AN IMPROVEMENT OR IMPROVEMENTS FOR GENERATING STEAM
Year: 1835

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
MCCURDY, of Southampton Row, in the County of Middlesex, Esquire, send
greeting.
WHEREAS His present most Excellent Majesty King William the Fourth,
by His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Twenty-third day of April, in the fifth year of His reign, did,
for Himself, His heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said John
McCurdy, His especial license, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I,
the said John Mc Curdy, my exors, adñiors, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said John McCurdy, my exors, adñiors, or assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick upon Tweed, the
Invention of "AN IMPROVEMENT OR IMPROVEMENTS FOR GENERATING STEAM," com-
municated to me by a certain foreigner residing abroad; in which said Letters
Patent is contained a proviso that 1, the said John McCurdy, shall cause a
particular description of the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be inrolled in His said Majesty's High Court
of Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of
the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being
thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said John
McCurdy, do hereby declare that the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, are particularly described-and-ascertained
in and by the following description thereof, reference being had to the Drawing
hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked (thereon that is to say):-
I combine a series of vessels of wrought iron, copper, or other suitable material
with parallel sides (either plain.or fluted), of any given.depth, length; and width,
according to the size of the boiler wanted. These vessels are closed at the
bottom, sides, and ends, and open' at the top, to permit the steam generated in
them to pass without obstruction into the steam chamber of the boiler. I next
connect these vessels together at the upper edges, leaving a space between each
two sufficient for a flue, for the fire to pass between them the whole length.
The vessels thus united from the bottom or steam generating part of the boiler,
and present alternately a space for water and a space for fire. I next throw
over and rivet upon these vessels-thus united a-cover for a steam reservoir or
chamber, and it is the combination of such vessels with the steam clamber
which constitutes the novelty of the Invention. I add suitable stays or braces (c)
to connect and strengthen the sides of the water flues together, and also to
support the sides, top, and ends of the steam chamber, together with the
necessary man-hole, float, safety valve, or other appendages, as in the common
boiler, all which are well understood to engineers, and do not require to be shown
in the Drawing..
A in the Drawing represents an end view of a boiler with seven parallel-sided
vessels for containing water.. f,ff, represents the spaces for fire flues between
each two of the water vessels or chambers. B represents a bird's eye view of
the boiler, with the top or steam chamber removed. d, d, d, represent the
seven water vessels. C is a transverse section of the boiler. d, d, d, represents
the water in the boiler when suitably filled for generating steam. fff
represents the spaces for fire flues. D is a side view of a single water vessel..
d is the water. The whole of the Drawings are intended to exhibit a boiler
twelve feet long; the water vessels extend parrallel to each other the whole length,
of the boiler, and are two feet deep and three inches wide; the fire flues or
spaces between each two are also three inches wide, but both may vary more
or less.
The fire passes the whole length of the boiler, and furnishes in this
size a surface covered with water and exposed to the action of the fire. The
height of the water in the boiler ought to be about five or six inches above the
part where the water chambers are united.
The advantages of this boiler are the exposure of an immense surface of water
to the action of the fire. There being no large body of water in any one place

page_text: the danger from explosion is greatly diminished. The weight and size of the
boiler is considerably reduced in proportion to its power.
I would remark, when the boiler is used for a boat or carriage, the two outer
steam vessels may be continued round, as in the dotted lines h, to form a fire-
place, or may be placed in a case suitable for the purpose, to avoid danger and
retain the heat.
From the foregoing description, it will be evident that it is not essentially
necessary that the number of vessels or chambers & should be at all times pre-
served, but the same may be varied.
Having thus described the Invention, I would wish it to be understood that
I am aware that boilers composed wholly of a series of flat chambers have been
before constructed; I do not, therefore, lay claim to such description of boilers,
but do declare that the Invention secured by the present Letters Patent consist
in combining a series of such flat chambers d, d, with a steam or upper chamber,
as above described.
In witness whercof, I, the said John Me Curdy, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twelfth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and thirty-five.
JNO MC CURDY. (L.S.)
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Twelfth day of October, in the
year of our Lord 1835, the aforesaid John McCurdy came before our said Lord