Improvements in Vertical Boilers.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Sept., 1891-Accepted, 31st Oct.. 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Vertical Boilers.
:
I, CHARLES FLAVIUS BAKER, of Pillsbury "A" Mill, of the City of Minnen-
polis, in the County of Hennepin, State of Minnesota, United States of America,
Mechanic, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in what manner
the same is to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
My invention has for its object to provide an efficient and durable vertical
boiler.
To this end, I arrange the flues around a central space placing the flues sub-
stantially in right lines in two directions, so as to leave clearance spaces between
the lines of flues, which will permit the passage of a cleaning scraper in both
directions. Between the flues and the boiler shell is left sufficient space to permit
the entrance of a man, for cleaning the boiler, and which also serves as the down
draft chamber for the water. Continuous with the central space is a water-leg
passing through the fire-box of the furnace to a mud-drum located below the
same. Outside circulating pipes connect the boiler with the mud-drum. The
outflow pipes are connected to the boiler near its lower end and the skimming
pipe taps the boiler on the water line and is connected by a union with the outside
circulating pipe. Surrounding the whole or a part of the flues at the lower end of
the boiler, is placed an annular diaphragm or partition, the function of which is to
assist in directing the circulation, so as to more perfectly separate the rising from
the descending column. Access is had to this chamber by a man-hole on one side
and a hand-hole on the other. The steam pipe taps the boiler at its upper end, so
as to draw off the hottest steam; and the feed pipe, on the side below the water
line.
The mud-drum is provided at its outer end with the man-hole opening and stop-
plate of the ordinary construction, for access to clean the same. The furnace is of
the ordinary construction of such a kind as to be adapted to the use of a mechanical
stoker; a detailed description of which is not deemed necessary for the purpose of
this application.
The construction of my boiler is shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein
like letters refer to like parts throughout.
Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section through the boiler and furnace; and
Figure 2 is a plan view of the boiler.
A. is the furnace. B is the boiler shell. C are the flues. Dis the central space.
E is the clearance space between the flues and the shell. F is the water leg.
G is the mud-drum. H, h h are the outside circulating pipes. K is the skimmer
pipe. L is the man-hole to the boiler. M is the hand-hole to the same.
man-hole and cover to the mud-drum. P is the annular vertical partition or
diaphragm.
The operation is as follows:-
N is the
The ascending column is upward from the water-leg among and around the flues
and the descending column is downward and along the shell of the boiler in the
clearance chamber E; thence through the circulating pipes to the mud-drum,
where the sediment is deposited. The water leg and the lower end of the boiler
and flues being extremely hot, the circulation at this point is very rapid and the
agitation of the water will carry upward with it all foreign materials which were
not left in the mud-drum and effectually prevent the lower end of the boiler from
burning the surface, being kept always perfectly clean, so as to give a water
covering.

page_text: If any deposit is made among the tubes on the lower end of the boiler, their
arrangement with clearance spaces enables the same to be readily removed. Hence,
the boiler will last for a comparatively long time. The skimmer pipe operates in
the ordinary. way to carry off the scum from the top of the water. By actual
usage, I have found this boiler to have a very high efficiency in evaporation and to
be very durable.
The annular partition P, resting as it does on the lower head of the boiler
directly outside the tubes, constitutes a very important improvement. Actual
experience has demonstrated that, by the use of this annular partition or diaphragm,
a boiler may be used for an indefinite period without any deposit or scale whatever
on the lower boiler head among the tubes inside the diaphragm. The reason for
this has already been stated, viz.;-that the in-circulation from the descending
column is entirely prevented and the up-circulation from the ascending column is
so strong that it carries everything with it. In other words, the circulation is so
divided by the said partition, that the sediment is carried outward with the
descending current into the mud drum, and any deposit, which may be made inside
the boiler shell, will fall outside the partition P.
The diameter of the pipe H may be greater than the sum of the pipes K,
hand, when it is desired to avoid violent agitation in the mud-drum.
It will be observed that one important result gained with this arrangement of
the boiler, mud-drum and circulating pipes, is to dispense with a water-leg sur-
rounding the fire box, enabling the use of a brick casing instead. This is a very
great gain. A water leg surrounding the fire box is a check and detriment to com-
bustion, in that the water absorbs the heat with such rapidity as to prevent
sufficiently high temperature in the fire-box to produce complete combustion. On the
other hand, the use of brick or fire-clay concentrates the heat, as is well known,
within the fire-box, affording the best results of combustion. Another disadvantage
of the water leg surrounding the fire-box, is the necessary use of stay-bolts and
the danger of collapse, all of which is obviated with my construction.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The combination with a furnace, of a mud-drum having a water-leg extending
through the fire-box, a vertical boiler located above the drum having its flues
arranged around a central up current chamber continuous with the water-leg and
provided with a clearance and down current chamber between the flues and the
shell of the boiler and outside circulating pipes, substantially as described.
2. The combination with a furnace of a vertical boiler, a mud-drum located below
the fire-box, a water-leg extending from the drum through the fire-box to the boiler
and outside circulating pipes from the boiler to the drum.
3. The combination with a furnace, of a mud-drum having a water-leg extending
through the fire-box, a vertical boiler located above the drum having its flues
arranged around a central up-current space or chamber continuous with the water-
leg, and provided with a clearance and down-current chamber between the flues
and the shell of the boiler, outside circulating pipes and an annular partition
resting on the lower boiler head and enclosing the flues for dividing the up-current
from the down-current columns of circulation, substantially as described.
4. The combination with a mud-drum, of a vertical boiler having its flues con-
centric with the water-leg of the drum, an outflow pipe from the boiler to the drum,
and an annular partition or diaphragm resting on the lower head of the boiler and
enclosing the flues for dividing the ascending from the descending currents,
substantially as described.
5. The combination with the furnace. A, of the shell B, the flues C arranged
around a central space D and with the clearance chamber E between the flues and
the shell of the boiler, the mud-drum G with the vertical water-leg F, passing,

page_text: through the fire-box continuous with the central chamber D, the outside circulating
pipes HK, and the annular partition P, located on the lower head of the boiler
and enclosing the flues, all arranged and operating substantially as described
and shown.
Dated this 4th day of September 1891.
Dated this 22nd day of September 1891.
CHARLES FLAVIUS BAKER.
Abel & Imray,
Agents for the Applicant.