IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM GENERATORS OR BOILERS
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Josiah Vavasseur, of 28, Gravel Lane, Southwark,
in the County of Surrey, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN STEAM GENERATORS OR BOILERS."
Sealed the 15th August 1861, and dated the 20th February 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Josiah Vavasseur at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
20th February 1861.
I, JOSIAH VAVASSEUR, of 28, Gravel Lane, Southwark, in the County of
Surrey, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM GENERATORS OR BOILERS," to be as follows:
My improvements relate more particularly to that class of boilers known as.
vertical or upright boilers, and consist in inserting into the fire-box of a vertical
boiler a funnel-shaped compartment or compartments, having the form of a
cylinder, or cone, or any other similar form that may answer the purpose. At
the upper part or mouth of the funnel, where it is connected with the interior
shell of the boiler forming the fire-box, I propose to insert a series of tubes,
which may consist of one or more rows. The other ends of the tubes pass
through to the crown or top of the boiler into the smoke-box. The tubes are
thus arranged in a circular or other form, according to the shape of the fire-
box and the funnel. As before stated, the tubes may consist of one or more

page_text: rows, but I prefer a single row should their section be of a sufficient area.
A continuation of the funnel, conical, or other similarly shaped compartment
in the fire-box passes through the grate to the bottom or ash-pit, so as to give
it sufficient support. It will be perceived that by this arrangement the heat
will strike the inclined sides of the funnel, conical, or other similarly shaped
compartment, and passes along to the mouth of the tube, through which it
finally passes into the smoke-box. The funnel, conical, or other similarly
shaped compartment, and its continuation through the grate, occupy the space
between the outer shell of the boiler and the interior shell of the boiler,
forming the fire-box, and are filled with water. By such an arrangement an
extra amount of heating surface is obtained. The particles of vapour formed
on the sides of the funnel, conical, or similarly shaped compartment are at
liberty to rise without meeting with any impediment to the surface of the
As the tubes are arranged in a circle or other formn near to the sides
of the boiler, an uninterrupted surface is obtained within this circle, thus
establishing the advantages of a clear surface of evaporization, and removing
the obstacles which principally cause priming.
Another advantage of my improvements consists in the facility offered by
this construction of boiler for cleaning and removing incrustation. It will be
seen that the greater part of the sediment must fall through the continuation
of the funnel, conical, or other similarly shaped compartment, and at the
outside between the outer and inner shell of the boiler to the bottom part of
the boiler, where it will collect from the water being there comparatively still,
and whence, by an arrangement of tubes, it can be readily blown through.
The fact of the tubes passing not only through the water, but also through the
steam space in the boilers, affords the advantage of superheating the steam
without any. separate contrivance.
My improvements, although specially designed for vertical or upright
boilers, are also applicable to horizontal or tubular boilers, and I propose to
construct such boilers also upon the same principle.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Josiah Vavasseur in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
17th August 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSIAH
VAVASSEUR, of '28, Gravel Lane, Southwark, in the County of Surrey,
Engineer, send greeting..

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, hy Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fourth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Josiah Vavasseur, Her special licence that I, the said Josiah Vavasseur,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Josiah
Vavasseur, 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 makė, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM
GENERATORS OR BOILERS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Josiah Vavasseur, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing, under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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 calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Josiah Vavasseur, 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:
My improvements relate more particularly to that class of boilers known as
vertical or upright boilers, and consist in inserting into the fire-box of a
vertical boiler a funnel-shaped compartment or compartments having the form
of a cylinder, or cone, or any other similar form that may answer the purpose.
At the upper part or mouth of the funnel, where it is connected with the
interior shell of the boiler forming the fire-box, I propose to insert a series of
tubes, which may consist of one or more rows. The other ends of the tubes
pass through to the crown or top of the boiler into the smoke-box. The
tubes are thus arranged in a circle or other form, according to the shape of
the fire-box and the funnel. As before stated, the tubes may consist of one or
more rows, but I prefer a single row should their section be of a sufficient
area. A continuation of the funnel, conical, or other similarly shaped com
partment in the fire-box passes through the grate to the boiler bottom or
ash-pit, so as to give it sufficient support. It will be perceived that by this
arrangement the heat will strike the inclined sides of the funnel, conical, or
other similarly shaped compartment, and passes along to the mouth of the
tube, through which it finally passes into the smoke-box. The funnel, conical,

page_text: or other similarly shaped compartment and its continuation through the grate,
occupies the space between the outer shell of the boiler and the interior shell
of the boiler forming the fire-box, and are filled with water. By such an
arrangement an extra amount of heating surface is obtained. The particles
of vapour formed on the sides of the funnel, conical, or other similarly shaped
compartment are at liberty to rise without meeting with any impediment to
the surface of the water. As the tubes are arranged in a circle or other form
near to the sides of the boiler, an uninterrupted surface is obtained within this
circle, thus establishing the advantages of a clear surface of evaporization, and
removing the obstacles which principally cause priming.
Another advantage of my improvements consists in the facility offered by
this construction of boiler for cleansing and removing incrustation. It will be
seen that the greater part of the sediment must fall through the continuation
of the funnel, conical, or other similarly shaped compartment, and at the
outside between the outer and inner shell of the boiler to the bottom part of
the boiler, where it will collect from the water being there comparatively
still, and whence, by an arrangement of tubes, it can be blown through. The
fact of the tubes passing not only through the water, but also through the
steam space in the boiler, affords the advantage of superheating the steam
without any separate contrivance.
In order that the nature of my Invention, and the manner in which the
same is to be effected, may be more particularly described and ascertained,
I append to this Specification a Sheet of Drawings, having figures and letters
of reference thereupon, corresponding letters being used to denote like parts
when they recur in each Figure.
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation, and Figure 2 a plan, of one of my
improved boilers, in which a is the funnel-shaped compartment, having at its
upper part or mouth the tubes b, b, b, b, which pass as herein-before stated,
through the crown or top of the boiler into the smoke-box; c, d, is a con-
tinuation of the lower part of the funnel through the grate e to the boiler
bottom or ash-pit. The water space is denoted throughout by the blue water
lines. ff, is the fire-box. At g, 9, 9, the arrangement of tubes herein-before
mentioned for the purpose of blowing off the sediment there collected, is
introduced, but is not shown in the Drawing. h, h, is the outer, and i, i, the
inner shell of the boiler.
My improvements, although especially designed for vertical or upright
boilers, are also applicable to horizontal or tubular boilers, and I propose to
construct such boilers also upon the same principle.
I wish it to be distinctly understood that I do not claim the parts herein

page_text: described and referred to separately, some of which have heretofore been
used; but what I claim as my "Improvements in Steam Generators or
Boilers," is the improved arrangements or combinations of parts as in this
Specification and accompanying Drawing described and set forth, when
employed for the purpose of constructing steam generators or boilers.
In witness whereof, I, the said Josiah Vavasseur, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
Witness,
EDWIN DONN.
JOSIAH VAVASSEUR. (L.S.)