IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF STEAM BOILERS AND ENGINES."
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Blinkhorn, of Spalding, in the County of
Lincoln, Engineer and Millwright, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF STEAM BOILERS AND ENGINES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Blinkhorn at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 1st
July 1858.
I, THOMAS BLINKHORN, of Spalding, in the County of Lincoln, Engineer and
Millwright, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF STEAM BOILERS AND ENGINES." to be as follows:-
This Invention relates, firstly, to a mode of increasing the heating surfaces
in tubular steam boilers. This I effect by enlarging the diameter of the
tubular flues, and placing therein water pipes which extend from the water,
space at one end of the boiler to the water space at the other end of the.
boiler.
In applying this part of my Invention to locomotive boilers of the ordinary
construction, I carry the tubes through the fire-box to a vertical water chamber
situate in the smoke box, the front of which chamber I make removeable to
facilitate the cleaning out of the water pipes.
The Invention relates, secondly, to an arrangement of the flues and water
pipes of tubular boilers which will ensure an economy in the consumption of
[Price Sd.]

page_text: the fuel. Instead of allowing the heated gases to pass off by the chimney
after they have traversed the length of the boiler, I arrange a system of return
flues, and place the smoke box and chimney at the fire-box end of the boiler,
and thus I double the length of traverse of the gases of combustion through
the flues and over and around the water pipes inserted therein before they
make their final exit. The flues will in this case also contain water pipes con-
necting the water spaces at the opposite ends of the boiler.
The Invention relates, lastly, to a mode of rendering agricultural engines
more compact than heretofore, and of simplifying their construction. To this
end I place the steam cylinder or cylinders within the shell of the boiler,
setting the same in a vertical position. A strong saddle piece which serves to
carry the bearings for the crank shaft rests on the top of the boiler. and is
firmly bolted thereto, and affixed to the saddle piece is the steam cylinder,
which projects downwards into the boiler, and is therefore always kept at an
equable temperature.
This arrangement permits of the engine being removed bodily from the
boiler by the simple withdrawal of a few screw bolts by which the saddle piece
is secured to the shell of the boiler.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Blinkhorn in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 1st.
January 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
BLINKHORN, of Spalding, in the County of Lincoln, Engineer and Millwright,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the First day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-second year of Her reign,
did, for Herself. Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Thomas Blinkhorn, Her special license that I, the said Thomas Blink-
horn, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the shid Thomas Blinkhorn, 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
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVE
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF STEAM BOILERS AND ENGINES,' upon the condition

page_text: (amongst others) that I, the said Thomas Blinkhorn, by an instrument in
writing under my hand and seal, 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 Thomas Blinkhorn, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
This Invention of "Improvements in the Construction of Steam Boilers and
Engines," relates, firstly, to a mode of increasing the heating surfaces of
tubular steam boilers. This object I effect by enlarging the diameter of the
tubular flues, and placing therein water pipes which extend from the water
space at one end of the boiler to the water space at the other end of the
boiler. In applying this part of my Invention to locomotive boilers of the
ordinary construction, I carry the water pipes through or across the fire-box to
a vertical water chamber situate in the smoke box at the opposite end of the
boiler, and the front end or outer plate of this vertical water chamber I
make removeable in order to facilitate the cleaning out of the water pipes
when required.
In the accompanying Drawing, Fig. 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of a
locomotive boiler, constructed according to my improvements; Fig. 2 is a
vertical cross section taken through the fire-box in the line 1, 2, of Fig. 1;
and Fig. 3 is another vertical cross section taken through the smoke box in
the line 3, 4, of Fig. 1. a, a, is the fire-box; b, b, b, b, the shell of the boiler;
c, c, c, c, the horizontal tubular flues extending from the fire-box a to the
smoke-box d at the opposite end; e, e, e, e, are water 'tubes connected at one
end to the water space b in the fire-box, and at their opposite end to the
water space d of the smoke box. It will be seen that these water tubes pass
through the horizontal tubular flues c, c, and consequently abstract heat from
the flame and gases that pass along these flues. The outer or end plate of the
water space d is fastened on by means of screw bolts, which may be easily
taken out and the end plate removed when it is required to clean out-the
tubular flues c, c, or the water tubes e, e; Fig. 4 is a detached plan view of
á modification of this part of the apparatus, whereby the water box dis
dispensed with, and at the ends of each of the water tubes there is a double T
piece seen best in the enlarged sectional view, Fig. 5. The outer end of

page_text: each of these double pieces is closed by a screw plug g, and when it is
required to clean out the water tubes these plugs are to be unscrewed and
removed, and then the cleaning tool can be inserted and pushed from end to
end of the tubes.
The Invention relates, secondly, to an arrangement of the flues and water
pipes of tubular boilers, which will ensure an economy in the consumption of
the fuel. Instead of allowing the heated gases to pass off by the chimney
after they have traversed the length of the boiler, I arrange a system of return
flues, and place the smoke box and chimney at the fire-box end of the boiler.
By this means I double the length or distance that the gases are compelled
to travel through the flues and over and around the water-pipes inserted
therein before they make their final exit into the chimney. The flues in this
instance also contain water pipes which connect together the water spaces at
the opposite ends of the boiler.
In the accompanying Drawing, Fig. 6 is a longitudinal vertical section of a
boiler constructed in this manner; Figures 7 and 8 are cross sections taken
respectively in the lines 5, 6, and 7, 8, of Fig. 6; a is the fire-box; b, b, the
shell of the boiler; c, c, horizontal tubular flues extending from the fire-box a
to the opposite end of the boiler; c, c*, are other horizontal tubular flues
which form the return flues from the outer end of the boiler to the smoke
box d, which is situated immediately above the fire-box. It will be seen by
referring to the Drawing that the smoke and gases from the fire-box pass
along the lower tubular flues c, c, and return along the upper tubular flues c*, c*,
to the smoke box d, as indicated by the arrows in the Drawing, and ultimately
escape into the chimney.
The Invention relates, lastly, to a mode of rendering agricultural engines
more compact than heretofore, and of simplifying their construction. To this
end I place the steam cylinder or cylinders within the shell of the boiler, and
I set the same in a vertical position. A strong saddle piece which serves to
carry the bearings for the crank shaft rests on the top of the boiler, and is
firmly bolted thereto. Affixed to this saddle piece is the steam cylinder which
projects down into the boiler, and is therefore always kept at an equable
temperature. This mode of mounting and arranging the engine is shewn in
Figures 6, 7, and 8. The shell of the boiler is shewn at b, b, and on it is
secured by means of screw bolts, or in any other convenient manner, the saddle
piece h, h, which supports and carries the bearings i, i, of the crank shaft j,
and also supports the steam cylinder k and its appendages. The force pump,
whereby water is supplied to the boiler, is shewn at I, and is also supported on
a bracket that is attached to the boiler, as shewn in the cross section, Fig. 7

page_text: The arrangement above shewn and described admits of the engine being
removed bodily from the boiler upon the simple withdrawal of the screw bolts.
whereby the saddle piece h, h, is secured to the shell of the boiler. The force
pump differs somewhat in construction from the pumps that are usually
employed for supplying steam boilers with water, as will be understood on
referring to Fig. 9, which is a vertical section of the pump. It will be seen
that the pump is provided with a double set of valves, so that it may be made
to force water both at the up and down stroke of the piston, and therefore by
simply adding an air vessel, as in common double-action fire-engine pumps,
and providing a proper exit passage or pipe, the supply pump of the boiler may
be made to act as a steam fire-engine in case of need.
Having now described my Invention of "Improvements in the Construction
of Steam Boilers and Engines," and having explained the manner of carrying
the same into effect, I would observe, in conclusion, that what I consider
to be new in the above described steam boiler and engine, and therefore
wish to claim as the Invention secured to me by Letters Patent as afore-
said, is,
First, the arrangement of water tubes and flues, one within the other, as
above described.
Second, the mode of arranging the water tubes and flues with return flues,
as shewn in Figures 6, 7, and 8.
Third, the mode of mounting and arranging the steam cylinder or cylinders
as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Blinkhorn, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Twenty-ninth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight.
Witness,
D
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
THOMAS BLINKHORN. (L.S.)
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