Improvements in Steam Generators and Apparatus connected therewith.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Nov., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 15th Sept., 1898-Accepted, 5th Nov., 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Steam Generators and Apparatus connected
therewith.
We, JOHN EDWARD THORNTON, of Rokeby, Oldfield Road, Altrincham, in the County
of Chester, Manufacturer, and JAMES POLLARD LEA, of 48, Princes Street, Southport,
in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention relates to an improved generator in which water or other liquid
may be vaporized by the application of heat thereto.
It consists advantageously of a number of vessels shallow in depth and of con-
siderable area horizontally so formed that when they are placed so as to rest one on
another a passage or a number of passages exists between each pair of adjacent vessels.
Through these passages the hot gases of combustion pass.
The series of vessels is secured between strong plates at top and bottom which are
held together by tension bolts of sufficient strength. This frame assists in preventing
any deformation of the vessels which might otherwise arise from the pressure con-
tained therein. Each vessel has an overflow pipe fitted to it so that the amount of
The feed water enters each vessel advantageously
water in it is practically constant.
through a number of small openings placed horizontally a little below the surface of
the water in the vessel. The entering water is urged and the resulting jets induce a
flow of the water at a definite rate towards the overflow. As a result of this movement
the vessels may be placed considerably out of the horizontal position without any
part of the heated plates being left without water. The overflow pipes drain into a
reservoir placed sufficiently low and in hot gases at least equal in temperature to
that of the steam being raised in order to avoid loss of heat by the constant and rapid
forced circulation. The water from this reservoir is raised by a pump, (advantageously
of the following construction) to a height above each vessel sufficient for it to enter
the generating vessel at the required velocity for the purpose before described.
The pump consists of a cylinder closed at each end and fitted with a piston the
rod attached to which passes through a suitable stuffing box in one of the cylinder
covers and is connected to and worked to and fro by a motor. Each end of the
cylinder has a pipe connected with it which passes to a vessel above to which the
water has to be delivered. Such pipes enter the top vessel above the level of
the water therein. The capacity of such pipes is small compared with the working
capacity of the cylinder. At the centre of the cylinder are openings and towards
the completion of each stroke the piston uncovers them and as they are in free com-
munication with the reservoir and below it the water flows freely into the cylinder.
On its return stroke the piston covers these openings and then forces the water through
On the next stroke the water in the delivery
the delivery pipe into the vessel above.
pipe re-enters the cylinder and then steam follows until the openings in cylinder are
uncovered when water fills the cylinder expelling the steam through the delivery
pipe, then the action is as before described.
Each constituent vessel can be made advantageously as follows in two parts. The

page_text: top part of thin steel pressed into corrugations and having a flauge round it to which
the bottom part may be secured.
The bottom part is of thin sheet copper also corrugated in a direction transverse to
the top. Thus when one vessel rests on another they touch on a number of points
evenly distributed over the horizontal areas.
The bottom part of the vessels may be constructed in short lengths. Each length
being pressed out of sheet copper in such a manner that they may be joined together
and the required number secured to the top part to complete the vessel.
Each of the lengths has its corrugations formed at a slight inclination with its
sides and adjacent lengths have the corrugations inclined in opposite directions so
that when together the corrugations in plan would run slightly zig-zag, and the hot
gases passing between them thus caused to impinge. The sides of each length
where they are joined together form effective stiffening webs transversely to the
corrugations.
Thin copper being admissible in this construction indentation may be employed to
increase the heat receptive surfaces.
In generators of considerable size a rotary pump may be employed instead of the
piston pump before described to raise ant circulate the water and such rotary pump
may be driven by an electric motor or other suitable means.
Dated this 17th day of November 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Steam Generators and Apparatus connected
therewith.
We, JOHN EDWARD THORNTON, of Rokeby, Oldfield Road, Altrincham, in the County
of Chester, Manufacturer, and JAMES POLLARD LEA, of Worsley Mills, Hulme,
Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, late of 7, Southbank, Renshaw
Street, Altrincham, in the County of Chester, 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 a steam generator in which water (or other liquid) may
he quickly vapourised more particularly adapted for motor vehicles steam boats or
other structures where a light generator capable of resisting a high pressure is
desirable.
It comprises a number of shallow vessels of considerable horizontal area
superimposed with a flue space between each, each vessel being connected at one end
to an inlet pipe and supply reservoir and at the other end to an outlet or overflow
pipe and overflow reservoir or receiver from which the water is continuously
pumped up to the supply reservoir.
It will be fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Fig. 1. Side elevation.
Fig. 2. Front elevation.
Fig. 3. Longitudinal section.
Fig. 4. Transverse section on line x-x Fig. 3.
Fig. 5. Plan partly in section.
Fig. 6. Detail showing overflow arrangement.
Fig. 7. Modification showing method of retaining bottom plates covered with water
should the generator become tilted.

page_text: The shallow vessels A are placed in a number of tiers one above another any desired
number being employed according to the required capacity of the generator. These
are preferably arranged as shown each one slightly shorter than the one above it to
provide a combustion chamber and grate B from which the products of combustion
and heated gases pass.
A passage or flue C is provided under each vessel A through which the heated gases
pass from the combustion chamber B, a large heating surface under each vessel being
thus obtained. The flues C may be divided longitudinally by a series of bars or
plates c by which one vessel is supported on top of the next one.
The vessels A are secured between strong plates D D¹ top and bottom which are
held or clamped together by tension bolts & and prevent any deformation of the
vessels which might arise from the internal pressure. Side and end plates E E¹ are
also provided to form a casing or framing to enclose the vessels A.
Each vessel is constructed preferably of two parts the top of thin sheet metal of
dish shape and a flat bottom of thin sheet copper rivetted or otherwise secured to the
top part or of other suitable material. Either or both of these may be corrugated if
desired to give a greater heating surface and in one arrangement the corrugations of
the bottom run transversely to the corrugations of the top.
Each vessel A is at one end supplied with a continuous stream of water from inlet
pipes F connected to a supply reservoir G forming part of the generator. The supply
reservoir G is directly connected by the inlet pipes F and auxiliary pipes f with all
the vessels A each one of which acts independently of the other. The feed water
advantageously enters each vessel A through a number of small openings or perforations
in the internal pipes f¹ connected to the auxiliary pipes f. The water may be caused
to enter at a considerable velocity or under considerable pressure which induces a
flow of the water at a definite rate across the surface of the bottom of the vessel
towards the overflow. As a result of this movement the vessels A may in the course
of operation all be permitted to move considerably out of the horizontal in the
direction of the flow without any part of the heated bottom plates becoming
uncovered with water.
Thin strips may be attached to the bottom plate longitudinally-as shown in
Fig. 7 in order to limit the movement of the water in the event of the generator
tipping in the other direction and thus prevent the heated plate being uncovered
with water.
The stean is generated in each vessel in the space between the top and the water
level and the heat of the top plates serves to superheat the steam.
At the end of each vessel A opposite to the inlet pipes F is placed an overflow
arrangement consisting of a lip h running transversely across the vessel A and a
pocket h¹ into which the overflow water falls and thence passes through pipes H of
a:mple capacity into the reservoir K which is placed at a lower level than the bottom
vessel A.
The overflow reservoir K is preferably placed in the end flue or smoke box L in
order to avoid loss of heat by radiation. Although the quantity of water in the
vessels A is very small and steam is quickly generated therefrom the reservoirs G
and K contain sufficient reserve of water for a considerable period.
The water is continuously puinped up from the overflow reservoir K to the supply
reservoir G so that as long as there is any water contained in these two reservoirs the
generator can continue at work without fresh supply.
After the generator has been at work some time the whole of the water contained
in the generator and vessels K and G assumes the temperature of the steam at its
working pressure and thus the water serves to store a very considerable quantity of
heat which is immediately available to form steam whenever the working pressure in
the generator tends to fall.
The steam from each of the vessels A collects in the receiver N from whence
it passes by a pipe to the top of the supply reservoir G and is led away to be
used.
The pump for raising the water from the overflow reservoir K to the supply

page_text: reservoir G comprises a cylinder M closed at both ends and fitted with a piston m,
the rod attached to which passes through a suitable stuffing box in one of the
cylinder covers and is connected to and worked to and fro by a motor or other
reciprocating mechanism. Each end of the cylinder M has a pipe m¹ connected with
it which passes to the supply reservoir G above. The capacity of such pipe is small
compared with the working capacity of the cylinder. At the centre of the cylinder
are openings m² and towards the completion of each stroke the piston uncovers them
and as they are in free communication with the lower reservoir and below the level
of the water in it the water flows freely into the cylinder. On its return stroke the
piston covers these openings and afterwards forces the water through the pipe into
the vessel above. On the next stroke the water in the pipe m¹ re-enters the
cylinder M and then steam follows until the openings in the cylinder walls are
uncovered when water fills the cylinder expelling the steam through the delivery
pipe, then the action is as before described. The delivery pipes m¹ enter the supply
reservoir G above the level of the water therein.
In generators of considerable size a rotary pump may be employed instead of the
piston pump before described to raise and circulate the water and such rotary pump
may be driven by an electric motor or other suitable means.
The bottom part of the vessel may be constructed in short lengths each length
being pressed out of sheet copper in such a manner that they may be joined together
and the required number secured to the top part to complete the vessel. Each of
the lengths has its corrugations formed at a slight inclination to its sides and
adjacent lengths have the corrugations inclined in opposite directions so that when
together the corrugations in plan would run slightly zig-zag and the hot gases
passing between them thus caused to impinge. The sides of each length where
they are joined together form effective stiffening webs transversely to the
corrugations.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :-
1. A steam generator constructed with a number of shallow enclosed vessels over
the bottom of which a constant flow of water in a thin layer or film is caused to pass,
steam being thereby permitted to generate in each vessel and pass to steam receiver,
substantially as described.
2. A steam generator comprising a number of superimposed shallow vessels each
provided with a feed inlet pipe at one end and an overflow pipe at the opposite end,
a supply reservoir above the level of the generating vessels, an overflow reservoir
below them and a pump for raising the water in a continuous flow from one to the
other, substantially as described.
3. A steam generator having the several parts constructed and arranged in
combination, substantially as described.
Dated this 14th day of September 1898.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
6, Bank Street, Manchester, Patent Agents.