IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM BOILERS
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Roberts, of Millwall, Poplar, in the
County of Middlesex, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
STEAM BOILERS."
Sealed the 4th December 1863, and dated the 10th June 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Roberts at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
10th June 1863.
I, WILLIAM ROBERTS, of Millwall, Poplar, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN STEAM BOILERS," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in steam boilers, and is
applicable more especially to boilers which are required to generate steam
rapidly.
For this purpose I employ by preference a cylindrical case placed vertically
and with tubes passing through it from end to end; underneath this boiler is
arranged the fire-box, likewise contained in a cylindrical case, and in a circle
around and within this case, and at a short distance from the side are other
tubes also arranged vertically, these tubes communicate at their upper ends..
with the water in the boiler at various places, thereby insuring a constant
circulation among the tubes in the main body or case, and at their lower ends
they are connected with a ring tube, into which the feed water is introduced.
The stream is taken from the top of the boiler by other tubes communicating
with different parts of the top thereof, and connected up to a ring tube from

page_text: which the stream is 'taken for use. This arrangement is made in order to
prevent priming when the steam valve is suddenly opened.
By arranging boilers in this manner a very large heating surface is obtained
although the quantity of water which it is necessary to have in the boiler is
but small.
When great rapidity in obtaining steam is not necessary the fire-box of the
boiler may be surrounded with a water casing, and when such is the case the
ring tube is not necessary.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Roberts in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
10th December 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERTS, of Millwall, Poplar, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-sixth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said William Roberts, Her special licence that I, the said William Roberts, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William
Roberts, 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 BOILERS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
William Roberts, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should parti-
cularly describe and ascertain the nature 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Roberts, 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 thereof, that is to say:-

page_text: This Invention has for its object improvements in steam boilers, and is
applicable more especially to boilers which are required to generate steam
rapidly. For this purpose I employ by-preference a cylindrical case placed
vertically, and with tubes passing through it form end to end; underneath this
boiler is arranged the fire-box, likewise contained in a cylindrical case, and in a
circle around and within this case, and at a short distance from the side, are
other tubes also arranged vertically; these tubes communicate at their upper
ends with the water in the boiler, and at their lower ends they are connected
with a ring tube, into which the feed water is introduced. The steam is taken
from the top of the boiler by other tubes communicating with different parts
of the top thereof, and connected up to a ring tube, from which the steam is
taken for use; this arrangement is made in order to prevent priming when the
steam valve is suddenly opened. By arranging boilers in this manner a very
large heating surface is obtained, although the quantity of water which it is
necessary to have in the boiler is but small, consequently steam can be rapidly
obtained. When great rapidity in obtaining steam is not necessary the fire-
box of the boiler may be surrounded with a water casing. And in order that
my Invention may be fully understood I will proceed to describe the Drawings
This Invention has for its object improvements in steam boilers, and is
applicable more especially to boilers which are required to generate steam
rapidly. For this purpose I employ by-preference a cylindrical case placed
vertically, and with tubes passing through it form end to end; underneath this
boiler is arranged the fire-box, likewise contained in a cylindrical case, and in a
circle around and within this case, and at a short distance from the side, are
other tubes also arranged vertically; these tubes communicate at their upper
ends with the water in the boiler, and at their lower ends they are connected
with a ring tube, into which the feed water is introduced. The steam is taken
from the top of the boiler by other tubes communicating with different parts
of the top thereof, and connected up to a ring tube, from which the steam is
taken for use; this arrangement is made in order to prevent priming when the
steam valve is suddenly opened. By arranging boilers in this manner a very
large heating surface is obtained, although the quantity of water which it is
necessary to have in the boiler is but small, consequently steam can be rapidly
obtained. When great rapidity in obtaining steam is not necessary the fire-
box of the boiler may be surrounded with a water casing. And in order that
my Invention may be fully understood I will proceed to describe the Drawings
hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shows a vertical section of a boiler constructed according to my
Invention; Figure 2 is a sectional view shewing the top of the boiler; and,
Figure 3 is a sectional view shewing the bottom of the boiler, the section.
being taken through the fire-box.
a is a cylindrical boiler with tubes b, b, passing vertically through it; c is a
cylindrical fire-box or case beneath the boiler, having an opening at m for the
introduction of fuel into the fire-box; this case is lined with fire-bricks d, and
at the bottom of the case are the fire-bars c within this case, and at a short
distance from its sides is a ring of vertical tubes e, e, these tubes communicate
at their upper ends with various parts of the bottom of the boiler, some of the
tubes at their upper ends being formed with elbow bends of different lengths
in them in order that they may be connected to the bottom of the boiler at
varying distances from its centre, as is shown at Figures 1 and 3; the tubes
at their bottom communicate with a ring tube f, into which the feed water is
introduced through a pipe passing through the outer casing of the fire-box as
at g, Figure 4. h, h, are the steam pipes leading from different parts of the top
of the boiler, these tubes are connected together, as is shown at Figure 2, and
the steam is led away by the steam pipei; the pipes k, k, lead to safety valves.

page_text: Figure 4 shews a side view, partly in section, of a boiler, more suitable for
being used as a stationary boiler, the lining of fire-brick around the casing of
the fire-box being considerably thicker than the lining shewn at Figure 1, this
adds very much to the economical working of the boiler. Figure 5 shews a
side view partly in section of a steam boiler, in this case the fire-box is
surrounded with a water space l, an opening m being formed through the
water space for the introduction of fuel into the fire-box. Around the interior
of the fire-box is also a ring of tubes e, e, such as are shown at Figures 1 and 3;
in place, however, of these tubes being at their bottom connected to a ring
tube they are connected to the bottom of the water space, as is shown, and the
feed water is introduced into the bottom of the water space.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Roberts, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Ninth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
W". ROBERTS. (L.S.)