CERTAIN IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF STEAM BOILERS, AND FURNACES FOR HEATING THE SAME
Year: 1841

page_text: WADDINGTON'S SPECIFICATION.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, NATHAN
WADDINGTON, of Hulme, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West-
minster, the Twenty-sixth day of January, in the fourth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Nathan Waddington, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and
authority, that I, the said Nathan Waddington, my exors, adññiors, and
assigns, and such others as I, the said Nathan Waddington, my exors,
adiiors, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time
to time and at all times during the term of years therein expressed, should
and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England and Wales,
and the Town of Berwick upon Tweed, my Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF STEAM BOILERS, AND FURNACES FOR HEATING THE
SAME;" in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso that I, the said
Nathan Waddington, shall cause a particular description of the nature of
my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
enrolled in Her Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months,
next and immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent,
as in and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at
large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance, with the said proviso, I, the said
Nathan Waddington, do hereby declare that the nature of the said Invention
of certain improvements in the construction of steam boilers, and furnaces for
heating the same, to consist in the construction of boilers and furnaces in such
manner that they shall generate steam with a less quantity of coal, at the
same time diminishing the nuisance of smoke, and the boiler possessing
great strenth to resist the elastic energy of the confined-steam, together
with accessibility to all its interior parts for the purpose of being cleaned
out when required, and tlie manner in which the same are to be performed
and carried into effect, will be seen by reference to the annexed Drawings and
the following description.
The scale to which these Drawings is made is marked thereon, and the
same character, letter, or figure of reference indicates the same part in the
various views, plans, sections, and elevations there. represented. I shall first
describe my improvements in stationary steam boilers and furnaces for heating
the same. Fig. 1 represents a front view of, a boiler and furnace of my
improved construction; Fig. 2, a transverse section of the same taken at the
middle of the furnace; and Fig. 3, a transverse section of the furnace taken
at the imaginary line G, G, see Fig. 4. Fig. 4 is a plan of the furnace
with the boiler removed. Fig. 5 is a sectional plan of the boiler taken at the
imaginary line H, H, see Fig. 6; it also exhibits a bird's
eye view of the
exterior brickwork of the furnace, and likewise of the flue to. the point at
which the boiler divides for the remaining length; part of the brickwork is
removed that the flue Z may be seen as it proceeds to the chimney. Fig. 6 is
a longitudinal sectional elevation taken through the centre of the boiler and
furnace; Fig. 7, a transverse section. taken at the line I, I, Fig. 6. About half
the length of the boiler A is made in the form of portions of circles which are
described from the centres x, and in order that this form may be maintained,
the stay plates K are connected to them as seen in Fig. 2, and that they
may be of adequate strength must exceed .the thickness of the exterior of the
beiler by one fourth; spaces are left between each plate, as seen at Figures 5
and 6, to allow a free flow for the water and steam; at about the half distance
of the two extremities of the boiler the stay plates terminate, and the two
larger portions of circles are made to assume the form of two cylinders, which
diverge and proceed in the direction seen at Figures 5 and 6. The supply
water is introduced by the feed pipe E at the lowest part of the cylinders,
see Fig 5, 6, and 7. The upper surface of the water indicated by the blue
line shews the boiler to be filled with water at the lower extremity, and the
upper part to be occupied with water and steam in nearly equal proportions.

page_text: By referring to the last-named Figures it will be seen that the cylinders are en-
closed in a flúe Z, which permits and causes the heated current from the furnace
to pass around and between the cylinders, and the bridges or checks u, u, are
built in the flue to cause the heated current to impinge against the cylinders.
By the boiler being thus arranged a great heating surface is obtained which
quickly abstracts the heat from the current in the flue. The steam generated
in the boiler is conveyed in any required direction by the pipe R. I shall now
proceed to describe more fully my improvements in furnaces. Fig. 2 repre-
sents a cross section of a furnace and boiler, and Fig. 4, a plan of the same,
to which my improvements are applied. In these Figures the red line indi-
cates the upper surface of the fuel. B represents the furnace bars; C, the
ash pit; and F, F, portions of the furnace through which air has no passage,
and therefore they act as dead plates, on which the whole supply of coals to
the furnace is supplied from above through the openings L, L; these openings
I call the feeding mouths; they are closed by the fuel when the furnace is in full
operation, and when not so closed, the doors M, M, are shut to accomplish the
same purpose. These doors are shewn in section at Fig. 2, and their interior
construction by Fig. 8. The raking and arranging the fuel on the furnace
bars and lighting the furnace are performed at the door N in front, which is
made to open by sliding downwards, and for this purpose is suspended from a
lever and balanced by the counter weight O. This door is closed during the
ordinary working of the furnace, and is opened to only a limited extent when
the fuel is raked upon the bars, as seen at Fig. 1. The grate bars are lower
or incline downwards as they approach the centre of the width of the furnace,
as shewn at Figures 2, 3, 10, and 12, to facilitate the raking of the fuel from
F to that part where the fuel is in the most active combustion. Supposing
therefore the furnace to be in full operation, and the parts F, F, to be loaded
with coal, a constant coking or roasting of such coal will proceed, thereby
also liberating the gases, which will necessarily proceed in their passage
towards the flue over the ignited and glowing furnace, and their perfect com-
bustion will thereby be greatly facilitated. A modification of my improve-
ments in boilers and furnaces is exhibited at Figures 9, 10 and 11, which
represent a boiler provided with a steam chamber marked A. This boiler, for
convenience of description, may be said to consist of three parts, each of which
would be cylinders were it not that the side of the one cylinder in contact with
that of the-next to it is flattened, see Fig. 10; they are rivetted together; and
form one boiler, having apertures of communication through the flattened
sides, as shewn in Fig. 11. The flattened cylinders are rivetted together for
about half the length of the boiler, at which point they diverge, and are three

page_text: or four inches asunder, assuming the form of perfect cylinders, their position
in the flue being the same as that in Figures 5 and 6. There is an interval
or space of from twenty to twenty four inches from the man-hole D to the
nearest staying plates K, to allow a passage to each division of the boiler.
The deviation in the interior of the furnace of this boiler from the one before
described is shewn in Fig. 10; there are two small doors n, n, shewn in
Fig. 9, that may be used occasionally as auxiliary to the door N in the same
Figure, the latter door is shewn open to the full extent to obtain the with-
drawal of the clinkers from the furnace. It is constructed and opens similar
to that of Fig. 1, already described.
Another modification is shewn at Fig. 12. Supposing the exterior of this
boiler to be made of plates three eighths of an inch thickness, I have the
plates K of half an inch thickness; spaces or openings of communication are
left between the plates K, the same as shewn in the other boilers. Those
portions of this boiler which form supporting sides for the fuel in the mouths
I, L, differ from the corresponding parts of those previously described, and in
order that the strength of the boiler may be maintained at these parts a
number of staying plates are connected at their two extremities to the portions
of circles; the edge of one staying plate of each series of stays is represented
by j; they are each five eighths of an inch thick, and seven inches broad, with
a space of three inches and a half between each for the flow of water. The
projections which support the fucl terminate immediately beyond the feeding
mouths, and the boiler then assumes the form of two portions of circles stayed
by plates K, and continues of this form until the middle of its length is
attained, when it divides and is formed into two cylinders, which are described
from shorter radii than those of the portions of cylinders. A longitudinal
vertical section taken through the centre of one of the cylinders at the middle
of the length of the boiler is shewn at Fig. 18. A man-hole is placed at the
end of the boiler, and the nearest stay plate K is situated at such distance
therefrom as will permit access to each part of the boiler. The boilers are
made of wrought iron plates, or other suitable material, and though I have
described the preceding boilers to be constructed for about half their length
(which I consider a good proportion) of metal plates formed into portions of
circles and straight staying plates, and the remaining length of cylinders, yet
this proportion is not absolutely requisite, and may be varied; and further, in
some cases, I make the entire length of the boiler to consist of circular parts
and the staying plates K.
Having now described my improvements in steam boilers, and furnaces for
* heating the same, when they are stationary or fixed, I will proceed to describe

page_text: my improvements in steam boilers and furnaces for heating the same when
adapted to marine steam engines. Fig. 14 represents a front view of a marine
boiler and furnace, with three furnace doors N, and two auxiliary ones marked n:
the arrangement of fixing these doors, and the purpose they answer is the
same as described in Figures 1 and 9. Fig. 15 is a transverse section of the
boiler and furnace taken through the middle of the furnace, and exhibits two
feeding mouths L, L, for to supply fuel on to the dead plates F, F. In this
Figure the red line indicates the upper surface of the fuel; the blue line
represents the water line. A, the boiler; B, the grate bars; and C, the.ash
pit. Fig. 16 is a longitudinal section of the boiler taken at the imaginary
line S, S, of Fig. 15. Fig. 17 shows a longitudinal section of the boiler.
and furnace taken through the imaginary line Y, Y, at Fig. 18. Fig. 18
is a sectional plan at the blue water line at Fig. 15; and Fig. 19 a transverse
section taken at the imaginary line T, T, at Fig. 17; the whole of the boiler
is supported on a casing filled with water, as represented by the character L. in
Figures 14, 15, 17 and 19. The boiler and casing are rivetted or joined
together, but there is no opening or aperture of communication between one
and the other to prevent the generation of steam; the upper surface of the
water casing is covered with bricks, but should any be formed it rises to
the upper end, and passes through the escape pipe marked into the
chimney. The pipe which supplies water to the casing is indicated by the
marked . The space beyond the bridge that is inclosed between the boiler
and the bricks which rest upon the casing constitutes the flue Z, which conveys
the heated current from the furnace to the chimney P. If the boat be of iron
the water case (which is only necessary for a wooden boat or ship to protect it
from fire) may be dispensed with, and the bottom of the ash pit and flue be
formed of bricks supported upon iron. On referring to Figures 17, 18, and 19
it will be seen that a series of cylinders V are attached to and form part of
the boiler; they are closed at their lower extremities, but are open at the
upper so as to allow free communication for the water contained in them with
that which is above in the other part of the boiler. To enable these cylinders
more rapidly and effectually to abstract the heat from the current in the flue
they are placed in an alternate oblique direction, and intersect each other, as
seen at Fig. 19. The plates marked W, see Figures 16, 17, and 18, act as
partitions, and in conjunction with the plates K prevent the mass of water
from running either to the end or side of the boiler by the pitching of the
vessel. The portions of circles of the exterior of the boiler have x, x, for
their centres. K, K, represent stay plates which prevent and oppose the

page_text: elastic energy of the confined steam from bursting or deranging the boiler by
forcing asunder the top from the bottom, and that they may be of. adequate
strength I make them to exceed by one fourth the thickness of the plates
that compose the portions of circles to which they are connected; spaces or
apertures of communication are left between the contiguous plates shewn in
the sectional elevation, Fig 17. These apertures extend to the top of the
staying plates, but do not reach to where the stay plates at their lower end
join the circular parts of the boiler. The section of the feeding mouths at
Fig. 15 exhibits the stay plates j, which are the same in their arrangement as
those at the feeding mouths at Fig. 12, already described, and the mode of
supplying the furnace with coal, and raking the fuel upon the bars after being
roasted or coaked, is the same as that which has been described for stationary
boilers. The bridge Q is shewn at Fig. 17 in section, and is coníposed of
fire-bricks supported on the under side by an iron plate, one end of which is
fixed to the water case, and the other end to the bearer which carries the grate
bars. My improvements in marine steam boilers, and furnaces for heating the
same, are also applicable to steam boats used for inland navigation: In such
application, the boilers and furnaces being much narrower than those required
for sea-going vessels, the arrangement of one feeding mouth situated near the
centre of the width of the furnace will in general be the most appropriate.
Having described my Invention, and the means of performing the same,
I would have it understood that I do not confine myself to the precise detail
shewn and described so long as the novel characters and peculiar features of
my improvements be retained, and in order that the extent and limitation of
my claim may be understood, I would observe that I do not claim generally
the cylindrical construction of steam boilers, or the coaking or roasting of fuel
previous to its being submitted to active combustion, but I do claim the con-
struction of the steam boilers when formed either for its entire length of a com-
bination of circular parts and staying plates, or when only a portion of its
length consists of the combination of circular parts and staying plates and
the remainder of cylinders, in either case accessible in all its parts by one
man-hole, as already explained, and I claim for the cylinders which intersect
each other in the flue when they are used in combination and-form part of
the steam boilers used for marine or inland navigation, as already explained.
And as regards the furnaces for heating the same, I claim the combination
and arrangement of those parts on which the fuel is supported and submitted
to the coaking or roasting action of the furnace, as already described. And
finally, I claim the arrangement of the furnace doors and the grate bars when

page_text: they are combined with the coaking or roasting parts, but not otherwise, as
herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Nathan Waddington, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of July, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty-one.