IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR HEATING WATER AND GENERATING STEAM."
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Weightman Harrison, of High Holborn,
in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR HEATING WATER AND GENERATING
STEAM."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION. left by the said Charles Weightman
Harrison at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition on the 23rd November 1872.
I, CHARLES WEIGHTMAN HARRISON, of High Holborn, in the County
of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said In-
vention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR HEATING WATER AND
GENERATING, STEAM," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to improvements in apparatus for heating water
and generating steam, by the combustion of gas, and consists es-
sentially, in the employment of a tube of iron or other suitable material
which passes through the water to be heated or converted into steam

page_text: either vertically, horizontally, or at an inclination, and has inserted, or
partly so, in its lower end (which is also left open for the admission of
atmospheric air) a ring gas burner or series of jets forming a ring, which
burner or series of jets is made to fit closely round the interior cir-
cumference of the tube, and thus, when the gas is ignited, the cooler air
is drawn into the interior of the flame, and as it expands in the inside of
the tube, in consequence of the heat imparted to it, presses the flame
of the gas or the incandescent carbon close against the surface of the
tube, thus rapidly and economically imparting to it great heat which is
immediately communicated to the surrounding water.
When the tube is used in a horizontal or inclined direction we find it
beneficial to turn in a downward direction the end to which the burner
is to be applied as before described., The tube may be constructed either
plain or corrugated or fluted on either the interior or exterior surface or
both, which corrugations or flutings may be formed either in the direction
of the length of pipe or spirally so as to wind from one end to the other.
Any number of these tubes may be used in combination, and the
products of combustion therefrom may be led away by any suitable
means.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Charles Weightman Harrison in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 23rd May 1878.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
WEIGHTMAN HARRISON, of High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the
thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Charles Weightman Harrison, Her
special license that I, the said Oharles Weightman Harrison, my
executors, administrators and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Charles Weightman Harrison, my executors, administrators, and as-
signs, 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

page_text: 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 APPARATUS FOR HEATING WATER
GENERATING STEAM," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said Charles Weightman Harrison, my executors or administrators, 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 In-
vention, 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 calender
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Charles Weightman Harrison, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement thereof, that is to say :-
This Invention relates to improvements in apparatus for heating water
and generating steam by the combustion of gas, and is as follows:―
I take a tube of iron or other suitable material, which tube is made to
pass through the water to be heated or converted into steam, either
vertically, horizontally, spirally, or at any inclination found desirable,
and is left open. at both ends for the free passage of air therethrough.
It has also inserted, or nearly so, at its lower end, a ring burner or series of
burners forming a ring, which burner or series of burners is made of about
the same diameter as the interior of the said tube, so that when the gas
is ignited the ring of flame will be close round the inner surface of the
tube. Thus air from the surrounding atmosphere will be drawn into the
interior of the flame, and as it ascends or passes through the tube will
expand in volume in consequence of the heat imparted to it, and so will
press the surrounding flame or the incandescent carbon close against the
surface of the tube, thus rapidly and economically imparting to it great
heat, which is immediately.communicated to the surrounding water, and
thus the whole of the heating power of the flame is effectually utilized.
When the tube passes through the water horizontally, or at an
inclination, I find it beneficial to turn in a downward direction the end
to which the burner is to be applied, as before described.
It will be obvious that any number of these tubes may be used in
combination, and thus may be formed into powerful and efficient heating
or steam generating apparatus.

page_text: And in order that my Invention may be clearly understood and readily
carried into effect I will proceed to describe the same with the aid of the
accompanying Drawings, reference being had to the figures and letters
marked thereon, and in which Figures 1 and 2 illustrate a number of
the above-described tubes and burners combined in the form of a vertical
boiler; Figures 3, 4, and 5, a number combined in the form of a
horizontal boiler; and Figures 6 and 7, enlarged views of the ring
burner used, Figure 6 shewing also the lower end of a tube in correct
relative position therewith; Figure 1 is a vertical section taken at the
centre line; Figure 2, a sectional plan at the line a, b, Figure 1;
Figure 3, a part longitudinal vertical section taken at the centre line;
Figure 4, a front elevation with the face plates of the combustion
chamber removed in order to shew the arrangement of the burners and
their relative positions with the ends of the tubes; Figure 5, a plan of
the combustion chamber with the top plates removed, and the tubes
which project into the said chamber broken away in order to prevent
confusion; Figure 6, a vertical section taken at the centre line; and
Figure 7, a plan. In each case the same letter of reference, wherever
it occurs, indicates like or corresponding parts.
'
A (see Figures 1 and 2) is the shell of the boiler; and B are the tubes
fixed with their ends in the base and crown plates, and passing through
the water and steam space much after the manner of an ordinary
tubular boiler. The shell of the boiler extends below the base plate so
as to raise it from the ground sufficiently to allow of the proper ar-
rangement of the burners C, underneath the tubes, one burner being
introduced at the lower end of each tube, as shewn on an enlarged scale
at Figure 6.
The arrangement of the burners and their connections with one main
gas supply pipe E is clearly shewn in Figure 2, which main supply pipe
is provided with a cock, so that the admission of gas may be regulated
at pleasure. The admission of air to to the gas in combustion is regulated
by a sliding door F, which may be opened to any extent required. The
action is as follows:-The gas having been turned on and ignited the
ring flames from the burners ascend the tubes B; air from the sur-
rounding atmosphere is therefore drawn into the interior of the flames,
and as it enters the tubes expands by reason of the heat imparted to it,
and thus presses the flames or incandescent carbon close against the
surface of the tubes, thereby rapidly and economically imparting to

page_text: them great heat, such heat being immediately communicated to the sur-
rounding water, which is thus converted into steam, the steam rising
into the space provided for it above the water. The products of
combustion are led away by the flue G.
In the horizontal form of boiler, illustrated by Figures 3, 4, and 5, the
tubes B are turned down at the ends where the burners are applied in
order to get a vertical ascent for the flame at its point of exit from the
burner. This is found to ensure more effective action, although not
absolutely essential. The arrangement of the burners in relation to the
> ends of the tubes is clearly shown in the said Figures 3, 4, and 5, where
it will be seen that each tier of tubes projects sufficiently beyond the tier
below it to allow of the burners and gas supply pipe being conveniently
arranged underneath it. This arrangement allows of the several tiers of
tubes being placed more closely together than they could be if the
5 burners and supply pipes had to come between them.
The products of combustion are led away by any well-known con-
struction of flue.
The supply of air to the gas in combustion is let into the combustion
chamber, and regulated in quantity by a sliding door F, as in the
O vertical boiler, but on entering the said combustion chamber is met by a
plate H, which forms a passage up the front and over the top of the said
chamber, and thus conducts the air to the back thereof, so that to get to
the burners it has to pass between and come in contact with the heated
projecting ends of the tubes B, and thus becomes heated before coming
5 in contact with the gas flames, and so aids the combustion. The gas is
lighted through a door I in the said plate H.
When desired the air may be forced into the combustion chamber
instead of being allowed simply to find its way in, as shewn, and this
may be accomplished by a fan or other well-known or suitable means.
0 The said tubes B may be constructed either plain, or corrugated, or
fluted, on either their interior or exterior surface, or both, which cor-
rugations or flutings may be formed either in the direction of the length
of the tubes or spirally, so as to wind from one end to the other.
The ring burners employed in connection with my apparatus, or
5 the burners used in a series to form a ring, may be of the descriptions
known as the Bunsen and Argand burners, or any other sort found
desirable, as I do not claim the use of any special burner, neither do I

page_text: claim as my Invention any particular construction of boiler, nor any
particular method of combining the said tubes, but what I claim as my
Invention, to be secured by the herein-before in part recited Letters
Patent, is the combination of a tube and ring gas burner, or series of
burners forming a ring, substantially as and for the purpose or purposes
herein-before set forth and described, and illustrated in the accompanying
Drawings, and either singly or more than one in combination.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Weightman Harrison, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of May,
in the year of Our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
three.