CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE 07 PLATES AND VESSELS OF METAL AND OTHER SUBSTANCES SUITABLE FOR HEATING PURPOSES, AND IN THE MEANS OF HEATING THE SAME
Year: 1845

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
HENRY JAMES, of Clement's Lane, in the City of London, Civil Engineer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date
at Westminster, the Twenty-fifth day of July, in the ninth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said William Henry James, my exors, adiiors, and assigns, Her especial
licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said William
Henry James, my exors, adiiors, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
William Henry James, my exors, adñiors, or assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time, and at all times during the term of
years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, and in the
Islands of Guernsey, Jersey, Alderney, Sark, and Man, and also in all Her
said Majesty's Colonies and Plantations abroad, my Invention of "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE 07 PLATES AND VESSELS OF METAL AND
OTHER SUBSTANCES SUITABLE FOR HEATING PURPOSES, AND IN THE MEANS OF HEATING
THE SAME;" in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso that I, the

page_text: said William Henry James, shall cause a particular description of the nature
of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
inrolled in Her said Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters
Patent, as in and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully
and at large appear.
.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
William Henry James, do hereby declare that my said Invention has reference
to certain plates and vessels of a cellular, tubular, or vesicular construction,
which formed (inter alia) the subject of former Letters Patent for England
granted to me, of date the Fifteenth day of August, 1832, and to the means of
heating the same, and described as thirteen several improvements, which have
for their object to render the said plates more generally suitable for heating
purposes, cheaper of manufacture, more uniform in structure, and also of
greater strength than heretofore. And the manner in which the said Invention
described in and by the present Specification
is performed is fully set forth and
thereof, that is to say:-
My first improvement consists in an improved method of forming the cellular
metallic plates.
For the better understanding thereof it will be proper, in the
first place, to describe chiefly the construction of such cellular plates as I have
already been in the practice of manufacturing while carrying into operation my
formér patented Invention. These cellular plates were formed of flat slabs of
cast iron, which were much greater in length and breadth than in thickness,
and had a series of parallel cells or tubular passages running contiguous to
each other through them either longitudinally or transversely, the end openings
of which cells or passages were afterwards tapped and screwed and plugged
up with corresponding screwed plugs, and each of the cells made to communi-
cate with two or more cross passages of a larger kind projecting underneath
and along the outer edges of the plate (but all formed together in one casting).
The ends of the cross passages last mentioned, which were of an oblong or oval
shape) had flanges cast under and partly around them, with bolt holes formed
therein, so as to facilitate their union with other similar formed cellular plates,
or for allowing plates of metal, corresponding with the said flanges, to be
screwed or bolted thereto by means of nuts and bolts, with rings or washers
placed between them either for stopping up their end apertures or for uniting
pipes thereto for the purpose of supplying the cells with steam or hot water for
heating the same. Now, in heating these plates with very high pressure
steam, I have always experienced great difficulty in making the flanged joints
steam-tight, either in consequence of the imperfect contact of the rings or

page_text: washers when composed of metal, and the burning away or carbonizing of
such as were composed of pasteboard or other yielding materials. To remedy
this defect, I now propose to make the end openings of these cross passages of
a circular shape, with conical or other shaped circular cavities around or within
the same, and with corresponding protuberances on the flanged plates, and
then to have these ground accurately together, metal to metal, and afterwards
tightened, as required, by nuts and bolts through the flanges thereof, as before
described; metallic rings may, however, still be used, provided there are
circular grooves turned and ground accurately to fit them.
But I generally
prefer dispensing altogether with the flanges and nuts and bolts, and in lieu
thereof to have the circular end openings of the cross passages tapped and
screwed, so as to allow of screwed metal plugs being inserted therein, which.
can be then screwed into them or taken out at pleasure, on the ends of pipes,
properly screwed, may be attached to the end openings of the cross passages
for the purpose of conveying steam or other heated vapours, or liquids for heating
the same.
I further purpose to let the cores by which the main series of cells
are formed terminate in one of the cross passages, instead of passing entirely
through the plates as formerly, which I effect by causing the ends of the cores
to rest upon and be united with one of the cores of the cross passages, whereby
the expense of screwing and plugging up the apertures on one side of the
cellular plates is saved. I also propose, instead of placing the cross passages
underneath the cellular plates, as formerly, to form them of the same size and
in the same plane with the main series of cells, which may be effected by
causing the main series of cores to terminate in the centre of one of the cross
cores by means of pins or wires fixed in the ends of the main cores, and
supported in holes formed in the cross core, and then forming the opposite
cross passage by means of short cores placed between each pair of the main
series of cores, and extending outside thereof, so as to form, when the casting
has been made and the core bars withdrawn, one continuous cross passage,
similar to the other cross passage on the opposite side of the plates. By this
method of employing short cores, the number of cross passages may be
encreased to any extent calculated to promote a more perfect and 'uniform
distribution and circulation of the fluids employed for heating the same.
Again, instead of leaving as small a quantity of metal as possible between the
main series of cells (which had for its object the obtaining of a proportionately
larger heating surface), I now propose to form them at such distances apart
that each of the ribs of metal between them shall at all times be of greater
thickness than the metal either above or below the same, so that in case of the
plates bursting from excessive pressure the fracture shall be thereby caused

page_text: to take place along the top or bottom of the cells in the direction thereof,
instead of the top of the plates being liable, as heretofore, to be separated
altogether from the bottom.
My second improvement relates to the formation of tubular metallic plates.
This I effect by connecting together any number of perfect iron tubes (though
in some cases tubes of other metals may be employed, so as to form a parallel
series with two or more other tubes running at right angles transversely
thereto, and having conical or other shaped openings formed therein, suitable
for receiving the end of such parallel series, which ends are made to fit
accurately in the said openings, and have collars or grooves formed thereon, so
that they may be retained firmly in their places by wires coiled around them
and the transverse tubes. The ends of these transverse tubes are carried
considerably beyond the main series, so as to admit of such ends being im-
bedded in sand or loam, or otherwise supported when placed within iron frames
or boxes adapted for the casting of metals, so that iron or other metals in a
state of fusion being poured over the said tubes so placed, tubular plates of
any required thickness and other dimensions may be formed according to any
given model or pattern. It is advisable that these iron tubes, previous to having
metal cast over them, should be coated with tin or other metals suitable for
preventing the oxydation thereof.
My third improvement has also relation to tubular plates. Instead of using
core bars covered with loam on perfect tubes (as last before described) of
strength sufficient to resist the pressure of the fluid metal in the process of
casting, I bend thin strips of wrought iron plate coated with tin (similar to
what is generally called block tin), or iron coated with other metals to prevent
the oxydation thereof, into a tubular form, by bringing their longitudinal edges
together and forming a lapped joint, or by drawing such thin strips of coated
iron or iron plate through apertures,, according to the size and form of the
tubular cavities required, by means of a drawbench, as is commonly practised
for making copper and other tubes. These thin strips of coated iron have
previously a great number of small holes punched through them (so as to allow
the air to pass from within at the time of casting), and are then filled with
sand or other suitable material compressed to a degree sufficient to give
strength and firmness to the tubes so formed. The tubes are then placed in a
series, and united with transverse tubes of a similar kind, into which their
extremities are made to enter through corresponding apertures formed therein,
which transverse tubes are then also filled with compressed sand or other
material. Melted metal is finally cast over the whole as before described; and
after they have been thus formed into plates the ends of the parallel series of

page_text: tubes which protrude into the transverse tubes may be cut away by means of a
drill cutter, and the sand or other material used for filling the tubes cleared
out from the tubular cavities by subjecting the plates to the effects of per-
cussion in a proper position. By this new mode of casting (as in the second
described method of forming tubular plates) there will be no openings to be
plugged up (as in the first-described method with core bars), and thereby a
considerable saving of expence in that particular part of their manufacture will
be effected. But instead of forming these tubes so thin as block tin, and into
a tubular shape by means of a drawbench as before stated, I sometimes make
them of thick wrought iron plate, equal in strength to the perfect tubes before
described. I then fill them with sand previous to casting to prevent the melted
metal running through the slits left where the edges meet together. These
tubes I proposé forming into shape by passing properly cut pieces of sheet iron
through grooved rollers adapted for the purpose, such iron being first made
red hot.
My fourth improvement consists in forming circular plates with a series of
cellular or tubular cavities within them. These plates may be formed by
means of a series of cores radiating from the centre to the circumference, and
then being united together by a series short curvilinear tubes, filled with sand
(as described in my third improvement), and a circular box at the centre, into
which the ends of the core bars may penetrate, and, after casting, be withdrawn,
when the sand being cleared out the apparatus left may be tapped, screwed,
and plugged up as before described, there being proper openings with pipes
communicating with the circular passages to allow of the admission of the
vapours or liquids employed for heating the same; or these cavities may be
formed entirely with tubes or tubes filled with sand (according to the second
and third described methods of forming these plates), in either of which cases
the plugging may be avoided; or the main series of cells may be formed by
tubes with metal, cast over them in concentric circles, and united by others
radiating from the centre, or in any other forms, so that a series of cellular or
tubular cavities are united together by other cavities, so as to form one vessel
of capacity for containing steam or other vapours or liquids for communicating
heat thereto for heating purposes.
My fifth improvement relates to wrought iron cellular plates. I roll two
sheets of iron so as to have a series of projecting parallel ribs on one side
thereof, of sufficient width to allow of cavities or mortices of a dovetailed
shape being formed therein by planing machines, and in each of the plates
exactly opposite each other, so that tenon-shaped bars, or such as are formed
to correspond with the said cavities; may be inserted therein so as to bind the

page_text: two plates firmly together; or the ribs upon one plate may be placed so as to
slide in the cavities of the other formed to receive them, other cavities being
made therein for containing the fluids by which they are heated, which plates
may then be welded together around their edges by having the ends of the
ribs cut away so as to allow of square bars of iron being placed between the
plates, forming a frame, to which the edges are welded by hand at a common
forge, so as to render the whole perfectly steam and water tight; proper cross
passages may then be drilled through the same to unite all the cells together.
Another mode of forming wrought iron plates consists in placing plates so
formed with ribs one over the other at a proper distance in a furnace so as to
give them a welding heat, and bringing their ribbed surfaces suddenly together,
and passing them rapidly between rollers, regulated so as to give the requisite
pressure for welding them, the edges being afterwards prepared and welded to
a frame formed of bar iron, and then proper cross passages drilled, as before
described.
My sixth improvement consists in forming hollow metallic vessels, with
cellular or tubular sides or circumferences, for the purpose of containing and
heating liquids or substances within them, and which vessels may be formed
with sides and bottoms of any curvilinear shapes. A series of tubular cores
being united to other similar cross cores in manner before described, and put
together according to the shape of the vessel required, and then bound
together by wires intertwined with and around them and each other, similar
to basket work; they are then placed in proper moulds, and fused metal cast
over them, with suitable openings formed therein to receive screwed pipes for
the admission of steam or other fluids for heating the same. I likewise pro-
pose forming cellular or tubular vessels in the shape of metallic pyramids,
cylindrical columns, or polygonal or other shaped pedestals, with vases or other
ornamental figures placed thereon for the purpose of heating rooms or other
I effect this by casting them in proper moulds in which have been
previously placed series of cores or tubes, or tubes filled with sand, and united
to cross tubes or cores in manner before described, and connected with pipes for
the conveyance of heated fluids, which I prefer should be made to flow up
the central passages, and return through the external cells to the boiler or
generator.
uses.
My seventh improvement consists in forming cellular and tubular, flat, or
curvilinear plates or vessels into pans for boiling and evaporating or other heat-
ing purposes, in manner following:-I fit thin wrought iron or other metallic
sides to the sides or edges of such plates or vessels, which sides may be rivetted
together at the corners (if any) to angle iron, and a frame of flat bar iron may

page_text: be fitted around the lower part of the sides, which may be screwed and rivetted
with them to the edges of the plate with red or white lead mixed with oil or
other cement between the surfaces, for the purpose of rendering the joints
water-tight.. Circular plates containing cells as before described may likewise
have cylindrical sheets of metal attached to them and in a similar manner..
Vessels made upon this principle may also be formed with variously formed
curvilinear bottoms, filled with cells united together as before mentioned for the
purposes of boiling or drying materials within them, the upper portions of the
thin metallic sides being strengthened by wires or rods of metal to which their
edges may be attached.
My eighth improvement consists in coating cellular or tubular metallic
plates and vessels, as before described, with tin, zinc, copper, or other metals
suitable for preventing the oxydation thereof, or for enamelling the same, which
may be effected by any of the well-known processes for coating cast or wrought
iron or other metals, or for enamelling the same.
My ninth improvement consists in forming cellular or vesicular plates and
vessels of other substances, such as china, Wedgewood ware, earthenware,
stoneware, or other pottery, by having the same moulded into the requisite
shapes, with cellular or vesicular cavities intercommunicating with one another,
for the purpose of giving them great strength when dried and burnt in kilns as
usual, and their cavities being then connected with pipes for supplying them
with heating fluids (as before described for metallic vessels), such plates and
vessels being very applicable for drying substances or heating fluids of a
corrosive nature, and other purposes when a slow and moderate heat is required;
such substances may be also moulded into blocks or columns with cellular
cavities within them, and burnt and then heated by steam or other fluids,
which blocks or columns may be used with great advantage in the heating of
rooms, for which purpose they may be also rendered very ornamental.
My tenth improvement relates to the heating of these cellular and tubular
plates and vessels composed of metal and other substances; I propose to do this
by steam or other vapours supplied by pipes to the cells from boilers or gene-
rators of the usual construction, when moderate temperatures are required;
but when very high temperatures are necessary I supply them with steam or
other vapours generated in vessels or boilers composed entirely of small tubes
5 made of a strength proportionate to the strength of the plates and vessels, or I
cause hot water or other heated liquids to circulate through the same by any of
the usual methods or apparatus employed for promoting the circulation thereof.
I also sometimes heat these tubular or cellular plates and vessels by steam or

page_text: other fluids circulating through tubes leading from the boiler or generator,
altogether independent of the liquids in the cellular plates and vessels, that is
to say, when the cross passages are made straight, and of larger, dimensions
than the main series of cells, I make use of double tubes (one placed within
the other), and constructed as follows:-The outer tube has one of the ends
stopped, and the inner tube is made to terminate rather short of the stopped
end; the other ends of these tubes are screwed into a cubical block of metal;
the inner tube into a passage running through the centre, and the outer tube
above it, but, nevertheless, communicating with a curved passage opening
underneath the block of metal, into which openings other tubes communicating
with the boiler or generator are screwed, from which steam or hot water is
made to circulate through the double tubes which are previously inserted into
the cross passage of the plate or vessel to be heated, and the blocks screwed
firmly therein by means of screwed projections formed thereon for that purpose.
When there are two cross passages as in the cellular plates, two such double
tubes may be used for heating the liquids within them, and the plates or
vessels so heated may be hermetically closed.
My eleventh improvement consists in the following method of and apparatus
for heating such cell, tubular, or vesicular plates and vessels, or other
hollow or hollow-sided vessels, when a slow and uniform temperature is re-
quired I cause the circulation of liquids in or through such plates and vessels
from other vessels placed below them, which latter vessels are heated by steam
or other vapours of any required temperature from boilers at a still lower level:
For example, I will suppose that there is a boiler placed on the ground floor
of a building, and that under the ceiling is fixed horizontally a large cylindrical
tube stopped at each end, having a steam jacket attached underneath it;
one end of which is closed and the other connected with the boiler by a large
descending pipe of sufficient size to admit the steam and to allow the con-
densed liquor to return into the boiler; this horizontal tube is then, by means
of a proper feed pipe, filled, or nearly so, with water or other liquor to be used;
or, when high temperature is required, this horizontal tube must be made of a
smaller diameter, and heated by a steam or hot water pipe from a tubular
boiler below, which must be made to enter within or pass through the liquor
contained in such horizontal tube, but in this case when the cellular vessels to
be heated contain much liquid it will be necessary partially to fill them pre-
viously to their being heated, or otherwise the horizontal tube would be emptied
of its contents, as will presently appear. I will now suppose that any required
number of cellular or other hollow vessels are fixed upon a long stand or frame

page_text: situated on the floor above, immediately over the long horizontal tube, and
that two circulating tubes are connected with the lower cavities of the plate or
vessel to be heated, and also carried through the top of the large horizontal
tube below (into which each tube is screwed steam-tight), and made to dip
considerably below the surface of the liquid therein, every alternate tube
having a stopcock in it, and being placed in a convenient situation to be
opened and closed at pleasure. Let us now suppose the boiler to be heated,
and that the liquor in the long horizontal tube is made to boil by the steam in
the jacket below, then, as the vapour is generated, the liquid will be forced up
the tubes into the cellular or other shaped vessels above, and the air of the
several vessels being allowed to escape through a screwed vent peg in each, the
vessels may then be hermetically closed. The several vessels being thus filled
with the heated liquid, by the gradual cooling thereof the same will be caused
to circulate, the cooled liquor descending into the horizontal tube, and the hot
liquor thereof continually taking its place. The current of the circulation can
be so accelerated or retarded by the opening or closing of the stopcocks that
any required temperature less than that of the liquor below can be readily
obtained. This apparatus and mode of heating might be found very useful for
drying colours or other substances on plates or vessels of pottery ware, or
hollow vessels of glass might be used for chemical purposes.
My twelfth improvement consists in a method of arranging the chimney flues
of a furnace for heating boilers or generators composed of small tubes, when
applied for generating steam or heating water or other liquids for the supply of
cellular or tubular plates and vessels as before described. This arrangement
of flues is a matter of very considerable importance both in respect to the
working of these plates and vessels with safety, and the convenience it affords
of cooling the same when required for the purpose of cleaning the pans or
yessels used for boiling or for clearing them of precipitates or extracts. Instead
of placing the fire within the tubular boiler or generator as is usually the case.
I place the same in a separate furnace surrounded by fire bricks or other non-
conductors of heat, on the top of which I have two flues, the lower portion of
one of which is formed of sufficient size to contain the tubular boiler sur-
rounded by fire bricks, and the other flue is merely appropriated to carrying
off the smoke or heated air from the fire when required. In these two flues I
place two dampers, (at a sufficient height above the furnace as not to be
injured by the heat, yet so situated as to be conveniently opened and closed at
pleasure), so that by the opening or closing thereof the heat of the furnace may
be applied to the boiler or shut off therefrom (or nearly so), and the flame and

page_text: heated air of the fire being caused to pass away by the other flue; but I prefer
where two cellular plates or pans are in use to have three chimney flues instead
of two, the two external ones containing each a tubular boiler, the centre
merely serving as a flue, and having a damper fixed in each, so that the plates
or pans may by means thereof be worked either alternately or together at the
same time, or the heat may be made to pass off almost entirely by the
centre flue.
.
My thirteenth improvement consists in adapting a safety apparatus either to
the cellular or tubular plates and vessels, or to any portion of the communicat-
ing pipes leading to the boiler or generator, as may be found most convenient.
I connect with any part of the apparatus subject to the pressure of the fluid
used for heating a pipe, which is then bent downwards and turned up again
into the form of an inverted syphon, and fixing on the upper and open end
thereof a flange, having another corresponding ring flange to fit thereon, and
connected together by nuts and bolts, so that at any time a thin disk of copper
or other metal may be bolted between them water-tight, which disc is made
of such strength as to burst by hydraulic power at a much less pressure than
what would be required to burst either the cellular plates or vessels, or the
boiler or any of the pipes connected therewith, so that when put in proper
order, and the inverted syphon is filled with water to prevent the copper disk
from becoming heated, perfect safety may be insured. If its flanged end is
placed outside the building or within a chimney, there will be even little, if
any, inconvenience occasioned by its bursting. By this simple apparatus, and a
thermometer to indicate the temperature, the necessity of employing a safety
valve may generally be avoided.
Having now described my said several "Improvements in the Manufacture of
Plates and Vessels of Metal and other Substances for Heating Purposes, and in
the Means of Heating the same," I declare that I do not claim any of the means,
modes, forms, combinations, arrangements, and applications herein-before
described, except in so far as the same are connected with and have reference
to cellular, tubular, and vesicular plates and vessels suitable for heating
purposes, as before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Henry James, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty-six.
W. H. (L.S.) JAMES.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Twenty-third day of January, in
the year of our Lord 1846, the aforesaid William Henry James came before
our said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification
aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form above
written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according to the
tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Enrolled the Twenty-fourth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and forty-six