IMPROVEMENTS IN HOT WATER BOILERS, AND IN APPARATUS FOR STOPPING LEAKAGES AND MAKING JOINTS IN THE PIPES OF HOT WATER APPARATUS, APPLICABLE ALSO TO PIPES USED FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Turner Mercer, of Blackburn, in the County of
Lancaster, Engincer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN HOT WATER
BOILERS, AND IN APPARATUS FOR STOPPING LEAKAGES AND MAKING JOINTS
IN THE PIPES OF HOT WATER APPARATUS, APPLICABLE ALSO TO PIPES USED
FOR OTHER PURPOSES."
Sealed the 10th July 1877, and dated the 2nd February 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Turner Mercer at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 2nd February 1877.
THOMAS TURNER MERCER, of Blackburn, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN HOT WATER BOILERS, AND IN APPARATUS FOR STOPPING
LEAKAGES AND MAKING JOINTS IN THE PIPES OF HOT WATER APPARATUS,
APPLICABLE ALSO TO PIPES USED FOR OTHER PURPOSES."
This Invention relates to improvements in a construction of hot water boiler
made with one or more horizontal flues running through the water space of the
boiler and communicating together by short vertical flues.
Difficulty has hitherto been experienced in making this construction of boiler
both in cast and wrought iron, owing to the difficulty of forming the flues, especially,
when a series of them are required as in large boilers. Now this Invention consists
in casting or forming this construction of boiler in segments and connecting them
together by iron bolts, as herein-after described. I form the first segment, or the
one which contains the fire-grate and fuel with a waterway bridge end, a short flue
rising through the water space over the bridge before mentioned. The second
segment is cast with a horizontal recess or trough of such a form that when laid on
the top of the first segment it forms a horizontal fluo for passage of the flame and
products of combustion; another short vertical flue rises through the water space
but at the opposite end to the first-mentioned vertical flue. The third segment
(when one is used) is formed in a similar manner to the second, and so on to the
fourth or any further number, care being taken in putting them together to trans-
pose the vertical flues so as to cause the products of combustion to pursue a winding
course through the whole boiler.
The segments are formed with a waterway through each corner and in such a
manner that when the required number of segments are put together as described
they may be secured in position by means of bolts. In this way a boiler of any

page_text: number of segments may be built up, according to the amount of heating surface
required. This construction also affords great convenience for enlarging the boiler
at any time, and its sectional construction also enables it to be fixed readily in place
difficult of access.
Suitable soot flues are formed in the sections and provision made for the usual
flow and return pipes.
This Invention also relates to a novel construction of sliding collar for use in
connection with hot water circulating pipes and other descriptions of pipes, and
consist in forming such collar in two pieces with a groove running through one
half and corresponding projection on the other half, in such a way that they can
be put round the pipe and cause to slide one into the other by means of the groove
and projection before mentioned.
This construction of collar is of great service in making joints, or in making
connections to existing pipes, and also for repairing leakages or defects in new or
existing pipes.
One method of making a water-tight joint with the above-mentioned collar
(although the ordinary method may be. employed) and of making other socket joints
capable of withstanding the action of hot and cold water, consists in first caulking
a piece of rope into one end of the recess or socket and then filling it up or nearly
so with ordinary Portland or other similar cement, and finally caulking a piece of
rope into the mouth of the socket. In this way the joint is not so liable.to leak
and can be made in much less time than when iron borings are used.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Thomas Turner Mercer in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 2nd
August 1877.
THOMAS TURNER MERCER, of Blackburn, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN HOT WATER BOILERS, AND IN APPARATUS FOR STOPPING
LEAKAGES AND MAKING JOINTS IN THE PIPES OF HOT WATER APPARATUS, AP-
PLICABLE ALSO TO PIPES USED FOR OTHER PURPOSES."
This Invention relates to improvements in a construction of hot water boiler
made with one or more horizontal flues running through the water space of the
"boiler and and cominunicating together by short vertical flues.
Difficulty has hitherto been experienced in making this construction of boiler
both in cast and wrought iron owing to the difficulty of forming the flues, especially
when a series of them are required as in large boilers. Now this Invention consists
in casting or forming this construction of boiler in segments and connecting them
together by iron bolts as herein-after described, and illustrated on the accompanying
Drawing, Fig. 1 representing a cross sectional view; Fig. 2, a longitudinal or side
section;
and Fig. 3, a sectional plan of such a boiler drawn to a scale of about one
inch to the foot and constructed in three sections or parts, Fig. 1 being taken as a
section across the line a-b on Fig. 2; Fig. 2, across the line c-d on Fig. 1; and
Fig. 3, across the line e-fon Figs. 1 and 2. I form the first segment A or part
containing the fire-grate B with a waterway bridge end C and with a short flue D
rising through the water space E over the bridge before mentioned. The second
segnient or layer F is cast with an open bottomed horizontal recess or trough G of
such a form that when laid on the top of the first segment A such recess G forms a
horizontal flue for the passage of the flame and products of combustion which escape
therefrom through a short vertical flue H rising through the water space I apper-
taining to this section, but at the opposite end to the vertical flue D herein-before
mentioned. The third segment J may be formed in a similar manner to the second,
and so on with the fourth or any further number, care being taken in putting them
together to transpose the vertical flues so as to cause the products of combustion to

page_text: pursue a winding course through the whole boiler, as illustrated by the arrows,
before escaping into the flue H. The water spaces in all these sections either com-
municate together through passages formed at the corners or, which I prefer, through
three sockets or waterways K, as seen in Fig. 1 and more clearly in Fig. 3, as by
this means I am enabled to promote the circulation of the water through the
entire boiler by alternating the position of such sockets or communicating passages
in each section. In this way a boiler of any number of segments may be built
up, according to the amount of heating surface required, and when so built up
secured together by bolts L, as seen in Fig. 3. This construction also affords great
convenience for enlarging the boiler at any time by removing the topmost section
and introducing one or two or more additional sections, and its sectional character
also enables it to be fixed readily in places difficult of access.
Suitable soot flues M are formed in the sections and provision made for the usual
flow pipe N and return pipes O.
Although the boiler is illustrated in the Drawing as surrounded by brickwork P
I wish it to be understood that this boiler is self contained and does not require
brickwork or other non-conducting material on the outside, except when it is deemed
desirable to prevent the loss of heat by radiation.
It will be readily apparent that a self-feeding hopper may be cast or formed
through the sections of this boiler, care being taken however to leave a space for
water all round such hopper, and further, that the same principle of sectional con-
struction may be used either in cast iron, wrought iron, or copper, and for back
boilers and all other boilers with horizontal flues used for heating water.
This Invention also relates to a novel construction of sliding collar or socket for
use in connection with hot water circulating pipes and other descriptions of pipes,
and consists in casting or forming such collar (as seen in Figs. 4 and 5, illustrating
a side view and end view respectively) in two separate pieces or halves a and b,
with a groove c running through one half and a corresponding projection d on the
other half. These two pieces are thus capable of being put round the pipe and
caused to slide one into the other as illustrated.
This construction of collar is of great service in making joints or in making con
nections to existing pipes, for which purpose one of the halves would be provided
with an elbow branch or socket, and also for repairing leakages or defects in new or
existing pipes.
One method of making a water-tight joint with this collar or socket (although
the ordinary method with iron borings, &c., may be employed) consists in first
caulking a piece of rope into one end of the recess or socket and then filling it up
or nearly so with ordinary Portland or other similar cement, and finally caulking a
picce of rope into the mouth of the socket.
Having thus particularly described and illustrated the nature of this my said
Invention together with the best methods with which I am acquainted for carrying
the same into practical effect, I wish it to be understood that I claim,―
1st. Constructing a hot water boiler in sections or layers and with a water way
bridge and alternating horizontal flues, leaving a water space at each extremity of
the boiler, substantially as and for the purposes described and illustrated.
2nd. The sliding collar as and for the purposes described and illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Turner Mercer, have hereunto set