IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF STEAM BOILERS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Horrocks, of Ainsworth, near Bolton, in the County
of Lancaster, for the Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
STEAM BOILERS."
Scaled the 30th May 1876, and dated the 22nd March 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Horrocks at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd March 1876.
JOHN HORROCKS, of Ainsworth, near Bolton, in the County of Lancaster.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF STEAM BOILERS."
This Invention consists principally of a number of cylinders placed side by side
in connection with a furnace and flue, and so mounted as to be capable of revolving.
The cylinders are kept half full of water, which is admitted through a hollow axis,
the upper part of the cylinders and of the hollow axis forming the steam space. The
cylinders are kept continually revolving by means of toothed gearing or other-
wise, and are constantly scraped both internally and externally by means of fixed
scrapers, or if the cylinders are set sufficiently near to each other they may be caused
to scrape each other externally in revolving as their adjacent sides will move in
opposite directions. A number of these cylinders being placed side by side can be
revolved by means of one longitudinal shaft, each cylinder being driven therefrom
by means of a pair of bevil wheels.
The hollow axis of each cylinder at the other end passes through a stuffing box
into a longitudinal tube or chamber which feeds all the cylinders and connects
them altogether; the steam is drawn from the upper part of this tube or chamber.
As these cylinders revolve it will be found that by constantly presenting a freshly
scraped surface to the heat and flames they will absorb all the heat evolved from
the fuel, and thus a great economy in the amount of fuel required will be effected
and the constant agitation of the water will assist the rapid formation of steam.
In some cases I propose to make the cylinders fixtures, and to cause the internal
and external scrapers to revolve so as to keep both the interior and exterior of the
cylinders perfectly clean, and to keep the water in constant agitation.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said John Horrocks in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 21st September
1876.
55
JOIN HORROCKS, of Ainsworth, near Bolton, in the County of Lancaster.
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF STEAM BOILERS."
Fig. 1 in the annexed Drawings is an elevation (shown partly in section);
Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section; and Fig. 3, a horizontal section of an
improved steam boiler made according to my Invention.
The Invention consists principally of a number of cylinders a, a, placed side by
side in connection with a furnace b, b, and fluc c, c, and so mounted as to be capable
of revolving. The cylinders a, a, are kept half full of water, which is admitted
through a hollow axis d, d, the upper part of the cylinders a, a, and of the hollow
axis d, d, forming the steam space. The cylinders a, a, are kept continually
revolving by means of toothed gearing e, c, or otherwise, and are constantly scraped
both internally and externally by means of fixed scrapers (not shown in the
Drawing); or if the cylinders a, a, are set sufficiently near to each other they may
be caused to scrape cach other externally in revolving as their adjacent sides move
in opposite directions, in which case the toothed wheels e, c, must not be geared
directly together, as shown on the Drawing, but must be connected by carrier or
intermediate wheels. A number of these cylinders being placed side by side can be
revolved by means of one longitudinal shaft, each cylinder being driven therefrom
by means of a pair of bevil wheels.
The hollow axis d, d, of cach cylinder at the other end passes through a stufling
box f, f, into a longitudinal tube or chamber g, g, which connects all the cylinders
together; the steam is drawn from the upper part of this tube or chamber g, g.
As these cylinders a, a, revolve it will be found that by constantly presenting a
freshly scraped surface to the heat and flames they will absorb all the heat evolved
from the fuel, and thus a great economy in the amount of fuel required will be
effected, and the constant agitation of the water will assist the rapid formation of
steam.
In some cases I propose to make the cylinders a, a, fixtures, and to cause the
internal and external scrapers to revolve so as to keep both the interior and the
exterior of the cylinders perfectly clean and to keep the water in constant agitation.
7, h, is the feed pipe for supplying all the cylinders with water; the boiler must
of course be provided also with the usual safety appliances, such as safety valves,
steam and water gauges, and so forth.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention, together with
the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or carried into
practical effect, I wish it to be understood that I claim as my Invention,―
Firstly. The construction of steam boilers formed of a number of revolving
cylinders, the water being introduced and the steam taken off through hollow axes.
Secondly. The adaptation to such revolving cylinders of stationary internal &
external scrapers.
Thirdly. The construction of steam boilers of a number of fixed cylinders pro-
vided with revolving internal and external scrapers, all being constructed and
arranged substantially as hercin-before described and illustrated by the Drawings
annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Horrocks, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Nineteenth day of September, in the year of our Lord One
thanann sight hundvad and coventy six
JOHN HORROCKS. (L.S.)