IMPROVEMENTS IN TUBULAR STEAM BOILERS 33 AD ARTED
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Lake, of Devonport, in the County of Devon,
Miller, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN TUBULAR STEAM BOILERS
33
AD ARTED
Locoxon
33
Sealed the 20th February 1866, and dated the 1st September 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 1st
September 1865.
I, JOHN LAKE, of Devonport, in the County of Devon, Miller, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN TUBULAR
STEAM BOILERS OR GENERATORS FOR AGRICULTURAL OR OTHER LOCOMOTIVE STEAM
ENGINES," to be as follows (that is to say):-
My improvements in steam generators or boilers for locomotive and marine
engines, as well as for engines used for agricultural traction and other like
purposes, are entirely confined to the description known as tubular boilers,
and consist in applying at the rear end of such boilers a valve to each separate
flue way, the several valves, according to the number of the flue ways, being
acted on separately, sectionally, or simultaneously, so as to more or less
control or held in check the heat that otherwise would too rapidly pass
through the flue ways to the chimney, as also the construction of the fire-box
or furnace, by constructing it of boiler plate, so as to form a part and parcel
of the means of generating steam, so arranging the front that an opportunity
may be readily afforded by daily (or as frequent as occasion may require)
[Price 8d.1

page_text: cleaning of the flue ways thoroughly from front to back, the valves being
capable of being displaced for that purpose. This flue cleaning may be
effected by a metal wire brush or other equivalent means.
These several improvements are already secured to me as adapted for
stationary or fixed engines by Letters Patent dated February 7th of the
present year, No. 345.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 1st
March 1866.
:
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
LAKE, of Devonport, in the County of Devon, Miller, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the First day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-ninth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, given and grant unto me,
the said John Lake, Her special license that I, the said John Lake, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John.
Lake, my executors, administrators, or 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
"IMPROVEMENTS
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
STEAM BOILERS OR GENERATORS FOR AGRICULTURAL OR OTHER LOCOMOTIVE STEAM
ENGINES,"
'upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Lake, 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 Letters Patent..
IN
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Lake, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement (that is to say):-
My improvements in steam generators or boilers for locomotive and marine
engines, as well as for engines used for agricultural, traction, and other like
purposes, are entirely confined to the description known as tubular boilers,
and consist in applying on the rear end of such boilers a valve to each

page_text: separate flue way, the several valves, according to the number of the flue
ways, being acted on separately, sectionally, or simultaneously, so as to more
or less control or hold in check the heat that otherwise would too rapidly pass
through the flue ways to the chimney.
These improvements I have already secured by grant of Letters Patent
bearing date the Seventh day of February 1865, No. 345, but in which
Patent, as described in my Provisional or Complete Specification, I restricted
or limited the said improvement to steam generators for fixed engines or
stationary boilers, which in general are restricted as to the tube or flue ways,
but the result of my experiments has been so satisfactory as to determine me
in applying my improvements to steam generators for locomotive and marine
boilers where such are constructed with tubular flue ways; and in giving
effect to my Invention as applied to the boilers herein named the general
details for supporting, holding, arranging, and actuating the valves may be
varied and modified for the different kind and size of boilers or steam
generators required, as, for instance, the boilers for railway locomotive engines
are generally constructed with a great number of tubes, averaging from a 150
to 200 or more tubes; and I may say that in the construction of locomotive
and marine steam generators it is desirable for the economy of fuel that the
whole water space of such boilers should be intersected as general as possible
with suitable sized flue ways or tubes. From this it will be understood that
in the adaptation of my principle for agricultural or portable traction railway
or marine generators the general details have only to be modified for the con-
venience of size, and actuating it accordingly; but it may be necessary to
observe that in my Provisional Specification I mentioned the construction of
fire-boxes for such generators as being made of boiler plate, and leaving
water space to assist in the rapid generation of steam, but this I find to be in
use, and therefore I will not further refer to it, but shall restrict my description
to the application of the valves for retarding and holding, as it were, the heat
in the tubes or flue ways of such boilers or generators, which would otherwise
be carried off in an unexhausted state with the unconsumed gases by the force
of the draught.
But as my Invention of application will be better understood by referring
to the Drawings hereunto annexed, I will proceed to describe the same,
reference being made to the various views, sections, and details (that is to
say) :-
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 represents a side and base view of the shape or description of a
valve or impeder I prefer adopting. The serrations divide the current at the

page_text: same time the escape is impeded to the extent of the bulk that enters the
flue ways, but which I do not purpose to entirely close, as will be seen by its
relative size to the tube represented in dotted lines marked a, a, in this same
Figure, but if a closer fit be desirable the serration may be reduced or
modified accordingly; these conical serrated valves or stoppers I purpose
forming by preference of cast iron with a tapped half-inch or other suitable
sized pin laid in the mould, around which the metal flows in the process of
casting, as well understood by moulders accustomed to cast articles in metal.
The use of the shank is for attaching it to an iron frame or seat arranged
according to the tubes in the boiler or generator to which my improvements
may be applied, or a hole may be cast through the valves, Figure 1, for
receiving a pin or bolt, which I prefer being fashioned with a sharp conical
point for the head. The size and proportion of Figure 1 may be considered
as full size, and suitable for a railway locomotive or marine boiler, but may
be larger when larger tubes are used. Figure 2 represents a sectional end view
of a tube of suitable size in proportion to the conical valve exhibited at
Figure 1. In practice I have found it desirable to divide the frame or seat
of the valves into parts for the convenience of handling or removal for
repairs, and the general construction that I have found most simple and
inexpensive I have sufficiently exhibited at Figure 3 to be understood by
practical men acquainted with such work, and which represents generally in
an end sectional view the smoke box of a locomotive boiler. The circles and
concentric circles represent the ends of the tubes, a portion of which are
obscured by the frame or bars for carrying the valves or dampers, that is to
say, A, A, is the smoke box; b, b, b, are the ends of the boiler tubes; C, C, are
angle-iron sides of my frame for carrying the valves; and D, D, and E, E, are
the top and bottom rails bolted or secured to the angular sides. The lower
rail E I prefer being of oval iron, that no dust or ashes may lodge on it. To
the top and bottom rail I secure two vertical stays marked f, f, and f, f.
which I have found convenient to make of half-inch rod iron bent and welded
together; this mode of construction allows a central stop or opening for the
adjustment of the other parts. g, g, g, are horizontal bars or supports, made
also of half-inch round rod iron, or other suitable size, in the manner as
described at and f; these series are again united vertically in like manner
by the supports marked h, h, and these bars are severally held by their being
so adjusted as to cross each other in the centre of the most suitable tubes, in
order that the shank of the serrated damper applied to the said tube shall
pass through the angular opening of the stays, and be secured by a washer
and nut, thus not only securing the conical damper in position, but uniting the

page_text: frame generally for receiving the remaining portion of the series. Thus it will
be seen that by removing the nut and washers from the series, as at k, k, and
1, 1, the whole of this part or series of dampers may be removed, and in
like manner the lower series secured by the corner nuts and screws, as at
m, m, and n, n, may also be removed and held in position, and this mode has
only to be repeated on the other side and applied to the other portion of the
frame to make it complete. This frame I attach to two strong open bars
marked p, p, secured to the sides or angle iron before referred to, and at
right angles with its plane; these bars rest on and work between top and
bottom rollers suitably secured, one each side of the smoke box, as represented,
edge view, at q, q, and r. 7. F, F, is an axis extending from side to side of
the smoke box, and to which is secured the vertical levers marked H, H, the
top ends of which pass into the slotted end of the bars or supports, p, p, and
by having another arm or lever fastened or formed on the outside of the
axis F, as exhibited at J, connected to a horizontal rod extending for con-
venience to the front of the engine or boiler, where it may be connected to
another vertical lever (not necessary to be exhibited here), but by which
means the engine driver has always the valves or dampers under control, as
by the exertion of hand or vertical lever referred to the whole or combined
series of the valves or dampers are made to retire from or advance to the
ends of the tubes as he (the driver) may require or desire their use for
impeding and arresting the flow of the heat or flame, and thereby igniting
the gases and exhausting the heat given out by the fuel for the purposes of
generating steam, and by the more or less serrated form of the conical valves
or dampers, so the current of heat or draught way is divided and broken up,
which keeps the tubes perfectly clean from end to end for any length of time,
thereby exposing the whole surface space of the tubes to the action of the fire
and freed inflammable gases.
Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of what may be considered an
ordinary multitubular boiler with furnace and smoke box such as are
commonly arranged and adapted for a railway locomotive engine, and of
which Figure 3 represents the smoke box end drawn to double the size in
the sectional view, Figure 4; the blow-off pipe or tube marked K, K, is
represented broken away in the middle, for the purpose of better exhibiting
the details relating to my improvements or system of valves for damping or
regulating the draught and heat, which are here représented arranged as
attached to the frame or seat marked C, C. The dampers or valves are
arranged in intermediate perpendicular rows, so as to be opposite the inter-
mediate openings of the tubes, the front sectional row being marked b, b, b,

page_text: the corresponding serrated conical valves standing opposite the same row of
tubes being respectively marked s, s, s, for in like manner to the boiler, which
is in lengthway vertical section, so also have I exhibited the same proportion
of valves within their seat or frame, which is, as before stated, attached to
supports, one being here shewn in a side view marked p, p, strongly secured
to the angle iron of the frame C, C. The support p, p, is supported on the
roller t, which works on an axis secured to a strong plate, which is bolted or
otherwise secured to the side of the smoke box, and which wheel has a central
flange which works along in a vertical opening in the support p, and as the
main weight of the damping valves is beyond the periphery of the roller t, I
have introduced the top roller u, which prevents the support p from rising at
its back end, a flange being formed in the centre of this roller also for the
same purpose as described of the roller t. In the back end of the support p
two stops are formed for freely holding the top end of the lever H, which
works on an axis, here shewn in section marked F, and by means of which
in connection with the system of levers, as described in reference to Figure 3,
so the supports with the old system of dampers or valves are carried forward
into the opening of the tubes or retired, as here shewn, at the pleasure of the
attendant.
Figure 5 represents a top view of the supports p, p, with corresponding
sustaining rolls t and u, as also the frame to which the dampers or valves are
intended to be attached, but which are omitted to avoid confusion. In this
view I am enabled to show the openings in the extreme end of the supports p, p,
for receiving the upper ends of the lever H, H. I have not thought necessary
to show the various modifications that may be used or adopted at the option
of the various engine constructors or directors for marine boilers, or for the
general class of locomotive and traction engines commonly designated portable
engines, as an ordinary skilled workman will know readily how to adopt and
apply my Invention to such description of engines. And I will further
remark that the object of my improvements is by no means new, as it has
been sought to be attained in various ways, and various Patents have been
granted for the modes or contrivances for effecting it, such as by forming or
placing breaks or irregular projections in the tubes, or placing coiled or
irregular strips of iron lengthway in the tubes, as also by adjusting a kind of
perforated screen or louvre plates in the smoke box against the tubes, as well
as various other modes, which generally have failed from the obvious reasons,
first, that they harbour and retain the particles of unconsumed coal or coke
within the tubes, thereby contracting their heating surfaces as well as gene-
rating difficulties for the ready cleaning or removing such objectionable

page_text: accumulations, neither of which are attendant with my mode, for in the
first place, while ample provision is made for the ready examining and
removal of the grit or any other scale or deposit from the tubes of such
boilers, by my arrangement I have found in practice that by throttling, as it
were, the tubes at their rear end, and thereby retaining the heat within them,
there is not only no deposit of loose dust or grit, but no scale is formed within
the tubes that the heat does not consume or destroy, so that it may be carried
away by the current of the draught.
Having now given a full description of the object and purpose of my
Invention, and the manner in which the same may be carried into effect, I
desire it to be understood that I do not purpose confining myself to the details
herein described and exhibited, or to the proportions or means of connecting
the various parts, or adapting and arranging them for the various kinds of
moveable engines, as herein-before referred to, and to which my Invention
may be advantageously applied, or to the means of actuating the same;, but
what I claim and wish to protect by these my in part recited Letters Patent
is, the use of dampers, plugs, or valves, with the means of advancing or retiring
the same as required, separately, sectionally, or combined, as herein-before
described, or their equivalents, for contracting the opening of the inner ends
of the tubes of such boilers or steam generators.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of February, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
5 Witness,
WILLIAM LOACH,
Clerk to James S. Cockings.
Patent Agent,
Birmingham.
JOHN LAKE. (L.8.)