Improvements in or connected with Steam Generators.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Feb., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 19th Nov., 1891-Accepted, 2nd Jan., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Steam Generators.
I, JAMES MACDONALD STRATTON of 13 Middleby Street Edinburgh in the
County of Mid Lothian Marine Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this
nvention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to improvements upon an invention for which Provisional
Protection was granted to me dated the 14th day of April 1890 No. 5633 entitled
"Improvements in steam generators" and my present invention has for its objects
to subdivide cach tube or tube box and group of circulation pipes into a number of
sections and to provide means for isolating any particular section in which a
circulation pipe or tube box has become defective from some cause.
For this purpose I form the horizontal tubes or tube boxes of any desired shape
and size and place them either upon the interior or the exterior of the furnace or
combustion chamber but I preferably form them of a flattened section and provide
them with flanged covers secured thereto by means of bolts and nuts and adapted
to be easily taken off for the purpose of giving access to the ends of the circulation
pipes.
Instead of forming the circulation pipes after first crossing the furnace or com-
bustion chamber with a lateral bend or elbow in order that in their return they
may clear the first lengths as described in my said former Specification I dispense
with such bend and in lieu thereof I employ a horizontal tube or tube box similar
to that hereinbefore described and into which the circulation pipes are fixed in the
same order that was observed in my former method.
I form the tube boxes in short lengths or sections each one to receive a cluster
of circulation pipes and I connect adjacent sections by means of suitable ways
provided with valves so that a defective section together with its cluster of cir-
culation pipes may readily be cut out of the series; or in lieu of forming the tube
boxes in separate short lengths I may construct them of any desired size and
subdivide them by means of partitions similarly provided with valves.
In some cases I form the tube plate or both the tube plate and cover of the tube
box with diagonal corrugations flutings or recesses so that when they are put
together they will form tubular channels into which the upper and lower circulation
pipes of each pair are caused to open and I place a division plate or partition
between each pair of circulation pipes so as to isolate them from the others.
In order to cut out any particular tube box or section of those tube boxes which
are connected with the boiler or with connecting chambers that are located within
the furnace or combustion chamber and are therefore difficult of access I employ the
following arrangement of parts.
I form a hole in the shell of the boiler or chamber in which I insert a brass bush
formed with an internal skeleton frame and an external annular flange to take a
bearing upon the inside of the boiler or chamber and I form in the tube box a
corresponding hole through which the plain end of the bush extends some distance
and around this bush I place a cylindrical distance piece which extends across the
tube box and assists to support the bush and I provide circulation ways or openings
in the bush and distance piece.
Upon the flanged end of the bush I form a valve seat and in connection therewith
1 employ a screw valve and I operate this valve from the exterior of the furnace by
means of a spindle which passes through a protecting tube at one end opening into
the water of the tube box and at the other end passing to the outside of the furnace
and there provided with a stuffing box around the spindle.
The protecting tube passes through the wall of the tube box and is connected by

page_text: a kind of bayonet joint with the internal skeleton frame of the bush and upon the
exterior of the tube box the protecting tube is threaded and provided with a nut
which bears against the wall of the tube box so that by screwing up the nut the
tube box may be forced against the boiler or chamber and thus with the assistance
of interposed packing a perfectly tight joint may be made between the parts.
Dated this 19th day of February 1891.
5
WHITE & WOODINGTON,
27, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents.
Improvements in or connected with Steam Generators.
I, JAMES MACDONALD STRATTON of 13 Middleby Street Edinburgh in the County
of Mid-Lothian Marine 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 :-
My invention relates to improvements upon an invention for which Letters
Patent were granted to me dated the 14th day of April 1890 No. 5633 for an
invention entitled "Improvements in steam generators" and my present invention
has for its objects to subdivide each tube.or tube box and group of circulation
pipes into a number of sections and to provide means for isolating any particular
section in which a circulation pipe or tube box has become defective from some
cause.
For this purpose 1 form the horizontal tubes or tube boxes of any desired
shape and size and place them either upon the interior or the exterior of the
furnace or combustion chamber but I preferably form them of a flattened section
and provide them with flanged covers secured thereto by means of bolts and nuts
and adapted to be easily taken off for the purpose of giving access to the ends
of the circulation pipes.
Instead of forming the circulation pipes after first crossing the furnace or com-
bustion chamber with a lateral bend or elbow in order that in their return they
may clear the first lengths as described in my said former Specification 1 dispense
with such bend and in lieu thereof I employ a horizontal tube or tube box similar
to that hereinbefore described and into which the circulation pipes are fixed in the
same order that was observed in my former method.
I form the tube boxes in short lengths or sections each one to receive a cluster
of circulation pipes and I connect adjacent sections of the inner tube boxes by
means of suitable ways provided with valves so that a defective section together
with its cluster of circulation pipes may readily be cut out of the series; or in lieu
of forming the tube boxes in separate short lengths I may construct them of any
desired size and subdivide them by means of partitions similarly provided with
valves.
In some cases I form the tube plate or both the tube plate and cover of the tube
box with diagonal corrugations flutings or recesses so that when they are put
together they will form tubular channels into which the upper and lower circulation
pipes of each pair are caused to open and I place a division plate or partition
between each pair of circulation pipes so as to isolate them from the others.
In order to cut out any particular tube box or section of those tube boxes which
are connected with the boiler or with connecting chambers that are located within
the furnace or combustion chamber and are therefore difficult of access I employ
the following arrangement of parts.
I form a hole in the shell of the boiler or chamber in which I insert a brass bush
formed with an internal skeleton frame and an external annular flange to take a
bearing upon the inside of the boiler or chamber and I form in the tube box a
corresponding hole through which the plain end of the bush extends some distance

page_text: and around this bush I place a cylindrical distance piece which extends across the
tube box and assists to support the tube box against external pressure and I provide
circulation ways or openings in the distance piece.
Upon the flanged end of the bush I form a valve seat and in connection therewith
I employ a screw valve and I operate this valve from the exterior of the furnace
by means of a spindle which passes through a protecting tube at one end opening
into the water of the tube box and at the other end passing to the outside of the
furnace and there provided with a stuffing box around the spindle.
The protecting tube passes through the wall of the tube box and is connected by
a kind of bayonet joint with the internal skeleton frame of the bush and upon the
exterior of the tube box the protecting tube is threaded and provided with a nut
which bears against the wall of the box so that by screwing up the nut the tube
box may be forced against the boiler or chamber and thus with the assistance of
interposed packing a perfectly tight joint may be made between the parts.
And in order that the said invention may be more clearly understood and readily
carried into effect I will proceed aided by the accompanying drawings more fully to
describe the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section of a marine steam generator con-
structed according to my invention.
Figure 2 is a front elevation thereof partly in section.
Figure 3 represents an elevation with one of the covers partly broken away of
the inner tube boxes.
Figure 4 is an end view thereof and
Figure 5. is a sectional plan, the section being taken on the line 1-1 of
Figure 3.
Figure 6 is a similar view to Figure 3 of a modified construction of outer tube
boxes showing one of the covers removed.
Figure 7 is a view to an enlarged scale of a portion of Figure 6.
Figure 8 is a transverse section taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 7.
Figure 9 is a similar view to Figure 8, representing a slight modification in the
form of the tube box.
Figure 10 is a longitudinal section to an enlarged scale of the valve together
with adjacent parts of the tube box for cutting out any particular tube box or
closing the water connection therewith.
Figure 11 is a transverse section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 10.
Figure 12 is a similar view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 10.
Figure 13 is a vertical longitudinal section taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 11
but showing the valve rod removed.
Referring to Figures 1 & 2 a represents the outer wall or case of the generator
which latter is formed double as is common in marine boilers and b represents a
cylindrical boiler or steam chamber which is connected by a vertical pipe b with
horizontal water pipes or ways d² which are formed on and connect with the tube
boxes das hereinafter more fully referred to and c represents the furnace or
combustion chamber.
The horizontal tubes or tube boxes d which are located upon the interior of the
furnace are formed of a flattened section and are provided with flanged covers d¹
secured thereto by means of bolts and nuts and adapted to be easily taken off for
the purpose of giving access to the ends of the circulation pipes e.
Instead of forming the circulation pipes e after first crossing the furnace or
combustion chamber c with a lateral bend or elbow in order that in their return
they may clear the first lengths as described in my former Specification filed in
pursuance of the said Letters Patent I dispense with such bend and in lieu thereof
I employ an outer horizontal tube or tube box d* similar to that d hereinbefore
described and into which the circulation pipes e are fixed in the same order that
was observed in my former Specification.

page_text: The tube boxes d d* are formed in separate short lengths or sections each one to
receive a cluster of circulation pipes e the outer tube boxes being supported on
girders and adjacent sections of the lower inner tube box d are connected by
openings with the horizontal water pipes or ways whilst the upper tube
boxes dare connected directly with the water space of the boiler or steam
chamber so that the water will be free to circulate from each section of the
lower inner tube box d through the group of circulation pipes e connected there-
with to the corresponding section of the outer tube box d* and by other circulation
pipes e to the upper inner tube box d and thence to the boiler or steam chamber b
whence it returns by the pipe to the ways d² through the openings d2* connecting
the inner tube boxes d with the ways or conduits d² and the upper tube boxes d
or the boiler or steam chamber and the lower tube boxes d'are provided with
valves hereinafter more fully described by the aid of which any particular section
of the tube boxes d becoming defective by reason of the breaking of a tube or
otherwise may together with its cluster of circulation pipes e readily be cut out of
the series without the necessity for putting the entire generator out of action.
The feed water is preferably supplied to the vertical pipe & at g by any suitable
means or it might if desired be supplied to the boiler or steam chamber b.
In the example given at Figures 3, 4, and 5 in lieu of forming the tube boxes d
in separate short lengths they are constructed of any convenient size and subdivided
by means of vertical partitions d³ formed therein upon which are fitted the
covers which are secured in position by means of bolts and nuts as hereinbefore
described with respect to Figures 1 and 2 and in order to completely isolate one
section from another packing may if desired be interposed between the covers (¹
and the partitions so as to make a tight joint therewith.
In the example given at Figures 6, 7, and 8 which relates to outer tube.boxes
both the tube box d* and cover are formed with diagonal divisions d³ d
formed by corrugations flutings or recesses so that when the parts are put together
they will form tubular channels into which the outer ends of the upper and lower
circulation pipes e of each pair are caused to open, and I place a division plate or
partition between each pair of circulation pipes e so as to isolate them from the
others.
In the example given at Figure 9 the same principle as that lastly hereinbefore
described is preserved but the corrugations are formed only in the tube box d*,
and the cover d¹ fits tightly upon the divisions d³ as hereinbefore described with
respect to Figures 3, 4, and 5.
In order to cut out any particular group of circulation pipes e and corresponding
tube boxes d d* which are all located within the furnace or combustion chamber c
and are therefore difficult of access the following arrangement of parts is
employed.
A hole is formed in the shell of the boiler or steam chamber in which is inserted
a brass bush formed with a flange to take a bearing upon the inside of the
boiler or steam chamber bany suitable packing * being interposed between the
parts, and the brass bush his formed with an internal skeleton frame * hereinafter
more fully referred to.
A hole is formed in the cover d¹ of the tube box corresponding with the hole in
the boiler or steam chamber b and surrounding the hole in the tube box cover dis
formed a tubular projection or distance piece d' through which extends the plain
end of the bush and around the plain end of the bush and upon the inside of
the tube box d is placed a cylindrical distance piece i which extends across the
tube box d and assists to support the tube box against external pressure and
circulation ways or openings are formed in the distance piece to allow the
necessary circulation of the water from the tube box d through the bush to the
boiler or chamber b.
Upon the flanged end of the bush his formed a valve seat * and in connection
therewith is employed a valve j and I operate this valve j from the exterior of the
furnace by means of a spindle which at its inner end is formed with a screw

page_text: thread to engage a fixed nut 4³ formed on the skeleton frame /² in order to give
it the necessary endway traverse and this spindle passes to the outside of the
furnace through a protecting tube k at its inner end opening into the water in the
bush and tube box d and at its outer end passing to the outside of the furnace
and there provided with a stuffing box * to surround the spindle j' beyond which
the spindle is furnished with a hand wheel 3 by the aid of which it may be turned
and the valvej opened or closed.
The protecting tube & passes through the wall of the tube box d and is provided
with a stud which engages a bayonet slot formed in the hollow boss * of the
skeleton frame 2 of the bush h so as to afford a ready means of connecting the
protecting tube k solidly therewith.
Upon the exterior of the tube box d the protecting tube is formed with a screw
thread and is provided with a nut which engages such thread and bears
against the wall of the tube box d so that by screwing up the nut the tube
box d and boiler or steam chamber b may be forced together, and thus with the
assistance of the interposed packing * a perfectly tight joint may be made between
those parts.
A somewhat similar valve is employed in connection with the lower tube
box d and the openings d²* of the ways d² but in this case owing to the formation
of the ways d² the distance piece is unnecessary and the bush being bolted
to the tube box d it is also unnecessary to force the parts together by means of the
screw thread and nut 4 upon the protecting tube k and the corresponding bayonet
joint has therefore been omitted and the screw thread 3 is employed merely to
connect the protecting tube k with the wall of the way d³ of the tube box d and
the nut in this case acts merely as a jam nut as is well understood.
I would here remark that although I have shown the tube boxes d d* located
upon the interior of the furnace or combustion chamber,c they may if desired be
arranged upon the exterior thereof that is to say the inner tube boxes may be
located outside an inner wall such as c¹ in my said former Specification whilst the
outer tube boxes may be located upon the outside of the outer wall a the
circulation pipes e passing through both of such walls to the interior of the com-
bustion chamber c.
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 1
claim is :-
1. In a steam generator a tube box formed in or divided into a number of
separate sections substantially as hercin shown and described.
2. In a steam generator the combination of several tube boxes formed in or
divided into separate sections and a number of circulation pipes communicating
with such sections in such manner as to be isolated in groups substantially as herein
shown and described.
3. In a steam generator the combination of several tube boxes formed in or
divided into a number of separate sections, a number of circulation pipes commu-
nicating with such sections in such manner as to be isolated in groups means for
completing the circulation and means for closing the water communication with or
cutting out any individual section substantially as herein shown and described.
4. In a steam generator the combination of several tube boxes formed in or
divided into a number of separate sections and arranged in different horizontal
planes, a number of circulation pipes communicating with such sections in such
manner as to be isolated in groups and to pass one another in different vertical
planes means for completing the circulation and means for closing the water com-
munication with or cutting out any individual section substantially as herein shown
and described.
5. In a steam generator the combination of several tube boxes formed in or
divided into a number of separate sections a number of circulation pipes commu-
nicating with such sections in such manner as to be isolated in groups means for

page_text: completing the circulation and a number of valves for closing the water communi-
cation with or cutting out any individual section actuating rods or spindles connected
with the valves and passing to the exterior of the furnace and an enclosing tube
and water jacket for protecting each spindle substantially as herein shown and
described.
6. In a steam generator provided with sectional tube boxes a valve boss fitted
into one side of a tube box or the like a valve to seat upon the boss a spindle
connected with the valve and passing to the exterior of the furnace for actuating
the valve a tube surrounding the spindle and at its end open to the water to
protect the spindle with a water jacket on its passage through the furnace or
combustion chamber means for connecting the protecting tube with the boss and
means located upon the other side of the tube box or the like for forcing the parts
together by the aid of such tube in order to make a tight joint substantially as
herein shown and described.
7. In a steam generator the peculiar combination and arrangement of parts
substantially as herein shown and described.
Dated this 10th dow of Navambar 1801
WHITE & WOODINGTON,
27, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents.