IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM GENERATORS AND IN THE MODE OF APPLYING HEAT THERETO
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields,
in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM GENERATORS AND IN THE MODE OF APPLYING HEAT
THERETO." -A communication from abroad by Albert Gibbons Buzby,
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 9th February 1872.
I, JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County
of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM GENERATORS AND IN THE MODE OF
APPLYING HEAT THERETO," a communication to me from abroad by Albert
Gibbons Buzby, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America,
to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to an improved construction of steam generators
and mode of heating the same by means of hydrocarbons or the vapours
of the same, or by inflammable gases.

page_text: When the fire-clay cylinders or coils or both become deteriorated by
the action of the flame they can be readily replaced with new ones. The
lining or loose filling for the bottom of the tubes may also be readily
the action of the flame they can be readily replaced with new ones. The
lining or loose filling for the bottom of the tubes may also be readily
withdrawn through a doorway at the rear of the boiler.
The main steam pipe and also the branch or jet pipes should be
furnished with suitable cocks to regulate the volume of superheated
steam admitted to the tubes..
It is proposed in some instances to combine with the steam pipe a
funnel-shaped plate or conical mouth-piece which is fitted over the end
of the fire-clay cylinder, and surrounds the said steam pipe so as to form
a narrow annular passage close to the end of the latter for the admission
of air into the tube. A perforated diaphragm may also be used in con-
nection. with this funnel-shaped plate for the purpose of dividing the air
into a number of small streams and of thus thoroughly diffusing the
same.
A more thorough utilization of the heat could be obtained by coupling
the upper tubes at the front end of the boiler so as to cause a second
return of the products of combustion through another set of tubes to the
rear of the boiler. In this modification the chamber at the front of the
boiler could be dispensed with, and the take up be attached to the top of
the rear chamber. This is the plan proposed for locomotive boilers.
This Invention however is not restricted to any specific shape or outline
of boiler, all that is essential in carrying it out being the presence of
tubes within which the desired heat is generated in the manner described
so as to dispense entirely with the usual fire-place or furnace.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 8th August 1872.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the 35th
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said John Henry Johnson, Her special license
that I, the said John Henry Johnson, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Henry Johnson,
my executors, administrators, or 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 IN THE MODE OF APPLYING HEAT THERETO," a com-
munication to me from abroad by Albert Gibbons Buzby, of Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania, United States of America, upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said John Henry Johnson, my executors or adminis-
trators, 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 John Henry Johnson, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
The said Invention relates to an improved construction of steam
generators and mode of heating the same by means of hydrocarbon or
the vapours of the same, or by inflamable gases.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood, I shall
now proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose
shall refer to the several Figures on the annexed Sheet of Drawings, the
same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in all Figures.
Figure 1 is a vertical section of a steam boiler illustrating the
Invention; Figure 2 a front view of the same; Figures 3, 4, and 5
detached views representing parts of the Invention drawn to an enlarged
scale; and Figure 6 an end view of a slightly modified form of boiler.

page_text: The body or shell A of the boiler is shewn in the Drawing of a
cylindrical form, but its shape may be varied without departing from the
main features of the Invention. A series of tubes B, B, extend from
the front plate a of the boiler to the rear plate 6, behind which latter
plate is situated the chamber D, and from the plate b to the plate d
extend a series of tubes E, E¹, forming a communication between the
said chamber D and the chamber G situated between the plate d and the
front plate a of the boiler, and communicating with the chimney through
the take up f. Into each of the lower tubes B is inserted a cylinder H
of baked fire-clay or other refractory material, around which is coiled a
tube h, the coil being so bent that its orifice i is directed into the
cylinder H. The other end m of each coil communicates with a pipe K
for conveying steam from the steam space of the boiler to the whole of
the coil. The cylinder H is composed of refractory material and may
extend the entire length of each tube B, but it is preferred that it should
be limited in length, as shewn in Figure 1, each tube B from the
cylinder H rearward being lined at the bottom only with refractory
material formed by a half cylinder H₁ of baked fire-clay (see Figure 4).
Instead of this half cylinder H¹ the tube might be partially filled or
covered at the bottom with loose granulated refractory material.
The fuel to be used in the improved boiler is petroleum or other
hydrocarbon, or vapors of the same, or any inflammable gas, a jet of
any of which may be injected into each of the tubes H, when owing to
the superheated steam a flame of such intense heat is created as to
render the cylinders H red hot, the semi-cylindrical lining H³, or loose
filling, being rendered nearly as hot, and the tube B itself being con-
sequently so heated as to rapidly generate steam within the boiler.
Although it is preferred to obtain the superheated steam by passing.
ordinary steam through a coil h, surrounding the cylinder as described,.
it may be derived from other sources. This steam has the effect of
driving the flame rearwards through the tubes B into the chamber D
whenever the products of combustion pass through the upper tubes E to
the chamber G, and thence to the chimney.
The coil h may be applied to the cylinder H while the latter is in a
plastic or semi-plastic state, the tube sinking into the clay, and the latter
being subsequently baked with the coil attached.

page_text: When the fire-clay cylinders or coils, or both, become deteriorated by
the action of the flame they can be readily replaced with new ones. The
lining H or loose filing for the bottom of the tubes may also be readily
withdrawn through a doorway x at the rear of the boiler.
The main steam pipe K, and also the branch or jet pipes m, should be
furnished with suitable cocks to regulate the volume of superheated
steam admitted to the tubes. .
It is proposed in some instance to combine with the steam pipe /
a funnel-shaped plate or conical mouth piece.s (Figure 5), which is
fitted over the end of the fire-clay cylinder H, and surrounds the orifice i
of the said steam pipe h so as to form a narrow annular passage close to
the end of the latter for the admission of air into the tube. A perforated
diaphragm s¹ may also be used in connection with this plate for the
purpose of dividing the air into a number of small streams, and of thus
thoroughly diffusing the same.
A more thorough utilization of the heat in the boiler illustrated in
Figures 1 and 2 of the Drawing could be obtained by coupling the upper
tubes E, E¹, at the front end of the boiler, as shown at X in Figure 6, so
as to cause a second return of the products of combustion through the
tubes E¹ to the rear of the boiler. In this modification the chamber G
at the front of the boiler could be dispensed with, and the take-up ƒ be
attached to the top of the chamber D. This is the plan proposed for
locomotive boilers. The Invention however is not restricted to any
'specific shape or outline of boiler, all that is essential in carrying it out
being the presence of tubes within which the desired heat is generated
in the manner described, so as to dispense entirely with the usual fire-
place or furnace.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or
carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to
be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to
me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
First. Applying heat to a tubular boiler by injecting directly into the
tubes hydrocarbon, hydrocarbon vapour, or inflammable gases, and super-
heated steam, as set forth.
Secondly. The combination described of detachable cylinders H of
refractory material with the tubes of a steam boiler into which hydro-

page_text: carbon or inflammable gases and superheated steam are injected, as set
forth.
Thirdly. The lining or partial filling of the tubes of a boiler into which
hydrocarbon and superheated steam are injected with fire-clay or other
refractory material, for the purpose specified.
Fourthly. The combination with the said refractory cylinders of coils
of tubing to superheat the steam employed as jets.
Fifthly. The combination with the front ends of the steam pipes of
funnel-shaped plates s for directing currents of air into the tubes of the
boiler, substantially as described, and as illustrated in Figure 5.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have to this
my Specification set my hand and seal, the Thirtieth day of
July, One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.
J. HENRY JOHNSON. (L.S.)