IMPROVEMENTS IN caster, Boiler Manufacturer, for the Invention of STEAM BOILERS AND FURNACES CONNECTED THEREWITH
Year: 1856

page_text: . LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Hill, of Heywood, in the County of Lan-
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
caster, Boiler Manufacturer, for the Invention of
STEAM BOILERS AND FURNACES CONNECTED THEREWITH."
Sealed the 5th August 1856, and dated the 26th April 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Hill at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 26th April
1856.
I, THOMAS HILL, of Heywood, in the County of Lancaster, Boiler Manu-
facturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN STEAM BOILERS AND FURNACES CONNECTED THEREWITH." to be as follows:-
My Invention consists of constructing and arranging steam boilers and
furnaces so as to obtain additional draught or to admit additional currents'
of air to the combustion chamber and back part of the fire, for the purpose of
consuming the smoke and economizing the fuel.
I fix a grid or perforated plate in the fire or furnace door, which can be
closed or opened, either partially or wholly, by a slide, so as to regulate the
quantity of air to be admitted as required. I also fix air tubes extending from
the front of the boiler to the combustion chamber, and also air tubes to admit
air at the back of the fire. I place a perforated plate at the front of the bridge
below the fire bars to admit air, and close it when desired by a sliding plate or
doors. For obtaining heating surface I use tubes much larger in diameter
than those used in tubular boilers.
The nature of my said improvements will be more clearly understood by
reference to the accompanying two Sheets of outline Drawings and the letters
of reference thereon, in which Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of a boiler with
[Price 8d.]
i

page_text: my improvements attached; Fig. 2, a sectional plan of the same; Fig. 3, an
end view complete; Fig 4, an end view shewing the improvement; and Fig. 5,
a transverse section of the boiler beyond the combustion chamber, shewing the
large tubes to obtain additional heating surface. a represents the furnace or
fire door; b, the gride or perforated plate; c, the slide which covers it when
necessary; d, the air tubes to the combustion chamber; e, the perforated plate
at the front of the bridge; f, the air tubes to admit air at the back part of the
fire; and g, the large tubes.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Hill in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
24th October 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
HILL, of Heywood, in the County of Lancaster, Boiler Manufacturer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Royal
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the nineteenth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Thomas Hill, Her special licence that I, the said Thomas Hill, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas
Hill, my 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, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM
BOILERS AND FURNACES CONNECTED THEREWITH," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Thomas Hill, by an instrument in writing under my
hand and seal, 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 Royal Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Hill, 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
(that is to say):-
My Invention consists of constructing and arranging steam boilers and

page_text: furnaces so as to obtain additional draught, or to admit additional currents of
air to any part of the furnace behind the bridge, or to the combustion chamber,
thereby preventing smoke and economizing fuel.
I fix a grid or perforated plate in the fire or furnace door, the apertures of
which can be closed or opened, either partially or wholly, by means of a sliding
plate or door, so as to regulate the quantity of air to be admitted as required.
I also fix air tubes extending from the front of the boiler to any desired part
of the furnace behind the bridge, or to a combustion chamber, when one is
employed. I also place a perforated plate at the front of the bridge below the
fire bars to admit air, and cover or close it when desired by a sliding plate or
door. For obtaining encreased heating surface, I use tubes or small flues much
For boilers with
larger in diameter than hitherto used in tubular boilers.
internal flues I employ a very efficient arrangement of stays, consisting of
boiler plate and angle iron; and for all boilers with flat ends I attach the
longitudinal stays to two pieces of angle iron, extending entirely across the
end plates of the boiler. I also employ fire bars having transverse projecting
ribs on their upper surfaces for the purpose of slightly raising the fuel from
the apertures, thereby allowing a free admission of air, which is found by
experience to be the case, although the actual space is curtailed in proportion
to the surface of the ribs. Two or more ribbed bars are cast together, though,
when desired, they may be used singly.
These improvements will be clearly understood by reference to the accom-
panying Sheet of Drawings, with the figures and letters of reference thereon,
the said letters referring to similar parts in all the Figures, in which Fig. 1 is a
longitudinal clevation, in section, of a tubular boiler having a combustion
chamber, to which the grids and tubes are attached; Fig. 2 is a sectional plan
of the same; Fig. 3, an external end elevation; Fig 4 is an end view shewing
the improvements; Fig. 5 is a transverse section of the boiler beyond the com-
bustion chamber, shewing the small flues, consisting of large tubes; Fig. 6 is
a longitudinal elevation, in section, of part of a two-flued boiler, shewing the
pipes or tubes for admitting air to the furnace, and also my improved arrange-
ment of stays; Fig. 7 is a transverse section of the same, and Figure 8 is an
external end elevation thereof. a represents the furnace or fire door; b, the
grid or perforated plate; c, the slide which covers it when necessary; d, the air
tubes to the furnace of single, two-flued, or other boilers; e, the air tubes to the
combustion chamber; 1, the perforated plate at the front of the bridge. The
tubes passing through the heated water and the grid in front of the bridge
being below the fire bars, all the air which is supplied is necessarily at a high
temperature, and requires apertures or pipes of a larger diameter than hitherto

page_text: employed, but which have the great advantage of supplying a sufficient supply
of oxygen at a temperature at which it immediately acts upon the products
of combustion and prevents smoke. The larger tubes, constituting small flues,
are shewn at g. One of the ordinary longitudinal stays for boilers having flat
ends is represented at h, Fig. 6, attached to the bars of angle iron i, extending
across the boiler end, thereby affording more solidity and resistance than the
connections at present employed. I also employ stays for supporting the main
tubes or flues, and giving additional strength to the shell of the boiler, which
stays consist of the pieces of boiler plate k, Figs. 6 and 7, rivetted to part of
the inner diameter of the boiler and encircling the flues, to which they are made
fast in the usual manner by the hoops of angle iron l. Below and at the sides
of the flues the necessary apertures m are made for the circulation of the water,
and above are the holes n for the passage of the longitudinal stays. The
apertures for the passage of the water may be of any desired shape. It will
easily be perceived that the above arrangement of stays is of great simplicity,
but affording a degree of strength both to the flues and shell of the boiler
hitherto unattained. My improved fire-bars are shewn at o, Fig. 6, and the
ribs at p.
Having thus fully described the nature and particulars of my said Invention,
and the manner of carrying the same into practical effect, I desire it to be
distinctly understood that I do not confine myself to the exact details herein set
forth, as such may be varied or modified without departing from the principle
thereof; but I claim as of my Invention, and which, to the best of my know-
ledge and belief, has not been hitherto used within this realm, the peculiar
arrangement and construction of steam boilers and furnaces, as herein described,
and illustrated in the accompanying Sheet of Drawings
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Hill, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-first day of October, One thousand eight hundred
and fifty sir
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the within-
named Thomas Hill, in the presence of
E. J. HUGHES,
Patent Agent,
Manchester.
THOMAS HILL. (L.S.)