Water Circulating Plates for Steam Boilers.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Sept., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 24th Feb., 1893-Accepted, 25th Mar., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Water Circulating Plates for Steam Boilers.
I, WILLIAM GEORGE GASS, of Atlas Foundry, Nelson Street, Great Lever
near Bolton, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows :-
This invention relates to improvements in apparatus applicable to steam boilers
with two or more flues for the purpose of causing a more certain circulation of the
water therein.
This apparatus consists of a plate-hereinafter referred to as the 'plate,' formed
of sections of suitable size and shape, bolted or otherwise fastened together-
extending the full length of the boiler and across from about the centre of the top
of one flue to the centre of the top of the other.
This 'plate' is provided with a series of feet which rest on the said flues and
which support the plate' so as to leave a space between the top of each flue and
the plate for a free passage of the water. In place of the feet, ribs may be
used shaped so as to fit onto the flues and on which the 'plate' is carried.
The plate is by preference sunk in the middle so as to form a trough extending
lengthways of the boiler-and between the flues suitably shaped rods project from
the underside of the 'plate,' so as to prevent any movement of the plate' from
its place.
៩
Where this plate' is applied to a marine boiler in which the motion of the ship
might cause it to be misplaced, it is fastened down; but under ordinary circum-
stances this is not necessary.
Although I have referred to the plate as attached to a two flue boiler, it is just
as readily applied to a three flue boiler.
The method by which the circulation is to be improved is as follows-as the
heated water between the flues rises it passes out between the top of the flues and
the plate,' then, as it cannot return the same way, it is caused to pass round the
flues in order to replace the more heated water which has risen, and the process
then becomes continuous.
Dated this 23rd day of September 1892.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Water Circulating Plates for Steam Boilers.
WILLIAM GEORGE GASS of Atlas Foundry, Nelson Street Great Lever near
Bolton in the County of Lancaster Engineer 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 improvements in apparatus applicable to steam boilers
having two or more flues-for the purpose of causing a more positive circulation
of the water therein.
This improved device consists of a plate formed of sections fastened together in
the form of a trough, which extends the full length of the steam boiler, & across
from the top of one flue to the top of the other, as shewn in the accompanying
drawings

page_text: Referring to the accompanying drawings:-
Fig. 1 is a cross section of a two flued boiler with the device in place.
Fig. 2 is a cross section of a three flued boiler shewing the device as applied to
that type of boiler.
Fig. 3 is a detail shewing the method of fastening the sections of plates together.
In all the figures the same letters apply to the same parts in each case.
In Fig. 1 FF are the flues-P P the circulating plate; S the support & guide
to keep the plates in position laterally; N N the feet, which are placed so as to
keep the plate P P the required distance from the top surface of the boiler flue;
M the thumb-screw for fastening the sections together.
In Fig. 2 F F F are the flues; P P the circulating plate; S the support,
which in a marine boiler clamps the plate P P in place, & prevents displacement
by the motion of the ship-N N the feet, placed to keep the plate P P the
required distance from the top surface of the boiler flues; M the thumb-screw
for fastening the sections together. In Fig. 3 the plates P P, stay S, feet NN,
& thumb-screw M, are shewn more in detail. The thumb-screw M passes through
the plates the holes in which are by preference slots for convenience in fixing, &
screws into the top of stay S, which is threaded to receive it.
I have here shewn the thumb-screw M as passing through two plates only, in
order not to confuse the drawing-but in practice it passes through the end of the
following section, so that a reduced number of screws M are needed in the full
length.
The making of the plate P P in short lengths or sections is rendered necessary
because the said plate P P must be readily removable for cleaning purposes, & the
length of each section is determined by the size of the manhole of the boiler in
which the plate P P is placed. When the different section are in place & bolted
together they will form a trough as shewn in Figs. 1. 2 extending as nearly as
possible from one end of the boiler to the other the supports S, & the feet N N,
will come at intervals, so that there will be perfect freedom for the upward move
ment of the water.
The action of the apparatus will be readily understood on reference to the arrows
shewn in Figs. 1 & 2 when the water which is contained between the flues F F &
under the plate P P, becomes heated it will rise; it can only escape by passing
through the aperture 'eft between the upper surface of the flues F F & the plate P P.
The water which takes its place from below will, in its turn, become heated & rise-
this continued upward movement of the water prevents any return through the
aperture between the plate P P & the top of the flues F F, the water must then
pass round the other side of the flue F F & underneath. This movement becomes
continuous & the circulation keeps up in the path shewn by the arrows in
Figs. 1 & 2.
The arrangements as shewn in Figs. 1, 2, & 3 are the ones which will be most
generally required, but deviation may be requisite in order to apply the circulating
plate to boilers in which the internal design varies from the ordinary type. If
instead of making the plate P P in the form of a trough, it were simply a flat
plate, extending from one flue to the other, shewn by the dotted line P in Fig. 1 & 2;
the circulation would be exactly the same as previously described--but the flat
form would not assist in the upward movement, & the circulation would consequently
not be as rapid.
The application of circulating plates & devices for circulating the water in
boilers having circular flues is not new, therefore I do not claim the application of
such in general.
Having now particularly described & ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, & in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
(1) In a boiler having two or three flues the application of a plate extending

page_text: the full length of the boiler, & placed a short distance above the surface of the
flues therein, for the purpose substantially as specified.
(2) In a boiler having two or three flues a plate extending the full length of
the boiler-formed in sections, & constructed substantially as & for the purpose
5 specified.
Dated this 23rd day of February 1893.
WILLIAM GEORGE GASS.