IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM, HOT WATER, HOT AIR, AND OTHER BOILERS, PARTLY APPLICABLE TO PACKING RINGS FOR STEAM, WATER, AND GAS JOINTS
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Benjamin Harlow, of Macclesfield, in the County of
Chester, Engineer, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM, HOT WATER,
HOT AIR, AND OTHER BOILERS, PARTLY APPLICABLE TO PACKING RINGS FOR
STEAM, WATER, AND GAS JOINTS."
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Benjamin Harlow at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 14th January 1880.
BENJAMIN HARLOW, of Macclesfield, in the County of Chester, Engineer.
IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM, HOT WATER, HOT AIR, AND OTHER BOILERS, PARTLY
APPLICABLE TO PACKING RINGS FOR STEAM, WATER, AND GAS JOINTS."
I construct a sectional boiler of cast iron, and in several parts bolted together by
tubes or pipes which serve as additional heating surface for the flame and products
of combustion to pass through, and thus not only increase the heating surface of
the boiler, but by employing a special description of packing ring (hereinafter
described) in making the joints I effectually obviate the leakage arising from
unequal expansion where solid bolts are employed.
In carrying out my Invention, and as applied to a saddle boiler, I arrange each
of the sides of the boiler, by preference, of several corrugated parts placed parallel
to each other on each side of the furnace, but leaving a space between each part, or
otherwise. The parts on each side of the furnace are bolted and jointed as herein-
before described at their lower extremities to a hollow casting or base, which is
common to or communicates with the interior of each of such corrugated parts, and
at their upper extremities all such corrugated parts are bolted and jointed in the
same manner as hereinbefore described to one or more chambers, hereinafter called
the upper chamber or chambers, and which extend across from one side of the
furnace to the other.
A boiler so constructed may be set in brickwork, or otherwise, with the furnace
in the centre, and the entrance to the chimney so arranged above the upper
chambers herein before mentioned that the flame and products of combustion will
be caused to pass from the furnace between the corrugated parts into a suitable

page_text: flue, and thence up the hollow bolts in order to reach the chimney. A large extent
of heating surface is thus obtained, and facility is also afforded for feeding the
furnace self-actingly if desired through an opening formed through the upper
chambers. In making my improved packing rings for introducing between the joints
of my improved boiler, and which are also applicable for making other steam, water,
or gas joints, I take hemp or other suitable fibrous material, by preference slightly
twisted together, and I coat the same with a composition of boiled oil and red or
white lead or metallic Roman, Scotch, or other cement, and I compress the same in
a mould into the form of a packing ring. The apparatus I use for moulding these
rings consists of a suitable annular recess or die having a core projecting upwards
in the centre, round which I lap the coated fibrous material. I then cause a ram or
plunger to enter the annular recess by screw, hydraulic, or other pressure, and thus
compress the fibrous material coated as aforesaid into the mould so as to partake
of and to retain its form, after which the ram rises, when I cause the moulded ring
to be lifted out of the mould by imparting rising motion by suitable guide rods to
a false bottom arranged in such mould.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Benjamin Harlow in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 14th July
1880.
BENJAMIN HARLOW, of Macclesfield, County of Chester, Engineer. " IMPROVE-
MENTS IN STEAM, HOT WATER, HOT AIR, AND OTHER BOILERS, PARTLY
APPLICABLE TO PACKING RINGS FOR STEAM, WATER, AND GAS JOINTS."
I construct a sectional boiler of cast iron, and in several parts bolted together by
tubes or pipes which serve as additional heating surface for the flame and products
of combustion to pass through, and thus not only increase the heating surface of
the boiler, but by employing a special description of packing ring (hereinafter
described) in making the joints I effectually obviate the leakage arising from
unequal expansion where solid bolts are employed.
In carrying out my Invention, and as applied to a saddle boiler, I arrange each
of the sides of the boiler, by preference, of several corrugated parts placed parallel to
each other on each side of the furnace, but leaving a space between each part, or
otherwise. The parts on each side of the furnace are bolted and jointed as herein-
before described at their lower extremities to a hollow casting or base, which is
common to or communicates with the interior of each of such corrugated parts, and
at their upper extremities all such corrugated parts are bolted and jointed in the
same manner as hereinbefore described to one or more chambers, hereinafter called
the upper chamber or chambers, and which extend across from one side of the
furnace to the other.
A boiler so constructed may be set in brickwork or otherwise with the furnace
in the centre, and the entrance to the chimney so arranged above the upper
chambers herein- before mentioned that the flame and products of combustion will
be caused to pass from the furnace between the corrugated parts into a suitable
flue, and thence up the hollow bolts in order to reach the chimney. A large extent
of heating surface is thus obtained, and facility is also afforded for feeding the
furnace selfactingly if desired through an opening formed through the upper
chambers. In making my improved packing rings for introducing between the
joints of my improved boiler, and which are also applicable for making other steam,
water, or gas joints, I take hemp or other fibrous material, by preference slightly
twisted together, and I coat the same with a composition of boiled oil and red or
white lead or metallic Roman, Scotch, or other cement, and I compress the same in
a mould into the form of a packing ring. The apparatus I use for moulding these
rings consists of a suitable annular recess having a core projecting upwards in the
centre, round which I lap the coated fibrous material. I then cause a ram or
plunger to enter the annular recess by screw, hydraulic, or other pressure, and thus
compress the fibrous material coated as aforesaid into the mould so as to partake of
and to retain its form, after which the ram rises, when I cause the moulded ring to
be lifted out of the mould by imparting rising motion by suitable guide rods to a
false bottom arranged in such mould.
And in order that this my said Invention may be more readily understood and
carried into practical effect, I have hereunto annexed a Sheet of Drawings illustrative
of my said Invention, and have marked letters of reference thereon, similar
letters referring to similar parts in all the views, Fig. 1 is a perspective view of
my improved boiler; Figa 2, 3, & 4, details of the same; Fig. 5, a transverse
section, and Fig. 6 a plan view of the press I use in forming my improved
packing ring. The boiler, Fig. 1, consists of a series of, by preference, convoluted
segments A formed of cast iron, seen best in Figs. 2, 3, & 4, which represent
respectively an end view, a side view, and a plan. Each segment has a hole through
ts end, as shewn in Fig. 4, to allow of the passage of a hollow bolt B (see Fig. 1),
which forms an essential feature of my Invention. I arrange a series of these

page_text: segments upon a hollow casting C, allowing a space D between each for the passage
of the products of combustion from the grate E. I form the top of the boiler by a
hollow casting E (formed in one or more parts). The whole being bolted together
by the hollow bolts B, using my improved packing ring as hereinafter described to
form the joint. The boiler so constructed I arrange on the top of water fire bars E,
connection being made through the branches G, the usual flow and return pipe
being seen at H and I respectively. The boiler may be set in brickwork or otherwise,
and the entrance to the chimney so arranged above the upper casting or castings E
that the flame and products of combustion will be caused to pass from the furnace F
into a suitable flue, and thence up the hollow bolts B in order to reach the
chimney. Instead of using cast iron segments as hereinbefore mentioned making
the joint with my improved packing ring, I sometimes form the segments of
wrought iron, and by placing them along with the hollow bolts in the mould at
the time of forming the lower casting C and the upper casting E; I so cast the
boiler in one piece. A large extent of heating surface is thus obtained, and
facility is also afforded for feeding the furnace self actingly through the upper
casting E.
In making my improved packing ring I use a screw or hydraulic press, the
bottom plate a in which is formed with an annular groove 6 which receives a
corresponding projecting ring c formed in the upper plate. The hemp or other
suitable fibrous material, by preference slightly twisted, and after being coated with
a composition of boiled oil, red or white lead, or metallic Roman, Scotch, or other
cement, is laid in the annular groove b and pressure applied by the upper projecting
ring c until it takes the desired form, when the upper ring c is raised and the
ring expelled from the mould by the false bottom d worked through the bars e
I do not confine
from the foot of the operator, or in any other convenient manner.
myself exclusively to red or white lead, as almost any insoluble pulverulent material
made plastic with drying oil or any plastic material unaltered by heat, contact
with iron, steam, and hot water will do, and take the place of red and white lead
and of drying oil respectively; the essential points of the Invention being a coil
or ring of strong fibrous material capable of withstanding any bursting pressure
likely to be applied to it, and a plastic composition capable of setting intimately
applied to the said ring to water proof it and act as a preservative to the fibre.
My improved ring may also be used for connecting steam, water, or gas pipes, or
making any other similar joint.
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, together with the best methods with which I am acquainted for carrying
the same into practical effect, I wish it to be understood that I do not confine
myself to the precise details, relative proportions, or dimensions of my improved
boiler, nor to the exact composition of my improved packing ring, as they may be
considerably varied as hereinbefore described, but what I claim is,―
1st. The improved sectional boiler for steam, water, and hot air, substantially
as herein before described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawing.
2nd. The improved packing ring for making steam, water, or gas joints,
substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Benjamin Harlow, have hereunto set my hand
and seal. this Twelfth day of July, in the year of our Lord 1880.