IMPROVEMENTS IN BOILERS FOR BOILING
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Valentine Barford, of Market Hill, St. Neots, in the
County of Huntingdon, and John Skerman, of Equesbury, in the same
County, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BOILERS FOR BOILING OR
Sealed the 15th November 1867, and dated the 20th May 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Valentine Barford and
John Skerman at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 20th May 1867.
We, VALENTINE BARFORD, of Market Hill, St. Neots, in the County of
Huntingdon, and JOHN SKERMAN, of Equesbury, in the same County, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
BOILERS FOR BOILING OR STEAMING ROOTS AND FOR HEATING WATER FOR OTHER
PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
This Invention has mainly for its object the constructing a portable boiler
suitable for agricultural purposes, such as boiling or steaming roots or
heating water for washing or other purposes. The boiler for containing the
water to be heated I make of an upright cylinder closed at the bottom and
supported on suitable legs or wheels. The top of the cylinder is either closed

page_text: over with a moveable lid, or a "steamer" with a perforated bottom may be
placed above it when it is desired to employ the boiler for steaming roots.
Projecting out from one side of the upright cylinder and forming one vessel
with it is a cylinder or tube of other form which is of smaller diameter than
the first-mentioned cylinder, which is to contain the greater portion of the
water to be heated; this smaller tube is made to project both above and
below the larger cylinder of the boiler. Passing up vertically through the
centre of the smaller tube is again a smaller tube forming a fire-box, so that
an annular space is formed around this tubular fire-box, and into this annular
space water flows from the interior of the larger cylinder, so that the tube
forming the fire-box is surrounded with water. The tube forming the fire-
box is by preference of copper, and its lower end is passed through a plate or
false bottom fixed across the tube which surrounds it; this plate is at the level
of the bottom of the large cylinder of the boiler, and may be formed in one
piece with this bottom. The space below the false bottom of the tube sur-
rounding the tubular fire-box forms an ash-box, into which a sliding door at
the side of the tube may open; fire-bars are placed across the bottom of the
tubular fire-box to support the fuel therein. The top of the tubular fire-box
passes through a plate fixed across the tube which surrounds it; this tube is
level with the top of the larger first-mentioned cylinder. The portion of the
outer tube which is above this plate forms a smoke box; this smoke box is
'covered over at the top with a lid, a portion of which is moveable, and through
this moveable portion of the lid fuel may be thrown into the tube forming the
fire-box. From the fixed portion of the lid a tube rises which forms a chimney
for carrying off the products of combustion.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Valentine Barford and John Skerman in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 20th November 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, VALENTINE
BARFORD, of Market Hill, St. Neots, in the County of Huntingdon, and
JOHN SKERMAN, of Equesbury, in the same County, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirtieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the
said Valentine Barford and John Skerman, Her special licence that we, the

page_text: "
said Valentine Barford and John Skerman, our executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as we, the said Valentine Barford and John Skerman,
our 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 for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BOILERS
FOR BOILING OR STEAMING ROOTS AND FOR HEATING WATER FOR OTHER PURPOSES,'
upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said Valentine Barford
and John Skerman, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under our or their hands and seals, or under the band and seal of
one of us or them, 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 we, the said Valentine Barford and John Skerman,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement thereof, that is to say:
This Invention has mainly for its object the constructing a portable boiler
suitable for agricultural purposes, such as boiling or steaming roots or heating
water for washing or other purposes. The boiler for containing the water to
be heated I make of an upright cylinder closed at the bottom and supported
on suitable legs or wheels. The top of the cylinder is either closed over with
a moveable lid, or a "steamer "with a perforated bottom may be placed
above it when it is desired to employ the boiler for steaming roots. Pro-
jecting out from one side of the upright cylinder and forming one vessel with
it is a cylinder or tube of other form which is of smaller diameter than the
first-mentioned cylinder which is to contain the greater portion of the water to
be heated. Passing up vertically through the centre of the smaller tube is
again a smaller tube forming a fire-box, so that an annular space is left
around this tubular fire-box, and into this annular space water flows from the
interior of the larger cylinder, so that the tube forming the fire-box is
surrounded with water. The tube forming the fire-box is by preference of
copper, or it may be of cast iron. Below the fire-box an ash-box is formed
into which a sliding door at the side of the tube may open. Fire-bars are
placed at the bottom of the tubular fire-box to support the fuel therein; at
the top of the tubular fire-box a chimney is fitted. A cover is also fitted at

page_text: fuel being introduced into the fire-box.
And in order that our said Invention may be most fully understood and
readily carried into effect we will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto
annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a side view in perspective of a boiler constructed according to
our Invention; Figure 2 is a side view, partly in section; and Figure 3 is a
horizontal section of the same.
a, a, is the main boiling vessel, it is supported on legs b, b, or for these
wheels may be substituted. c is a cover fitted to the boiling vessel a; d is a
steamer which may be substituted for the cover c when steaming is required;
e is a cylinder or tube applied at one side of the main vessel a, and
forming one vessel with it; f is the fire-box tube within the cylinder or
tube e; g are the fire-bars; h, the ash-box, which is fitted with a sliding door
at h¹; i is the chimney, and k is the cover at the top of the fire-box; it can
be turned to one side to allow of fuel being introduced into the fire-box.
In witness whereof, we, the said Valentine Barford and John Skerman,
have bereunto set our hands and seals, this Sixteenth day of November
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-
seven.
VALENTINE BARFORD. (L.S.)
JOHN SKERMAN.
(L.S.)
VALENTINE BARFORD. (L.S.)
JOHN SKERMAN.
(L.S.)