IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM GENERATORS GENERATOR
Year: 1867

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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM GENERATORS."-A communication
from abroad by The Mitchell Safety Steam Generator Company (In-
corporated), of Albany, in the State of New York, United States of
America.
Sealed the 11th June 1867, and dated the 5th April 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
5th April 1867.
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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM GENERATORS," to be as
follows:-
This Invention relates to that class of steam generators in which the water
is injected in fine spray and by falling on the heated surface becomes con-
verted into steam. As the water is only introduced in small quantities and
does not cover the whole surface that portion of the surface which is directly
acted upon by the fire becomes overheated and is thereby unduly expanded
and contracted; this unequal expansion and contraction soon destroys the
generator. This is avoided by giving a rotary motion to the generator so as
to heat every part of its circumference to an equal temperature. The water

page_text: is injected in showers so that every part of the heated surface performs an
equal portion of duty in generating steam. The overheating of any one part
of the surface is thus avoided and unequal expansion and contraction prevented,
whilst at the same time a given amount of steam may be generated with
considerably less surface than by the modes heretofore suggested.
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 5th October 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 Sixth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, 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 and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM GENERATORS," being a communication
to me from abroad, 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 Drawing hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thercon (that is to say):
This Invention of " "Improvements in Steam Generators" relates to

page_text: improvements in that class of steam generators in which water in small
quantities is injected and thrown on to the heating surface and in the midst
of steam previously generated as distinguished from steam boilers which
contain a body of water sufficient to cover the heating surface.
One of the leading objections to the introduction of that class of steam
generators to which our Invention relates has been the want of durability, due
to the deteriorating influence of unequal heat. In ordinary steam boilers the
whole of the heating surface is covered with water, which by circulation
rapidly carries off the heat and maintains a nearly uniform temperature,
but as the heating surface in that class of generators to which the present
Invention relates is not covered with water, and as the water is only introduced
in small quantities and does not cover the whole surface, that portion of the
surface which is directly acted upon by the fire becomes overheated, and is
thereby unduly expanded and contracted; this unequal expansion and con-
traction soon destroys the generator. This objection is avoided by giving a
rotary motion to the generator so as to heat every part of its circumference to
an equal temperature, and so connecting it with the means for introducing the
water that every part of its heated surface performs an equal portion of duty
in generating steam. The overheating of any one part of the surface is thus
avoided, and unequal expansion and contraction and the resulting rapidly
deterioration prevented, whilst at the same time a given amount of steam
may be generated with considerably less surface than by the modes heretofore
suggested.
In the accompanying Drawings Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional clevation
of a complete apparatus; Fig. 2 is an end view.
a represents the generator, which is a hollow cylindrical vessel with concavo-
convex heads. provided with hollow journals b, b, adapted to turn in suitable
boxes in the end walls c, c, of a furnace d. By preference this furnace
surrounds the generator, and is provided with a fire-grate e below the gene-
rator, and has a flue space f at top leading to the chimney, so that the products
of combustion may pass all around the generator before escaping. Outside
the furnace one of the journals is provided with a large spur wheel I, into
which gears a pinion h on a shaft i, which may be actuated cither by the main
engine (if the generator be used to generate steam for driving an engine) or
from a small pumping engine, or from any other motor.
When the generator
is to be used for driving an engine it is best to arrange the shaft of the pinion,
so that it can be turned by hand when first firing up and until the main
or an auxiliary engine is started by the steam generated. To the outer
end of each journal are secured cylindrical steam pipes j and k, so that both

page_text: rotate with the generator, and they pass through and rotate in steam chests
and m provided with stuffing boxes n, n, and o, o, to prevent the escape of
steam. The pipes and k are pierced with holes for the discharge of steam
into the steam chests. The steam generated for use is to be taken from
the chest by a suitable pipe or pipes, and the chest m is to be connected
with the apparatus which is to regulate and control the supply of water to be
introduced into the generator. To the outer end of the steam pipe k is secured
a stuffing box p, through which passes the water supply pipe q from the appa-
ratus that supplies the water. This supply pipe is stationary, and the steam
with the stuffing box rotates on it, the stuffing box preventing the escape of
steam. This steam pipe q extends into the generator and is provided with
branch pipes, which extend nearly to the upper part of the generator, where
they are pierced with small holes for the discharge of the water in numerous
small jets. The inner end of the water. pipe q is closed, and by preference
secured to the closed end of a blow-off pipe s, which extends centrally through
the other steam pipe j and through a stuffing box t, which closes the outer end
of this steam pipe. The inner end of the blow-off pipe s curves down, so that
its receiving end reaches nearly to the bottom of the generator, so that any
water that accumulates near the bottom can be forced out by the pressure of
The outer end of the pipe s is provided in the usual manner with a
blow-off cock for this purpose.
stean.
From the foregoing it will be seen that as the generator rotates and the
water supplying pipes are stationary, the heating effect of the heat of the
furnace and the cooling effect of the water must exercise an equal influence
on every part of the circumference, and hence that every part of the surface
of the generator so organized will be equally efficient in generating steam, thus
avoiding the defects heretofore found in this class of generators; and although
two steam pipes and two steam chests are preferred, the one to supply the
steam to the place where it is to be used, and the other to supply steam to the
apparatus which is to regulate and control the injection of the water, never-
theless, one of these steam pipes and chests may, if desired, be dispensed with,
and the steam taken from the one chest for the several purposes required, and
when so modified the blow-off pipe can pass through a stuffing box at the outer
end of the journal. And it will be obvious to engineers that any number of
such generators may be used in connection by connecting the steam chests of
the several generators with one common steam chest, and in like manner
regulating and controlling the supply of one to the several generators by the
steam taken from a steain chest common to all, or from the steam chest of
eacb, at the will of the constructor.

page_text: Having now described the Invention of "Improvements in Steam Gene-
rators," which has been communicated to me by my foreign correspondent, and
having explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, what I claim as
new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is, the generator mounted so as to
rotate on a horizontal or nearly horizontal axis and within a furnace, as
described, in combination with the pipe or pipes for supplying and injecting
the water, as and for the purpose set forth.
I also claim the combination of the generator rotating within the furnace,
the steam pipe, and steam chest, and the pipe for supplying and injecting the
water within the generator, as and for the purpose set forth.
I also claim the combination of the generator rotating within the furnace,
the pipe for supplying and injecting the water, the steam pipe and steam chest,
and the blow-off pipe, as and for the purpose set forth.
I also claim the steam pipe attached to and rotating with the generator, and
provided with apertures in combination with the steam chest and stuffing box,
so that whilst rotating it will discharge the steam into the stationary chest, as
and for the purpose set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Newton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Fourth day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
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-בֿו-דבוזר
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