IMPROVEMENTS IN PROMOTING THE CIRCULATION OF WATER IN STEAM BOILERS AND IN SUPPLYING WATER TO STEAM BOILERS
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Bewick Longridge, of Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
PROMOTING THE CIRCULATION OF WATER IN STEAM BOILERS AND IN SUPPLYING
WATER TO STEAM BOILERS."
Sealed the 18th June 1861, and dated the 30th January 1861."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Bewick Long-
ridge at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 30th January 1861.
I, ROBERT BEWICK LONGRIDGE, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN PROMOTING THE CIRCULATION OF WATER IN STEAM BOILERS AND IN SUPPLYING
WATER TO STEAM BOILERS," to be as follows:-
My improvements relate to the better and more rapid circulation of water
in steam boilers, and consist in effecting this by means of the momentum or
'impulsive force of a jet or jets of water issuing from the boiler or boilers, in
which the circulation of water contained therein is to be improved or increased,
or from another boiler or boilers. The water which passes through'a suitable
pipe or pipes or apparatus conducting it from the boiler or boilers to form and
supply the jet or jets, has, as it issues, the velocity and impulsive forcé due to
the pressure within the boiler or boilers whence it issued. It is then received
into another suitable pipe or pipes or apparatus, through which, by reason of
[Price 8d.1

page_text: the momentum or impulsive force it has acquired, it passes and is returned and
delivered to the boiler or boilers from which it issued. Thus by withdrawing
or passing off water from one part or parts of a steam boiler or boilers (by pre-
ference, the upper part) and returning the same water to another part or parts
of the same boiler or boilers (by preference, the lower part), I effect a better
and more rapid circulation of the water in the boiler or boilers than usually
obtains.
Although I have stated above that water is withdrawn from the same boiler
or boilers to which it is subsequently returned, in some cases it may be desir-
able that the water withdrawn from one boiler or boilers be discharged and
delivered into another boiler or boilers.
My improvements also consist in effecting the same object, namely, the
better and more rapid circulation of water within steam boilers, by the employ-
ment of a jet or jets of steam in combination with a jet or jets of water issuing
from the same boiler or boilers, or at least of equal temperature to the jet or
jets of steam, and acting and operating in manner analogous to what has been
already herein-before described so far as regards a jet or jets of water only.
Myimprovements in supplyingwater to steam boilers consist in the use and
employment for this purpose of a jet or jets of water issuing from the boiler or
boilers to which the water is to be supplied, or from another or other boiler or
boilers under sufficient pressure, and acting and operating by means of the
momentum or impulsive force of such jet or jets, upon or in combination
with a jet or jets, or a stream or streams of water, to be supplied in manner
analogous to what has been already herein-before described.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Robert Bewick Longridge in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 30th July 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
BEWICK LONGRIDGE, of Manchester, in the County of Laucaster, Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fourth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Robert Bewick Longridge, Her special license that I. the said Robert
Bewick Longridge, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others

page_text: as I, the said Robert Bewick Longridge, 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 PROMOTING THE CIRCULATION OF WATER IN STEAM BOILERS
AND IN SUPPLYING WATER TO STEAM BOILERS," upon the conditiou, amongst
others, that I, the said Robert Bewick Longridge, 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 Robert Bewick Longridge, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the fol-
lowing statement and accompanying Drawing, that is to say :-
My improvements relate to the better and more rapid circulation of water
in steam boilers, and consist in effecting this by means of the momentum or
impulsive force of a jet or jets of water issuing from the boiler or boilers, in
which the circulation of the water contained therein is to be improved or
increased, or from another boiler or boilers. The water which passes through
a suitable pipe or pipes or apparatus conducting it from the boiler or boilers
to form and supply the jet or jets, has, as it issues, the velocity and impulsive
force due to the pressure within the boiler or boilers whence it issued. It is
then received into another suitable pipe or pipes or apparatus, through which,
by reason of the momentum or impulsive force it has acquired, it passes and is
returned and delivered to the boiler or boilers from which it issued. Thus
by withdrawing or passing off water from one part or parts of a steam boiler
or boilers (by preference, the upper part) and returning the same water to
another part or parts of the same boiler or boilers (by preference, the lower
part), I effect a better and more rapid circulation of the water in the boiler or
boilers than is usually obtained.
Although I have stated above that water is withdrawn from the same boiler
or boilers to which it is subsequently returned, in some cases it may be desir-
able that the water withdrawn from oue boiler or boilers be discharged and
delivered into another boiler or boilers.
My improvements also consist in effecting the same object, namely, the
better and more rapid circulation of water within steam boilers by the employ-

page_text: ment of a jet or jets of steam in combination with a jet or jets of water
issuing from the same boiler or boilers, or of water the temperature of which is
not less than the jet or jets of steam, and acting and operating in manner
analogous to what has been already herein-before described, so far as regards a
jet or jets of water only.
My improvements in the supplying water to steam boilers consists in the use
and employment for this purpose of a jet or jets of water issuing from the
boiler or boilers to which the water is to be supplied, or from another or other
boilers of equal or sufficient pressure, and acting and operating by means of
the momentum or impulsive force of such jet or jets upon or in combination
with a jet or jets or a stream or streams of water to be supplied in manner
analagous to what has been already herein-before described.
In order the more fully to explain my Invention, I will refer to the Drawings
hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon. Figure 1
representing an elevation of my apparatus under one modification of construc
tion as adapted and applied to an ordinary cylindrical boiler with two internal
cylindrical flues; and Figure 2, a transverse sectional elevation of the same.
A is the pipe leading from the boiler to the circulating apparatus; the part
A of this pipe within the boiler is bent or turned downward, so that the open
end shall be below the working level of the water within the boiler, in order
that during the working of the circulator water only shall pass along the pipe
to the circulator; "B³, a valve or tap in the pipe A, by which to admit or sus-
pend the supply of water to the circulator; C, a case enclosing the two conical
pipes or pieces D and E, the conical piece D being in connection with the
pipe A, and from the smaller end or aperture of which (when the circulator is
in action) the water issuing constitutes the jet of the circulator. The lower
conical pipe or piece E, which receives the jet of water issuing from the jet
aperture D, is in connection with the pipe F leading to and connected with
the lower part of the boiler. At some convenient part of this pipe F is placed
a valve G, to prevent reflow of water. In this modification I have shown this
valve at the boiler end of the receiving pipe of the circulator as preferable.
II, a tap or valve for the purpose of facilitating the starting of the circulator,
by inducing a current of water through the pipe F. The distance between the
apertures of the two conical pipes or pieces D and E is adjusted and regulated
by means of the handle wheel I, upon the spindle of which is a worm worked
into a toothed rim K on the conical piece D, so that by turning round the
conical piece D, it is elevated or lowered as requisite; L, an overflow pipe to
carry off the water splashed over from the action of the jet into the case C ;
M, a circular slide by which the apertures N, N, in the case C are opened or

page_text: ..
closed, in order to see and examine the jet,or otherwise. The action of the
circulator is as follows-The tap or valve B being opened, the water passes
from below the level of water in the boiler along a pipe A, through the tap or
valve B into the upper conical piece D, issuing from the small end or aperture
of it in a continuous jet, with the velocity and impulsive force proportioned to
the pressure within the boiler. It is received in the lower conical piece E, and
carried on by its impulsive force or momentum through the pipe F and valve G
into the lower part of the boiler. Thus constant circulation of the water
within the boiler is effected, the greater or less rapidity of which is, of course,
determined by the size and velocity of the jet. In starting the circulator, it is
facilitated by opening the tap H first, then on opening the tap or valve Ba
continuous jet of water will issue from the aperture of the upper conical piece
D, which will be received by and pass rapidly through the lower conical piece
E, and pipe F, and valve G, so long as it remains open. On closing the tap H
the momentum and impulsive action of the water in the pipe F will at once
open the valve and flow into the boiler. Instead of arranging the valve G,
which prevents reflow of water from the boiler to the circulator in some partof
the pipe F, I sometimes place it in the lower conical piece E immediately on
the top of the conical piece, the jet of water on issuing from the aperture of
the upper conical piece entering the valve immediately.
Another part of my present Invention which consists in the use of a jet or
jets of water in combination with a jet or jets of steam issuing from the same
boiler, or of water having at least equal temperature to the jet or jets of steam,
is also illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, where in addition to the apparatus
already described as regards when the circulator is acting with a jet of water
only.
O is a steam pipe communicating with the steam space in the boiler, and
provided with a stop valve or tap P, and connected with the circulator by the
conical jet piece Q passing into the centre of the conical piece D, so that the
jet of steam issuing therefrom will act with and be in combination with a jet
of water, as previously described.
My improvements in supplying water to steam boilers is represented in one
arrangement by Figure 4, which is a slight modification of Figures 1 and 2,
similar letters denoting corresponding parts. In this the conical piece for the
jets of water from the boiler is at D, and there is an additional conical piece D¹
beneath or around it, the feed water for the supply of the boiler passing
between them and encircling the jet from the boiler as it issues from the
conical or jet piece D, and passing on together and issuing from the aperture
of the conical piece D' as one jet, and thence proceeding as before described

page_text: with reference to Figure 1 and 2. The quantity of the supply of feed water
may be regulated and determined by the height of the conical piece Drelative
to the conical piece D', so as to increase or decrease the amount of annular
opening between them, it being regulated by the wheel handle I; the lower
conical piece E is likewise made adjustable as to height by the wheel
handle I', in order to determine the distance apart of the two conical pieces D¹
and E.
Having then described the nature of my Invention of improvements and
arrangements for carrying the same into effect, I claim,―
First, the withdrawing of water from steam boilers under pressure by means
of a jet or jets of such water, and returning or discharging such water, also by
means of the same jet or jets to the same or other boilers for the purpose of
promoting and increasing the circulation of water within such boilers.
Secondly, the combination and use of a jet or jets of water with a jet or jets
of steam drawn or issuing from the same boiler, or from another boiler or other
boilers in which the temperature of the jet or jets of water shall be equal to
or greater than the temperature of the jet or jets of steain, and returning or
discharging such; also by means of the same jets to the same or other boilers
for the purpose of promoting and increasing the circulation of water within
such boilers.
Thirdly, the supplying or feeding water by means of a jet or jets of water
issuing from steam boilers, and returning or discharging such water together
with the water to be supplied; also by means of the same jet or jets to the
same or other boilers.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Bewick Longridge, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of July, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
Witness,
JAMES MASH.
ROBT. B. LONGRIDGE. (L.s.)