Improvements in Water-purifiers for Steam Boilers of the Locomotive Type
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application (in United Kingdom), 11th Dec., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 11th Dec., 1890-Accepted, 21st Feb., 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Water-purifiers for Steam Boilers of the
Locomotive Type
I, JOSHUA BARTLETT BARNES of Springfield in the County of Sangamon and
State of Illinois United States of America 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 in water-purifiers for boilers of the
locomotive type.
My object is to free the water from its impurities after it enters the boiler by the
heat thereof, but before it comes in contact with the flues, or with any part of the
boiler that is exposed directly to the fire, and also to provide means for keeping
the sedimentary matter as it falls to the bottom of the waist or cylindrical part of
the boiler in such commotion as to prevent its hardening into scale; and, further,
to provide means for blowing out under a full head of steam all the sedimentary
matter in the waist of the boiler, and still retain the water which is in contact with
the flues and crown-sheet of the fire-box at its full height; also, to provide means
for washing out the boiler when cold without emptying it.
The details of the device by which I accomplish these ends are fully explained
in the following Specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in
which:-
Figure 1 is a lateral view of the cylindrical part of a boiler of the locomotive
type, provided with my device, and taken in the line of its axis.
Figure 2 is a plan view of a portion of the bottom of the cylindrical part of the
boiler, and
Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view of the cylindrical part of the boiler, taken
in the line, Figure 1.
Referring to the drawings
A. represents the shell of the cylindrical part or waist of the boiler; B, an inner
shell secured at the required distance within the outer shell by segmental
rings, as shown in Figure 1, said segmental rings and the inner shell B
being secured to the outer shell of the boiler by rivets or other suitable means,
and calked so as to form an annular watertight space S between the inner
and outer shell, extending upward to a height about three or four inches or more
above the crown-sheet of the fire-box, and nearly the entire length of the waist or
cylindrical part of the boiler, as shown in Figure 1.
To give better support to the lower part of the inner shell, an oblong frame F,
preferably made of common angle-iron, a plan or top view of which is given in
Figure 2, is secured to the under side of the shell B and adapted to rest on the
bottom of the waist of the boiler, as shown in Figures 1 and 3. Said supporting-
frame, it will be observed, is pierced at intervals along the lower part of the sides
and ends with semi-circular openings r, the use of which will appear when the
operation of the device is explained.

page_text: cc are feed-water check-valves in the forward end of the waist of the boiler,
as shown in Figure 1.
For the purpose of forcing the water to flow downward soon after entering the
annular space or chamber S, the forward, part of the latter is partitioned off by two
segments of a ring, said segments filling the annular space S downward as far
as the flange of the frame F, and upward as far as the curved upper edge of the
inner shell B, as shown in Figure 3. The forward part of the space S thus
partitioned off is closed at the top by a bar p, riveted to both the inner and outer
shell, and is provided with a small steam-vent q.
Between the lower ends of the segments and the vertical sides of the frame F
are openings g g (see Figure 3) which are the only channels of communication
between the two compartments into which the feed-water heater S is divided.
In the bottom of the waist of the boiler, and located between the sides of the
frame, F, is an opening C, closed by any suitable form of mud-valve, hand-holes
closed by the ordinary means being provided, as shown at i i, Figure 2, or located
as most convenient.
The several parts of my device being constructed and connected with the boiler,
as above described, its operation is as follows:-
=
The boiler being full and steam up, the feed-water is admitted to the annular
chamber S by the injection check-valves c c, in the ordinary manner; but, instead
of flowing directly into the main body of the boiler and mixing with the water
which is in contact with the parts of the boiler that are in direct contact with the
fire, it can only enter the body or main part of the boiler over the upper curved
edges d of the inner shell B. The greater part of the heat imparted to the feed-
water is therefore received by the latter at the top of the chamber S, the effect of
which is to drive the sedimentary matter with which the water is charged toward
the lower and, consequently, cooler part of the chamber S, where the water deposits
the greater part of its impurities. The curved edges d d of the shell B are for the
purpose of arresting the flow of such solid matter as would without then find its
way into the main part of the boiler. The large area of the comparatively thin
layer of feed-water, including, as it does, nearly three-fourths of the circumferential
extent of the main body of steam-generating water in the boiler, causes it to rapidly
reach a temperature at which it freely and quickly deposits its impurities, so that
but a very small quantity, if any, of the latter can get beyond the chamber S, from
which it can be so easily blown out under a heavy head of steam that the formation
of scale could only take place through neglect to blow out sufficiently often.
It will be noticed that, by means of my device, all the water contained in the
heater S may be blown out without lowering the water covering the flues and fire-
box below the upper curved edges d d of the inner shell B. In regard to the
forward part of the heater S, which is partitioned off from the main part and pro-
vided with two openings g g for communication with the said main part, the effect
of this chamber is to force the inflowing feed-water down to the bottom of the waist
of the boiler before it flows over the curved edges of the heater, thus increasing the
circulation of the feed-water, by which the precipitation of its solid contents is
hastened. The purpose of the semi-circular openings in the sides and ends of the
frame F is to cause currents and counter-currents in the bottom of the waist of the
boiler when the mud-valve is opened, so as to more effectually sweep out all
sedimentary matter.
My device further affords unusual facility for rapidly and effectively removing
the scum from the surface of the water. This is done by simply opening the mud-
valve when the surface of the water is a little above the upper edges of the inner
shell B, where the long opening on each side of the waist of the boiler and
extending nearly the entire length thereof is thus offered for its escape. It will
also be observed that the space S may be emptied, the hand-holes opened, and every
part washed out with the hose in the usual way without emptying the boiler, thus
effecting a considerable saving of water.
It is obvious that numerous changes in the construction and arrangement of the

page_text: minor details of my device might be resorted to without departing from the spirit
of my invention, and such changes may be necessary to adapt it to different forms
of boilers. I would therefore have it understood that I do not limit myself to the
exact construction of parts shown and described, but consider myself at liberty to
make such changes as come within the spirit and scope of my invention.
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 I
claim is :-
1. In a boiler of the locomotive type, the combination, with the outer shell of the
cylindrical part thereof, of an inner shell concentrically secured in position within
the outer one, extending upward on each side a little above the normal water-line
and made water-tight at each end, so as to form an annular feed-water heater
having communication with the main part of the interior of the boiler only
over the upper edges of said inner shell, substantially as and for the purpose herein
set forth.
2. In a boiler of the locomotive type having, in combination with the waist or
cylindrical part thereof, an inner shell concentrically secured within the outer one,
as described, a supporting frame provided with openings rr, etcetera, and having an
opening in the shell of the boiler for an outlet-valve near the central part of said
supporting frame, all constructed and adapted to operate substantially as and for the
purpose set forth.
3. In a boiler of the locomotive type having, in combination with the waist or
cylindrical part thereof, an inner shell concentrically secured to the outer one, as
described, the bar p, provided with a small outlet-opening and segmental partition-
bars bb, all constructed and adapted to operate substantially as and for the purpose
set forth.
Dated this 8th day of December 1890.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicant.