IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM BOILERS
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Inglis, of Montreal, Canada, Engineer, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM BOILERS."
Sealed the 5th June 1863, and dated the 10th December 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Inglis at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 10th
December 1862.
I, WILLIAM INGLIS, of Montreal, Canada, Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM BOILERS," to be as
follows, that is to say:-
This Invention relates to improvements in steam boilers designed more
particularly for generating steam of comparatively high pressure, but also
suited to generate steam of moderate pressure, and it consists generally in con-
structing the boiler with a high furnace, combined with a down draft and an
arrangement of parts, whereby the water in the boiler is made to circulate
rapidly and in a direction opposite to the course of the furnace gases.
In carrying out these arrangements each boiler is constructed in two
principal parts or sections. The first, which may be called the "furnace
section," contains the furnace and water and steam spaces, and it is the one
into which all the steam formed in the complete boiler is collected. The
second part, which may be called the "tube section," does not rise higher
than the intended level of the water, and is consequently always full or nearly
full of water. Each pair of sections forms a distinct boiler, but it is preferred
to use for marine purposes at least two or more pairs of such sections. In
this boiler the furnace is made square, and the shell is carried up to a height
sufficiently above the water level to afford space for the steam. The furnace
can also be made round, but it is preferred square, and to have the top part of

page_text: the shell round after it rises above the furnace crown.
The section con-
taining the tubes is formed with a round shell rising vertically to about the
height at which the water is intended to be above the furnace crown. A
flame chamber is contained in the upper part of this section, and the tubes
through which the gases pass are placed vertically in the lower part of the
section. These two principal sections are connected at or about the water
level by one or more water tubes of large diameter, which may be called the
top circulating passage or passages, through which the steam formed in the
tube section passes to the steam space over the furnace. In the passage of
the steam it carries the water with it, and this water returns through one or
more water connections, which may be called the bottom circulating passage
or passages, placed at the lower part of the furnace and tube sections. Thus
the section containing the flame chamber and tubes is always full or nearly
full of water, and it is by connecting the top of this section at or near the
water level by the top circulating passage or passages, and providing for the
return of the water at the bottom of the tubes by the bottom circulating
passage or passages that the circulation of the water is made to take a direc-
tion opposite to the flow of the gases from the furnace. The products of
combustion pass out of the furnace and into the flame chamber through
suitable openings provided in those parts, the connection between them being
either lined with brick, or if preferred an apparatus for superheating the whole
or part of the steam can be inserted here, but it is preferred that there be no
water connection at this part, as it might interfere with the action of the cir-
culating passages. From the flame chamber the gases pass down the vertical
tubes and up the sides of the outer shells of the sections to the chimney,
which is situated in the centre of the two pairs of sections when that number
is used. In order to facilitate access to the tubes, as well as to promote the
flow of steam and water upwards, a large vertical water tube is inserted in
the centre of the flame chamber, and there is left in the centre of the tubes a
corresponding space, which is sufficient for access to scale them. The cir-
culating passages between the top and bottom of the sections are provided
with flange joints to admit of their being taken apart for removal or repair.
To facilitate the return of the water from above the furnace down to the lower
circulating passages at the bottom of the sections there may be arranged four
pipes at the corners of the furnace shell, these being led out from the round
part of the shell above the furnace crown, and passing down inside the furnace
section at the triangular spaces formed by the junction of the square and
round shells.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Inglis in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
9th June 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
INGLIS, of Montreal, Canada, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year of
Her reign, did; for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said William Inglis, Her special licence that I, the said William
Inglis, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said William Inglis, 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
STEAM BOILERS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William
Inglis, 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 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Inglis, 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 following
statement in writing, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings and
to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
My said Invention relates to improvements in steam boilers designed more
particularly for generating steam of comparatively high pressure, but also
suitable for generating steam of moderate pressure; and it consists generally
in constructing the boiler with a high furnace combined with a down draft, and
an arrangement of parts whereby the water in the boiler is made to circulate
rapidly, and in a direction opposite to the course of the furnace gases..
And in order that my said Invention, and the manner of performing the
same may be properly understood, I have hereunto appended two Sheets of
explanatory Drawings, to be herein-after referred to, and representing three
modifications of steam boilers as constructed with my improvements. The

page_text: same reference letters are used to mark the same or like parts in all the
Figures.
Boilers constructed according to my Invention comprise what I term
"furnace sections" and "tube sections," a pair of sections consisting of one
furnace section and one tube section; each pair of sections forms a distinct
boiler, but for marine purposes I prefer to use two or more of such pairs of
sections. A marine boiler having two pairs of sections is represented in Figures
1, 2, and 3, on Sheet 1 of the Drawings; Figures 4 and 5 represent a boiler for
land use, with a single pair of sections; and Figures 6 and 7, Sheet 2,
represent another modification of land boiler with a single pair of sections.
Figure 1 is a front elevation of the marine boiler; Figure 2 is a vertical
section taken at right angles to Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a plan, the right-
hand half being sectioned as at a level just above the fire-bars.
Each furnace section A contains a furnace B, surrounded by a water space C,
and surmounted by a steam dome D, and it is into this steam dome that all
the steam is collected not only from the furnace section A, but also from the
tube section E, which latter does not rise higher than the intended level of
the water, so that it is always full, or nearly full of water. The furnace B,
with its surrounding water space C, is, by preference, made square, but from
a lével a little above the furnace crown the shell of the steam, dome D is, by
preference, made round. The tube section E is formed with, by preference, a
round shell rising vertically. A flame chamber F is contained in the upper
part of this section, and the tubes G, through which the furnace gases pass
are placed vertically in the lower part of the section, being fixed into an upper
tube plate H, forming the bottom of the flame chamber F, and in a lower
tube plate I, forming the bottom of that section of the boiler. Each tube
section E is connected to its furnace section A at or about the water level by a
water tube J, of large diameter, which may be called the upper circulating
passage; or there may be in each case two or more such connections. The
steam formed in each tube section E passes through such upper circulating
passage J, or passages, into the steam dome D, over the furnace B, and in so
passing the steam carries the water with it. The water returns from the
furnace section A into the tube section E through one or more lower circu-
lating passages or connections K, formed at or near the bottoms of the
sections. With these arrangements, a rapid circulation of the water takes
place, in practice, in the directions indicated by the arrows in Figure 2,
namely, upwards in the tube section E, across from the upper part of this
section by the passage J, into the furnace section A, down the outer parts of
the latter, and, finally, across back again by the lower passages K, into the-tube

page_text: section. The furnace gases have opposite directions to those of the water;
they pass from the upper part of the furnace B, by the passage L, across into the
flame chamber F of the tube section E, downwards through the tubes G, and
then by a space or passage M, underneath into the central space between the
pairs of sections, where they act. on the shells of the sections, and, finally,
pass into the funnel N. The passage L, for the: fire gases between: the
sections A and E may be lined with fire-brick, as shown, or a steam space-for
superheating the steam may be introduced at this part; it is however
preferred that there should be no water connection here as it might interfere
with the action of the circulating passages.. To facilitate access to the tubes G,
and likewise to promote the flow of steam and water upwards, a large vertical
water tube P is inserted in the centre of the flame chamber F, and there is
left in the centre of the tubes G a corresponding space (seen best at Q in
Figure 3) which is sufficient for access to scale them, such access being had
by doors R, S, at top and bottom, which doors are held in place by a long
bolt or rod T, serving also as a stay between the top and bottom of the tube
section of the boiler. The various parts are made and fitted together. in the
ordinary way, excepting that the upper and lower water-circulating passages
J, K, are provided with flange joints, which arrangement permits of the
sections being conveniently separated for removal or repairs. To facilitate
the return of the water from the steam dome D down to the lower circulating
passages K, there are arranged four curved pipes U at the corners of the
furnace shell, these being led out from the round part of the shell of the
dome D, and passing down into the furnace shell at the triangular spaces
formed by the junction of the square and round shells.
Figure 4 is a side elevation, partly in section, and Figure 5 is a plan, partly
in section, of a single pair of boiler sections, as arranged for land purposes.
In this modification the furnace section A and the tube section E are each
constructed and arranged internally in the same manner as those herein-before
described. The whole is supported on a foundation of brick or stone, and the
space M beneath the tube section E is made to communicate by a short flue
with a chimney N; these parts may, however, be arranged in various ways,
as may be found convenient.
Figure 6 is a side elevation, partly in section, and Figure 7 is a plan,
partly in section, of a single pair of boiler sections for land purposes, as
modified to suit cases where a reduced cost is an object. The tube section E
remains as in former modifications, but the furnace section A is discontinued
below the crown of the furnace B, which last is encased by or built in brick-
work V. The circulation of the water is provided for by carrying four

page_text: pipes W from the steam dome D down to two larger horizontal pipes X,
which communicate with the bottom of the tube section E; these circulating
pipes may be varied in number and arrangement. If preferred, the furnace B
'need not be completely arched over by brickwork, but instead thereof the
.direct radiation of heat may be allowed to act on the under surface of the part
of the boiler above the furnace.
Having thus particularly described my said Invention, and the manner in
which the same is or may be performed, I have to state that I do not restrict
myself to the precise details herein described and delineated; but that what I
believe to be novel and original, and claim as the Invention secured to me by
the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is,-
1. The connecting of a furnace section of a boiler with a tube section by
upper and lower circulating passages for the water, the tube section being
constructed or arranged so as to be always full or nearly full of water, sub-
stantially as herein-before described.
2. The combining of arrangements for the downward flow of the furnace
gases in the tube section with arrangements for the circulation of the water in
the opposite direction, substantially as herein-before described.
And, 3. Generally, the constructing or arranging of steam boilers, and the
combining of their parts, substantially in the manner herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Inglis, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Sixth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
Witness,
EDMUND HUNT,
Patent Agent,
28, St. Enoch Square,
Glasgow.
WILLIAM INGLIS. (L.s.)