IMPROVEMENTS IN BOILERS OR STEAM GENERATORS
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Lees, of Hyde, in the County of Chester,
Engineer, for the Invention of “IMPROVEMENTS IN BOILERS OR STEAM
GENERATORS."
Scaled the 21st February 1871, and dated, the 30th November 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Lees at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
30th November 1870.
I, ROBERT LEES, of Hyde, in the County of Chester, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
BOILERS OR STEAM GENERATORS," to be as follows:-
1
My Invention relates to the ordinary Cornish or other boilers employed
in the generation of steam, and consists in a method of readily increasing
the power of the said boilers, and at the same time of rendering them
more economical in respect to the consumption of fuel. For this purpose
I attach to such portions of the surface of the said boilers, or of the
internal flues thereof as are exposed to the heat from the furnace,
spherically shaped water pockets or annular pipes, or both the said
pockets and the said pipes. The said pockets or pipes are secured to
the shell of the boiler or of the internal flue, or of each internal flue in
such positions as to break up the flame, so as to utilise the beat. The

page_text: said pockets are formed with necks, by means of which they are firmly
attached to the said shell by screwing or riveting, in such a manner that
the water will have free access to the interior of each pocket. The said
pockets may be varied in form, but I prefer the spherical or partly
spherical form, as giving great strength in proportion to the size of the i
pocket. The tubes are each bent or otherwise formed into an annulus,
the cross section of which annulus may be of a circular, square, or other
form, as preferred. The tubes so formed are more particularly adapted
to be used in internal flues, and when so employed are connected by
pipes or necks with both the upper and the lower portions of the flue, so
that there may be a circulation of water through the said tubes. In
some cases I employ tubes bent or formed into such suitable shapes as
will admit of both ends of cach tube being attached to the shell of the
flue, such tubes being fixed near the upper portion of the flue, and
being connected with the lower portion of the flue, as in the case of the 1
annular tubes. The said pockets or tubes may be made of iron, steel,
brass, copper, or other suitable metal.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Robert Lees in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 27th May 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
LEES, of Hyde, in the County of Chester, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirtyieth day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-
fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Robert Lees, Her special license that I, the
said Robert Lees, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Robert Lees, 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, tho Channel Islands,
and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM GENERATORS,”
upon the condition, amongst others, that I, the said Robert Lees, by an 3

page_text: instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is 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 Robert Lees, 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 and accompanying Drawings, that is to say :-
My Invention is applicable to the ordinary Cornish or other boilers
employed in the generation of steam, and consists in a method of readily
increasing the power of the said boilers, and at the same time of
rendering them more economical in respect to the consumption of fuel.
For this purpose I attach to such portions of the surface of the said
boilers or of the internal flues thereof as are exposed to the heat from
the furnace spherically shaped water pockets or annular pipes, or both
the said pockets and the said pipes. The said pockets or pipes are
secured to the shell of the boiler or of the internal flue, or of each
internal flue in such positions as to break up the flame, so as to absorb
heat therefrom. The said pockets are formed with necks, by means of
which they are firmly attached to the said shell by screwing or riveting,
in such a manner that the water will have free access to the interior of
each pocket. The said pockets may be varied in form, but I prefer the
spherical or partly spherical form, as giving great strength in proportion
to the size of the pocket. To form the said annular pipes a tube is in
each case bent or otherwise formed into an annulus or ring, the cross
section of which annulus may be of a circular, square, or other form, as
preferred. The pipes so formed are more particularly adapted to be used
in internal flues, and when so employed are connected by pipes or necks
with both the upper and the lower portions of the flue, so that there
may be a circulation of water through the said pipes. In some cases Ţ
employ tubes bent or formed into such suitable shapes as will admit of
both ends of each tube being attached to the shell of the flue, and being
connected with the lower portion of the flue, as in the case of the
annular tubes. The said pockets or tubes may be of iron, steel, brass,
copper, or other suitable metal.
My Invention is also applicable to boilers, pans, or coppers used in

page_text: And in order that my Invention may be better understood I havo
attached hereunto two Sheets of Drawings, marked with letters of
reference.
Referring to the said Drawings, Fig. 1, Sheet 1, is a sectional view of
one of the said spherical pockets, drawn about the full size of a pocket
of suitable dimensions. The said dimensions may, however, be varied to
some extent.
The said pocket is cast or otherwise formed with a neck a, on which a
screw thread is formed, and the said neck is screwed into a tapped orifice
formed in the plate 6, which plate may be a portion of the boiler, internal :
flue, fire-box, or pan, as the case may be. A lock nut c may be used to
add to the security and tightness of the joint. This method of attach-
ment may, however, bo varied, as, for example, the end of the neck a
may be riveted or flanched over on the inner side of the plate, or an
expanding mandril may be used, similarly as when fixing the tubes of
multitubular boilers. In order to promote the circulation of water
within the said pockets, I sometimes apply a tube d to each pocket, or
to each one of a portion of the said pockets, the outer end of the said
tube being by preference bent downwards, as represented, in order tho
more effectually to promote the circulation of water.
Fig. 2 is a sectional view of a locomotive boiler having a number of
'the said pockets e, e, attached to the crown and sides of the fire-box, the
globular portion of each pocket projecting into the said fire-box, and
⚫being thus outwardly exposed to the flames.
Fig. 3 illustrates the method of application of the said pockets to a
marine boiler.
In Sheet 2, Fig. 1 represents a cross section, and Fig. 2 a vertical
longitudinal section of an ordinary cylindrical double-flued boiler.
In this example the pockets e, e, are attached to the shells of the
internal flues f. In Fig. 1 two of the circulation tubes d, d, are
represented in position in two of the pockets.
Fig. 3 is a vertical section, and Fig. 4 a horizontal section through the
fire-box g of a vertical boiler. The said fire-box is represented as fitted
with the pockets e, c.
In this example two straight circulation tubes d, d, are represented in
position in two of the pockets.

page_text: Fig. 5 is a cross section, and Fig. 6 is a vertical longitudinal section
of an egg-ended boiler without internal flues.
In this example the pockets e, e, are represented as attached to the
lower part of the shell of the said boiler, the globular portions of the
said pockets projecting into the furnace and furnace flue. In the case
of pans or coppers for boiling, heating, or evaporating, the said pockets
are similarly applied as in the immediately foregoing example:
•
Fig. 7 is a cross section, and Fig. 8 a vertical longitudinal section
of the flue of a Cornish boiler, or of one of the internal flues of a
boiler.
.
In this example the portion of the said flue forming the crown of the
furnace, is fitted with pockets, represented by e, e. The portion of.
the flue beyond the bridge is represented as fitted with the aforesaid
annular pipes i, i. Each of the said pipes is formed with two necks, by
means of which the said pipe is attached to the shell of the boiler, and.
through which a communication between the interior of the said pipe
and the water space of the boiler is established, so that water can
circulate through the said pipe. One of the said necks is attached to
the lower part of the said flue, and the other neck to the upper part
thereof. It is preferred to vary the said points of attachment and the
vertical position of each annular pipe, as represented. The said annular
pipes are shewn as fixed in diagonal positions in Fig. 8, but they may be
fixed in vertical positions if preferred.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and illustrated
methods of carrying the same into practical effect, I would, in conclusion,
have it to be understood that I claim, the employment of water pockets
or tubes, or of pockets and tubes formed and applied in manner sub-
stantially as. and for the purpose or purposes as herein described, set
forth, and indicated.
In witness whereof I, the said Robert Lees, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Third day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one.