IMPROVEMENTS IN THE FURNACES, OR FIRE-PLACES OF STEAM BOILERS
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Wilson, of Sheffield, in the County of York,
Steel Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE FURNACES,
OR FIRE-PLACES OF STEAM BOILERS."A communication.
Sealed the 25th June 1858, and dated the 31st December 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Wilson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 31st
December 1857.
I, GEORGE WILSON, of Sheffield, in the County of York, Steel Manu-.
facturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE.
MENTS IN THE FURNACES OR FIRE-PLACES OF STEAM BOILERS," to be as follows:-
This Invention of improvements in the furnaces or fire-places of steam
boilers has for its object the economy of fuel and the increase of the heating.
surface of steam generators. This object or these objects are effected by a
combination of improvements, each of which, however, may be employed sepa-
rately if desired. By the first improvement, the ordinary grate or fire bars of
furnaces.or fire-places may be partially or wholly dispensed with, and in lieu
thereof a hollow perforated conical or wedge-shaped chamber is placed in the
fire box, and forms a support for the burning fuel, to which air to support com-
bustion obtains access through the perforations made in the sides of the conical
or wedge-formed chamber. This chamber may be formed either of a plain
and simple metal cone or raised part, made of one thickness of metal, or
the sides thereof may be made double, having a water space between, and

page_text: provided with a number of tubular air-ways to admit air from the ash-pit to
the interior of the mass of incandescent fuel. From the top of the conical
chamber rises a cylindrical or conical pipe, which establishes a communication
between the water space of the raised chamber and the water space of the
boiler. By this means it will be seen that a greatly increased heating surface
is obtained, and therefore a larger amount than usual of steam may be
generated with a given amount of fuel; an economy of the latter is therefore
the result.
Another improvement consists in heating the feed water before pumping it
into the boiler. To this end the water is allowed to run through a chamber
made for the purpose at the bottom of the furnace, and is drawn from thence
and pumped nearly in a boiling state into the boiler. This also effects an
economy of fuel as it is heated, that would otherwise be wasted, that is
employed to heat this feed water.
The next improvement relates to a novel form or arrangement of damper
whereby the quantity of air supplied to the fuel to support combustion is
regulated. This improvement is more particularly applicable to furnaces
constructed according to the first improvement, but may with certain modi-.
fications be adapted to other constructions of furnaces. The improved damper
arrangement consists principally of a horizontal disc or plate mounted on a
vertical pin or spindle, which is capable of being raised and lowered when
required, or the disc or plate must be capable of being raised and lowered
thereon. The edges of the disc or plate when at its lowest point rest upon
the flange or edge of a box or chamber, so as to prevent the air from obtaining
access to the interior of the conical or other chamber, to the under side of
which the damper is applied. It will therefore be seen that by raising this
disc or plate to any desired altitude the quantity of air admitted to the fuel
may be regulated with nicety, or by lowering the disc the air may be cut off
altogether. The disc or plate may be raised or lowered by levers, rack work,
or other suitable mechanical contrivance, but it has been found that a lever is
the most convenient.means.
In addition to the advantages of economizing fuel and rapidly generating
steam, the above-mentioned improvements also possess the further convenience
of bringing the boiler and fire box, and consequently the centre of gravity,
near to the line of rails in locomotive engines, to which the above improvements
are more particularly applicable. This object is the more easily effected,
inasmuch as the ordinary ash-pan may be dispensed with.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Wilson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
30th June 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
WILSON, of Sheffield, in the County of York, Steel Manufacturer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirty-first day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twenty-first year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said George Wilson, Her special license that I, the said George Wilson,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
George Wilson, my 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 FURNACES OR FIRE-PLACES OF STEAM BOILERS," being a communication from
abroad, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said George Wilson,
by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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 George Wilson, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):
This Invention of "Improvements in the Furnaces or Fire-places of Steam
Boilers" has for its object the economy of fuel and the increase of the heating
surface of steam generators. This object or these objects are effected by a
combination of improvements, each of which, however, may be employed
separately if desired. By the first improvement the ordinary grate or fire-
bars of furnaces or fire-places may be partially or wholly dispensed with, and
in lieu thereof a hollow perforated conical or wedge-shaped chamber is placed
in the fire box, and forms a support for the burning fuel, to which air to
support combustion obtains access through the perforations made in the sides

page_text: of the conical or wedge-formed chamber. This chamber may be formed
either of a plain and simple metal cone or raised part made of one thickness
of metal, or the sides thereof may be made double, having a water space
between, and provided with a number of tubular air ways to admit air from
the ash-pit to the interior of the mass of incandescent fuel. From the top of
the conical chamber rises a cylindrical or conical pipe, which establishes a
communication between the water space of the raised chamber and the water
space of the boiler. By this means it will be seen that a greatly increased
heating surface is obtained, and therefore a larger amount than usual of
steam may be generated with a given amount of fuel, an economy of the
latter is therefore the result.
Another improvement consists in heating the feed-water before pumping it
into the boiler. To this end the water is allowed to run through a chamber
made for the purpose at the bottom of the furnace, and is drawn from thence
and pumped nearly in a boiling state into the boiler. This also effects an
economy of fuel, as it is heat that would otherwise be wasted that is employed
to heat this feed water previous to its introduction into the steam generator.
The next improvement relates to a novel form or arrangement of damper
whereby the quantity of air supplied to the fuel to support combustion is
or may be regulated. This improvement is more particularly applicable
to furnaces constructed according to the first improvement, but it may
with certain modifications be adapted to other constructions of furnaces.
The improved damper arrangement consists principally of a horizontal
disc or plate mounted on a vertical pin or spindle which is capable
of being raised and lowered when required, or instead of moving the
vertical pin or spindle, the disc or plate must be capable of being
moved thereon, so that it may be raised and lowered when required. The
edges of the disc or plate when at its lowest point, rest upon the flange or edge
of a box or chamber, so as to prevent the air from obtaining access to the
interior of the conical or other chamber, to the underside of which the damper
is applied. It will therefore be seen that by raising this disc or plate to any
desired altitude, the quantity of air admitted to the fuel may be regulated with
nicety, or by lowering the dise on to the edges of the box or chamber the air
may be cut off altogether. The disc or plate may be raised or lowered by
levers, by rackwork, or other suitable mechanical contrivance; but it has been
found that a lever is the most convenient means.
In addition to the advantages of economizing fuel and rapidly generating
steam, the above-mentioned improvements also possess the further convenience
of bringing the boiler and fire-box, and consequently the centre of gravity,

page_text: near to the line of rails in locomotive engines, to which the above improve-
ments are more particularly applicable. This object is the more easily effected,
inasmuch as the ordinary ash-pan may be dispensed with.
In order, however, that the Invention may be more clearly understood, I
have shewn in the accompanying Drawings various views of furnaces or fire-
places of steam boilers constructed according to the improvements, or with
some of the improvements adapted thereto.
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of the furnace of a locomotive steam
boiler, and shews the novel mode of constructing the fire box so as to dispense
with the ordinary fire bars; also, one mode of constructing and arranging the
improved form of damper for regulating the supply of air to the fuel; and
lastly, the arrangement for heating the feed water before it is supplied to the
boiler. a, a, is the fire box or furnace which contains the fuel; it is made
with an outer casing, as shewn in the Drawing, so as to form a water space
or chamber all round the burning fuel. b, b, is a perforated conical chamber,
formed of two plates with water space between them; c, c, is a pipe, which
may be made either conical or cylindrical, and communicates with the water
space between the two perforated conical plates b, b, and serves to conduct the
steam from the said water space to the steam space above; d, d, are hollow
stays fixed into the inner and outer chamber for supplying air to the furnace;
the water space surrounding the fire box is continued, as at e, e, under the
furnace so as to increase the heating surface. f.f, is a chamber placed below
the furnace to receive the feed water, which is heated by bringing it into
contact with the outer plates of the fire box; g,g, is the feed pipe commu-
nicating with the heating chamber f, f, which must be provided with a vertical
partition, whereby the current of water is caused to pass round the chamber,
thus keeping it longer in the chamber, from the heated sides of which it will
abstract the caloric which would otherwise be inoperative, and therefore
wasted; h, h, is the disc or plate of the new arrangement of damper applied to
the conical chamber or grate 6, 6; this disc is mounted or fixed on the upper
end of a vertical pin or spindle i, i, and is moved up or down when required
by means of the levers j, j, which are worked by the fireman by means of the
long rods and handles shewn by dots in the Drawing. h* is another circular
disc or damper, which is fixed on a hollow shaft *, and is worked by means of
another lever . The central pin or spindle i passes through a fixed hollow
shaft, and the hollow shaft works on the outside of this fixed hollow shaft,
so that the two discs or dampers h and h* may be worked independent of one
another. By raising the lower disc * from its seat the quantity of air to be

page_text: admitted to the interior of the cone 6 may be regulated with nicety. The
upper disc or damper h is intended to regulate or cut off entirely the air from
the upper part of the cone 6 when the fire is low; this is effected by raising or
lowering the disc h, as may be required. An additional quantity of air beyond
that admitted through the dampers may, if required, be supplied to the furnace
through the hollow stays k, k, and the ashes from the furnace fall into
the space 1, 1, beneath, from whence they may be removed from time to time
when desired.
Fig. 2 is a sectional view of a modification of the above. In this instance
there is only a single cone b for supporting the fuel, and therefore there is no
water space beneath the fuel. The cone, however, is perforated as in the
former instance. The hollow space f, f, for heating the feed water is also
somewhat different in form and arrangement, and the burning fuel it will be
seen is allowed to rest thereon. The damper for regulating the supply of air
to the fuel somewhat differs in construction and arrangement from that shewn
in Fig. 1, but the mode of working the same by means of levers does not
materially differ, but will be understood on referring to the Drawings. In
Fig. 2 the damper is a single one, being composed of only one disc h,
which is mounted or fixed on a sleeve shaft *, the vertical pin or spindle i in
this case being stationary.
Fig. 3 is another sectional view, shewing a different form and arrangement
of chamber for heating the feed water. In this instance the feed water
chamber is made of cast iron, and is placed inside the cone b, from which it
derives its heat, a space being left between the outside of the feed water
chamber and the inside of the cone to allow air to circulate. The feed water
is conveyed to the heating chamber through a feed pipe 9, as indicated by
the arrows, and when heated is supplied to the boiler from the pipe 9*.
Fig. 4 is a sectional view of a furnace or fire box in which a double per-
forated cone b, b, is employed, as in Fig. 1, but the chamber for heating
the feed water is dispensed with. The water space surrounding the fire box is
carried down beneath the fuel, as in Fig. 1, but the communication between
the water space of the double cone 6 and the water space surrounding the fire
box is effected by means of a horizontal pipe instead of a vertical one, as in
Fig. 1. By means of this arrangement space is obtained above the cone as
well as more convenient access to the horizontal flues or tubes of the boiler.
The damper for regulating the supply of air is also of different construction,
as instead of having horizontal dises mounted on vertical shafts, as in the other
Figures, flat valves or plates h, h, attached to arms i, i, that turn on centres

page_text: or hinges are employed. These valves are worked by means of levers j, j,
fixed on the same centres as the arms i, i, and actuated by long rods, as shewn
by dots in the Figure.
Fig. 5 is another sectional view of a fire box, in which the chamber for
heating the feed water is dispensed with, and the cone 6 is made of a single
perforated plate. The damper h is fixed on a moveable hollow or sleeve shaft,
which works vertically on the stationary central pin or spindle i. Fig. 6 is a
modification of the above, differing from Fig. 5, principally in form. In Fig. 6,
the whole of the fire box and surrounding parts are constructed of wrought.
iron, and the cone 6 has a rounded apex, whereas the cone 6 in Fig. 5 is made
flat at top, and the bottom plate of the fire box is constructed of cast iron; the
dampers in both cases are worked in the same manner.
Fig. 7 is a modification of Fig. 4, some of the parts being differently
arranged, and the damper being different in form, arrangement, and operation
to that shewn in Fig. 4. It will be understood that by dispensing with the
chamber for heating the feed water, as shewn in Figures 4, 5, 6, and 7, the
fire box may be brought nearer to the ground than in the arrangements shewn
in Figures 1, 2, and 3. The employment of such a chamber must be left to
the discretion and judgment of the engine builder, and must depend in some
measure upon circumstances. In all the Figures, the cones b, as well as the
dampers, are supposed to be made of wrought iron; but if desired, the cone
may be constructed of two, three, or more separate parts, and made of cast
iron, and bolted together through flanges provided for the purpose. The disc
of the dampers may also be made of cast iron.
Having now described the Invention of "Improvements in Furnaces or
Fire-places of Steam Boilers," and having explained the manner of carrying the
same into effect, as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent, I
would observe that, although I have shewn various modes of or arrangements
for carrying into effect the object of the present Invention, I do not mean or
intend to confine myself thereto, as the several improvements admit of various
alterations in arrangement and modifications of the details to suit different
circumstances and kinds of fuel, and may doubtless be varied in construction
and arrangement of parts, without departing from the nature and object of the
Invention; for instance, the conical chamber b may be made to extend length-
wise or transversely in the fire box, and may sometimes be advantageously
used in connection or combination with the common grate.
In conclusion, I claim, first, the combination of the perforated conical or
other equivalent raised chamber b, with the damper arrangement shewn and

page_text: described, or any mere modification thereof together with the use and appli-
cation of the chamber for heating the feed water.
And whereas some of these several improvements may be used either in
combination, or may be advantageously applied separately to the construction
of furnaces or fire-places, I claim, second, the use of the perforated conical
.chamber b, or other equivalent raised chamber for supporting the fuel instead
of the ordinary grate bars.
Third, I claim the mode shewn and described of regulating the admission
of air to the conical or other raised chamber 6, from which it passes through
the perforations in the same to the burning fuel.
Fourth, I claim the mode herein shewn and described of heating the feed
water before it is supplied to the boiler.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Wilson, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Thirtieth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
GEO WILSON. (L.S.)