Water Heaters or Boilers.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 26th June, 1894-Accepted, 29th Sept., 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Water Heaters or Boilers.
1, CHARLES TUCK TOULMIN, of 165 Broadway, in the City, County and State
of New York, in the United States of America, Gentleman, 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:―
My invention relates to that class of water heaters or boilers which may be
employed for the production of steam power, for the production of steam for
beating purposes in connection with suitable radiators, or for the circulation of
hot water through the apartments of any structure which it is desired to warm,
and particularly to those which are constructed of separable and interchangeable
sections, so that by increasing or decreasing their number the capacity of the
heater or boiler can be readily altered at will.
Among the objects of my improvement are to increase the water heating surface
and to arrange for varying the same at will, to improve the circulation, to provide
for conveniently cleaning the flues, to facilitate the heating, to enable any section
to be readily removed and replaced without disconnecting the other parts, and to
otherwise variously simplify and improve the construction.
To this end, my invention comprises various novel features of construction; and
in order that the invention may be clearly ascertained, I shall first describe in
detail the mode in which I carry the invention into practice and then point out its
several features in the claims.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming parts of this
Specification in which
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a sectional water heater or boiler embodying my
invention.
Figure 2 represents the same in a cross-section on the line 2-2-Figures 1 and 3.
Figure 3 represents the same in central longitudinal section.
Figure 4 is a perspective view of one of the sections of the same.
Figures 5 and 6 are vertical sectional views of two adjoining sections of the same.
Figure 7 is an enlarged detail sectional view illustrating the improved coupling
connecting each section with the collecting pipe.
Figure 8 is a broken perspective view of a tubular water grid used in the
combustion chamber for facilitating the heating.
Figure 9 is a front elevation of the heater or boiler.
Figure 10 is a plan view of one of the grate-sections.
Like parts are designated by the same letters of reference in all the figures.
1 construct the body of the heater or boiler of a variable number of vertical
transverse hollow sections A, by preference of cast iron, alternating regularly with
and closely abutting similar vertical transverse sections B, differing only slightly
therefrom as hereinafter described, a vertical water-back section C, and a front
plate D, which I in some instances may cast integrally with the front section A.
The various sections A, B, C and D correspond interiorly and are rigidly bound
together by outside projecting lugs E and bolts F, which may connect all the
sections as shown or be in number each to connect two adjoining sections if
preferred.
Each section A is cast with vertical side water-legs G G', connected and
communicating at their upper ends by a transverse steam and water-head H having
a steam dome H', a short distance above their lower ends by a transverse water-
waist I, and between the head H and waist I, which are of the same thickness

page_text: throughout, by a water bridge JJ of about half the thickness of the said head and
legs, and separated from the head and waist by the spaces K and 1, respectively.
Each alternating section B is formed like the sections A just described, save
that its water-bridge J' is continued upward into its head H, so as to leave no
opening there between.
The tops of the water-bridges of the sections AI make V-shaped, as
shown, to facilitate the upward and outward circulation of water from said bridges.J
into the water-legs G GL
The abutting water-legs G G and water-waists of all the combined sections A
and B, and the back section C form the imperforate water-walls, water roof and
water back, respectively, of the combustion chamber K, which, as I omit, or form
an opening 1 through the water-waists of the last section A, communicate at its
back with the vertical space or flue between the water back and the next
ndjacent water-bridge J.
I provide an adjustable cut-off L' for each space or opening 1. between the water-
bridge and water waist of each of the sections A and B, and normally close all the
cut-offs in the sections A, and open those on the sections B.
For the purpose of simultaneously adjusting these two sets of alternate cut-off's L',
I connect them on the outside of the boiler or heater with continuous operating
rods M and M' as indiented in Figure 1.
All the sections A and B are in addition provided with inside ledges N below
the water waists 1, to support the grate 0, which may be sectional as shown, above
the ash pit 0, and with the ledges P immediately below the waists 0 on which I
rest horizontally a removable tubular water grid Q, shown in Figure 8, composed of
hollow transverse end-bars Q' connected medially by longitudinal water-tubes Q²
and on each side by guide rails whereby the grid Q will slide easily on the
ledges Pinto and out of the combustion chamber.
The front of the combustion chamber K is closed by a double door R R' in the
face plate D, the outer door R being large enough and opened only to permit the
passage of the removable grid Q, the inner door R' being the one employed for
replenishing the fire.
The domes H of the water heads H of all the sections A, B and C are severally
connected by a peculiar form of coupling S, shown in detail in Figure 7, to a
collecting pipe T running over the top of the heater or boiler by which the steam
or hot water from all the water sections A, B and C is supplied to the circulating
pipe T
The water-legs G G of all the sections A, B and C are likewise connected at
their feet by like couplings S to collecting pipes V, by which the cold or
condensation water from the circulating system is returned to the bottom of all the
said water sections.
The said couplings S each consist of threaded coupling sleeves S'S' formed on
the collecting pipe as U, and on the water section as A, respectively, a head S'
having its coupling ends S and S' threaded oppositely to the respective coupling
sleeves Sand S and couplers S and S', each of which has its ends oppositely
threaded to engage the opposing sleeves Sand S and the ends S' and S, so that
by simply unscrewing the complers S S they will be disconnected simultaneously
from the collecting pipe and the water sections, as A, and thus permit the renewal
of any water sections A, without disturbing any of the other sections or their
connections.
The opposite ends of the removable water grid are also connected, as
indicated in dotted lines, by detachable couplings Q and Q and pipes Qʻand Q'
respectively to the supply pipe T and one of the return pipes W.
The removable water grid Q is thus employed to hasten the initial circulation,
as the flames play first thereon and cause the hot water therein to ascend almost
immediately through its supply pipe Q, the cold water entering at the same time
at the other end through the return pipe Q. The flames also play through the
grid Q upon the cellular water roof of the combustion chamber K formed by

page_text: the water waists I, from which they also rebound upon the upper side of the
grid Q, and they also play upon the cellular water walls of the combustion
chamber K, so that the water in said roof and walls is heated and ascends in the
water legs G G¹
The products of combustion ascending from the back of the combustion
chamber K through the roof opening L as before described, play upon the water
back C, and, the cut-offs L in the alternate water sections A being closed, are
forced to ascend in the vertical flue formed between the water back and the next
adjacent water bridge J, thence between said water bridge and the corresponding
water head H, and down between said bridge and the next bridge J, and then
beneath the latter, and so on through the vertically zig-zag flue thus formed
between the water bridges, heads and waists, until the escape flue W is reached.
The inner sides of the water back G, water legs G G and water heads Hand
both sides of the water bridges J J and water waists of all the sections are thus
impinged upon by the heated products of combustion, by which an exceptionally
large and effective heating surface is obtained. The heated water and steam
ascends from the water legs, bridges and heads into the domes H', and thence
through the collecting supply pipe T into the circulating system, whence the cold
water is returned as before described.
By opening all the cut-offs L' the products of combustion may be shunted from
the vertically zig-zag flue and into the straight base flue thus formed beneath all
the bridges, to give a direct draught for firing, and in a like manner this
base flue which is provided with a door V in the front plate D, can be made
accessible therethrough for cleaning the flues, the accumulations in all of which
will from the nature of the construction be deposited in said base fluc.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :
1. A water heater or boiler constructed of a series of cast vertical sections,
each formed with side water legs G G¹, a transverse steam and water head H, a
transverse water waist I, and a transverse water bridge of less thickness than the
water legs and head, the combined spaces below the water waists I constituting
the combustion chamber, and the vertical spaces between the water bridges a
succession of vertical flues, connected with the back of the combustion chamber,
and supply and return pipes connected respectively with the head and water leg of
each section,
2. A water heater or boiler constructed of a series of vertical sections, each
forned with side water legs G G', a transverse steam and water head H, a
transverse water waist I, and a transverse water bridge J. or J of less thickness
than the water legs, the combined spaces below the water waists I, constituting the
combustion chamber, and the alternate sections formed with spaces respectively
between the water bridges J and the water heads and between the water
bridges, and the water waists I, said spaces and the vertical spaces between said
water bridges to constitute a vertically zig-zag escape flue connected with the back
of the combustion chamber, and supply and return pipes connected respectively
with the head and leg of each section.
3. A water heater or boiler constructed of a series of vertical sections, each
formed with side water legs G G', a transverse steam and water head H, a
transverse water waist. I, and a transverse water bridge J or J of less thickness
than said water legs, the combined spaces below the water waists I constituting the
combustion chamber, and the alternate sections formed respectively with spaces
between the water bridges J', and the water waists I, and both above and below
the water bridges J, said spaces and the vertical spaces between said water bridges
to form a vertically zig-zag escape flue, cut-offs in the spaces below the water
bridges J, means for operating said cut-offs, and supply and return pipes connected
with the head and leg, respectively, of each section.

page_text: 4. In a sectional water heater or boiler a section A formed with a transverse
water bridge J connecting the vertical water legs G G³ which are thicker than
said bridge separated from the water head E by a space K, and formed with a
V-shaped top J, as and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.
5. The sectional water heater or boiler herein described having water legs GG,
and abutting water waists I forming the sides and top respectively of the
combustion chamber, said water legs being formed with ledges P, in combination with
a tubular water grid Q resisting on the ledges P above the grate and below the water
waists to be connected at opposite ends with the supply and the return pipes
respectively as set forth.
6. In a sectional water heater or boiler as described the combination with ench
water section and the collecting pipe provided with threaded coupling sleeves S*S',
of a bend S having coupling ends threaded oppositely to the respective coupling
sleeves S S', and couplers S° S', each having its ends oppositely threaded.
Dated this 96th day of June 1801
CHARLES TUCK TOULMIN,
By Harris & Mills,
23, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents.