IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS TO BE USED for RemovinG TUBES FROM STEAM BOILERS
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Hitchcock, of Henley's House, Welling-
ton, in the County of Somerset, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN APPARATUS TO BE USED for RemovinG TUBES FROM STEAM BOILERS.”
Sealed the 15th April 1873, and dated the 28th November 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Hitchcock at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 28th November 1872. .
I, RICHARD HITCHCOCK, of Henley's House, Wellington, in the
County of Somerset, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS TO BE USED FOR REMOVING TUBES FROM STEAM
BOILERS," to be as follows: —
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus to be
used for removing tubes from steam boilers.
The apparatus consists of a tripod stand, the legs of which are
adjustable in length, and can be clamped to the frame of the smoke
box of the boiler. The stand carries a ring in which a slotted tube is
carried. Within this tube there is an inner tube with a feather upon
it, so that it is able to slide longitudinally in the outer tube, but not
to turn. Within these tubes there is a screw working in a nut at the

page_text: end of the inner tube, and held in a cap on the end of the outer
tube.
In using the apparatus its stand is first firmly clamped to the boiler,
and then the end of the outer tube of the apparatus is caused to abut
upon the tube plate of the smoke box around the mouth of the boiler
tube it is desired to draw, the outer tube of the apparatus being of such
a size as to be able to receive the boiler tube within it. The parts being
thus placed the screw is turned so as to cause the inner tube to pass
through the boiler tube until its end appears within the fire box of the
boiler. There is then fixed upon the protruded end of the inner tube
a bulb with a shoulder upon it, to bear on the end of the boiler tube.
The screw of the apparatus is then turned in such manner as to draw
back the inner tube of the apparatus until the bulb upon it bears
forcibly upon the end of the boiler tube, and then, if necessary, the bulb
is struck with a hammer to start the tube, then by continuing to turn
the screw the boiler tube is drawn entirely out through the tube plate of
the smoke box.
r
The same apparatus may be used in scraping the outside of the boiler
tube after it has been drawn.
In place of striking the bulb with a hammer, a slow screw in
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Richard Hitchcook in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 27th May 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, RICHARD
HITCHCOCK, of Henley's House, Wellington, in the County of Somerset,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of November, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-
sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Richard Hitchcock, Her special license that
I, the said Richard Hitchcock, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Richard Hitchcock, my executors, admini-

page_text: strators, 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 and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARatus
TO BE USED FOR REMOVING TUBES FROM STEAM BOILERS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Richard Hitchcock, 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 Robert Hitchcock, 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 thereof, that is to say:
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus to be
used for removing tubes from steam boilers.
The apparatus consists of a tripod stand, the legs of which are
adjustable in length, and can be clamped to the frame of the smoke
box of the boiler. The stand carries a ring into which a slotted or
grooved tube is received. Within this tube there is an inner tube able
to slide longitudinally in the outer tube, but not to turn. Within these
tubes there is a screw working in a nut which forms the head or cnd
of the inner tube, and the nut has a feather upon it entering the groove
in the outer tube. The screw is held in a disc or block which closes the
end of the outer tube:
In using the apparatus its stand is first firmly clamped to the boiler,
and then the end of the outer tube of the apparatus is caused to abut
upon the tube plate of the smoke box, around the mouth of the boiler
tube it is desired to draw, the outer tube of the apparatus being of such
a size as to be able to receive the boiler tube within it. The parts being
thus placed the screw is turned, so as to cause the inner tube to pass
through the boiler tube, until its end appears within the fire-box of the
boiler. There is then fixed upon the protruded end of the inner tube
a bulb with a shoulder upon it, to bear on the end of the boiler tube.
The screw of the apparatus is then turned in such manner as to draw

page_text: Figure 1 is a side view, and Figure 2 an end view of the apparatus.
These Figures also shew in section part of a steam boiler to which the
apparatus is attached. a is the smoke box frame, and 6 is the tube
plate; c, c, are the tripod legs clamped to this frame at one end, and at
the other attached to lugs d', d³, on the ring d. The legs c; c, are made
with sliding parts, so that their length can be adjusted, and set screws
(not shewn in the Drawing) are provided to lock the parts when they
have been suitably placed. e is a tube capable of sliding through the
ring d; it is grooved internally, as is shewn in Figure 3, which is a
section taken on the line 1, 1, in Figure 1. The tube e in length and
diameter exceeds the dimensions of the boiler tubes. f is a clip which
is secured on the exterior of the tube e in a convenient position to aid
in fixing the apparatus to the boiler. Figures 4 shew the clip f
separately. 9 is an inner tube, one end only of which is seen in
Figure 1; it is better seen in Figures 3 and 5, the latter of which shews
a longitudinal section of the apparatus. The centre portion of the Figure
is broken away, and some of the parts are shewn in elevation.. g' is a
stem fixed into the end of the tube g to receive a bulb h, which is also
shewn by Figures 6. The bulb is secured in its place by a key h¹. The
other end of the tube g is fixed to a head or nut i which fits the external
tube e, and has a ridge or feather entering the groove in this tube. k is
a screw working in the nut i. The stem of the screw has two collars
formed upon it, one of which is seen at k¹, and the stem of the screw.is
embraced between these collars by a disc or block made in two halves,

page_text: and which is secured by tap screws into the end of the tube e, so that
the screw is not able to move longitudinally in either direction inde-
pendently of the tube e; is a spur wheel on the stem of the screw k,
and it gears with a pinion m, of which the axis is carried by an arm n.
The arm n, which is represented separately by Figure 7, is made to clip
the end of the tube e by bolts and nuts, in the manner shewn. o is a
handle which may be applied either to the end of the screw k, or to the
axis of the pinion m, according as less or more power is required.
Figures 8 shew a bulb which is placed on the end of the tube g, when
the apparatus is used for the purpose of removing the ferrule from the
fire-box end of the boiler tube.
The apparatus above described is all that is required for the with-
drawal of boiler tubes; the manner in which it is worked has already
been explained.
Figure 9 is an elevation, one-half in section, of a head which is
clamped on to the tube e, when the apparatus is to be used for scraping
boiler tubes after they have been removed from the boiler.
Figure 10 is a front and back view (each one half) of the scraping
head. The piece p which is secured to the tube e by the screws q and
the ring which is fixed to p by tap screws, hold between them the
axes of the lever holders 8. t are curved scraping blades of sheet steel,
fixed in the holders 8. The scraping blades are caused to bear upon
the surface of the boiler tube by the adjusting screws u and nuts v.
The nuts are held in forks formed at the ends of the holders 8. The
boiler tube is drawn past the scrapers by turning the screw k just as
when the tube is drawn out from the boiler.
What I claim is, the construction of apparatus to be used for removing
tubes from steam boilers, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Hitchcock, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of May, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.
RICH”. HITCHCOCK. (L.S.)