Improvements in or relating to Steam Generators.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 11th July, 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Steam Generators.
I, HENRY CROMPTON ASHLIN, of 14 Water Street, Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, Consulting Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention relates to steam generators its object being the construction of
steam generators which are more compact and less weighty than the ordinary
cylindrical boiler, and are constituted of parts sufficiently small and light to enable
them to be built up in the place they are intended to occupy; say in a steamer's
stoke-hold, without necessitating the taking up of the decks or any similar inter-
ference with the walls of the chamber in which they are to be placed. Further the
majority of the parts of these improved generators are complete in themselves, so
that no staying need be done after the boiler is put together; another advantage
is that the weight of the contents of these generators is less for a given power
than in generators of the ordinary construction. One of these improved genera-
tors comprises a cylindrical drum with its axis horizontal and with flat ends
transverse to the axis; this drum is provided with longitudinal tubes extending
through the flat ends, and is hereinafter referred to as the tube-barrel. Below the
tube-barrel and a little to the rear of it, with its axis also horizontal, and in the
same plane as that of the tube barrel, is a short egg-ended drum containing
the cylindrical furnace and hereinafter referred to as the furnace-barrel. The
back tube plate of the tube-barrel is divided in the centre vertically and a large
vertical tube extends upward from the furnace-barrel parallel to the division in
the tube plate, and is connected along one of its sides to the tube plate in such
manner that communication is afforded between the interior of the tube-barrel
and the interior of the vertical tube through a vertical opening. Behind the
tube-barrel and furnace-barrel is a water chamber or water pipe or series of water
pipes, preferably slightly inclined out of the vertical towards the tube-barrel,
having at the upper end a steam drum. The upper end of the vertical tube before
described as extending up from the furnace-barrel is connected with the steam
drum; thus there is communication between the water space of the furnace-barrel
and that of the tube-barrel through the vertical tube, and between the steam
space of the tube-barrel and steam drum by way of the vertical tube, which also
serves to couple together the tube-barrel and the furnace-barrel.
chamber or water pipes carrying the steam drum, form a "water-back" for the
combustion chamber which may be connected to the bottom of the furnace-barrel
by tubes or otherwise. The roof of the combustion chamber and the side walls
can be formed of water chambers or in fire brick or the like as may be desired;
and that part of the front of the combustion chamber which is not constituted by
the rear of the tube plate, can be formed either in fire brick or by a water con-
nection of proper form.
The water
Generators of this type are well adapted to be placed in rows with their tube-
barrels parallel with each other; in this manner a compact and powerful battery
bailare con he established

page_text: A generator of the kind just described may be arranged to have two or three or
more furnaces to each tube-barrel; if two furnaces are adopted the tube-barrel is
connected by a central water-tube of the kind hereinbefore referred to with both
the furnace barrels at their sides; each of the furnace-barrels has in addition a
vertical water tube, or tubes which however go direct to the steam drum; pre-
ferably a junction pipe is provided to connect the lower parts of the water spaces
of the two furnace-barrels in this instance; and this pipe may serve also as a
connection between them and the "wet back" of the combustion chamber. If
three furnaces are employed side by side the centre furnace-barrel is connected to
the tube-barrel and the steam drum in the manner hereinbefore indicated, the two
outer furnaces being connected direct to the steam drum The two side furnaces
are connected to the centre furnace and to the "wet back" by a junction pipe.
The several furnace-barrels need not be on the same level but may be at different
height from the stoke hold floor. Instead of in or addition to the steam drum
the upper portion of the tube-barrel may be carried out to form the crown of the
combustion chamber and then extended downward as a wet back for the. com-
bustion chamber, the wet back being connected to the furnace-barrel by tubes or
otherwise.
Instead of a separate barrel for each furnace two or more furnaces may be pro-
vided in a barrel common to all of them; this barrel should preferably be
cylindrical and egg-ended conveniently having the furnaces placed at right angles
to its axis, and connected midway of its length by a vertical tube of the kind
hereinbefore described, with the tube-barrel.
It may also have other vertical tubes passing direct from the top of the furnace
barrel to the tube barrel which overhangs the combustion chamber.
Instead of extending the top of the tube barrel over the combustion chamber, a
separate wet back and steam drum may be provided and connected to the vertical
pipe and tube-barrel as in previous example.
In a further modification the combustion chamber may be formed in' the tube
barrel, the back of which is extended down as a water space to the level of the
bottom of the furnace barrels, which form cross connections between that water
space and the bottom of the tube barrel the latter being similarly extended down
as a flat narrow water-space; there being also short vertical necks affording com-
munication between each of the furnaces and the interior of the combustion
chamber.
Where the furnaces are allotted separate furnace barrels these latter can have
their water spaces extended to meet the combustion chamber backs.
The brick or other walls of certain parts of the boiler can be utilised for the
purpose of heating air for the furnace or for other purposes.
Dated this 11th day of July 1896.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Steam Generators.
I, HENRY CROMPTON ASHLIN, of 14 Water Street, Liverpool in the County of
Lancaster, Consulting Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention"
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
The object of this invention is the construction of steam generators which are
less weighty than the ordinary cylindrical boiler, and are constituted of parts

page_text: sufficiently small and light to enable them to be built up in the place they are
intended to occupy, say in a steamer's stoke hold, without necessitating the taking
up of the decks or any similar interference with the walls of the chamber in which
they are to be placed. Further, the majority of the parts of these improved
generators are complete in themselves so that no staying need be done after the
steam generator has been put together, another advantage is that the weight of
all the parts of these steam generators is less for a given power than in-generators
of the ordinary construction, and the largest cylindrical shell being smaller than
that of the ordinary boiler the working pressure can be raised very considerably
without exceeding a reasonable working thickness of shell plating.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figures 1 to 15 show in longitudinal and cross section and end elevation, and
Figs. 16 to 21 in diagrammatic section, various forms of steam generator
constructed according to this invention.
Figs. 22 and 23 are sectional plans of details.
Like letters indicate like parts in all Figures.
The improved generator comprises a tube barrel A consisting of a cylindrical
drum, having its axis horizontal, and with flat ends transverse to the axis; it is
provided with longitudinal tubes A', extending through the flat ends or tube
plates, A being the front and A the hack tube plate. The tube barrel A is
connected with the furnace barrel B, tube D and steam dome E, as hereinafter
described.
Below and a little to the rear of the tube barrel A is the furnace barrel B, which
consists of a short preferably egg-ended drum, containing one or more cylindrical
furnaces C. At the back end it is connected with the water back or back leg F
of the combustion chamber, and may be connected with the tube barrel A, either
directly or by means of a tube D, which extends upward through the combustion
chamber G from the furnace barrel B to the steam dome E. The tube D has
preferably a rectangular opening extending throughout the greater part of its
Jength which is connected by flat plates I with a corresponding opening formed
vertically down the centre of the tube plate A constituting a water septum D³
which with the tube D, connects the tube barrel A, the furnace barrel B, and the
steam dome E. Although for convenience of description the connection. D) is
spoken of as a tube throughout this specification, it need not necessarily be tubular
in shape, but may be made of any suitable shape in cross section.
The steam dome E is preferably an independent cylindrical drum placed across
the rear of the tube barrel A as shown in Figures 1 to 4. It may however be
formed by an extension A4 (Figures 6 and 7) of the steam space of the tube
barrel A.
Extending downward from the lower part of the steam dome E or extension A*
is the water back F consisting of a water chamber or pipe or series of pipes
connected at the lower end with the furnace barrel B.
The combustion chamber G is formed at the front by the tube plate A³, the
furnace barrel B, and the fronts G which may either be formed of bricks or by
a water space connecting the tube barrel A, with the furnace barrel B. The
sides G2 may be formed either by a water space, a series of water tubes or of brick :
the top G3 is of brick and the back consists of a back F, which may be formed
either by a water space, a series of water tubes or of brick; the bottom comprises
the furnace barrel B, the bridge C, plate C and fire-bars C, filled in with fire-
brick or tiles etc. where necessary. The combustion chamber G communicates
through the tubes A' with the uptake H, which is placed over the tube plate A².
Referring to the several drawings
Figure is a longitudinal section of a nest of boilers, consisting of three
independent steam generators with one furnace each, and
Figure 2 is an end view partly in section of the same.
The bridge C is shown formed of fire brick, and the water back F is shown
connected with the lower part of the furnace barrel B by a pipe F.:

page_text: Figure 3 is a longitudinal section and Figure 4 an end view partly in section
of a steam generator having two furnaces C and water barrels B and one tube
barrel A and one steam dome E.
In Figure 3 the dotted lines show an alternative method of connecting the
water back F directly with the furnace barrel B by an extension of the latter
instead of by the pipe F.
When two furnaces and furnace barrels are used with one tube barrel A the
tubes D are not provided with a water sentum connecting them with the tube
barrel A but merely connect the furnace barrel B with the steam dome E. An
extra tube D (Fig. 4) is provided to form the central water septum as shown in
plan in Fig. 22 where D is a central vertical tube connected with the back tube
plate A by the flat plates De forming the water septum D. D is connected.
with the furnace barrels D as shown at D Fig. 4 and the furnace barrels B are
connected with each other by the cross pipe F3 which may also receive the water
back connecting tube F¹.
Fig. 5 is an end view partly in section of an arrangement similar to that shown.
in Fig. 4 but with three furnaces C and barrels B. In this case the tube barrel A
is connected to the steam dome E by the water septum D3 and tube D of the centre
furnace barrel B only. The tubes D of the outside furnace barrels connect them
with the steam dome alone.
As shown in Fig. 5 the three furnace barrels all stand in the same horizontal
plane they may however be arranged so as to follow the circumference of the
tube barrel as shown in Figs. 13 and 15.
Figs. 6 and 7 show a form of generator in which two independent furnaces C
are placed in a common barrel B which may he circular in form with egg-shaped
In this
ends the furnaces C being at right angles to the axis of the barrel.
case there is no independent steam dome an extension A4 of the tube barrel A
being carried over the combustion chamber G of which it forms the top. The
tubes D and D¹ connect the furnace barrel with the extension A and D is also
connected with the tube barrel A by the water septum D as shown in plan in
Figure 22.
Figs. 8 and 9 show a form of generator similar to that set forth in Figs. 3 and 4
but with one furnace barrel B common to the two furnaces C as in the construction
shown in Figures 6 and 7; while Fig. 10 is a form like that shown in Fig. 5, but
with one furnace barrel common to the three furnaces.
Figure 11 shows a generator of similar description to that set forth in Figs. 6
and 7, but with the furnace barrel B extended back till it joins with the water
back F, a tube or passage C connecting each furnace C with the combustion
chamber G.
Figs. 12 and 13 show a similar form of boiler to that shown in Fig. 5, but
instead of the three furnaces C being on the same level they follow the circum-
ferential curve of the tube barrel A. A further modification is in the arrangement
of the tube D and water back F. In this case instead of the tube D and water
septum D3 herein before described as connecting the centre furnace barrel (or if
only one be used the centre of the furnace barrel) with the tube barrel and steam
dome, the water back F is connected with the tube barrel A and the furnace
harrel B by a flat water septum F, dividing the combustion chamber G vertically
in two parts. A sectional plan of this arrangement is shown in Fig. 23, taken on
the line 23-23 of Fig. 12.
The outside furnace barrels B, are connected direct with the steam dome E by
the tubes D, and are likewise connected with the tube barrel A by short tubes
or necks B' and with the centre furnace barrel by the curbed necks B³.
A similar form of generator is shown in Figs. 14 and 15, the main difference
being in the form and arrangement of the steam dome. This consists of a cylin-
drical extension A5 of the tube barrel A instead of the independent dome E shown
in Figures 12 and 13.
Figures 16 to 21 show modifications of some of the forms of generator herein-

page_text: before described, arranged to form what are commonly known as
boilers.
10le-end
In Figure 16 the furnaces C are placed in the opposite ends of a common
Furnace barrel B, a water space F, corresponding to the water back, in the single-
ended form, divides the combustion chamber transversely, and the water barreis A
are connected by the prolongations A.
In Figures 17 and 18 separate barrels are provided for the furnaces at each
end of the boiler, and a water space F is provided as in Figure 16.
In Figures 19 and 20 the water space F is not provided, the two ends of the
boiler being connected only by the steam space or steam dome, and in Figure 21,
each end is a separate boiler but with a common combustion chamber G.
Figure 22 shows in plan the method of connecting the central tube D¹ with the
tube barrel A by the water septum D, in generators in which two furnaces are
employed with one tube barrel.
In erecting a steam generator say of the type shown in Figure 1 the front end
of the furnace barrel B is placed under the back end of the tube barrel A, which
has the water septum D3 and tube D jointed to it, and the furnace barrel is cou-
nected to them. The steam dome E which has the water back F already attached
to it is then connected with the top of the water septum D3 and tube D, the water
hack F standing about eighteen inches clear of the end of the furnace barrel B.
The bridge C and the combustion chamber sides G2 and top G3 are then built in
the back plate and fire bars C placed in position and the water back F
connected with the furnace barrel B3 by the pipes F.
Each part of the generator being self-contained and carrying its own stays, no
staying has to be done after putting the generator together.
When in operation the flame and gases from the furnace C pass into the com-
bustion chamber G over the top of the furnace barrel B round the tube D and
water septum, through the tubes A' into the uptake H.
The brick sides and top of the combustion chamber may be utilised for heating
air for the supply of the furnace or other purposes.
It is evident that in carrying out the invention modifications may be made
other than those herein described without departing from the spirit of the
invention, and I do not confine myself to the exact forms as herein described and
set forth.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. The complete steam generator constructed and operating substantially as
described.
2. In a steam generator the combination with a tube barrel such as A, of one
or more furnace barrels such as B, substantially as described.
3. In a steam generator the combination of a tube barrel such as A, of one or
more furnace barrels such as B, and a water back such as F, substantially as
described.
4. In a steam generator the combination with a tube barrel such as A, of one
or more furnace barrels such as B, one or more "tubes" such as D, a water septum
such as D³, and a water back such as F, substantially as described.
5. In a steam generator, the combination with a tube barrel such as A, and one
or more furnace barrels such as B, of a "tube" D and steam dome E, substantially
as described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
6. In a steam generator the combination with a tube barrel such as A, and one
or more furnace barrels such as B, of a "tube" D and a septum D³ and steam
dome E substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
7. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the complete steam
generator substantially as described and illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, or Figures 3
and 4, or Figure 5, or Figures 6 and 7, or Figures 8 and 9, or Figure 10, or

page_text: Figure 11, or Figures.12 and 13 or Figures 14 and 15, or Figure 16, or Figure 17
or Figure 18 or Figure 19 or Figure 20 or Figure 21 of the accompanying
drawings.
Dated this 5th day of May 1897
HENRY CROMPTON ASHLIN.
Boult & Wade,
Agents for the Applicant.