IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM GENERATORS, AND IN THE JOINTS, OR CONNECTIONS FOR PIPES, AND OTHER HOLLOW BODIES
Year: 1883

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left, by Conrad Christian Severin Knap at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th July 1883.
1
CONRAD CHRISTIAN SEVERIN KNAP of 11 Queen Victoria Street in the County
of Middlesex Consulting Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM GENERATORS, AND
IN THE JOINTS, OR CONNECTIONS FOR PIPES, AND OTHER HOLLOW BODIES."
My improvements have reference primarily to steam generators of the class called
sectional or tubulous, boilers, that is to say; boilers in which the generator is com-
posed of a series of tubes, pipes or hollow bodies, preferably disposed in an inclined
or slanting direction; their terminal ends are connected to caps or heads forining
the connections between the tubes, pipes or hollow bodies. The tubes, pipes,
hollow bodies form independent water spaces, which are exposed to the direct action
of the fire and products of combustion of the furnace.
"
or
My invention consists in arranging the hollow caps or heads of the said
generators, and forming the connections and joints between the caps or heads and
the ends of the tubes, pipes or hollow bodies, Also forming the connections, and
joints between the said caps and heads themselves, as hereinafter described, there
is thereby produced a steam generator in which a perfect and free circulation is
produced through the whole system of the boiler or generator. The tubes, end
caps or heads are made perfectly independent of each other, so that each tube, cap
or head can be withdrawn without interferring or disturbing the rest.
I will first describe that part of my invention relating to the connections and
joints between the tubes and their end caps or heads.
The connections between the ends of the tubes and the caps or heads are formed
by attaching or making collars or flanges on the ends of the said tubes, which said
collars or flanges are plain square or rectangular in figure and are faced to the
dead length of the tubes, with recessed joints. The circulating connections between
the adjacent tubes, being formed by the said caps or T heads; the internal diameter
being equal to that of the tubes to be connected. The stems of the caps or T heads
are presented to the collars or flanged joints on the ends of the tubes, so that the
ineeting edges or or opposed faces of the tubes, and the stems of the caps make or
form the connections and joints; and are connected together in any suitable or
convenient manner. Asbestos or other packing may be interposed between the
meeting faces of the connection to make a perfectly tight joint.

page_text: A joint and connection is thereby made in which any one or more tubes may be
readily disconnected and removed from its, or their cap or caps, and replaced by
fresh ones, without interferring with the general construction or arrangement of
the boiler or generator. The caps or heads described have as large an internal
capacity in cross section, as the tube itself, therefore the caps or heads allow a large
direct upward passage or flow of circulating water.
My invention consists Secondly in the connections and joints between the caps
themselves for the vertical circulation of water from or to the adjacent tubes; this
is effected by making clear through connections and joints without flanges, in order
that the joint may be flexible or yielding in all directions, to accommodate for the
varying changes by unequal expansion and contraction. The joining or connecting
of the T heads or caps, is effected in the following manner. The meeting or
opposing edges are situated at a little distance apart, so that the connected parts
can slightly change their directions after the manner of a union joint. A ring or
rings of Asbestos or other suitable packing interposes between the joining parts,
and constitute the fulcrum upon which the parts turn and abutt. The connections
are drawn together by bolts fassing through lugs on the respective parts described.
Or the connection may be effected by a conical ring or short tube covering the
joints or taper ends of the parts to be connected together, plain or ring packing is
interposed between the said parts, lugs and bolts draw the said parts together as
before described for forming a sound joint. Or I employ a plain covering ring or
tube and plain or parallel terminal ends to be connected, which are recessed for
taking screw like or plain packing, and drawn or pulled together as before
described.
The connection may also be formed by a collar on the ends of the parts or loose
socket for the joints to abutt'against if necessary.
There is thus produced a steam boiler or steam generator in which tubes, pipes
or hollow bodies are connected and joined to hollow caps or T heads, and the said
caps or heads are connected to one another in a simple and efficient manner, by
arranging and combining the parts as herein before described, the generator is made
more accessible and also giving greater direct upward passage, with a free and
rapid circulation, and the ilimination of steam from the water, than is attained in
tubulous boilers hereto-fore. Also greater facility in cleaning by the passages in
the caps, being as large as the tubes themselves; the joints are much more secure
under high pressures by the freedom given to the connections or joints of the
caps moving in any direction by unequal changes of the parts constituting the
generator
Although I have only described the joints and their connections as applied to
the tubes, and parts of steam generators, yet the said joints or connections
described, are equally applicable for gas, water and other pipes and hollow bodies