Improvements in and connected with Steam Generators, and Heating the same.
Year: 1896

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Steam Generators, and
Heating the same.
We, CHARLES GRAYSON of 29 Ullet Road, and WILLIAM JAMES THOMPSON, of
129 Medlock Street, Kirkdale, both in Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster,
Ship Builder and Engineer respectively, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
A generator constructed in accordance with the present invention consists of a
shell or main body having a cone shaped bottom whose apex points downwards, a
portion or the whole of this cone being surrounded by one or more coils of pipe or
tubing. We prefer that one end only of this tubing (preferably the upper end)
shall be affixed to the body, whilst the other is free therefrom so that the coils
are able to expand & contract without much prejudicial strain, under the varying
degrees of heat and pressure. The coils of tubing being arranged to slightly clear
the surface of the cone, and having also spaces between each round or layer, adinit
of and induce a free and effective circulation of the heating flame or hot gases. We
We may
do not confine ourselves to any particular direction of feed.
pass the feed water into the upper end of the coil and either before or after its
circulation & partial or complete vaporization therein pass it into the conical chamber
above described.
Our invention further includes a means of heating this conical generator and its
coil or coils so as to obtain a great efficiency and steam producing power. The
combined apparatus forming the subject of this application is designed more
particularly with the object of producing a good volumn of steam while occupying
little space, and will be suitable for use in motor cars and in other situations where
this is an advantage.
Our device for heating a generator such as described consists of a lamp or vesse
preferably adapted to burn liquid fuel, such as oil, naptha, or spirit. It produces a
series of concentric rings of flame arranged in outwardly ascending steps in such
manner that the shape and arrangement of the sources of heat approximate to the
shape of the vessel to be heated.
In applying it to a steam generator such as described above, the central or
inmost ring of flame is the lowest of the concentric series and serves to heat the
apex or lowest point of the cone and the coil or coils surrounding it. The next
ring of flame is a step higher as well as greater in diameter and heats the cone and
coils higher up; and so on, till the last ring of flame is reached, and this heats the
highest portion & its surrounding tubing. Suitable air inlets are provided when
necessary to facilitate combustion. Any suitable number of rings of flame may be
employed, and an outer casing may be used to protect and direct the flames and hot

page_text: We may use any effective wick such as cotton, or if found desirable asbestos, or
pumice stone, & this may if desired occupy the whole of the internal space of the
lamp. The fuel may be fed under pressure if desired.
Dated this 24th day of September 1896.
CHARLES COVENTRY,
Applicants' Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Steam Generators, and
Heating the same.
We, CHARLES GRAYSON, of 29 Ullet Road, and WILLIAM JAMES THOMPSON, of
129 Medlock Street, Kirkdale, both in Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Ship
Builder, and Engineer, respectively, 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 has for its object an improved steam generator that shall be small
in size relatively to its steam output and at the same time efficient and simple in
actual use. A generator constructed in accordance with this invention will be
specially applicable in cases where a powerful steam production is desired, combined
with small size and compactness, for instance on motor cars, steam launches et cetera,
though the application of the invention is not limited to such situations.
The principle on which the generator works is somewhat similar to that known as
instantaneous, that is to say, a small portion of water is rapidly heated and converted
into steam at one time.
Referring to the drawings,
Fig. 1 is a diagram showing a side elevation, partly in section, of our generator.
Fig. 2 is a similar view, but looking at the front.
It consists of a shell or main body A, having a cone shaped bottom B, whose
apex points downwards, a portion or the whole of this cone being surrounded or
embraced by coils of pipes or tubing. We find that the best results are obtained
by disposing the tubing as follows. A pipe C, which is connected with the
feed pump (not shown), is affixed to a three way union, whose branches D1, D2, lead
to the right and left respectively and are continued in the form of a pair of volute
coils E, E, which lie at each side of, and partially embrace, the conical portion B,
of the shell A. The exits from coils E' E', again join at a second three way union F,
and the combined issue traverses a spiral coil G, which envelopes said shell A,
gradually rising around it, and finally entering its interior through its top, and
being joined to, or continued as, a central depending tube (not shown) which
reaches nearly to the apex of the interior of the cone. An outer cover or casing H,
surrounds the generator, and serves to confine and guide the products of combustion.
It has a chimney or funnel at any convenient position near its top, as at I, Fig. 2.
A live steam exit pipe is provided, leading from near the top of shell A, as at J,
Fig. 1.
The means for heating our generator may vary, as we may employ coal or other
solid fuel, or if preferred lamps or gas jets may be used. In the former case the
level of the fire bars will be at about the line 1-2.
When using gas or lamps it is preferable to so regulate them that the heat
shall be more intense in the coils E¹, E³, the farther the currents travel along
them.
In action water is fed into the coils and becomes heated and to a great extent
made into steam instantaneously. It is quite possible that a certain proportion of

page_text: the feed water will not be gasified at once, and will be driven along the coils in its
liquid state, but we find in actual practice that in traversing said coils, probably on
account of the centrifugal force driving it almost constantly against their highly
heated surface, (which action is helped by the decreasing diameter of the circles of
the volutes E, E,) that a comparatively large quantity of water can be made into dry
steam at one stroke of the pump.
After leaving the coils E1, E2, the stream passes up the spiral coil G, being thereby
still further exposed to the action of the furnace products, and thence into the
conical portion B, of the shell. This portion is made conical for two reasons: it
acts as a good deflector for the hot gases and flames, and, it offers a large surface
for absorbing heat and ensures that any remainder of water mixed with the steam
entering shell A, shall be at once converted into steam by coming in contact with it.
Even supposing a little water does occasionally find its way into the shell A, there
is sufficient space between the bottom B, and steam exit pipe J, to make serious
priming an impossibility.
We do not confine ourselves to the precise number or exact arrangement of
coils E¹, E, G, shown, as they may vary, but,
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is,
1. A steam generator having a depending conical bottom, and surrounded or
embraced by one or more coils of piping, substantially as described.
2. A steam generator having a depending conical bottom B, and having two
volute coils E1, E2, in proximity to said cone, in combination with a spiral coil G,
which terminates in a depending portion within said cone, substantially as, and for
the purposes set forth.
3. The improved steam generator, taken as a whole, substantially as described and
shown.
CHARLES COVENTRY,
Patent Expert, Applicants' Agent.