Improvements in Water Heaters.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Apr., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 9th Oct., 1891-Accepted, 30th Jan., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Water Heaters.
I DAVID JOHNSTON, of 197 Dumbarton Road, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of my invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to and comprises a new or improved construction
or arrangement and combination of the parts of a tubular steam water heater
susceptible of considerable modification, specially designed for the use of exhaust
steam from engines for the heating of feed water for boilers, but suitable also for
the use of live or waste steam and for heating water for other purposes. It will be
more efficient in action and more simple and convenient in construction for cleaning
and repairs than has been the case with water heaters generally as heretofore
constructed.
The nature and novelty of the invention according to one simple construction
consists in forming the outer case cylindrical like a large cast iron pipe with
brackets or other equivalent for supporting it vertically or might be at an angle
when preferred; and having a flange joint at its upper end, and the faucet of a
stuffing box or other equivalent joint at its lower end with glands for bolting
the lower spigot end of the stuffing box to, which may have a removable flange
end below. On the flange at the upper end of this outer case would be jointed
and mounted a short, preferably cylindrical, case with a closed lower end and
flange for securing it to the top of the outer case, and a flange above for bolting
on a removable top end. This short case according to the arrangement being
described would have a vertical water tight division dividing it into two compart-
ments, the one the inlet water space, and the other the outlet water space and the
lower close end of each compartment would be bored to screw or secure and carry
the upper open ends of two or other number of tubes, while their lower ends would
be similarly secured through a lower tube plate or block, which would be bored
or otherwise fitted to suit the movable stuffing box part at the lower end of the
case, which would allow of the free expansion and contraction of the tubes and
the movement of the lower tube plate in the lower stuffing box part. Thus the
water to be heated would be conveyed down from the inlet compartment through
one set of the tubes into the stuffing box lower end of the case below the lower
tube plate while the water would ascend up the other set of tubes as heated to the
other or outlet compartment at the top. The water to be heated would be led in
by a pipe and gland or other branch to the one top compartment and led off heated
by a similar branch and pipe from the other compartment. The upper and lower
ends or tube plates into which the tubes are secured would enclose and form a
heating vessel all round and the whole length of these tubes within the outer case
which may be termed the steam heating vessel which would have a gland or other
joint branch near the bottom or it might be the top of the outer case for letting in
the exhaust or other steam to this compartment to heat the outer surface of all the
tubes, and a corresponding gland or other branch would be formed near the other
end of the outer case for the escape of the exhaust steam not condensed after
heating the tubes, and a drain pipe would be fitted at the lower part also for
drawing off any condensed steam which might be left in the lower end of this steam
heating chamber. A further improvement consists in fitting down from the top
end within each tube a central rod with baffle plates or discs at suitable intervals
apart, slightly less in diameter than the inside of the tube, and preferably bevelled
or conical on the bottom surface so as to cause a motion and direct the water
passing down through the tubes so as to act on the interior surface of the tube and
take up the heat radiated through the tube more readily. These baffle plates if
used in the ascending water heating tubes would of course have the angled bevelled

page_text: .
or conical ends on the side opposite to those in the descending tube to agitate and
distribute the water out against the surface of the tubes as it passed each baffle
plate. Each set of baffle plates would be carried at their upper end by a cruciform
or other shaped block which would be secured at the top of each tube in the top
water chambers, so that when the top cover of this was removed these rods and
baffle plates could be withdrawn and the tubes easily cleaned by wire or other
scrubbers or brushes for the purpose, or the deposited lime broken off by heating.
The door or lower end of the stuffing box part of the case could be removed
when that was required to clean out the bottom of the water chamber, but a blow-
off cock would be fitted to it for occasionally blowing off any deposit which may
collect, and so seldom require the removal of the lower end cover.
Although the water chamber at the top of the heater has been described as
divided into only two close divisions one inlet and one outlet, and corresponding
sets of descending and ascending water heating tubes, it is to be understood that this
water space may be divided into any number of compartments and have any
number of sets of descending and ascending water heating tubes convenient, and
that the tubes and the heaters may be made of any convenient length to suit the
levels of inlet and discharge water and other circumstances where they have to be
erected. Under certain circumstances the arrangement by a slight modification
may be adapted to work in a horizontal position.
Dated the 2nd April 1891.
W. R. M. THOMSON & Co.,
96, Buchanan Street, Glasgow, Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Water Heaters.
I, DAVID JOHNSTON, of 197 Dumbarton Road, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of my invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement in writing, that is to say :-
This invention has reference to and comprises a new or improved construction,
or arrangement and combination of the parts of a tubular steam water heater,
susceptible of considerable modification, specially designed for the use of exhaust
steam from engines for the heating of feed water for boilers, and trapping or
removing from it lime or other impurities, but suitable also for the use of live or
waste steam, and for heating and purifying water for other purposes; and which
will be more efficient in action and more simple and convenient in construction for
cleaning and repairs, than has been the case with water heaters generally as
heretofore constructed.
And in order that my said invention, and the manner of performing or carrying
the same into effect or practice may be properly understood, I have hereunto
appended an explanatory sheet of drawings, in which the same reference letters are
used to indicate corresponding parts in all the figures where shown, the arrows
indicating the direction of the inlet and outlet flow of the water and steam or
heating fluid.
Figure 1 is an external elevation of a water heater as constructed in accordance
with one arrangement of my improvements.
Figure 2 is a plan view, partly in section, corresponding to and as taken on the
lines 1-1 of Figure 1.
Figure is a vertical section through the heater A, and water circulating
tubes a, a', corresponding to Figure 1; and
Figure 4 is a sectional plan view as taken on the lines 2-2 of Figure 3.
Figure 5 is a horizontal section of another arrangement of my improvements in
which a greater number of water circulating and heating tubes a, a¹, are used than
in the construction shown in Figures 1 to 4.

page_text: Figures 6 and 7 are a sectional elevation and plan view respectively showing to
an enlarged scale the upper end of one of heating tubes a or a with baffle plates d¹
mounted on a spindle d within same.
Figure 8 is an edge elevation of the spindle d, and baffle plates d' at right angles
to that shown in Figure 6.
Figure 9 is a plan view showing one of the bafḤe plates d' attached to its carrying
spindle d.
Figure 10 is a sectional elevation of the upper end of one of the tubes a or a¹,
showing another mode of mounting the baffle plates d¹ within same, and with outer
stuffing box at end of tube. And
Figure 11 is a sectional plan view of one of the baffle plates and spindle d
shown in Figure 10.
Referring to these drawings:-The improvements consist in forming the outer
case A preferably cylindrical like a large cast iron pipe with brackets A', for
supporting it vertically on carrying beams A", or other equivalent, or it might be
at an angle when preferred; and having a flange joint A at its upper end, and a
similar flange A, for jointing a stuffing box C to, at its lower end, and fitted with
a removable lower deposit chamber e with end cover ell and drawing off tape. On
the flange A, at the upper end of this outer case A, is jointed and mounted a
short preferably cylindrical case B, with a closed lower end and flange for
securing and jointing it to the top flange A of the outer case A and a flange
above for bolting on a removable top end or cover B11. This short case B
according to the arrangement now described has a vertical water tight
division B, dividing it into two compartments b, the one the inlet water
space, and the other the outlet water space and the lower close end 3 of each
compartment b, b', is bored to screw by nuts a" or expand or otherwise secure
and carry the upper open ends of two or other number of inlet and outlet water
heating tubes a, a, while the lower ends of these tubes a, a', are similarly secured
by the screw nuts a through the top plate c¹ of the movable deposit chamber
which would be turned, planed, or otherwise fitted to suit the stuffing box part C
at the lower end of the case A., and which would allow of the free expansion and
contraction of the tubes a, a', and the movement of the lower deposit chamber c.
Thus the water to be heated would be conveyed down from the inlet compartment />,
through one set of tubes a into the stuffing box lower end of the case c below
the lower tube plate e while the water would ascend from the chamber c, up the
other set of tubes a' as heated to the other or outlet compartment at the top.
The water to be heated would be led in by a pipe and gland or other branch
at to the one top compartment , and led off' heated by a similar branch and
pipe at from the other compartment &', and may be either led direct to feed
the boiler or be carried through an intercepting settling tank or chamber to
deposit any remaining impurities in the water. The upper and lower ends or tube
plates, e, into which the tubes a a¹ are secured enclose and form a heating
vessel A all round the whole length of these tubes a, a', within the outer case A
which may be termed the steam heating vessel which would have a flanged or other
jointed branch at A', near the bottom, or it might be the top, of the outer case A.,
for letting in the exhaust or other steam to this compartment to heat the outer
surface of all the tubes a, a', and a corresponding branch A is formed near the
top or other end of the outer case A for the escape of the exhaust steam pot,
condensed after heating the tubes a, a'; and a drain pipe may be fitted at the lowr-
part to draw off any condensed steam which might be left in the lower end of this
steam heating chamber A.
A. further improvement consists in fitting down from the top end within each
tube a, a', a central rod d with baffle plates or discs d', secured to it preferably by
pins at suitable intervals apart, these baffle plates being slightly less in
diameter than the inside of the tube a, or a', and preferably rounded at their
corners or segments taken off as shown particularly in Figure 9 and they might be
bevelled or conical on the bottom surface so as in either case to cause a motion and

page_text: direct the water passing down through the tubes a to act on the interior surface of
the tube and take up the heat radiated through the tube more readily. These
baffle plates d when used in the ascending water heating tubes a' would of course
have the angled bevelled or conical ends on the side opposite to those in the
descending tube a to agitate and distribute the water out against the surface of
the tubes as it passed each baffle plate d Each set of battle plates d and
spindle d would be carried at their upper end by a cruciform or other shaped
block screwed or secured to the spindle d over the top of each tube a a' in the
top water chambers b, b', so that when the top cover B of this was removed these
rods d and baffle plates d' could be withdrawn from the tubes a, a', by inserting
a rope or other pulling device through the hole in the block and the tubes easily
cleaned by wire or other scrubbers or brushes for the purpose, or the deposited
lime broken off by heating. The heater A, can be moved about by attaching a
block and tackle or other hauling apparatus to the hook eye B in the cover 1".
Or by unloosening the jointing flange bolts at A2 and slackening the stuffing box
gland at the other end of heater and attaching a block and tackle to the eye
hook B in the cover, the tubes a, a', and lower chamber can be withdrawn for
cleaning or repair. As shown in Figure 10 the spindle d carrying the baffle
plates may be screwed or secured to a top spindle or handle d³ carried outside
the cover B of the top chamber B and be fitted with a stuffing box at 13³, so as
to be able to turn said handle ³ and rod and give a vibratory or oscillatory
motion to the baffle plates and clean or loosen away any deposit within the
tubes a, a, without requiring to open up or stop the action of the heater.
arrangement the rod d is shown as formed square and the baffle plates d¹ secured to
it by ferrules or short tubes d surrounding said rod d between each baffle plate d'.
The door or lower end of the chamber c at the lower stuffing box part of the
ease could be unscrewed and removed when that was required to clean out the
water deposit chamber e but the blow off cock c² can be used for occasionally
blowing off any deposit which may collect, and so seldom require the removal of the
lower end cover ell Instead of forming the lower end of the chamber A as a
stuffing box C, and fitting the deposit chamber e down through it, this might be
mounted within the lower end C of the vessel A and have a blow off pipe passing
through a small stuffing box in the close end C of the vessel, as shown in the
detached view Figure 3 A.
In this
Although the water chamber B at the top of the heater has been described as
divided into only two close divisions b, b, one inlet and one outlet, and corresponding
sets of descending and ascending water heating tubes a, a', it is to be understood
that this water space may be divided into any number of compartments and have
any number of sets of descending and ascending water heating tubes a, a' convenient,
and that the tubes and the heaters may be made of any convenient length to suit
the levels of inlet and discharge water and other circumstances where they have to
be erected. Under certain circumstances the arrangement by a slight modification
may be adapted to work in a horizontal position.
In the arrangement shown in Figure 5, seven tubes are shown as fitted in the
heater A, five a being used as the inlet and downflow heating tubes connected to
the inlet branch and two a' as the upflow and discharge tubes, connected to the
discharge branch , the upper chamber B, in this case being separated into two
compartments, b₁, by a curved web plate B', instead of the cross plate B', in
Figures 1 to 4, and having a tightening screw B, for pressing the ends of the
partition plate B' up against the sides of the casing A to form a tight joint, but
otherwise constructed substantially the same as that shown in Figures 1 to 4.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
First. The construction or arrangement and combination of the parts of water
heaters with inflow and returu water circulating and heating tubes and movable

page_text: end chambers, substantially as herein described in reference to and shown in the
accompanying drawings.
Second. In water heaters the arrangement and use of inflow and return water
circulating and heating tubes within an outer close steam casing or shell and having
end water chambers, substantially as and for the purposes herein described in
reference to and shown in the accompanying drawings.
Third. In tubular water heaters, the construction and use of a movable expansion
end tube return chamber, substantially as and for the purposes herein described in
reference to and shown in the accompanying drawings.
Fourth. In tubular water heaters, the construction and use of combined inflow
and return end water chambers formed by a division separating plate, substantially
as and for the purposes herein described in reference to and shown in the accom-
panying drawings.
Fifth. In water heaters the fitting and use within water circulating and heating
tubes of longitudinal rods carrying a series of agitating or cleaning baffle plates or
discs, substantially as and for the purposes herein described in reference to and
shown in the accompanying drawings.
Dated the 29th September 1801
W. R. M. THOMSON & Co.,
96, Buchanan Street, Glasgow, Agents.
W. R. M. THOMSON & Co.,
96, Buchanan Street, Glasgow, Agents.