IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM GENERATORS
Year: 1875

page_text: t
LETTERS PATENT to Edward Field, of Chandos Chambers, Adelphi,
in the County of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer, for the Inven-
tion of "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM GENERATORS."
Sealed the 12th November 1875, and dated the 5th June 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Field at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
5th June 1875.
I, EDWARD FIELD, of Chandos Chambers, Adelphi, in the County of
Middlesex, Consulting Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for " IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM GENERATORS," to be as
follows:
This Invention has for its object improvements in steam generators,
and is more particularly applicable to generators in which steam is
required to be raised very rapidly, as for example, for steam fire-engine,
and such like purposes.
My Invention is mainly designed to obviate or reduce priming in
steam generators, even when constructed with comparatively small

page_text: steam spaces, for which purpose I so construct the generator that the
main bulk of the steam may be conducted to one locality or part of
what ordinarily constitutes the steam space, where it is received in a
compartment, space, or chamber, formed of increasing horizontal sectional
area upward so as to offer the steam entering from below more and more
space in which to separate itself from the water as the steam and
surplus water rise above the surface of the water level, provision being
made for the escape of surplus water carried up by the ascending
currents of steam.
In carrying out my Invention a special steam receiving compartment,
space, or chamber increasing in horizontal sectional area in an upward
direction is provided. This compartment, space, or chamber may be formed
by arranging an inclined perforated plate across the ordinary steam space, or
a separate perforated steam receiving vessel or chamber may be arranged
within the ordinary steam space. The steam receiving compartment,
space, or chamber so provided is in communication with the tubes of the
generator, which in one arrangement, according to my Invention, are
inclined water tubes arranged across a suitable fire-box, and terminating
at their higher ends in that part of the water casing which is in com-
munication with the steam receiving compartment, space, or chamber,
the tubes being arranged in rows parallel to each other and "dodged."
The water space round the fire-box may be provided with circulating
tubes or plates. I do not however confine myself to this precise arrange-
ment, as it may obviously be modified without departure from the
distinctive character of my Invention.
More than one steam receiving compartment, space, or chamber

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of June, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the
thirty-eighth year of Her reign, did for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Edward Field, Her special
license, that I, the said Edward Field, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Edward Field, my executors, admini-
strators, 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
GENERATORS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Edward Field, 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 Edward Field, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement thereof, and the Sheet of Drawings therein
referred to (that is to say) :-
This Invention has for its object improvements in steam generators,
and is more particularly applicable to generators in which steam is
required to be raised very rapidly, as for example, for steam fire-engine,
and such like purposes.
My Invention is mainly designed to obviate or reduce priming in
steam generators, even when constructed with comparatively small
steam spaces, for which purpose I so construct the generator that the
main bulk of the steam may be conducted to one locality or part of
what ordinarily constitutes the steam space, where it is received in a
compartment, space, or chamber formed of increasing horizontal
sectional area upward, so as to offer the steam entering from below moro
and more space in which to separate itself from the water, as the steam

page_text: and surplus water rise above the surface of the water level, provision
being made for the escape of surplus water carried up by the ascending
currents of steam.
In carrying out my Invention a special steam receiving compartment,
space, or chamber increasing in horizontal sectional area in an upward
direction is provided. This compartment, space, or chamber may be
formed by arranging an inclined perforated plate across the ordinary
steam space, or a separate perforated steam receiving vessel or chamber
may be arranged within the ordinary steam space. The steam receiving
compartment, space, or chamber so provided is in communication with
the tubes of the generator, which in one arrangement according to my
Invention are inclined water tubes arranged across a suitable fire-box;
and terminating at their higher ends in that part of the water casing
which is in communication with the steam receiving compartment,
space, or chamber, the tubes being arranged in rows parallel to each
other and "dodged." The water space round the fire-box may be
provided with circulating tubes or plates. I do not however confine
myself to this precise arrangement, as it may obviously be modified
without departure from the distinctive character of my Invention.
More than one steam receiving compartment, space, or chamber
according to my Invention may be used in a single generator.
Fig. 1 of the Drawings shews in central vertical section a boiler
embodying my Invention; Fig. 2 is a central vertical section at right
angles to Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a section in the line A, B, of Fig. 2.
a is the shell; b, the fire-box; c, c, are inclined water tubes; d is a
perforated plate whose lower end rests on the crown plate e of the fire-
box. The lateral edges of this plate fit against the interior of the shell
of the boiler a, and the upper edge of the plate rests against and partly
around the uptake, as shewn. It will be seen that as the tubes are
inclined and as the main bulk of the steam will be generated in them,
and will escape from their upper ends into the adjacent portion of the
water space, thence passing upward, the main bulk of the steam will be
received in the compartment f between the part a¹ of the boiler shell,
and the perforated plate d, and any water carried up with the steam will
either fall back into the water casing or on to the perforated plate
through the perforations in which such water will pass off, thus leaving
in the upper portion of the compartment ƒ dry steam which will flow

page_text: into the adjacent steam space at the opposite side of the plate d ready
for use.
Having described the nature of my said Invention and explained the
manner of carrying the same into practical effect, I hereby declare that
what I consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the
Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters
Patent is, the constructing steam generators with special steam receiving
compartments, spaces, or chambers increasing in horizontal sectional
area in an upward direction, and having one or more sides perforated,
substantially as herein-before described for the purpose specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Field, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fourth day of December, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five.