AN IMPROVED MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR CLEANING THE OUTER SURFACES OF STEAM BOILER TUBES
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Newton, of the Office for Patents,
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for the
Invention of "AN IMPROVED MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR CLEANING THE
OUTER SURFACES OF STEAM BOILER TUBES."-A communication from abroad
by Edouard Victor Jules Joublin, of Boulevard Beaumarchais, Paris, in
the Empire of France.
Sealed the 28th May 1867, and dated the 11th December 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
11th December 1866.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR
.CLEANING-THE OUTER SURFACES OF STEAM BOLLER TUBES," to be as follows:―
It is well known that one of the most serious causes of the deterioration of
tubular boilers arises from the calcareous deposits which are formed upon the
tubes and occasion them soon to wear out, at the same time that the con-
ducting power of the metal being greatly diminished the expense in fuel is
speedily augmented after the apparatus has been in operation for a certain
time. Various means have been proposed for obviating this evil either by
previously purifying the feed water or by adding thereto various substances

page_text: with a view to prevent the adherence of the deposits to the tubes, but all
these processes have attained the desired end but very imperfectly, and are
not even applicable in certain cases. Thus in marine boilers which are fed
with sea water and in which the evil above mentioned exists to the greatest
extent, there is no means of effectually protecting the tubes, which are rapidly
destroyed and therefore entail considerable expense. It is proposed to remove
the incrustation or deposits on the boiler tubes by mechanical means and
without removing the tubes. An apparatus for effecting this object forms
the subject of the present Invention, and consists of a chain the links of which
are armed with teeth or scrapers for scraping off or removing from the tubes
the incrustation or deposit which has formed on them.
In carrying out the Invention the chain is passed round, under, or over one
or several of the tubes, and a backward and forward motion is communicated
to the chains until the tubes are sufficiently cleansed, an endway motion being
at the same time given to them so as to operate upon the whole length of the
tubes. These chains may either be made straight or in what the Inventor calls
"helicoidal " form, that is, in graduations or steps, or with each link or set of
links higher or lower than the preceding or succeeding ones, so as the more
readily to cover the surface of the tube when wound round it.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 6th June 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
William Edward Newton, Her special licence that I, the said William
Edward Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said William Edward Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all'
times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain

page_text: and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"AN IMPROVED MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR CLEANING THE OUTER SURFACES OF
STEAM BOILER TUBES," being a communication to me from abroad by Edouard
Victor Jules Joublin, of Boulevard Beaumarchais, Paris, in the Empire of
France, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William
Edward Newton, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after
the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Edward Newton, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and, in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
:-
It is well known that one of the most serious causes of the deterioration of
tubular boilers arises from the calcareous deposits which are formed upon the
tubes and occasion them soon to wear out. Moreover the heat conducting
power of the metal is greatly diminished and the expense in fuel is speedily
augmented after the apparatus has been in operation for a certain time.
Various means have been proposed for obviating this evil either by previously
purifying the feed water or by adding thereto various substances with a view
to prevent the adherence of the deposits to the tubes; but all these processes
have but very imperfectly attained the desired end and are not even applicable
in certain cases. Thus in marine boilers which are fed with sea water and
in which the evils above mentioned exist to the greatest extent, there is no
ineans of effectually protecting the tubes, which are rapidly destroyed, and
therefore entail considerable expense for repairs. It is proposed to remove
the incrustation or deposits on the boiler tubes by mechanical means and
without removing the tubes. An apparatus for effecting this object forms the
subject of the present Invention, and consists of a chain, the links of which
are armed with teeth or scrapers for scraping off or removing from the tubes
the incrustation or deposit which has formed on them.
In carrying out the Invention the chain is passed round, under, or over one
er several of the tubes, and a backward and forward motion is communicated
to the chains until the tubes are sufficiently cleansed, an endway motion being
at the same time given to the chains, so as to operate upon the whole length

page_text: of the tubes. These chains may either be made straight or in what the
Inventor calls a "helicoidal " form, that is in gradations or steps, or with each
link or set of links higher or lower than the preceding or succeeding ones, so
as the more readily to cover the surface of the tube when wound round it.
In the accompanying Drawings Fig. 1, Sheet I., represents a straight chain
cut through about the middle of its length; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same;
Fig. 3 is a sectional view of a series of tubes, shewing the manner in which
the chain is passed round the said tubes. This arrangement is more especially
intended for cleaning the tubes at or near their junction with the end plates,
but it may also serve the purpose of cleaning them throughout their entire
length; in this case, however, the work is less quickly done than with the
tapering or "helicoidal" chain herein-after described.
It will be seen on referring to Fig. 1 that the height of the links increases
from the extremity to the middle of the length of the chain. The height of
the seven centre links is equal to the distance which separates two consecutive
tubes in a vertical direction, less two millimetres, so that when the chain is
introduced it acts as well upon the tube situate below it as upon the one it is
intended to clean at its lower half.surface. The height of the links is therefore
determined by the distances apart of the tubes in the boiler, and the total
length of the chain must be in proportion to the diameter of the tubes. The
dimensions shewn at Figures. 1 and 2, Sheet I., would be suitable for a chain
intended for cleaning tubes of seventy-five millimetres in diameter; the length
of the projecting part of the links must be about two-fifths of the diameter of
the tubes to be cleaned. The chain carries at each extremity handles, to each
of which is attached a leather strap or band, this being preferable to a cord or
rope for the purpose, as these latter wear quickly, and. are liable to cut the
hands of the persons using them.
In order to use the chain above described one of the leather straps has
attached to it a cord of from two to three metres in length; this cord is
lowered between two rows of tubes, and by means of a bent hook. of suitable
size, shewn at Fig. 3, the end of the cord is seized and drawn up again. It
will now be understood that it is only necessary to pull upon the end of the
cord which has just been raised, and to let the other end run to the same
extent in order that the chain may be brought under the tube to be cleaned,
which operation is effected by passing the chain backwards and forwards, and
at the same time shifting it lengthways along the tube.
The chain may, after being passed over the tube A, for example, be passed
under the tubes D and C. as shown at OM N P Fig 3. it is then only

page_text: necessary to let go the points M, N; and to give the requisite movements to
the extremities O and P in order to operate at once upon the three tubes
A, B, C. For the boilers of the Imperial Navy in France the total length
of the chain is about one hundred and ninety millimetres, and is composed of
seventy-four links of steel; they may, however, be made of cast iron or case-
hardened iron; tempered and reheated steel is however preferred for this
purpose on the score of strength and durability.
.
:
In Fig. 1 the links have been shewn as increasing in depth from the
extremity of the chain to its middle, but in boilers the tubes of which are set
at little distance apart links of uniform depth may be employed. The three
first links near the extremities may be made of soft iron, and be made without
teeth, and the remaining links of the chain, with their teeth, may be made of
any form which shall be found most suitable for the purpose.
The Figures in Sheet II. represent another form of chain, which the Inventor
calls "helicoidal," Fig. 1 being a side view of the chain extended, Fig. 2 is a
plan view of the same; Figures 3 are plap and side views of the extremities
of the chain; Fig. 4 represents in section a number of tubes shewing the
passage of the chain round them; Fig. 5 represents in elevation the chain
wound round a tube; and Fig. 6 shews in plan view the position of the chain
when wound upon the tube. This construction of chain is principally intended
for cleaning tubes throughout their whole length; it may, like the former
arrangement, be composed of links of uniform depth or increasing in depth
from the ends towards the middle of its length. The links of this chain are
identical with those of the one above described. The mode of construction of
this chain allows of its being wound directly round the tube to be cleaned,
which greatly facilitates the operation, and cannot be attained by means of
the straight chain.
:
The Figures in Sheet II. represent a chain constructed for the regulation
tubes of the French Imperial Navy. All the proportions of the chain, and of
the links composing it, without departing from the principle of construction
may nevertheless be varied according to the diameter of the tubes to be
operated upon.
"
On referring to Fig. 1 it will be seen that all the links are equal in length
and deptb, but their depth may be varied according to circumstances.
In the plan view, Fig. 2, the dotted line A, B, which divides a link into two
parts i, r, serves to shew that between the link i and the link r as many links
may be introduced as may, be thought necessary, as there is no absolute liuiit
to the length of the chain.

page_text: Figures 3 shew the three end links without teeth, and which terminate in a
loop or handle at each end of the chain. The jointing on of the chain is
effected at y, y, (Figures 1, 2, and 3). The number of plain iron links may be
increased when thought necessary. The two straight parts a, a, a, b, b, c, c, c, d, d,
and a, a, a, b, b', c', c, c', are intended to operate upon the tube near the
end plates upon half its periphery; these parts may therefore vary in lengthi
or even be done away with altogether when straight chains are used.
In Figures 5 and 6, which represent, as above stated, in plan and elevation
a chain wound round a tube, the letters indicate the relative position of each
link, commencing with a, Fig. 2.
Fig. 4 serves to illustrate the means of passing the chain around a tube.
Each of the handles or loops at the extremities of the chain has attached to
it a leather strap about three feet in length; one of these straps has at its end
a small thin cord of sufficient length. In order to pass the chain under the
tube D the cord is lowered between the vertical rows of tubes C and D, and
the bent book F is introduced down between the rows D and E, and passed
forward beneath the tube D until it takes hold of the cord. On pulling back
the book the cord will be drawn under the tube D; the hook may then be
withdrawn, and with it the cord, which will carry with it the strap and chain.
In order to clean the tube on the whole of its periphery the cord is first
passed in the manner above described from M to N under the tube P; it is
then passed from S to R (see the dotted lines) under the tube O; the cord is
then beld fast at the point R, and dropped at N, S, and on pulling upon R
the cord will assume the position M, Q, R; the cord is then passed a second
time as before under the tube P from R to T, and dropped at R; by this s
means the cord will occupy the position M, Q, T, as shewn. The turns of
the cord should be at some distance apart, and on pulling on the cord at T
and slackening it at M the chain will occupy the position round the tube
shewn at Fig. 6. It is now only necessary to impart to the apparatus a back-
ward and forward motion combined with a shogging or endway motion, in
order to clean the tube upon its whole periphery.
Having now described this Invention of "An Improved Mode of and
Apparatus for Cleaning the Outer Surfaces of Steam Boiler Tubes," and
having explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, as communi-
cated to me by my foreign correspondent, I desire it to be understood that
I claim as the Invention secured to me under the above in part recited Letters
Patent, the apparatus above shewn and described for cleaning the outside of
steam boiler tubes, such apparatus consisting of chains of any suitable form

page_text: and construction, the links of which are armed with teeth for the purpose of
removing the scale or incrustation from such tubes.
I claim also the employment of chains of whatever construction for the
purpose of cleaning boiler tubes by mechanical means, as above set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Newton, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, the First day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
W. E. NEWTON. (L.S.)