Improvements in Water-tube Steam Boilers.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Apr., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 24th Jan., 1895-4ccepted, 16th Mar., 1895
Improvements in Water-tube Steam Boilers.
1, FREDERICK JOHN ROWAN, of 121, West. Regent Street, in the County of the
City of Glasgow, North Britain, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows, that is to say :-
My said invention relates to water-tube steam boilers of the kinds described in
my Patent Specification No. 4430 of 1876 and which were improved modifications
of boilers described in the Patent Specification of my father the late John Martin
Rowan, and of Thomas Rodgers Horton No. 3253 of 1869; and my object is to
further improve such boilers and adapt them for present requirements whilst
obviating imperfections found to appertain to former modifications.
In my improved boilers the heating and steam generating parts consist
principally of water tubes which are for the most part vertical and extend
between lower and upper shells or casings either in the form of horizontal
cylinders of boiler plate, or in the form of narrow horizontal boxes of cast steel or
other suitable metal. In the case of cylinders the tubes have their ends fixed into
the cylinders which are made with manhole ends to give access to their interiors.
In the case of boxes the tubes are fixed into plates which are bolted like covers to
the boxes made with flunges for the bolts.
An important feature of my present arrangements consists in the lower
cylinders or boxes not being subjected to direct fire heat or to the intensest heat of
the fire gases such gases acting chiefly on the upper parts of the tubes.
In one modification there are four lower transverse horizontal cylinders con-
nected each by a stack of tubes with an upper transverse horizontal cylinder
directly over it. The furnace is at one end and is by preference of a kind
described in my Patent Specification No. 4430 of 1876; and from this furnace the
fire gases enter first amongst the upper parts of the tubes of the first upper and
lower cylinders. A dipping partition between the first upper and lower cylinders
and the second pair makes the fire gases proceed downwards amongst the first
stack of tubes, then under the partition and upwards amongst the second stack of
tubes. An ascending partition between the second and third pairs of cylinders
causes the fire gases to descend amongst the third stack of tubes, and a dipping
partition between the third and fourth stacks of tubes makes the fire gases ascend
amongst the latter whence they proceed to a funnel or chimney. When the fire
gases reach the fourth stack of tubes their heat will be considerably diminished,
but will be utilised in heating the feed water, which enters the fourth lower
cylinder and passing up the tubes to the fourth upper cylinder which is lower than
the other upper cylinders proceeds thence by one or more pipes to the, other lower
cylinders. The upper cylinders are by preference connected with still higher
steam drums or cylinders.
Instead of the furnace being separate or external it may be arranged between
stacks of tubes which with their upper and lower cylinders are arranged at right
angles to the others. Or there may be two or more furnaces so arranged, but in
the case of each such furnace low brick walls are interposed between it and the
lower cylinders and the lower parts of the tubes.
In modifications with upper and lower boxes of cast steel or other metal the
tubes are by preference made comparatively larger, fewer in number; and they are

page_text: slightly curved to allow of inequalities of expansion without injury. The tubes
are arranged generally like those of the modifications herein before described and
the fire gases are by partitions made to pass partly across and partly along the
tubes in a manner to suitably distribute the heating action. The upper boxes are
connected to higher steam drums or cylinders.
The arrangements hereinbefore described may be regarded as composed of
elements each element consisting of an upper and a lower cylinder or box connected
by vertical or nearly vertical water tubes. The numbers and dispositions of such
elements may be varied in different cases to suit circumstances and requirements;
and each set of elements may have in connection with it one, two, or more
furnaces.
Dated this Twenty-fourth day of April 1894.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.
Improvements in Water-tube Steam Boilers.
I, FREDERICK JOHN ROWAN, of 121, West Regent Street, in the County of the
City of Glasgow, North Britain, 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, that is to say :-
My said invention relates to water-tube steam boilers of the kinds described in
my Patent Specification No. 4430 of 1876, and which were improved modifications
of boilers described in the Patent Specification of my father the late John Martin
Rowan and of Thomas Rodgers Horton, No. 3253 of 1869; and my object is to
further improve such boilers and adapt them for present requirements, whilst
obviating imperfections found to appertain to former modifications.
In my improved boilers the heating and steam generating parts consist.
principally of water tubes which are for the most part vertical and extend
between lower and upper shells or casings either in the form of horizontal
cylinders of boiler plate, or in the form of narrow horizontal boxes of cast steel or
other suitable metal. In the case of cylinders the tubes have their ends fixed into
the cylinders, which are made with manhole ends to give access to their interiors.
In the case of boxes the tubes are fixed into plates which are bolted like covers to
the boxes made with flanges for the bolts.
An important feature of my present arrangement consists in the lower cylinders
or boxes not being subjected to direct fire heat or to the intensest heat of the fire
gases, such gases acting chiefly on the upper parts of the tubes.
Various modifications of my improved boilers are hereinafter described with the
aid of, and with reference to, five accompanying sheets of explanatory drawings.
In one modification, of which Figures, 1, and 2, on Sheets, 1, and 2, of the
drawings are vertical sections as at right angles to each other four lower transverse
horizontal cylinders, A1, A2, A3, A4, are connected each by a stack of
tubes, B1, B2, B3, B4, with an upper transverse horizontal cylinder, C1, C2,
C3, C4, directly over it. The furnace, F, is at one end and is, by preference, as
shown, of a kind described in my Patent Specification No. 4430 of 1876; and from
this furnace the fire gases, passing through a flue, F 1, enter first amongst the
upper parts of the tubes, B 1, of the first lower and upper cylinders, A 1, and C 1.
A dipping partition, D1, between the first upper and lower cylinders, C 1, A. I,
and the second pair, C 2, A. 2, makes the fire gases proceed downwards amongst
the first stack of tubes, B 1, then under the partition, D 1, and upwards amongst
the second stack of tubes, B 2. An ascending partition, D2, between the second
and third pairs of cylinders, A 2, C 2, and A 3, C3, causes the fire gases to descend

page_text: amongst the third stack of tubes, B 3, and a dipping partition, D 3, between the
third and fourth stacks of tubes, B 3, and B 4, makes the fire gases ascend amongst
the latter, whence they proceed to a funnel or chimney. When the fire guses
reach the fourth stack of tubes, B4, their heat will be considerably diminished,
but will be utilised in heating the feed water, which enters the fourth lower
cylinder, A 4, and passing up the tubes, B4, to the fourth upper cylinder, C 4,
which is lower than the other upper cylinders, proceeds thence by one or more
pipes, E, indicated by dotted lines in Figure, 1, to the other lower cylinders. The
upper cylinders, C1, C2, C3, (4, are by preference connected as shown with
higher steam drums or cylinders, G.
Circulation through the stacks of tubes, B1, B2, B3, is provided for by
comparatively large vertical tubes, H, connecting the upper cylinders, C1, C2, C3,
with the lower cylinders, A 1, A 2, A3, and in each tube, H, there is an inner
tube, H 1, open at top and bottom to separate the downward current from the
upward current caused by the action of the fire gases upon the tubes, H.
Instead of the furnace (F) being separate or external, that is as shown in
Figure, 1, it may be arranged between stacks of tubes, B, with their upper and
lower cylinders, C, A, at right angles to the others. Such an arrangement is
shown in Figure, 3, on Sheet, 3, of the drawings, this figure being a vertical section
like Figure, 1, and showing the stacks of tubes, B2, B3, B4, and their upper and
lower cylinders, C2, C3, C4, A2, A3, A4, as in Figure, I, whilst for the
parts, A 1, B 1, C1, there are substituted on each side of the furnace, F, a lower
cylinder, A, a stack of tubes, B, and an upper cylinder, C. There may be two or
more furnaces, F, to each boiler; but in the case of each such furnace, low brick
walls, F 2, are interposed at its sides between it and the lower cylinders, A, and the
lower parts of the tubes, B.
Figure, 4, on Sheet, 4, of the drawings is a transverse vertical section of a
modification in which the arrangement, as shown in Figure, 3, in connection with
the furnace only is extended along the boiler. That is to say, along each side of
the furnace, F, and extending along on each side of a flue or combustion space, in
one or more lengths, there are lower cylinders, A, connected by stacks of tubes, B,
to upper cylinders, C. The stacks of tubes, B, are a little inclined towards each
other, and partition plates, D4, D5, are fixed between some of the tubes and on
the outsides of them in a manner to cause the fire gases, after acting on all but the
outer rows of tubes, to proceed downwards in contact with the outer rows of tubes
and thence into spaces between the tubes and an outer casing, J, in which spaces
are stacks of feed-heating tubes, B5, fixed in upper and lower boxes, K, L.
In modifications with upper and lower boxes, K, L, an example of which is
shown in Figure, 5, on Sheet, 5, of the drawings, these boxes being of cast steel or
other suitable metal, the tubes, M, are by preference made comparatively larger,
and fewer in number; and they are slightly curved to allow of inequalities of
expansion without injury. The tubes, M, are arranged, generally, like those of the
modifications bereinbefore described, and the fire gases are by partitions, D 2,
D3, D4, made to pass partly across and partly along the tubes in a manner to
suitably distribute the heating action. The upper boxes, K, are connected to
higher steam drums, or cylinders, G.
The arrangements hereinbefore described may be regarded as composed of
elements each element consisting of an upper and a lower cylinder or box connected
by vertical or nearly vertical water tubes. The numbers and dispositions of such
elements may be varied in different cases to suit circumstances and requirements ;
and each set of elements may have in connection with it one, two, or more
furnaces.
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 :-
Constructing water-tube steam boilers made up of elements each consisting of an

page_text: upper and a lower cylinder or box connected by vertical or nearly vertical water
tubes, the said elements and other parts of the boilers being combined or arranged
substantially in any of the modes herein before described.
Dated this Twenty-third day of January 1895.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.