IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM GENERATORS AND SUPERHEATERS
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Ridley, of Stagshaw, in the County of North-
umberland, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM
GENERATORS AND SUPERHEATERS."
Sealed the 16th October 1861, and dated the 19th April 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Ridley at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
19th April 1861.
I, JOHN RIDLEY, of Stagshaw, in the County of Northumberland, Gentle-
man, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN STEAM GENERATORS AND SUPERHEATERS," to be as follows:-
My Invention is performed in the following manner:-I first generate
steam by any ordinary known means, and cause the steam to pass through a
valve into a superheating coil or set of tubes, or other superheating apparatus ;
the valve is for the purpose of preventing the pressure of the steam reacting
upon the boiler in which it was generated. In some cases while I admit steam
I admit or force water into the coil tubes or other superheating apparatus, and
apply the steam from the superheating apparatus to drive engines, to propel
vessels by direct contact with the water, and for other purposes for which
steam is applicable. The quantity contained in the superheater is sufficient
for one stroke of the piston, one superheater being required for each stroke of
the piston.

page_text: My Invention also consists in constructing a steam generator and furnace in
which the fire is held between two sets of coils of pipes set vertically, and
enclosed between water spaces. I prefer that the fire should be fed through a
tube or passage passing through the boiler. I cause the products of com-
bustion to pass through tubes which extend vertically for some distance in the
boiler, and are then bent and lead into a smoke box. The outer coil is not
formed with a top, but the lower coil is made with a head which supports the
fuel and prevents it falling through, and assists in directing it to enter the
annular space between the two sets of coils. From the head of the inner coil
downwards an air space is provided; a door regulates the admission of air
thereto.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
: by the said John Ridley in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 19th
October 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
RIDLEY, of Stagshaw, in the County of Northumberland, Gentleman, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Ninteenth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fourth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said John Ridley, Her special licence that I, the said John Ridley,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John
Ridley, 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
STEAM GENERATORS AND SUPERHEATERS," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said John Ridley, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under my, or their, or one of 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 imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Ridley, do hereby declare the
nature of my 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 thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, that
is to say :-
My Invention is performed in the following manner:-I first generate
steam by any ordinary known means, and cause the steam to pass through a
valve into a superheating coil or set of tubes or other superheating apparatus ;
the valve is for the purpose of preventing the pressure of the steam reacting
upon the boiler in which it was generated. Also, while I admit steam I
admit or force water into the coil of tubes or other superheating apparatus,
and apply the steam from the superheating apparatus to drive engines, and
for other purposes for which steam is applicable. The quantity contained in
the superheater is sufficient for one stroke of the piston, but need not be
exhausted.
My Invention consists of two parts; first, of a valve or valves placed
between an ordinary boiler and a superheating apparatus, by which, when the
superheater is charged with steam, the pressure gained is maintained; then
by admitting a limited supply of water with the steam, when the apparatus is
sufficiently heated, a very much increased pressure may be obtained. The
valves are so far self-acting as to close when the pressure in the superheater
exceeds that in the boiler. In order to obtain this sufficient heat, my
Invention consists, in the second place, of an arrangement of pipes in two
coils set vertically with a fire between them, and enclosed by water spaces, as
shown in the accompanying Drawings. The coils are continued upwards
from the annular fire space, and extend in a single row, which I arrange over
a cone, the object being to prevent the air admitted from the top as well
from the bottom passing off except through the fire, where mixing with the
gases evolved from the fuel, their perfect combustion is ensured, and smoke
thereby prevented.
Figure 1 shows, in vertical section, so much of a steam generator and
superheater as will be necessary to explain the manner in which iny Invention
may be carried into effect. A is the boiler, and B, the fire-box; C is a pipe by
which steam is led from the boiler to the valve box D. This box, a detached
view of which is given in plan at Figure 2, contains two valves a, b, one for
admitting steam and the other for admitting water by the pipes D', D', to the
superheating coils or tubes E and F. These coils are continued upward in
one single row F', and are arranged over the cone F2. The valves c, d, are

page_text: so arranged that the supply of water or steam can be regulated as required by
the excentrics or cams o, 0, 0, 0, shown more particularly at Figure 4, and
whereby the valves may be kept wholly open or closed, according to require-
ment. It is essential that when steam is not passing through, the coil water
should be admitted therein through the lower valve. G is a valve box, views
of which are given: in plan and section' at Figures 3 and 4, into which pipes
G', G', lead from the superheating tubes. The steam which passes by the
steam valves from the superheating tubes is led to the cylinder of an engine,
or for other purposes for which it may be destined to be employed. II is a
tube by which fuel is supplied, to the apparatus; the fuel falls into the fire
space between the two coils of tubes E and F, and is prevented falling through
by the fire-bars I, which are circular. K is a rod passing down the tube H,
and carrying arms or stirrers L, L. A jogging motion is communicated to the
rod K and arms. L, L, which stir up the fuel and prevent it caking. M, M,
are rings of metal arranged conically, and inclined to prevent the fuel falling
through the chamber, and for directing it between the coils. N, N, are
siimilar rings at the lower part of the chamber; P, P, are tubes leading
from the fire box to the smoke box R, by which the products of combustion
pass off.
i
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim as my improve-
ments in steam generators and superheaters,
First, the employment of a valve or valves placed between an ordinary steam
generator and a superbeating apparatus, acting substantially in manner and for
the purpose herein-before described.
.
And, second, the construction of apparatuses for generating and superheating
steam with the fire space made between two sets of coils, and fed with air and
fuel, as herein-before described, and the fitting of the coils with valves, acting
in manner and for the purposes herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Ridley, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of October, One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-one.
JOHN RIDLEY. (L.S.)