IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM BOILERS."
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Arthur Biddell and William Balk, both of
Ipswich, Suffolk, Engineers, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
STEAM BOILERS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Arthur Biddell
and William Balk at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 24th March 1858.
We, GEORGE ARTHUR BIDDELL and WILLIAM BALK, both of Ipswich, Suffolk,
Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN STEAM BOILERS," to be as follows:-
These improvements relate to the construction of steam boilers in which
internal fire boxes and tubes leading directly to external flues or to the
chimney form essential elements of their construction; the object of these
improvements being to facilitate the thorough internal examination and
cleaning, and. at the same time afford ready means of access in case of repairs,
and by these means ensuring greater safety and economy of working steam
boilers.
These improvements consist in so forming the connections of the fire box
and back tube plate with the shell of a boiler that they can readily be con-
nected or disconnected by reason of the fastenings, consisting of bolts,.screws,
or cotters instead of rivets, as heretofore, the construction being such that the

page_text: fire box or tubes being connected together, can be entirely removed from the
shell when desired, and readily replaced without the usual inconvenience and
expense of unrivetting and new rivetting again.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Arthur Biddell and William Balk in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 22nd September 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, GEORGE
ARTHUR BIDDELL and WILLIAM BALK, both of Ipswich, Suffolk, Engineers,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-first year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
us, the said George Arthur Biddell and William Balk, Her special licence
that we, the said George Arthur Biddell and William Balk, our executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said George Arthur
Biddell and William Balk, our executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN
STEAM BOILERS," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said George
Arthur Biddell and William Balk, our executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under our or their hands and seals, or under the
hand and seal of one of us or them, 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 Seal
Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said George Arthur Biddell and William
Balk, do hereby declare the nature of the 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, that is to say :-
These improvements relate to the construction of steam boilers in which
internal fire boxes and tubes leading directly to external flues or to the
chimney form essential elements of their construction; the object of these

page_text: improvements being to facilitate the thorough internal examination and
cleaning, and at the same time afford ready means of access in case of repairs,
and by these means ensuring greater safety and economy of working steam
boilers.
These improvements consist in so forming the connections of the fire box
and back tube plate with the shell of the boiler that they can readily be
connected or disconnected by reason of the fastenings, consisting of bolts,
screws, or cotters, instead of rivets, as heretofore, the construction being such
that the fire box and tubes being connected together can be entirely removed
from the shell when desired, and readily replaced without the usual incon-
venience and expense of unrivetting and new rivetting again, with other
contingent expenses attending such removals, with boilers as at present
constructed.
Having thus stated the nature of our Invention, we will proceed to describe
the manner of performing the same.
The accompanying Drawing represents the peculiarities of this Invention as
applied to a stationary boiler, but it will be readily understood that the im-
provements are applicable to locomotive and portable engine boilers as well as
to boilers for marine or other purposes.
Figure 1 represents the front elevation of the boiler, showing the bolts and
nuts for fastening the front end plate to the shell; Figure 2 represents a
cross section through A, B, of Figure 3; Figure 3 is a longitudinal section
of the boiler. The angle iron which is rivetted to the front end of the shell
is truly faced, so as to form a good steam-tight joint with the front plate by
means of a little red lead, putty, or other suitable material, and the bolts and
nuts a, a, a. The internal ring b which is rivetted to the back end of the boiler
shell is truly faced on that part which forms the joint with the back tube
plate. It will be seen that upon the inside face of the back tube plate there
is a ring c rivetted with countersunk rivets which admit of the facing of that
portion of the back tube plate which forms the joint with the ring b, which is
made and kept steam-tight by means of the screws d and putty or other
suitable material as for front plate. The object of the ring c is to give
greater depth of thread for the screws & and at the same time to protect the
ends of these screws (which are not allowed to come quite through) from
becoming corroded or incrusted so as to be readily unscrewed.
It is desirable that the two tube plates and the fire box with the tubes
form as compact and firm an arrangement of parts as possible, and with this
view several or all of the tubes may be screwed into each tube plate, or stays,

page_text: or other firm connections between the back tube plate and fire box as well as
front plate may be substituted or added.
The bars e, e, Figures 2 and 3, are intended as supports to the back tube
plate when putting in or taking out the fire box tubes, &c.
We do not confine ourselves to any of the details of construction shown and
described; but what we claim is the method, herein described and shown, of
connecting the inside portions of steam boilers with the external shell.
In witness whereof, we, the said George Arthur Biddell and William
Balk, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this First day of
September, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
fifty-eight:
Witness,
THOMAS MARSHALL,
Ipswich.
GEORGE ARTHUR BIDDELL. (L.S.)
WILLIAM BALK.
(L.S.)