A NEW OR IMPROVED SECTIONAL BOILER AND CIRCULATING TANK FOR WATER HEATING AND CIRCULATING, AND FOR SUPPLYING PURE HOT WATER FOR WASHING OR CHEMICAL PURPOSES, OR FOR OTHER LIQUIDS, OR FOR STEAM RAISING OR STEAM HEATING PURPOSES."
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Keith, of 4, South Charlotte Street, in the City
and County of Edinburgh, and of Arbroath, in the County of Forfar, North
Britain, Gas, Hydraulic, and Hot Water Engineer, for the Invention of "A
NEW OR IMPROVED SECTIONAL BOILER AND CIRCULATING TANK FOR WATER
HEATING AND CIRCULATING, AND FOR SUPPLYING PURE HOT WATER FOR
WASHING OR CHEMICAL PURPOSES, OR FOR OTHER LIQUIDS, OR FOR STEAM
RAISING OR STEAM HEATING PURPOSES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Keith at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 3rd July 1879.
JAMES KEITH, of 4, South Charlotte Street, in the City and County of Edinburgh,
and of Arbroath, in the County of Forfar, North Britain, Gas, Hydraulic, and
Hot Water Engineer. "A NEW OR IMPROVED SECTIONAL BOILER AND CIRCULATING
TANK FOR WATER HEATING AND CIRCULATING, AND FOR SUPPLYING PURE HOT
WATER FOR WASHING OR CHEMICAL PURPOSES, OR FOR OTHER LIQUIDS, OR FOR
STEAM RAISING OR STEAM HEATING PURPOSES."
This Invention consists, first, of a boiler made in sections or horizontal divisional
parts in the form of outside hollow rings, with a special construction and arrange-
ment of hollow cross bars passed across or throughout them in a manner so as to
give great heating surface."
These bars are so arranged in the various sections when put together that the
beating surface is wholly, constantly, and thoroughly exposed to the action of the
heated products of combustion, and direct action of the fire even when it is at rest;
and when there are no flat or other flues inside or through the boiler, having the
heating surfaces open and equally exposed to a wholly upward draught of the
furnace chamber. This improved sectional boiler can be made of a square, round,
oblong, or oval form, in horizontal or cross section, and made of any metal capable
of standing the heat or pressure desired, cast-iron, steel, or malleable iron, sheet
metal being preferred. The sections so formed as described are built up vertically
on the top of each other to any desired height to form the boiler, the top section
forming a water dome through which the flames and smoke pass into the air
register, smoke bend, or tee piece leading to the chimney.
All the sections are bound together by strong long bolts passing internally through
their corners & screwed up or fastened by nuts or studs at top and bottom.

page_text: These bolts pass through the circulating or water spaces of each section, the joint
surfaces being faced and the joints formed of asbestos, millboard, or other suitable
jointing material;-or-the-sections_might be otherwise fastened together, and the
_joints otherwise suitably fitted and formed. Part of the lower sections have no cross
surface-heating-bars,-and-simply-form ring sections or chambers of water connected
together-at-the-corners or otherwise as described. The fire resting within these
lower sections as the furnace-chamber, and in the side of one or more of these rings
are formed and fitted the fireing door or doors also furnished with smoke consuming
and other attachments, as some other forms of boiler furnaces.
The whole of these sections being in direct communication with each other, and
water flowing or circulating freely through all parts exposed to the 'fire, a constant
internal circulation is kept up inside the boiler from the lower inlet section to the
upper dome section immédiately the fire acts on the boiler, which prevents unequal
expansion and gives great heating & circulating power at same time, and this
together with the great heating surface exposed to the fire, caused by the said
peculiar yet simple construction of the boiler, makes it one of the most powerful and
economical boilers ever brought into use.
This boiler outside is as it were water jacketed by the outside section rings, and
no building work or brick-setting round the boiler is required; and soot and cleaning
doors, and tight doors, and suitable plugs are liberally provided for in or through
the various sections. The sections can be made in various modified forms and sizes
to suit either for the burning of coal, coke, charcoal, wood, gas, or residuary mineral
or other oils as fuel. And socket & spigot, or flange pipe pieces or branches of
various sizes can be cast, bolted, or welded on to the top and bottom or any other
sections of the boiler for attaching the circulating feed or other pipes to hot water
heating pipes, cisterns, or other equivalent supply and discharge vessels, or to the
new circulating tank arrangement to be hereinafter described, and which also forms
part of this Invention. The boiler may rest on V or other studs on the top of a
metal or other base box plate which is provided with a dumping or capsizing fire
grate bar or bars and levers, and ash pan door or doors and attacliments in front.
Next or round the grate bars moulded fire bricks are placed under the lower section
of the boiler and on the top of the base plate to keep the fire bright and sharp next
the bars when rested down, these bricks being kept in position by rim cast on base
plate inside, and by a neat metal casing on outside, making a finish between lower
section and top of base plate outside, this casing being screwed together and
removable for renewing bricks or for cleaning out and other purposes.
This new or improved sectional boiler hereinbefore described as forming the first
part of the Invention can be used either with or without the new circulating tank
arrangement for heating purposes independently or in combination, as occasion may
require. A modification of this boiler can also be used for steam raising purposes,
and this and all foregoing description, or any mere modification thereof, are desired
-to-be-included-in-this-protection. By the-second-part of this-Invention the boiler
hereiubefore described is attached by suitable circulating pipes to a new or improved
construction of circular, square, oblong, oval, or other shaped tank made of any
metal capable of standing the heat or pressure required, iron, copper, or brass being
preferred.
Inside the above named tank is placed another tank or chamber of similar outside
shape but smaller, leaving a water space all round and below and above it, as well
as between the two chambers or vessels. This inside tank or vessel is perforated
by a pipe or pipes lengthways or crossways, or otherwise arranged so as to allow the
water surrounding the outside of it (in the water space between the two shells of
separate chambers) to pass through the interior of the inside chamber, and so heat
it up more readily and effectively than if only the sides were exposed to conduct
the heat. It being understood that the inside chamber has no connection in any
shape with the water in the inside tank, but the interior space in the inside chamber
is simply heated hy the surface contact of the water passing around it, and through
the length or number of cross pipes already described. The inside chamber, again,
J

page_text: has pipes or connections of its own fitted into both the upper and lower parts of it
right through the outside tank for connection with the separate water or liquid or
fluid to be warmed.
This inside chamber and its connecting pipes leading to or from it of the separate
water supply, or the liquid or fluid to be heated are preferably made of glass,
porcelain, or enamel of these, or of tinned, enamelled or galvanized ware, or other
snbstance which will not injure or contaminate the liquid to be warmed, or vice
versa, and the outside tank may also be so treated if found desirable or necessary.
The required or suitable steam pipe or pipes are carried up from the top of the
outside tank when high pressure is used, and the whole is fed by water in the usual
way from a supply cistern with trapped pipe, or from the main direct; or the outside
tank may be made open on top when used with small pressure of water or on the.
level.
This second part of the Invention consists in causing water to circulate between
the new or improved construction of boiler hereinbefore described, and this new or
improved construction of circulating or heating tank or chamber arrangement,"
which water after being heated keeps the glass, enamelled, tinned, or galvanized
chamber inside of the said circulating tank thoroughly and constantly warm, so
that when a separate water or other liquid is connected to the pipes entering the
lower end (and which extend through to outside of outer tank) the said water or
liquid can be drawn quite hot from the similar exit or discharge top or pipes
continuously to any height necessary, and to which the initial pressure will force it.
By this means it will be seen that a separate water or liquid supply can be
thoroughly warmed by passing through this apparatus, the said water or liquid
thus thoroughly and directly heated by the action of the boiler, and the outside
circulating tank and water never coming in contact either with the iron or other.
contaminating surfaces of the boiler, pipes, or tank to injure its purity in the
slightest. This improved tank or second part of the Invention can also be heated
by steam from the new or improved boiler, modified slightly to suit in the same
way. This second part of the Invention can be used either with or without the
first part for heating purposes independently or in combination as occasion may
require. The foregoing description of the new or improved circulating tank and
heater arrangement, or any mere inodification thereof, are desired to be included .in
this protection.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent-filed-by
the said James Keith in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 29th December
1879.
JAMES-KEITH, of 4, South Charlotte-Street, in the City and County of Edinburgh,
and of Arbroath, in the County of Forfar, North Britain, Gas, Hydraulic, and Hot
Water Engineer. "A NEW OR IMPROVED SECTIONAL BOILER AND CIRCULATING
TANK FOR WATER HEATING AND CIRCULATING, AND FOR SUPPLYING PURE HOT
WATER FOR WASHING OR CHEMICAL PURPOSES, OR FOR OTHER LIQUIDS, OR FOR
STEAM RAISING OR STEAM HEATING PURPOSES."
My said Invention consists, first, of a boiler made in sections, or horizontal
divisional parts in the form of outside hollow rings, with a special construction and
arrangement of hollow cross bars passed across or throughout them in such a
manner that great heating surface is obtained. These bars are so arranged in the
various sections when put together that their heating surface is wholly, constantly,
and thoroughly exposed to the action of the heated products of combustion, and
the direct action of the fire, even when it is at rest, and when there are no flat or
other flues inside or through the boiler, having the heating surface open and equally
exposed to a wholly upward draught of the furnace chamber. This improved
sectional boiler can be made of a square, round, oblong, or oval form in horizontal
or cross sections, and made of any metal capable of standing the heat or pressure
desired, cast iron, steel, or malleable iron sheet metal being preferred.
A second part of the Invention consists in combining with this boiler a new or
improved construction of circular, square, oblong, oval, or other shaped tank
attached by suitable circulating pipes to the boiler, and in which pure water for
domestic use or for chemical or other purposes is heated by means of pipes or tubes,
through which the hot water from the boiler circulates without coming in contact
with or contaminating the pure water.
And in order that the nature and novelty of my said Invention and the manner
of performing the same may be properly understood I have hereunto appended a
Sheet of explanatory Drawings for that purpose, the same reference letters indicating
the same or like parts wherever they are repeated.
Figures 1 and 2 on these Drawings are vertical and horizontal sections respec-
tively taken on the line 1-1 and 2-2 of a modification of my improved water
heating and circulating boiler, having the improved construction of pure water tank
fitted in connection therewith; and Figures 3 and 4 show the water heating boiler
alone, the former being a vertical section taken as at right angles to Figure 1 on
the irregular line 3-3 in Figure 4, and the latter a corresponding horizontal
.section taken at the line 4-4 in Figure 3; whilst Figure 5 is a vertical section_of
a slightly modified construction of my improved boiler taken as at the line 5-5 in
Figure 4.
In all its forms the improved boiler is composed of horizontal water sections
A, A', which may be annular, square, oblong, or of any other suitable shape, and
preferably, as shown, semi-circular in cross section, and made of cast-iron or steel
built up one above another in a vertical series to any desired height, and the
weight of the whole being supported by a metallic stand or box base A2, on which
the lowest section A is securely fitted. The water circulates freely round each
section, and from section to section, through vertical openings A" formed at each
corner in the square forms shown, or at conveniently spaced openings in the round
or other shaped constructions, and which openings A" form a vertical water column
from top to bottom, and it also passes across from each side of the upper sections
through several sets of cross tubes or hollow bars B, B', formed on or fitted to the
outer sections at each end, and the central parts of these cross tubes B are also
connected together by short branch tubes B', so that the whole may offer an

page_text: extensive surface to the action of the fire or hot products of combustion, and allow
of free escape of the steam upwards. In Figures 1 and 4, and in Figure 5, these
cross tubes are shown of slightly different cross sections, but other forms, such as
circular or oval, may be used instead, and the whole boiler and tubes may obviously
be made of malleable iron by suitably modifying the construction and jointing.
The sections A, A³, so formed as described are built up vertically on the top of
each other to any desired height to form the boiler, the top section forming a water
dome A, through which the flames and smoke pass into the air register, smoke
bend, or tee piece C leading to the chimney, and which is provided with the usual
damper c and air regulator c¹. The dome A1 is made in two parts jointed
together, as shown, and preferably with two or more transverse inclined chambers all
from the inner to the outer part of the dome, and is thus made so that it may be
readily cast without the use of cores. All the sections are bound together by
strong long bolts D passing internally through their corners A¹, and screwed up or
fastened by nuts or studs D' at the top, and screwed into the bottom of the lowest
sections, as best seen in Figures 4 and 5, or the bolts go through the bottom of
lowest section, and are fastened either with a nut or bolt head below. These
bolts D pass through the circulating or water spaces of each section, the joint
surfaces between each section A being faced, and each being formed with an outer
bead a on it, which retains the section immediately above it in its place; and the
joints a are formed of asbestos, millboard, or other suitable jointing material; or
the sections might be otherwise fastened together, and the joints otherwise suitably
fitted and formed. Part of the lower sections have no cross surface circulating
heating bars B internally, and simply form ring or hollow sections or chambers Å
of water, connected together vertically at the corners A" or otherwise, as described.
The fire rests within these lower sections A as the furnace chamber, and in the side
of one or more of these rings A. The firing door or doors E are formed and fitted,
and also furnished with smoke consuming or other attachments, similar to those
commonly applied to other forms of boiler furnaces. The furnace or firing
door E is bolted on to the sides of the boiler by bolts passing through
between the sections, so that no holes require to be tapped in the sections
for this purpose, thus avoiding any liability of leakage. The whole of these
sections being in direct communication with each other, through the vertical
openings A", and water flowing or circulating freely through all parts exposed to
the fire; a constant internal circulation is kept up inside the boiler from the lower
section A, into which the water is admitted by an inlet flanged branch tube F bolted
to it, and flows through the various sections to the upper dome section A¹¹¹ imme-
diately the fire acts on the boiler, which prevents unequal expansion and gives great
heating and circulating power at same time, and this, together with the great
heating surface exposed to the fire caused by the said peculiar yet simple construc-
tion of the boiler, makes it one of the most powerful and economical boilers ever
brought into use. This boiler outside is as it were jacketed by the outside section
rings A, A¹, and no building-work or brick-setting round the boiler is required, and
soot and cleaning doors G, G, are fitted in the upper sections A³, and bolted to the
boiler in the same manner as the furnace door, or by studs or bolts into the sides of
sections, and these cleaning doors can be placed in front and back and on sides of
boiler, or wherever necessary. And these sections are partly cut away opposite
these doors G, G, for convenience of inserting a brush in cleaning the soot off the
cross tubes B, B', and suitable plugs g are also liberally provided in or through the
various sections to be taken out for clearing out sediment from the interior of the
tubes B, B¹. The sections can be made in various modified forms and sizes, to suit
either for the burning of coal, coke, charcoal, wood, gas, or residuary mineral or
other oils as fuel. Besides the admission socket and spigot, or flange pipe piece or
branch F, for admitting the water to the lowest section, a similar branch F' is
attached to the top or any other sections of the boiler for attaching the circulating
feed or other pipes to hot water heating pipes, cisterns, or other equivalent supply
and discharge vessels, and a lower admission branch F2 and upper discharge branch
•

page_text: F3 are also fitted to the boiler, and connected by corresponding pipes fƒ³, to the
new circulating tank arrangement, to be hereinafter described, and which also forms
-part-of-this-Invention.-The-boiler_may_rest on V, L, angled or other studs J on the
_top of a loose metal or other base box plate a² fitted on the base or stand A2, which
-is-provided-with-a-dumping or capsizing fire-grate bar or set of bars K, operated by
suitable levers:k. These bars have-a-few cross bars in centre, if necessary, to reduce
fire-grate area, or-the-ordinary-furnace bars may be used when considered necessary,
and a hinged ash pan door or doors E¹, with air regulators and other attachments
in front. Next to or round the grate-bars moulded--fire-bricks-L-are placed under
the lower section A of the boiler and on the top of the base plate a², to keep the
fire bright and sharp next the bars when rested down, these bricks being kept in
position by the rim cast on the base plate a² inside, and by a neat metal casing u¹
on, outside, making a finish between the lower section A and the top of the base
plate a² outside. This casing is formed of cast-metal plates a¹ placed loosely on the
top of the base and against the boiler and bricks, and the four sides are held firmly
in position by four circular corner plates all screwed to them, and removable for
renewing the bricks from the outside, or for cleaning out and other purposes. This
new or improved sectional boiler hereinbefore described as forming the first part of
the Invention may be used by itself, it being understood that the boiler can be used
either with or without the new circulating tank arrangement for heating purposes,
independently or in combination, as occasion may require. When desired the
ash box may also be made in the form of a water section, similar to and
connected to those above at the corner or division pillars or water columns,
and the water may be made to circulate through by connecting the return
branch or socket F' to it instead of to the lowest section A, and a small drawing
off tap or cock t with which the lower section would be fitted to the ash-box water
base. A modification of this boiler can also be used for steam raising purposes by
fitting a high steam dome over the upper section A' from which an ordinary steam
pipe would be led, and this and all the foregoing description or any mere modi-
fication thereof are included in this Invention. The upper section of boiler, herein-
before described, is attached by the circulating pipe f³ to the new or improved
construction of cylindrical tank M, but which might be oblong, oval, or of other
shape if desired, and made of any metal capable of standing the heat or pressure
required, iron, copper, or brass being preferred, and the water after parting with
its heat is led by the return pipe f2 to the lower section of the boiler. Inside this
tank M is placed another tank or chamber M¹, of similar outside shape but smaller,
leaving a water space m all round, and below and above it, as well as between the
two chambers or vessels M, M, and the inner tank M³, being supported to suitable
flanged bracket pieces N, N, at the bottom, and also steadied near the top by
similar brackets or stays N¹, N¹. This inside tank or vessel M¹ is perforated by a
pipe or pipes P lengthways, or it might be crossways, or otherwise arranged, so as
to allow the water surrounding the outside of it (in the water_space between the
top shells of the separate chambers) to pass through the pipes P in the interior of
the inside chamber M³, and so heat up the water in it more readily and effectively
than if only the sides were exposed to conduct the heat, and the heated water from
the upper section A¹ of the boiler in passing into the outer tank M may be pre-
vented from passing away in a direct line to the return pipe leading to the boiler
by striking against baffle plates n¹, fitted to the inner tank near where the water
enters. It will be understood that the inside chamber has no connection in any
shape with the water in the outside tank M, but the interior space in the inside
chamber M is simply heated by the surface contact of the water passing around it
and through the length or number of cross pipes P already described. The inside
chamber again has pipes p, p¹, or connections of its own fitted into both the upper
and lower parts of it right through the outside tank M for connection with the
separate water or liquid or fluid to be warmed. This inside chamber M' and its
connecting pipes P leading to or from it, of the separate water supply, or the liquid
or fluid to be heated, are preferably made of glass, porcelain, or enamel of these, or

page_text: of tinned, enamelled, or galvanized ware, or other substance which will not injure
or contaminate the liquid to be warmed, or vice versa, and the outside tank M may
also be so treated if found desirable or necessary. The required or suitable steam
pipe or pipes p² are carried up from the top of the outside tank M when high
pressure is used, and the whole is fed by water in the usual way from a supply
cistern with trapped pipe or from the main direct, or the outside tank may be
made open on top when used with small pressure of water or on the level.
This second part of the Invention consists in causing water to circulate between
the new or improved construction of boiler. herein before described, and this new
or improved construction of circulating or heating tank or chamber arrangement
M, M, which water after being heated keeps the glass enamelled, tinned, or
galvanized chamber inside of the said circulating tank thoroughly and constantly
warm, so that when a separate water or other liquid is connected to the pipes
entering (and which extend through to outside of the outer tank M), the said water
or liquid can be drawn quite hot from the similar exit or discharge tap or pipes p
continuously to any height necessary, and to which the initial pressure will force
it. By this means it will be seen that a separate water or liquid supply can bo
thoroughly warmned by passing through this apparatus, the said water or liquid
thus thoroughly and directly heated by the action of the boiler and the outside
circulating tank and water never coming in contact either with the iron or other
contaminating surfaces of the boiler pipes or tank to injure its purity in the
slightest. This improved tank or second part of the Invention can also be heated
by steam from the new or improved boiler modified slightly to suit in the same
way, and this second part of the Invention may be used by itself or separate from
the boiler, it being understood that the said second part can be used either with or
without the first part for heating purposes independently or in combination, as
occasion may require. Or several tanks may be fitted in combination with the
improved boiler and connected by as many flow and return pipes f², f³, and any
number of branches and circulating pipes F, F1, may be fitted to the heating boiler
for circulating water through different buildings. The foregoing description of the
new or improved circulating tank and heater arrangement, or any mere modification
thereof are included in this Invention.
Having now particularly described my said Invention, and the manner in which
the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I do not confine
myself to the precise details herein described or delineated; but what I believe to
be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the
herein before in part recited Letters Patent is,—
1. The general construction and arrangement or combination of the parts of a
vertical sectional water heater or boiler, and the parts of a circulating and heating
tank or vessel either combined together or separate in a portable or self-contained
form, all substantially as and for the purposes herein described in reference to and
shown in the accompanying Drawings, or any mere modification thereof.
2. The construction of a vertical portable boiler of super imposed sections, of
rectangular, round, or other shape, each with an outer continuous water space and
transverse heating and circulating tubes or hollow cross bars, communicating
therewith respectively round and over the fire grate, preferably of a tilting con-
struction, with four or more corner or division communicating columns or channels
right up through the whole and held together by bolts passing up through each
channel, all substantially in the manner and for the purposes herein described in
reference to and shown in the accompanying Drawings, or any mere modification
thereof.
3. The construction of vertical sectional boilers with the top section of a hollow
dome shape, preferably in two halves, substantially in the manner and for the
purposes herein described in reference to and shown in the accompanying Drawings,
or any mere modification thereof.
4. The construction of the furnaces of vertical sectional boilers with double tilting
or dumping fire grates actuated by hand levers outside, substantially in the manner

page_text: and for the purposes bereinbefore described in reference to and shown in the
accompanying Drawings or any mere modification thereof.
5. The construction and use-of-a-double-water heating and circulating tank or
vessel for the heating of pure water in one vessel by the ordinary circulating water
_of_water heaters in the other vessel and kept separate therefrom, all substantially in
the manner and for the purposes herein described in reference to and shown in the
accompanying Drawings, or any mere modification thereof.
"In witness whereof, I, the said James Keith, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Twenty fourth day of December, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.