IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR COLLECTING AND REMOVING SEDIMENT IN STEAM BOILERS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark of 53, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR COLLECTING AND REMOVING SEDIMENT IN STEAM BOILERS."
A communication from abroad by Thoinas Jefferson Strong, of Brooklyn, King's
County, State of New York, United States of America.
Scaled the 1st May 1877, and dated the 27th December 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville Clark
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th December 1876.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lanc, in tho County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR COLLECTING AND REMOVING.
SEDIMENT IN STEAM BOILERS." A communication from abroad by Thomas Jefferson
Strong, of Brooklyn, King's County, State of New York, United States of America.
This Invention consists in causing boiler water to circulate on the syphon
principle through a superposed reservoir wherein the sediment is deposited.
Through the shell of the boiler at the top or anywhere convenient above the
water surface are permanently inserted two pipes, the one terminating in the hori-
zontal T shaped pipe, the other extending a little below the water surface, being
merely a straight pipe. These pipes extend outside the boiler, and are attached to
an exterior elevated metallic steam-tight reservoir at different places near the top.
The horizontal T pipe lics just below the water surface in the boiler and is full of
water, and the other pipe is a little lower than the horizontal pipe. By this
arrangement there is an entire chamber of water in the pipes and reservoir, the
cocks which are in the pipes being open. Now when the boiler is in use the water
in it is hotter than that in the exterior reservoir, and as it is the tendency of
hot water to rise and cold to fall when they come in contact, the hot water in
the boiler will ascend through one of the pipes and drive that which is cooler
out of the reservoir down into the boiler through the other pipe, thereby establishing
a current through the reservoir which is so constructed as to allow the current to
expand and become weaker while passing through it, and retain all the impurities
as they drop from the current in its weakened condition that are carried from the
boiler into the reservoir by it. The pipes are attached to the boiler in such
[Price 6d1

page_text: positions as to secure the upward current from the boiler to the reservoir through
the horizontal pipe. To each end of the horizontal pipe is attached an enlargement
so constructed that the water level in the boiler may rise or fall to any ordinary
extent, and the water surface still be in the mouths of these enlargements and yet
not admit the steam in the horizontal pipe, and as ebullition in the boiler drives all
the impurities to the water surface they are drawn into these mouths by the current
and deposited in the reservoir.
In order to empty the reservoir a blow-off pipe is attached near the bottom, and
by opening a cock the pressure from the boiler will do all that is required in a
minute's time; or the cover which is fastened on the top of the reservoir by bolts
may be taken off and the deposit taken out in that way. By the cocks in the pipes
the communication may be shut off between boiler and reservoir when required.
The advantages of the enlarged mouths on the horizontal pipe are these:-The
water level may vary to any ordinary extent, and the desired effect still be main-
tained, viz., a current drawing from the surface of the water. Again, the first
direction of the current is downward to a certain extent, thereby making an easier
and better retreat than a mouth of uniform size with the pipe would afford for the
suspended impurities which would naturally settle were it not for the agitation of
the water by ebullition.
•
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said Alexander Melville Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 23rd
June 1877.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lanc, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR COLLECTING AND REMOVING
SEDIMENT IN STEAM BOILERS." A communication from abroad by Thomas Jefferson
Strong, of Brooklyn, King's County, State of New York, United States of
America.
This Invention consists in causing boiler water to circulate on the syphon
principle through a superposed reservoir wherein the sediment is deposited.
Figure 1 of the Drawing is a longitudinal sectional elevation of a boiler having
the improved cleaning attachment applied; and Figure 2 is a transverse section.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
Through the shell of the boiler A at the top or anywhere convenient above the
water surface B are permanently inserted two pipes g, g, the one terminating in the
horizontal shaped pipe F, the other extending a little below the water surface,
being merely a straight pipe, as shown by the termination P. These pipes g, g,
extend outside the boiler, and are attached to an exterior elevated metallic steam-
Light reservoir E at different places near the top, as shown at M, M. The hori-
zontal T pipe E, F, lies just below the water surface in the boiler, and is full of
water. The other pipe g at the termination P is a little lower than the horizontal
pipe F. By this arrangement there is an entire chainber of water in the pipes and
reservoir, the cocks H in the pipes y, y, being open. Now when the boiler is in use
the water in it is hotter than that in the exterior reservoir E, and as it is the
tendency of hot water to rise and cold to fall when they come in contact, the hot
water in the boiler will ascend through one of the pipes g, g, and drive that which
is cooler out of the reservoir E down into the boiler through the other pipe g,
thereby establishing a current through the reservoir E, which is so constructed as
to allow the current to expand and become weaker while passing through it, and
retain all the impurities as they drop from the current in its weakened condition
that are carried from the boiler into the reservoir by it. The pipes g, g, are attached
to the boiler in such positions as to secure the upward current from the boiler to
the reservoir through the horizontal pipe F. To each end of the horizontal pipe F

page_text: is attached an enlargement N, N, so constructed that the water level in the boiler
may rise or fall to any ordinary extent, and the water surface still be in the mouths
of these enlargements and yet not admit the steam in the horizontal pipe F, and as
ebullition in the boiler drives all the impurities to the water surface they are drawn
into these mouths by the current and deposited in the reservoir E.
In order to empty the reservoir the blow-off pipe I is attached near the bottom,
and by opening the cock J the pressure from the boiler will do all that is required
in that line in a minute's time; or the cover K which is fastened on the top by bolts
may be taken off and the deposit taken out in that way. By the cocks H, H, in
pipes g, g, the communication may be shut off between boiler and reservoir when
required.
The advantages of the enlarged mouths on the horizontal T pipe F are these:-
The water level may vary to any ordinary extent, and the desired effect still be
maintained, vis, a current drawing from the surface of the water. Again, the first
direction of the current is downward to a certain extent, thereby making a better
and easier retreat than a mouth of uniform size with the pipe would afford for the
suspended impurities which would naturally settle were it not for the agitation of
the water by ebullition.
Having described the nature of the said Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I would observe that I am aware that it is not new in boilers to make the
water circulate from the boiler to the mud drum and water leg about the furnaco,
but what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the herein-before in part recited
Letters Patent is, the combination with boiler and superposed reservoir of pipes
9, 9, provided with stop-cocks, one having mouths at the surface of the boiler water,
and the other deeper down into said water, as and for the purpose specified.
In witness wheroof, I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.