A PHILOSOPHICAL FURNACE AND BOILER, WITH AN ACTUATING WHEEL, IT BEING AN APPENDAGE TO THE SAID PHILOSOPHICAL FURNACE AND BOILER; THE ABOVE-MENTIONED INVENTION IS APPLICABLE TO DRAWING FOUL AND INFLAMMABLE AIR FROM PITS, MINES, &C., AND TO SEVERAL BRANCHES OF PHARMACY, AND VARIOUS MECHANICAL PURPOSES
Year: 1798

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
RALEY, of Newbold, in the East Riding of the County of York, Chymist,
send greeting.
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty King George the Third did, by
His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date
at Westminster, the Eighth day of December, in the thirty-ninth year of His
reign, give and grant unto me, the said William Raley, His especial licence,
that I, the said William Raley, during the term of years therein mentioned,
should and lawfully might use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales,
and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "A PHILOSOPHICAL
FURNACE AND BOILER, WITH AN ACTUATING WHEEL, IT BEING AN APPENDAGE TO
THE SAID PHILOSOPHICAL FURNACE AND BOILER; THE ABOVE-MENTIONED INVENTION
IS APPLICABLE TO DRAWING FOUL AND INFLAMMABLE AIR FROM PITS, MINES, &C., AND
TO SEVERAL BRANCHES OF PHARMACY, AND VARIOUS MECHANICAL PURPOSES;" in
which said Letters Patent there is contained a proviso, obliging me, the said
William Raley, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, to cause
a particular description of the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be inrolled in His Majesty's High
Court of Chancery within six calendar months after the date of the said
recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same (relation being thereunto had)
may more fully and at large appear,

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
William Raley, do hereby declare that my said Invention is described in
manner following (that is to say):
The above-mentioned boiler, of any size is made of copper, iron, or other
metal as thought proper, the form shape of which is either circular, square,
oblong or otherwise, as may be found necessary or most convenient; the
dimensions may be in the following proportions, viz., suppose a circular or
round boiler is six feet high or deep from its top or rim, which rests or hangs
on the surface or top of the furnace, its width.ordiameter at its top or rim five
feet, and its-diameter.at-bottom three feet, adding about one..foot and half
more in height (above its rim) for the convex or outer part of its cover, as in
common boilers for steam engines, and with an intent to encrease the quantity
or force of steam, the whole or as much as possible of the inside of the boiler
(above the level of the water in its bottom) is to be kept wet with water by
means of certain cells, cavities, aqueducts, troughs, tubes, or other con-
trivances being placed in the inside of the boiler to contain a quantity of water
above the level of that, in its bottom. And to convey the said water to the
extremity of the inside of the boiler above the level of that in its bottom
a contrivance with cellstis effected in the following manner, viz., "divide the
whole circumference or inner extremity of the boiler (from its top.to the
bottom) into any number of equal parts or divisions, by narrow pieces of
copper (or other metal); from one to four inches broad, or more, according to
the size of the boiler, which pieces are to be fixed:tó: its sides; the number of
the above-mentioned part or divisions may be from eight to sixteen, more.or
less, according to the size of the boilere In each of these divisions: (beginning
near the top or rim of the boiler) are placed pieces of thin copper or other
metal, each piece reaching from one partition to the other, which pieces stand
perpendicular-edgewise round the inside of the boiler, the bottom or lower
edge of which pieces are joined to or brought into contact with the inside of
the boiler, so as to form a circle or kind of-hoop round the extremity of the
inside of the boiler: Hence, the above-mentioned thin pieces of copper or
other metal, being thus arranged, form kind of cells, so as to contain a portion
of water in each cell: The above-mentioned circular or hoop like arrangement
of cells should be continued (at certain distances) from near the top or rim of
the boiler down to its bottom or nearly so. At the end of each of the above-
mentioned cells (close to each partition) is a small hole, to let out the
water so as it may fall into another circle or hoop-like arrangement of cells
placed below. These holes an
are at one end of those cells contained in one
circular or hoop-like arrangement thereof, and at the other end of those "con
..

page_text: tained in the next circle, &c., &c., hence the water in its descent runs first
one..way and then the other, thereby, forming a kind of serpentine motion
in each division; the distance these circular or, hoop-like arrangements of
cells are one from the other may be about one, foot, more or less, ac
cording to the size of the boiler. In case, they are at the distance of one
foot, the above-mentioned thin pieces of.. copper or other metal need..only
be about half a foot broad. The above-mentioned cells, (or other contrivances)
is supplied with water either from that within the boiler or from some
reservoir or other containing vessel on the outside, thereof. They are
supplied with water from without the boiler by tubes from a close reservoir
of water placed a convenient height above the level of the boiler, each
tube: having a cock or kind of valve so as to let a due quantity of water
into the cells in each division within the boiler; a steam tube being placed
from the said close reservoir to the boiler, to preserve an equal balance of
power of the steam in cach of the two vessels. The above-mentioned close
reservoir may (for a boiler of the above dimensions). be about one foot and half
high or deep, three feet in diameter at its top, and two feet and half in
diameter at its bottom. The water is 'thrown either into the above-mentioned
close reservoir or boiler by a pump worked by the force of steam or otherwise
(from the hot well or other convenient place), or by a tube from an open
cistern or reservoir, whose height above the said close reservoir is so high
that the water therein may be more than sufficient to counterbalance the
strength of the steam in the close reservoir and boiler. The above-men-
tioned tube has a cock or.. valve to let the water into the close reservoir
or boiler, which cock or valve is regulated by a float or other contrivance:
The water in the above-mentioned close reservoir is made boiling hot by
placing the said reservoir over the vents or chimneys of the furnace. The
above-mentioned cells or other contrivances is supplied with water from within
the boiler by a small pump placed within the boiler by which the water is
raised into a kind of open reservoir within the boiler from which it is
conveyed by tubes or open aqueducts to those parts where it is wanted: The
rod or shaft of this pump (which actuates its bucket or piston) passes through
a packed coller in the centre of the boiler's cover. Or, instead of a pump the
water within' the boiler is conveyed into the cells or other contrivance by a kind
of spoons or other small vessels being placed at the extremity of small pieces
of iron for other metal placed' crosswise or in a star-like position, where they are
to act as types. From the centre of these small pieces of iron where they
cross' each other, is a rod or shaft, the same as the pump; whereby the star
like arrangement of spoons or other small vessels are made to descend and

page_text: ascend. By their descent they are filled with water, and in their ascent they
are emptied into the cells, cavities, aqueducts, &c., their tails or types striking
against a kind of rini or hoop, or other contrivance for that purpose. The
boiler is supplied with water the same as the close, reservoir. The height of
the water in the boiler is adjusted or regulated by a common balance float
or other contrivance as, in common boilers, belong to steam engines. If the
water in the boiler becomes too high or too much in quantity, it is to be
diminished by straightening the cocks or valves of the tubes descending from
the reservoir which supply it, and if the water is too low they must be
widened; and in case the water is much too high (through inattention) it is to
be diminished by opening a small cock or valve placed near the bottom of
the boiler, or by means of a syphon with its cock or valve. If the size of the
boiler is very large the quantity or force of the steam therein may be increased
by raising its bottom concave next the fire, so as it becomes conical, broad at
its basis (viz., about two thirds of the diameter of the boiler's bottom), and
terminating at its apex in a small tube, passing through the cover of the
boiler (so as to give the heat a little vent), and terminating in the cavity under
the close reservoir. The above contrivance may either be conical (as above
described), pyramidical, angular, &c., according to the shape of the boiler,
around which is placed cells, cavities, aqueducts, tubes, &c., the same as those
around the inner extremity of the boiler, and supplied with water either from
within or without the boiler, by the same pump or reservoir, placed a suffi-
cient height above the boiler, as above observed. Steam produced by means
of the above-mentioned philosophical boiler is applicable to steam engines and
other mechanical purposes, and to various branches of pharmacy; &c., by its
being admitted into, tubes, pans, stills, or other proper vessels. The furnace in
which the philosophical boiler is fixed is of the same shape as the boiler, and
about four or five inches (more or less, according to the size thereof) wider.in
diameter, so as the boiler may hang therein by its top or rim, leaving a kind
of cavity or narrow flew for the heat to act uniformly round the whole of the
boiler to its top or rim. From the above flew the heat is to ascend by four or
more flews or chimneys (in opposite direction) close by the top or rim of the
boiler; these flews or chiunies are to incline (archwise) over the top of the
boiler, where, meeting, they are to form an opening or cavity, in: which the
close or undermost, reservoir is to be hung, from which the heat is to ascend.
by three (or more) small flews: or vents (placed in an angular or opposite
direction) close by the rim or top of the said, reservoir, until they arise above
it, where they are to meet and form one common chimney. The ash-hole and
fireplace to be made so as tlie air may not enter in at the front or one side of the

page_text: ash-hole only (as is common), but in different directions, so as to meet under.
the centre of the fire, which is to be directly under the centre of the boiler's
bottom. Where the above-mentioned furnace is used as a ventilator there
need only be one opening in the front of the ash-hole, which must have a door
the same as the fireplace, both of which are to shut as close as possible to
prevent the air's access, the fire being wholly supplied therewith by tubes
entering different parts of the ash-bole, with their ends inclining, to prevent
the ashes, &c. from entering. The lower ends of the said tubes join a large
tube as the outside of the ash-hole, the lower end of which tube terminates in
the pit, mine, &c., when it is divided into a number of smaller tubes, extended
to different parts thereof, so as to attract or draw air and vapours therefrom,
a cock or damper being placed near the top of the large tube to regulate the
air necessary for the fire. It may at times be necessary to open the door of
the ash-hole a little, to assist in supplying the fire with more air. If the
engine (to which the above philosophical furnace and boiler are applied) raise
a considerable quantity of water, the said water is made to assist in the act of
ventilation by letting it into a close vessel having three tubes from its upper
part, one to let in the water from the reservoir (into which the engine has
raised it), another to let out the air, and the third (which descends into the
pit, mine, &c.), to draw air and vapours therefrom, and another tube. from its
bottom to let out the water, each of which tubes has a cock. Suppose the
above vessel empty and the cocks closed, open the cocks of two of the
uppermost tubes, viz', that for letting in the water from the reservoir and the
other for letting out the air, and the water will enter the vessel and discharge
the air, the air and the water will enter the vessel and discharge the air by the
other tube. When the vessel is full of water close the cocks of the two tubes
last mentioned, and open those of the other tube, so will the water run out of
the vessel, which will be filled with air and vapours from the pit, mine, &c.
The above cocks are opened and closed by the action of the engine or other-
wise. Hence, by two or more of the above vessels, a constant and regular
discharge of air and vapours are effected. Where the water raised by the
engine is not employed in the act of ventilation it may be applied to the
following actuating wheel of a kind of tubular construction, as follows:--A
tube of copper or other substance, whose diameter and length is according to
the quantity of water raised and height of its fall, being widest at its top to
receive the water, as it stands perpendicular on the point of an axis passing
through its centre; the bottom of the said tube is (towards its extremity) cut
into a number of divisions, or kind of fans, resembling the fly of a smoak-jack or
common ventilators placed in windows, doors, &c. The water passing through

page_text: the openings between the fans causes the tube to have an horizontal motion.
Above the tube (on ats axis) is a small wheel applicable to pumps or other
devices which require motion.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Raley, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of December, in the year of 5
our Lord One thousand seven hundred and ninety-eight.
Inrolled the same Twenty-second day of December, in the year above
written.