IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM GENERATORS AND IN SAFETY VALVES THEREFOR.
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Blake, of Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM GENERATORS
AND IN SAFETY VALVES THEREFOR.'
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Blake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
31st January 1874.
I, JAMES BLAKE, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, do hereby
3 declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM
GENERATORS AND IN SAFETY VALVES THEREPOR," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates in the first place to the internal flues and the
fire-box shells of steam generators. I make the rings of such flues or
shells of a conical or tapering form, and I flanch the smaller end of one
ring outwardly to meet the larger end of the next ring; or I flanch the
larger end of one ring inwardly to meet the smaller end of the next
ring; or I connect the ends together by means of diminishing rings.
I prefer to arrange the said rings so that the heated gases flow from the

page_text: smaller end of one ring into the larger end of the next ring. This part
of my Invention is applicable to the outer shells of externally fired
boilers.
According to another part of my Invention I connect together the
internal flues of a double-flued boiler by means of a cross flue passing
through the water space, and situated as near as may be to the bridge,
and on the inward side thereof, and I fix water tubes or chambers in
positions to deflect the flames and gases into the said cross flue.
Another part of my Invention relates to vertical boilers fitted with
vertical or partly vertical water tubes, and consists in contracting the
shell of the fire-box or internal flue, or in reducing the area of the fire-
box at one or more points, and in suspending or arranging bafflers
between the said contracted points, or between the contracted part and
the crown of the fire-box, so as to cause the heated gases to impinge
upon the said water tubes.
When a hollow contracting piece is inserted in a fire-box it may serve
to admit air into the fire-box.
In one arrangement the said water tubes are fixed by one end to a
projecting annular or partly annular water chamber which contracts the
area of the fire-box, and by the other end to the crown of the said fire-
box, and in other arrangements the water chambers project into the said
fire-box at two or more points in the height thereof, the water tubes
being connected with the said water chambers and with the crown of
the fire-box.
In some cases I may arrange fire-tubes within part of the water tubes,
and permit heated gases to flow through the same into the smoke box or
external flue, and also I may place bars or plates between the said water
tubes to act as bafflers.
To check priming I may provide the upper ends of the said water
tubes with bent tubes or mouths which deflect the currents of water into
a horizontal or nearly horizontal direction.
Another part of my Invention also relates to vertical boilers, and
consists in forming the partitions which are employed to regulate the
circulation of water with pockets in which deposit may collect.
A further part of my Invention consists in arranging water tubes in
clusters connected with short tubes or junction pieces which are fixed to

page_text: the shell of the fire-box or internal flue, whereby I reduce the number
of holes to be made in the said shell as compared with the number of
tubes.
A remaining part of my Invention relates to the convex safety valves
of steam generators, and consists in forming the seat with two or more
seatings which are concentric one with another, and in forming the valve
with an internal passage or with internal passages for the escape of
steam, whereby the area of discharge is increased.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Blake in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 31st July 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
BLAKE, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirty-first day of January, One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-seventh
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said James Blake, Her special license that
I, the said James Blake, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said James Blake, 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, the Channel Islands,
and Isle of Man, an Invention "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM GENERATORS AND
IN SAFETY VALVES THEREFOR," upon the condition, amongst others, that
I, the said James Blake, by an 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 was to be performed, and
cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six

page_text: In some cases I may place bars or plates between the said water tubes
to act as bafflers in conjunction with the central suspended baffler or
bafflers.
To check priming I may provide the upper ends of the said water
tubes with bent tubes or mouths which deflect the currents of water
into a horizontal or nearly horizontal direction.
A fourth part of my Invention consists in arranging spiral water tubes
in clusters connected with short tubes or junction pieces which are fixed
to the shell of the fire-box or internal flue, whereby I reduce the
number of holes to be made in the said shell as compared with the
number of water tubes.
A. remaining part of my Invention relates to the convex safety valves
of steam generators, and consists in forming the scat with two or more
concentric seatings, and in forming the valve with an internal passage
or with internal passages for the escape of steam, whereby the area of
discharge is increased.
In some cases I may form the valve in two parts, the lower part
having the concentric seatings upon which the upper part rests.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood, I have
supplied two Sheets of Drawings, which are marked with letters of
referencé, corresponding marks indicating the same parts in the various
Figures.
Referring in this place to Sheet 1 of the said Drawings Fig. 1, drawn
to a scale of about one half inch to the foot, represents a horizontal
section, and Fig. 2 a cross section of a tubular boiler constructed in
accordance with the first and second parts of my Invention. In the
Figs. a, a, are the two internal flucs, which are formed of conically
shaped rings made with welded seams, in the same or in a similar
manner as when making ordinary conical water tubes. The smaller end
of one ring is flanched outwards so as to fit into the larger end of the
next ring into which it is riveted, as illustrated on a larger scale at
Fig. 3.
In Figs. 4, 5, and 6, modifications in the method of connecting the
said rings are illustrated. In Fig. 4 the larger end of one ring is flanched
inwardly, so as to fit on to the smaller end of the next ring. In Fig. 5
an intermediate connecting ring is riveted to the smaller end of one ring

page_text: and to the larger end of another ring. In Fig. 6 the end of one ring is
flanched outwardly, and the end of the other ring inwardly, so that they
can be riveted together.
Fig. 7 illustrates the application of this method of construction in the
formation of the shell of an "externally fired boiler," it being understood
that any of the methods of connecting the rings illustrated in the
previous Figs. may be adopted in the said formation.
In Figs. 1 and 2 the flues a, a, are connected together by a cross
flue b, and water chambers or pockets c, c, project into the flues a, a,
and serve to deflect the flames and gases into the said cross flue, as :
herein-before mentioned when referring to the second part of my
Invention. The said cross flue acts as a combustion chamber, wherein
the products of combustion from both furnaces may mingle, whereby
it is expected that a more perfect combustion of the gases will be
effected.
The Drawings on Sheet 2 are illustrative of the third part of my
Invention. Fig. 8 is a vertical section of a vertical boiler, Fig. 9 being
a cross section thereof on the line A, and Fig. 10 a half cross section on
the line B. In Fig. 8 the internal diameter of the fire-box d is con-
tracted at c, so as to form an annular water chamber, forming as it were
the crown of the furnace. The water tubes e, e, are arranged in three
concentric rows, and are secured by one end into the ring plate f which
forms the upper part of the said water chamber, and by the other end to
the crown g of the flue-box. A ring his secured to the inside of the fire-
box, and a second ring i or two or more parts to form a ring is or are sup-
ported by the rods j, j, which hang from the fire-box crown. The rings h
and i support plates 1, 1, of cast iron or other suitable material which are
formed to fit between the tubes, so as to form an annular partition which
contracts the area of the fire-box at about the middle of the height of
the water tubes. The lower ends of the rods ; sustain a baffler m,
preferably formed of fire-clay. A second baffler n is suspended from the
rod o, and can be raised and lowered by means of the lever p, in order
to regulate the draught. The effect of the arrangement is that the
flames and heated gases from the furnace are compelled to flow in the
circuitous direction indicated by the arrows, and as a consequence to
pass between the water tubes four times whilst flowing through the fire-
box.

page_text: not considered to be necessary the uppermost baffler may be dispensed
with. The course of the flames and products of combustion is indicated
by the arrows.
The fourth part of my Invention is illustrated by Figs. 20 and 21 in
Sheet 1. In the said Figs. a¹ is part of the shell of a fire-box, and b¹ is
part of the crown of the same. A hollow junction piece c¹ is formed
with a neck, by means of which it is secured to the said crown, and a
second junction piece is similarly formed to be secured to the shell a¹.
Water tubes e¹, e¹, are bent into a spiral form, and are each secured by
one end to the piece c¹, and by the other end to the piece d³, the
arrangement being such as that water can enter at f¹ and flow through
the said tubes, and enter the upper water space at g¹. The said junction
picces are also connected together by a central straight water tube h¹.
In Fig. 21 the forms of the water tubes and of the junction pieces are
slightly modified. In this example the ends of the said tubes are
conically formed, and are drawn tightly into conical holes in the junction
pieces by means of nuts j¹.
Figs. 22 and 23 represent so much of a safety valve as has been con-
sidered to be necessary to the illustration of the last portion of my
Invention. In this example the valve ¹ is formed with a central
passage and rests upon two seatings and m³, beween which is an
annular passage for the flow of steam, the seating m³ being connected
with the main casting on which the seating & is formed by ribs which
cross the said annular passage, as indicated in Fig. 23. The surface of
the said valve which rests upon the seatings is turned to the form of a
portion of a globe, and is preferably weighted with a "dead weight"
which is suspended from the said valve in manner as is well understood.
When the said valve is raised by the pressure of steam, the said steam is
permitted to escape over the edges of both seatings, whereby a largo area
of escape is obtained as compared with the area upon which the pressure
acts to raise the valve.
Fig. 24 represents a valve formed in two parts, the part o' being
formed to rest upon the two seatings, and being also formed with seatings
upon which the upper part rests, and with an annular passage for the
escape of steam. The globular form of the face of the valve permits

page_text: And, lastly. The multiple seated and globular faced safety valves,
formed and acting substantially as set forth and indicated herein-before
and in the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Blake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of July, in the year of our Lord |
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four.
Signed and sealed by the said
James Blake, in the presence
of
EDWARD K. DUTTON,
Agent to the Patentee,
3, Princess Street,
Manchester.
JAMES BLAKE. (L.S.)