IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF STEAM BOILERS
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George William Hawksley and Matthew Wild,
both of Brightside Boiler Works, Sheffield, in the County of York,
Engineers and Boiler Makers, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF STEAM BOILERS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George William
Hawksley and Matthew Wild at the Office of the Commissioners
of Patents, with their Petition, on the 8th October 1869.
We, GEORGE WILLIAM HAWKSLEY and MATTHEW WILD, both of
Brightside Boiler Works, Sheffield, in the County of York, Engineers
and Boiler Makers, do hereby declare the nature of said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF STEAM BOILERS," to be as
follows:-
This Invention consists in a novel and improved arrangement of
horizontal tubes and their vertical connections for steam boilers whereby
wo secure great strength in their construction combined with a free
circulation of the water and an efficient heating surface, at the same

page_text: time that by the peculiarities in the construction and arrangement of
the parts both the external and internal surfaces of the tubes are easy
of access for cleaning or repairing, and for other purposes. Two, three,
or more horizontal tubes being placed over each other at convenient
distances apart and connected together by suitable short vertical tubes or
connections form a section of the boiler. Two or more of these sections
are then placed close to each other or side by side so as to form a
number of horizontal chambers or flues for the flame and heated gases
to pass through, or one section alone might be used to form a small
boiler. Each horizontal tube may be made of one piece, or of two or
more pieces connected together by rivets or bolts as may be found most
convenient. Each section is to be provided with a man-hole on the top
or upper horizontal tube, and also another man-hole on the bottom or
lowest horizontal tube; and the vertical connections are made of such a
diameter as will admit a man to pass through to clean and examine the
internal surface of the tubes. The chambers or flues formed between
the horizontal layers of tubes are so constructed and the vertical con-
nections are so arranged as to allow a man to pass through to examine
the external surfaces of the tubes and clean out each chamber, man-
holes being provided in the brickwork for that purpose when required.
The sections being placed side by side, as above named, are provided with
suitable connections for the feed, steam, circulation, scum, and blow-off
pipes with their necessary fittings. The required number of sections
thus formed and fitted is placed in a heating chamber formed of brick-
work, the furnace or fire-grate being under or beneath the bottom layer
of horizontal tubes, and the flame and gases after passing beneath them
return and pass between the other or upper rows or layers of horizontal
tubes (or through the flame chamber or flue formed thereby), and thence
to the chimney. The top row or layer of tubes may be used for super-
heating the steam if required.
The arrangement of the furnace, horizontal tubes, and heating
chamber may be such that the direction of the passage of the flame and
gases shall be transverse or across the rows of horizontal tubes; but we
prefer to arrange them so that the flame and gases shall pass longi-
tudinally or in the direction of the length of the said tubes.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George William Hawksley and Matthew Wild in
the Great Seal Patent Office on the 7th April 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, wc, GEORGE
WILLIAM HAWKSLEY and MATTHEW WILD, both of Brightside Boiler
Works, Sheffield, in the County of York, Engineers and Boiler Makers,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of October, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-
third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto us, the said George William Hawksley and Matthew
Wild, Her special license that we, the said George William Hawksley
and Matthew Wild, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as we, the said George William Hawksloy and Matthew Wild,
our 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 Ircland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF STEAM BOILERS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that we, the said George William Hawksley and
Matthew Wild, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under our, or one of our 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 causo
the same to be filed in the Great Scal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George William Hawksley, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner tho
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement and accompanying Drawings (that is
to say)-
This Invention consists in a novel and improved arrangement of
horizontal tubes and their vertical connections for steam boilers whereby
we secure groat strength in their construction combined with a free
circulation of the water and an efficient heating surface, at the samo

page_text: time that by the peculiarities in the construction and arrangement of
the parts, both the external and internal surfaces of the tubes are easy
of access for cleaning or repairing and for other purposes. Two, three,
or more horizontal tubes being placed over each other at convenient
distances apart and connected together by suitable short vertical tubes
or connections form a section of the boiler. Two or more of these
sections are then placed close to each other or side by side, so as to form
a number of horizontal chambers or flues for the flame and heated gases
to pass through; or one section alone might be used to form a small
boiler. Each horizontal tube may be made of one piece, or of two or
more pieces connected together by rivets or bolts, as may be found most
convenient. Each section is to be provided with a man-hole on the top
or upper horizontal tube, and also another man-hole on the bottom or
lowest horizontal tube (or one man-hole to each section may be used if
preferred), and the vertical connections are made of such a diameter as
will admit a man to pass through to clean and examine the internal
surface of the tubes. The chambers or flues formed between the
horizontal layers of tubes are so constructed and the vertical con-
nections are so arranged as to allow a man to pass through to examine
the external surfaces of the tubes and clean out each chamber, man-
holos being provided in the brickwork for that purpose when required.
The sections being placed side by side, as above named, are provided
with suitable connections for the feed, steam, circulation, scum, and
blow-off pipes with their necessary fittings. The required number of
sections thus formed and fitted is placed in a heating chamber formed
of brickwork, the furnace or fire-grate being under or beneath the
bottom layer of horizontal tubes, and the flame and gases after passing
beneath them return, and then pass between the other or upper rows or
layers of horizontal tubes (or through the flame chamber or flue formed
thereby, and thence to the chimney. The top row or layer of tubes
may be used for superheating the steam if required.
The arrangement of the furnace, horizontal tubes, and heating chamber
may be such that the direction of the passage of the flame and gases
shall be transverse or across the rows of horizontal tubes; but we profer
to arrange them so that the flame and gases shall pass longitudinally or
in the direction of the length of the said tubes.
Such being the nature and object of our said Invention for "Improve-
ments in the Construction of Steam Boilers," we will now proceed to

page_text: describe more in detail the manner in which the same is to be or may be
performed or carried into practical effect; and in order that the same
may be clearly understood we have annexed hereunto a Sheet of
Drawings illustrative thereof, and have marked the same with figures
and letters of reference corresponding with those in the following
explanation thereof.
In the annexed Drawing, Fig. 1 is an end elevation, Fig. 2 a side view
with the brickwork shown in section, and Fig. 3 a ground plan of a
boiler formed of three sections, each consisting of three horizontal tubes
and their connections according to our Invention.
a², a³, a³, (Fig. 2) are three horizontal tubes placed one above tho
other, and connected together by a series of short vertical tubes b, b, of a
sufficient diameter to allow of a man passing through; c, c, is the man-
hole, there being in this instance only one situated on the upper tube;
d, d, is the steam pipe; e, c, the steam chest or accumulator, and ƒiƒ,
the safety valve; g, g, is the feed water pipe, and h, h, the furnace.
It will be seen that one of these sections by itself would form a
complete boiler, and that by placing two, three, or more close together
side by side, as shown at Figs. 1 and 3, the area and capacity of the
boiler may be increased to almost any desired extent. The relative
lengths of the three tubes a, a, a³, which form each section are so
proportioned and the brickwork is so arranged that the flame and heated
gases pass first backwards under the bottom scries of tubes a', a¹, round
the ends thereof, and return to the front between the tubes a', a', and
a, as, then round the front ends of the latter, and between them and the
upper tubes a, a, to the flue i, i, leading to the chimney. Each section
is supported by bolts passing through girders k, k, resting on the side
walls, so that any portion of the brickwork may be removed without
disturbing the boiler. 1, 1, are water gauges, and m, m, a steam pressure
gauge, all connected to the upper row of tubes a³, a³; and n, n, arc mud
holes, and o, o, the blow-through valves.
Fig. 4 is an end clevation of a boiler formed of four sections side by
side, being provided with man-holes c, c, to both the top and bottom
tubes, the position of the water gauges and steam pressure gauge being
necessarily modified to suit this arrangement.
Having now described the nature and object of our said Invention,
together with the manner in which the same is to be or may be per-
formed or carried into practical effect, I wish it to be understood that

page_text: we claim as our Invention, the novel and peculiar arrangement and
construction of steam boiler, as herein-before described and shown
on the Drawings annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said George William Hawksley, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Fifth day of April, in the 5
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.
Witnessed by
GEORGE DAVIES, C. E.,
Patent Office,
Manchester.
G. W. HAWKSLEY. (L.S.)