IMPROVE- MENTS IN STEAM BOILERS AND FEED-HEATING AND OTHER APPARATUS CONNECTED. THEREWITH
Year: 1866

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by John Shanks, at., the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 17th March.
1866..
I, JOHN SHANKS, of Barrhead, in the County of Renfrew, North Britain,
Plumber, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN STEAM BOILERS AND FEED-HEATING AND OTHER APPARATUS CONNECTED.
THEREWITH," to be as follows, that is to say :-
This Invention has for its object the constructing of steam boilers and
feed-heating and other apparatus connected therewith in a simple and
economical manner, and so as to be efficient, durable, and -economical in
working.
In carrying out the Invention, according to one modification, the boiler is
made in the form of a cylinder with rounded ends, and is set vertically in a
kind of cupola formed of a cylinder of iron lined with fire-brick; this cupola
forms the furnace, the fire-bars being near the bottom of it, and the boiler
projects down to within a short distance of the bars, whilst at the upper part
there is an annular space between it and the sides of the cupola. The fire
gases pass away to the chimney from the top of this annular space by a single
opening at one side if the boiler is small, but by a number of openings leading
into an annular flue if the boiler is large.
In another modification a number of vertical tubes with their bottom ends

page_text: closed and their upper ends fixed in a horizontal tube plate form the heating
surface of the boiler and project down into the cupola-like furnace, whilst the
upper part of the boiler. remains as before. Air is admitted to the fire by a
number of tubes or openings arranged round the sides at a short distance
above the grate bars. The inlet for fuel is made with double doors, and the
space between the doors is filled or partially filled with fresh fuel, which
remains there some time before being pushed into the furnace in order to
become more or less charred beforehand, by which means the heat of the
furnace will be more uniformly and economically maintained.
The improved feed-heating apparatus comprises (when the boiler supplies
steam for a high-pressure engine) a chamber fitted with horizontal perforated
partitions, and into the bottom of this chamber the waste steam from the
engine is admitted, whilst an outlet is provided at the top for any uncondensed
steam. Water is admitted at the top of the chamber, and the steam blows
through and across it as it passes through the perforations to the bottom.
The feed pump draws the water from the bottom, and is by preference made
to draw more than is required for the feed, the surplus being led by a pipe
to the top of the chamber again, so as to keep up a circulation. The feed
water pipe is constructed with a bend that is made to traverse the furnace,
after which it is carried to the upper part of the boiler, finally dipping down
inside to near the bottom of the boiler. Cocks are fitted upon this pipe to
shut off the feed, whilst a branch with a stop-cock is fitted to it for discharging
the contents of the boiler; being arranged below the bottom of the boiler, so
as to act as a siphon.