IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO STEAM BOILERS OR GENERATORS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Higginbottom, of 51, Seel St., Liverpool, in the
County of Loncaster, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING
TO STEAM BOILERS OR GENERATORS."
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Higginbottom at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th May 1876.
JAMES HIGGINBOTTOM, of 51, Seel St., Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster.
IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO STEAM BOILERS OR GENERATORS."
My improvements in steam boilers or generators consist in making a boiler in
which the operation of transmitting heat to the water and generating the steam is
carried on mainly in one part, consisting of pipes, coils, or tubes, and the storing of
the water and steam is accomplished mainly in the other part, consisting of a
reservoir or reservoirs, and in accomplishing an active or forced circulation of tho
water in the boiler by pumping or forcing the water from the main receptacle or
reservoir of the boiler back again into the reservoirs through the coils, pipes, tubes,
or other containers with large heating surface compared to their containing
capacity placed in the furnace or flues.
Also in so regulating the velocity of the flow of the water in such tubes or pipes
that they may be kept perfectly clean and free from sediment or scale by the
friction of the water in their interiors.
In placing the connecting pipes in such position that the water after passing
through the tubes or pipes may be discharged into quiescent or nearly quicscent parts
of the reservoirs, thus allowing the water to deposit or discharge the salts and
impurities in solution or suspension before being again forced or passed through the
pipes, coils, tubes, or other receptacles with large heating surface where the
principal heating work of the of the apparatus is usually carried on.
In carrying out this Invention a pump, pumps, or other forcing apparatus is
placed in connection with the boiler in such manner that the water may flow to it
or them from the less heated portion of the reservoirs by means of gravity or the
internal pressure of the boiler, the water being then forced back again into the
main reservoir or reservoirs of the boiler through coils, pipes, or tubes placed in tho

page_text: furnace or flues, as already described, such pipes, coils, or tubes always being kept
full with a flowing current of water.
The main reservoir of the boiler mentioned above may be either a simple cylin-
drical boiler set on the flue, or several cylinders joined together by connecting
pipes, or any other form of chambers or series of chainbers, sometimes even a simple
pipular boiler.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said James Higginbottom in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 9th
November 1870.
JAMES HIGGINBOTTOM, of 51, Seel Street, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO STEAM BOILERS OR GENERATORS."
My improvements in steam boilers or generators consist in making a boiler in
which the operation of transmitting heat to the water and generating the steam
is carried on mainly in one part, consisting of pipes, coils, or tubes; and the storing
of the water and steam is accomplished mainly in the other part, consisting of a
reservoir or reservoirs, and in accomplishing an active or forced circulation of the
water in the boiler by pumping or forcing the water from the main receptacle or
reservoir of the boiler back again into the reservoirs through the coils, pipes, tubes, or
other containers with large heating surface composed to their containing capacity
placed in the furnace or flues.
Also in so regulating the velocity of the flow of water in such tubes or pipes
that they may be kept perfectly clean and free from sediment or scale by the
friction of the water in their interiors.
In placing the connecting pipes in such position that the water after passing
through the tubes or pipes may be discharged into quiescent or nearly quiescent
parts of the reservoirs, thus allowing the water to deposit or discharge the salts and
impurities in solution or suspension before being again forced or passed through the
pipes, coils, tubes, or other receptacles with large heating surface, where the principal
heating work of the apparatus is usually carried on.
In carrying out this Invention a pump, pumps, or other forcing apparatus is
placed in connection with the boiler in such manner that the other water may flow to
it or them from the less heated portion of the reservoirs by means of gravity or the
internal pressure of the boiler, the water being then forced back again into the
main reservoir or reservoirs of the boiler through coils, pipes, or tubes placed in the
furnace or flues, as already described, such pipes, coils, or tubes always being kept
full with a flowing current of water.
The main reservoir of the boiler mentioned above may be either a simple cylin-
drical boiler set on the flue, or several cylinders joined together by connecting
pipes, or any other form of chambers or series of chambers, sometimes even a simple
pipular boiler.
.
The accompanying Sheet of Drawings shows my Invention as applied more
especially for marine boilers. The various plans and sections are all nained in the
Drawing, and the letters refer to the same parts in all instances.
•
B, B, are water tubes immediately over the furnace, and connecting the back
water box A with the front one C; the front water box C is open to the bottom of
the front portions of three upper longitudinal main cylinders D; E is a steam
drier or separator; and F, a steam chest fitted with stop and safety valves; G, back
transverse water cylinders, placed one above the other, and fitted with water
current deflectors W in their connecting orifices, which latter allow of free inter-
communication; the uppermost one of these cylinders G is connected with the
cylinders D by large orifices and current deflectors, as shown on Drawings, and the
cylinders G communicate with water box a by means of pipes H, J, and L, and
valves M, N, N. Pipe H conducts the water from the lowest cylinder G to water.

page_text: box A for the natural circulation of the water when the pumps, hereafter described,
are not in use. The water pipe J from lower transverse cylinder G feeds the force
and lift pumps K, K, for forced circulation of water; L is a discharge water pipe
from force pumps to back water box A; M is a sluice valve on pipo H to cut off
the natural circulation when the forced circulation is in action; the stop valves
N, N, on pipes J and L are opened for the forced circulation. When the valves N, N,
are opened M must be closed, and vice versa; O, feed water pipe to feed heater;
P, pipular feed water heater or "economizer" placed in the uptake; Q, safety valve
for feed heater; R, discharge pipe from water heater to upper transverse water
cylinder G; S, feed water pipe direct to boiler, joining central transverse cylinder G ;
T, blow-off pipes from lower transverse water cylinder G and back water box A;
U, hollow perforated stays to water boxes firmly screwed into the inner plates, and
fastened to the outer plates by means of screwed caps V. The inner surfaces of
stays U are threaded to receive the secured ends of the wrought-iron tubes B which
are inserted from the front, the stays being prevented from loosening when the
tubes are inserted by the screw in the back plate of the front water box C, and
that in cap V at tire back water box being left-handed threads while all the others
are right handed, the caps V afford ample facilities for cleaning tubes B.
The water box A is rivetted to cylinders D in the same manner as the flues and
flame box of an ordinary marino boiler, having a clear unobstructed opening. Tho
back water box A is hung from the two longitudinal upper cylinders by angle iron
straps, which are also attached to the supported cast-iron carrying frames X at the
sides.
The transverse cylinders G are connected to the upper cylinders D and to each
other at three points of their length by means of dished internal flanges, bolted
together so as to casily admit of being disconnected. Each cylinder is provided
with a man-hole for cleaning.
The pumps K are ordinary single-acting lift pumps, actuated either by gearing
from the engine direct or by their own donkey engine, as shown on plan. Thero
is little weight upon them, the pressure above and below the plungers being
obviously of necessity almost the same, the sole power required being therefore that
necessary to overcome the friction of the fluid in the tubes and of the pumps
themselves.
The whole boiler rests upon four upright cast-iron carrying frames X, and upon
three cast-iron chocks or frames under the lower transverse cylinder G. The brick-
work can be taken down and replaced without interfering with the boiler in any
way, being quite independent.
The grate and combustion chambers are large, for the purpose of thoroughly
mixing and consuming the gases and products of combustion, and the grate being
fitted with two doors an easy means of alternate firing is secured. The flame and
heated gases on rising from the grate impinge against the water tubes B, B, B, and
pass thence up to and along the under side of the longitudinal cylinders D, D, D,
thence on passing over the bridge formed by the top of the back water box A the
heated gases meet the surfaces of the transverse cylinders G, G, G, impinging_on
cach in succession, thus forming an efficient and valuable heating surface. The
gases pass under the lower transverse cylinder G through the regulating dampers Y,
and rising on the other side of the cylinders G, G, G, through the tubes of the
water heater P are discharged into the uptake in the usual manner. The direction
of the water currents are shewn by the pointers. The steam passes through the
steam dryer or separator E to the steam chest F which is fitted with safety and
stop valves
'T'he dampers are worked by a lever and rod at each side of the boiler, and may
be worked independently of each other.
The usual steam and water guages are attached to the front of the boiler.
Z, Z, are doors for cleaning purposes.
Having now described my Invention, and the best mode known to me of carrying
it into effect, I wish it to be understood that I do not claim as new placing water

page_text: tubes in the furnace, nor yet the pumps, valves, feed heater, or the various tubes
and cylinders taking separately; but what I do believe to be new and desire to
claim under the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
1st. The system of keeping up an active or forced circulation of the water in a
boiler by pumping or forcing the water from a comparatively quiescent chamber,
chambers, or reservoirs in the boiler through pipes, coils, or tubes, or other containers
with large heating surface compared with their containing capacity placed in the
furnace or flues, back again to the same chamber, chambers, or reservoirs.
2nd. The combination of the pipes B exposed to the direct heat of the of the
furnace and connected to the chambers A. and C by perforated hollow stays U fitted
with caps V with the cylinders or reservoirs D and supply pipe H or L, supplying
water directly or indirectly from reservoirs D, or their mechanical equivalents,
for the purposes described.
3rd. The special arrangement and combination of parts to form a boiler, sub-
stantially as described in the foregoing Specification and Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Higginbottom, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eighth day of November, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
Witness,
C. H. COLTON,
Clerk of W. P. Thompson,
Patent Agent, ·
6, Lord Street,
Liverpool.
JAMES HIGGINBOTTOM. (L.S.)