IMPROVEMENTS IN THE SCRAPERS OF FUEL ECONOMIZERS AND STEAM GENERATORS
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Needham, of "Dukinfield, in the County
of Chester, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
SCRAPERS OF FUEL ECONOMIZERS AND STEAM GENERATORS."
Scaled the 30th April 1869, and dated the 5th November 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Needham at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
5th November 1868.
I, RICHARD NEEDшAм, of Dukinfield, in the County of Chester,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE SCRAPERS OF FUEL ECONOMIZERS AND STEAM GENERATORS,"
to be as follows:-
My improvements relate to those fuel economizers and steam
generators in which a number of rows of vertical tubes are used, and
consists in so arranging the scrapers that notwithstanding the constant
wear to which they are subjected.their edges will constantly be kept in
contact with the tubes or pipes so as effectually to clear off all adhering
soot. I accomplish this as follows:-The scrapers are carried by frames

page_text: or carriers to which the necessary motion is imparted by means of any
suitable arrangement of mechanism. These scrapers may be of certain
already known forms, that is to say, they may either be in the form of
plates out of one side of which a semicircular piece is cut, corresponding
to the diameter of the pipe, so that two of these plates placed face to
face will just fit round one of the pipes, or they may be in the form of
long plates out of one side of which a number of semicircular pieces are
cut, corresponding in size and position to the pipes, so that two of these
plates placed face to face will just fit round one row of pipes. These
scrapers are not rigidly fixed to the frames, but merely rest on or are
carried by inclined planes, so that each scraper is inclined downwards
towards the pipe or pipes it has to scrape, and being free to move its own
weight keeps it in contact with the pipes. I prefer the angle of incli-
nation to be about 45°, although I do not confine myself to this particular
angle. All the scrapers might be carried by one frame to which an
upward and downward motion is imparted by means of ordinary
mechanism, but it will generally be found more convenient to use two
frames, each carrying one-half the number of scrapers, and arranged so
that one frame shall be moving upwards while the other is moving
downwards. I am aware that it has been proposed to use scrapers of
the form described, but these scrapers were placed horizontally and were
not inclined so as to be kept in contact with the pipes.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Richard Needham in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 4th May 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, RICHARD
NEEDHAM, of Dukinfield, in the County of Chester, Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of November, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the
thirty-second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Richard Needham, Her
special licence that I, the said Richard Needham, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Richard

page_text: Needham, 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 "Iм-
PROVEMENTS IN THE SCRAPERS OF FUEL ECONOMIZERS," upon tho condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Richard Needham, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of
their hands and seals, 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Richard Needham, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:-
My improvements relate to those fuel economizers and steam
generators in which a number of rows of vertical tubes are used, and
consists in so arranging the scrapers that notwithstanding the constant
wear to which they are subjected their edges will constantly be kept in
contact with the tubes or pipes so as effectually to clear off all adhering
soot. I accomplish this as follows:-The scrapers are carried by frames
or carriers to which the necessary motion is imparted by any suitable
arrangement of mechanism. These scrapers may be of certain already
known forms, that is to say, they may be in the form of plates out of one
side of which a semicircular piece is cut corresponding to the diameter
of the pipe, as shewn in Fig. 1 of the accompanying Drawing, so that
two of these plates placed face to face will just fit round one of the pipes,
or they may be in the form of long plates out of one side of which a
number of semicircular pieces are cut corresponding in size and position
to the pipes, as shewn in Fig. 2, so that two of these blades placed face
to face will just fit round one row of pipes. These scrapers are not
rigidly fixed to the frames, but merely rest on or are carried by inclined
planes, so that each scraper is inclined downwards towards the pipe or
pipes it has to scrape, and being free to move its own weight keeps it in
contact with the pipes. Fig. 3 is a side view of this arrangement;
Fig. 4 is a front view, and Fig. 5 a plan of the same.

page_text: B, B; are the scrapers which are
These inclined planes form portions
A, A, are portions of the pipes;
carried by the inclined planes C, C.
of the frame D, D, to which chains may be attached and an upward and
downward motion imparted thereto by means of ordinary mechanism.
Instead of the scrapers being carried in the grooves or pockets E, E,
Fig. 4, they may merely rest on inclined supports. I prefer the angle
of inclination to be about 45°, although I do not confine myself to
this particular angle. All the scrapers might be carried by one frame,
but it will generally be found more convenient to use two frames, cach
carrying one-half the number of scrapers, and arranged so that onc
frame shall be moving upward while the other is moving downward.
I am aware that it has been proposed to use scrapers of the form
described, but these scrapers were placed horizontally and were not
inclined so as to be kept in contact with the pipes.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Needham, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of April, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.
RICHARD NEEDHAM. (L.S.)