IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM GENERATORS PROV STEAM GENERATORS
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Newton John Suckling, of the City of Aberdeen,
North Britain, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
STEAM GENERATORS.”
Sealed the 31st March 1876, and dated the 8th October 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Newton John Suckling
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 8th October 1875.
I, NEWTON JOHN SUCKLING, of the City of Aberdeen, North Britain,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "In-
PROVEMENTS IN STEAM GENERATORS," to be as follows:-
My Invention has reference to water tube generators or sectional
boilers in which the generating tubes are placed over the fire in an
inclined (or it may be horizontal) position, the flames and heated gases
enveloping the tubes on their way to the stack or funnel, and the water
to be evaporated being within the tubes,
According to my Invention the tubes are connected at each end with
“head” or short pipe of suitable shape, and these when combined

page_text: form steam and water passages. I fit in the head or short pipe which
forms the communication between each tube and that next above it at
the upper or front end a bent pipe or nozzle, the mouth of which is
directed down the inclined or horizontal tube. The object of this bent
pipe or nozzle is to divert the current of water as it rises in the head t
and direct it down the tubo at an angle to its travel, whereby the force
of the circulation is controlled and priming is provented. Sometimes,
also, I fit a similar bent pipe or nozzle in the "heads" which connect
the tubes at their lower or back ends so as to direct the current.
I employ a new form of nut or coupling to connect the heads together, ]
which will make and keep a perfectly steam and water-tight joint, and
one that can be easily disconnected when required. This nut has a fine
screw thread on the one portion and a coarse thread on the other portion,
and there are corresponding threads on the ends of the two heads to be
connected, so that upon the nut being turned the difference in the 1
pitch of the threads will cause the part to be drawn together with
great force, so as to make the joint tight; or instead of threads of
different pitch a right-hand thread and a left-hand thread may be
used.
I leave a space between the sections of tubes at the front of the
boiler or apparatus to allow of examination and cleaning, this space
being closed by doors when the boiler is at work. The spaces between
the sections at the back end are closed and made tight with fire-brick or
otherwise, and the fire-brick or other slabs employed for this purposo
may be retained by ribs or projections on the heads. This structure
forms the back of the boiler, while the "heads" at that end are left
outside, and not exposed to the direct heat of the furnace. The
descending water is thus not heated or steam raised in these heads, and
the circulation is therefore not interfered with.
The uppermost tube of each section may be used for superheating,
and would then form part of the steam space. The boiler has one or
more steam drums, with the usual mountings, and also a feed and blow-
out pipe with the usual fittings. There are division plates or tiles
resting on the tubes to convert the flameway into a zig-zag course, and
thus allow a longer travel for the products of combustion.
The top of the boiler is covered in with slabs of fire-tile or other
suitable material, and the sides are enclosed by brick walls. Doors or

page_text: hand holes are arranged in the heads at the front of the boiler to allow
the inside of the tubes to be examined or cleaned and for the purpose
of inserting and fixing the bent pipe or nozzle. Similar doors or hand
holes may also be arranged in the heads at the back of the boiler should
the bent pipe or nozzle be used at that end.
filed by the said Newton John Suckling in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 6th April 1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, NEWTON
JOHN SUCKLING, of the City of Aberdeen, North Britain, Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of October, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the
thirty-ninth year of Her reign, did for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Newton John Suckling, Her
special licence that I, the said Newton John Suckling, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Newton
John Suckling, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agreo 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," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Newton John Suckling, my exc-
cutors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their,
or one of their hands and seals, 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Newton John Suckling, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement thereof, reference being had to the
accompanying Drawings, that is to say :-
My Invention has reference to water tube generators or sectional
boilers in which the generating tubes are placed over the fire in an
inclined (or it may be horizontal) position, the flames and heated gases
enveloping the tubes on their way to the stack or funnel, and the water
to be evaporated being within the tubes.
According to my Invention the tubes are connected at each end with
a "head" or short pipe of suitable shape, and these, when combined,
form steam and water passages. I fit in the head or short pipe which
forms the communication between each tube and that next above it at
the upper or front end a bent pipe or nozzle, the mouth of which is 1
directed down the inclined or horizontal tube. The object of this bent
pipe or nozzle is to divert the current of water as it rises in the head
and direct it down the tube at an angle to its travel, whereby the force
of the circulation is controlled and priming is prevented. Sometimes
also I fit a similar bent pipe or nozzle in the "heads" which connect
the tubes at their lower or back ends so as to direct the current.
I employ a new form of nut or coupling to connect the heads together
which will make and keep a perfectly steam and water-tight joint, and
one that can be easily disconnected when required. This nut has a fine
screw thread on the one portion and a coarse thread on the other
portion, and there are corresponding threads on the ends of the two
heads to be connected, so that upon the nut being turned the difference
in the pitch of the threads will cause the parts to be drawn together
with great force so as to make the joint tight; or instead of threads of
different pitch a right-hand thread and a left-hand thread may be a
used.
I leave a space between the sections of tubes at the front of the
boiler or apparatus to allow of examination and cleaning, this space
being closed by doors when the boiler is at work. The spaces between
the sections at the back end are closed and made tight with fire-brick or
otherwise, and the fire-brick or other slabs employed for this purpose
may be retained by ribs or projections on the heads. This structure
]

page_text: forms the back of the boiler, while the "heads" at that end are left
outside and not exposed to the direct heat of the furnace; the descend-
ing water is thus not heated or steam raised in these heads, and the
circulation is therefore not interfered with.
The uppermost tube of each section may be used for superheating,
and would then form part of the steam space. The boiler has one or
more steam drums with the usual mountings, and also a feed and blow
out pipe with the usual fittings. There are division plates or tiles
resting on the tubes to convert the flameway into a zig-zag course and
thus allow a longer travel for the products of combustion.
The top of the boiler is covered in with slabs of fire-tile or other
suitable material, and the sides are enclosed by brick walls. Doors or
hand holes are arranged in the heads at the front of the boiler to allow
the inside of the tubes to be examined or cleaned, and for the purpose
of inserting and fixing the bent pipe or nozzle. Similar doors or hand
holes may also be arranged in the heads at the back of the boiler should
the bent nine or nozzle be used at that end.

page_text: PT
described.
Figure 13 is a back elevation, and Figure 14 a longitudinal section
shewing the application of the bent pipes or nozzles to the back heads.
Figures 15 and 16 are respectively plans of the nuts which connect i
the front and back heads.
A, A, are the generating tubes, which are shewn as slightly inclined,
but they may be horizontal; B, B, are the uppermost tubes of the
several sections, and which may be used as superheating tubes; C, C,
are the "heads" at the front of the boiler connecting the tubes A, A, of 1
each section; and D, D, are the "heads" at the back of the boiler
similarly connecting the tubes A, A, at that end. R, R, are bent pipes
or nozzles, one of which I fit in each of the front heads C (with the
exception of the lowest one in each section), the mouth of such pipe or
nozzle being directed down the tube A for the purpose of diverting the
current of water as it rises in the head and directing it down the tube at
an angle to its travel, with the object herein-before explained; S is a
bar and T a bolt and nut for keeping each of the nozzles R in position ;
U, Figures 13 and 14, represents a similar bent pipe or nozzle, which I
sometimes fit in the back heads D so as to direct the current at that end
of the tubes A; V is a bar and W a bolt and nut for keeping the
nozzle U in position; E and F are my new nuts or couplings for con-
necting the heads together, and making and keeping a perfectly steam
and water-tight joint, which can be easily disconnected when required.
These nuts, as clearly seen in the Figures, have a fine screw thread on
the one portion and a coarse thread on the other portion, and there are
corresponding threads on the ends of the two heads to be connected, so
that upon the nut being turned the difference in the pitch of the threads
will cause the parts to be drawn together with great force. G, G, are
spaces left between the sections of tubes at the front of the boiler to
allow of examination and cleaning; H is a door to cover in the front of
the boiler; I, I, are fire-brick slabs closing and making tight the spaces
between the sections at the back. These slabs form the back of the
boiler, the heads at that end being left outside, and not exposed to the
direct heat of the furnace. Y, Y, are ribs or projections on the heads D
to retain or assist in retaining the slabs I, or these ribs may be dispensed
with, the spaces between the heads being then built in with fire-brick;

page_text: K, K, are steam drums or domes; L, the feed and blow-out pipe;
M, M, division plates or tiles resting on the tubes A, A, to convert the
flameway, into a zig-zag course; N, N, are slabs of fire-tile or other
suitable material covering in the top of the boiler; O, O, are doors in
the front heads to allow the inside of the tubes A to be examined or
cleansed, and the nozzles R inserted; similar doors may be arranged
in the back heads, as shewn at X (Figure 14); P (Figures 1, 2, and 4)
is an auxiliary steam pipe to collect the steam from the several sections
of tubes, and convey it to the drums K.
'
And having now described the nature of my said Invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim as my
i Improvements in Steam Generators,"―
First. The general arrangement or combination of parts of water tube
generators or sectional boilers, as herein-before described and repre-
sented in the annexed Drawings.
Second. The employment in water tube generators or sectional boilers
of bent pipes or nozzles in the "heads," substantially as and for the
purpose herein-before described.
Third. The mode or means of coupling or connecting together the
"heads" in water tube generators or sectional boilers, substantially as
herein-before described.
:
In witness whereof, I, the said Newton John Suckling, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Fourth day of April One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.