A NEW OR IMPROVED MODE OR METHOD OF AND APPARATUS OR MEANS FOR INTERCEPTING RADIATED FROM STEAM GENERATORS, FURNACES, AND OTHER SOURCES OF HEAT.
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edwin Powley Alexander, of 14, Southampton Buildings,
THE HEAT
in the County of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer and British, Foreign, and
Colonial Patent Agent, for the Invention of "A NEW OR IMPROVED MODE OR
METHOD OF AND APPARATUS OR MEANS FOR INTERCEPTING
RADIATED FROM STEAM GENERATORS, FURNACES, AND OTHER SOURCES OF
HEAT. A communication from abroad by Nicholas Yagn, of St. Petersburg,
in the Empire of Russia, Mechanical Engineer.
Sealed the 6th February 1880, and dated the 22nd August, 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edwin Powley Alexander
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd August 1879.
EDWIN POWLEY ALEXANDER, of 14, Southampton Buildings, in the County of
Middlesex, Consulting Engineer, and British, Foreign, and Colonial Patent Agent.
A NEW OR IMPROVED MODE OR METHOD OF AND APPARATUS OR MEANS FOR
INTERCEPTING THE HEAT RADIATED FROM STEAM GENERATORS, FURNACES, AND
OTHER SOURCES OF HEAT." A communication from abroad by Nicholas Yagn, of
St. Petersburg, in the Empire of Russia, Mechanical Engineer.
This Invention relates to a new method of and apparatus or means for
intercepting the heat radiated from steam generators & furnaces, whereby the
temperature of the rooms or shops in which such sources of heat are placed, can
be maintained at or below that of the surrounding atmosphere in a more simple
and efficient manner than has heretofore been accomplished by ventilation or other
means.
The improved method is based upon the following two properties of water,
namely, 1, that it absorbs heat in considerable quantities; & 2, that it adheres to &
throughly penetrates linen & cotton tissues, or other fibrous material. In carrying
out the said Invention, I suspend a screen by preference made of linen or other
fibrous material at a distance of a few inches from the front of a steam generator
or furnace, the top of the said screen being firmly attached either to the ceiling, or
to a horizontol bar whilst to the lower end there is secured a rod or stretcher in a
manner somewhat similar to the ordinary window blinds; both the vertical edges
of the screen are provided with rings which run along guide rods or tightly
stretched wires, such guide rods being either straight or bent according to the form
277

page_text: or contour of the boiler or furnace. Thus the lower end of the screen may be lifted
to any desired height by means of cords & pulleys. The lower horizontal rod
which by its weight stretches the screen is placed just above the top of the furnace
doors, separate supplementary smaller screens corresponding to the number of fire
doors suspended from it. A small metal rod provided with a hook is attached to
the lower edge of each of the supplementary screens, so that whilst firing the screen
may be lifted and the said hook may be fixed on to an eye attached to the front
surface of the main screen. A finely perforated water pipe runs between the boiler
& the main screen along its upper edge, which pipe is supplied with water from a
tank or pump, the water falling on the screen & thoroughly wetting or saturating
the same. In order to provide for a more uniform distribution of the water over
the surface of the screen a number of vertical cords is sewn to the inner side at
convenient distances apart, which cords are prolonged below the furnace door
screens, down to the level of the floor, their lower ends being attached to horizontal
metal bars which by their weight stretch the cords. The lower edges of the
furnace, door screens are cut in the shape of triangles or vandykes through the
apices of which run the cords above mentioned, thus the air will have free access
to the ash pits & gates while the water from the screen will run along the cords in
lieu of falling in drops which may be inconvenient. The water collecting at the
bottom of the screens will run off into the bilge or other convenient place through
holes in the floor or otherwise.
Openings are cut in the screw opposite to the guage glasses, guage cocks,
manometers and other parts of the boilers to which access is required.
.
It will be readily understood that this water screen will intercept all the heat
radiated from the boiler or furnace and that either fresh or salt water may be used
for the purpose.
It is obvious that the said screens made substantially as above described of linen
or other textile or woven fabrics may also consist of sheets or strips of paper, wood,
asbestos, metal or other suitable materials, & may be used for intercepting the heat
radiated not only from steam generators, but also from puddling, glass melting,
heating, & other furnaces, & generally in all cases where it is desirable to confine
the radiated heat to a given space.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Edwin Powley Alexander in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
7th February 1880.
+
EDWIN POWLEY ALEXANDER, of 14, Southampton Buildings, in the County of
Middlesex, Consulting Engineer, and British, Foreign, & Colonial Patent Agent.
"A NEW OR IMPROVED MODE OR METHOD OF, & APPARATUS OR MEANS FOR
INTERCEPTING THE HEAT RADIATED FROM STEAM GENERATORS, FURNACES, &
OTHER SOURCES OF HEAT." A communication from abroad by Nicholas Yagn, of
St. Petersburg, in the Empire of Russia, Mechanical Engineer.
The said Invention relates to a new method of & apparatus or means for
cooling the air in premises containing boilers or furnaces, & for protecting stokers
& furnacemen against the radiation of heat in a more simple & efficient manner
than has heretofore been accomplished by ventilation or other means. . The method
of intercepting the heat radiated from steam generators & furnaces is based
upon the following two properties of water, viz., 1, that it absorbs heat in
considerable quantities; 2, that it adheres to & thoroughly penetrates linen &
cotton tissues or other fibrous material
•
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood I shall now.
proceed more particularly to describe the same, & for that purpose shall refer to
the several Figures on the explanatory Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed, the
same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in both the Figures.
In the annexed Drawings Fig. 1 represents a front elevation of a series of marine
steam boilers disposed in the usual manner & provided with refrigerating screens
or curtains arranged according to the said Invention, & Fig. 2 is an end view of the
boiler room or stoke hole, the steam vessel being represented in cross section so as
to show the two ranges of steam generators with their respective screens or curtains,
According to this Invention one or more screens or curtains H by preference of
thick sail cloth, canvass, or other suitable fabric are suspended at a short distance
(say from three to five inches) from the front of a boiler or a series of boilers A in
such a manner that the distance between the screens & the front of the boiler or
boilers is everywhere the same, that is to say, parallel or nearly parallel to the front
of the boiler or boilers. The upper edge or border of the screen is suitably attached
to the ceiling of the boiler room or otherwise suspended from above the boilers
whilst the lower border or edge of the screen reaches down as far as the upper part
of the ash pit of the boiler, thus completely screening the boiler front. Both the
vertical edges of the screen or curtain H are provided with rings which run on
guide rods or tightly stretched wires D secured to the ceiling & the floor which
rods may be either straight or more or less bent so as to conform to the general
contour of the front or other suface of the boiler to be screened. A horizontal rod
or stretcher B of sufficient weight is attached to the screen at a position somewhat
above the top of the furnace doors in order to keep the screw or curtain stretched.
By means of a cord passing over a pulley E & attached to this stretcher B, the
lower part of the screen or curtain may be lifted to any desired height. Each one
of the screens H is at its lower part (between each two furnace doors) cut or slit
from the bottom up to the horizontal stretcher bar or rod B; thus as many smaller
separate screens are obtained as there are fire doors. A metal stretcher bar or rod
B of sufficient weight is attached also to the lower edge of each of these small
screens. By means of a ring with which the stretcher B¹ is provided each small
screen may be lifted & fixed on to a hook attached to the front surface of the main
screen in order to afford ready access to the furnaces when the stoker requires to
stir the fire or to throw on more fuel. If desired the said screens or curtains may
be made to move horizontally from right to left & vice versa, in lieu of being raised
and lowered vertically. A water pipe G passes between the boiler or boilers, and
the screen or screens H or outside the screens along the ceiling or otherwise.; one
end of the pipe being closed whilst the other is in connection with a water tank at

page_text: a higher level or with a small pump which supplies the water pipe G with cold
water either fresh or salt, said pipe may be kept supplied with water in any other
convenient manner. The, part of the water pipe G which is turned towards the
screen or screens H is provided throughout its length with small holes so that the
water supplied to the pipe G flows onto the upper part of the screen or screens H
'continually in a series of small jets & thoroughly, saturates them, the water
constantly flowing down & along the screens to the floor where it ultimately runs
off into the bilge.through holes in the floor or by any other convenient arrangement.
In order to provide for a more uniform distribution of water over the whole surface
of the screen a number of vertical cords K is or may be sewn to the inner side of
each screen at a distance apart of about one or two inches, which, cords extend
down to the floor, their lower ends being fastened to horizontal metal bars or rods
B in order to secure their parallel position. In this way the air will always have
free access to the ash pits and grates. With a view to ensure that the water after
leaving the screen shall run down along the cords only, the lower edges of the fire
door portions of the screens are cut by preference in the shape of triangles or
vandyked as shown in Fig. 1. Suitable openings are cut into the screens opposite
to the manometers, guage glasses, guage cocks, & other parts of the boilers to
which access is required. It is easily understood that the herein before described
refrigerating screen or curtain will intercept all the heat radiated from the boiler
or surface & that consequently the temperature in the boiler room will be almost
equal to the temperature of the water flowing from the pipe G. In practice it has
been found that the most satisfactory cooling of a boiler room say with 8 steam
boilers can be effected by a discharge of about 100 to 150 gallons of water
per minute, requiring a mechanical force of less than two H. P. It is obvious that
the said refrigerating screen composed as above described of linen, cotton, or other
like fibrous substances woven or otherwise may also consist of sheets or strips of
cardboard, paper, wood, metal, & other similar materials, although preference is
given to the first named as being more efficacious. It is also evident that the said
refrigerating screen may be employed for intercepting the heat radiated not only
from steam boilers in steam vessels, or in manufacturing establishments, but in
general in all cases where it desirable to confine the radiated heat to a given
space & for protecting workmen in all such places where furnaces or other
apparatus radiating considerable heat are employed.
Having now described & particularly ascertained the nature of the said
Invention & the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into effect,
I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel & original &
therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the hereinbefore in part recited
Letters Patent is :-
First. The application & use of refrigerating screens or curtains composed of
sheets ot strips of woven or fibrous or other materials, the entire surface of which
is constantly moistened or saturated & kept cool by streams of running water for
the purpose of cooling boiler or furnace rooms & protecting workmen against heat
radiated from steam boilers, furnaces, or other sources of heat, substantially as
herein before described.
. Second. The peculiar arrangement of adjustable refrigerating screens or curtains
in combinators with water supply pipes as & for the purposes hereinbefore
described & illustrated by the Drawings annexed.
.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edwin Powley Alexander have hereunto set.
my hand & seal, this Twenty sixth day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty.