CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM BOILERS OR GENERA- TORS, AND IN LOCOMOTIVE CARRIAGES
Year: 1843

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FRANK
HILLS, of Deptford, in the County of Kent, Manufacturing Chemist, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Thirtieth day of March; in the sixth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Frank Hills, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority,
that I, the said Frank Hills, my exors, adiñiors,' and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Frank Hills, my exors, adñiors, or assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times during
the term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-
Tweed, my Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM BOILERS OR GENERA-
TORS, AND IN LOCOMOTIVE CARRIAGES;" in which said Letters Patent is contained
a proviso that I, the said Frank Hills, shall cause a particular description of
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be inrolled in Her said Majesty's High Court of Chancery within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said in part
recited Letters Patent, as in and by the-same, reference being thereunto-had,
will.more fully and at large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I have
ascertained and set forth the nature of my said improvements, and the
manner in which the same are to be carried into effect, by the following
description thereof, and the Drawings hereunto-annexed:-
Figures 1 and 2, Sheet A, shew one of my improved boilers, Figure I being
a vertical section, and Figure 2 a plan of the top of the water case, with
the steam chest in section; the external..case. or.shell.of.the..water_compart-
ment is composed of frustrums of two slightly tapering cones a and b, joined
together at the smaller- diameters; c is an internal conical case of copper,
forming the sides.of the fire-box concentric. with.. and parallel to the lower
external cone a. The roof d of the fire box, and the roof e of the water
compartment, are each composed of an obtuse cone of copper parallel to each
other. Into these two cones d and c are fastened the fire or hot air tubes
ff which stand perpendicular to the surface of the cones; a space is thus
loft in the centre of the roof of the water compartment, which is clear of pipes,
and in the centre of this space an aperture is cut, over which is fastened a
conical vessel g, which forms the steam. chest. The upper and larger end of
the steam chest should not extend beyond the line of the inner row of fire
tubes; supposing they were prolonged. In lieu of forming the external casing
of two conical portions, it may be formed of a single conical or cylindrical
vessel, as shown by the dotted lines, the roof remaining conical, and parallel
to the roof of the fire box:
intys
i
Figures 3, 4, 5, and 6, Sheet B, exhibit an arrangement nearly resembling
the one just described, but having a rectangular fire box. Figure 3 is a
vertical and longitudinal section, and Figure 4 another vertical and transverse
section. Figure 5; a horizontal "section, shewing the roof of the fire box, and
Figure 6 a plan of the roof of the water chamber, with the steam chest in
section. a, a, are the sides of the fire box, and 6, 6, the roof, formed of two
inclined planes; c, c, is the lower portion of the water casing which surrounds
the fire box and conforms to the shape of it, having a sloping roof d parallel
to the sloping roof of the fire box. In the roof d is a large circular opening,
"to which is bolted the upper portion e, e; of the water casing, the sides of
which being perpendicular to the roof d, and the bottom" being circular to
correspond with the aperture in the roof d, the upper portion will take the
form of two semicircles joined by two straight lines, as seen in Figure 6.
The roof f, f, of the water casing is composed of two inclined planes, paralle
to the roof of the fire box, and into this roof of the water' compartment and
that of the fire box are inserted the ends of the fire or hot air tubes g, g
which stand perpendicular to the planes of the roofs. In the centre of the

page_text: reaff,f, is an aperture, to which is fitted the conical steam chest h, the largest.
diameter of which should not extend beyond the line which would be formed;
by the prolongation of the inner line of the fire tubes. In lieu of the ordinary,
fire bars; tubes i, i, may be employed by screwing them in two pieces into the
opposite sides of the fire box, and then unscrewing them to meet in a screwed
thimble or coupling joint k; 1, 1, are stays to strengthen the water compart-
ment at that part where the sides are flat; the external casing, instead of the
form described, may be carried up rectangular, as shown by the dotted lines,:
provided it be well stayed, but the roof must still be formed of two inclined
planes lying parallel to the roof of the fire box, or the roof of the fire box may.
be formed of a single inclined plane, sloping either towards the back or front
of the fireplace, the roof of the water chamber, being composed in like manner
of a single inclined plane parallel to the roof of the fire box, with the steam chest,
placed at any part, of the vacant space left by the slanting position of the.
fire tubes.. This arrangement is in part indicated by the red lines in Figure 3.
Figures 7 and 8, Sheet C, represent another arrangement,.nearly resembling
the one last described, the chief difference being in the construction of that part
of the water chamber through which the fire tubes pass. a is the sides of the
fire box; b, the roof of the same; c, the lower portion of the water chamber;
d, the roof of the same, to which, in lieu of one large vessel, as shewn in
Figures 3 and 4, a number of cylinders e, e, are bolted perpendicular to the
roof of the fire box, and into the covers f of these cylinders, and into the roof
of the fire box, are inserted the ends of the fire tubes g, g. The cylinders e, e,
are connected with the steam chest / by means of the pipes k. Figures
9, 10, 11, and .12, Sheet D, exhibit another arrangement, in which also the
fire tubes are inclosed in a, number of small cylinders. a is the sides of the
fire box, and 6 the roof of the same; c, the lower portion of the water casing,
and d the roof of the same; c, e; the cylinders bolted to the roof d, and
to the under side f. f, of the upper part of the water vessel f, g, the roof of
which (9) is parallel to the roof 6 of the fire box, and into the roofs of
the fire box and of the water vessel are inserted the ends of the fire tubes h.
The steam chamber k is rectangular, and formed by a continuation of the
sides m of the water vessel, and by an internal casing n, which is joined
below to the top of the water vessel, and above to the top. of the slides m.
This boiler is represented in the plans, Figures 11 and 12, of a rectangular
form, but any other Figure may be substituted. Figures 13 and 14,
Sheet E, represent another arrangement for a boiler, Figure 13 being a
vertical section and Figure 14 a horizontal section through the steam chest.

page_text: on the line z, z. a, a, is the external casing, forming the water chamber;
bis the fire box, rivetted below to the water casing a, and having a flat roof c;
d is a flat plate, forming the roof of the water chamber lying parallel to the
plate which forms the roof of the fire box, and into these two plates are fastened
the ends of the fire tubes e, e. The steam chamber fis an annular space, com-
prised between the upper part of the water casing a, and an internal casing g,
which at top is rivetted to the casing a, and below is rivetted to the roof d of
the water casing. The boiler is represented in the plan as being cylindrical,
but the same arrangement will serve for rectangular boilers, care being taken
to stay them sufficiently. In all of these several arrangements I prefer making
the external casing or water vessel of iron and the fire box of copper. The fire
tubes should be of copper, and may be fastened into the end plates, either by
conical rings driven into them, as is commonly done in railway boilers, or one
end may be screwed into the lower plate, and the upper end may be fastened
by a ring driven into it. When rings are employed, the holes through which
they pass should be slightly conical, to correspond to the form of the rings.
Upon examination of any of the improved constructions of boilers above
described, it will be-seen that-any tube can be readily taken out at any time.;
or, in case of a leak, any tube can be plugged at both ends without drawing
the fire.
Having thus described the nature of my improvements in steam boilers or
generators, I now proceed to state what I claim in reference thereto.
I claim, first, the forming the roof of the fire box and of the water chamber
of two cones of similar obliquity, having the fire tubes inserted therein per-
pendicular to the slant side of the cones, and with a steam chest placed in the
centre of the roof of the water chamber, as shewn in Sheet A.
Second, the forming rectangular boilers with the roof of the fire box, com-
posed of one or two inclined planes, and the roof of the water chamber of a
similar number of planes lying parallel to the former, and with the fire tubes
standing at right angles to such planes, and with a steam chest placed on the
roof of the water chamber in the space left vacant by the sloping position of the
fire tubes, as shewn in Sheet B.
Third, the construction of boiler shewn in the Figures in Sheet C, wherein
the water chamber is composed of a vessel enclosing the fire box, and sur-
mounted by several cylinders, through which the fire tubes pass; the cylinders
communicating by pipes with a steam chest, situated as most convenient.
Fourth, the construction of steam boiler, shewn in the Figures in Sheet D,
wherein the water chamber is composed of an upper and, a lower compartment,

page_text: connected by several cylinders, through which cylinders the fire tubes pass, and
the steam chamber is composed of an annular vessel raised upon the borders of
the upper portion of the water chamber.
Fifth, the construction of boiler shewn in the Figures in Sheet E, in which
the water chamber and steam chest form one continuous vessel, the steam chest
being annular; with the fire tubes opening into the space bounded by the
steam chest..
My improvements in locomotive carriages relate to the mode of driving the
propelling wheels to the apparatus for condensing the eduction steam, to the
steering apparatus, and to the mode of constructing the driving wheels of
locomotive carriages. These improvements are exhibited in the Drawings in
Sheet F. Figure 15 is a side elevation, shewing the general arrangement of
the parts. Figure 16, a plan with the body of the carriage removed, intended
principally to shew the steering apparatus, and, the mode of driving the hind
wheels; and Figure 17 is an end view, chiefly for the further explanation of
the steering apparatus. a, a, is the frame of the carriage; b, the propelling
wheels placed within the frame; c, the boiler (of any construction which may
be preferred), situated between the propelling wheels and behind their axle;
d, the steam engines, placed vertically outside the frame, and before the axles
of the propelling wheels, in order to counterbalance in some measure the
weight of the boiler. The motion of the piston is transmitted to the crank e
on the driving shaft f, by the bell crank 9 and the connecting rod h, and the
propelling wheels are driven by the following arrangement (see Figures 16
and 18, which latter shews a vertical section of the driving goar):-Midway on
the axis is keyed a cross head i, having at each end a loose bevilled wheel k, k,.
on the axle; on each side of the cross head is a loose tube m, m, extending
from the cross head to the bearings in the frame in which the axle works.
On the inner end of cach of these tubes is keyed a. bevilled wheel o, o, each
of which gears into the two bevilled wheels on the cross head, and on the
outer end of each of the loose tubes m, m, is keyed one of the propelling
wheels. By this means each hind wheel is free to move in any circle the
carriage may take without skidding, and the power of the engines is always
beneficially exerted upon both hind wheels. The steam from the cylinder
passes by the eduction pipe p into the condensing apparatus, which consists of
3. several series of small-and thin pipes q, q, placed in a zigzag direction, each
series being connected with the next by close vessels or boxes r, r, into which
the ends of the pipes are soldered. The uppermost of these boxes is connected
to the eduction pipe, and the lower one is connected to the feed pump. An

page_text: oiled cloth or thin sheet of metal is placed to guide the current of air
(produced by the motion of the carriage) over and between the condensing
tubes, by which means a considerable portion of the.eduction steam is condensed
and falls into the lower box r, the cold water from the-tank is also-admitted
-in-thin-streams through a rose into some of the lower rows of the condensing
tubes, whereby a further portion of steam is condensed.
:
The steering apparatus is arranged as follows:-The vertical spindle t turns
in a socket fixed to the fore part of the frame of the carriage, and carries on
its upper end a steering wheel u, and at its lower end a bevilled wheel v (indi-
cated by a red circle in Fig. 16), which..drives the pinion w, fixed upon
the horizontal spindle a, which also is supported in bearings fixed to the frame
of the carriage. Upon this spindle is fixed an endless screw or worm y',
which gears into a worm wheel y", which wheel is bolted to four cross arms
cast upon the lower turning plate. By this arrangement the front wheels
cannot be moved from their course but by the hand of the steersman.
Figures 19 and 20 represent my improved driving wheel for steam carriages;
Figure 19 being a front elevation, and Figure 20 a transverse section. The
spokes a, a, are formed of wrought iron, and have T-shaped-pieces-welded on
to the outer ends; the inner ends are cast into the nave of the wheel in two
rows. The spokes-are-ranged-in-pairs;-and-the-spokes-in-each-pair cross-each
other, the spoke which stands on the right side of the nave coming up on the
left side of the felloes, and vice versa, and the felloes are introduced between
them so as to join in the middle of the T's; the T's are then bolted or rivetted
together, and the wheel should be turned to receive the tire, which should be
put on in pieces called "streaks.
Under the head of improvements in locomotive carriages, I claim,-
First, the method of driving the propelling wheels by fixing them to tubes
or hollow: axles, which are placed loosely on the driving axle, and which
are carried round by means of two bevilled wheels placed loose on a pin or
cross head fixed to the driving axle, and at right angles to it, which two
bevilled wheels gear into two other bevilled wheels fixed on the hollow axles or
tubes, as is shewn in Figures 16 and 18. *.
Second, the form of the condensing apparatus, shewn in Figure 15, and
the placing the same between the driving wheels, and between the boiler and
the carriage; and also the employment of the water in the supply cistern or
tank to assist in the condensation of the eduction steam.
Third, the steering by means of a worm wheel and endless screw.
Lastly, the mode of constructing the driving wheel with T shaped spokes of

page_text: wrought iron, ranged in pairs, cast in an iron nave, and crossing each other as
above described, the T pieces in each pair of spokes being bolted together with
the felloes between them.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frank Hills, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty-three.