IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND APPLICATION OF HOT WATER BOILERS, JOINTS, AND VALVES
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred William George Weeks, George Deal,
George Lillywhite, and Alexander Oliver Launders, carrying on
business under the Style of J. Weeks & Co., Horticultural Builders,
King's Road, Chelsea, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND APPLICATION OF HOT WATER
BOILERS, JOINTS, AND VALVES."
Sealed the 22nd March 1870, and dated the 28th January 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred William George
Weeks, George Deal, George Lillywhite, and Alexander Oliver
Jaunders at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 28th January 1870.
We, ALFRED WILLIAM GEORGE WEEKS, GEORGE DEAL, GEORGE
LILLYWHITE, and ALEXANDER OLIVER LAUNDERS, carrying on business
under the Style of J. Weeks & Co., Horticultural Builders, King's Road,
Chelsea, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of

page_text: the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND APPLICATION
or HOT WATER BOILERS, JOINTS, AND VALVES," to be as follows:-
Our Invention consists of the improvements hereafter described in
<constructing upright tubular boilers of wrought or cast iron of an
improved form or forms, whereby complete safety is secured. The
disastrous effects arising from unequal expansion and contraction are
completely neutralized. The durability of the boiler is hereby rendered
so lasting as to be almost indestructible. By the improved form of
connection which unites the boiler to the tubular furnace bars being
removed from the direct action of the fire and placed in front of the
boiler complete security is guaranteed. By this improvement any
portion of the boiler can be removed for internal or external cleansing
or repairs without withdrawing the water from the apparatus worked
by the boiler or causing the operations of the apparatus to cease.
Every internal part of the boiler can be seen, examined, and cleansed
when necessary without either removing it or otherwise impeding
working operations.
The improved arrangement for connecting the boiler to the tubular
furnace bars being fitted with large gun metal valves of an improved
form gives perfect facilities for removing cither part of the boiler as
aforesaid.
'
Upright tubular boilers as at present manufactured are constructed
with two or more annular (circular or elliptical) castings for top
and bottom, connected one to the other with one or more series of
iron tubes, the joints between the said castings and the tubes being
made water-tight with cement and hemp, red and white lead and hemp,
or other caulking materials. They are also sometimes so manufactured
that the annular top and bottom portions and the one or moro series of
iron tubes connecting them are in one casting, having no caulked joints.
Some upright tubular boilers are connected to tubular furnace bars,
being tubes through which the return water passes from the apparatus
into the boiler; others are used with ordinary or specially designed
furnace bars and dead plates, the return water being received into the
boiler at the lower annular casting.
We hereby declare that our Invention is intended to be applied to
all such tubular boilers, whether jointed in sections, cast in one or more
pieces, or with or without hollow furnace bars, or otherwise, as before
described.

page_text: One feature of our Invention is in constructing the upright tubular
boiler different from those now manufactured in this respect, that the
boiler shall be made in two or more pieces fitting together, and when
in position closely resembling those already manufactured. For this
purpose we intend to make the top and bottom casting's in segments,
and connect the same by means of iron tubes, as before described. Each
half of the boiler when at work will be in respect of the circulation or
heating of the water therein entirely independent of the other half.
This being the case either half of the boiler may be entirely discon-
nected and removed from the apparatus, and the remaining half be left
at work. To effect the separation of the halves we apply valves to each
of the upper parts of the boiler between them and the flow pipe of the
apparatus and valves in the connection which unites tho bottom parts of
the boiler to the tubular furnace bars, or in case of there being no
tubular furnace bars used, then to the return pipe of the apparatus.
These upper and lower valves being screwed down an entire separation
of either half of the boiler and the apparatus is effected, and the
half so separated may then be removed without loss of water from the
apparatus.
Another feature or part of our Invention consists in providing means
of cleansing the interior of the boiler. For this purpose we project
boxes on the lower half-circular castings of the boiler. On the front of
each of these boxes we place a pad or man-hole, two or more to each half
of the boiler, these pads or man-holes to bo fixed by the ordinary means
of bridge piece, bolt and nut, and caulking material. We further and
for the same object of internal cleansing place pads or man-holes on the
castings connected to the tubular furnace bars.
Our improvements in valves consists in partially sinking'an india-
rubber ring in a grove; upon which the face plate of the valve is screwed
down, compressing the india-rubber to a flat surface between the face
plate and the seating, and making a water-tight valve under pressure.
The improvement in joints consists in the application of india-rubber
or other caulking material of a new form, so arranged that by the
expansion or contraction of the pipes the tendency of the joint is to
tighten.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Alfred William Georgo Weeks, George Deal,
George Lillywhite, and Alexander Oliver Launders in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 26th July 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, wo, ALFRED
WILLIAM GEORGE WEEKS, GEORGE DEAL, GEORGE LILLYWHITE, and
ALEXANDER OLIVER LAUNDERS, carrying on business under the Style of
J. Weeks & Co., Horticultural Builders, King's Road, Chelsea, in the
County of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her :
Letters Patent, bearing dato the Twenth-eighth day of January, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-
third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto us, the said Alfred William George Weeks, George Deal,
George Lillywhite, and Alexander Oliver Launders,' Her special licence
that we, the said Alfred William George Weeks, George Deal, George
Lillywhite, and Alexander Oliver Launders, our executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said Alfred William George
Weeks, George Deal, George Lillywhite, and Alexander Oliver Launders,
our 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 AND APPLICATION OF HOT WATER BOILERS,
JOINTS, AND VALVES," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the
said Alfred William George Weeks, George Deal, George Lillywhite, and
Alexander Oliver Launders, our executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under our, or one of our, 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 per-
formed, 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 we, tho said Alfred William George Weeks,
George Deal, George Lillywhite, and Alexander Oliver Launders, do
hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner

page_text: the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement, that is to say, reference being had to
the Drawing hereunto annexed :—
:
Our said Invention consists in certain adaptations and arrangement of
the parts constituting the construction of and the application of boilers
for water used for circulation in pipes for warming baths,'tanks, cisterns,
and for any purpose for which hot water boilers are used, whereby we
economise the use of fuel, increase the heating power of the boiler,
render the boiler indestructible by the disastrous effects of restrained or
unequal expansion and' contraction, give facilities for the periodical
internal cleansing of the boiler by the removal of sediment or incrus-
tation, and by the application of improved joints and valves constructing
the boiler so that one-half may be removed for cleansing or repairs
without withdrawing the water from the remaining half of the boiler,
or from the apparatus, system of pipes, tank, or cistern to which its
warming powers are applied, or in any other way stopping the use of the
said remaining portion of the boiler..
Our Invention is intended to be applied to all forms of hot water
boilers, of which some are known as saddle boilers, conical boilers,
cannon boilers, cruciform boilers, retort boilers, upright tubular boilers,
multitubular boilers, and others, none of which have ever been con-
structed or used in, on, or by the principle which we now claim as our
Invention.
Our Invention is intended to be applied either in wrought iron, in cast
iron, or in copper, whether the boilers are welded, wrought, or cast in
one piece or more, whether the parts are jointed by iron, cement, or
other material, of if used as ordinary boilers, the fire being supported on
ordinary furnace bars, or as compound boilers, in which case the boiler
would be attached to the furnace bars, the latter being tubes through
which the return water would have to pass before reaching the main
part of the boiler.
.
We hereby express our preference for the form of boiler long known
as "Weeks's upright tubular boiler," and in describing our Invention,
which we now proceed to do by reference to the Drawings annexed
hereunto, we describe it as applied to that form of boiler, so that the
nature of our Invention, and the manner in which it is to be performed,
may be fully understood.

page_text: Figure 1 shows a general plan of the lower part of the boiler, of which
A, A, and B, B), are the two bottom castings, being both alike in
every respect; they are semicircular in form on plan, having two water-
ways or channels, the inner ones A("), B(), being slightly raised above
the outer ones, both having nozzles for the insertion of upright tubes,
marked e, e. At each end of each semicircular casting is a projecting
connection box, each with a nozzle marked ƒ for connecting the boiler
to the tubular furnace bars, as hereafter described, on its side, and an
opening marked g, to be closed by a mud door with bridge piece and
screw on its end. The top of the boiler is shewn by Figure 2, and
consists of two castings semicircular in form on plan, and marked C
and D on the Drawing; each casting on its under side having two rows
of nozzles to receive the top of the upright tubes before described as
having the lower ends inserted in the nozzles of the bottom castings,
these nozzles marked e on Drawing. The top castings have also each a
nozzle at one or both ends, one end only being shewn on the Drawing;
these nozzles are marked h, h, and, are for the exit of the heated water
from the boiler to the apparatus connected therewith.
The upright tubes marked j, j, on Figures 3 and 4, are of wrought or
cast iron or copper, each having one end inserted into the nozzles on the
bottom castings, and the other inserted into the nozzles corresponding
therewith on the top castings. We do not restrict ourselves to the
number or position of the upright tubes, but that we may have one,
two, or three rows, according to the power required from the boilers.
The water is conveyed from the boiler to the apparatus through two
tubes inserted in the nozzles h, h, in the top casting, and the other ends
of the tubes in a casting which unites the two currents of water from
the two halves of the boiler, or separates the two currents of water (and
therefore the two halves of the boiler) by means of valves, hereafter
described. The tubular furnace bars forming the bottom part of the a
boiler consist of two castings marked E and F, with nozzles thereon
marked k, k, in which tubes marked q, q, are inserted, which tubes serve
as fire-bars, and through which the water returning from the apparatus
must pass before entering the principal part of the boiler. The
castings E, F, have also mud holes marked 1, 7, for the removal of a
sediment and incrustation, also nozzles marked m, m, to receive the
pipes which convey the return water from the apparatus. We do not
confine ourselves to the number of nozzles marked 1, l, and m, m, but

page_text: reserve liberty to use a greater or less number than shewn on the
Drawing, as circumstances may dictate. The casting marked E has two
nozzles marked n, through which the water passed upwards from the
tubular furnace bars into valves and castings marked O, O, and thence
through tubes marked p, p, inserted into nozzles on the valve castings,
and into the nozzles marked f,f, before described. We claim a right to
use this connection of nozzles, valve, and casting, and tubes on each side
of the boiler at front and at back, or at each side of the boiler at front
only or at back only.
Our Invention also consists in an encasement of the boiler of wrought
or cast iron containing a cavity to be filled with water. This encasement
or water jacket is made in two parts corresponding with the two upright
parts of the boiler, and connected therewith at the bottom and at the top
with castings, nozzles, valves, and tubes, as before described. The face
of this encasement is provided with a spiral projection to serve as a
check to the action of the fire, and to distribute the heat generated
thereby equally between the upright tubes.
Our Invention also consists in the construction of valves herein-before
mentioned, which are constructed with concave spheroidal seatings, on
which are brought down by means of screwed spindles convex spheroidal
plungers, the plunger being attached to the spindles by cup and ball or
universal joints, the whole of the valve being made in gun metal.
Our Invention also consists in the use of india-rubber bands or rings
of an angular section placed over the spigot ends of pipes in such a
position that when placed in the faucit and compressed by expansion, or
drawn out-by contraction, the said bands of india-rubber are compressed
against the metal of both faucit and spigot and form a water-tight joint,
easily removed when necessary.
Having now described the nature of our said Invention, and the
manner in which the same is to be performed, we declare that we claim
as our Invention,—
First. The making of boilers for hot water in two or more parts,
whereby the disastrous effects of restricted expansion or contraction are
negatived.
Second. The connecting, combining, and arranging the several parts
of the boilers in such a manner that part of the same may be removed
for repairs or cleansing, and the remaining parts left in working order.

page_text: Third. By our arrangement of valves and mud holes that either part
of the boilers may be inspected internally and the sediment or incrus-
tation therein removed when necessary.
Fourth. By an increased capacity of the connections between the
tubular furnace bars and the boiler we obtain a greater heating power 5
in the boiler, and consequently a saving in fuel.
:
Fifth. By the outer casing or water jacket we utilise the heat which
would be otherwise lost in the brickwork or masonry surrounding the
boiler.
Sixth. By our improvement in joints we are enabled to connect or to 1
disconnect any part of the boiler to or from any other part in less time
than if the joints were caulked or screwed together.
Lastly. We claim that having neutralized the effects of expansion and
contraction, provided ready means for internal cleansing and repairs, and
improved the heating powers of the boilers, we have rendered them 1
more durable, and therefore safer in use and more economical in
working.
In witness whereof, we, tho said Alfred William George Wecks,
George Deal, George Lillywhite, and Alexander Oliver Launders,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twenty-sixth day of 2
July, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
seventy.
ALFRED WILLIAM GEORGE WEEKS. (L.S.)
GEORGE DEAL.
GEORGE LILLYWHITE.
'
(L.S.).
(L.S.)
ALEXANDER OLIVER LAUNDERS. (L.S.)