IMPROVEMENTS IN THE UTILIZATION OF HEAT FOR THE GENERATION OF STEAM AND IN APPARATUS OR APPLIANCES EMPLOYED THEREFOR
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Arthur Barff, of Morton, in the County of Surrey,
Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE UTILIZATION OF
HEAT FOR THE GENERATION OF STEAM AND IN APPARATUS OR APPLIANCES
EMPLOYED THEREFOR."-A communication from abroad by Joshua
Kidd, of New York, United States of America.
Sealed the 11th July 1873, and dated the 12th February. 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Arthur Barff at'
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 12th February 1873.
I, ARTHUR BARFF, of Merton, in the County of Surrey, Gentleman,
do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS ¯
IN THE UTILIZATION OF HEAT FOR THE GENERATION OF STEAM AND IN APPARATUS
OR APPLIANCES EMPLOYED THEREFOR," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in exhausting the heated products of com-
bustion from a fire either before or after such fire has been used for the
generation of steam, by the escaping force of a jet or jets of superheated
steam and forcing the said superheated steam and products of com-
bustion into a hot air chamber in contact with vertical, inclined, or
zig-zag tubes, placed in such chamber containing water to be vaporised.

page_text: It is a well-known fact that in the combustion of fuel in steam furnaces
a large proportion of the heat generated escapes up the chimney and is
lost. The object and purpose of this Invention is to render available
this vast continual loss carried away by the natural draft.
In utilizing the waste heat for the generation of steam it is not the
purpose of this Invention to supersede the present arrangement or
construction of boilers, but simply to supplement them with an
additional attachment hereafter to be described, whereby furnaces and
boilers evaporating the smallest quantity of water can be made to
generate more steam than can be obtained from boilers made on the
most approved principles.
In carrying out my Invention I construct an auxilliary steam generator
of metal tubes similar to the common steam pipe radiators now in use
for heating buildings. I connect this tubular boiler at its highest
and lowest parts to the steam and water spaces of the primary boiler,
so that the pressure of steam and water level will be the same in each
boiler. Between the primary boiler and the auxilliary boiler I place a
jet or jets of superheated steam for exhausting the products of com-
bustion from the fire, and forcing the same into a hot air chamber
placed between the furnace and smoke stack, and containing the
auxilliary tubular boiler. The steam escaping from the jets being
superheated, its latent heat is changed to sensible heat and it then
acts as fuel, and together with the heated products of combustion is
forced or impacted against the vaporising tubes of the auxilliary boiler
and generator a large amount of steam.
The draft of an ordinary chimney produces a partial vacuum on all
vaporising surfaces, but the draft produced by my Invention forces the
heat against the vaporising surfaces and consequently much more of the
heat can be made available than at present.
In applying this Invention to a primary boiler I prefer to construct it
of vertical tubes of about one inch diameter connected together at the top
and at the bottom in such a manner that each tube will form a separate
vaporiser; this boiler I also place in a hot air chamber closed at the top
and open at the bottom. I fix a jet or jets supplying superheated steam
between the fire and the hot air chamber for forcing the products of com-
bustion into the said chamber for the generation of steam; I find in
practice in this class of boiler, that the water being heated from the top

page_text: of its vertical column it is not displaced by rising bubbles of steam and
more readily absorbs the heat, thus forming an excellent boiler for
heating buildings. This boiler will feed itself with water from an elevated
tank, it requires no safety valve, and any excess of steam will drive the
water back to the supply tank and allow it to return again when the
pressure is reduced, thus rendering it entirely self-acting..
In applying my Invention to drying purposes I simply enlarge the
hot air chamber before described and force the heated products of com-
bustion into such chamber, and when applied for this purpose it is
essential that the hot air chamber be closed at the top and have openings
at the bottom for the escape of the saturated gases.
In applying my Invention to the extinguishing of fires or for heating
buildings, I force the heated products of combustion by the escaping
force of a steam jet into buildings through any suitable arrangements
of pipes, but for extinguishing fires I prefer to burn charcoal in the
furnace instead of coal, as charcoal produces a larger amount of carbonic
acid gas than any other fuel.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Arthur Barff in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 8th August 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ARTHUR
BARFF, of Merton, in the County of Surrey, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the
36th year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Arthur Barff, Her special license that
I, the said Arthur Barff, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Arthur Barff, my executors, admini-
strators, or 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 THE UTILIZATION OF Heat

page_text: FOR THE GENERATION OF STEAM AND IN APPARATUS OR APPLIANCES EMPLOYED
THEREFOR," a communication to me from abroad by Joshua Kidd, of
New York, United States of America, upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Arthur Barff, my executors or administrators, by
an instrument in writing under my hand and scal, 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 Arthur Barff, do hereby declarc
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, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to
say:-
The said Invention consists in exhausting the heated products of com-
bustion from a fire either before or after such fire has been used for the
generation of steam by the escaping force of a jet or jets of superheated
steam, and forcing the said superheated steam and products of com-
bustion (according to one mode of applying the same) into a hot air
chamber in contact with vertical inclined or zig-zag tubes placed in such
chamber containing water to be vaporized.
It is a well known fact that in the combustion of fuel in steam
furnaces a large proportion of the heat generated escapes up the chimney
and is lost; the object and purpose of this Invention is to render available
this vast continual loss carried away by the natural draft.
In utilising the waste heat for the generation of steam as above set
forth it is not the purpose of this Invention to supersede the present
arrangement or construction of boilers, but simply to supplement them
with an additional attachment hereafter to be described, whereby
furnaces and boilers evaporating the smallest quantity of water can be
made to generate more steam than can be obtained from boilers made on
the most approved principles.
According to one mode of carrying out this Invention, I construct an
auxillary steam generator and metal tubes similar to the common steam
pipe radiators now in use for heating buildings. I connect this tubular
boiler at its highest and lowest parts to the steam and water spaces of

page_text: the primary boiler, so that the pressure of steam and the water level
will be the same in each boiler. Between the primary boiler and the
auxillary boiler I place a jet or jets of superheated steam for drawing or
exhausting the products of combustion from the fire, and forcing the
same into a hot air chamber placed between the furnace and smoke
stack, and containing the auxillary tubular boiler. The steam escaping
from the jets being superheated its latent heat is changed to sensible
heat, and it then acts as fuel, and together with the heated products of
combustion is forced or impacted against the vaporizing tubes of the
auxillary boiler and generates a large amount of steam.
The draft of an ordinary chimney produces a partial vacuum on all
vaporising surfaces, but the draft produced by my Invention forces the
heat against the vaporising surfaces; and consequently much more of
the heat can be made available than at present.
In applying this Invention to a primary boiler I prefer to construct it
of vertical tubes of about one inch diameter connected together at the
top and at the bottom in such a manner that cach tube will form a
separate vaporiser, this boiler I also place in a hot air chamber closed
at the top and open at the bottom. I fix a jet or jets supplying super-
heated steam between the fire and this hot air chamber for forcing the
products of combustion into the said chamber for the generation of
steam. I find in practice in this class of boiler that the water being
heated from the top of its vertical column it is not displaced by rising
bubbles of steam, and more readily absorbs the heat, thus forming an
excellent boiler for heating buildings. This boiler will feed itself with
water from an elevated tank, it requires no safety valve, and any excess
of steam will drive the water back again when the pressure is reduced,
and vice versa, thus rendering it entirely self acting.
In applying this Invention to drying purposes I simply enlarge the
hot air chamber before described, and force the heated products of com-
bustion into such chamber, and when applied for this purpose it is
essential that the hot air chamber be closed at the top, and have
openings at the bottom for the escape of the saturated gases.
In applying this Invention to the extinguishing of fires or for heating
buildings, I force the heated products of combustion by the escaping
force of a steam jet into buildings through any suitable arrangements of
pipes or radiators, but for extinguishing fires I prefer to burn charcoal

page_text: carbonic acid gas than any other fuel; which gas along with the other
products of combustion I discharge on to the fire to be extinguished
through a nozzle.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood, I
shall now proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that
purpose shall refer to the several Figures on the annexed Sheet of
Drawings, the same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in
all the Figures.
Figure 1 of my Drawings represents a longitudinal vertical section of
a marine boiler and furnace with my said improvements attached. A is
the boiler; B, the furnace; C, the auxillary boiler or heater; and D, the
smoke stack or uptake. Within the furnace at any convenient place I
introduce a series of zig-zag or otherwise arranged superheating steam
pipes a in connection with the steam space of the boiler at one end, and
with a steam jet nozzle b at the other end, such jet being situate at the
lower part of the uptake so as to direct one or more jets of superheated
steam across the same into the auxillary boiler C. This boiler consists
of an outer casing or jacket C enclosing a series of C shaped water
tubes c, c, the lower ends of such tubes opening into the water chamber d
which is connected by a pipe or pipes e with the water space of the
main boiler or generator A.; the upper ends of the said tubes c open into
the water and steam chamber f which communicates with the steam
space of the boiler A. by one or more pipes g. A central division plate
or diaphragm his secured to the end of the boiler A, and enters some
distance within the auxillary boiler between the bends of the shaped
water tubes in order that the superlicated steam from the jet nozzle or
nozzles along with the heated products of combustion from the
furnace B shall be compelled to circulate thoroughly amongst the
tubes c before passing into the chimney or uptake D. It will be seen
that by this arrangement the heated products of combustion and the
superheated steam will be impacted against or brought forcibly into
contact with the pipes c of the auxillary boiler.
Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical section of a primary boiler or steam
generator, constructed and arranged according to this Invention. A is
the boiler composed of a series of vertical tubes i, i, branching from
one or more main pipes k, situate in the lower part of the hot air

page_text: chamber E, which is closed at the top, and has one or more openings
at the bottom leading to the chimney D. The upper part of the cham-
ber E communicates by the passage m with the furnace B. The vertical
tubes i of the boiler each communicates at their upper ends by a pipe
and stop cock n, n, with one or more steam pipes o, leading to the main
steam reservoir F, which supplys the steam to the engine or other
apparatus. This steam reservoir is connected by a pipe p to a self-acting
feed regulator cistern g, within which works a float lever connected by a
rod with a valve opening downwards in the valve box r. This reservoir
is in communication by the pipe 8 with the lower or main tubes k of the
boiler, so that the level of the water in the cistern q corresponds with
that in the several tubes i, i, of the boiler. t is a feed pipe, which
connects the valve box with an air-tight supply tank G, containing
compressed air in the upper part thereof.
"'
Should the water level get
too low in the tubes i, i, of the boiler the float lever in the feed regulator
cistern q descends, and thereby opens the valve in the valve box r, and
allows a further supply of water to be forced from the supply tank G by
the compressed air therein through the pipe t and open valve at r into the
lower part of the boiler by the pipe s. On the proper water level being
attained the float lever rises and closes the valve in the box r, thus
shutting off any further supply. Should the pressure of the steam in
the upper part of the boiler tubes i become too great it will force the
water downwards in the said tubes back into the supply tank G through
the pipe 8, valve at r, and pipe t. The products of combustion from the
furnace B are forced through the passage m so as to be impacted against
the upper ends of the tubes i of the boiler by the aid of the jet pipe b,
which is in connection with the air heating chamber v, placed in the
centre of the furnace fire. Into the front end of this chamber there is
led the air pipe wo, which is bent in a zig-zag form beneath the grate
bars, and is formed with an expanded or trumpet mouth at its front end.
Beneath the air heating chamber there is provided a steam super-
beating chamber a in communication with the steam reservoir F by a
pipe not seen in my Drawing. The steam as it passes through this
superheater a becomes superheated, and issues through a steam jet pipe,
which directs it into the centre of the trumpet mouth of the pipe w.
This jet of steam induces air from beneath the fire-bars to enter the
pipe w, and pass into the air heating chamber v, which it traverses along
with the superheated steam to and fro from end to end by passing under
and over a central diaphragm in the said chamber. The mixture of air
+

page_text: and steam thus becomes highly heated before it issues in the form of a
powerful jet from the nozzle b. This jet induces the products of com-
bustion from the furnace B along with it, and forces the same through
the passage m direct on to the chamber E, wherein the superheated
steam and products of combustion are impacted against the upper ends
of the several tubes i, i, of the generator. The superheated steam and
products of combustion give off their heat to the said tubes, and finally
issue at a comparatively low temperature through the aperture or aper-
tures in the bottom of the chamber, and escape thence to the atmosphere
through the chimney D.
Figure 3 of my Drawings is a partial elevation and longitudinal
section of a chamber for drying peat, sewage manure, compound or
artificial fuel, bricks, &c., which room may be also used for the burning
of bricks, for distilling or extracting gas, oil, &c., from carbonaceous
materials, and the manufacture of charcoal, with my improvements
applied thereto. E is the drying chamber, which is closed at the top,
and opens at the bottom only, where a number of outlets 1, 1, are made,
leading direct into the atmosphere. This chamber should by preference
be laid with rails or trams, and be of a sufficient capacity to accommo-
date one or more waggons or trucks H, H, which may be run therein
through an opening in the end of the chamber provided with a tight
fitting sliding or other metal door I. The trucks may consist of light
open framework supporting a series of rows of horizontal troughs x,
disposed in tiers one above another, in which troughs is deposited the
peat, sewage, or other material to be dried, care being taken to leave a
space or passage round all the troughs to afford free circulation round
them of the superheated steam and products of combustion, which are
forced, as herein-after explained, into the upper part of the drying
chamber E. A is a boiler or steam generator of any suitable or well
known construction, heated by the furnace B, which communicates
directly with the chimney flue D. A lateral passage m leads from this
flue direct into the upper part of the drying chamber, such passage being
fitted with a damper y. A second damper y¹ is also fitted inside tho
chimney fluc D. A steam superheater a is situate inside the furnace,
and communicates by a pipe and stop cock z with the generator A, and
by another pipe with one or more steam jet nozzles b, situate in the
lower part of the chimney D, so as to direct one or more powerful jets of
superheated steam up the chimney flue. These steam jets tend to draw

page_text: out or exhaust the products of combustion from the furnace B, and when
the damper y¹ is closed, and the damper y opened, the products of com-
bustion will be forcibly driven along with the superheated steam through
the opening m into the upper part of the drying chamber, where they
will circulate around, and give off their caloric to the pcat or other
material placed therein, and will finally descend and escape at a com-
paratively low temperature, through the openings in the bottom of the
drying chamber. When first starting the fire, and getting up steam, the
damper y may be closed, but the damper y¹ should be opened so as to
ensure a proper natural draught up the chimney.
Figure 4 of my Drawings represents in vertical section an economical
and simple apparatus for warming apartments or buildings as constructed
and arranged according to my Invention. B is a closed stove or furnace
supplied by preference with coke or anthracite coal through a feed
mouth at the top covered with a tight fitting lid. Up through the
incandescent fuel in this stove or furnace there is passed a steam pipe a
forming a superheater and provided with a steam jet nozzle bat its
upper end. This nozzle is situate in the centre of an expanded or
trumpet mouth m¹ formed on the lower end of a pipe m, which passes
out through the upper part of the stove and is continued through the
centre of a small vertical boiler A when it proceeds to the bottom of the
radiator or heater E. The boiler A may consist simply of a sheet metal
tube supported on legs or otherwise and supplied with water to the
proper level by a pipe leading to a closed supply tank similar to that
shown in Figure 2 of my Drawings. The pipe t opens into a valve box
1 containing a valve opening downwards and connected by a rod to a
float lever in the feed regulator cistern q, all as described with reference
to Figure 2. This regulator is in connection with the steam space of
the boiler by the pipe p. The bottom of the boiler is connected by a
pipes with the pipe, which connects the valve box and regulator
cistern q.
z is a pipe and stop cock for supplying steam to the super-
licating pipe a and jet nozzle b. The radiator E consists of a number
of chambers connected at their centres by a short pipe, and having a
central horizontal diaphragm in each, so as to produce as large an area
of radiating surface as possible. is the outlet for the products of
combustion which may lead off into any ordinary chimney or direct into
the atmosphere. The action of this apparatus is as follows:-The fire
having been lighted a sufficient time to generate steam in the boiler A

page_text: the jet is turned on through the nozzle b, and this exhausts the products
of combustion from the stove and drives them through the pipe m in the
boiler, thus keeping up the steam therein. The products of combustion
continue their course downwards along the pipe m, and enter the radiator
E, whence the caloric is radiated into the apartment, the spent products
of combustion escaping by the pipe 7. Should the pressure of the steam
in the boiler become too great it will force back the water therein into
the supply tank through the pipes s and t, the float lever in the regulator
cistern q preventing the water from rising too high by closing the valve
in the box 1. On first starting the apparatus the cap on the top of the
pipe m above the boiler should be removed in order that a free draught
may be obtained, such cap being replaced again as soon as the required
pressure of steam has been obtained. I also use this arrangement of
apparatus slightly modified for generating heating gas; I accomplish this
by intermittently stopping the draught or outlet through the trumpet
mouth pipe m¹. The superheated steam escaping from the steam jet
nozzle is then compelled to pass through the fire, and in its passage it
becomes decomposed into a gas which gives out great heat in burning.
I actuate a valve placed in the pipe m by the rising and falling of a gas
holder, so that it will open and close the passage through the said pipe
intermittently. The heated combustible gases I exhaust or draw
successively from the fire-box at intervals, during which the passage
through m is closed, and I force the gases into the aforesaid holder by
the escaping force of a jet of steam or vapour.
Figure 5 of my Drawings represents another arrangement of apparatus
for warming buildings wherein the air is warmed before entering the
building. As many parts of this apparatus are similar in their action
and construction to those I have already herein described I shall merely
refer to them briefly by. their corresponding letters of reference. B is a
furnace, a superheating pipe supplying steam from the steam reservoir
F to the jet nozzle b; m the opening or passage leading to the closed
chamber E containing the boiler, which consists of a number of vertical
pipes i, i, as described with reference to Figure 2. The superheated
steam and products of combustion induced with it from the furnace B
having been impacted against the steam generating surfaces of the boiler
enter by the passage 1 into the air heater 2. This heater consists of a
closed metal or other suitable casing provided with a number of air tubes
3 therein, secured at the top and bottom to tube plates as shown. The

page_text: lower ends of the air tubes open into a cold air chamber 4, which receives
the air to be warmed through one or more pipes at 5. The upper ends
of the air tubes open into a chamber 6, which is filled with a coil or
coils of pipes 7 filled with steam and hot water; these pipes communicate
at their lower ends by the pipe 8 with the main water chamber k of the
steam generator, whilst their upper ends containing steam communicate
by the pipe 9 with the steam reservoir F; 10 is the outlet for the warm air;
and D is the chimney flue with which the lower part of the air heater
2 communicates by the pipe 1. 11 is a second communication provided
with a damper, which leads from the upper part of the heater 2 direct
into the chimney D. The products of combustion and superheated steam
by circulating round the air pipes 3 in the heater 2 raise the temperature
of the air passing through such pipes, which air is further heated by
circulating amongst the coils of pipe in the chamber 6 before it finally
issues by the orifice 10 into the building. On first starting the fire the
damper 11 should be opened in order to obtain a direct draught into the
chimney.
When applying my Invention to the extinguishing of fires I prefer
to employ charcoal as the steam generating medium, in order to obtain
as much carbonic acid as possible with the products of combustion, the
steam jet forcing the same through a nozzle which directs the carbonic
acid gas on to the fire and extinguishes it.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or
carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion 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,-
First. The application of a jet or jets of superheated steam escaping
under pressure when used for exhausting the products of combustion
from a fire and for forcing or impacting the same against the tubes of a
steam generator or for forcing the said products of combustion into and
through suitable drying chambers or through radiators or heaters for
heating or vaporizing purposes or through a nozzle for extinguishing
fires, the pressure in the heating or drying chamber being in all cases
greater than that of the surrounding atmosphere, substantially as herein-
before described.
Secondly. The placing an auxillary tubular boiler of any required.
shape between the furnace and smoke stack when such auxillary boiler

page_text: is combined with an artificial steam jet draught placed between the
furnace and such boiler, substantially as herein-before described and
illustrated by Figure 1 of my Drawings.
Thirdly. Uniting or combining an auxillary tubular steam generator
with the primary boiler or with a separate tank containing the bulk of
the water under pressure, as herein-before described.
Fourthly. The combination of a jet or jets of superheated steam with
a steam generator of any required shape when such jet or jets is or are
placed between the fire and steam generator and used for impacting the
heated gases in such a manner as to create a greater pressure than that
of the outer atmosphere against the heating surface of the said generator,
substantially in the manner and for the purposes herein-before set
forth.
Fifthly. A steam generator composed of small vertical tubes having
its steam outlet at the top and its water supply pipe connected and open
from its lowest part to the supply tank, so that when the pressure
increases in the generator it will drive the liquid further away from the
hottest part of the tubes back to the supply tank and vice versa, sub-
stantially as herein-before described and illustrated by Figure 2 of the
Drawings annexed.
Sixthly. The combination of a superheated steam jet or jets, with a
hot air chamber or drying room closed at the top and open at the bottom
when the said jet or jets is or are placed between the fire and hot air
chamber and used for impacting the heat and creating in the upper part
of the said chamber a greater pressure than that of the outer atmosphere,
substantially as and for the purposes herein-before described and illus.
trated by Figure 3 of the Drawings annexed.
Seventhly. The peculiar method and arrangement of apparatus for
utilising heat from fuel and for generating combustible gases and sucking.
or exhausting the said gases and the results of combustion from a fire
successively and intermittently by the escaping force of a jet of steam
or vapour, as herein-before described with reference to Figure 4 of my
Drawings.
Eighthly. The combination of a furnace, a superheated steam jet,
and a heat utilizing chamber or chambers, or other equivalents when a
combined, operated, and used substantially in the manner and for the

page_text: In witness whereof, I, the said Arthur Barff, have to this my
Specification set my hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of
July One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.