IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO STEAM AND OTHER BOILERS, AND PARTLY APPLICABLE TO VESSELS USED IN DISTILLING OR SIMILAR OPERATIONS, OR FOR CONTAINING MINERAL WATERS OR OTHER FLUIDS."
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, &
Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO STEAM AND OTHER BOILERS, AND PARTLY
APPLICABLE TO VESSELS USED IN DISTILLING OR SIMILAR OPERATIONS, OR FOR
CONTAINING MINERAL WATERS OR OTHER FLUIDS." A communication from
abroad by William Henry Brown, of Waterbury, Connecticut, United States
of America.
Sealed the 27th December 1879, and dated the 12th July 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th July 1879.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO STEAM
AND OTHER BOILERS, AND PARTLY APPLICABLE TO VESSELS USED IN DISTILLING OR
SIMILAR OPERATIONS, OR FOR CONTAINING MINERAL WATERS OR OTHER FLUIDS."
[A communication from abroad by William Henry Brown, of Waterbury, Con-
necticut, United States of America.]
Boilers for generating steam have heretofore been made of plates of iron and steel
taken directly from the rolling or plate mill. Defects may exist in such plates and
remain undiscovered until the boiler of which they are composed is subjected to
trial by practical use, when fracture may be the result. This Invention has for one
of its objects to obtain boilers for generating steam which shall be free from such
defects and of suitable strength, with iron or steel of less thickness than is necessary
when they are composed of ordinary rolled iron or steel plates. With a view to
accomplish this result one of the said improvements consists in the construction of
steam-boilers with cold-wrought or cold-drawn iron or steel seamless heads having
cylindrical extensions or flanges for the attachment to cylindrical middle sections
of which the bodies of the boilers are or may be composed; and another improve-
ment consists in the construction of steam-boilers with cold-wrought or cold-
drawn iron or steel seamless cylindrical middle sections. A further improvement
consists in the coating of such cold-wrought or cold-drawn iron or steel seamless
heads and seamless cylindrical middle sections with a softer metal, such as copper
or tin, prior to the cold-drawing operation, or between the successive cold-drawing
operations by which the said heads and sections are wrought into the desired shape,
such coating serving as a lubricant to facilitate the cold-drawing process, and also
as a protection against oxidation.

page_text: The above-mentioned improvements are applicable to other kinds of boilers, as,
for instance, those used in-houses-for-supplying hot water, and are also applicable
to other vessels which are required to have great strength or capacity for resisting-
pressure, as, for r instance, soda-water-or-mineral-water fountains or reservoirs,
_vessels used in distilling operations; and cans for transporting milk.
Another part of the said Invention relates to an-improved method of bracing the
-bodies-or-external shells of boilers and vessels of various kinds, this method being
applicable to boilers of iron or steel, or to those-of-copper, brass, or other metal.
It is applicable with more especial advantage to house boilers or other vessels
which, by reason of their being subject to have a vacuum formed within them or
for any other reason, require to be capable of resisting external pressure.
This improvement consists in the employment within a boiler or other vessel of
a spirally constructed strengthening brace running round the interior of the body
or external shell thereof, and secured to its interior surface by soldering, riveting,
or other convenient means. This spirally constructed brace may be made of
corrugated sheet metal to give it stiffness.
The said Invention also relates to improvements in the joints by which the
cylindrical sections or parts of boilers or other vessels are united together or have
united with them their cylindrically flanged heads. One of the improved joints is
constructed by cutting or otherwise forming screw-threads in the interiors of the
adjacent parts of two cylindrical sections or portions to be united; then inserting
an externally screw-threaded ring partly into the internal screw-thread of one and
partly into the internal screw-thread of the other section or portion, and applying
to the exteriors of said adjacent parts a band which overlaps then both and clamps
them firmly outside of the said screw-threaded rings. This band may be divided
and clamped on the cylinder sections or portions by screws or screw bolts, or may
be made somewhat smaller internally than the exteriors of said sections or portions,
and expanded by heat sufficiently to allow them to be put on sand, then allowed to
cool and shrink tightly into place. It is preferred to cut or swage on the 'exterior
of the internal ring two screw-threads, one commencing at one edge and the other
at the other edge of the ring, and the two running at opposite angles to the axis of
the ring, and ending or meeting at the middle of the width thereof to form two
taper screws. The object of this form of the screw-threads on the ring is, that
threads which are cut or swaged in the inner surfaces of the cylinders or sections
to be united, and which have to be cut at angles corresponding with the threads on
the ring, may become shallow or run out at the extreme edge of the threaded ring
when the latter is inserted in place, thereby not impairing the strength of the
cylinder at any point except at and near the ends where they are re-inforced by the
external band. Another construction of joint consists in a banded butt-joint
formed by abutting together the ends of two cylindrical sections or portions to be
united, and uniting them by means of-an-interal-ring and an external band which
respectively underlap and overlap the adjacent parts of the two sections or portions
and are soldered thereto. Another of the improved joints is an externally banded
one, but the internal ring is dispensed with, a lap being formed between the ends
of the cylinders or sections to be united by forming the end of one of them
sufficiently smaller than the corresponding end of the other one to be capable of
entering thereinto, and with a shoulder against which, when the one is inserted
into the other, the end of the external one may abut, so that the adjacent portions
of the exterior surfaces of the two cylinders or sections may present a continuous
or nearly continuous flush surface for the reception of the external band, which is
placed upon them so as to lap equally on opposite sides of the line where the end
of one abuts against the shoulder of the other. The two cylinders or sections and
All of the above
the band after being put together are united by soldering.
constructions of the joints are applicable to boilers or vessels of iron, steel, copper,
brass, or other metal.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 12th
January 1880.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO STEAM
AND OTHER BOILERS, AND PARTLY APPLICABLE TO VESSELS USED IN DISTILLING OR
SIMILAR OPERATIONS, OR FOR CONTAINING MINERAL WATERS OR OTHER FLUIDS."
A communication from abroad by William Henry Brown, of Waterbury, Con-
necticut, United States of America.
Boilers for generating steam have heretofore been made of plates of iron and
steel taken directly from the rolling or plate mill. Defects may exist in such plates
and remain undiscovered until the boiler of which they form part is subjected to
trial by practical use, when fracture may be the result. This Invention has for one
of its objects to produce steam-generators or boilers which shall be free from such
defects and of suitable strength, with iron or steel of less thickness than is necessary
when they are composed of ordinary rolled iron or steel plates. With a view to
accomplish this result one of the said improvements consists in the construction of
steam-boilers with cold-wrought or cold-drawn iron or steel seamless heads having
cylindrical extensions or flanges for the attachment to cylindrical middle sections
of which the bodies of the boilers are or may be composed; and another improve-
ment consists in the construction of steam boilers with cold-wrought or cold-drawn
iron or steel seamless cylindrical middle sections. A further improvement consists
in the coating of such cold-wrought or cold-drawn iron or steel seamless heads and
seamless cylindrical middle sections with a softer metal, as copper or tin, prior to
the cold-drawing operation, or between the successive cold-drawing operations by
which they are wrought into the desired shape, such coating serving as a lubricant
to facilitate the cold-drawing process, and also as a protection against oxidation.
These improvements are applicable to other kinds of boilers, as, for instance, those
used in houses for supplying hot water; and are or may be also applicable to a
greater or less extent to other vessels which are required to have great strength or
capacity for resisting pressure, as, for instance, soda-water or mineral-water fountains.
or reservoirs, also to vessels used in distilling operations.
The improvements hereinabove specified are illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3, of the
accompanying Drawing, in which,―
Figure 1 represents an outside view of two cold-wrought seamless iron or steel
flanged heads and cold-drawn seamless iron or steel cylindrical sections suitable for
the manufacture of a plain cylindrical steam-boiler.
Figure represents a longitudinal section of a steam-boiler made of such flanged
heads and middle sections.
Figure 3 is a longitudinal section of part of a boiler illustrating a modification
of the construction shown in Figure 2. The boiler shewn may be about 17 feet
long and about 4 feet in diameter.
Having provided an automatic press of sufficient capacity propelled by hydraulic
or other competent force, I provide circular blanks of iron or steel of proper diameter
and thickness, according to the length and strength of cylinder that may be required.
Blanks of the diameter of seventy-two inches and a thickness of three-eighths of an
inch may be used for the flanged heads A, A. One of these blanks being placed in
a cold state in proper position in the press, which is provided for the purpose with
dies of proper forin, such as are used for converting sheet metal into cylinders,
would have its form changed from that of a flat circular blank to a cylinder with
sides at right angles to the inner or central portion of the blank, the diameter of
which would then have been changed by this preliminary operation of the press
and reduced to sixty inches with cylindrical sides of a length something more than

page_text: six inches. Then after this partly formed blank has been annealed, and had its
_inner and outer surface coated with some lubricating substance, it may be again
subjected to the action of the press (suitable changes of the dies.having been made),
this action resulting in another change, reducing the diameter of the head to four
-feet-or-to-the required size, and at the same time reducing and elongating the
-cylindrical.sides or flanges c, c, to the required length of, say, about eighteen inches.
The distribution of thickness of the metal contained in the cold-wrought seamless
Banged-head-would then be about three-eighths of an inch for the head proper or
interior portion, and one-fourth of an inch for the cylindrical sides.-The-propor-
tionate length of the cylinders or flanged portions, as compared with the diameter
of the crown of the head, may be changed to any required length by altering the
diameter of the blank circle and multiplying or reducing the number of times to
which they may be subject to the action of the press. Two of these seamless
flanged heads A, A, are shown in Figure 1 ready for being made up into a boiler.
The cold-wrought seamless cylindrical middle sections B, B, of the boiler may be
each constructed from circular blanks by the employment of means and the process
hereinabove described in the construction of the flanged heads A, A, until a cylinder
with one head of a diameter equal to or somewhat larger than the intended
diameter of the boiler has been produced, after which about two-thirds of the
diameter of the head is cut out from its centre, and the remaining portion of the
head is then forced out to a position parallel with the cylindrical sides by the same
means used for the formation of the previously formed portions of the cylindrical
sides or flanges of the head. These cylindrical middle sections for a boiler of the
size which I have hereinabove mentioned may be of about three and a half feet in
length, requiring four to complete the boiler.
Instead of the cold-wrought seamless middle sections B, B, being formed as above
described, they may be constructed from cylindrical hollow ingots of steel or
forgings of steel or iron of any proper size, and from thence drawn in a cold state
into any required length, or expanded to any required diameter by means of the
press before mentioned, or by any proper mechanical means, such as are or may be
used for drawing or producing cold-wrought seamless metal cylinders.
The substance used in the construction of these flanged heads and cylindrical.
middle sections for lubricating and coating the inner and outer surfaces of the
blank circles and partially formed cylinders may be of some inetal, as tin or copper,
softer than and not so easily oxidized as iron and steel, so that in addition to the
advantage of such metal by reason of its property as a lubricator great advantage
may result from the capability of a boiler so coated to resist or prevent oxidation.
If tin be used for this purpose it may be applied by the ordinary tinning process.
If copper be employed it might be deposited on the iron or steel by means of a
battery.
The flanged heads and seamless cylindrical middle sections having been produced,
substantially as herein described, they may-be-united-to-form the boiler in various
ways, as, for instance, as shown in Figure 2, by abutting the ends together and
applying seamless rings a, a, inside and seamless rings b, b, outside of their abutting
ends, and rivetting through the said rings and the surrounding and surrounded
parts of the flanges c, c, and sections B, B. The outer rings b, b, may be made
with an internal diameter somewhat smaller than the exterior of the flanges c, c,
and the sections B, B, so that when heated they may pass over the said flanges and
sections, and when allowed to cool will shrink tightly into their places. Another
manner of uniting the said flanges and cylindrical sections is to fit the contiguous
flanged heads and cylindrical middle sections one into the other, as shown in
Figure 3, and unite them by rivetting through the lapping parts with either a
single row of rivets, as represented, or with a double row if desired; or the said
heads and sections may be united in other ways to be hereinafter described.
In some cases cold-wrought seamless flanged heads A, A, may be used with
advantage in boilers, the other portions of the cylinders of which are made up of
plates rivetted together in the common way, the flanges of the said heads being

page_text: placed either outside or inside of the main cylindrical portions of the boilers and
rivetted thereto.
The above description of the construction of steam-boilers is applicable to the
manufacture of boilers for domestic use or of other vessels, due allowance being
made in the sizes and thicknesses of the metal blanks and sizes of the dies to be
employed in the manufacture, according to the size and strength of the boiler or
vessel required.
The superiority of boilers made with my cold-wrought seamless iron or steel
heads and cylindrical middle sections depends upon the superior density and
tenacity of iron or steel which has been subjected to the drawing process as
compared with that which has been simply hot rolled and bent into shape; and
moreover, in the drawing process any defects in the metal will be made to show
themselves, so that the manufacturer may detect and discard all defective material.
Another part of this Invention relates to an improved method of bracing the
bodies or external shells of boilers and other vessels, and is applicable to boilers of
iron or steel, or to those of copper, brass, or other metal, but applicable with more
especial advantage to house boilers or other vessels which, by reason of their being
subject to have a vacuum formed within them or for any other reason, require to
be capable of resisting external pressure. This improvement consists in the
employment within a boiler or other vessel of a spirally constructed strengthening
brace running round the interior of the body or external shell thereof, and secured
to its interior surface by rivetting, soldering, or other convenient means.
spirally constructed brace may be made of corrugated sheet metal to give it
stiffness.
This
This part of the said Invention is illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 of the Drawing,
Figure 4 being a longitudinal sectional view of a kitchen or domestic boiler having
the spiral brace applied, and Figure 5 representing a portion of the brace detached.
In these Figures D indicates the body or outer shell of the boiler, which is shown
as composed of a drawn seamless cylinder having one head in the same piece with
it, and having the other head secured to it by rivetting, and E represents the spiral
brace. This brace may be of various forms in its transverse section, but it is
preferred that it should have a corrugated form, as shown in the Drawing, and
should be of hard rolled metal. This spiral brace, which is more or less elastic, may
be formed into the spiral shape by winding it on a cylinder of an external diameter
larger than the interior of the boiler, so that when inserted into the latter it may
hold itself in place. The said brace may be secured in the boiler by rivetting, or if
the interior of the boiler be tinned may be secured therein by soldering. The act
of tinning the boiler after the insertion of the brace may produce the soldering of
the brace thereto.
The Invention also relates to improvements in the joints by which the cylindrical
sections or parts of boilers or other vessels are united together or have united with
them their cylindrically flanged heads.
One of the improved joints is constructed by cutting, swaging, or otherwise
forming screw-threads in the interior of the adjacent parts of two cylindrical
sections or portions to be united, then inserting an externally screw-threaded ring
partly into the internal screw-thread of one and partly into the internal screw-
thread of the other section or portion, and applying to the exterior of said adjacent
parts a band which overlaps them both and clamps them firmly outside of the said.
screw-threaded ring. This band may be divided and clamped on the cylindrical
sections or portions by screws or screw bolts, or may be made somewhat smaller
internally than the exterior of said sections or portions, and expanded by heat
sufficiently to allow it to be put on, and then allowed to cool and shrink tightly
into place. Figure 6 is a longitudinal section of a portion of a steam-boiler having
its flanged seamless heads A and cylindrical seamless sections B united by such a
screw-threaded joint as is hereinabove described, one of the externally screw-
threaded internal rings being indicated by a¹, and one of the external bands being
indicated by b².

page_text: In the last-mentioned Figure the screw-threaded portions of the interior of the
sections or parts A, B, and the exterior portion of the ring a' are cylindrical, but it
-may-be-preferable-to-cut-or-swage on the exterior of the internal ring two screw-
_threads, one commencing at one edge of the ring and the other at the other edge.
thereof, and-the-two-running at opposite angles to the axis of the ring and ending
or meeting at the middle of the-width-thereof to form two taper screws, as shewn
in Figure 7, which represents an-axial-section of one side of the joint. The object
of this form of the screw-thread in the ring is that threads which are cut in the
inner surfaces of the cylinders or sections-to-be-united, and which have to be cut at
angles corresponding with the threads on the ring may become shallow or run out
at the extreme edge of the threaded ring when the latter is inserted in place,
thereby not impairing the strength of the cylinders or sections at any point except
at and near the ends where they are re-inforced by the external band b². The
band b', shown in Figures 6 and 7, is supposed to be a seamless one; but Figure 8
shows a band made of two semicircular picces 611, 61, provided with lugs d, d, and
fitted with clamping bolts e, e, and nuts f, f. This band may be substituted for the
seamless or shrunk band b¹.
Another construction of joint consists in a banded butt-joint formed by abutting
together the ends of two cylindrical sections or portions to be united, and uniting
them by means of an internal ring and an external band, which respectively
underlap and overlap the adjacent parts of the two sections or portions, and are
soldered thereto. This joint, which is more especially intended for house-boilers, is
illustrated in Figure 9, which is a central vertical section of a house-boiler made of
two cylindrical sections F, F, each having the head made in the same piece with it
and without seam; g is the internal ring, and h is the external band.
Another of the improved joints is illustrated in Figure 10, which is a vertical
section of a house-boiler. This joint is an externally banded one, but the internal
ring is dispensed with. A lap is formed between the contiguous ends of the
cylinders or sections F1, F2, to be united by forming the end of one of them
sufficiently smaller than the corresponding end of the other one to be capable of
extending thereinto, as shown at i, i, and with an external shoulder j against which,
when the one is inserted into the other, the end of the external one may abut, as
shown, so that the adjacent portions of the exterior surfaces of the two cylinders
or sections may present a continuous or nearly continuous flush surface for the
reception of the external band h¹ which is placed upon them, so as to lap equally
on opposite sides of the line where the end of one abuts against the shoulder j of
the other. The cylinders or sections and the band, when put together as shown,
are united by soldering.
The various constructions of joints herein shown and described as parts of this
Invention are applicable to boilers or vessels of iron, steel, brass, copper, or other
metal.
"Having thus fully described-the-said-Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it under-
stood that I claim,-
First. A boiler having cold-wrought or cold-drawn seamless iron or steel cylindri-
cally flanged heads, substantially as and for the purpose described.
Second. A boiler having cold-wrought or cold-drawn seamless iron or steel
cylindrical middle sections, substantially as and for the purpose described.
Third. A boiler composed of cold-wrought or cold-drawn iron or steel cylindrical
middle sections and cold-wrought seamless iron or steel cylindrically flanged heads
combined, substantially as and for the purposes specified.
Fourth. A boiler or other vessel composed of cold-drawn seamless cylindrical
sections and flanged beads of iron or steel coated with a softer and less oxidizable
metal before or between the successive drawings, substantially as and for the
purpose described.
Fifth: The construction of boilers and other vessels with a spiral internal brace

page_text: of corrugated or other transverse section, substantially as and for the purposes
described.
Sixth. The construction of boilers and other vessels with screw joints made with
externally threaded internal rings and external bands, substantially as and for the
purpose described.
Seventh. The construction of boilers and other vessels with soldered banded
butt-joints having internal rings and external bands, substantially as described
with reference to Figure 9 of the Drawing, and for the purpose specified.
Eighth. The construction of boilers with externally banded, lapped, and
shouldered joints, substantially as described with reference to Figure 10 of the
Drawing, and for the purpose specified.
'In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twelfth day of January, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.
WM. ROBT. LAKE. (L.S.)