IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF MANHOLES AND MUDHOLES IN STEAM BOILERS OR OTHER VESSELS FOR CONFINING STEAM OR GASES OR LIQUIDS
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Watkins of Number 62 South Street, Greenwich
in the County of Kent for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF MANHOLES AND MUDHOLES IN STEAM BOILERS OR OTHER
VESSELS FOR CONFINING STEAM OR GASES OR LIQUIDS
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Alfred Watkins at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th October 1882.
ALFRED WATKINS of number 62 South Street Greenwich in the county of
Kent, Engineer IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF MANHOLES AND MUD-
HOLES IN STEAM BOILERS OR OTHER VESSELS FOR CONFINING STEAM OR GASES OR
LIQUIDS
My invention has for its object improvements in the construction of manholes
and mudholes in steam boilers or other vessels for confining steam or gases or
liquids. In boilers or vessels for confining steam or gases or liquids it is generally
necessary or convenient to have openings in various parts through the plates
forming the boilers or vessels. These openings are generally approximately
elliptical or triangular in shape and are technically known as manholes or
mudholes. These manholes or mudholes are closed by apparatus technically
known as doors and some suitable substance technically known as the joint is
compressed between the door and the edge of the hole to prevent the pressure
from escaping. The boilers or vessels being weakened by making such holes it is
often necessary to compensate for that weakening and in such case it is tho
general practice to rivet a continuous border of bar or angle iron around the holes.
My improved method of construction of manholes and mudholes is first to make
a hole of suitable dimensions in the plate in which the manhole or mudhole is
intended to be made less than the dimensions of the intended manhole or nudhole
and then to turn or flange the edge of the plate around the hole to or about right
angles to the plane of the plate. The opening in the plate being increased by the
turning or flanging of the plate at the edge of the hole until the opening is the
required size and shape of the manhole or mudhole required and at the same time
Dion T

page_text: the required strengthening and stiffening of the manhole or mudhole is obtained.
The edge of the plate after turning or Hanging may be surfaced to receive the
joint and door or the joint and door may be placed upon the plate at the base of
the flange. And in order that my invention may be fully understood I have
attached hereunto a sheet of drawings to which I will now refer. In the said
drawings Figuro 1 is a plan of an elliptical manhole or mudhole looking upon the
edge of the Hange. Figure 2 is a section of the saine through the line x. y. A shows
the plate in which the inanhole or mudhole is formed B is that part around the
hole which is turned or flanged to or about right angles to the plate A. C is the
edge of the flange which may be surfaced if necessary to receive the joint and door.
D is the base of the flange upon which the joint and door may be placed.
Having now fully described the nature of my invention and the manner whereby
the same is carried into effect practically I would have it to be understood that I
claim the mode of constructing and strengthening manholes and mudholes by
turning or flanging the plates of steam boilers or other vessels for confining steam
or gases or liquids hereinbeforo described in this specification and the accompanying
drawings.
In witness whereof I the said Alfred Watkins have hereunto set my hand
and seal this twenty first day of October in-the-year of our Lord 1882-
Witnessed Signed and scaled
in the presence of mo
EDWARD THOMAS DARKE
3 Hemmings Row,
St Martin's Lane
London W.C.
ALFRED WATKINS (L.S.)