IMPROVEMENTS IN GENERATING STEAM AND IN HEATING STEAM AND AERIFORM FLUIDS
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Matthew Piers Watt Boulton, of Tew Park, Oxford-
shire, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN GENERATING STEAM AND IN
HEATING STEAM AND AERIFORM FLUIDS."
Sealed the 2nd February 1866, and dated the 7th August 1865..
J
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Matthew Piers Watt
Boulton at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 7th August 1865.
I, MATTHEW PIERS WATT BOULTON, of Tew Park, Oxfordshire, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
GENERATING STEAM AND IN HEATING STEAM AND AERIFORM FLUIDS," to be as
follows:-
Steam passing from a boiler is superheated, and the superheated steam is...
caused to pass through the water in the boiler, such a force being applied to.
it by means of a propeller or forcing apparatus as is requisite to force it
through the water. The heated steam rising through the water generates
steam.
The heated steam may be caused to rise through the water in numerous
small streams, it may pass through the interstices of moveable bodies, such as -

page_text: balls, which may float or may be suspended in the water, or may find their
own position by weight, it may pass through narrow passages. To prevent
these passages from being choked by deposit, they may be kept clear by a
tooth or piece moved through the passage by the engine, either by a rectilinear
or circular movement.
The steam may be caused to rise through the water in the boiler in a zig-
zag course by means of plates or bodies suitably disposed. A portion of the
heated steam may be forced through the water, while a portion of it is caused
to mix with the steam above the water, in which steam are suspended particles
of water in a state of spray or minute division. The heated steam mixing
with this watery steam converts the particles of water held by it in suspension
into steam. Again, the heated steam may be caused to pass over the surface of
the water in the boiler, so as to come in contact with a large portion of this
surface, communicating heat to the water and generating steam in this way.
Again, the heated steam may be caused to pass in contact with wetted
surfaces or bodies; these bodies-may be of porous material, through which
water percolates from a chamber on the other side; or they may be pierced
with apertures through which the water similarly percolates. To prevent
these apertures from becoming choked with deposit, they may be kept clean
by a tooth or moving piece, caused to move by the engine working either
rectilinearly or circularly. Again, the bodies may be wetted and exposed to
the action of the steam by causing them alternately to dip into the water and
to rise out of it; this may be done by a rectilinear movement of alternate
descent and ascent, the movement being caused by the engine. Or the bodies
may be circular bodies or discs caused to revolve on an axis by the engine,
and passing through the water, so that a portion of them is constantly below
the water, while the other portion is wetted and exposed to the action of the
heated, steam.
;
The accumulation of deposit on the bodies thus wetted may be pre-
vented, by means of a scraper or scrapers, against which they work. These..
different methods may be combined in various manners. Those which
do not require the action of any moving piece worked by the action may
be used before the engine is started, whilst the others may be used sub-
sequently.
Products of combustion, when the combustion is made to take place
under pressure, may be used to generate steam in the manner previously
described. And products of combustion mixed with steam may be similarly
used.
:

page_text: The deposit produced by the evaporation of the water falls downwards to
the lower part of the boiler or vessel in which the evaporation takes place, and
is collected there in a receptacle or receptacles, whence it is. removed when
desired. By the use of valves, these receptacles may be made so that they
can be opened and cleaned while the boiler is in operation..
The steam may be superheated in the ordinary manner, or the methods
which I have described. in previous. Specifications may be used for this
purpose..
The following is one mode by which the steam may be heated-Rods,.
plates, or pieces work through apertures in the bottom. or side of the vessel
containing the steam, to which pieces a reciprocating movement is imparted
by the engine; so that they are sometimes extruded from the vessel and some-
times drawn back into it.. The rod or piece which communicates this move-
ment to them has the same sectional area, or nearly, so, as that of the rods or
pieces which are thus worked, so that whether the pieces are extruded from
the vessel on drawn back into it the capacity of the vessel is not affected..
The rods or pieces when extruded from the vessel enter heated liquid, which
may consist of some matter, metallic; earthy,, or saline, in a state of fusion.
From this they derive heat,, which. when drawn. back into the vessel, they.
impart to the steam..
To prevent leakage of the steam through the apertures in which the rods.
or pieces work there may be a portion of heated liquid within..the vessel,
as well as outside it..
To supply loss by leakage, liquid may be injected into the vessel by means
of a pump or forcing apparatus; or matter may be introduced into the
vessel in a solid state in the form of powder or finely comminuted, this
being afterwards melted by the heat.. In this case the valve or apparatus.
by means of which the material is introduced can be kept cool without
difficulty..
The liquid outside the vessel can be heated by passing through it
products of combustion, which may be passed through it so as not to
come in. contact with the vessel or with the rods or pieces which work in the
liquid.
i
The method of heating above described may be employed to heat any gas
or aeriform. Thus it may be employed to heat. air or gas in the engine
known as Stirling's air engine, or in similar engines..

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Matthew Piers Watt Boulton in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 7th February 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, MATTHEW
PIERS WATT BOULTON, of Tew Park, Oxfordshire, send greeting.
i
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of August, in the year of our-Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-ninth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Matthew Piers Watt Boulton, Her special licence that I, the said
Matthew Piers Watt Boulton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Matthew Piers Watt Boulton, my executors, ad-
ministrators, 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 GENERATING STEAM AND
IN HEATING STEAM AND AERIFORM FLUIDS," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Matthew Piers Watt Boulton, 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 Matthew Piers Watt Boulton, 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 generating steam, and in
heating steam and aeriform fluids.
Steam passing from a boiler is superheated, and the superheated steam
is caused to pass through the water in the boiler, such a force being
applied to it by means of a propeller or forcing apparatus as is requisite to
force it through the water. The heated. steam rising through the water
generates steam.
The heated steam may be caused to rise through the water in numerous
.

page_text: small streams. It may pass through the interstices of moveable bodies;
such as balls, which may float, or may be suspended in the water, or may find
their own position by weight. It may pass through narrow passages. To
prevent these passages from being choked by deposit they may be kept 'clear
by a tooth or piece moved through the passage by the engine, either by a
rectilinear or circular movement.
The steam may be caused to rise through the water in the boiler in a zig-
zag course by means of plates or bodies suitably disposed. A portion of the
heated steam may be forced through the water, while a portion of it is caused
to mix with the steam above the water, in which steam are suspended particles
of water in a state of spray or minute division. The heated steam mixing
with this watery steam converts the particles of water held by it in suspension
into steam. Again, the heated steam may be caused to pass over the surface
of the water in the boiler, so as to come in contact with a large portion of this
surface, communicating heat to the water and generating steam in this way!
Again, the heated steam may be caused to pass in contact with wetted
surfaces or bodies; these bodies may be of porous material, through which
water percolates from a chamber on the other side; or they may be pierced
with apertures, through which the water percolates or passes, flowing over
the surfaces or keeping them moist. To prevent these apertures from
becoming choked with deposit, they may be kept clean by a tooth or moving
piece, caused to move by the engine working either rectilinearly or circularly.
Again, the bodies may be wetted and exposed to the action of the steam by
causing them alternately to dip into the water and to rise out of it. This may
be done by a rectilinear movement at alternate descent and ascent, the
movement being caused by the engine. Or a circular movement may be
employed.
'
f
The accumulation of deposit on the bodies thus wetted may be prevented by
means of a scraper or scrapers against which they work. These different
methods may be combined in various manners. Those which do not require
the action of any moving piece worked by the engine may be used before the
engine is started, whilst the others may be used subsequently.
.
Products of combustion, when the combustion is made to take place
under pressure, may be used to generate steam in the manners previously
described. And products of combustion mixed with steam may be similarly
used.
The deposit produced by the evaporation of the water may fall downwards
to the lower part of the boiler or vessel in which the evaporation takes place,

page_text: and be collected there in a receptacle or receptacles, whence it is removed
when desired.
!
The steam may be, superheated in the ordinary manner, or the methods
which I have described in previous Specifications may be used for this
purpose.
The following is one mode by which the steam may be heated: Rods,
plates, or pieces work through apertures in the bottom or side of the vessel
containing the steam, to which pieces a reciprocating movement is imparted
by the engine, so that they are sometimes extruded from the vessel,, and some-
times drawn back into it. The rods or pieces when extruded from the vessel
enter heated liquid, which may consist of: some matter, metallic, earthy, or
saline in a state of fusion. From this they derive heat, which when drawn.
back into the vessel they impart to the steam:::
To prevent leakage of the steam through the apertures in which the rods
or pieces work, there may be a portion of heated liquid within the vessel as
well as outside, it...,
To supply loss by leakage, liquid may be injected into the vessel by means
of a pump or forcing apparatus; or matter may be introduced into the vessel
in a solid state in the form of powder, or finely comminuted, this being
afterwards melted by the heat. In this case the valve or apparatus by means
of which the material is introduced can be kept cool without difficulty.
The liquid outside the vessel can be heated by passing through it products
of combustion, which may be passed through it so as not to come in contact
with the vessel or with the rods or pieces which work in the liquid.
The method of heating above described may be employed to heat any gas
or, aeriform fluid. Thus it may be employed to heat air or gas in the engine
known as Stirling's air engine, or in similar engines.
In Figure 1, A represents the vessel in which the steam or aeriform fluid
it heated; C, C, is liquid heated by flame or products of combustion passed
through it out of the passages D, D, D, D; B, B, B; B, are pieces, such as
rods, bars, cylinders, or pieces of other forms attached to the rod E, to which
a reciprocating movement is given by an engine. These pieces work through
apertures in the bottom of the vessel A, which they fit. As they. are extruded
from the vessel A into the liquid, they receive heat from it, which when they
are drawn back again into the vessel they impart to the steam or gas within s
it. The liquid is of such a nature as not to act injuriously on the metal or
material composing the pieces B, B, or on the exterior of the vessel A, A.
There may be a portion of liquid within the vessel A, A, in order to prevent

page_text: escape of the aeriform fluid from within. If any of this liquid escapes, the
loss may be supplied by material introduced into the vessel A in a solid form
and melted by the heat.
What I claim is,—
First, the modes described of generating steam by the action of super-
heated steam, or of products of combustion.
Second, the mode described of heating steam or aeriform fluid under
pressure.
In witness whereof, I, the said Matthew Piers Watt Boulton, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Fifth day of February, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
M. P. W. BOULTON. (L.S.)