IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO STEAM BOILERS AND THE CONSTRUCTION THEREOF
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Phillips Thompson, of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool,
in the County of Lancaster, Consulting Engineer & Patent Agent, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO STEAM BOILERS AND THE
CONSTRUCTION THEREOF." A communication from abroad by Valeruis Duke.
hart Anderson, of Washington, D.C., America.
Scaled the 1st September 1876, and dated the 15th July 1876.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Phillips Thompson at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 15th July 1875.
WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND
RELATING TO STEAM BOILERS AND THE CONSTRUCTION THEREOF." A communi-
cation from abroad by Valeruis Dukehart Anderson, of Washington, D.C., America.
My Invention relates to tubular boilers, and consists in a novel combination
and arrangement of wrought-iron tubes, with cast-iron manifolds or heads,
whereby a large heating surface is produced, a perfect circulation secured, and
the boiler rendered both cheap and safe; in the manner of connecting the tubes
and manifolds, whereby I produce a boiler containing no bolts, rivets, or packed
joints; in a peculiar manner of constructing one form of the boiler in sections,
so that its capacity may be increased and diminished by adding or removing
sections, and in the manner of and tool for preparing the ends of the tubes to
facilitate the setting up of the boiler.
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the most approved form of my boiler removed
from its casing or furnace.
Fig. 2. A longitudinal vertical section through the center of the same, in position
for operation, enclosed by brickwork.
Fig. 3. A vertical cross section of the same on the line x, x, of Fig. 2.
Fig. 4. A perspective view of one of the sections of the boiler.
Fig. 5. A longitudinal vertical section through the center of a modified form of
the boiler, having curved concentric heads or manifolds.
Fig. 6. A front elevation of the same.
Fig. 7. A face view of the rear beads or manifolds.
rn..

page_text: Fig. 8. A longitudinal central section through the center or another form of
boiler.
Fig. 9. A horizontal section of the same.
Fig. 10. A side elevation of the same, with the casing removed.
Fig. 11. A top plan view of one of the sections.
Fig. 12. A view, illustrating the manner in which the ends of the pipe are pre-
pared, and the form and manner of using the tool for that purpose.
Figs. 13 and 14 respectively, a side and an end view of the tool; and Fig. 15 a
side view of the complete tube reduced in length, in order that both ends may be
shown.
My boilers, although they may be made in different forms, consist in each
instance of hollow cast metal heads or manifolds, united by wrought metal tubes.
Each boiler is composed of a series of sections, each section consisting of two
small heads or manifolds at one end, connected by a series of tubes with a large
imanifold at the opposite end. The sections are constructed and arranged so that
they may be readily joined together, or separated, in order to increase or diminish
the size and capacity of the boiler as required, admit of repairs being made with-
out preventing the use of the boiler, and admit of the largest boiler being realily
handled, and carried through small openings and sections. The tubes may be
united to the heads or manifolds in any of the common and well-known methods,
and the different sections of the boiler bolted or otherwise secured together; but
in practice I find that by far the best boiler is produced by providing the ends of
the tubes with right and left hand screw threads respectively, and screwing them
directly into the heads, and also joining the sections by short thimbles or tubes,
having their ends threaded in like manner, and screwed into the heads or manifolds
of the proximate sections. By thus joining the manifolds and sections I produce
a boiler of great strength, simplicity, and cheapness, containing neither bolts,
rivets, braces, nor packed joints. In order to facilitate the putting together
of the tubes and manifolds, the tubes are provided on their ends with small necks,
formed by turning of or reducing the outside of the tubes. These necks being
entered in the holes in the manifolds, retain the tubes in position, and admit of
a number of tubes being readily adjusted and screwed up simultaneously. For
the purpose of readily and rapidly preparing the necked pipe, I employ a tool
having a central cutting lip to divide the pipe into the required lengths, and
with two side lips which cut down the ends of the two lengths or pieces to form
the necks thereon.
Referring to Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, which, as already stated, show the form of boiler
which I consider the best and most advantageous, I will describe the boiler therein
shown and the manner of constructing the same. I first provide a hollow cast iron
head or manifold A, as represented in Figs. and 4, and also two cast iron heads
or manifolds B, shown in the same Figures for each section. I then provide a series
of wrought-iron tubes C, all of uniform lengths and having right and left handed
screw threads cut on their opposite ends. I also provide the heads or manifolds A, B,
with corresponding holes having screw threads cut in them to receive the ends of
the tubes. The tubes C and the manifolds being thus provided are united by simply
screwing the tubes into the manifolds or heads, so that the tubes and manifolds
form a section such as represented in Fig. 4.
The heads or manifolds B have large
holes made in their sides and provided with screw threads to receive the ends of
short tubes or thimbles I, by means of which the sections arranged side by side are
united to each other, as clearly represented in Figs. 1 and 3. The tubes or thimbles
I, like the main tubes C, are provided with right and left hand threads on their
The tubes Care
ends, so that both ends are screwed into place at the same time.
divided into two sets, the lower set inclining upward from front to rear, while the
upper set is inclined in the opposite direction, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4, for the
purpose of ensuring a more rapid circulation of the water and the more ready escape
of the steam into the steam drum E, which is located over, the central section as
shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3. The central or main section of the boilers is constructed

page_text: like the others, except that instead of the two short manifolds B it has a longer
As shown in Figs.
and larger one C at its front end, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.
1, 2, and 3 the manifold C is provided at its upper end with a neck to which the
steam drum E is screwed fast. It will be seen that the boiler constructed as above
described is composed wholly of the wrought-iron tubes and the cast-iron manifolds
or heads, and that they are united by simply screwing them directly to each other,
whereby all rivets, bolts, and tie rods ordinarily used in boilers are dispensed with
and all packed joints avoided, thus rendering the boiler cheap in construction and
easy to set up and take down. When thus constructed the boiler can be shipped in
pieces and set up by ordinary workmen, and one great advantage of them is that
they can thus be carried in pieces through doors and passages where an ordinary
boiler could not pass, and transported in places where there are no facilities for
carrying and handling heavy weights, and then be set up when at the desired place
with little labor and in a short space of time. The sections may be made of any
desired size, the size of the tubes being increased in proportion to the increase in
length, the size of the sections depending somewhat upon the purpose for which the
boiler is to be used, its capacity, and the pressure of the steam required. Any
number of sections may be added each side of the central section, and thus the
boiler increased in capacity to any extent required without increasing the size of
the sections. When a large number of sections are united in one boiler it is
advisable to introduce at regular intervals two or more of the sections C, with a
steam drum for each, and all the drums connected by pipes with each other or with
a single large drum communicating with all of said sections, to equalize the pressure
and permit the more ready escape of the steam from the interior of the boiler.
In order to prevent foaming and to prevent the water from being carried out
with the steam locate a curved plate O, in the upper part of the manifold C,
at the point where the steam passes out toward the drum. When my boilers
are of small size they may be enclosed in a metal casing or furnace, but
when of large size I prefer to mount them in brickwork and in the
manner represented in Fig. 2, in which L indicates the brickwork surround-
ing and enclosing the entire boiler, and containing in the forward end the
grate G, upon which the fire is made. The bridge wall F is extended up to the
lower tubes, and a series of plates e, x, l, and u arranged, as shown in Figs. 1 and
2, for the purpose of directing the flame and heated gases around and between the
tubes and inanifolds in such manner as to secure the most rapid vaporization of the
water. A mud drum D is located in rear of the bridge wall and connected by
pipes a with the lower manifolds B, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, though the connection
may be made at other points if preferred. By setting the boiler in the manner
shown, and arranging the plates to direct the flame and heat as described, a very
economical use of the fuel is effected. A boiler constructed on the plan above
described is adapted for use for all the ordinary purposes for which steam boilers are
employed, and for heating buildings as well as for operating machinery. Its
extreme simplicity and cheapness, taken in connection with the facts that it has no
packed joints to become loose, and no extra parts which can be disarranged or
broken, and that it cannot be exploded, as a whole render it in every respect
superior to any other boiler heretofore constructed. Although the construction
described is considered for most purposes the best that can be adopted, the
modified construction represented in Figs. 5, 6, and 7 may be in certain exceptional
cases preferred, more especially, however, when the boiler is to be of small size.
This modified boiler is of the same general construction as the one already described,
the main difference being, simply that it has its heads or manifolds made in a
curved instead of a flat form, and that it has a feed water heater mounted in the
fire box. Referring to the Drawings, Figs. 5, 6, and 7, G₁ and E¹ represent the
two rear heads or manifolds, each made in the form of a hollow ring, the former of
such diameter as to pass within the latter and leave an annular space between
them as plainly represented in Fig. 7. T', O¹, represent the front manifolds or heads,
of which there are an upper and a lower pair made of a semicircular form of some-

page_text: what greater radius than the rear manifolds, and arranged to fit one within the
other as shown. As shown in Fig. 5 the front and rear manifolds are connected
with each other by longitudinal tubes a¹ and c¹, which have their ends provided
with right and left hand threads, and screwed directly into holes made for the
purpose in the manifolds as shown. It will be observed that the tubes a¹ connect
the outside manifolds E' and T while the tubes C¹ connect the inside manifolds
G and O¹, so that the tubes form two concentric circular rows. As the front
manifolds are somewhat larger than the others the tubes are thereby given an
inclination facilitating the circulation of the water and the disengagement of the
steam therefrom. The inside front manifolds O¹ are connected with each other by
a pipe L, having its ends provided with right and left hand threads, and screwed
therein as shown. The manifolds 0¹ are also connected in a like manner by tubes or
thimbles to the outside front manifolds T", as clearly represented in Figs. 5 and
6. The upper manifold T' is also connected by a tube or thimble with a steam
drum B¹, mounted on its top as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. The boiler is mounted in
a casing A provided with a fire chamber at the front containing a fire grate S¹,
with a horizontal diaphragm F¹ passing between the upper and lower flues, but
stopping short of their rear ends, and with a smoke flue or stack T¹, at the front
end; above the diaphragm, all as clearly represented in Fig. 5. For the purpose of
heating the feed water I arrange within the fire box on each side a series of vertical
tubes L which are connected at top and bottom with horizontal pipes O¹ as
represented in Figs. 5 and 6. The lower tubes? or pipes O¹ are connected by
short pipes, which extend out through the case with the feed pipe H', to
admit water while the upper pipe O is connected by an inclined pipe 1' to
the upper portion of pipe H to permit the steam to ascend into the upper
front head T, as shown in Fig. 5. As shown in Fig. 6 the lower front
head or manifold T' has a tube R¹ cast thereon, and connected by tubes at each
end to the feed pipes H. C' represents the tank containing the feed water from
which the water is fed automatically to the mud drum J¹, and thence through the
pipes H¹ into the boiler, the flow being controlled by the admission of steam into
the closed water tank C. It is obvious that in constructing a boiler of this
character more than two sets of manifolds and tubes may be used, provided they
are arranged concentrically and that the tubes may be made of any suitable length
and diameter. The boiler represented in Figs. 8, 9, 10, and 11 closely resembles in
its general construction and arrangement of parts that represented in Figs. 1, 2, 3,
and 4, the only essential difference between the two being that in the latter case
the tubes are welded, rivetted, or otherwise united to the manifolds, and the sections
bolted or otherwise secured to each other instead of being united by tubes or
thimbles screwed therein. As clearly seen in Figs. 8, 9, 10, and 11 the boiler
therein represented is composed of a series of sections, such as represented in
Figs. 9, 10, and 11, secured parallel with each other on opposite sides of a main
central section. The side sections consist of a single vertical hollow head or mani-
fold g, at one end connected by a series of tubes with two short manifolds h² at
the opposite end, the latter being arranged one above the other as shown in Fig. 10.
The central section consists of an upright cylindrical body a², provided at its lower
end with two lateral necks or throats be one above the other to which there are
bolted two short manifolds or heads C, which latter are connected by tubes a to a
single long manifold e at the rear end, as clearly represented in Figs. 8 and 9.
The short manifolds at the front end of the boiler are bolted securely together side
by side, and openings 2 made from one to another, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9, to
permit the circulation of water between them, but between the long heads or
imanifolds and g² there is no direct communication. The body of the boiler is
surrounded by a shell or casing E, provided at the bottom with a fire-grate F and
at the top with an opening, to allow the escape of the smoke and other products
of combustion, both the grate and the opening being arranged at the middle of the
boiler as shown. Between the upper and the lower tubes of the boiler I arrange two
horizontal sliding plates C, which may be moved out, as shown in Fig. 8, to permit

page_text: the smoke and flame to pass up directly to the outlet, or moved inward to the
middle so as to cause the flame to pass outward around them in a circuitous route
before reaching the outlet. This boiler although possessing a large heating surface,
and being simple in construction, is inferior to the others in this, that it requires
the employment of bolts, and that it can be more readily opened and caused to
leak in the joints by the expansion and contraction of the metal. In order that
the tubes when provided with threaded ends may be the more easily adjusted and
screwed into the manifolds, each one has its ends turned down or reduced in
diameter on the outside in such manner as to leave a small neck C thereon extending
beyond the screw thread, as shown in Figs. 12 and 15. Ordinarily the necks are
formed first and the screw threads cut afterward. In order to form the necks with
uniformity, and at the same time cut the tube into the required lengths, I employ a
cutting tool C³ represented in Figs. 13 and 14. The tool is intended to be used
like the ordinary cutting off tools in a lathe, and as shown in Fig. 12; it is provided
with a central lip to effect the severance of the tube, and with two side lips to
form the necks. When the tubes are prepared with the necks a series of them can
be readily inserted and adjusted in the manifolds and all screwed up simultaneously
without difficulty, each tube being sustained and held in place by its necks entering
the holes until the others are in position, so that the operation of screwing them up
can be commenced.
Having now described my Invention what I claim is-
1st. A section for a steam boiler composed of the manifolds A and B, B, each tast
complete in a single piece, and united by the wrought-iron tubes C, having a right
hand screw thread on one end and a left hand thread on the opposite end,
substantially as described and shown.
2nd. A steam boiler composed of a series of sections constructed as above
described, said sections being united by connecting thimbles I screwed therein,
substantially as shewn and described.
3rd. In combination with a steam boiler having a series of horizontal tubes or
flues, the plates e, l, x, and u, arranged substantially as described, whereby the
products of combustion are directed in the course set forth.
4th. A steam boiler composed of a series of parallel sections, each section composed
of a single rear manifold connected by tubes with two front manifolds, and the
front manifolds of each section communicating with the corresponding manifolds of
the proximate sections, substantially as shown and described.
5th. A section for a steam boiler composed of two hollow front manifolds arranged
one above the other, connected by tubes with a single rear manifold, the front
manifolds being provided with openings to communicate when they are in position
with the manifolds of the adjacent sections, substantially as shown and described.
6th. The tool herein-before described for cutting the tubes, substantially as shewn
and described, and for the special purposes set forth in his Specification.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Phillips Thompson, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twelfth day of July, in the year of our Lord
JHOL
Witness,
EDWARD G. COLTON,
Patent Office,
6, Lord Street,
Liverpool.
WM. P. THOMPSON. (L.S.)