IMPROVEMENTS IN AND CONNECTED WITH STEAM HEATING APPARATUS, PART OF THE INVENTION BEING APPLICABLE TO STEAM BOILERS OF ORDINARY CONSTRUCTION."
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Lewis Walker Leeds, of Woburn Place, in the County
of Middlesex, Heating and Ventilating Engineer, for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN AND CONNECTED WITH STEAM HEATING APPARATUS, PART
OF THE INVENTION BEING APPLICABLE TO STEAM BOILERS OF ORDINARY
CONSTRUCTION."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Lewis Walker Leeds at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 5th November 1880.
LEWIS WALKER LEEDS, of Woburn Place, in the County of Middlesex, Heating
and Ventilating Engineer. " IMPROVEMENTS IN AND CONNECTED WITH STEAM
HEATING APPARATUS, PART OF THE INVENTION BEING APPLICABLE TO STEAM
BOILERS OF ORDINARY CONSTRUCTION."
This Invention relates to the apparatus employed for automatically regulating.
and maintaining any given amount of steam which may be required for heating
rooms, apartments, or other places, as also to the arrangement of parts by which
such steam may be utilized for such purposes, one part of the Invention being
applicable for regulating the amount of steam generated in steam boilers of
ordinary construction. One of the principal objections heretofore urged against
the use of steam for heating purposes has been the difficulty of maintaining an
uniform pressure and consequently temperature for any lengthened period. When
generating steam in the usual way, the heat from the fire is radiated directly upon
the heating surface of the boiler, which being of metal and filled with circulating
water, conducts the heat so rapidly away, that the surface of the fire is kept
comparatively cool, and the smoke and gases driven off from the surface of the coal
by the heat below escape unconsumed, and their heating power is consequently
lost.
The object of this Invention is to obviate the above defects, and secure thorough
combustion of the fuel (and its contained gases) used in generating the steam. To
obtain the thorough combustion of the fuel, I employ a fire box lined with fire clay
or other refractory material, while above the fire bed is hung or supported a fire

page_text: brick or mass of refractory material, which nearly but not quite closes the upper
part of the fire chamber, only a small passage being left around said brick for the
passage of the heat and products of combustion to the boiler surface.
This suspended mass acts an important part in securing the thorough combustion
of the fuel, as the heat from the fire causes the brick or mass to become intensely
hot, and the heat generated is in part radiated back upon the top of the fire,
causing comparatively perfect combustion of the escaping gases as they are driven
off from the burning mass below.
To ensure still more perfect combustion, a fresh air pipe is carried in on to the
top of the suspended brick, and a regulated amount of air is admitted, thereby thus
supplying the oxygen to support combustion at the point where it is most needed,
i.e., on the top of the fire.
The draught is supplied through, and the generation of steam regulated by, an
air pipe or box provided with three openings, one leading beneath the grate bars,
one leading to the top of the suspended fire brick, and one opening into the smoke
flue or chimney. The ports of said air pipe or box are closed and opened by means
of a slide which, in its turn, is suitably connected to a weighted lever operated by
means of a piston or diaphragm, whose motion is governed by the steam pressure
in the boiler, the operation being as follows:-When there is no steam pressure
the draught is supplied through the opening beneath the grate bars, for the purpose
of forcing combustion, until the desired pressure is obtained. When the point is
reached, the pressure of the steam acting upon the piston or diaphragm will raise.
the lever and its connected slide, closing the draught port leading beneath the
grate bars, and opening the port which permits the air to pass to the perforated
pipe upon the top of the suspended tire brick, thus supplying the air to the top of
the fire, and ensuring comparatively perfect combustion of the fuel. Should the
pressure rise too high the slide will be raised still further, gradually cutting off the
supply of air to the top of the fire, and partially closing the escape flue or chimney,
and subsequently permitting the draught of cold air to pass directly into the
chimney or flue, and this is found to be a most efficient check to the fire. This
great range of regulation gives the most perfect control of the fire, as the steam
generated may be regulated from any part of the building, according to the
requirements of the case. The steam is conducted from the boiler through a
suitable pipe to the room or apartment to be heated, it is there carried through
a series of pipes, preferably sunk in the internal corrugations of an iron or other
metal base or skirting, the circuit being completed by a return pipe for the water
of condensation to the boiler.
Both the supply and return pipes are fitted with stop-valves, which may be
opened and closed at will.
To clearly explain this portion of the Invention, it may be assumed that the
steam in the boiler is at the desired pressure while both these valves are closed,
and it is desired to heat a room which may be at any reasonable distance from the
boiler. The valves in the supply and return pipes are opened, and the steam
rushes into the series of heating pipes, the pressure in the boiler is diminished, and
the piston or diaphragm with its superimposed weighted lever falls, gradually
opening the then partially closed escape flue or chimney, closing the air inlet
thereunto, as also that to the top of the suspended fire brick, and opening the
draught beneath the grate bars. The room being sufficiently heated, the valves in
the steam supply and return pipes are closed, and as there is less steam used the
pressure in the boiler rapidly increases, the piston or diaphragm being thereby
raised, and the draught regulated as before described.
It is evident that the arrangement of parts by which the draught is regulated, as
well as the suspended fire brick, may be applied to steam boilers of ordinary
construction, and great economy in the consumption of fuel will be attained by
such application.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Lewis Walker Leeds in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
5th May 1881.
LEWIS WALKER LEEDS, of Woburn Place, in the County of Middlesex, Heating
and Ventilating Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND CONNECTED WITH STEAM
HEATING APPARATUS, PART OF THE INVENTION BEING APPLICABLE TO STEAM
BOILERS OF ORDINARY CONSTRUCTION."
The
This Invention relates to the apparatus employed for automatically regulating
and maintaining any given amount of steam which may be required for heating
rooms, apartments or other places, as also to the arrangement of parts by which
such steam may be utilized for such purposes, one part of the Invention being
applicable for regulating the amount of steam generated in steam boilers of ordinary
construction. One of the principal objections heretofore urged against the use of
steam for heating purposes has been the difficulty of maintaining an uniform
pressure and consequently temperature for any lengthened period. When generating
steam in the usual way the heat from the fire is radiated directly upon the heating
surface of the boiler, which being of metal and filled with circulating water
conducts the heat so rapidly away that the surface of the fire is kept comparatively
cool, and the smoke and gases driven off from the surface of the coal by the heat
below escape unconsumed, and their heating power is consequently lost.
object of this Invention is to obviate the above defects and secure thorough com-
bustion of the fuel (and its contained gases) used in generating the steam, as also
for providing suitable arrangements of apparatus for utilizing the steam so
generated. To clearly show how my Invention may be practically employed,
reference is made to the Drawings which form part of this Specification, and in
which similar letters of reference refer to corresponding parts throughout all the
Figures thereof. Fig. 1 represents in elevation (partionally sectional) a steam
boiler to which my Invention has been applied; Fig. 1A represents in sectional
elevation part of the heater shown in connection with Fig. 1; Figs. 2, 3, and 4
represent in sectional elevation and plan enlarged views of parts shown in
Fig. 1; Figs. 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9, represent my Invention as applied to horizontal steam
boilers of ordinary construction. To obtain the thorough combustion of the fuel I
employ a fire box A lined with fire clay or other refractory material, while above
the fire bed is hung or supported a fire brick or mass of refractory material B, which
nearly but not quite closes the upper part of the fire chamber, only a small passage
being left around said brick for the passage of the heat and products of combustion
to the boiler W. This suspended mass B acts an important part in securing the
thorough combustion of the fuel, as the heat from the fire causes the brick or mass
to become intensely hot, and the heat generated is in part radiated back upon the
top of the fire, causing comparatively perfect combustion of the escaping gases as
they are driven off from the burning mass of fuel. To ensure still more perfect
combustion a fresh air pipe 6 is carried in on to the top of the suspended brick,
or at the bridge wall, and a regulated amount of air is admitted thereby, thus
supplying the oxygen to support combustion at the point where it is most needed,
namely, on the top of the fire. The draught is supplied through, and the generation
of steam regulated by, an air pipe or box C provided with three openings,
one "a" leading beneath the grate bars, one '6" leading to the top of the
suspended fire brick, and one "c" opening into the smoke flue or chimney. The
ports of said air pipe or box are closed and opened by means of a slide D, which in
its turn is suitably connected to a weighted lever E, operated by means of a
piston "e," resting on a flexible diaphragm, the motion of which is governed
"

page_text: by the steam pressure in the boiler, the operation being as follows:-When
there is no steam pressure the draft is supplied through the opening "a,"
beneath the grate bars for the purpose of forcing combustion until the desired
pressure is obtained.
When this point is reached the pressure of the steam
acting upon the piston "e" through the diaphragm will raise the lever E and
its connected slide D, closing the draft port of "a" leading beneath, the grate
bars, and opening the port of "b" which permits the air to pass to the perforated
pipe 6 upon the top of the suspended fire brick B, thus supplying the air to the top
of the fire and ensuring comparatively perfect combustion of the fuel. Should the
pressure rise too high the slide will be raised still further, gradually cutting off the
supply of air to the top of the fire, and partially closing the escape flue or chimney F,
and subsequently permitting the draught of cold air to pass directly into the chimney
or flue F, as shown by the arrow in Figs. 1 and 4, and this is found to be a most
efficient check to the fire. This great range of regulation in connection with the
reserved heat contained in the great mass of non conducting materials surrounding
the fire gives the most perfect control of the fire, and consequently the generation
of steam, as the steam generated may be regulated from any part of the building,
according to the requirements of the case. The steam is conducted from the boiler
through suitable pipes G to the rooms or apartments to be heated; it is there
carried through a series of pipes H, preferably sunk in the internal corrugations of
an iron or other non combustible base or skirting "h," or conducted into a radiater
of special form I, as shown in sectional elevation, Fig. 1, in which case the
in rushing steam impinges on the projecting part "," which forces it up on one
side of the divided tube and down the other, as shown by the arrows. Whether
the radiater H or the radiater I, or both, are used the circuit is completed by a
return pipe "g" (for the water of condensation) to the boiler. Both the supply
and return pipes are fitted with stop valves J, which may be opened and closed at
will. To clearly explain this portion of the Invention it may be assumed that the
steam in the boiler W is at the desired pressure while the valves J are closed, and
it is desired to heat a room, which may be at a reasonable distance from the boiler.
The valves J in the supply and return pipes G, g, are opened, and the steam
rushes into the series of heating pipes, the pressure in the boiler is diminished, and
the piston "e" and diaphragm with its superimposed weighted lever E falls,
gradually opening the then partialy closed escape flue or chimney F, closing the
air inlet thereinto, as also that to the top of the suspended fire brick B, and
opening the draught "a" beneath the grate bars. The room being sufficiently
heated the valves J in the steam supply and return pipes are closed, and as there
is less steam used the pressure in the boiler W rapidly increases; the diaphragm
and piston "e" being thereby raised and the draught regulated as before described.
In applying my Invention to steam boilers of horizontal construction, as shown in
Figs. 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9, the fire brick or other mass of refractory material B may be
placed as shown in Figs. 5 or 9, supported by a lug or projection on the boiler or
in the arch above the boiler. The perforated pipe "b" for supplying fresh air to
the top of the fire when needed being placed lengthwise at the back of the fire,
the advantage of the arrangement, as shewn in Fig. 5, being that the heat is
compelled to pass through the upper flues and over the upper surface of the boiler
first, and then passes back beneath the lower surface and through the lower tubes
to the escape flue or chimney F, as shown by the arrows, thus giving the greatest
heat on the upper surface of the water, and also producing a species of superheated
or dried steam. The apparatus for regulating the fire is in this case substantially
the same as that herein before described for use with vertical boilers; "a" being the
draught pipe for supplying fresh air beneath the grate bars; and "c" being the
pipe opening into the flue or chimney for admitting cold air thereunto, and so
effectually checking the fire when it is required to lessen the pressure in the boiler;
the pipes "a," "b," and "c," being regulated by the slide D, as heretofore
described.

page_text: Having thus described my Invention, and how the same may be practically
employed, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,-
First. The general arrangement and combination of parts forming the draught
regulating device adapted to automatically regulate the amount and place of
entrance of the air supplied beneath and above the fire, as also to the escape flue,
substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
Second. In the fire chamber of upright or horizontal boilers, the supported fire
brick B supplied with air inlet pipe "b" in combination with the draught
regulating devices, substantially as and for the purposes described.
Third. The combination with the steam heating pipes H, H, of the corrugated
base or skirting ħ adapted to receive said pipes, substantially as shown and
described.
Fourth. The improved arrangement and combination of parts as shown and
described in connection with Figs. 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 of the Drawings, consisting of
the combination with the boiler W and the fire chamber A. of fire bricks or mass B,
and the automatic draught regulating device, substantially as and for the purposes
set forth.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the
said Lewis Walker Leeds in the
presence of
A. BARNARD HOLT,
14, Southampton Buildings,
Chancery Lane,
E.C.
LEWIS W. LEEDS. (L.S.)