An Improved Steam Boiler or Water Heater.
Year: 1890

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Steam Boiler or Water Heater.
I FRANCIS HENRY ASBURY of 454 Collins Street Melbourne in the Colony of
Victoria Australia Ventilating Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention has been devised for the purpose of providing a cheap and effective
and at the same time safe and rapid steam generator or boiler; usable also as a water
heater for warming buildings. From the small diameters of its component parts and
its circular formations it is exceedingly strong and therefore will carry pressures far
in excess of any other boilers at a maximum of safety and by reason of its great
heating surface a great economy of fuel will attend its use.
The boiler is composed of a number of suitable metal tubes, return bends and
branched headers. The tubes are fitted with the return bends for the purpose of
building them one above the other to any height required, the whole construction
being terminated by branched headers at top and bottom, which latter after
connecting all the sections of tubes into their trunks are at the top connected with
the steamn dome. The tubes and furnace may be surrounded by brickwork or any
other suitable casing. By placing the tubes in a "zig-zag" manner they do not
obstruct one another's heating surface, and afford greater facilities for cleaning.
It will also be noticed on the accompanying illustration that in case of any leakage
any one or more of the sections can be unscrewed from the whole boiler and temporary
plugs screwed into the apertures, and thus with little delay the boiler can be again
worked. Furthermore the steaming capacity of the boiler can be increased at any
time by amplifying the number of sections.
It is intended that all the tubes of every description used in the boiler should lie
with an incline from the bottom mud drum to the top steam dome. The usual set of
boiler mountings are attached, and any portion of the boiler may be inspected by
lifting the cast iron plates resting on top of the brickwork. Reference may now be
made to the accompanying drawings in which:
Fig. 1, represents an end elevation of the boiler, set in brickwork:
Fig. 2, being a transverse section, and
Fig. 3, a longitudinal section.
Similar letters denote similar parts in all the figures.
In these figures A are the longitudinal water tubes, stayed by upright plates A¹,
and terminating at both ends in water boxes B into one of which the water is pumped
through the pipe B¹. These boxes B, which are provided with covers, being connected
to the two longitudinal top tubes C by the pipes B2. Starting from the tubes A are the
bottom branched headers D from which the sections or groups of transverse tubes E start;
These sections are composed of sets of tubes and return bends adjusted together by
means of right and left threaded screws and built up to meet the top branched
headers D'. The top tubes C terminate in boxes C which are likewise provided with
covers in a similar manner to tubes A.
These boxes are connected to the steam-dome F, which is fitted with the usual
set of boiler mountings. G is the water-gauge fitted to the upright pipe B2; H the
furnace doors; I the furnace; K the firebars and L the ashpit.
M are doors provided for the purpose of cleaning and attending to the tubes;
N being a tale peep hole with cover flap. O are baffle plates for maintaining a proper
circulation of the heat, P being the bridge and R the flue leading to the chimney.
S are the top plates, made in sections and lined with fireproof casing.
T is the transverse chamber for the collection of mud and other sediment, and T¹
the blow off cock. U is the brickwork setting.

page_text: I would have it understood that the tubes E are to be set with a slight upward
incline; this is done by slightly distending the return bends connecting the same,
and the said bends are also to be twisted in such a manner as to cause the tubes to lie
in an irregular or "zig-zag" position. I do not confine myself to any particular
materials of construction nor to the number of sections which can be reduced or
increased as required. The manner of using my invention is as follows:-
Water is supplied into the boiler by the pipe B' to the requisite level, as shown by
gauge G.
The fire is then lighted on the firebars K of the furnace I; the heat is imparted to
the tubes A and the flame rises up through the first group of sections of tubes E,
by reason of the central battle plate O and then descends, as shown by the small arrows,
through the next group of the tubes, escaping into the flue whence it is led away to
the chimney.
Steam generates at all the parts exposed to the action of the fire and ascends into
the dome F whence it is drawn off as required; Any overplus, beyond a predetermined
pressure, escaping at the safety valve in the usual manner. Any mud or sediment
accumulating will fall into the chamber T, by reason of gravitation and circulation,
where it can be blown out through the cock T¹. If it is desired to clean the tubes of
the boiler the doors M are opened and free access can be had to the interior by a brush
or otherwise, whilst any scale that may collect on the longitudinal tubes A and C can
be removed through the covers on the boxes B and C. When the boiler or any
portion of it requires repairs or removal the top plates S can be lifted out of their
position and the faulty part removed without disturbing the remainder of the boiler.
If any leakage occurs to one of the sections, or it is desired from any other reason to
remove one or more of them, their joints at the top and bottom headers may be broken,
the faulty part removed, and plugs screwed into the places, and work may be
resumed with but little delay.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In steam boilers, the use of metal tubes set in a furnace adjusted and built in
sections by means of right and left threaded screws and return bends and terminating
at both ends in branched headers or distributors which join all the different sections
into one system, the bottom headers starting from a set of longitudinal tubes which
latter are connected together by water boxes at the lowest end of which is a mud drum
provided with a blow-off cock; and the top header terminating in longitudinal tubes
connecting to a steam dome; the aforesaid return bends being so twisted and
distended as to cause the transverse tubes to lie in a "zig-zag" or irregular position
and an inclined direction substantially as and for the purposes herein before described
and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
2. The use of the hereinbefore described steam-boiler as a water heater or auxiliary
to other steam boilers.
Dated thin Canand dave of Tum 1000
. . ADDUNI.
W. H. Beck,
115, Cannon Street, London, E.C., Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent.