IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF STEAM AND OTHER BOILERS, AND APPARATUS CON- NECTED THEREWITH
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Burch, of Crag Hall, near Macclesfield, in
the County of Chester, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF STEAM AND OTHER BOILERS, AND APPARATUS CON-
NECTED THEREWITH."
Sealed the 31st October 1861, and dated the 6th May 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Burch at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 6th
May 1861.
I, JOSEPH BURCH, of Crag Hall, near Macclesfield, in the County of Chester,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF STEAM AND OTHER BOILERS, AND APPARATUS CON-
NECTED THEREWITH," to be as follows, that is to say:―
My Invention consists in the use of curved. water tubes in vertical furnaces,
by attaching their upper ends to the crown of the furnace, and there lower ends
to the sides of the furnace so that the water may circulate through them.
It also consists in the use of fire brick or metal obstructions so placed
amongst the water tubes in the furnaces of boilers that the heat and flame
from the fire be made to circulate through every part of the furnace before
passing into the flue or chimney.
It also consists in so thickening or indenting the plates of the furnaces and
shells of boilers for the purpose, when fire tubes are used between the
furnaces and shells of boilers, of avoiding an oblique joint through the metal
plates.

page_text: It also consists in fixing curved fire tubes into circular furnaces and shells
of boilers in a manner to deviate from the radial line in order to avoid short
bends and give greater facilities for cleaning them.
It also consists in the use of a rotating frame on which the fire bars under
the central furnaces of vertical boilers are fixed, and in large furnaces of
dividing the area of the fire bar surface into compartments by fire brick or
metal divisions in order to afford greater facilities for cleaning, feeding, or
regulating the fire.
It also consists in the construction and use of a ball stop valve without the
ordinary cage, either as applied to the feed pipes, steam pipes or pumps of
boilers, or such like general purposes.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Joseph Burch in. the Great Seal Patent Office on the
6th November 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPH
BURCH, of Crag Hall, near Macclesfield in the County of Chester, Engineer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fourth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Joseph Burch, Her especial license that I, the said Joseph
Burch, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said Joseph Burch, 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 THE CONSTRUCTION OF STEAM AND OTHER BOILERS, AND
Apparatus CONNECTED THERE WITH," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Joseph Burch, by an instrument in writing under my
hand and seal, 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Joseph Burch, 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 ful-
lowing statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawing, and to
the figures and letters marked thereon:-
My Invention firstly consists in the use of water tubes in the furnaces of
vertical boilers, the upper ends of such tubes being attached to the crown of
the furnace, and their lower ends to the sides of the furnace sufficiently high to
avoid contact with the burning fuel; by the use of these tubes I obtain à
greatly increased heating surface; they may be made of any suitable material;
such as wrought iron or copper, I prefer the latter; it is not necessary that
they be curved exactly as shewn on the Drawing; they may be semi-
sexangular, but their top and bottom flanges must be set at right angles
or nearly so, in order that a good joint may be made with the crown
and sides of the furnace. The water in the boiler circulates through the
tubes.
'
. The parts marked a, in the Figures 1, 2 and 3, represent water tubes in a
furnace; their number, length, and position may be varied according to the sizé
and height of such furnace; when small tubes are employed ferrules may be
used for making sound joints; i is an internal chimney tube through the
steam chamber.
Secondly, my Invention consists in the use of fire-brick or metal obstruc-
tors for the purpose, when placed amongst the water tubes in the furnaces of
vertical steam boilers, of causing the draught current to be circuitous, so that
the heated gases and products of combustion be made to permeate every part of
the furnace before entering the flues. The parts marked b, in Figures 1 and 3,
represent the obstructors amongst the tubes, and the arrows indicate the
course of the draught caused thereby; these obstructors are supported on small
brackets c, which are attached to the tubes and sides of the furnace.
Thirdly, my Invention consists in the use of iron tube plates d, for the con-
struction of those parts of steam boilers to which the fire tubes are attached, such
plates having been rolled through grooved rollers in the process of manufac
turing; by these means a thick ridge is left on the plate, through which the
holes for inserting the fire tubes are drilled at a suitable angle, and thus an
oblique joint is avoided; Fig. 5 shews a section of a tube plate; Fig. 6 shews
a section of a tube plate with concentric tubes inserted; Fig. 7 is a section
of a tube plate drilled for the tubes; Fig. 8 shews an arrangement of tubes
round a central furnace, it is a front view of Fig. 6; by this part of my Inven-

page_text: tion I am enabled to avoid sharp bends in the fire tubes which I could not do
if the tubes entered the plates at right angles.
Fourthly, my Invention consists in the, use of a circular frame e, for
carrying the fire bars in vertical furnaces; .in large furnaces these frames are
divided into four compartments, as seen in Fig. 4; between each division there
is a ridge of fire bricks f, and in each division there is a separate set of firc-
bars; the frame e, when required for the purpose of cleaning and regulating
the fire, is made to rotate upon the small rollers g, by means of the shaft and
tooth wheels h, the scrapers & clearing the way for the rollers.
Fifthly, my Invention consists in the use of an internally fluted stop valve
box, which is represented on the Drawings by Figs. 10, 11, and 12, the flutes or
corrugations answer the purpose of the ordinary cage, the valve being kept
over its seating by the edges of the flutes, which are cast solid with the
valve box. These improvements are shewn on boilers constructed upon the
concentric flue principle, an Invention for which Her most Gracious Majesty
on the Nineteenth day of October, One thousand eight hundred and sixty,
granted me Her Royal Letters Patent, but they can be used in ordinary
vertical boilers with central furnaces of any form or construction.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of
carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that I do not claim
any of the well-known parts, which are only shewn and referred to for the
purpose of illustrating my present Invention; but I declare that I claim as
my Invention, the various improvements herein-before described and shewn in
the Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Burch, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fifth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
JOSEPH BURCH. (L.S.)