AN IMPROVEMENT OR IMPROVEMENTS UPON STEAM ENGINES
Year: 1827

page_text: time
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WALTER
ANCOCK, of Stratford, in the County of Essex, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS His present Majesty King George the Fourth, by His Letters
tent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
eland, bearing date at Westminster, the Fourth day of July now last past,
give and grant unto me, the said Walter Hancock, His especial licence,
power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said Walter Hancock,
executors, administrators, and assigns, and such others as I, the said
alter Hancock, my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any
ree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during
term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exer-
e, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed,
d also in all His said Majesty's Colonies and Plantations abroad, my Inven-
of "AN IMPROVEMENT OR IMPROVEMENTS UPON STEAM ENGINES;" in which
d Letters Patent there is contained a proviso obliging me, the said Walter
ancock, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of my said Invention, and in what
anner the same is to be performed, and to cause the same to be inrolled
His said Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next
immediately after the date of the said recited Letters Patent, as in and by
me, reference being thereunto had, will more fully appear.
e

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the
said
Walter Hancock, do hereby declare that my said Invention is described and
ascertained in and by the Drawing hereunto annexed and the following descrip-
tion thereof, that is to say:-
My improvement or improvements upon steam engines relates to the form
and construction of the boilers in which steam is to be produced for the supply
of steam engines, and consists in composing boilers by a combination of a suit-
able number of narrow flat vessels made of thin metal plates, soldered and
riveted together in a suitable manner to contain water and steam. The said
flat vessels are placed in vertical planes over the fire or edgeways upwards,
and a series of them are combined and united together (in the manner
represented in the Drawing hereunto annexed) so as to leave narrow spaces
or intervals between the adjacent vertical flat surfaces of the several vessels
of the flame, heated air, and smoke which ascends from the
for the passage
fire, and which is thereby caused to envelope the said narrow flat vessels on
both sides so as to communicate heat rapidly to the water contained in them,
The object of my improvement or
improvements is to construct boilers for steam engines so as to be equally
efficacious with the boilers now in use, but of much less bulk and weight,
because boilers constructed according to my improvement or improvements
will expose a greater extent of surface to the action of the fire and heat than
ordinary boilers occupying the same space; and my boilers containing but
little water in proportion to the surface which is exposed to the fire will be of
less weight in proportion to the quantity of steam they will produce in a given
time than the boilers commonly used for supplying steam engines, whereby
my boilers will be rendered more suitable for locomotive steam engines for
propelling vessels and carriages.
in order to convert the same into steam.
Figure 1 in the Drawing hereunto annexed is a representation of one of
the narrow flat vessels A, of which the boiler is composed, according to my
improvement. Each such vessel is made of one or more long sheets of thin
metal plate, the edges of which are folded down to obtain double thicknesses
along their margin. A suitable number of such sheets are united together
end to end by soldering and rivetting to form one long sheet, whereof the
length is more than double the vertical height or depth that the vessel is
intended to be; the two ends of that long sheet are then united together by
soldering and rivetting, so as to form, as it were, an endless belt, which is after-
wards collapsed and flattened to bring the two opposite sides parallel to each
ther, and at only a small distance apart. To retain the flat sides at the
equired distance from each other, a number of small metal rings or washers,

page_text: the manner shewn separately at
Figure 2; and rivets d, with broad flat heads, are inserted through both the two
sides of the vessel and the interposed washers, and are fastened by rivetting
other washers e upon the extreme ends of the rivets on the outside of the
5 vessel at the opposite sides of its thickness, so that when the heads of the
rivets are applied by this means the said rivets will connect the opposite flat
sides of the narrow vessel firmly together, in order to prevent them from sepa-
rating or distending outwards by the elastic pressure of the water and steam
which is to be contained within it. The said rivets and washers b, d, e, are to be
applied all over the flat surfaces of the vessel in such number and at such
distances apart from each other as will give the sides of the vessel a sufficient
strength to resist the utmost pressure which the steam is ever intended to have
within the boiler. At every place where one of the said rivets is applied, the
plate of which the two sides of the vessel are formed is indented a little
inwards, to form depressions externally at each side of the vessel, which
depressions receive the head of the rivet d and the external washer,
which is applied on the end of the rivet before it is rivetted. These depres-
sions allow the internal washers to be thinner than the inside space
between the other parts of the sides of the vessel, and the external heads
of the rivets d, and the external washers e, project but very little beyond the
outside surfaces of the vessel, whereby they are less exposed to the action of
the fire. Circular apertures f, f, and gg, are pierced through the opposite
sides of the vessel, and at each aperture a circular ring h,h, Figure 2, is inter-
posed between the flat sides withinside the vessel, in order to keep the sides
but to the proper distance apart. These apertures are provided to form the
necessary communications between the several vessels which are combined
ogether to constitute the boiler; and to permit the contained water and steam
o flow freely from one vessel to another through the said apertures, the rings h,
which are applied withinside of the vessels, are perforated with a number of
ioles in the direction from the circumference towards the centre. The vessel
eing thus prepared, the two upright ends are filled up by closing the doubled
nargins of the plate towards each other, and inserting filling-up pieces i, k
etween them, and fastening the margins together by soldering and rivetting
hrough all the thickness of both the margins and the filling-up pieces i, k
Note. The margins of the plate which were doubled down in the first
istance are withinside the vessel, and the doubled parts apply to the filling-up
ieces i, k, so as to give a greater thickness for the rivets to pass through.
he top and bottom parts land m of the vessel are swelled out to a greater
fidth than the upright flat surfaces, in order to give an increased capacity

page_text: four corners.
ne
withinside the vessel, at the bottom for water, and at the top or stam
filling-up pieces i, k, at each end of the vessel, have circular holes through
them at the top and at the bottom, to form openings into the vessel at all its
These openings are provided for the purpose of cleaning out the
inside of the vessel (when necessary), and also for forming additional communi-
cations between the several vessels which are combined together in one boiler.
The rivets which go through the doubled margins of the plate at the top and
bottom parts of the filling-up pieces i, k, are put through from the inside of
the openings through those pieces, the heads of the rivets being withinside
those openings.
The manner of combining a series of the aforesaid narrow flat vessels
together into one steam boiler is represented in Figure 4, which is a vertical
section across the boiler, and Figure 5, which is a vertical section along the
length thereof. A suitable number of the aforesaid narrow flat vessels A, B,
B. B., B, B, A, are put together in parallel vertical planes, or edgeways upwards
over the fire, which is made upon the grate D, leaving narrow vertical spaces,
C, C, C, C, C, between the several vessels, to admit the flame, smoke, and
heated air to pass between their adjacent vertical surfaces. The two outside
vessels A, A, are of greater vertical depth than the others, and they descend
sufficiently below the others to form a space between them for the fire-place.
The narrow upright ends of all the vessels A, B, B, B, B, B, A, apply against
the flat surfaces of two other large vessels E and F, which form the front and
back ends of the boiler, and enclose the space which constitutes the fire-
place. The front vessel E has an opening at the lower part of the fire-door.
The tops of all the vessels are covered over by a flat vessel G, which forms the
steam chamber to receive and collect the steam which is produced in all
the different vessels. The several vessels A, B, B, B, B, B, A, which stand
side by side, are united together laterally by strong bolts H, H, H, H, which
pass across them all through the apertures f, f, and G, G, Figure 1, and
circular rings p, p, are interposed between the several vessels, to keep them
at the proper distances apart, in order to leave the required spaces C, C, between
them, for the fire to act in. The bolts H pass through all the external rings p. P.
as well as through the corresponding internal rings h, h, Figure 2, which are
placed (as herein-before stated) withinside each vessel before it is rivetted up.
Rings of very thin sheet lead or of tinfoil doubled are also applied at each
side of each of the external rings p, p, to serve for packings around the margins
of the several apertures f. f, and g, g, and thus form the contact with the
plate of which the flat sides of the vessels are composed. The bolts H, H,
H, H, have strong screws and nuts on the ends, which are screwed up very tight

page_text: Jines.
the several vessels A, B, B, B, B, B, A, very strongly
together, side by side, and by compressing the various rings p,h. p,h, very
forcibly towards each other, the metal plate of which the flat vertical sides
of the vessels are formed is pinched so close between those rings, that,
5 together with the interposed packings of lead or tin, the fittings around the
margins of the several apertures f, f, and g, g, Figure 1, are made water-
tight and steam-tight. Those apertures through the vessels are of corre-
Isponding size to the interior of the several rings and h, but the bolts
H which pass through the rings and the apertures being much smaller, a
10 sufficient open space is left around the bolts for the water and steam to
pass freely along the bolts, in order to flow from one ring into the next; and
all the internal rings which are withinside the several vessels being perforated
with holes from the circumference towards the centre, as shewn in Figure 2 (and
as is herein-before explained), the water and steam will have free passage from.
ione vessel to another throughout the whole series. The nugs h and p have
each three small arms projecting inwards from their circumferences towards
the centres, to form contact with the bolts H, in order to keep the rings truly
concentric therewith and opposite to each other, so that the contacts of the
several rings and their lead packings may correspond exactly to the margins
around the several apertures ƒ and g through the vessels. These small arms
are so narrow edgeways as to form very little interruption to the passage of
the water or steam.
Note. In lieu of interposing such packings of sheet lead or doubled tinfoil
between the rings p, p, and the outsides of the vessels, the flat surfaces of those
ings, and also of the margins around the apertures through the vessels, may
e covered with a sufficient coating of tin or solder, to form surfaces which will
nprint into each other by the pressure of the screw bolts, and make tight
ints. The several vessels A, B, B, B, B, B, A, being thus firmly united by
e bolts H, H, into one series, the middle ones, B, B, B, B, B, are sus-
ended over the fire, the weight of the whole boiler resting on the lower edges
the two outside vessels A, A, which form the sides of the fire-place, and also
on the lower edges of the two end vessels E and F, which form the front
d back ends of the fire-place. The several vessels are also further connected
rether at all the four corners of each vessel by means of the openings
ough the upper and lower ends of the filling pieces i, k, Figure 2, herein-
ore described. Circular openings are perforated through the end or cross
sels E and F, corresponding with the openings at the corners of the series of
allel vessels A, B, B, B, B, B, A, at all the places where those corners
ly to the flat surfaces of the end vessels E and F. These openings will

page_text: allow a hooked seraper to be introduced hor
lower parts of the several vessels, in order to remove any deposit which may
collect therein. The openings through the end vessels E and F are closed by
circular plates or covers applied over them at the outsides of the said vessels,
as is shewn at r. Figure 1, and those covers are fastened in their places by
short screw bolts s, with cross or tee heads, which are introduced through the
openings from the outside, and the cross heads take hold withinside the vessels
A, B, B, B, B, B, A, behind the filling-up pieces i, k, notches being made
withinside of the openings, through the filling-up pieces, and through the said
vessels E and F, to admit the t cross heads of the bolts s to be introduced into
their places from the outside; but after being so inserted the bolts s being
turned to bring the cross head horizontal, the ends of those cross heads then
catch and take hold behind the filling-up pieces i, k, so that the bolts cannot
draw out.
Note.-Rings are placed withinside the end vessels E and F at each of the
openings, which correspond with those at the corners of the several vessels
A. B, B, B, B, B, A, and the said rings keep the flat sides of those vessels at
their proper distances apart from each other, when the nuts v of the tee-headed
bolts are screwed tight. The said rings are perforated all round with holes
from the circumference to the centre, to admit the water and steam to pass
freely through the rings, and also around the bolts s, in order to flow from one
vessel to another. The pressure occasioned by screwing up the nuts v of the
tee-headed bolts makes the joints tight at the corners of the several vessels
A, B, B, B, B, B, A, where they apply to the flat surfaces of the end vessels
E and F, and lead packing must be interposed in those joints to make them
water-tight and steam-tight; also the covers r, which are applied on the
outsides of the vessels E and F, to close the openings through the same, must
be packed with cloth or pasteboard, to make tight joints when the nuts are
screwed up. The several vessels B, B, B, B, B, are not all placed on one
level, but every other one is set higher, and the intermediate ones lower, as is
shewn in the cross section, Figure 4, in order that the enlarged parts at the
top and bottom of each vessel may not stand exactly opposite to each other,
so as to impede the passage of the flame and heat into the spaces C, C, C, C, C,
between the vessels. Each of the vessels B, B, B, B, B, is of the same size
at the top as at the bottom, and is adapted to stand either way upwards, in
order that when the metal at the lower part is impaired in thickness by
the action of the fire the vessels may be inverted, to bring the other part
across between the lower parts of the two outside vessels A, A, in order to
Two pipes K are extended horizontally
of the metal into use in turn.

page_text: make a free communication for the water to pass from one vessel to the
other. These pipes also serve as bearers for the bars D of the fire grate,
and at the lower part of the said pipes are branches to join on the
feeding pipe or
grate D.
pipes, by which the boiler is supplied with water, which
is thus introduced at the lowest part of the boiler, and beneath the fire
The horizontal steam chamber G, which covers over all the
vertical vessels, and forms the top of the boiler, is connected at its four
corners with the upper corners of the back and front vessels E and F, so as
to receive all the steam which is produced in those vessels, and also all that
collects in them from the other vertical vessels A, B, B, B, B, B, A; and in
addition to the said communications at the corners of the top chamber G, other
communications are made therewith from certain pieces L, L, which are
inserted, in lieu of the rings p, p, between the several vessels B, B. Each of
these pieces L is of the same size and form as the rings p, p, but with the
addition of a projecting branch, having a hollow passage through it to convey the
steam upwards to the top chamber. The said passage enlarges at the top to a
circular ring, which applies at the under side of the chamber, and is joined
thereto by a bolt screwed down through the top chamber G into a suitable
socket in the centre of the circular part of the passage of the piece L, but
leaving a sufficient space around the bolt for the passage of the steam. A ring
is interposed withinside the top chamber, over the top of each of the com-
munications L, in order to keep its sides apart, and resist the pressure
occasioned by screwing down the bolt, in order to make a tight joint between
the circular top of the piece L and the under side of the top chamber G. The
top chamber G is not large enough to cover over all the horizontal space
between the back and front vessels E and F, but it falls short of them, so as
to leave sufficient openings between the top parts of the back and front vessels
E and F, and the front and back ends of the top chamber G, to allow the
smoke to escape freely from beneath the top chamber to above the same, and
thence it ascends to the chimney M, which ascends perpendicularly over the
middle of the whole boiler. The top chamber G is covered over by a dome N, of
metal plate, which serves as a base to the chimney, and is firmly fastened over
the top of the top chamber G, by means of projecting ears at its four corners,
which are screwed down by the four nuts a, a, of the screw bolts, which fasten
the joints by which the corners of the top chamber connect with the upper
corners of the two end chambers E and F. When these nuts are removed, the
chimney can be lifted off, together with the dome N, which forms its base. The
steam pipe P rises up from the middle of the upper sides of the top chamber
G, with a broad base, where it joins to that chamber, and the pipe P' rises up

page_text: one the same Fourth day of December, in the vor al