IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM BOILERS
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Cowper, of Kensington, in the County
of Middlesex, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
STEAM BOILERS."
Sealed the 3rd November 1853, and dated the 20th May 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Cowper
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition.
on the 20th May 1858.
I, CHARLES COWPER, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM BOILERS" to be as follows:---
I construct a boiler of a number of narrow cells placed in a vertical
position over the fire. The sides of the cells are flat or corrugated or
embossed, and are connected to each other by stays at suitable intervals.
Or the sides are embossed or stamped with a hollow or depression at
each stay, so as to be of the form which the plate would tend to assume
when exposed to a great pressure of steam, and its surface would then
resemble that of a cushion or mattress whose two surfaces are tied

page_text: together at intervals, and which is filled with an elastic material. I
make the cells of a tapering form, or narrower at the bottom than at
the upper part. The sides may be straight or curved, or partly straight
and partly curved. I connect each cell, by means of pipes, to two or
more main pipes or chambers, one of which serves for the steam pipe,
and another for the feed pipe for the supply of water. Another main
pipe or chamber may be employed to collect the sediment left by the
evaporation of the water, and to promote the circulation of the water in
the cells. I apply a stop valve or cock or plug to each of these con-
nections, so that in the event of any one of the cells being burst or
damaged such cell may be immediately cut off from connection with
the rest of the boiler, either by closing the valves by hand or by their
closing of themselves. This arrangement of valves may be employed
with cells with parallel sides in lieu of tapering cells. The tapering
cells may also be connected together without the application of the
valves. Thus they may be connected by short collars or pipes placed
between them, and the whole set of cells may be forcibly compressed
together from the exterior by means of bolts and nuts, or otherwise. The
sides of the cells may also be stayed by stays placed between two
adjoining cells in lieu of in the cells themselves, or the plates may be
embossed so as to come in contact with each other at intervals.
cells may be placed entirely over the fire grate, or they may extend over
and beyond the grate, or they may be placed entirely beyond the grate.
The flame or products of combustion may ascend vertically between the
cells and into the chimney, or they may pass along horizontally or
diagonally before escaping into the chimney. They may be prevented
from passing between the cells (when required) by placing pieces of
metal or brick or other suitable substance between the upper parts of
the cells, or by making the cells so wide at the top as to touch one
another. The cells and grate may be inclosed between deeper cells, or
in a double casing containing water, or they may be inclosed in brick-
work or otherwise. The grate may be divided by prolonging one or
inore of the cells downwards so as to form a partition or partitions.
The

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Charles Cowper in the Great Seal Patent Office,
on the 19th November 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
CHARLES COWPER, of Kensington, in the County of Middlesex, Engi-
neer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of May, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the sixteenth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Charles Cowper, Her special licence that I, the
said Charles Cowper, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Charles Cowper, my executors, administraters, 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,
and Isle of Man, an Invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM BOILERS,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I the said Charles Cowper,
by an instrument in writing under my hand and scal, should par-
ticularly 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 Charles Cowper, do hereby declare
the nature of the 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, and to the figures and letters marked thereon, that is to
say:
The Invention relates to improvements in the construction of steam
boilers, or parts thereof, of a series or assemblage of separate cells, in
manner berein-after described.
Figure 1, Sheet I, of the Drawings, is a front view, partly in section,
of one of my improved boilers. Figure 2, is a back view of the same.
.

page_text: Figure 8, is a longitudinal section; and Figure 4, is a horizontal
section of the same. The same letters refer to the same parts in each
figure. A, A, are a series of flat cells, made of plate iron, or copper, or
other suitable metal, and strengthened by a number of stays, some of
which are shewn in one of the cells at a, a. B, is the grate.
C, D, E, F, G, are five separate cells or chambers, which together form
the shell of the boiler, and which are stayed like the cells A, A. H, H,
are the fire doors. I, is the ash pit. J, is the bridge. K, is a flue
leading into the chimney L. The cells A, are made tapering or wedge
shaped, being narrower at the bottom than at top, and each of them is
connected by a pipe b, with the back chamber G, and by another pipe c
with the top chamber E. The feed water is supplied to the chamber
G, and passes through the pipes b, b, into the cells A, A, and the steam
formed in those cells passes through the pipes c, c, into the top
chamber E, whence it is conveyed by a pipe to its destination. Any
water which may be carried up with the steam into the chamber E
flows back into G, through the pipe i. In order as much as possible
to prevent the water from depositing its impurities in and incrusting
the interior of the cells, each cell is provided with a third pipe d,
which communicates with the chamber G. The effect of the ebullition
in the cells A, A, is to cause a circulation of the water through
the pipes d, d, into G, and thence through the pipes c, c, again into
the cells A. A. The water in the chamber G, being less exposed to
the heat of the fire than that in the cells A, A, is in a less agitated
state, and the impuritics or sediment in the water are thus enabled to
subside to the bottom of the chamber G, whence they are blown off
from time to time through a cock or valve.
The pipes b, c, d, are each provided with a valve, opening towards the
chambers G, and E, as shewn in Figure 3. When the boiler is at
work these valves are open, but in the event of the bursting of either of
the cells A, these valves would be closed by the rush of water and steam
towards the burst cell, so that the escape of water and steam would be
confined to the quantity contained in the burst cell. instead of the
whole contents of the boiler escaping at once:
The valves may be arranged so as to be closed by hand, if preferred,
in which case cocks may be substituted for them. They should be

page_text: closed and opened occasionally to prevent them from sticking or
becoming clogged.
When a cell has burst the boiler may still be used. The burst
cell will of course be burnt at the lower part by the fire, but the other
cells will continue to act.
To repair the boiler the iron plates M, which form the front of the
boiler are removed. Each of the pipes b, c, d, has a union joint, or a
flange joint, or other suitable joint, which is to be disconnected, and the
defective cell can then be drawn out at the front of the boiler. A new
cell, exactly similar, is then slipped in, and the joints made good. The
pipes b, and d, pass through other short pipes e, f, of larger diameter,
fixed in the chamber G.
The shell of the boiler is shewn as composed of five separate chambers,
which are united together by the pipes g, h, i, j, k, l, so that either one
may be separately replaced when required. The shell may, however,
be all made in one piece, if preferred.
The front of the boiler is formed by iron plates M, attached to the
front ends of the cells A, by bolts and nuts, or otherwise, or these plates
may be hinged to the sides of the shell so as to admit of their being
readily moved out of the way when it is required to replace any of the
cells. The upper part of the front of the boiler cannot be removed in
this way, and it is therefore made of several small plates, each of which
may be removed separately. Another mode of constructing the front
of the boiler, or the upper portion thereof, consists in attaching a
narrow plate to the front end of each cell, so that the juxta-position of
all these plates shall form the front of the boiler. The junctions of such
plates may be farther secured by means of narrow strips of sheet iron
placed over them, and secured by buttons or tee-headed bolts and nuts,
or otherwisc.
In this construction of boiler a large extent of surface is exposed to
the heat just above the fire. The tapering or wedge form of the cells
A, causes the flame passages to become narrower towards the upper
part, while at the same time the inclination of the sides of the cells is
considered to facilitate the generation and ascent of the steam. The
rells
may also be tapered from the back to the front of the boiler, so as

page_text: to widen the flame passages over the fire, and contract them towards
the chimney. This tapering of the cells may extend the whole length,
from back to front, or only through a portion of the length, as, for
example, from the back as far as the bridge .J.
Figure 5, is a front view, partly in section, of another of my improved
boilers; Figure 6, is a longitudinal section; and Figure 7, is a plan of
the same. A, A, are the cells, and B3, is the grate. C, D, E, F, G, are
five chambers, forming the shell of the boiler, and connected together by
pipes. The flame and products of combustion from the fire pass
straight up between the cells A, A, and through the opening K, to the
chimney. The water for the supply of the boiler is introduced into the
top chamber E, and overflows from it down the pipe i, into the chamber
G, whence it passes into the cells A, A, through the pipes b, as in the
boiler first herein-before described. d, d, are other pipes for causing a
circulation in the water as before. c, c, are the steam pipes, which
convey the steam into the main steam pipe N. A. wall or lining of
brickwork is shewn at O, for the purpose of protecting the lower part
of the chamber G, from the contact of the fuel and flame. The side
chambers D, and F, may be protected in a similar manner. The other
parts of this boiler are similar to those similarly marked in Figures 1,
2, 3, and 4. A small pipe is carried from the bottom of the main
steam pipe N, to the back chamber G, or to one of the side chambers,
so as to return to the boiler any water carried up or condensed in N. .
Figure 8, Sheet II, is a front view, partly in section, of one of my
improved boilers, set in brickwork, in lieu of being inclosed in a water
casing or shell, as in those shewn in Sheet I. Figure 9, is a back
view of the same; and Figure 10, is a longitudinal section of the same.
A, A, are the cells, and B, is the grate. P, and Q, are the side walls,
surmounted by an arch R, through which is a flue or passage K, com-
municating with a chimney. The upper portion of the front wall S, is
built up separately from the rest of the brickwork, so that it may be
readily pulled down when required to remove or replace any of the
cells. Or this portion of the front may be made of an iron plate or a
frame filled with fire bricks, or other suitable contrivance capable of
being removed when required. in Figure 10, is one of the steam

page_text: pipes which convey the steam from the cells into the main pipe N.
The feed water is supplied to another main pipe T, whence it passes by
the pipes, b, into the cells. Other pipes d, d, connect the cells to the
circulation main pipe U, whence the water descends by the pipes ut, ut,
to the depositing vessel or sediment collector V, and then ascends by
the pipes, to the feed main pipe T. A small pipe is carried from
the bottom of the steam main pipe N, to the pipe T, so as to return to
the boiler any water carried up or condensed in N. A blow-off cock
is fixed at w, for the purpose of blowing off the sediment from time to
time, or for emptying the boiler. The other boilers, herein-before
described, are similarly provided, and they may all be furnished with
safety valves, gauge cocks, pressure gauges, and the usual appurte-
nances of steam boilers, as is well understood. Each of the cells may
also be furnished with one or more apertures in one or both ends for
the purpose of introducing iron bars or rods for removing incrustation.
Such apertures are closed by lids or bonnets when the boiler is at work.
The use of the valves in the pipes b, c, and d, has been already
explained. These valves may, however, be dispensed with, but in that
case if a cell should burst the steam must be let off, as in boilers of
the ordinary construction, and the cell must be repaired or removed,
and another substituted for it, or the pipes plugged up, before the boiler
can be again used. The fire or furnace may be divided into two or
more parts by making one or more of the cells deeper than the others,
so that it or they may reach down to the grate or pass through it.
The steam pipes c, are shown in the Drawings at one end of the
cells, and the feed pipes b, and circulation pipes d, are shown at the
other end of the cells; but it is obvious that they may all be placed at
the same end of the cells, if preferred.
Figure 11, is a transverse vertical section of a boiler, shewing
various modes of protecting parts of the boiler from the direct action of
the fire. The sides of the shell are protected by the brickwork W, W,
and they are brought almost in contact with the adjoining cells, so as to
prevent the flame from ascending between them. The upper part of
the shell is of an arched form, and is protected by an arch of fire brick
X, supported by two angle irons rivetted to the sides of the shell. The

page_text: fluc or passage K, is also lined with fire brick. The bottoms of some of
the cells are protected by troughs or bars Y, of cast or wrought iron, or
of fire clay. The bottoms of the cells may also be protected by walls
of fire brick %, built upon the grate. Both these plans of protecting the
bottoms of the cells may be combined. Thus, every second or third cell
may be protected by a wall, and the intermediate ones may be protected
by trouglis, supported on bars or fire bricks extending from one wall to
another. Another mode of protecting the bottoms of the cells consists
in carrying brick arches across from wall to wall, with numerous per
forations through them in a line with the spaces between the cells, as
shewn in section at e, in Figure 12. The tops of the cells may be also
protected by lumps of fire brick fitted in between then, as at y, in
Figure 11, and perforated with numerous holes for the passage of the
flame or products of combustion. Or a shield of cast or wrought iron
may be made to cover or envelop the upper part of each cell, to protect
it from the action of the flame.
Boilers may be constructed of an assemblage of parallel sided cells,
in lieu of tapering cells, and connected by pipes and valves, in manner
heroin-before described. I, however, give the preference to the tapering
cells, or cells with inclined sides, as affording a freer exit for the steam.
and also as producing gradually narrowing passages for the flame or
products of combustion.
In lieu of connecting the tapering cells together by means of pipes,
as herein-before described, they may be connected, as shewn in section
in Figure 13. A transverse aperture is made through both sides of
each cell A, above the water line, and a similar aperture is made below
the water line. The siles of the cells are swelled out at these parts,
and short tubes 16, and o, are inserted. The projections or bosses thus
formed on the sides of the cells are brought together, or a short tube or
ferule may be inserted between them, as at p. Long bolts q, and r, are
passed through all the cells, and nuts are screwed on to their ends so as
forcibly to compress all the cells together. A small ring of copper
wire, or a piece of wire gauze covered with red lead or other suitable
substance, may be introduced between the surfaces which come in con-
tact, in order to make the joints water-tight and steam-tight. The

page_text: tubes
n, and o, are perforated with holes, so that all the cells are thus
put in communication with each other. The water may be supplied
and the steam taken away from any of the cells, as they all communi-
cate with each other. To remove and replace any of the cells it is neces-
sary to remove the nuts from the bolts q, and r, and to withdraw them,
and to break the joints. The cell is then removed and another intro-
duced. The bolts 9, and 2, are then replaced and the joints made good,
and the nuts screwed up again. This arrangement does not possess the
advantage of those first berein-before described, of enabling a defective
cell to have its connection with the rest of the boiler cut off without
stopping the action of the remainder of the boiler.
The sides of the cells may be male of flat plates, or they may he
undulated or corrugated, as shewn in the horizontal section, Figure 14.
Or they may be embossed into the form which they tend to assume from
the effect of the internal pressure, as shewn in the side view, Figure 15,
and in horizontal section in Figure 16, and in vertical section in
Figure 17. In these figures the plate is of a dome form in the
spaces
between the stays, and resembles a mattress or cushion, whose two surfaces
are tied together at intervals, and which is filled with an elastic material.
The ends of the cells may be made of a flat plate of metal, with the
edges turned up, and the side plates rivetted to it, as shewn in
Figure 14. The cells may be stayed in various ways, some of which are
shown in Figure 14. Thus a, is a stay screwed from end to end, and
inserted into holes tapped in the side plates of the cells. The ends of
the stay are rivetted over. is a stay, consisting of a long rivet
passing through a tube placed between the side plates. 1, is a hollow
stay or tube, screwed from end to end, and rivetted over at the ends, like
the stay a'. Or, in lieu of rivetting the ends of the stays a¹, and a¹¹¹.
nuts may be screwed on them. In lieu of staying the tapering cells by
stays placed in the interior, they may be stayed from the exterior by
means of vertical bars or plates placed between the cells. The whole
assemblage of cells is then placed between two strong plates or frames,
which are held together by strong bolts and nuts passing outside the
cells or through them, as in Figure 13.
In the Drawings the tapering cells are shewn wholly or partially over
the fire, but the fires may be made in furnaces of any suitable form.

page_text: and the tapering cells may be placed in a chamber entirely beyond the
furnaces, and they may thus be employed as substitutes for or in lieu
of the tubes commonly employed in tubular boilers. The cells may then
be tapered, both vertically and horizontally, so as to gradually contract
the passages for the flame or products of combustion from the furnace
to the chimney.
Having now described the nature of the Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I
do not claim generally the manufacture of steam boilers of an assem-
blage of flat cells; but what I claim is,-
Firstly, the constructing steam boilers, or parts thereof, of an assem-
blage of tapering cells, connected by pipes or passages, as herein-before
described.
Secondly, the constructing steam boilers, or parts thereof, of an
assemblage of tapering or parallel cells, connected by pipes or passages
with valves or cocks, so arranged that in the event of the bursting of
a cell that cell may be immediately shut off from the remainder of the
boiler, either by closing the valves or cocks by hand, or by the valves
being closed by the pressure of the steam, as herein-before <lescribed.
Thirdly, the constructing steam boilers, or parts thereof, of an
assemblage of tapering cells, connected by pipes or passages, and so
arranged as to produce a constant circulation of the water through the
cells, and through a vessel not exposed to the fire, or less exposed to the
fire than the cells, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Cowper, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
Witness,
THOS TAYLOR, Ju³,
7, Wellington Row,
CHARLES COWPER. (L.S.)
Bethnal Green.