IMPROVEMENTS IN TUBULAR BOILERS AND HEATING TUBES
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Simon, of Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
TUBULAR BOILERS AND HEATING TUBES."-A communication from
abroad by Fredrich Ludwig August Büttner, Civil Engineer, of
Aachen.
Sealed the 13th May 1873, and dated the 4th February 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Simon at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
4th February 1873.
I, HENRY SIMON, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Civil
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN TUBULAR BOILERS AND HEATING TUBES," a communi-
cation to me from abroad by Fredrich Ludwig August Büttner, Civil
Engineer, of Aachen, to be as follows :—
These boilers belong to the class of tubular boilers in which the water
passes through the tubes.

page_text: There are two classes of such bollers, viz.,
1. Boilers in which tho circulation of water is not forced along a
certain way, but only induced by the heat; and in which circulation
is favored by some special arrangements, such as inner tubes or
diaphragms; to this class belong Field's, Alban's, & Howard's
boilers.
2. Such others in which the circulation of water is forced through all
the pipes (to this class belong Belleville's boiler and Root's safety
boiler). My construction belongs to this second class of boilers.
In these boilers each molecule of water is obliged to run a great :
distance in zig-zags all along the heating surface from the inlet to the
outlet of the boiler; whilst, in the boilers of the first class mentioned
above, the molecule can pass shortly and nearly straight through the
boiler. The boilers of the 1st class have therefore the defect to give
wet steam and to prime. On the other hand, all the known boilers:
belonging to the second class have the defect that each tube is
connected with the others both at the inlet and outlet; by which
arrangement the tubes cannot expand freely, and this necessitates
frequent repairs.
The principle of my construction is to fix the tubes in one side only,
to have them communicating on this side only, and to promote the
circulation of the water through each tube, cither by small interior
tubes or by inserting inside sheet-iron strips or diaphragms, and to
divide the communication chamber by partitions in such a way as to
oblige the water to pass through the whole series of tubes and along all
the zig-zags established in the boiler. The difference between Field's
tubes and my arrangement is clear, for the former cannot be used in a
horizontal position, and mine not in a vertical position.
The first point I will refer to is the tubular feed-water heater :-
:—By
the use of wrought-iron walls it is not possible to utilise the heat
contained in the fire gases over a certain degree, for as soon as they are
cooled down to this degree the wrought iron becomes deteriorated, there-
foro in order to obtain the greatest possible advantage out of the gases
the extremity of the boiler must be made of cast iron, and for security's
sake of cast-iron tubes.

page_text: otherwise lost heat of the fire gases is thus utilised.
The principles of my constructions are,—
3 The tubes are horizontal or very nearly horizontal.
Great facilities to reach the extremities of the tubes, so that they can
be cleaned of the soot outside, and by taking away the end cap to be
able to clean the tubes of deposits inside.
If the water is very soft the tubes communicate only on one side, in
which case there exists no forced circulation.
If the water is hard the tubes communicate at both ends and tho
circulation of water engendered washes the deposits into a pipe provided
at one end below the others, out of which they are very easily driven by
blowing off occasionally.
The general arrangements are for the purpose of utilising entirely the
fire gases without the use of a ventilator. For which purpose it is
necessary that (1) the gases reach progressively colder surfaces, viz., in
the first instance the boiler, afterwards a fced water heater under
pressure, then an air heater, and at last an open water heater; (2) that
there are as few obstacles as possible to the draught; the draught is
vertical and has only a short way to the chimney on account of the
greatly divided heating surfaces.
Following are the details which I consider may be advantageously
adopted for carrying out this Invention.
All the tubes are to be fixed in the tube wall and closed at the other
end, where they are supported by a cast-iron railing and fixed by a
pcg. Behind and parallel to the railing is a sheet-iron door, by
which access can be had to the tubes and the soot can be easily
cleaned out.
The chamber of communication (at the front) is formed by the tube
wall and an outer wall; between the same are adjusted on three of the
sides bars, ou the fourth or upper side above is the neck piece of the
steam collector; partitions divide the chamber in such a way as to
separate one tube entirely from the others. In cach tube is an interior

page_text: tube (with the exception of the lower row of tubes which are supplied
with the feed water at the further end), and this interior tube com-
municates with the partition next below it in the chamber of
communication; the ends of the tubes do not reach up to the closed
extremity of the tubes. In front of each tube and in the outer wall a 5
screw plug is inserted, the interior tubes are maintained in their
position by a peg fixed in the screw plug, and also by the pieces which
support their ends.

page_text: are separated in two by long sheet-iron strips which do not reach
entirely the closed end of the tubes, and which serve instead of the
inner tubes. The chamber of communication is also divided by iron
partitions which are adjusted at each tube range upon the ends of
the sheet-iron strips, extending beyond the tubes in such a way as
to enable the taking out of a whole range of iron strips by a single
iron band.
The iron strips can be stiffened by small ribs fixed thereon. Thus
the water is obliged to advance through the under half and to flow back
through the upper half of the tubes, and to pass in this way all the
tubes from the under to the upper parts. The tubes into which thic
water is supplied behind are out of the range of the lowest band, so
that the water may flow from these first tubes to the lower half of the
next row or range.
In this casc as well as the above-described
construction there are no single closing plates in front of cach
tube, but a plato replaces them, which can be taken away com-
pletely.
The same construction is to be used for ships' boilers.
Brick walls are replaced by ranges of tubes entirely close, and in
order to render this possible cach second tube of such a range is fixed in
a communication tube behind the boiler (opposite the communication
chamber). On the front is also such a communication tube turning
round the fire-place and the ash-pit, and discharging on both sides into
the communication chamber. Before each of the communication tubes
a plug or plate is provided, and each of these tubes is divided by strips
as described before. The water is supplied to those tubes below which
are situated in the middle. The tube walls are again surrounded by a
sheet iron covering. There is also a feed water heater for condensed
water which leaves much deposit; the said heater is composed of hori-
zontal tube ranges; cach tube is fixed at one end to collecting pipes
whilst it communicates by a bend with a tube of the following range :-
The tubes are cast together in such a way that their chambers com-
municate through channels. The water is driven into the upper tube
by the feed pumps, and runs through the various tubes, bends, and
channels, running with a fall it carries away the deposit out of the
openings, washes the same into a scum pipe. The deposit can be let
out of this pipe by a cock. To render this still more certain a scum bag
-

page_text: is joined, and a circulation being established all the deposits are carried
into the scum bag. The circulation is occasioned by the tube arrange-
ment communicating on both sides. The ascending piece is propor-
tionately short, it is enveloped so as to be guaranteed against cooling.
The cooling of the water in some parts engenders the desired circulation
through others; to approach the back extremities of the tubes one need
only to open the sheet iron door; in this way the tubes can be cleaned of
the soot, and by taking away the bends I am enabled to clean away thic
boiler deposits.
I also use a feed water heater for passably clean water. Tubes com-
municate only on one end through transversal tubes, to which they are
joined by flanges. On the other end they are shut by a simple plate so
as to allow cleaning. The tubes are joined together by vertical tubular
joint pieces. The water cuters above and goes out at another point.
The greater specific gravity of the colder water will engender a circulation
through the tubes. With the lower pipe a scum collector is likewise
connected.
The general arrangement of one of my generators is that immediately
over the same is the high pressure feed water heater, the pipes of which
are parallel to others. Over this lies the air heater formed of large cast
iron pipes open on both ends, and laid in cast iron plates. Tight joints
prevent the cold air from entering into the draught. These pipes
receive the cold air at one end, whilst at the other end they open into a
channel connected with a closed ash-pit. The cold air passing through
these pipes is warmed, and is condensed under the fire-bars by a channel.
The fire gases after having passed around the air heater go along the cast-
iron bottom of the open water heater, and then they enter the chimney.
This cast-iron bottom has a certain number of vertical ribs in tho
direction of the draught in order to utilise the heat of the escaping firo
gas as much as possible.
The following are particular points in this Invention.
In the construction of the boiler the means by which the zig-zag
circulation of water and steam is engendered in a boiler consisting of
tubes closed at one end and communicating only on the other end.
These means consist of a division of the tubes (with the exception of the
part at the back) cither by concentric inside pipes or by sheet-iron strips

page_text: inserted into the tubes, which division is combined with such an arrange-
ment of the chamber of communication that the water and afterwards
the steam are forced to a zig-zag circulation through all the tubes.
I consider non-essential the details which are not mentioned here,
as for instance the degree of inclination of the tubes, the special con-
struction of the water inlet, and the steam outlet, the division of the
communication chambers cither vertical or horizontal, as desired.
In the construction of the feed water heater (using the heat of the
otherwise waste fire gases); the establishment of cast-iron heating pipes
in horizontal ranges, in such a way as the same either are joined only on
one side, but closed on the other, or joined also on the other end by
bends or elbow picces so as to oblige the water entering the tubes to run
through the tubes in zig-zags from above to below.
In both cases are the extremities of the tubes casily reached. The
number of ranges is immaterial. The scum collector joined to the tubes
and the bag for the above mentioned purpose, such collector can serve
also the tube if the. bag and the tube are brought in connection with
the outlet pipe.
In the general arrangement of the generator the vertical succession of
several sets of horizontal ranges of apparatus, (viz., the boiler of the high
pressure and feed water heater, and of the air heater) with the open feed
water heater as a top cover of the whole.
Any one of the heating apparatus can be omitted, or their sequel can
be modified without changing essentially the general arrangement.
5 SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Henry Simon in the Great Scal Patent Office on
the 1st August 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
SIMON, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Civil Engineer, scud
O rooting

page_text: outlet of the boiler, whilst in the boilers of the first class, mentioned
above, the molecule can pass shortly and nearly straight through the
boiler. These boilers of the first class have therefore the defect of
supplying wet steam and priming. On the other hand all the known
boilers belonging to the second class have the defect that each tube is
connected with the others both at the inlet and outlet, by which arrange-
ment the tubes cannot expand freely, and this necessitates frequent
repairs.
Now the principle of my construction is to fix the tubes on one side
only, to have them communicating on that side only, and to promote
the circulation of the water through each tube, either by small interior
tubes (Figs. 1—14), or by inserting inside shect iron strips or diaphragms
(Figs. 15-20 and 27-29), and to divide the communication chamber by
partitions in such a way as to oblige the water to pass through zig-zags
established in the boiler. The difference between Field's tubes and my
arrangement is clear, for the former cannot be used in a horizontal
position, and mine not in a vertical position.
The first point I will refer to is the tubular feed water heater. By
the use of wrought-iron walls it is not possible to utilise the heat con-
tained in the fire-gases over a certain degree, for as soon as they are
cooled down to this degree the wrought iron becomes deteriorated.
Therofore, in order to obtain the greatest possible advantages out of the
gases the extremity of the boiler must be of cast iron, and for security's
sake of cast-iron tubes.
In order to obtain a great difference of temperature the cold water is
introduced here, and forms in this way a feed water heater, and the
otherwise lost heat of the fire-gases is thus utilised.
The principles of my constructions arc-
(1). The tubes are horizontal or very nearly horizontal.

page_text: If the water is hard the tubes communicate at both ends, and the
circulation of water engendered washes the deposits into a pipe provided
at one end below the others, out of which they are very easily driven by
blowing off occasionally.
The general arrangements are for the purpose of utilising entirely the
fire-gases without the use of a ventilator, for which purpose it is
necessary that (1) the gases reach progressively colder surfaces, namely,
in the first instance, the boiler, afterwards a feed water heater under
pressure, then an air heater, and at last an open water heater; (2) that
there are as few obstacles as possible to the draught. The draught is 1
vertical, and has only a short way to the chimney on account of the
greatly divided heating surfaces.
The following are the details which I consider may be advantageously
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 and 2 show the details; Fig. 3 and 4 show the general dis-
position of a boiler.
All the tubes a, a, are to be fixed in the tube wall and closed at the
other end where they are supported by a cast-iron railing c, and fixed
by a pcg n.
Behind and parallel to the railing is a sheet-iron door c' by
which access can be had to the tubes, and the soot can be easily
cleaned out.
The chamber of communication (at the front) is formed by the tube
wall and an outer wall d. Between the same are adjusted, on three
of the sides, bars c, c, e; on the fourth or upper side and above is the
neck piece s¹ of the steam collector 8. Partitions, f, divide the chamber
in such a way as to separate one tube entirely from the others. In cach
tube is an interior tubo g (with the exception of the lower row of tubes
which are supplied with the feed water at the farther end) communi-
cating with the partition next below it in the chamber of communication.
The ends of the tubes 9 do not reach up to the closed extremity of the
tubes a.
In front of cach tube a, and in the outer wall d, a screw plug
is inserted. The interior tubes g are maintained in their position by a
plug (fixed in the screw plug), and also by the pieces, k, which
support their ends. The plates and d aro joined by stays.
I

page_text: The water supply is delivered at the farther end into the under row of
tubes, and once at the front it runs into the inside tubes of the second
range of tubes back through their annular space, up in the inner tubes
of the third range, and so on. Running in this way through all the
tubes, as water, as foam, as wet steam, and as dry or superheated steam
it arrives at the upper part through the holes of the necks &¹ into the
steam collector 8, from which it goes into the steam engine. The fire-
bars are underneath the lowest range of tubes.
Fig. 5, 10, show the communication chambers formed of cast iron.
According to Fig. 5, 6, they contain cach one vertical range of tubes only,
and according to Fig. 7, 10, they contain two ranges cach; Fig. 9, 10,
show the connections forming a boiler; Fig. 5, 6, show the screw plug
replaced by closing plates held in their places by bolts; Fig. 11, 14,
shows a similar boiler, in which the tubes are fixed thus °。° instead of
as in the former thus go. In consequence of which the partitions of
the communication chambers become simpler, viz., straight. The tubo
ranges are horizontal, and the separate tubes do not require to bo
separated one from the other.
In order that the water should have a quicker circulation in the under
tubes it is supplied only in some of them from behind. These tubes
must be so separated at the front that they are connected only with the
inside tubes of thoir neighbouring tubes. They will be also laid a little
deeper in order to allow the steam an easy escape (see Fig. 11, 12).
Fig. 13, 14, show how the chamber of communication can be con-
structed in several picces vertically; Fig. 13, 18, show a boiler in which
the tubes are separated in two by long sheet-iron strips p, p, which do
not reach entirely the closed end of the tubes, and which serve instead of
the inner tubes. The chamber of communication is also divided by iron
partitions q, q, which are adjusted at each tube range upon the ends of
the sheet-iron strips, extending along beyond the tubes in such a way
as to afford capacity for taking out a whole range of iron strips by a
single iron band q.
The iron strips can be stiffened by small ribs fixed thereon. Thus
the water is obliged to advance through the under half, and to flow
back through the upper half of the tubes, and to pass in this way all
the tubes from the under to the upper parts.. The tubes into which

page_text: the water is supplied behind are out of the range of the lowest band q,
so that the water may flow from these first tubes to the lower half of
the next row or range.. In this case, as well as in the above-described
construction, there are no single closing plates in front of cach tube, but
a plate d replaces them, which can be taken away completely.
0
Fig. 19, 20, show how the same construction can be used for ships'
boilers. Brick walls are replaced by ranges of tubes entirely close. And
in order to render this possible cach second tube of such a range is fixed
in a communication tube behind the boiler (opposite the communi-
cation chamber. Marked on the front is also such a communication
tube turning round the fire-place and the ash-pit, and discharging on both
sides into the communication chamber. Before each of the communi-
cation tubes a plug or plate is provided, and each of these tubes is
divided by strips p, as described before. The water is supplied to those
tubes below which are situated in the middle. The tube walls are again
surrounded by a sheet-iron covering.
Fig. 21, 23, show there is also a feed water heater for water which
leaves much deposit. The said heater is composed of horizontal tube
ranges a, a, Ay, Cl₂, lbg, Ɑly, a, a. Each of these tubes are fixed at
one end to the collecting pipes b₁, b, whilst it communicates by a
bend k₁, k, with a tube of the following range:-The tubes b, and b, arc
cast together in such a way that their chambers communicate through
channels. The water is driven at g into the upper tube by the feed
pump, and runs through the various tubes a₁, a₁, the bends ₁, k₁, and the
tubes a, a, and the chambers o, o, thic tubes a, a, a, the bends k, k
the tubes a, a, and is lead off by the tube b, at h. Running such a
long way with a small fall it carries off the deposit out of the open-
ings p, p, and washes the same into the scum pipe c. The deposit can
be let out of this pipe by a cock. To render this still more certain a
scum bag 8 is joined to c, and a circulation through c being established
all the deposits are carried into this scum bag. The circulation is
occasioned by the tube arrangement e₁, C₁, C₁, communicating on both
sides with d and c. The ascending piece is proportionally short com-
pared to c, c, besides it is enveloped so as to be protected against
cooling. The cooling of the water in the parts e, e, engenders the desired
circulation through c. To approach the back extremities of the tubes

page_text: it is needed only to open the sheet-iron door m. In this way the tubes
can be cleaned of the soot, and by taking away the bends, and, one
is enabled to clean away the boiler deposits.
Fig. 24, 20, show a feed water heater for passably clean water.
Tubes a, a, a, communicate only on one end through the transverse
tubes b₁, b, b, to which they are joined by flanges. On the other end
they are shut by a simple plate or disc so as to allow cleaning. The
tubes b₁, b₂, b, are joined together by vertical tubular joint pieces q₁, 213
77 The water enters above through 9 and has its outlet at h. The
greater specific gravity of the colder water will engender a circulation
through the tubes in the direction indicated by arrows. With the lower
pipe a scum collector is connected. In the tubes a, a, no forced
circulation exists.
Fig. 27, 29, show another form of construction which produces the
same effect as that form shown in Fig. 21, 23. The vertical tubes lying
one above the other are however here all cast together in the same piece,
which contains at the same time the passages k₁, k₂, and o. The ends
of each tube are provided with covers. In this manner the joints are
not subjected to the influence of the inflammable gases, and the unequal
expansion of the tubes.
Fig. 30, 32, show the whole arrangement of one of my generators.
A is the boiler. Immediately over the same is the high-pressure feed
water heater B, the pipes of which are parallel to those of A. Over this
lies the air heater C, formed of large cast-iron pipes open at both ends,
and laid in cast-iron plates 1, 1. Tight joints prevent the cold air from
entering into the draught. These pipes receive the cold air at one end,
whilst at the other end they open into a channel F connected with a
closed ash-pit. The cold air passing through these pipes is warmed, and
is conducted under the fire-bars by a channel F. The fire-gases after
having passed round the air heater C go along the cast-iron bottom of
the open water heater D, and then they enter the chimney E. This
cast-iron bottom has a certain number of vertical ribs in the direction
of the draught, in order to utilise the heat of the escaping fire-gases as
much as possible.
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed or

page_text: "
carried out in practice, I hereby declare that I claim the Invention of
improvements in tubular boilers and heating tubes, as hercin-before
described and illustrated by the Drawings accompanying these Presents,
it being understood that the following are particular points in this
Invention,―
1. In the construction of the boiler the means whereby the zig-zag
circulation of the water and steam is engendered in a boiler consisting of
tubes closed at one end, and communicating only on the other end.
These means consist of a division of the tubes (with the exception of the
part at the back) either by concentric inside pipes or by sheet-iron strips
inserted into the tubes, which division is combined with such an
arrangement of the chamber of communication that the water and
afterwards the steam are forced to a zig-zag circulation through all
the tubes; but I consider as unessential the details which are not
mentioned herein, as for instance, the degree of inclination of the tubes,
the special construction of the water inlet or the steam outlet, the
division of the communication chambers, vertically as in Fig. 9, 10, or
horizontally as in Fig. 13, 1.1.
2. In the construction of the feed water heater (using the ordinary
waste firc-gases), the use of cast-iron heating pipes in horizontal
ranges in such a way that the same are either joined only on one side,
but closed on the other; or joined also on the other end by bends or
elbow pieces, so as to oblige the water entering the tubes to run through
the tubes in zig-zags from above to below.
3. In both cases the extremities of the tube are easily reached. The 2
number of ranges is immaterial. The scum collector C, shown in
Fig. 22, joined to the tubes e and the bag D for the above-mentioned
purpose. For such collection also the tube b, can be used, if the bag D
and the tubes c are brought in connection with the outlet pipe.
4. The general arrangement of the generator.
5. The vertical succession of several sets of horizontal ranges of
apparatus (viz., of the boiler of the high-pressure feed water heater and
of the air heater) with the open feed water heater as a top cover of the
whole.

page_text: 7. Or can be modified without changing essentially the general
arrangements.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Simon, have hercunto set my
hand and seal, this 28th day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.
Witness,
EMIL ADOLFF,
7, St. Peter's Square,
Manchester.
HENRY SIMON. (L.S.)