IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR OBTAINING SUPERHEATED OR SURCHARGED STEAM, AND FOR INCREASING THE DRAFT THROUGH THE FLUES OF LOCOMOTIVE AND OTHER BOILERS
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Brookes, of 73, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer and Patent Agent, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR OBTAINING
SUPERHEATED OR SURCHARGED STEAM, AND FOR INCREASING THE DRAFT
THROUGH THE FLUES OF LOCOMOTIVE AND OTHER BOILERS."-A communi-
cation from abroad by James Martin, of Toronto, Canada West,
Engineer.
Sealed the 19th September 1861, and dated the 1st April 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Brookes at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 1st.
April 1861.
I, WILLIAM BROOKES, of 73, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,.
Civil Engineer and Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR OBTAINING SUPER-
HEATED OR SURCHARGED STEAM, AND FOR INCREASING THE DRAFT THROUGH THE
FLUES OP LOCOMOTIVE AND OTHER BOILERS," communicated to me from abroad
by James Martin, of Toronto, Canada West, Engineer, to be as follows:-
The Invention consists in an improved system of steam surcharging or
superheating apparatus arranged within the smoke boxes or chambers of

page_text: locomotives or other engines; also an improved arrangement of exhausting
means, in combination with such system of surcharging or superheating
apparatus, whereby the following important advantages are obtained, viz.,
an increased draft through the lower and side flues of the boiler,-the super-
heating of the steam by the use of the waste gases of combustion,-and, as a
consequence, an increased power of steam and great economy in the use of
fuel.
The accompanying Drawing shows a transverse vertical section of a
Jocomotive smoke box and parts arranged according to the Invention. A, A,
aro the superheating chambers consisting of cylindrical vessels, arranged in
slightly inclined positions, one on each side of the centre of the smoke box,
and having numerous tubes or flues J, J, passing longitudinally through
them, the said flues opening at the bottom into the smoke box, and at the
top into the large pipes or flues B, B, which are connected to the cylindrical
chambers A, A, and whoso upper ends are bent inwardly towards cach
other, and connected with the base of the chimney D, and a short cylinder
C which is placed within the base or lower part of the chimney. These
large flues Bare so flattened and spread in a horizontal direction at their
connection with the cylinder C that they pass almost or entirely round it
and form by their junction an annular chamber S, which opens into the
chimney and causes a strong draft through the flues J, J, and hence through
the lower flues of the boiler. F, F, are steam pipes branching from tho
main steam pipe E leading from the boiler and conveying steam from tho
boiler into the tubular chambers A, A, in which the steam will fill the spaces
between the flues J, J; II, H, are pipes leading from the chambers A, A,
to the cylinders of the engine; G, G, are the exhaust pipes opening into
the smoke box in the usual manner; I, I, represent tho boiler flues..
+
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Brookes in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
1st October 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
BROOKES, of 73, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer
and Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the First day of April, in the year of our Lord

page_text: 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 William Brookes, Her special licence that I, the said William
Brookes, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said William Brookes, 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 for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR OBTAINING SUPERHEATED OR
SURCHARGED STEAM, AND FOR INCREASING THE DRAFT THROUGH THE FLUES OF
LOCOMOTIVE AND OTHER BOLLEES," communicated to me from abroad by James
Martin, of Toronto, Canada West, Engineer, upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said William Brookes, 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 William Brookes, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the sanie is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say :-
The Invention consists in an improved system of steam surcharging or
superheating apparatus arranged within the smoke boxes or chambers of
locomotives or other engines, also an improved arrangement of exhausting
means in combination with such system of surcharging or superheating
apparatus, whereby the following important advantages are obtained, viz.,
an increased draft through the lower and side flues of the boiler,-the super-
heating of the steam by the use of the waste gases of combustion, and, as a
consequence, an increased power of steam and great economy in the use of
fuel.
But that the nature of the Invention, as communicated to me, may be
better understood, I will proceed, aided by the accompanying Drawing, to
describe means which have been found to answer in carrying the same into
effect.
Figure 1 shews a transverse vertical section of a locomotive smoke box and
parts connected therewith arranged to carry out the improvements; Figure 2

page_text: is a longitudinal section, and Figure 3 a plan of the same. In each of these
Figures the same letters are employed to indicate corresponding parts.
A, A, are the superheating chambers consisting of cylindrical vessels
arranged in slightly inclined positions, one on each side of the centre of the smoke
box, and having numerous tubes or flues J, J, passing longitudinally through
them, the said flues opening at the bottom into the smoke box, and at the
top into the large pipes or flues B, B, which are connected to the cylindrical
chambers A, A, and whose upper ends are bent inwardly towards each other,
and connected with the base of the chimney D, and a short cylinder C which
is placed within the base or lower part of the chimney. These large flues
B, B, are so flattened and spread in a horizontal direction at their connection
with the cylinder C that they pass almost or entirely round it, and form by
their junction an annular chamber S which opens into the chimney and
causes a strong draft through flues J, J, and hence through the lower flues
of the boiler; F, F, are steam pipes branching from the main steam pipe E,
leading from the boiler and conveying steam from the boiler into the tubular
chambers A, A, in which the steam will fill the spaces between the flues J, J;
I, II, are pipes leading from the chambers A, A, to the cylinders of the
engine; G, G, are the exhaust pipes opening into the smoke box in the
usual manner; I, I, represent the boiler flues.
The operation of the Invention may be described as follows:-The exhaust
steam as it is discharged from the pipes G, G, will cause a strong draft
through the chimney as in the ordinarily constructed locomotive. This draft
however though it will always strongly exhaust those flues of the boiler which
open into the smoke box near the top and centre thereof, or at the level of
the mouths of the exhaust pipes, will only partially exhaust the lower and
side flues, which are thus ordinarily very liable to become more or less
choked up; but the strong draft through the chimney made by the exhaust
will cause a vacuum to be formed in the annular chamber S, and thus
cause a strong draft through the flues J, J, and as these flues open into
the smoke box near the bottom and sides thereof, the draft through them will
thoroughly exhaust the lower and side flues of the boiler, and thereby keep
them free from all obstructions, and allow the flame and heated gascous
products of combustion a free passage through them. The beated products
of combustion passing up the flues J, J, will superheat or surcharge the
steam as it circulates in the space surrounding them within the chambers
A. A. On its way from the pipe E by which it leaves the boiler to the
pipes II, II, which convey it to the engine cylinders.

page_text: Having thus described the nature of the said Invention as communicated
to me, and the means adopted for carrying the same into effect, I would have
it understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details as shewn and
described, but what I do claim is, tho adaptation or combination of means
for the purposes substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the mid William Brookes, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this First day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
WILLIAM BROOKES. (L.B.)