APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING INCRUSTATION IN STEAM BOILERS
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Nicholas Riggenbach, of Basel, in Switzerland,
Engineer, for the Invention of "APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING INCRUSTATION
IN STEAM BOILERS."
Sealed the 17th August 1854, and dated the 20th February 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Nicholas Riggenbach at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
20th February 1854.
I, NICHOLAS RIGGENBACH, of Basel, in Switzerland, Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention of "APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING
INCRUSTATION IN STEAM BOILERS " to be as follows:-
It consists in the application of certain means for producing a current in
the water of steam boilers, whereby those parts which float or are contained
in the water, and to which the incrustation is generally owing, are prevented
from forming a deposit, and adhering to the plates of the boiler. In those
boilers generally known as "compound boilers" this is effected by extending the
tubes uniting the upper and the lower parts of the boiler by means of elbow
pipes at the end nearest to the fire-place. In other boilers, for instance, in
common cylindrical boilers, the current is established either by division plates
partly dividing the body of the water, or by division plates in combination with
elbow or other pipes, or similar means.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Nicholas Riggenbach in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 19th August 1854.
.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, NICHOLAS
RIGGENBACH, of Basel, in Switzerland, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand. eight hundred and fifty-four, in the seventeenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto ine,
the said Nicholas Riggenbach, Her special licence that I, the said Nicholas
Riggenbach, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Nicholas Riggenbach, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 "APPARATUS FOR PRE-
VENTING INCRUSTATION IN STEAM BOILERS," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Nicholas Riggenbach, by an instrument in writing under my
hand and seal, 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 immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Nicholas Riggenbach, 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 (that is to say):-
My Invention of apparatus for preventing incrustation in steam boilers
consists in certain means for producing a current in the water, and thereby
preventing any sediment from settling upon and adhering to the boiler plates;
and in order that my Invention may be more fully understood and readily
carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the same, reference being had to
the figures and letters of reference in the annexed Sheet of Drawing. Fig. 1
is a longitudinal sectional elevation of a common cylindrical boiler with its
seating; and Fig. 2 is a sectional end elevation of the same. In this boiler
the current is produced by dividing the body of the water by means of par-
titions composed of plates of sheet iron a, a, b, b, placed across the boiler, and
inserted between pieces of angle iron. I prefer to place the plates b, b, about

page_text: an inch below the lowest water level and the partition a, a, so as about equally
to divide the body of the water, the area of the open space allowed at each
end of the partition a, a, being about equal to the sectional area of the body
of water below the partition a, a. That portion of the boiler immediately
over the fire-place being heatel to a higher degree than any other part of it,
the water will have a tendency to rise in that place, and a current will thus be
established; and in consequence of the interposition of the partition b, b, it
will take the direction of the arrows. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional eleva-
tion of a boiler and boiler seating, with an internal cylindrical flue; and Fig. 4,
a sectional end elevation of the same. The partition a, a, may in boilers of
this kind be placed on a level or nearly so with the top of the flue A, the area
of the open space allowed at each end bearing about the same proportion to
the area of the water as in the boiler shown in Figs. 1 & 2. The result
will be a similar one. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal view, partly in section, of a
boiler of the description generally called "compound boilers" with its seating;
and Fig. 6, a sectional end elevation of the same. The connection pipes A, A,
nearest the fire-place have elbow pipes B, B, of the same diameter as the
pipes A, A, fixed upon them; reaching to within about an inch of the surface
of the lowest water level. It is evident that, for the reason mentioned with
regard to the boilers described with reference to Figs. 1, 2, 3, & 4, the current
must take the direction of the arrows. Any sediment forming when the fire
is let out may be removed by the well-known process of blowing off, the
blowing off cock being placed in front nearest to the fire-place. A similar
contrivance to that explained with regard to Figs. 3 & 4, is also applicable
to boilers having one or two internal fire-places.
Instead of the partition b, b, see Figs. 1, 2, 3, & 4, an elbow pipe might
be used to guide the current, and in some cases it may be found advantageous
to place the partitions a, a, in a slightly slanting position, and the ends of the
partitions might be curved, or the partitions a, a, see Figs. 1, 2, 3, & 4,
might be carried to the end of the boiler, and the body of the water above and
below the said partitions be connected by means of pipes cr passages outside
the boiler. With suitable modifications my apparatus can be applied to certain
kinds of marine boilers and tubular boilers, where the construction of the
boiler admits of the necessary partitions being introduced. Partitions or trays
have been made use of, and placed at various depths in boilers for the purpose
of receiving the sediment, and thus preventing it forming on the bottom of the
boilers.
But I claim as my Invention the application of partitions or pipes in the

page_text: manner above described for the purpose of producing a current in the water
of steam boilers, whereby those parts which float or are contained in the water,
and to which the incrustation is generally owing, are prevented from depositing
and adhering to the plates of the boiler.
In witness whereof, I, the said Nicholas Riggenbach, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of August, One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-four.
NICHOLAS RIGGENBACH. (L.S.)