IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINE BOILERS
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Wye Williams, of Liverpool, in the County
Palatine of Lancaster, Gentleman, for the Invention of IMPROVEMENTS
IN STEAM ENGINE BOILERS."
Sealed the 22nd January 1858, and dated the 19th November 1857
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Wye Williams
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
19th November 1857.
I, CHARLES WYE WILLIAMS, of Liverpool, in the County Palatine of
Lancaster, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINE BOILERS," to be as follows:-
My said Invention consists in a novel construction of the internal arrange-
ments of steam engine boilers, for promoting the combustion of the gaseous
products of the fuel and increasing evaporative effect.
I dispense with the ordinary or multitubular system on which marine,
locomotive, and other like boilers are constructed, and introduce a chamber
or flue of large diameter, in lieu of the present multitubular system as
applying to each furnace, thus appropriating that portion of the boiler usually
occupied by the series of tubes to the purpose of a chamber or chambers, for
effecting a more rapid and perfect admixture and consequent combustion of
the gases evolved from the fuel in the furnace with the admitted air than can
otherwise be obtained. For this purpose I interpose in each of these chambers
a series of checks, diaphragms, or mechanical mixers, their numbers being in.

page_text: proportion to the length of the chambers. These mixers may be made of fire
bricks, tiles, or such material as will resist the great heat to which they will be
exposed, or they may even be made by water spaces or partitions, each
containing a suflicient number of apertures through which the gases and air
will have to pass, and in this passage their mixing will be rapidly promoted
and enforced.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Charles Wye Williams in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 19th May 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
WYE WILLIAMS, of Liverpool, in the County Palatino of Lancaster, Gentleman,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twenty-first year of Her
reign, did, for Herself. Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Charles Wye Williams, Her special licence that ], the said Charles
Wye Williams, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said Charles Wye Williams, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all
times thereafter 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 ENGINE BOILERS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Charles Wye Williams, my executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under my or their or one of their hands
and seals, 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 I, the said Charles Wye Williams do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:-
My said Invention consists in a novel construction of the internal arrange-
ments of steam engine boilers, for promoting the combustion of the gaseous
products of the fuel and increasing evaporative effect.

page_text: DESCRITTION
THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a marine boiler, showing the dia-
phragms or mixers A and B. The effect of these diaphragms is to prevent the
current or draft carrying the flame and products of combustion to the chimney
before the due and necessary admixture of the gas and air has taken place
and combustion fully effected. By the action of passing the flame and
products of combustion, together with the due quantity of atmospheric air,
through the diaphragms, their mechanical mixture is effected before the
temperature has been reduced by the influence of flues or tubes. These
diaphragms becoming red hot prevent any cooling effect on the gases to be
consumed, before the due equivalents of air and gas have become incorporated
and perfect combustion produced. The remainder of the space between the
diaphragms and the smoke box end of the flue or take-up may be filled with
the ordinary horizontal tubes, or with vertical tubes T, T, T, T, through which
the water and steam circulate.
Figure 2 is a front view of one of these diaphragms, showing the numerous
apertures through which the flame, air, and heated gases pass. These dia-
phragms are here represented as made of the material and in the manner of firo
bricks, each having two three-inch orifices or thereabouts in it, and by which
means they may be laid so as to break the joints, as in laying ordinary brick-
work. The number, size, or dimensions of the orifices will depend on the size
or area of the boiler and the space in the chamber above the furnace; and
Figure 3 is a perspective view of one of the bricks above described, each being
nine inches long, by five inches deep, and six inches broad. This description of
the bricks and the material of which they are composed is only given to show
one of the modes in which they may be constructed and put together in
making the diaphragm. They may, however, be made of ordinary fire bricks,
set with sufficient intervals for the passing the flame and products without
checking the draught.
In each brick is made a small hole C, in which a dowel or pin of iron or
other material may be introduced, and by which the whole diaphragm is
bound together, and thus prevents their falling down on the pitching motion
of the ship. Each diaphragm may be sustained in its place by angle irons
close to and immediately before and behind, as shown at aa, aa, aa, aa.

page_text: It will thus bo observed that I introduce into the chamber or fluc, behind
the bridge, diaphragms or mixers, thus appropriating a part of the boiler
usually occupied by the series of tubes to the purpose of a chamber or
chambers for effecting a more rapid and perfect admixture, and consequent
combustion of the gases evolved from the fuel in the furnace with the admitted
air than can otherwise be obtained. For this purpose I interpose one or more
series of checks, diaphragms, or mechanical mixers, their numbers being
in proportion to the length of the chambers. The mixers may be made of firo
bricks, tiles, or such materials as will resist the great heat to which they will
be exposed.
Having thus described several modes of carrying my said Invention into
practice, I would hero observe that I do not restrict myself to the preciso
details thereof, so long as in any modification of the same the principle of my
said improvements is substantially maintained; and I do declare that what I
claim as my Invention is the introduction of diaphragms or mechanical
mixers in the mixing chambers in the interior of steam engine boilers or their
furnaces.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Wye Williams, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twelfth day of May, in the year of our
Lord 1858.
CHA WYE WILLIAMS. (L.S.)