AN IMPROVED ARRANGE- MENT OF FURNACE AND BOILER FOR THE GENERATION OF STEAM
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Hopkinson, of Southport, in the County
of Lancaster, Engineer, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED ARRANGE-
MENT OF FURNACE AND BOILER FOR THE GENERATION OF STEAM."
Sealed the 6th September 1870, and dated the 9th March 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Hopkinson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 9th March 1870.
I, JOSEPH HOPKINSON, of Southport, in the County of Lancaster,
> Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN
IMPROVED ARRANGEMENT OF FURNACE AND BOILER FOR THE GENERATION OF STEAM,"
to be as follows :--
I make the boiler of a short length in proportion to its diameter and
place in it a number of tubes or flues, and to the boiler I connect by
upper and lower pipes a smaller vessel to which the feed pipe, safety
valve, and gauges are attached, and the upper part of this vessel forms
the steam chamber to which the steam pipes are connected. I place

page_text: the fire-bars and dead plate in a transverse direction with the boiler, the
dead plate being below an arch of fire-brick which carries the smaller
vessel, and at the back of the fire-bars there is a space in the brickwork
for the removal of clinkers when required. The water line is nearly at
the top of the boiler and midway in the smaller vessel, the steam from
the boiler passing through the upper pipes to the steam chamber. The
fuel is placed on the dead plate below the arch, and afterwards pushed
on to the fire-bars, and the heated air passes round the boiler to one end
and then through the tubes or flues to the other end to the flue or
chimney, and as the boiler is distinct from the steam chamber it can
have a large number of tubes or flues, which enable the water to imme-
diately absorb the heat and steam is generated with great economy of
fuel.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Joseph Hopkinson in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 9th September 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPH
HOPKINSON, of Southport, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of March, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-third
year of Her reign, did for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Joseph Hopkinson, Her special license that
I, the said Joseph Hopkinson, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Joseph Hopkinson, my executors, adminis-
trators, 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 Ireland, the Channel Islands,
and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED ARRANGEMENT OF
FURNACE AND BOILER FOR THE GENERATION OF STEAM," upon the condition,
amongst others, that I, the said Joseph Hopkinson, by an instrument
in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great

page_text: Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Joseph Hopkinson, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement thereof, reference being had to the
Figures on the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, and to the letters of
reference marked thereon (that is to say) :-
I make the boiler of a short length in proportion to its diameter
and place in it a number of tubes or flues in proportion to its diameter,
and connect to the boiler by upper and lower pipes a smaller vessel, the
upper part of which forms a steam chamber in connection with the steam
room of the boiler. I place the fire-bars and dead plate in a transverse
direction with the boiler, the dead plate being below an arch of fire-brick
on which the smaller vessel is carried, and at the back of the fire-bars
there is a space and door in the brickwork for the reception and removal
of clinkers. The water line is nearly at the top of the boiler and midway
in the smaller vessel, the steam from the boiler and vessel passing
through pipes to the steam engine or other required place.
On the accompanying Sheet of Drawings Figs. 1 and 2 are transverse
and longitudinal sections of my improved furnace and boiler, for the
generation of steam.
a represents the furnace; 6, the boiler; c, the tubes or flues; d, the
smaller vessel; e, the grate bars; f, the 'dead plate; g, the fire-brick
arch; h, the space for the clinkers; i, the door for their removal; and k,
a man-hole at one end of the boiler to admit a person for cleansing and
repairing. The boiler 6 and vessel d are connected together by a pipe 7,
so that water entering either shall find its level in both, and the feed
pipe, safety valves, and gauges are attached to either the boiler or vessel,
but both have a man-hole at the top. The upper part of the vessel
forming the steam chamber communicates with the steam room at the
upper part of the boiler by the pipe m connected to the pipe n which
conducts the steam to any required place. When the fuel in the furnace
is ignited the heated gases pass round the bottom and along one side
of the boiler, as shewn by the arrows to one end, and then through all
the flues or tubes c to the other end to the main flue o and chimney, or
they may pass through a portion of the tubes or flues c to one end, and
return through another portion to the other end to the main flue and

page_text: chimney. The coals are placed on the fire-bars and dead plate, the fresh
coal being at the front so as to close the passage, the hot brick arch
coking the coal below it, and when the coal is sufficiently coked it is
pushed further down the inclined fire-bars and its complete combustion
effected without any smoke, and it is evident that by employing this
coking operation inferior or small coal can be effectively used. The
heated gases passing along the sides of the boiler and through the tubes
keep the boiler at a more even temperature than usual, thereby
preventing to a great extent unequal expansion and contraction and its
consequent wear and tear, and as the heated gases impinge against the
bottom and side of the boiler the circulation of the water is so well
maintained and the sediment kept in motion that the boiler plates are
prevented from being overheated. This improved arrangement of
furnace and boiler requires but small space for the power it will give
out, will save fuel, prevent smoke, generate steam quickly, combine
strength with economy, and be so portable that it can be readily conveyed
from place to place. The smaller vessel may also be placed at the back
or front of the boiler or both, or one may be placed at each side, and the
diameters and lengths of the boiler may be varied to suit the require-
ments.
Having now described the nature and particulars of my said Invention,
and the manner in which the same is to be performed, I desire it to be
understood that I claim, the improved arrangement of furnace and boiler
for the generation of steam as herein described and illustrated in the
accompanying Sheet of Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Hopkinson, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Sixth day of September, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.