Improvements in Steam Generators.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Dec., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 4th Sept., 1895-Accepted, 4th Dec.,
1895
Improvements in Steam Generators.
I, HENRY WILCKE of 70 Brainerd Street, Tuebrook, Liverpool, in the County
of Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The object is to provide a steam generator for high pressure having the advantages
of both cylindrical shell and water tube generators without their disadvantages.
A generator under my invention consists essentially of a furnace and combustion
chamber of water tubes in contact externally with flames and products of combustion
in combination with a chamber containing flame tubes. Preferably the greater
portion of heating surface consists of flame tubes fixed in the tube plates of a
cylindrical shell through which the flames and products of combustion pass after
leaving the furnace and combustion chamber.
Under one modification the cylindrical shell with its tubes is suspended from or
carried by suitable disposed columns and girders. Beneath the said shell is a
range of inclined water tubes running from front to back and placed close together
so as to form the top of a furnace fitted with great bars of a suitable distance
beneath them.
These tubes whilst close together in about the length of the furnace have a
reduced diameter at front and back and project with that reduced diameter at the
back behind the cylindrical shell so as to form free spaces for the products of
combustion to pass through on their way from the furnace to the combustion
chamber, and through the flame tubes contained in the said cylindrical shell.
Beneath the back end of reduced diameter of tubes there may be a wall of firebrick,
having chaunels for air to pass through to support combustion between the furnace
and combustion chamber. The tubes forming the furnace crown open at the front
and back into suitable water chambers of which the front chamber is connected to
the vessel above. The back chamber is connected by water tubes into the said
cylindrical shell so as to form the end and roof of the combustion chamber. The
said tubes may have their ends reduced in diameter, whilst otherwise they may be
placed close together.
The sides of the combustion chamber may be formed of water tubes with ends of
reduced diameter connected to suitable water chambers at the top and bottom.
The furnace crown and combustion chamber may at the outside be covered with
a layer of firebrick or other suitable material.
Dated this 3rd day of December 1894.
Improvements in Steam Generators.
I HENRY WILCKE of 70 Brainerd Street Tue Brook, Liverpool in the County
0 of Lancaster, Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
The main object is to provide a steam generator for high pressure having the
advantages of water tube and cylindrical shell generators without their disadvantages.

page_text: A generator under my invention consists essentially of a furnace and combustion
chamber; of water tubes in contact externally with flames, and products of com-
bustion in combination with a water containing shell or vessel traversed by flame
tubes. Preferably the greater portion of the heating surface consists of tubes fixed
in the tube plates of a cylindrical shell and through which the flames and products of
combustion pass after leaving the water tube furnace and combustion chamber.
Under one modification the cylindrical shell with its tubes is suspended from or
carried by suitably disposed columns and girders. Beneath the said shell is a range
of inclined water tubes running from front to back and placed close together so as
to form the top or crown of a furnace provided with grate bars at a suitable
distance beneath.
The said water tubes whilst close together for about the length of the furnace or
shell are of reduced diameter at the front and back and project with such reduced
diameter at the back beyond the cylindrical shell so as to allow free spaces between
them for the products of combustion to pass through on their way from the furnace
to the combustion chamber. Beneath the combustion chamber there may be fire
brick having ways for air to pass through to support combustion, between the
furnace and combustion chamber. The tubes forming the furnace crown open at
front and back into suitable water chambers. The front chamber is connected to
the cylindrical shell or vessel above. The back chamber is connected by water
tubes into the said cylindrical shell or vessel so as to form the end and roof of the
combustion chamber. The said tubes may have their ends reduced in diameter
whilst otherwise they may be close together.
The sides of the combustion chamber may be formed of water tubes connected to
suitable water chambers at top and bottom.
The furnace crown and combustion chamber may at the outside be covered with
a layer of fire brick or other suitable material.
The construction and disposition of the water-tubes and chambers both for the
furnace and combustion chamber is of great importance in my generator, as one
object is to avoid as much as possible the employment of brickwork.
When
It will be seen that under my invention the weak parts of marine steam generators
as hitherto constructed are obviated, as the internal furnaces and flat combustion-
chambers are not used and the bulk of the heating surface consists of flame tubes
whilst water tubes are employed only in such number and under such conditions
that they can be examined, cleaned, and removed and replaced with ease.
used for marine purposes my improved generator is lighter for a given horse power,
is capable of sustaining higher pressure than an equivalent generator with an
internal furnace, does not need to be cut on in case of a flame tube giving way,
whilst the heating surface and steaming qualities are considerably increased.
"
Fig. 1 is a front view, and Fig. 2 a longitudinal vertical Section of a steam
generator constructed in accordance with my invention. a is the cylindrical shell
with flame tubes secured in the end plates in any usual way. The said shell a
is carried by columns and girders d. are inclined water tubes running from front
to back of the cylindrical si.ell a, and placed close together so as to form the top or
crown of the furnace f. 9 grate bars. The said tubes e are of reduced diameter
at the back where they project beyond the cylindrical shell a beneath the combustion
chamber so as to provide spaces through which the beated gases and products of
combustion may pass from the furnace through the combustion chamber to the
flame tubes and chimney i. The reduced ends of the tubes e are connected to a
transverse cylindrical chamber from which water tubes k forming the back and
crown of the combustion chamber open to the cylindrical shell a. The front ends
of the water tubes e may also be reduced in diameter and be connected into a
transverse cylindrical or other shaped chamber 7 connected to the cylindrical shell a
by pipes in or as I have found more convenient the front ends of said water tubes e
of the furnace crown are flarged internally so as to connect to the transverse
chamber as shown in Figure 3. Covers are provided to allow of casy access to
the tube. through the chambers and 1. are water tubes and connections for

page_text: forming the sides of the combustion chamber.
o are water chambers and connections
forming the sides of the furnace. p layer of fire brick above crown of furnace and
outside of combustion chamber. It will be obvious that the water tubes e may be
of many forms and that the open spaces to the combustion chamber may be obtained
by making the tubes with flanges for part of their length as shown by Figure 4 or
by bending them so as to fit into the chamber j one above the other as shown in
Figure 5.
Fig. 6 is a longitudinal transverse section showing two forms of a double ended
generator. The double ended generator shown on the left hand is similar in
construction to the generator shown in Figures 1 and 2, with the exceptions that
the chamberj serves to receive the furnace crown tubes for both furnaces and that
the tubes e are of the form shown in Figure 5, the water tube and water chamber
sides of the combustion chamber k, and furnace fare dispensed with although they
may be used and a dome or steam chest and connections couple both of the
cylindrical shells a. In the form of double ended generator shown on the right
each generator has a rectangular chamber ; in the rear instead of there being one
chamber common to both generators as on the left hand side.
represents a vessel
containing steam and water into which water tubes forming the furnace crown and
back and sides of combustion chamber discharge as shown by the dotted lines s,
and from which water flows into the shell a through tubes preferably forming the
crown of the combustion chamber as shown by the dotted lines t, such chamber may
be used with any modification of generator under my invention.
Figs. 7 and 8 are transverse sections of modifications of generators in which the
tubes e incline across the cylindrical shell a instead of being placed longitudinally.
In Fig. 7 the furnaces fare fed from the front, and in Fig 8 from the side. Here
it will be observed that the water chambers o at the sides of the furnace form the
top edges of the coal feed apertures.
In all the views the same letters denote equivalent parts. The usual or any
-itable feed and other connections and accessories are provided.
It will be obvious that numerous modifications may be made according as the
generators are required for land or marine work so long as the leading features of
my invention namely the combination of water-tube furnaces and flame tube shells
is preserved.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The combination of a water-tube furnace with a flame tube shell, the tubes of
the furnace being arranged and adapted to conduct or permit the flow of the gases
from the furnace, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
2. The combination of a water tube furnace and combustion chamber with a
flame tube shell, the tubes of the furnace being arranged and adapted to conduct
or permit the flow of the gases from the furnace, substantially as and for the
purpose set forth.
3. The steam generator constructed as described and illustrated under Figures 1
and 2.
4. The steam generator constructed as described and illustrated under Figure 6.
5. The steam generator constructed as described and illustrated under Figures 7
and 8.
6. The construction and combination of parts of steam generator water tube
furnaces and combustion chambers described with reference to and shewn in the
drawings, for the purpose set forth.
Dated the 3rd day of September 1895.
J. JOHNSON,
4 Clayton Square, Liverpool, Agent.