Improvements in and connected with Steam Generators.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application (in United Kingdom), ain rep., 1899
Date of Application (in United Kingdom), din red., 1899
Complete Specification Left. 8th Feb., 1899-Accepted, 13th May, 1899
Date of Application (in United Kingdom), sin rep., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 8th Feb., 1899—Accepted, 13th May, 1899
Improvements in and connected with Steam Generators.
We, FRANCIS EDGAR STANLEY and FREELAN OSCAR STANLEY, both of Newton,
County of Middlesex, State of Massachusetts, United States of America, Manu-
facturers, 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:-
This invention relates to steam generators and has for its object to improve and
simplify the construction of the same to the end that a light and compact apparatus
may be produced, being thereby especially adapted for use on motor carriages.
The steam generator is composed essentially of an upright tubular boiler of
novel construction, and a heating apparatus, which is also of novel construction
and which is designed for using naphtha or other liquid hydrocarbon which may
be volatilized, mixed with air, and burned as a gas.
The invention consists in the novel construction of the upright tubular boiler
as will be hereinafter described; and also in the novel construction of the heating
apparatus and also in means for volatilizing the liquid hydrocarbon and
for supplying air which will commingle with the volatilized hydrocarbon; and in
means for reducing the supply of gas automatically under certain conditions as for
instance when the steam pressure of the boiler reaches a predetermined point;
and in means for providing for the escape of the products of combustion, and also
in directing the course of the heat so as to be the least objectionable when the steam
generator is used on a motor carriage; also in means for directing the course of
the exhaust steam, utilizing it under certain conditions and for purposes to be
described, and modifying it in order that it may be unobjectionable; and also
in other novel features, as will be hereinafter described.
Referring to the accompanying drawings:
Figure 1 shows in side elevation and partial section a steam generator embody-
ing this invention.
Figure 2 shows in plan view and partial section the steam generator shown in
Figure 1, some of the parts being omitted for clearness.
Figure 3 shows in vertical section the steam generator shown in Figure 2,
taken on the dotted line - Figure 1 the boiler being broken away to save
space on the drawing.

page_text: Figure 4, a plan view of the hood to be described, which is located at the top
of the boiler. Figure 5 a vertical section of said hood, showing the flues leading
therefrom.
Figure 6 a longitudinal section of the controlling valve for the gas, which is
automatically operated by the steam pressure of the boiler.
The boiler herein shown is of the upright tubular type and consists of a seam-
less cylindrical shell or tube a, formed with outwardly projecting flanges a¹ at
each end and perforated heads a, made of suitable size to abutt against said
flanges, and rings placed on the tubular shell previous to forming the flanges
which are brought into position to bear upon or against the inner faces of said
flanges, the heads and rings at the ends of the tubular shell being secured together
by means of rivets at or other suitable fastenings which pass through the flanges,
thereby firmly securing said flanges between the heads and rings.
Tubes a are contained in the tubular shell and the ends thereof are expanded into
the perforations of the heads a². The seamless tubular shell a, and the tubes as
are preferably made of copper, and consequently will expand equally, and a
boiler having such a shell and tubes will have no tendency to loosen at the
joints.
The seamless tubular shell is wound with one or more layers of wire a,
preferably steel wire of high tensile strength being employed, which materially
strengthens said tubular shell. As many layers may be provided as deemed
necessary. By providing a seamless tubular shell, wound with wire as above stated,
no riveted joints will be required as is now usual in boiler construction, and an
exceedingly light and compact boiler can be produced, which is absolutely steam
tight, and which is capable of withstanding a very high steam pressure.
The tubular boiler thus described will be set upright and will be provided with a
supply pipe b for the water and with an outlet pipe 61 for the steam.
The heating apparatus which it is preferred to employ is located directly beneath
the boiler and it consists of a bottom plate provided with a number of perforations
and a top plate c¹ located a short distance above it and provided with a like
number of perforations and said plates are set in parallel horizontal planes and are
secured together by a vertical side wall of circular shape, thereby forming
gas-receiving chamber. A number of short tubes are provided, the ends of which
are expanded into the perforations of said top and bottom plates, which provide
vertical passages directly through said gas-receiving chamber, but which do not
communicate therewith.
a
These two plates c. c are supported by a circular shell or case ct which is secured
to the bottom of the boiler, the top plate e being located a short distance below
the bottom of the boiler, to provide for a combustion chamber above the gas-receiving
chamber. The top plate is formed or provided with a large number of small
orifices 2 up through which the gas from the gas-receiving chamber passes as it is
burned, and said orifices are here shown as arranged in groups or circles around or
concentric to the perforations, into which the upper ends of the tubes are
expanded, so that around each short tube or pipe e, or in other words around each
vertical air passage, a large number of small orifices will be located.
The gas will be forced into the gas-receiving chamber under pressure and will
be caused to pass up through said small orifices, and be burned in the combustion
chamber, and as the gas is forced through the orifices an upward draft will be
created which draws a supply of air up through the short tubes 3, which com-
mingles uniformly with the gas in the combustion chamber to ensure complete
combustion on the well known principle of an Argand burner.
The liquid hydrocarbon will be contained in a tank, not shown, and will be con-
veyed along a pipe d under suitable pressure and said pipe d enters the combustion
chamber of the heating apparatus directly beneath the boiler and is connected
to the lower end of a vertical pipe, which may be one of the tubes of the
boiler, or it may be a pipe passing up through one of the tubes of the boiler,
and said pipe is connected at its upper end to a horizontal pipe which

page_text: passes along the top of the boiler to the opposite side thereof and its opposite end
is connected to the upper end of a vertical pipe d³, which like the pipe d'
may be one of the tubes of the boiler, or it may be a pipe passing down through
one of said tubes, and the lower end of said pipe terminates within but near
one side wall of the combustion chamber and is connected by a short pipe d'
with a valve casing e, which has depending from it a short pipe el, the lower end
of which is connected with a valve casing f having a nozzle fl at one end and
provided with a shut-off valve f². A passage is thus provided from the pipe d
to the nozzle f, which has a valve fat or near the nozzle. A valve de is also
provided in the pipe which controls the supply of liquid hydrocarbon.
As the water contained in the boiler becomes heated the liquid hydrocarbon which
passes along the pipe d and up the vertical pipe d and so on along the said passage
will soon become volatilized by the heat of the contents of the boiler, so that the
volatilized liquid or gas will enter the valve case e preparatory to being forced into
the gas-receiving chamber to be burned, yet the temperature of the contents of the
boiler is not sufficient to carbonize the liquid hydrocarbon.
A tube m is contained in the gas-receiving chamber, which is made quite large in
diameter and of sufficient length to project through the side wall of said chamber
and to terminate at or near the middle of said chamber, and said tube is open at
each end, although it may have a number of openings within the gas-receiving
chamber if desired. The jet or nozzle f¹ enters the outer end of the tube m,
but only a short distance, and said jet or nozzle is considerably smaller in diameter
than said tube m, so that an ample air supply passage is provided around said jet or
nozzle, and as the gas is forced into the tube m, under pressure a supply of air will
be drawn in with it, which mingles with it, and consequently mixed gas and air will
be delivered to the gas-receiving chamber. The vertical air passages before
referred to will provide additional supplies of air, and the quantity of air thus
supplied will be sufficient to enable a blue or what is commonly called a colorless
flame to be at all times secured, thus obviating the production and deposit of
carbon on the bottom of the boiler or within the tubes of the boiler.
In starting the apparatus the valve will remain closed and a flame, such for
instance as from a torch, will be temporarily introduced into the combustion
chamber through an aperture which is normally closed by the cap g¹, and held in
juxta position to the pipe d until such time as said pipe shall become heated
sufficiently to volatilize the liquid hydrocarbon, forcing the liquid hydrocarbon
back as the gas is generated, then the valve f2 will be opened and the gas caused to
enter the gas-receiving chamber through the tube m, being delivered at or near the
middle of the chamber, and the gas then passes up through the orifices in the
top plate and will at once become ignited and begin to heat the water in the
boiler, and thereafter as the water heats, the pipes which pass through the boiler
and which provide a passage for the liquid hydrocarbon soon becomes heated
sufficiently to volatilize said liquid hydrocarbon, causing it to pass continuously in
a volatilized condition into the gas-receiving chamber.
The gas will be burned in the combustion chamber and the air supply will be
sufficient to mix with the gas at a proper ratio to ensure complete combustion,
and as a large number of air inlet passages are provided, which are well distributed
throughout the combustion chamber and located adjacent to the gas orifices the
air and gas will be very uniformly and thoroughly commingled.
Any suitable form or construction of water gage may be provided and herein an
ordinary glass tube his connected into the pipes h1, h2 which are connected with
the top and bottom of the boiler, said gage showing the height of water in the
boiler. The pipe h2 has leading from it a short pipe the end of which is bent
upward and has attached to it a steam pressure gage 5 of any usual or suitable
construction. A regulator valve of any well known or suitable construction is
onnected with said pipe for the purpose of automatically controlling the supply
of gas to the gas receiving chamber by reducing the supply to the minimum but
not shutting it off when the steam pressure in the boiler arrives at a predetermined

page_text: height. To accomplish this result the valve » of said regulator valve is contained
in the valve case and said valve » has one or more small apertures through
which the gas passes when said valve is closed on its seat so that in case said valve n
is closed automatically as it will be when the steam pressure reaches a pre-
determined point the supply of gas will be reduced to the minimum, yet the steam
supply will continue to be delivered to the gas receiving chamber. The valve n
is attached to the end of a rod 2 which slides longitudinally in suitable bearings
provided for it and said rod n² has secured to it a disc and a strong spiral
Spring n is contained in the case one end of which bears upon or against said
disc and the other end of which bears upon or against a disc which is
movable in said case and which is connected with a diaphragm n³ contained in the
case. The pressure of steam from the boiler through the pipe 3 acts upon the
diaphragm and thereby moves the valve on to its seat.
The necessity of providing automatic means for thus reducing the supply of
gas is obvious."
It will be seen that by employing an upright tubular boiler and a heating
apparatus of the kind herein described having vertical air passages through it
communicating with the combustion chamber, that vertical passages are thus
provided through the entire apparatus, up through which the air will freely pass,
and in case the steam pressure rises so that the automatic valve closes on its seat
and thus reduces the supply of gas, the upward draft of air will very soon cool the.
boiler, which is important, as it prevents the boiler "blowing off."
A hook o is placed on top of the boiler which is constructed to form a chamber o¹
above the boiler, and a passage o² leads laterally from said chamber o¹, from which
an upward passage o³ leads and also from which a downward passage of leads,
and the products of combustion thus have two exit passages. Normally the pro-
ducts of combustion will pass out through the upward passage o³, and to cause them
to pass down through the passage of, the exhaust steam pipe p, from the engine
(not shown) will enter said chamber o¹, and pass across to the opposite side and then
project downward a short distance into the downward passage of. When the
exhaust steam is passing down through said passage the products of combustion
will be drawn down with it.
It will also be seen that by providing two exits, as shown the exhaust steam
when passing down through the passage of will draw a supply of air in through
the passage o³ which results in modifying the character of the exhaust steam to
such an extent that under ordinary conditions and in a moderate temperature the
escaping exhaust steam is not visible.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :-
1. In a steam generator, a cylindrical shell having flanges at the ends, perforated
heads hearing against the outer faces of said flanges, and rings bearing against
the inner faces of said flanges, and means for securing said heads and rings together
with the flanges between them substantially as described.
2. In a steam generator, a cylindrical shell having a flange at one end, a
perforated head bearing upon the outer face of said flange, and a ring bearing upon
the opposite face of said flange and means such as rivets for securing said head and
ring together with the flange between them substantially as described.
3. In a steam generator, a cylindrical shell having flanges at the ends, per-
forated heads bearing against the outer faces of said flanges, and rings bearing
against the inner faces of said flanges, and means for securing said heads and rings
together with the flanges between them, and tubes expanded in the perforations, of
said heads, substantially as described.
4. In a steam generator, a cylindrical shell having flanges at the ends, perforated
heads bearing against the outer faces of, said flanges, and rings bearing against
the inner faces of said flanges, and means for securing said heads and rings

page_text: together with the flanges between them, and tubes expanded in the perforations of
said heads having the same coefficient of expansion as the flanged cylindrical shell,
substantially as described.
5. A. steam boiler having a cylindrical shell wound with one or more layers of
wire which surrounds and encloses it, substantially as described.
6. A steam boiler having a tubular shell wound with wire which surrounds
and encloses it, the coefficient of expansion of the shell being greater than the
coefficient of expansion of the wire, substantially as described.
7. A steam boiler having a seamless tubular shell wound with one or more layers
of wire which surrounds and encloses it, substantially as described.
S. In a heating apparatus, a gas-receiving chamber a combustion chamber, a
number of air inlet passages passing through said gas-receiving chamber and
opening into the combustion chamber and orifices in the top of the gas-receiving
chamber through which the gas passes, said orifices being located adjacent to said
air inlet passages, the delivery tube m into which the gas is forced having an air
inlet passage, substantially as described.
9. In a heating apparatus, a gas-receiving chamber, a combustion chamber, a
number of air inlet passages passing through said gas-receiving chamber and
opening into the combustion chamber and orifices in the top of the gas-receiving
chamber arranged in groups around said air inlet passages, the delivery tube m
contained in said gas-receiving chamber having a projecting end into which the
nozzle f projects a short distance, substantially as described.
10. In a heating apparatus, a gas-receiving chamber, a combustion chamber, a
number of vertical air inlet passages passing through said gas-receiving chamber
and opening into the combustion chamber, and orifices in the top of the gas-
receiving chamber arranged in circular groups around the outlets of said air inlet
passages, and the delivery tube m constructed and arranged to deliver mixed air
and gas to the gas-receiving chamber, substantially as described.
11. In a heating apparatus, a combustion chamber, a gas-receiving chamber
composed of a top plate and a bottom plate, vertically arranged air supply tubes
secured at their ends to said top and bottom plates and forming vertical air passages
through the gas-receiving chamber opening into the combustion chamber, and
orifices formed in said top plate arranged in groups around said tubes, substantially
as described.
12. In a steam generator, an upright tubular boiler, a heating apparatus located
beneath it comprising a combustion chamber, a gas-receiving chamber, air passages
passing through said gas-receiving chamber which open into said combustion
chamber beneath the boiler, and orifices in the top of the gas-receiving chamber
through which the gas passes, substantially as described.
13. In a steam generator, a boiler, a heating apparatus located beneath it having
gas burners, a supply pipe for the gas, a pipe leading thereto connected with a
supply of liquid hydrocarbon, said connecting pipe being adapted to be heated by
the contents of the boiler, substantially as described.
.
14. In a steam generator, a boiler, a heating apparatus located beneath it having
gas burners, a supply pipe for the gas, a pipe leading thereto connected with a
supply of liquid hydrocarbon, said connecting pipe passing through the boiler to be
heated by the contents thereof, substantially as described.
15. In a steam generator, a boiler a heating apparatus beneath it provided with
gas burners, a supply pipe for the gas, a valve controlling the passage of gas
through said supply pipe, and means for automatically operating said valve
controlled by the pressure of steam in the boiler, substantially as described.
16. In a steam generator, a boiler, a heating apparatus beneath it provided with
gas burners, a supply pipe for the gas and a steam pressure valve for automatically
controlling the passage of gas through the supply pipe, substantially as described.
17. In a steam generator, a boiler, a heating apparatus beneath it provided
with gas burners, a supply pipe for the gas, a valve controlling the passage of gas
through said supply pipe having one or more small apertures and means for

page_text: automatically operating said valve controlled by the pressure of steam in the
boiler, substantially as described.
18. In a steam generator, a boiler, a heating apparatus, beneath it having a
combustion chamber, a gas-receiving chamber and suitable gas burners, a supply
pipe for the gas which passes through said combustion chamber, an aperture in
said combustion chamber through which a flame may be introduced to heat said
supply pipe and thereafter ignite the gas, and a controlling valve for said supply
pipe, substantially as described.
19. In a steam generator, a boiler, a hood thereon having a chamber for the
products of combustion, and an upward and a downward passage leading from it,
substantially as described.
20. In a steam generator, a boiler, a hood thereon having a chamber for the
products of combustion and two communicating passages leading therefrom in
opposite ways, substantially as described.
21. In a steam generator, a boiler, a hood thereon having a chamber for the
products of combustion and two communicating passages leading therefrom in
opposite ways, and an exhaust steam pipe entering one of said passages, sub-
stantially as described.
Dated this Sth day of February 1800
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
j
Agents for the Applicants.