screw-threaded to receive nuts. These stays add strength to the boiler,
and serve to hold the tube sheets in immovable relation to each other, while the
numerous tubes are being expanded into them. Within the inner circle of water
tubes there are arranged upright stays, which are shouldered, at their lower ends,
against the inner margin of the lower water chamber, and secured thereto by nuts,
the upper ends of these stays being secured to lugs welded or otherwise secured in
the upper tube sheet or crown plate. Between the untubed central portion of the
upper tube sheet or crown plate and the dome-like top of the cylinder of the upper
water chamber, are arranged another series of upright stays, the upper and lower
ends of which are secured to antipodal lugs, welded or otherwise secured to the
said crown plate and dome. Upright stays are also provided between the sole plate
of the lower water chamber and the aforesaid dome, the said stays passing through
certain of the tubes, and their ends being attached to lugs which are welded or
otherwise secured into the said sole plate and dome, and still other upright stays
are provided between the bottom of the accessory reservoir and the dome, these
latter stays passing through certain of the short water tubes.
A cylindrical jacket or casing is provided, consisting of an upright cylinder of a
diameter large enough to include the lower water chamber, the water tubes and
cylinder of the upper water chamber, with a space outside of the said chamber,
tubes, and cylinder. This case is supported on the base or boiler foundation, with
which it has a water-tight connection, and it is of a height just above the dome,
and is closed at the top. The said cylinder may be made of sheet iron, protected by
any effectual non-conductor of heat, as, for instance, a lining of asbestos. To
facilitate its removal, it may be built in sections. This casing forms a hot closet
around the steam chamber, converts the tube space into a reverberator, forms a

page_text: down-draught annular smoke way outside of the tubes and below the fire chamber,
and beneath the tube space on either side makes a right and left smoke way, with
a confluence in common into the smoke stack.
In the front of this casing, between the water chamber beneath and the accessory
reservoir above, there is a fire-door opening, whence a rectangular tube or shute of
heavy sheet metal extends into the front of the fire chamber. At the outer end
of this tube or shute, there is a fire-door. The spatial circle between the exterior
surface of the lower water chamber and the bottom part of the casing, is the smoke-
way, from which there is an outlet both from the right and left through an opening
in the casing on the opposite side to the fire door. The said outlet communicates
with a smoke-box, which is offset outwardly from the said smoke-way, and in the
top of which is an opening to the smoke-stack, which is erected on the said box.
Above the said outlet, the space between the lower water space and casing is
covered by a plate, which is long enough to compel the gases to be distributed
broadly through the tube space, before they can reach the said outlet. In order to
secure a direct draught, while kindling the fire, until a steam pressure shall have
been obtained, a short flue connects the upper part of the casing with the smoke-
stack. This branch flue is fitted with a damper valve or sliding door, which may
be opened and closed as required. Below the base of the smoke stack, a smoke
ejector is arranged to aim outwardly along the central line of the stack. This
ejector consists of an inverted funnel-shaped tube, supported on lugs on the base,
and fitted with a central steam jet pipe, through which steam, under pressure, is
driven, forcibly carrying with it from the smoke-way, and out through the smoke-
stack, volumes of smoke and spent gaseous products of combustion. While this
ejector is in use, the direct draught at the top of the boiler is closed by a valve or
damper.
To provide for the admission of workmen into the chamber for repairs, and for
the hoisting out and in of water tubes, and their expansion into the crown sheet,
the steam turret may be secured to the top of its chamber by bolts and nuts, which
permit the unfastening and removal of the said turret.
The lower tube sheet, constituting the top of the lower water chamber, may be
secured to the cylinders thereof by bolts and nuts, the unfastening of which will
permit the detached upper part of the boiler to be raised by hydraulic lifts,
sufficiently to permit the removal of the damaged tubes, and the insertion and
expansion of new ones.
This boiler is intended to be supplied with water up to a few inches above the
crown sheet. To start the operation, fire is made in the fire chamber, and the
valve or damper is kept open until the water boils, and enough steam pressure is
developed for operating the ejector. The valve or damper is then closed, and the
valve of the ejector opened, to produce an active draught from the smoke way
through the smoke box to the chimney. The radiant heat from the fuel strikes
the tube-sheet, and also the upper parts of the tubes, and there is also radiation
from the outside of the fire chamber, among the lower parts of the tubes; the
flames which strike the upper tube-sheet are reverberated among the tubes, and
the gaseous products of combustion circulate actively both in contact with the
tube-sheet, and outwards and downwards among and between the tubes, against the
interior of the casing, to the smoke-way, and thence to the chimney, the casing at
the same time acting to secure the reverberatory draught down the tubes. Some
of the gaseous products will be retained in less active circulation within the upper
part of the casing, and around the upper water chamber and turret, and will therein
serve to dry the steam in the upper part of the said chamber and in the turret.
active generation of steam is thus produced in the tubes, and over the tube-sheet,
accompanied by a free upward circulation of water from the lower chamber,
through the tubes, and into the upper chamber.
Dated this 26th day of November 1895.
An
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant."

page_text: 1 JOSEPH EDWIN CULVER of No. 561 Summit Avenue, Jersey City, of the
County of Hudson and State of New Jersey, United States of America, Doctor
of Medicine, 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 :-
The object of my invention is to construct a steam boiler which shall embody
great strength, durability, simplicity of parts, and compactness of structure, and
which shall be capable of operating economically, and of developing great power
with safety, and which shall be easily manageable.
I will first describe my invention in detail with reference to the accompanying
drawings, and afterwards point out its novelty in claims.
Fig. 1 represents a central vertical section of a steam boiler embodying my
invention.
Fig. 2 represents a horizontal section in the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 represents a horizontal sectiou taken in the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.
Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures.
A designates a foundation or base of masonry or other material, level horizontally,
upon which the boiler is supported, and which may be, and is represented as, of
circular form, with a segment cut vertically out of the front wall, and also with a
central vertical excavation b, broad enough to receive the fire grate of the furnace,
and deep enough for the ashpit. The outward extension of the ashpit is continuous
with the central excavation b, and both have the same transverse and vertical
measurement. The entrance to the ashpit is closed by a door of suitable
construction. There is erected upon the margin of the foundation which encloses
the ashpit, the semicircular rear wall and the parallel side walls of the upright
fire chamber B, which may be built entirely of firebrick, with or without
interlocking T-irons, or may be of iron or steel lined with fire-brick, and which is
open at the top. At the bottom of the fire chamber, there is secured to the base A
the frame of a fire grate C, upon which iron grate bars, preferably with projecting
fingers, rest side by side. These bars extend from the rear to and through the
front of the furnace, and they can be operated by a shaker-bar.
Adjusted concentrically upon the foundation A, and surrounding the lower part
of the fire chamber B, is an annular water chamber D, composed of two short
upright cylinders e c', an annular sole plate d, and an upper annular plate e, which
constitutes a tube sheet, and which receives the lower ends of upright water tubes f.
The inner cylinder c' is irregularly circular within, and is flanged inwardly, and its
flanges come close to the exterior walls of the fire-chamber B. The outer cylinder c
is circular, and is flanged outwardly. The annular plates d aud e are of such inner
and outer circumference, as to include the circumferences of the flanges of the
cylinders c c' to which they are rivetted. It is obvious that the cylinders cc' might
be made without flanges, and be united with the annular plates d and e by means
of angle-irons and rivets. The inner cylinder c¹ follows (as shown in Fig. 2) a line
parallel to and just outside the furnace wall, and approaches the cylinder c, narrowing
the water chamber on either hand until it turns across the front of the furnace wall,
and bridges over the cut b in the foundation. Thus, the water chamber forms the
furnace front between the furnace door and the ashpit.
Within the water chamber D is an upright transverse partition e¹ (see Fig. 2), to
divide the current of the water in said chamber. On one side of this partition is
arranged the feed tube g, by which the boiler is supplied with water, and on the
other side is arranged the blow-off h.

page_text: Some distance above the top of the fire chamber is arranged a circular horizontal
plate E, the outer circumference of which corresponds with that of the lower tube
sheet e, and which constitutes the upper tube sheet for the tubes f, and also
constitutes a crown plate to the fire chamber. The tubes f, f, the upper and lower
ends of which are expanded, or otherwise secured in their respective tube
sheets e, F, are preferably arranged in an annular group in several concentric
circles, the space occupied by the furnace being without such tubes.
On the crown plate E is erected the cylinder F, which combines with the said
plate E to constitute the upper water chamber and part of the steam chamber of
the boiler. This cylinder is united with the crown plate by flanges, or angle iron
and rivets. The said cylinder has a dome-like top F', on which there is represented
a turret or steam drum G, whence is the steam pipe connection i. This turret may
be dispensed with, and the cylinder F carried up to a greater height. As the
boiling of the water in this chamber may be violent, it should be sufficiently high
for the upper strata of the steam therein to become dry.
It will be understood, by reference to Fig. 1, that there is a lateral_opening
between the upper edges of the walls of the fire chamber B and the plate E, which
forms the bottom of the upper water and steam chamber.
An accessory water reservoir, D', connected with the water chamber D beneath,
completes the front of the fire-chamber from side to side above the furnace door,
extending thence upward nearly to the height of the top of the fire-chamber wall,
and back to the perimeter of the untubed circular space beneath the crown sheet.
It is constructed of steel, iron, or other metal, and has an outward flange around its
upper horizontal border, to which a tube sheet dis rivetted or bolted; into this
tube sheet, the lower ends of short water tubes f¹ are expanded, the upper ends of
said tubes being expanded into the crown sheet E above. The accessory water
reservoir D, thus forming part of the wall of the fire chamber, is full of water at
all times when the boiler is in use, being supplied from the lower reservoir D by
elbowed tubes D2, which form communication between the lower part of the said
reservoir D and the bottom of the said accessory reservoir D', the said tubes
passing through the fire chamber close to the sides thereof. The accessory
reservoir D and its tubes and braces can be added or omitted, as preferred, in the
construction of this boiler.
Outside of the outer circle of water tubes f, there are arranged, at suitable
distances apart, for holding the upper and lower tube sheets in parallel planes, a
suitable number of upright shouldered stays, the shoulders of which are at a
distance corresponding to two tube sheets, and the ends of which pass through the
tube sheets and the flanges of the cylinders c and F, and are screw-threaded to
receive nuts k. These stays add strength to the boiler, and serve to hold the tube
sheets in immovable relation to each other while the numerous tubes are being
expanded into them. Within the inner circle of water tubes f, there are arranged
upright stays 1, which are shouldered at their lower ends against the inner margin
of the lower water chamber D, and secured thereto by nuts, the upper ends of these
stays being secured to lugs m, welded or otherwise secured in the upper tube sheet
or crown plate E. Between the untubed central portion of the upper tube sheet or
crown plate E, and the dome-like top F¹ of the cylinder F, are arranged another
series of upright stays n, the upper and lower ends of which are secured to antipodal
lugs o, p, welded or otherwise secured to the said plate E and dome F¹. Upright
stays 9 are also provided between the sole plate d of the lower water chamber and
the dome F¹, the said stays passing through certain of the tubes f, and their ends
being attached to lugs which are welded or otherwise secured into the said sole
plate and dome, and still other upright stays u are provided between the bottom of
the accessory reservoir D¹ and the dome F', these latter stays passing through
certain of the short water tubes f¹.
:
H is a cylindrical jacket or casing, consisting of an upright cylinder of a diameter
large enough to include the lower water chamber D, the water tubes f, and
cylinder F, with a space outside of the said chamber, tubes, and cylinder. This

page_text: .
.
casing is supported on the base A. or boiler foundation, with which it has a water-
tight connection, and it is of a height just above the dome F¹, and is closed at the
top. The said cylinder may be made of sheet iron, protected by any effectual non-
conductor of heat, as, for instance, a lining of asbestos. To facilitate its removal,
it may be built in sections. This casing forms a hot closet around the steam
chamber, converts the tube space into a reverberator, forms a down-draught
annular smoke-way outside of the tubes and below the fire chamber, and, beneath
the tube space on either side, makes a 'right and left smoke-way L, with a confluence
in common into the smoke stack I.
In the front of this casing H, between the water chamber beneath, and the
accessory reservoir above, there is a fire-door opening, whence a rectangular tube
or shute J, of heavy sheet metal, extends into the front of the fire-chamber B.
At the outer end of this tube or shute J, there is a fire-door K. The spatial
circle L, between the exterior surface of the lower water chamber D and the
bottom part of the casing H, is the smoke-way, from which there is an outlet both
from the right and left through an opening r in the casing H on the opposite side
to the fire door. The said outlet r communicates with the smoke box M, which is
offset outwardly from the said smoke-way, and in the top of which is an opening
to the suioke stack I, which is erected on the said box. Above the said outlet r,
the space L, between the lower water space and casing, is covered by a plate -
(Figs. 1 and 3),-which is long enough to compel the gases to be distributed
broadly through the tube space before they can reach the said outlet. In order to
secure a direct draught while kindling the fire, until a steam pressure shall have
been obtained, a short flue I¹ connects the upper part of the casing with the smoke
stack. This branch flue is fitted with a damper valve or sliding door N, which
may be opened and closed as required. Below the base of the smoke-stack, a
smoke ejector is arranged to aim ontwardly along the central line of the stack.
This ejector consists of au inverted funnel-shaped tube s, supported on lugs s' in
the base A, and fitted with a central steam jet pipe t, through which steam under
pressure is driven forcibly, carrying with it from the smoke way, and out through
the smoke-stack, volumes of smoke and spent gaseous products of combustion.
While this ejector is in use, the direct draught at the top of the boiler is closed by
the valve or damper N.
To provide for the admission of workmen into the chamber F for repairs, and
for the hoisting out and in of water tubes, and their expansion into the crown
sheet E the steam turret G may be secured to the top of the chamber by bolts
and nuts, which permit the unfastening and removal of the said turret.
The lower tube sheet e, constituting the top of the lower water chamber D, may
be secured to the cylinders c c' thereof by bolts and nuts, the unfastening of which
will permit the detached upper part of the boiler to be raised by hydraulic lifts
sufficiently to permit the removal of the damaged tubes, and the insertion and
expansion of new ones.
This boiler is intended to be supplied with water up to a few inches above the
crown sheet E. To start the operation, fire is made in the fire chamber B, and
the valve or damper N is kept open until the water boils, and enough steam
pressure is developed for operating the ejector t. The valve or damper Ñ is then
closed, and the valve of the ejector opened, to produce an active draught from the
smoke way L through the smoke box M to the chimney. The radiant heat from
the fuel strikes the tube sheet E, and also the upper parts of the tubes f, and there
is also radiation from the outside of the fire chamber among the lower parts of the
tubes; the flames which strike the upper tube sheet are reverberated among the
tubes, and the gaseous products of combustion circulate actively, both in contact
with the tube sheet, and outwards and downwards among and between the tubes,
against the interior of the casing to the smoke way L, and thence to the chimney,
the casing at the same time acting to secure the reverberatory draught down the
tubes. Some of the gaseous products will be retained in less active circulation
..within the upper part of the casing, and around the upper chamber F and turret G,

page_text: and will therein serve to dry the steam in the upper part of the said chamber and
in the turret. An active generation of steam is thus produced in the tubes f, an!
over the tube sheet e, accompanied by a free upward circulation of water from the
lower chamber D through the tubes f, and into the upper chamber F.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a steam boiler, the combination of a lower annular water chamber, an
upper cylindrical water and steam chamber, a fire chamber, the lower part of which
is surrounded by the said lower water chamber, and the walls of which project
above the latter chamber, with a lateral opening between their upper edges and
the bottom of the upper water and steam chamber, upright water tubes arranged
around and outside of the walls of the fire chamber, and connecting the lower
water chamber with the bottom of the upper water and steam chamber, the central
portion of the said bottom, which is situated over the fire chamber, being untubed,
and constituting a crown sheet to the fire chamber, a casing surrounding said water
chamber and said water and steam chamber and said tubes, and having an outlet
at the bottom, and constituting an annular down-draught smoke-way between and
around the said tubes and the walls of the fire-chamber, substantially as herein.
set forth.
2. The combination with the lower water chamber D, the fire chamber B, having
its lower part surrounded by said water chamber, but having its walls projecting
above said water chamber, and having a feed opening in the so-projecting walls,
and the upper chamber F for water and steam, which is situated over the fire
chamber, and the lower portion of which is a crown-sheet to the fire chamber, of
the accessory water reservoir D; forming part of the wall of the front of the fire-
chamber above the feed opening, water tubes D2 connecting the lower part of said
accessory water reservoir with said lower chamber D, and water tubes / connecting
the upper part of said accessory reservoir D' with the lower part of said upper
chamber, substantially as berein set forth.
3. The annular water chamber constructed, as described, of two flanged
cylinders c c', an annular sole plate d, to which the flanges of said cylinders are
united at the bottom, an annular tube sheet e, to which the flanges of the said two
cylinders are united at the top, and a transverse partition e' between said cylinders,.
substantially as herein set forth.
4. The combination with the lower annular water chamber, the top of which is
a tube sheet, the upper cylindrical water and steam chamber, the bottom of which
is a tube sheet, and the tubes fitted to said tube sheets, and forming communication
between said chambers, of the shouldered stay bolts j, abutting against the two.
tube-sheets, and fastened at their ends respectively to said tube sheets and chambers,.
substantially as berein set forth.
5. The combination of a lower water chamber of complete annular form, in
which are a feed inlet and a blow-off outlet, separated by a transverse partition,.
an upper water and steam chamber, upright water tubes connecting said two
chambers, a central fire chamber, which is surrounded by said tubes, and the lower
part of which is within, and surrounded by, said lower water chamber; a casing
enclosing said upper and lower chambers, and a surrounding space which constitutes
a down-draught smoke-way, a smoke-box in communication with that part of said
casing which surrounds said lower water chamber, and a smoke stack on said smoke.
box, all substantially as herein set forth.
Dated
.
1000
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.