IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF STEAM BOILERS, AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH. PART OF WHICH IS APPLICABLE TO SHIP-BUILDING
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Daniel Adamson, of the Newton Moor Iron Works,
Newton Moor, in the County of Chester, and Levi Leigh, of St. Peters-
burgh, in the Empire of Russia, Cotton Spinner, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF STEAM BOILERS, AND IN APPARATUS
CONNECTED THEREWITH. PART OF WHICH IS APPLICABLE TO SHIP-BUILDING."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Daniel Adamson and
Levi Leigh, at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their.
Petition, on the 20th June 1862.
We, DANIEL ADAMSON, of Newton Moor Iron Works, Newton Moor, in, the
County of Chester, and LEVI LEIGH, of St. Petersburgh, in the Empire of Russia,
Cotton Spinner, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inventions for
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF STEAM BOILERS, AND IN APPARATUS
CONNECTED THERE WITH, PART OF WHICH IS APPLICABLE TO SHIP-BUILDING," to be as
follows:
The first part of our improvements in the construction of steam boilers, con-
sists in drilling the holes in the plates of which the boilers are made in contra-
distinction to punching them as now customary.
In drilling the circular shells or flues of boilers, we make use of a centre
column and a top and bottom plate, the portion of flue or case to be drilled is
supported on the centre column, and is raised or lowered by a centre screw
and nut or other suitable apparatus, the driving apparatus is supported in the
top plate, and the drilling headstocks are supported on the bottom plate, six
or other convenient -number of drills radiating from the centre are employed;
[Price 8d.]

page_text: each drill being furnished with a following spindle placed on the other side of
the plates to be drilled; when the annular seams are being drilled, the six or
other convenient number of drills act simultaneously, and when the holes are
drilled through both the plates, the portion of the boiler is turned round to
bring a fresh space opposite the drills, when the longitudinal seams are being
drilled, the portion of the boiler is raised after each hole by the centre screw
or other apparatus. These details may be considerably varied, and the
machinery described is only given as one mode of performing our Invention.
The second part of our improvements in the construction of steam boilers,
consists in rolling the flanges, on the plates of which the internal flues or
external casings are made, instead of bending such flanges as described in the
Specification of Letters Patent granted to the within-named Daniel Adamson
and Leonard Cooper, on the Twelfth August, One thousand eight hundred and
fifty-two, No. 14,259; these flanges are. secured together by rivets or welding,
either with or without an intermediate ring.. This second part of our Invention
is applicable in constructing the hulls, decks, and other portions of iron or
steel vessels.
Our improvements in apparatus connected with steam boilers consist in an
improved feed water apparatus.
In performing this part of our Invention we connect the feed water supply
pipe to a system of perforated pipes placed within the boiler and supported a
few inches below the low water level; by this arrangement the feed water is
distributed in the boiler, and the injurious effect of suddenly cooling part of
the surface of the boiler or the flue are avoided. In some cases the perforated
pipes may be advantageously connected to a blow-off cock for removing the
sediment from the feed water.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Daniel Adamson and Levi Leigh, in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 16th December 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, DANIEL
ADAMSON, of Newton Moor Iron Works, Newton Moor, in the County of
Chester, and LEVI LEIGH, of Saint Petersburg, in the Empire of Russia, Cotton
Spinner, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year of Her

page_text: reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us,
the said Daniel Adamson and Levi Leigh, Her special license that we, the
said Daniel Adamson and Levi Leigh, our executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as we, the said Daniel Adamson and Levi Leigh,
our executors, administrators, 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 THE CONSTRUCTION OF STEAM
BOILERS, AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH, PART OF WHICH IS APPLICABLE
TO SHIP-BUILDING," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said Daniel
Adamson and Levi Leigh, our executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under our, or their, or one of our or 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 we, the said Daniel Adamson and Levi Leigh,
do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement (that is to say):-
The nature of our Invention consists, first, in drilling holes in the curved
plates forming part of steam boilers, by means of any convenient number of
radiating drills acting simultaneously.
Secondly, in certain improved combinations and arrangements of machinery
for drilling several holes simultaneously through boiler plates.
Thirdly, in rolling flanges on the edge or edges of plates employed in the
construction of steam boilers, and for ship-building, which flanges are secured
together by rivets or welding.
And, fourthly, in applying a system of perforated pipes to steam boilers for
distributing the feed water, and in connecting the said pipes to a blow-off cock
for removing the sediment.
And in order that our Invention may be fully understood and readily carried
into operation, we will proceed to describe the two accompanying Sheets of
Drawings, reference being had to the figures and letters marked thereon.
On Sheet 1, Figure 1 is an elevation of our improved apparatus for drilling
holes through boiler plates; Figure 2 is a sectional elevation of the same;
Figure 3 is a plan of the driving apparatus; and Figure 4 is a plan of the lower
part of the apparatus.

page_text: In these views a is the centre column connected above to the top plate b,
and below to the bottom or foundation plate c; these plates b and c are further
connected by the four columns d. The portion of boiler to be drilled marked e
is suspended by the chains or links f, to the centre piece or nut f¹ of the
screw g, which passes through the centre column a, and revolves in bearings
in the top and bottom plates. To the lower end of the screw g is fixed the
bevel wheel g¹, this wheel is driven by the wheel on the horizontal shaft h,
which is driven, when required, by the hand wheel h, as clearly shewn in the
Drawings; it is evident that by turning the hand wheel round in one direction
or the other, the portion of the boiler under operation is either raised or
lowered.
The mechanism for raising or lowering the portion of boiler under opera-
tion can be considerably varied. The drilling headstocks i are supported on
stands ¹ secured to the bottom plate c, but capable of adjustment, by screws or
otherwise, to suit the diameter of tube or boiler in hand. The drills fit into the
spindles of the headstocks i which have a feed motion, either self-acting or
otherwise. Within the portion of boiler are the setting up spindles ; fitting in.
the stands j', which are also adjustable by screws or otherwise.
In the Drawings we have shewn six drills, three of which are brought into,
action alternately, but any other convenient number of drills may be employed,
We would also observe that in constructing large boilers, or other cylinders of
large dimensions the drills may be worked from the inside.
To the top plate b are fixed bearings for the countershafts k corresponding.
in number to the drills, and each countershaft is provided with a pulley for
driving by a strap the pulley on the drilling spindle under it. The shafts k are
driven simultaneously by the pinions k³ gearing into the centre wheel on the
upright shaft, to which is also fixed the bevel wheel driven by the pinion
m on the driving shaft m, which is furnished with a set of speed pulleys m²
for varying the velocity of the drills. The pulleys are connected to the
shafts by a key and groove, so as to be able to adjust the position of the
pulleys to that of the drilling headstocks. When the holes through both
the plates for the annular seams are being drilled the six or other convenient
number of drills act simultaneously, and when the holes are drilled the portion
of the boiler is turned round either by hand or dividing wheel motion to bring
a fresh space opposite the drills. When the vertical or longitudinal seams
are being drilled the portion of the boiler is raised or lowered after each hole
by the centre screw g and the parts connected therewith, or other suitable
apparatus. By thus drilling both plates simultaneously instead of punching
them separately, as heretofore customary, great accuracy is insured, and the

page_text: boiler when completed (by rivetting the plates together) is stronger and more
durable, arising from the accuracy of the work, and the holes, not being made
in the plates until after they are bent to the required form or shape, and thus
securing an equal strain on each rivet when put to work, and removing the
risk of cracking the plates with bending after the holes are punched.
In some cases may be desirable to reverse the arrangement of the driving
apparatus and lifting screws by placing the driving apparatus under the
foundation plate, and adapting the lifting gear to the top plate.
On Sheet 2, Figure 5 is a plan, and Figure 6 an edge view of a plate of
iron or steel, the flanges on which are produced during their manufacture,
or afterwards by passing the plate through suitably shaped grooved rolls (to
form the said flanges). These flanges are rivetted or welded together to form
the joints when the plates have been bent to the curve of the boiler, as shewn
in Figures 7, 8, and 9, and as described in the Specification of Letters Patent
granted to the within-named Daniel Adamson and Leonard Cooper, on the
Twelfth day of August, One thousand eight hundred and fifty-two, Number
14,259. In Figure 7 the flanges are bent inwards, and are either welded
together, as shewn full size in Figure 10, or rivetted together, as shewn in
Figure 11, or rivetted with an intermediate ring, as shewn in Figure 12.
This
Figure 8 represents a boiler for a locomotive engine, with the plates bent,
so as to leave the flanges outside, the end or ends of the plates being rivetted
or welded together to form rings, the flanges being put together by welding
or rivetting, as heretofore. Figure 9 is a front view of Figure 8.
improved mode of rolling the flanges on the plates instead of bending them,
as heretofore customary, is applicable in constructing the hulls, decks, and
other portions of iron or steel vessels.
are con-
Figure 13 is an end view of a boiler to which our system of perforated
feed water pipes is applied; Figure 14 is a transverse section of the same, and
Figure 15 is a plan also in section. In these views n is the feed water supply
pipe, connected to the system of perforated pipes o, shewn half-size in section
in Figure 16, and in plan in Figure 17. These pipes o
nected together, and extend nearly all round the boiler; they are supported, by
preference, a few inches below the low-water level. By this arrangement the
feed water is distributed in the boiler, and the injurious effects of suddenly
cooling part of the surface of the boiler or the flue, hitherto unavoidable, are
avoided. The pipes o are connected to the blow-off cock p for removing the
sediment from the boiler.
Figure 18 is an end view, Figure 19 a transverse section, and Figure 20 a
side view of a modification of our improved apparatus for distributing feed

page_text: water. In this arrangement the feed pipe n and perforated pipes o are similar
to those before described, but the blow-off cock p is connected to the lower
part of the boiler. In Figure 20 the flue q is provided with conical tubes r,
in order to promote the circulation of the water in the boiler, and contribute
to maintain an equal temperature. The tubes r are inclined in the direction
of the length of the boiler, the object of the inclination being to facilitate the
removal of a defective tube from the flue and the replacing it by a sound one.
Having thus stated the nature of our. Invention, and described the manner
of performing the same, we wish it to be distinctly understood that we do not
limit ourselves to the details given in the arrangement of the apparatus shewn
for drilling holes in boiler plates, and of the perforated tubes for supplying
feed water to boilers, as such arrangements may be considerably modified; but
what we claim as of our Invention is,
First, the drilling of rivet holes in the plates for steam boilers by a series of
drills operating in radial lines, instead of punching the said plates, as heretofore
customary.
Secondly, the combination and arrangement of machinery, shown and
described in reference to Sheet 1, for drilling several holes simultaneously in
boiler plates.
Thirdly, the rolling of flanges on the edge or edges of plates for steam boilers
and ship-building.
And, lastly, the use and application of a system of perforated pipes for dis-
tributing the feed water in steam boilers, and for removing sediment from the
feed water by a surface or bottom blow-off tap.
In witness whereof, I the said Daniel Adamson, have hereto set my hand
and seal, this Thirteenth day of December, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
DANIEL
DANIGT
DANIEL ADAMSON.
L.S.)