IMPROVEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH THE BOILER FURNACES OF STEAM SHIPS OR VESSELS, FOR VENTILATING THE VESSEL, PREVENTING SMOKE, COOLING THE STOKE-HOLE, AND ECONOMISING FUEL
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Boyle, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, Ventilating Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
CONNECTION WITH THE BOILER FURNACES OF STEAM SHIPS OR VESSELS, FOR
VENTILATING THE VESSEL, PREVENTING SMOKE, COOLING THE STOKE-HOLE,
AND ECONOMISING FUEL"
Sealed the 28th April 1876, and dated the 1st January 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Boyle at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, on the 1st January 1876.
ROBERT BOYLE, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Ventilating
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH THE BOILER FURNACES OF STEAM
SHIPS OR VESSELS, FOR VENTILATING THE VESSEL, PREVENTING SMOKE, COOLING
THE STOKE-HOLE, AND ECONOMISING FUEL"
This Invention relates primarily to the perfect ventilation of any or all parts of
steam ships or vessels in all weathers and in any climate when the boiler furnaces
are in action, by leading and conducting the air to support combustion in the
furnaces from the parts of the ship to be ventilated (and in some cases from the
close parts of the stoke-hole to assist in keeping it cool) through close pipes to close
chambers at the front of the furnaces, one set leading the air on or close over the
grate, while the other set leads the air to the close ash-pit to pass up through the
bars to the incandescent fuel, and thus support combustion of the fire or fuel.
And secondarily, the Invention relates to promoting or increasing the draught
through these close furnaces by the application of "Boyle's well-known Self-
acting Air Pump Ventilators," secured to the Petitioner by Royal Letters Patent
No. 2120, dated 28th July 1870, and No. 1296, dated 30th April 1872, to the
funnels or the back flues leading thereto from the furnaces, which improvements
utilize all the inflammable gases, and prevent their escape in the form of black
smoke, and also effect a considerable saving of fuel.
And the nature and novelty of the Invention consist in closing in the front or
air entrance to the furnace mouth and to the ash-pit below the furnace bars, with a
close air casing and chamber or chambers to each, having sets of pipes jointed
preferably at the top or other suitable part of these chambers, and leading up to the
under side of the deck or decks, and conveyed along these to the parts of the ship
to be ventilated, the ends of the pipes being left open at this part or fitted with
[Price fd1

page_text: controlling doors or valves to regulate the admission of the air thereto and the
degree of ventilation.
The air admitted over the hearth is preferred to be heated by conducting it
down through its close chamber in front of the furnace mouth or plate and ordinary
charging door, before being admitted through a narrow angular slit below the said
door close over the hearth plate, so as to impinge in a broad thin jet or stream
across the whole front of the incandescent fuel, which thoroughly heats the air thus
admitted, so as to completely ignite the hydrocarbon gases as generated, and thus
prevent the formation or escape of black smoke in or from the furnaces. This
central close air chamber when placed in front of the ordinary charging door or
furnace mouth would be fitted with an outer hinged or sliding door large enough to
allow the inner door to be opened after or along with it each time the furnace has
to be charged with fuel.
The air admitted to the ash-pit is preferred to be conducted down its close
channels on each side of the said central chamber, so as to cover in the hot part of
the front of the furnace and. boiler, and be then led laterally or otherwise into the
ash-pit below the furnace mouth. The draught of these furnaces is promoted or
assisted by the suction or discharge of the waste or unconsumed gases from the
furnace, through or by the application of one or more of the petitioner's said
patented ventilators to the funnel or flues leading thereto, which causes an annular
or central jet or jets of the external air to enter and act on these gases, so as to
suck and discharge them by induction or lateral action of the said jets out through
the funnel, which induced action by removing the pressure in the furnace causes
the air to be drawn in through the ventilating pipes, and thus blow up the fire by
the blast of air above and below the grate in front.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Robert Boyle in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 1st July 1876.
ROBERT BOYLE, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Ventilating
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH THE BOILER FURNACES OF STEAM
SHIPS OR VESSELS, FOR VENTILATING THE VESSEL, PREVENTING SMOKE, COOLING
THE STOKE-HOLE, AND ECONOMISING FUEL."
My said Invention relates primarily to the perfect ventilation of any or all parts
of steam ships or vessels in all weathers and in any climate, when the boiler furnaces
are in action, by leading and conducting the air to support combustion in these
furnaces from the parts of the ship to be ventilated (and in somes cases from the
close parts of the stoke-hole to assist in keeping it cool) through close pipes to close
chambers at the front of the furnaces, one set leading the air on or close over the
grate, while the other set leads the air to the close ash-pit to pass up through the
bars to the incandescent fuel, and thus support combustion of the fire or fuel.
And secondarily, the Invention relates to promoting or increasing the draught
through these close furnaces by the application of "Boyle's well-known Self-
acting Air Pump Ventilators," secured to me by Royal Letters Patent, No. 2120,
dated 28th July 1870, and No. 1296, dated 30th April 1872, to the funnels or the
back flues leading thereto from the furnaces for the drawing-off of the waste gases
therefrom, and thereby producing an exhaust or suctional draught within the
furnaces, thus drawing in the air to support combustion, either at the furnace
mouth or through the ash-pit as stated, from the various parts of the ship to be
ventilated, which improvements utilize all the inflammable gases, and prevent the
formation or escape of black smoke, thus also effecting a considerable saving of
fuel.
And the nature and novelty of the Invention consist in closing in the front or
air entrance to the furnace mouth and to the ash-pit below the furnace bars with a
close air casing and chamber or chambers to each, having sets of pipes preferably

page_text: jointed at the top or other suitable part of these chambers and leading up to the
under side of the deck or decks, and conveyed along these to the parts of the ship
to be ventilated, the ends of the pipes being left open at these parts or fitted with
controlling doors or valves to regulate the admission of the air thereto, and the
degree of ventilation' required at these several parts.
:
The air admitted over the hearth is preferred to be heated by conducting it
down, through or along close chambers leading thereto, either close to or in front of
the ordinary furnace mouth or charging door, before being admitted through a
narrow angular slit or orifice below the said door or its back false plate close over
the hearth, or it might be through holes in the door or its back plate, so as to
impinge preferably in a broad thin jet or stream across the whole front of the
incandescent fuel in each furnace, which thoroughly heats the air thus admitted so
as to completely ignite the hydrocarbon gases as generated, and thus prevent the
formation or escape of black smoke in or from these furnaces. The central duct
leading from the close air chamber leading to each furnace inouth would be fitted
with an inlet regulating valve, and when led in in front and below the actual
charging door it would be fitted with an outer hinged or sliding door, large enough
to allow the inner door to be opened after or along with it each time the furnace
has to be charged with fuel.
The air admitted to the ash-pit is preferred to be conducted down its close
channels on one or both sides of the said central chamber and furnace mouth, so as
to cover in the hot part of the front of the furnace and boiler, and then be led
laterally or otherwise into the ash-pit below the furnace mouth. The draught of
these furnaces is promoted or assisted by the suction or discharge of the waste or
unconsumed gases from the furnace, through or by the application of one or more
of my said patented ventilators to the funnel or flues leading thereto, which causes
an annular or central jet or jets of the external air current to enter and act on
these gases, so as to suck and discharge them by induction or lateral action of the
said jet current of external air out through the funnel, which induced action by
removing the pressure in the furnace causes the air to be drawn in through the
ventilating pipes, either to the furnace or ash-pit through their respective heating
air chambers and ducts, so as thus to blow up the fire by the blast of air entering
above and below the grate or furnace.
Having thus so far stated the nature of my said Invention, I shall now describe
the several Figures on the Sheet of Drawings, which I have hereunto appended for
the purpose of showing the best modes and means I am at present aware of for
putting the same into effect or practice, the same reference letters indicating the
same or like parts in all the Figures where shown.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Figures 1 and 2 are a front end elevation and a longitudinal section through the
centre line 11 in Figure 1 of a horizontal cylindrical tubular marine boiler A
with three furnaces B, B, B, all of an ordinary type as at present in common use,
fitted with my said improvements to illustrate the practical application of my
Invention for ventilating steam ships or vessels, preventing the formation or escape
of black smoke, cooling their stoke-holes, and economising fuel. The boiler A and
furnaces B, B, B, being of an ordinary construction, I will only refer to those parts
thereof which are new and have reference to my Invention or improvements, and
which are indicated by small or italic letters.
Referring to these Figures 1 and 2, a, a¹, are the heating air chambers or ducts,
respectively leading into the top of each furnace mouth b, b, b, by central vertical
ducts a³, each fitted with a regulating valve a³, while the ducts a¹¹ lead from the
air-heating chambers a¹ down at one or it might be both sides of the furnace
mouth 6 to the close chamber c of each ash-pit C, each also fitted with a regulating
valve all corresponding to those a³ in the air ducts of the furnace, their spindles a
being fitted with hand levers outside for regulating the admission of air to the

page_text: mouth of the furnace, or to the ash-pit above and below the grate respectively. In
this arrangement the furnace and ash-pit mouths b and c are made to project
sufficiently from the end of the boilers and furnace and ash-pit closing-in plates B¹
and C¹ to allow the air and ducts a² and a¹ to enter laterally or direct through
them by the ports b¹ and c¹, a hanging hinged closing door being fitted in front
of each ash-pit C for the convenience of cleaning out the ash-pit, and also when
desired fitted with a regulating hand lever and holding segment or other equivalent
to fix it at any desired open position to admit the air from and ventilate the stoke-
hole. Or otherwise a valve may be fitted in the close front of the ash-pit or door
for the purpose of drawing off the hot air from the stoke-hole; or a pipe or valve
may be fitted either on the ducts a¹ or a for the like purpose. The air is drawn
off by the pipes or ducts d, d', jointed to the tops or ends (or other convenient
part) of the close air inlet chambers a and a¹, these pipes being shown only as
broken away, although it is to be understood that they may be led to any part of
the ship, and fitted with open branches or ends and regulating inlet valves, so as to
draw off the air therefrom, and so ventilate these parts of the ship proportionately
as desired. And when desired for the better heating of the air passing through
these pipes or chambers d, d¹, a, a¹, they may be carried or fitted close to or along
the sides or hot surface of the boiler before admitting the air so heated to the
furnace and ash-pit. This closing in of the mouths b, b, b, and c, c, c, of the
furnaces and ash-pits, and supplying the air preferably in a heated state through
the chambers a, a¹, and conducting it thereto from the various parts of the ship
through the close pipes d, d', thoroughly ventilates the ship in a new or improved
manner, and at the same time by admitting the air proportionately as desired
through the ports b¹ and narrow slits or holes 6 in the back plate of the furnace
doors 62, so as to impinge on the incandescent fuel in the furnace, thoroughly
ignites the gases formed in the furnace, while the regulating of the admission of
the air through the valves all and ports c¹ and c to the ash-pit, thoroughly
prevents the formation or escape of black smoke, effecting also a considerable
economy in fuel, and when desired as herein-before stated, the natural draught of
the furnaces B, B, B, might be assisted by the application of my said former
patented lateral acting air ventilators to the funnels or exit flues leading thereto
to insure the suction and discharge of the waste gases, and also assist the inlet flow
of the air through the pipes d, d, and chambers a, a¹, to the respective furnaces and
ash-pits, all as indicated by the arrows in the several Figures; or ordinary fanners
or other blowing apparatus may be used for the purpose of either drawing the
waste gases from the furnaces or for drawing the air from the various parts of the
ship, and forcing it through the said close pipes or ducts d, d¹, a, a¹, to the furnaces
and ash-pits, all otherwise substantially as herein described.
Figures 3 and 4 show an end elevation and a longitudinal section of the front
furnace end of a single flue horizontal cylindrical steam boiler A, as suitable for
steam yachts or other small steam vessels, all as fitted with one arrangement of my
said Invention or improvements in which the air vessels a, a, are formed within
the narrow space enclosed by the casing ax covering in the whole front end of the
boiler A, the close mouths b and c of the furnace B and ash-pit C being carried out
across the ducts a, a¹, and fitted with the furnace charging and ash-pit doors 6²
and c, as in the former arrangement Figures 1 and 2; the latter opening laterally
on vertical hinges instead of opening upwards on horizontal hinges, but either
method may be adopted in either arrangement, as circumstances require.
The close passages a, a¹, and a, a¹¹, are fitted with valves a³, a¹11, and the
pipes d, d, are fitted to their respective chambers a, a¹, so as to convey the air
from the various parts of the ship desired to be ventilated to the close furnace B, b,
and ash-pit C, c, all as indicated by the arrows, and substantially as described in
reference to Figures 1 and 2, except that in this arrangement the air is heated in
passing through the ducts a, a¹, over the whole surface of the hot end of the
boiler A closed in by the front casing a*, which has also the advantage of keeping
the stoke-hole cool for the firemen.

page_text: Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner in
which the same is or may be performed, I have to state that I do not restrict
myself to the precise details herein described or delineated, but what I believe to
be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
First. The general arrangement or combination of close furnace mouths, ash-pits,
and their air admission chambers and ducts in marine steam boilers, all substantially
in the manner and for the purposes herein described, in reference to and shown in
the accompanying Drawings, or any mere modification thereof.
Second. The conducting of the air from and for the ventilation of the various
parts of steam ships or vessels, by close pipes, ducts d, d¹, or chambers a, a¹, to the
furnaces or ash-pits of their steam boilers, substantially as herein described, or any
mere modification thereof.
Third. The mode and means of regulating the admission of the air (conveyed
through close pipes from the various parts of the ship) to the lower part or front of
the close fire-boxes, and to the close ash-pits proportionally as required for the
proper combustion of the gases and solid carbon, so as to prevent smoke and
economise fuel in marine steam boiler furnaces, all substantially as herein described
and shown in the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Boyle, have hereunto set my hand and
seal this Thirtieth day of June, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and seventy-six.
Witness,
W. R. M. THOMSON,
Patent Agent,
Glasgow.
ROBERT BOYLE. (LS.)