Improvements in or relating to Sectional or Water-tube Steam Boilers.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Sept., 1897-Accepted, 30th Oct.,
1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Sectional or Water-tube Steam
Boilers.
I, JOHN FRANKLIN ALLEN of No. 635 Walton Avenue City of New York,
United States of America. Manufacturer 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:
This invention relates to sectional safety boilers and has for its objects to
provide a boiler which will deliver superheated steam at a temperature far above
that at which the products of combustion leave the boiler to enter the chimney,
and in which a reversal of the circulation of water or the driving of water out of
the water tubes or the checking of the feed to the water tubes is prevented, and
in which a minimum number of joints is used and a simple construction attained
and the parts are readily accessible for cleaning. Other objects of my invention
will appear from the particular description hereafter given of a boiler embodying
my invention. One feature of my invention is the employment of horizontal or
substantially horizontal and longitudinally arranged lower headers which will
receive the dirt and scale from the tubes and from which the dirt and scale may
be removed through suitable hand holes provided at the ends of the headers.
Another feature is the employment of tubes extending upward and forward from
these horizontal lower headers at an easy angle whereby a flexible scaling bar
may be caused to enter any tube from a hand hole in the rear of the header for
the purpose of cleaning the tube. Another feature of my invention is the employ-
ment of horizontal or substantially horizontal upper headers in connection with
inclined tubes and with a water chamber arranged below the tops of the tubes
and with flues for defecting the heated gases toward the lower ends of the tubes,
whereby the upper portions of the tubes and the upper headers are used as super-
heaters the products of combustion being so conducted that the moderately heated
gases come in contact with this superheating portion of the boiler. Another
feature of my invention is a parallel arrangement of upper and lower headers
and the employment of right angle connections whereby the tubes and con-
nections are all the same length a desideratum in manufacturing the boilers, and
individual tubes may be taken out and renewed without breaking the connec
of other tubes. Another feature of my invention is the employment of means
for checking a reverse circulation, located between the steam collecting chamber
and the feed water inlet, whereby the feed water is compelled to enter the lower
ends of the tubes and circulate upwards therethrough while at the same time any
water which reaches the steam collecting chamber is permitted to return to the
lower ends of the tubes in the direction of circulation. One of the greatest
dangers in safety boilers as heretofore constructed is that when overdriven, as
they frequently are in marine boilers, a geyser like action takes place which
drives the water with the steam into the steam chamber, or the generation of
steam is sufficiently rapid to drive the water out of the tubes at both ends, leaving
nothing but steam in the tubes, and to prevent the entrance of the feed water
into the tubes, reversing the circulation. Many accidents have resulted from
1

page_text: these causes. Should my improved boiler be fired so hard that water is driven
out of the upper ends of the tubes, the water can flow back into the tubes through
the return pipe. The inflowing feed water is compelled to flow always in the
direction of circulation, and under all circumstances the supply of feed water
can be so regulated as to maintain the proper amount of water in the tubes, and
under no circumstances can the steam generated in the tubes force the water
backward out of the tubes or check the feed or reverse the circulation.
But to describe my invention more particularly I will now refer to the accom-
panying drawings illustrating a boiler embodying my invention.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of such a boiler with the casing in section.
Figure 2 is a plan view of the same also with the casing in section.
Figure 3 is an enlarged plan detailed view of one of the horizontal headers.
Figure 4 is a vertical section of the boiler on the line 4-4 Figure 1 looking
toward the rear.
Figure 5 is a rear end elevation of the boiler, with the upper part of the casing
in section.
Figure 6 is a side elevation, with the casing in section, of the front and top
portions of a modified construction of boiler.
Figure 7 is a vertical section of the same on the line 7-7, Figure 6, looking
toward the front.
Figure 8 is a plan view of the same, with the casing in section.
The boilers shown in the drawings are of a construction that I propose to
frequently employ in stationary boilers, having brick side and end walls, a, a,
provided with suitable openings therein, a bridge wall a³, furnace grate bars a³,
a roof b of fire brick and tee-irons, and a flue cat the lower rear portion of the
boiler for the escape of the products of combustion. It is of course evident that
for marine boilers a metallic shell or casing would replace the mason work casing
shown in the drawings, and that the casing may be made up of any suitable
material and the details of construction may be as desired, so long as the general
arrangement shown is followed and the products of combustion are led downward
and led away from contact with the water holding portions of the boiler at the
lower portion thereof.
Referring to Figures 1 to 5 inclusive of the drawings, the water and steam
containing portions of the boiler comprise mainly the horizontal lower headers,d, d,
the inclined tubes f, f, the horizontal upper headers e, e, the steam drum g,
connected to the upper headers, and the two water drums h, h, arranged below
and connected to the steam drum g. The lower headers d, inclined tubes f, and
upper headers e, are in the direct draft and in direct contact with the products
of the combustion, but a partition a³, which is shown as of fire brick and resting
upon the upper layer of tubes f, deflects the heated gases downward and away
from the steam drum and water drums h, h.
The lower horizontal headers d, d, of which five are shown, are arranged side
by side, and are not directly connected one with another, but each lower header
is independently connected at its rear end as by the short nipple shown, to the
cross conduit or pipe i, shown as made up of couplings and nipples, the rear ends
of the horizontal headers being shown as projecting through the walls of the
casing, and the cross pipe i being outside of the casing. A vertical conduit or
pipe is joined at its lower end to the cross conduit i, and the feed pipe k for
supplying water to the boiler is connected to the top of the vertical pipe j, and
as will be seen the feed water entering at the inlet k will flow downward through
the vertical conduit ; and into the cross conduit i and from there will be distributed
to the several lower headers, d, flowing in separate streams into the lower headers
and flowing in a forward direction through each lower header.
The inclined tubes f are shown as arranged in six layers, each layer composed
of five separate tubes. The tubes of each layer are staggered or arranged alternately
with the tubes of the adjacent layers so that one tube is over the space between
two lower tubes, as clearly shown in Figure 4, and to this end the lugs d, d,

page_text: projecting upwardly from the lower headers and receiving the lower ends of the
tubes f, are staggered or arranged alternately on opposite sides of the lower
headers, as clearly shown in Figure 3.
By this arrangement an effective action of the heated gases is obtained as all
of the gases are compelled to circulate around the tubes.
The upper ends of the tubes fare secured in globes f¹, f, a separate globe fi
being provided for each tube, and each globe f', is separately connected to one of
the upper headers e, as by a short nipple extending at right angles to the tubes f,
and entering a lug el projecting downwardly from an upper header e. The number
of upper headers corresponds to that of the lower headers in the construction
shown in Figures 1 to 5 inclusive, and the lugs el on the upper headers are
staggered or arranged alternately in correspondence with the lower headers, so
that the tubes f are arranged in parallel directions. The right angled connections
as just described at the upper ends of the tubes f permit a variable expansion of the
tubes without undue strain to the parts of the boiler, and as a result of these
connections the work of assembling the parts of the boiler is simple and a tube
may be readily removed and replaced, as the unscrewing of a short nipple dis-
connects the upper part of any tube. By reason of the right angle connections
the unscrewing of a nipple and the consequent springing of the end of the tube
downward causes no substantial departure from alignment of the engaging parts,
the nipple being in a line tangential to the arc of this downward movement.
nipple should of course have the usual right and left threads. It will also be
observed that according to this construction the tubes f are all of equal length.
The upper headers e are independent and unconnected, but each upper header
is connected at its rear end, as by a short pipe or nipple e², to the steam drum
the steam drum being shown as of tee shape with the head of the tee at its
front end receiving the connections from the upper headers e.
The
The circulation of water from the horizontal lower headers d is upwardly into
the several tubes f, f, from their lower ends. Each tube acts as a separate boiler,
and the steam generated therein rises to the upper inclined surface
of the tube and passes upwardly through the connected globe fl and
short connection into the corresponding upper header e. Here the steam
from the several tubes connected to each upper header is commingled
and
passes through the connection e² into the steam drum 9. The
water level is maintained below the upper ends of the tubes, at about the line x, x.
As will be seen the fire is applied below the water level and the gases are drawn
downward and along the lower portions of the tubes. The upper ends of the tubes f,
the globes f, connections and horizontal upper headers e are therefore in contact
with moderately heated gases, and being above the water level act to superneat
the steam, and the steam is delivered into the steam drum g, in superheated
condition. The steam outlet is from some suitable part of the steam drum g, as
through the steam pipe y', having the usual safety valve g³ therein and extending
out from the top of the steam drum.
The condensed water, if any, or any water which may be carried over with the
steam, will be collected into the water drums h, h, of which two are shown, these
water drums being arranged below the steam drum g, g, and connected with the
steam drum, as by short nipples h¹, h', of which four are shown, and the water
level cones within these water drums, near the tops thereof as shown. From
thes water drums a connection is made to the vertical pipe ; this connection being
shown as formed by the cross pipe connected at its ends to the lower parts of
the two water drumis h, h, and medially connected by a pipe to the upper end
of the vertical pipe j. The cross pipe connects the two water drums, h, h,
together at a considerable distance below the water level, thus insuring the same
water level in both water drums. The pipes and constitute the return conduit
and means are provided therein for checking a reverse circulation, or preventing
the feed water from flowing directly into the water drums h, h, and steain drum y,
instead of flowing downward through the vertical conduit ; and entering the

page_text: lower ends of the tubes f, the means shown for such purpose being a balanced
check valve m, located in the pipe l, and arranged to close against the movement
of the water toward the water drums while it freely permits water to flow through
it away from the water drums (see Figure 9). Thus in the event of any increase
of water in the water drums such as would raise the water level therein above
that of the tubes f, the check valve m will open and permit water to flow out
of the water drums and into the tubes until a uniform water level is attained,
and in the event of the boiler being so over driven that the water would be
carried with the steam into the steam drum, this water would drain into the
water drums and by raising the water level in the water drums above that in
the tubes would cause water from the water drums to flow through the
pipes, and j into the lower ends of the tubes f in the direction of the feed
and would thus act to reinforce the feed. If the boiler should be so over driven
as to develope pressures within the tubes such as would destroy the equilibrium
of the water levels and tend to force the water downward out of the tubes, the
check valve m would be immediately closed against any tendency towards backflow
of the water, and the water could not escape backwardly from the tubes, nor
could the feed be checked or direction of feed be reversed. It will therefore be
evident that with my improved boiler, the tubes will be abundantly supplied with
water and it will be impossible to drive the water out of the tubes, and it will be
impossible to prevent the forcing of water into the tubes by the feeding means,
so long as the proper feed is maintained. Thus one of the greatest sources of danger
in boilers of this type as heretofore constructed is obviated, and an effective and
safe action at high pressure is attained.
In operating the boiler the water drums h, h, should be supplied with water up
to the desired water level, and thus these water drums h, h, act as a water
reservoir and provide a considerable reserve supply of water which would flow
freely into the tubes f in the event of diminution of the feed, or the lowering of
the water level in the tubes from any cause, as the check valve m offers no
obstruction to the flow of water from the water drums into the tubes.
The means shown for indicating the water level comprise the water gagen,
located outside of the casing and connected at its upper end to the top of the
steam drum and at its lower end by the pipe to the bottom of the right
hand water drum h. To provide means for connecting at will the water drums
and tubes, a pipe o connects the pipe or lower end of the water gage to the
vertical pipe, and a valve, such as the globe valve o¹, is located in this pipe,
capable of being operated by hand. When it is desired to test the water level
this valve o may be opened for a few minutes and will establish a communication
between the water drums and the lower ends of the tubes, permitting water to
flow backward from the tubes to the water drums. If it should happen that too
much water was being fed into the boiler the water level might be raised in the
tubes without causing a corresponding rise in the water drums as the check
valve m prevents back flow, and in this event the momentary opening of the
valve o would give an immediate indication of this difference in water levels by
the sudden rising of the water in the gage. The difference in the water levels
that would exist with a too abundant feed would be in the direction of the greater
safety, but would be undesirable and could be at once detected by the manipulation
of the globe valve o¹. If for any reason the water level in the tubes should be
above that in the water drums, the opening of the globe valve ol would restore the
equilibrium of levels, but in the ordinary working of the boiler the globe valve o'
would be closed and the only return communication from the drums to the tubes
would be through the check valve m.
The cleaning of the boiler may be readily effected through the hand holes d³,
one at the rear end of each lower header d. The dirt and scale, if any, will mainly
collect in the lower headers d, the inclined surfaces of the tubes f tending to
discharge all such matter downward into the headers, and the inflowing feed
tending to keep the cross conduit i clean. Nevertheless the interiors of the tubes

page_text: may be readily cleaned by a flexible scaling bar entered at the hand holes d³, as
the inclination of the tubes, shown as about thirty degrees, forms an easy angle
with the horizontal headers. The cross conduit may also be readily reached
through the hand holes &, for cleaning purposes, and a blow-off cock is shown
as provided at the left hand end of this cross conduit for use in cleaning the
boiler. Hand holes are also provided for cleaning each of the drums, the hand
hole g being located at the rear end of the steam drum y, and the hand holes h*
being located at the rear ends of the water drums h, h, and the rear ends of these
drums projecting out through the casing for convenience of access.
I prefer to construct the boiler so that the upper parts are supported indepen-
dently of the casing and to that end as shown three sets of channel (bars a³, a³,
are set into the foundation and extend vertically upward outside of the casing
and the opposite channel bars of each set are joined above the casing by two
reversed horizontal channel bars a spaced apart a slight distance. The upper
horizontal headers are supported by hangers a", having bolts which pass upward
between the front reversed horizontal channel bars a and having suitable nuts
bearing upon said bars, and the water drums h, h, are supported at their front
and rear ends by hangers a, a, also having bolts with nuts and engaging the
middle and rear sets of channel bars a³.
It is evident that various modifications may be made in the construction above
particularly described within the purview of my invention. Such a modification
is illustrated in Figures 6, 7, and 8, in which the upper horizontal headers are
formed by small conduits P, P, made up of ordinary pipes and couplings, each
conduit being connected to all of the tubes in a longitudinal line, or as shown
twice as many of these conduits being provided as of the upper headers shown
in the main views of the drawings, and each conduit being connected to three of
the tubes f. The connections of these conduits with the tubes f are substan-
tially the same as heretofore described, but the connections with the steam drum
are different, and in this modified construction the steam drum g is not of the tee
shape shown in the main views, but is a plain cylinder with rounded ends, and
it is not necessary to reinforce the steam drum at the points of connection, as
the conduits enter the steam drum at points sufficiently distant from each other
to prevent any substantial weakening of the steam drum, their entering points
being distributed over a considerable portion of the length of the steam drum,
as shown.
While I have described the boiler as adapted for the generation of steam
from water, and use the terms steam and water for greater convenience in the
claims, it is of course evident that the boiler may be used for the vaporization
of other fluids than water.
It is evident that some of the features of my invention may be embodied in
structures not embodying other features thereof, or may be otherwise combined
or used together or separately than as above particularly described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1
1. A boiler having water tubes, a feed inlet leading to the lower portions of
the water tubes; a steam outlet, a return conduit between the steam outlet and
the water inlet, and means for checking a reverse circulation located in said
return conduit, substantially as set forth.
2. A boiler having water tubes, a feed inlet leading to the lower portions of.
the water tubes, a steam chamber and a steam outlet, a return conduit between
the steam chamber and water inlet, and a check valve located in said return.
conduit for preventing a reverse circulation through said return conduit, sub-
stantially as set forth.
3. A boiler having inclined water tubes and longitudinally arranged substan-

page_text: tally horizontal lower headers receiving the lower ends of said water tubes,
substantially as set forth.
4. A boiler having inclined water tubes, longitudinally arranged substantially
horizontal lower headers receiving the lower ends of such water tubes and sub-
stantially horizontal upper headers connected to the upper ends of said water tubes,
substantially as set forth.
5. A boiler having inclined water tubes, lower headers receiving the lower ends
of such water tubes, substantially horizontal upper headers, and connections sub-
stantially at right angles to said tubes joining the tubes to the upper headers,
substantially as set forth.
6. A boiler having lower headers, inclined water tubes extending upward from
said lower headers, substantially horizontal upper headers for said tubes, flues for
directing the heated gases downward toward the lower ends of said tubes, a water
reservoir located below the upper ends of the tubes, a connection from the upper
headers to the water reservoir having a steam outlet therein, and a connection
from said water reservoir to the lower headers, substantially as set forth.
7. A boiler having lower headers, water tubes extending upward from said
lower headers, upper headers for said tubes, flues for directing the heated gases
downward toward the lower ends of the tubes a water reservoir below the upper
ends of said tubes, and a connection from said water reservoir to the lower headers
having a check valve therein said check valve being arranged to close against the
flow of water toward said reservoir, and a water inlet connected to the lower
headers in advance of said check valve, substantially as set forth.
8. A boiler having lower headers, water tubes extending upward from said
lower headers, upper headers for said tubes, flues for directing the heated gases
downward toward the lower ends of said tubes, a steam chamber connected to
said upper headers, a water reservoir below the upper ends of the tubes and con-
nected to said chamber, and a connection from said water reservoir to the lower
headers having a check valve therein, said check valve being arranged to close
against the flow of water toward said reservoir, and a water inlet connected to
the lower headers in advance of said check valve, substantially as set forth.
9. A boiler having lower headers arranged in a substantially horizontal plane,
inclined water tubes extending upward from the lower headers, upper headers
for said tubes, said upper headers being also arranged in a substantially
horizontal plane, a steam chamber connected to said uppet headers, a water
reservoir connected to said steam chamber, and a connection from said water
reservoir to the lower headers, substantially as set forth.
10. A boiler having substantially horizontal lower headers, inclined water tubes
extending upward from said lower headers, upper headers for said tubes, a steam
chamber connected to said upper headers, a water reservoir below the upper ends
of the tubes and connected to said steam chamber, and a connection from said
water reservoir to the lower headers having a check valve therein, said check
valve being arranged to close against the flow of water towards said reservoir,
and a water inlet connected to the lower headers in advance of said check valve,
substantially as set forth.
11. A boiler having longitudinally arranged substantially horizontal lower
headers, a feed inlet and connections from said feed inlet to the rear ends of the
lower headers, water tubes extending upward from said lower headers, and con-
nections from the upper ends of said water tubes to the feed inlet, substantially
as set forth.
12. A boiler having longitudinally) arranged substantially horizontal lower
headers, a feed inlet and connections from said feed inlet to the rear ends of the
lower headers, inclined water tubes extending upwardly frem said lower headers,
longitudinally arranged substantially horizontal upper headers connected to the
upper ends of said tubes, a steam chamber connected to the rear ends of said
upper headers, a water reservoir below the upper ends of said tubes and connected

page_text: to the steam chamber, and a connection from said water reservoir to the feed inlet,
substantially as set forth.
13. A boiler having inclined water tubes, upper headers arranged in a sub-
stantially horizontal plane for the upper ends of said tubes, a steam chamber
connected to the upper headers, a water reservoir below the upper ends of the
tubes and counected to the steam chamber, and connections from said water
reservoir to the lower ends of the tubes, substantially as set forth.
14. A boiler having longitudinally arranged substantially horizontal lower
headers, a feed inlet and connections from said feed inlet to the rear ends of the
lower headers, inclined water tubes extending upwardly from said lower headers,
longitudinally arranged substantially horizontal upper headers, connections sub-
stantially at right angles to said tubes joining the tubes to the upper headers,
a, steam chamber connected to the rear ends of said upper headers, a water
reservoir, below the upper ends of said tubes and connected to the steam chamber,
a connection from said water reservoir to the feed inlet, and flues for directing
the heated gases downwardly toward the lower end of the tubes, substantially
as set forth.
15. A boiler having longitudinally arranged substantially horizontal lower
headers, a feed inlet and connections from the feed inlet to the rear ends of the
lower headers, inclined water tubes extending upwardly from said lower headers,
longitudinally arranged substantially horizontal upper headers, connections.
substantially at right angles to said tubes joining the tubes to the upper headers,
a steam, chamber connected to the rear ends of said upper headers, a water
reservoir connected to the steam chamber, and a connection from said,water
reservoir to the feed inlet, substantially as set forth.
16. A boiler having lower headers arranged in a substantially horizontal plane,
with inclined lugs alternately arranged, inclined tubes extending upwardly from
the inclined lugs, and upper headers connected to the inclined tubes, substantially
as set forth.
17. A boiler having lower headers d, with lugs & alternately arranged, the
inclined tubes f extending upwardly from said lugs d, the globes f at the
upper ends of said tubes, the upper headers c having lugs el alternately arranged,
connections arranged substantially at right angles to the tubes from the globes
to the lugs el, and the steam drum g, connected to the upper headers, substantially
as set forth.
18. A boiler having headers d, a cross conduit connected to the
rear ends of said lower headers and a conduit leading to said cross
conduit and having the feed inlet, the inclined tubes f, said lower
headers having lugs alternately arranged receiving the lower ends
of said tubes, the globes f¹ at the upper ends of said tubes, the upper headers e
having lugs el alternately arranged, connections arranged substantially at right
angles to the tubes from the globes to the lugs e¹, the steam drum g connected to
the upper headers, the water drums h, h, connected to the steam (rum, and the
conduit 7, 1, having a check valve therein, and joined to the conduit leading to
the cross conduit and lower headers, said check valve being arranged to close
against the flow of water towards the water reservoir substantially as set forth.
Dated this 21st day of September 1897.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.