IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Howard, Agricultural Engineer, and Edward
Tenney Bousfield, Engineer, both of Bedford, in the County of
Bedford, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
DATE 19
Sealed the 27th March 1866, and dated the 23rd January 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Howard and
Edward Tenney Bousfield at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents, with their Petition, on the 23rd January 1866.
I, JAMES HOWARD, Agricultural Engineer, and I, EDWARD TENNEY
BOUSFIELD, Engineer, both of Bedford, in the County of Bedford, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF STEAM BOILERS," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to a novel arrangement of water tube steam
boiler, whereby we are enabled to ensure at a comparatively small cost
great structural strength with an extended heating surface. The boiler
we construct of tubes in sections, and these sections we connect together
in any given number that will serve the requirements of the engine the
boiler is intended to supply with steam. Each section is formed with a
row of parallel tubes connected at top and bottom with transverse tubes,
which are formed with sockets to receive the ends of the parallel tubes,
and connected to each transverse tube at right angles thereto or cast
therewith is a short tube flanged at its ends, by which means the sections

page_text: are coupled up at top and bottom. The sections thus formed are placed
in a heating chamber, into which the flame and heated gases flow from the
fire-place over the furnace bridge, and they are set up vertically and trans-
versely of the chamber. The vertical tubes are connected to their trans-
verse horizontal tubes by means of screw coupling rods, which pass
through the latter and down the centre of the vertical tubes, and are
secured by nuts at their extremities; and to allow for the unequal con-
traction and expansion of the different parts the vertical tubes bed upon
vulcanized india-rubber rings inserted in the sockets of the transverse
pipes. In coupling together the sections the short flanged tubes before
mentioned form longitudinal tubes, and it is from one or other of the lower
of these tubes that water is supplied to the boiler, while from one or other
of the upper tubes the steam is taken off. To prevent the burning of the
upper parts of the sections which form the steam space and superheater
these parts are protected from the run of the flame above the water line
by a series of screens or other means, but which will allow the heated gases
to circulate to the desired extent around the upper part of the sections for
the purpose of superheating the steam,
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Howard and Edward Tenney Bousfield in
.the Great Seal Patent Office on the 23rd July 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JAMES
HOWARD, Agricultural Engineer, and EDWARD TENNEY BOUSFIELD,
Engineer, both of Bedford, in the County of Bedford, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of January, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the twenty-ninth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
graut unto us, the said James Howard and Edward Tenney Bousfield,
Her special licence that we, the said James Howard and Edward Tenney
Bousfield, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we,
the said James Howard and Edward Tenney Bousfield, our executors,
administrators, and 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,

page_text: and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OP
STEAM BOILERS," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said
James Howard and Edward Tenney Bousfield, our executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under our, 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Edward Tenney Bousfield, on behalf
of myself, and of the said James Howard, do hereby declare the nature of
our 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 Drawing hereunto annexed and to the letters
and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
This Invention relates to certain improvements in water-tube steam
boilers, whereby we are enabled to ensure at a comparatively small cost
tight joints, great structural strength, with an extended effective heating
surface, and protection to the upper parts of the tubes. The boilers we
construct of a series of sections of vertical tubes, and these sections we
connect and group together, using any given number of groups according
to the requirements of the engine which the boiler is intended to supply
with steam.
In the accompanying Drawing Fig. 1 shows our arrangement of im-
proved boiler in plan view; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of
the same taken in the line 1, 2, of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a horizontal section;,
and Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional elevation taken in the line 3, 4, of
Fig. 2. In these Figures it will be seen that the boiler is enclosed in
brickwork except at the top, where it may be covered in by sand or loam
for the purpose of preventing the radiation of the heat. Each section of the
boiler is formed with a row of vertical parallel tubes a, a, a, of wrought iron,
brass, or other metal, connected at top and bottom with transverse tubes.
b, b, b, and c, c, c. These transverse tubes are cast with sockets to receive
respectively the ends of the vertical tubes a, a, a, as shewn best in the
enlarged sectional view, Fig. 5. The ends of these tubes b. and care
closed, and the several tubes b, and also the several tubes c, are connected
together at alternate ends, as shewn at Fig. 2, by short flanged necks or
couplings b, c, which serve to couple up the sections at top and bottom
and allow a free circulation of water and steam through the boiler. The

page_text: The
sections thus formed we prefer to arrange in groups of three, with sufficient
space between the groups, as shewn at A, Fig. 2, to allow of the attendant
entering between them through a man-hole for the purpose of cleaning
the tubes or repairing the boiler. The transverse tubes bare cast with a
longitudinal fin on either side thereof; these fins serve to carry plates d, d,
which form the bottom of the heating chamber. The sides are formed by
enclosing walls of brickwork B, B, and the roof by plates d', which serve
to cut off the pipes c from the action of the fire. The heating chamber
is in direct communication with the fire-place C, the fire-brick arch of
which we prefer to be a little below the water line of the boiler in order
that it may deflect the flame on to the tubes a below that level.
vertical tubes a, a, a, are held securely in their sockets in the horizontal
tubes b and c by means of screwed coupling rods e, which pass down the
centre of the vertical tubes, and are secured at their extremities to the
tubes and c. To allow for the unequal contraction and expansion of the
different parts, and to make a secure steam and water tight joint, elastic
rings of vulcanized india-rubber or other suitable material are inserted in
the sockets of the transverse pipes (see Fig. 5). In coupling together the
sections the short flanged necks or couplings 1, c', before mentioned form
longitudinal tubes, and it is from one or other of the lower of these tubes
that water is supplied to the boiler, while from one or other of the upper
tubes the steam is taken off, as indicated by the arrows, Fig. 4. To prevent
the burning of the upper parts of the sections which form at once the
steam and superheating space, these parts are protected from the run of
the flame above the water line by a series of screens.f, which we prefer to
form of fire-brick or cast-iron plates inserted between the vertical tubes.
These bricks or plates are held firmly in place by bolts and washers. The
screen thus formed, while protecting the upper part of the sections from the
direct action of the flame will allow the heated gases to circulate to the
desired extent around the tubes, that is, sufficiently to superheat the steam
in the steam space.
We would here remark that instead of using screens,
as above described, for directing the current of the flame and heated gases,
the tubes may at their upper ends be enlarged in diameter, so as to present
no openings between them for the flanie to pass through; and we would
further state that in some cases we may prefer to arrange the vertical tubes
so that the tubes of one section will face the spaces in the next section,
and thus the passage of the flame and heated gases will be to some extent
retarded. The heated gases as they pass over the bridge of the fire-place
impinge upon the first row of tubes, and passing between the row they

page_text: circulate through the heating chamber. They then descend through the
opening g in the floor of the chamber, and pass back below the chamber
to the front of the boiler, the space under which is divided longitudinally
by a wall h. When the gases arrive at the end of this wall they double
back, and passing again under the boiler make their exit to the flue in
connection with the furnace chimney at the arched opening i, Fig. 2.
From the above description it will be understood that the objections
hitherto raised to boilers formed of portions coupled together by tie rods
is removed, as the tube joints or junctions are not exposed to the action
of the flame, and are not therefore liable to injury or to become leaky.
Having now set forth the nature of our Invention of "Improvements
in the Construction of Steam Boilers," and explained the manner of carry-
ing the same into effect, we wish it to be understood that under the above
in part recited Letters Patent we claim,-
First. Socketing the tubes a, a, in the transverse pipes b, c, and coupling
these transverse pipes together so as to form continuous water and steam
spaces in the manner and for the purpose above set forth.
Second. The use of the vertical transverse screens f, f, for deflecting the
current of heated gases and allowing the heat to act upon the upper part
of the sections of tubes for the purpose of superheating the steam contained
therein.
Third. Applying clastic packing to the tube sockets in the transverse
pipes, as above described, for the purpose of making the joints steam and
water tight.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Tenney Bousfield, have here-
unto set my hand and scal, the Twenty-first day of July, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
Witness,
W. H. LESTER,
Bedford.
EDWARD TENNEY BOUSFIELD. (L.S.)