IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF STEAM-BOILER FURNACES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George William Clarke, of the City and County of
San Francisco, State of California, one of the United States of America,
Merchant, for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
STEAM-BOILER FURNACES."
"
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said George William Clarke at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd October 1881.
GEORGE WILLIAM CLARKE, of the City and County of San Francisco, State of
California, one of the United States of America, Merchant. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF STEAM BOILER FURNACES."
My Invention relates to certain improvements in steam boiler furnaces, and it
consists in a novel construction of the furnace and an enclosing water jacket,
together with certain air flues and passages, by which currents of air are introduced
into the furnace to increase combustion and effect economy in fuel, and it consists
further in certain details of construction, all of which will hereinafter more fully
appear, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, in which Fig. 1
shows a front end view of my furnace and water jacket, Fig. 2 shows a rear
view of the same, and Fig. 3 shows a transverse section of the two sides or walls
of the water jacket.
Suitable foundation walls of brick, marked S, S, are made, upon which rests the
furnace. The outer walls or shell of this is represented by lines A, A. These
curve or arch towards each other above, as shown, and then continuing up curve
outwardly again, forming somewhat the shape of an hour glass, that is, having a
contracted middle. Inside of these outer walls are inner walls B, B, following the
general contour of the outer walls. These also rest on the brick work S, S.
The intervening space formed by the two walls A and B, and marked J, is
intended for water, and is called the water jacket; other brick work S¹, S¹, is made
extending upward in the furnace and supporting the grate D. This has its central
portion horizontal, and its ends inclined upwardly at a slight angle, as shown by
E, E. This is for the purpose of keeping the fuel well down upon the central
Die G21

page_text: portion and allowing a comparatively free passage for the air which comes up
through the passages H, H, which are formed between the inner walls B, B, of the
water jacket and the brick work S¹, S'; R¹, R¹, represent doors closing the
entrance to the air passage H, H. The front of the furnace is provided with a
fire door P having a hole in the centre closed by a swivel cover or damper and an
ash door Q. Outside of the furnace are walls or casing plates F, F, extending up
to the central or contracted portion. These extend the entire length of the furnace,
and provide for intervening spaces G, G. These are air flues, the openings to
which are through doors R, R. The upper ends of these flues have outlets through
a number of small pipes or passages O, O, which open from the flues, and passing
through the water jacket open into the fire space within, at the middle or con-
tracted portion. These passages O, O, are made through the entire length of the
furnace, and are to convey air into the fire chamber to assist combustion. It will
be seen that the upper portion of the furnace is concave in shape, and well adapted
to the following construction :-C, C, represents the support for the boiler, semi-
circular in shape. This is so formed that a space I intervenes between it and the
inner walls of the water jacket. This space I is a continuation of the fire chamber.
In the bed plate C the boiler is intended to rest, and M, M, are pipes leading from
N is a
the water jacket to the boiler, whereby the latter is supplied with water.
steam pipe connecting the steam dome with the fire space or furnace just under
the boiler. K, K, are hand poles for cleaning out the mud drums or legs of the
water jacket; L, L, represent a blow off and a feed pipe for the water jacket J;
V, V, are stay bolts through the plates forming the two ends and sides, staying
and bracing the outer and inner plates. In Fig. 2 is seen a back view. Similar
letters indicate like parts. A and B are the walls of the water jacket; J, the
space forming the water jacket; W is a pipe connecting the back of the water
jacket with the boiler. In Fig. 3 I show the shape of the water jacket. In the
operation of this device there are several advantages. In first place the shape of the
outer walls or water jacket by contracting or arching at the middle to form a narrow
portion, directly over which is the boiler, serves to converge the flame and heat
and direct it with increased intensity upon the boiler, while the opening out of
the upper portion in connection with the narrow middle produces the same effect
as a combustion chamber, causing the flames to spread with increased force. The
air flues H, H, by being directed under the grate floor at its enclosed end cause a
strong draught to supply oxygen for the combustion of the fuel, and the outside
air flues G, G, direct a current of air into the fire chamber through the passages
O, O, and its narrowest part, where the flame is conveyed, and it causes a more
perfect combustion of all the unconsumed gases and carbon within the chamber.
Lastly, the introduction of superheated steam through the pipe N, from the steam
drum just under the boiler add sensibly to the freedom of combustion, and makes
with the other parts an entire device, in which the advantage is in the economy
of fuel and the almost complete consumption of smoke and gases. The arrange-
ment of the water space or jacket with relation to the fire chamber is also
advantageous. It completely incloses it, and the water therein is always ready for
the boiler.
Having thus described my Invention, what I desire to secure by Letters
Patent is,―-
1. A steam boiler furnace, the walls A, A, of which are arched or curved upward
toward each other to form a narrow or contracted middle, and then curved outward
to form an upper portion for the reception of the boiler, substantially as and for
the purpose herein described.
2. In a steam boiler furnace the outer plates or walls A, A, and the inner plates
or walls B, B, inclosing between them a water space or jacket J, said walls and
space being of the shape as shown, contracted or converging at the middle,
substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.
3. In a steam boiler furnace, as shewn, the water space or jacket J having a
narrow or contracted middle in combination with the plate C, C, upon which the

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Witnesses,
FRANK A. BROOKS,
S. H. NOURSE,
GEORGE WILLIAM CLARKE. (L.S.)