CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR GENERATING STEAM, CONSUMING SMOKE, AND HEATING APART- MENTS
Year: 1839

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, RICHARD
PROSSER, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Civil Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent, under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Nineteenth day of February, in the second year of Her
reign, and in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and thirty-
nine, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Richard Prosser, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and
authority, that I, the said Richard Prosser, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, and such others as I, the said Richard Prosser, my executors, adiñors,
and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time
and at all times during the term of years therein mentioned, should and law-
fully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the
Town of Berwick upon Tweed, my Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR GENERATING STEAM, CONSUMING SMOKE, AND HEATING APART-
MENTS;" in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso obliging 'me, the
said Richard Prosser, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal,
particularly to describe and ascertain the nature of my said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, and to cause the same to be
inrolled in Her Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months.
next and immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent,.

page_text: large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Richard Prosser, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention, and
the manner in which the same is to be performed, is particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following description thereof, reference being
had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked
thereon (that is to say):-
My improvements in apparatus for generating steam consists.in the employ-
ment of vertical tubes attached to the bottom of ordinary boilers. Drawing 1
shews a plan view of a pair of marine engine boilers, one of such boilers
having my tubes attached, the other boiler being of the ordinary construction
for steam vessels. Drawing 2 shews, full size, three tubes attached to the
bottom of a boiler; these tubes it will be seen rise above the bottom of the
boiler, two of the tubes being shewn in elevation, and one tube in sectional
elevation; the height of the water or water line of the boiler is shewn by a
dotted line, marked water-line on Drawing 2. It will be seen by examining
the sectional elevation, Drawing 2, that the tube which has its external surface
exposed to the heat of the fire contains within it another tube of about half
the area; these tubes are both circular in their cross sections, but the internal
tube is curved at its upper end, and both its upper and lower ends are open.
The external tube has an opening on its side for the curved end of the internal
tube to pass through; this curved tube then becomes the channel for the water
to pass from the bottom of the boiler in the direction indicated by the arrows
to the bottom of the external tube; the water then ascends in the annular space
formed between the two tubes, and water and steam issue from the top of the
tube; any impurities mechanically suspended in the water rise through this
tube, and falling over the side into the reservoir, situated above the bottom of
the boiler, remain there until they are removed by the operation of blowing
out; particles of matter are thus prevented from accumulating on the bottom
of the boiler, and incrustation of the boileris prevented; the current of water
and steam up the external tube is sufficiently powerful to inject any impurities
mechanically suspended in the water. Many persons have proposed to attach
tubes to boilers, and Count Rumford constructed a boiler on this principle, as
may be seen in Tredgold's work on the Steam Engine, first edition, page 135.
Perkins also proposed the use of tubes, and his method is shewn at Fig. 2,
Drawing 2. The tube is shewn attached to the bottom of the boiler, and has
its lower end closed, the upper orifice being open; another tube is placed within
it, and the internal tube is open at both ends. The fire operates upon the

page_text: external surface of the external tube, and gives motion to the water, as indicated
by the direction of the arrows; but when such tube is exposed to an intense
fire, the water and steam issue with such force from the orifice of the tube
at A as to prevent the water getting access to the internal tube; the water
being driven out or converted into steam, the tube by the action of the fire
becomes heated red hot, and of course destroyed. I secure my tubes from
destruction by insuring a supply of water to their interiors, in the manner
shewn by Drawing 2, Fig. 1, where the water is shewn entering the internal
tube at the letter A; a hole being formed in the side of the external tube to
receive the end of the internal tube, the water passes down the internal tube
and out at its lower end, which is open for the purpose; the water then returns
up the concentric space between the external and internal tubes, and the
water becomes partly converted into steam, the water and steam issuing
from the mouth of the external tube at B. I lay no claim to the application
of tubes merely in the construction of boilers for generating steam; but I
claim the peculiar method of constructing such tubes as shewn on Drawing 2,
in sectional elevation, at Fig. 1, the object attained being the preservation of
the tube so long as the orifice A of the internal tube is under water, for how-
ever rapidly water and steam inay issue from the tube at B, a corresponding
velocity is communicated to the water in a downward direction through the
internal tube, the water supplying the internal tube entering by the orifice A,
situated as near the bottom of the boiler as may be found convenient. My
improvements for consuming smoke are shewn at Figure 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, on
Drawing A; 1, being a plan of a boiler for generating steam; 2, a sectional
plan; 3, a front elevation; 4, a longitudinal section; and 5, a back elevation;
A, A, A, shewing the flues or openings through which the products of com-
bustion pass on their way to the chimney. It will be perceived that instead of
the ordinary bridge, shewn by dotted lines, Fig. 4, I place the bridge at a
distance from the end of the fire bars, and close against the bottom of the
boiler. The gases formed by the combustion of the fuel are prevented passing
along the bottom of the boiler by the bridge B; they of course descend under
the bridge, as shewn by the arrows, and through the flues or openings A on
their way to the chimney. The space between the end of the fire bars and the
bridge B is formed of fire bricks, forming an inclined plane upon which
the red hot coal is pushed either purposely or accidentally by the process
of stoking; the bricks become heated, and cause the combination of those
combustible gases which pass over and become heated by the hot bricks,
and this arrangement for consuming smoke is what I claim as my Inven-
tion. My Invention; so far as relates to improvements in apparatus for

page_text: heating apartments, consist in a peculiarly constructed stove, which I deno-
minate for the sake of dintinction "the Chunk Patent Stove."
My said
stove is formed of three essential parts, namely, a base or stand, a portable
furnace or fire pot, and an envelope or case. The base of my stove is a circular
plate of cast iron standing on three feet, with three concentric rings on its upper
surface, having an aperture in its centre, and a valve adjusted to such aperture
to regulate the admission of the external or atmospheric air, and a tube or flue
for the escape of the gases of combustion, in the manner herein-after described.
The portable furnace consists of a conical bucket of sheet iron (with or without
a lid or cover) having an iron grate inside, supported at about one-sixth part of
its depth by three studs or brackets projecting about half an inch on the inside,
which prevent the grate from being displaced by the weight of the fuel, and
form underneath an ash pit or receptacle for the ashes or dust caused by the
combustion of the fuel employed. In the centre of the ash pit is placed a
funnel or chimney, covered at the top to prevent the ashes falling through, and
perforated on all its sides to admit the external air in contact with the fuel.
From the centre of the lid a short tube projects (being a continuation of the
funnel or chimney), covered with a valve, which closes by its own weight, and
a lever which opens the valve by pressure against the envelope when the stove
is in use.
The envelope or cover is a cylinder of sheet iron, closely covered at
the top, and adjusted at the bottom to the space between the two outer rings
on the upper surface of the base of the stove. The figures respectively
marked z, x, y, w, v, u, T, S, and R, on the Drawing (A) hereunto annexed,
refer to the several parts of my stove herein-before and herein-after described.
When it is desired to use my said stove, it is requisite that the tube or flue for
the escape of the gases of combustion should be let into a chimney, common
air flue, or connected with the atmosphere in any other suitable manner to
cause a draught of air through my stove; a sufficient quantity of sand is
then to be strewed between the rings on the upper surface of the base of the
stove, to prevent the escape of smoke or vapour. Fuel is then to be put into
the furnace, and the furnace placed over the aperture in the base, and the
envelope is then to be placed over the furnace. It will be obvious from this
statement, that when my said stove is so in use, the external air for maintaining
combustion is admitted through the aperture (A) in the base of the stove, and
up the funnel at the bottom of the furnace into the ash-pit formed between the
grate which supports the fuel and the bottom of the fire bucket, and thence
through the fuel, and by which the gases evolved during combustion are carried
upwards through the funnel in the lid of the fire bucket, and thence down-
wards between the outside of the furnace and the inside of the envelope into

page_text: the flue (D) communicating with the external air; or in case of there being
no flue, the gases may be exhausted by mechanical means, and delivered into
the atmosphere at any suitable place. My said stove is shewn as in use by the
sectional elevation at Figure S, and it will be perceived that the valve in the
lid of the furnace is kept open (as it must be to allow of combustion going on)
by the lever pressing against the inside of the envelope. The ring in the centre
of the base of the stove is for the purpose of preventing the sand falling
through the aperture A; the next ring B is to receive the fire bucket, and the
outer ring C to receive the rim of the envelope. The bottom rim of the fire
bucket and the bottom rim of the envelope are placed in the sand upon the
base of the stone, by which the passage of air or smoke in that direction is
prevented. A portion of fuel should be ignited previously to the furnace being
placed on the base of the stove, after which the furnace may be filled with fuel
in a cold state, though the fuel may be lighted when the furnace is in its
proper situation, by having a tube to convey the smoke and vapour into a
suitable funnel during ignition. The fuel I prefer is coke. When my said
stove requires replenishing, the envelope must be removed, when the valve at
top of the furnace_will fall by its own weight, and the dust and vapour is pre-
vented from escaping from the bucket. The furnace is removed by its swinging
handle to a suitable place for emptying out the ashes, which may be done by
inverting the furnace, when the grate, which is loose, will fall out with the ashes.
The grate must be replaced, and the furnace will then be ready for a fresh
supply of fuel and to be returned to its place. The fire will burn slowly, and
it may be extinguished by closing with its valve the aperture A, shewn in the
sectional representation of the stove, Figure S. By my method of constructing
stoves, shewn in the Drawing A, Figures (Z, X, Y, W, V, U, T, S, R,) I
obtain great economy of fuel, great cleanliness, and (owing to my stove having
no doors, either for the admission of fuel or for the removal of ashes) I admit
only so much atmospheric air into the furnace as is requisite to support com-
bustion, and I prevent the egress of noxious vapours or gases into the apart-
ment where they are used. A fusible compound of metals may be used in lieu
of sand within the rings of the base of my stove to prevent the escape of the
gases of combustion; but I have found fine sand to answer the purpose, and
it is more economical, and what I use. In my said stoves I have obviated
the great objection against close stoves of their becoming too hot, in conse-
quence of their contact with burning fuel. In the construction of my said
stove, no part of the envelope is in contact with the fuel, but is situate at such
a distance from the furnace as prevents its being overheated, and cannot
therefore contaminate the air of any apartment. When for the purpose of

page_text: ornament or durability, the envelope is made of cast iron or other heavy
material, its removal in order to replenish the fire bucket, would on account of
its weight be objectionable; in such case I obviate the necessity of removing
the envelope by making, the top only of such envelope movable, and making
the same air-tight by grinding the top into the cylinder which forms, the
envelope, or by sand or fusible metal, as before described. On removing
the top of the envelope the furnace can be withdrawn and replaced for
the purpose of removing ashes and recharging the apparatus with.. fuel.
When the envelope is made of very light material, to facilitate its removal,
it will require in some cases.. to be connected to the base of, the stove
by catches, to prevent the accidental removal of the envelope, and the con-
sequent escape of vapour: One of such catches is shewn on Drawing A,
Figure U, letter.c. It will be observed, by inspecting the Drawings descrip-
tive of my Invention, so far as relates to improvements in apparatus, for
heating apartments, that I have no doors, as in ordinary stoves, and this
is one valuable peculiarity of my stove which I claim; the other peculiarity
which I claim is the portable furnace or moveable, and detached fire bucket,
as applied to the construction of my said stove. I lay no claim, to the
employment of sand or other substance for the purpose of making. smoke-
tight joints, because the modes of effecting that are well known, neither do, I
claim as any part of my Invention the admission of air to fuel in combustion
through a small aperture regulated by a valve, such methods being well known
and commonly practised. I have not described, how a regulator may be
attached to the valve of my stove, because the modes are well known, and I
think it much simpler to operate upon the valve by the human hand; such
regulator may of course be applied, and I leave the choice of the mode to.
those who shall require it. I have in this my Specification described the im-
provements which I claim as mine, and shewn my methods of carrying the
same into effect, and by a perusal of my Specification, and an inspection of the
Drawings annexed thereto, it will be perceived, that the advantages which..I
claim for any improvements in apparatus for heating apparatus arise from the
peculiarity of construction, and the arrangement of the parts before mentioned,
which I have invented and found out and claim as mine..
. In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Prosser, have hereunto set my
hand and seal; this Sixteenth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and thirty-nine."
.i
2. 1.
RICHARD
(L.S.) PROSSER.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Sixteenth day of August, in
the third year of the reign of Her Majesty Queen Victoria, the said Richard
Prosser came before our said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknow-
ledged the instrument aforesaid, and all and everything therein contained and
specified, in form above written. And also the instrument aforesaid was
stamped according to the tenor of the Statute made in the fifty-fifth year of the
reign of His late Majesty King George the Third.
Inrolled the Seventeenth day of August, One thousand eight hundred and
thirty-nine.