Improvements in Boiler Cleaners.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Sept., 1899--Accepted, 25th Nov., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Boiler Cleaners.
We, FRANK WILLIAM HORNISHI, Mechanical Engineer, and ALBERT CHARLES
CLARK, Manufacturer, both of No. 61, State Street, in the City of Chicago, County
of Cook, State of Illinois, United States of America, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particu-
larly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:
Our invention relates to boiler cleaners and its object is to provide a suitable
and efficient device of this character to prevent foaming and to remove sediment
and thereby avoid frequent washing out of the boiler. Our invention may be
applied to any of the varied types of boilers, and while it is shown more
particularly in connection with a locomotive boiler, it will be understood that we
contemplate using our invention wherever applicable.
It is well known that in boilers and in the locomotive type, for instance,
sediment, &c., is carried to the surface and towards the front of the boiler by the
natural circulation of the water and is deposited in that locality and is also
deposited to a considerable extent in the water legs of the boiler. We design to
locate our boiler cleaners at such point of deposition and collection of sediment
and provide for a separate or simultaneous blow off of the different sets of
cleaners used.
In the drawings, Fig. I is a side elevation of a boiler of the locomotive type
with portions thereof broken away to illustrate our invention applied thereto;
Fig. 2, an enlarged sectional elevation on line 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a section on
line 3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4, a sectional plan on line 4 of Fig. 1; Fig. 5, a view of
a portion of a boiler having a pitched firebox showing our invention applied to a
boiler of such construction; Fig. 6, a side elevation on line 6 of Fig. 7 showing a
modified form of construction and arrangement of our attachments or cleaners
in the front of the boiler; Fig. 7, a sectional elevation on line 7 of Fig. 6;
Fig. 8, a detail view of a deflector plate used in the devices shown in Figs. and
7; and Fig. 9, a sectional elevation of a mud drum of a stationary boiler with
our boiler cleaner attached.
The boiler shown in Fig. 1 comprises the usual fire-box portion 1, the cylin-
drical portion or extension 2 with the usual front head and dry pipe 4. Below
the dry pipe we arrange a surface skimming device which comprises a skimmer
basin 5 together with means for removing the foreign matter collected and
deposited therein. This basin is preferably though not necesarily curved as
shown, and is arranged in the forward end of the boiler and extends from side to
side thereof and is preferably riveted or otherwise secured at its front edge and
ends to the front head 3 of the boiler and to the sides of the boiler respectively.
The front head of the boiler may thus form a back for the basin, but such
construction-is-not-necessary-as-a-separate-back-may-be provided-for-the-basin-
or the basin may be extended upwards to form such a back. This basin holds
the skimmings and settlings, which may be blown off at the will of the engineer,
and such basin being for the collection and storage of sediment, may be of any
desired shape and dimensions,

page_text: As shown in Fig. 2, a draw off device is placed in the bottom of the skimmer
basin. This device consists of what we will term for convenience a draw off head 6
open at the sides and ends and resting on legs or flanges 7 and having a horizontal
passage 8 with a central discharge port 9. The lower portion of the draw
off head has a series of transverse inclined flanges or partitions 10 which are
reversely inclined on either side of the center of such head. These flanges form
transverse spaces or suckers" 11, which communicate through holes 12 with
the horizontal passage S and point in a direction from the ends towards the
center. The holes at the ends of the draw head are the largest and their size
decreases towards the center of the draw head for a purpose hereinafter set forth.
Owing to their reverse inclination, the two sets of flanges or partitions form a
central sucker" or space which is triangular in cross section and communicates
with the outlet or discharge port through a hole 13.
".
In each skimmer basin, we prefer to place two draw off heads as shown in
Fig. 2 and connect their outlet pipes 14 to a 15 and then extend their common
outlet outside the boiler where the same is governed by a suitable valve device 16
preferably, though not necessarily, what is known on the market as the McIntosh
blow off cock, which is operated by fluid pressure. The outlet pipe 17 from the
blow off cock may be run in any desired direction to any desired point for the
discharge.
As shown particularly in Fig. 1, we preferably provide one edge of the skimmer
basin with an inclined deflector plate 18 which may be riveted, bolted or other-
wise secured to such edge. The function of such plate will be obvious from the
description of the operation of the device as hereinafter set forth.
We prefer to provide the front and back water legs each with a draw off head
and each side water leg with two draw off heads. These heads 19 are all similar
in construction and are similar to the heads in the skimmer basin. The heads
on the side legs may each be provided with discharge pipes 20 whose common
outlet, which extends through the boiler shell at any desired point, is governed
by separate blow off cocks 21, which may be of the style already alluded to. The
end heads have a discharge pipe 22 which may extend directly through the boiler
shell where each of such pipes is governed by a separate blow off cock 23. It will
be understood that the discharge may be run between the two sheets of the water
leg to any desired outlet.
Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view on line 3 of Fig. 1 showing the construction
of one of the draw off heads and its arrangement in the water leg. The head
rests upon preferably integral legs or feet 24 so that a flow of water and sediment
is obtainable along the sides as well as the ends. In this manner, the sediment
collecting on the sides and particularly in the corners of the water legs can
he readily sucked out and discharged by the heads. Fig. 3 shows one of the
flanges or partitions 25 and the central hole 26 communicating with the hori-
zontal passage 27 having a central outlet nozzle 28. It will be understood that
the nozzle 28 may be directed at right angles to that shown so as to extend directly
extraneous of the boiler shell as illustrated with respect to the head at the front
of the water leg. It is obvious that all the discharge pipes or any two or more
of them may be, by suitable arrangement of the connecting pipes, joined to a
common discharge pipe, and while this arrangement may be desirable, it is
nevertheless preferable in such case that all the sets of heads be provided with
separate blow offs so that the front leg of the boiler may be blown off separately
from the side legs, and each water leg be blown off separately from the others.
In case of a boiler with a pitched fire-box as shown in Fig. 5, the said draw off
heads may be dispensed with and heads 29 arranged only at the front and back
ends. It will be understood that suitable blow off cocks may be attached to blow
off the boiler through said heads 29. It is obvious that it would be undersirable
and impracticable to arrange any heads upon the pitched bottoms of the side water
legs.
In the natural circulation of the water in the boiler, the sediment floating on the

page_text: +
surface is carried forward and deposited in the skimmer basin 5, being assisted
by the plate 18 which thus acts as a scoop or deflector and collects through a
greater surface of water than would be the case otherwise. When the blow off
cock is opened at the will of the engineer, the boiler pressure forces the sediment
collected in the basin upwards through the passages or suckers" in the draw
off heads, as indicated by the arrows, and out through the discharge pipes, whereby
the basin is effectually cleaned of all sediment thus collected therein. The
spaces which we term suckers" in the draw heads do not have the same sized
openings or holes into the horizontal passages, but the same vary from the center
to the ends. This construction is of advantage in that if they were all of the same
size the openings nearest the center would pass all the sediment and those farther
along might not draw their share. These partitions are inclined to form inclined
passageways so as to cause the sediment etc., to travel in as direct a line as
possible to the outlet. By these means we secure a surface blow off the full width
of the boiler from a skimmer basin which may have any desired storage capacity
to collect and settle all the impurities which are carried to the skimmer by
the natural circulation of the water in the boiler. It is obvious that the fluctua-
tion of the water line does not affect the proper working of the device, which is a
circumstance of great advantage and importance particularly in respect to loco-
motive boilers.
Whatever matter is not deposited in the skimmer basin will be likely to collect
in the water legs of the boiler, and, consequently, we locate draw off heads
in these places. As above stated, the blow off cocks can be operated simultaneously
or separately, as desired. When the discharge pipe of any of the heads in the
water legs is opened, the operation is precisely the same as with respect to the
blowing off of the settlings in the skimmer basin.
"
In Figs. 6 and 7 is shown a modified form of construction of basin and head,
particularly designed for use in those boilers in which the braces or stays would
be an obstruction to the form shown in Figs. 1 and 2. In this modified form, the
basin device is made in two parts or basins 30 and 31, preferably suspended from
the ends of the draw off heads 32 by means of bolts 33, or otherwise. The forward
part 34 of the basin is preferably continued upward, as seen in Fig. 7, in case
the front head of the boiler cannot be used for such purpose on account of the
interference with the braces. The heads are each provided with an angular
partition 35 forming two 'sucker spaces 36 communicating with discharge
pipes 37, whose common outlet 38 is governed by a blow off cock 39. A deflector
plate 40 is secured to an edge of each basin, and in order to fill the substantially
triangular spaces on the outside of the basins adjacent to the shell, we extend
the plate to form flaps 41 preferably provided with flanges 42 for securing the
same to the basins respectively by means of bolts 43, or otherwise. The flaps
may be arranged at any desired angle with respect to the deflector plate proper in
order that the sediment, &c., may be properly directed into the basins. The plate
is also preferably hollowed out as at 44 to accommodate the dry pipe 45. These
flaps or extensions on the deflector may, if desired, be made separate from
the plate and secured thereto in any desired manner. It is obvious that such
flaps serve to increase the skimming surface of the boiler so that the device skims
practically the full width of the boiler, the dry pipe between the basins practically
filling the space between such basins.
In Fig. 9 is shown the arrangement of our attachments in connection with the
mud drum 46 of an ordinary stationary boiler. The heads 47, preferably two in
number, which are located at the bottom of the drum, have partitions 48,
horizontal passage 49 and communicating passages, all forming the same con-
struction of head as the heads_6_before-described. The discharge pipes 50 are
connected to a common outlet pipe 51 governed by a suitable blow off cock. The
operation of the device in a mud drum is the same as in the case of those devices
already described.
It will be understood that our device may be located in any place where sediment

page_text: +
Fodges or collects or where it may be collected by suitable means, and that we
locate such device at the places shown. because it is demonstrable that such places
are the ones where deposition occurs in the natural circulation of the boiler.
Furthermore, it is obvious that the draw off head may be of any desired shape and
dimensions to correspond to the place where located. For instance, when our draw
off head is placed in an ordinary upright boiler, such head may be curved to
correspond with the curvature of the mud ring.
Although we have described more or less precise forms and details of con-
struction, we do not intend to be understood as limiting ourselves thereto, as we
contemplate changes in form, the proportion of parts and the substitution of
equivalents as circumstances may suggest or render expedient, and without depart-
ing from the spirit of our invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
1. A boiler cleaner comprising a stationary basin arranged within the boiler
and having a depression in which the sediment collects, and a draw off device
for blowing out the sediment from the basin.
2. A boiler cleaner comprising a stationary skimmer basin supported within
the boiler and having a depression to collect sediment and a draw off head located
substantially at the bottom of the basin and a valve governed discharge pipe
through which the boiler is blown off and the collected sediment in the basin
removed.
3. A boiler cleaner comprising a basin arranged within the boiler and adapted
to collect sediment, a draw off head located within the basin and having upon
its bottom a series of spaces forming suckers and a valve governed discharge pipe
communicating with said spaces.
4. A boiler cleaner comprising a plate extending from side to side of the boiler
substantially at the surface of the water therein, and depressed to form a sub-
stantially U-shaped basin for the deposit and storage of sediment and a valve
governed draw off head located substantially at the bottom of the basin to remove
the sediment.
5. A boiler cleaner comprisng a stationary basin arranged within the boiler
and extending from side to side thereof and having a depression to collect sediment,
the back of the basin being above the water line and the front thereof being
below the water line and a draw off device for blowing out the sediment from
the basin.
6. A boiler cleaner comprising a basin arranged within the boiler and adapted
to collect sediment, the back of the basin being above the water line and the
front thereof being below the water line, a deflector connected to the said front
below the water line and a draw off device for blowing out the sediment from
the basin.
7. A boiler cleaner comprising a basin arranged within the boiler and adapted
to collect sediment, a draw off head located within the basin and having a hori-
zontal passage, a series of transverse partitions forming sucker spaces communi-
cating with said passage and a valve governed discharge pipe through which the
boiler is blown off and the collected sediment in the basin removed.
8. A boiler cleaner, comprising a draw off head having a horizontal passage and
a series of transverse partitions forming sucker spaces communicating with said
passage and a valve governed discharge pipe through which the boiler is blown
off and sediment removed from the boiler through the draw head.
9. A boiler cleaner comprising a draw off head having inclined partitions form-
ing open spaces, a discharge pipe and means of communication between said
spaces and discharge pipe.
10. A boiler cleaner comprising a draw off head having upon its bottom
portion a series of inclined partitions forming inclined passages, and also having a

page_text: common passage communicating with said inclined passages and a valve governed
outlet pipe for said common passage.
11. A boiler cleaner comprising a draw off head having upon its bottom portion
a series of inclined partitions forming inclined passages and also having a common
passage, communicating through holes with said inclined passages, the holes
increasing in size from the center to the ends, and a valve governed outlet pipe
for said common passage.
12. A boiler cleaner comprising a draw off head open at its bottom and having
an outlet thereabove, said head having at such bottom reversely inclined parti-
tions forming inclined passageways to said outlet and a valve governed discharge
pipe communicating with said outlet.
13. A boiler cleaner comprising a draw off head having at its open bottom a
series of transverse partitions forming inclined passages, the partitions on one
side of the center of the head being reversely inclined to those on the other side,
said head having an outlet or discharge port and means of communication between
said inclined passages and said discharge port.
14. A boiler cleaner comprising a draw off head having an outlet and having at
its open bottom a series of transverse partitions forming inclined passages, the
partitions on one side of the center of the head being reversely inclined to those
on the other side and having holes communicating between the inclined passages
and said outlet, said holes increasing in size from the center outwards to the
ends.
15. A boiler cleaner comprising a draw off head having a horizontal passage 8.
a series of transverse parallel and inclined partitions 10 forming inclined
passages 11 communicating through holes 12 with passage 8, and a valve governed
outlet pipe from said passage 8.
16. A boiler cleaner comprising a draw off head having a horizontal passage 8,
a series of transverse parallel and inclined partitions 10 forming inclined
passages 11 communicating through holes 12 with passage 8, the partitions on
either side of the center of the head being reversely inclined and forming at such
center a space triangular in cross section and having a central passage communi-
cating with said passage 8.
17. A boiler cleaner comprising a draw off head open at its sides and ends and
having an outlet communicating through its bottom with a boiler or drum, a series
of inclined partitions arranged in the head at such bottom and forming inclined
passageways from the boiler or drum upwardly to said outlet.
18. A boiler cleaner comprising a draw off head having a horizontal passage
and having depending flanges or partitions inclined to form inclined passages, said
partitions being substantially triangular in shape, said inclined passages each
having a passage located at the apex of such triangular shaped partition and
communicating with said horizontal passage.
19. A boiler cleaner comprising a skimmer basin located within the boiler and
extending from side to side thereof, such basin having a depression in which the
sediment collects, a draw off head located in the bottom of such basin and a
valve governed discharge pipe communicating with the head.
20. A boiler cleaner comprising a skimmer basin located within the boiler
and extending from side to side thereof, an inclined deflector plate extending from
one edge of such basin, a draw off head located in such basin and a valve governed
discharge pipe communicating with the head.
21. A boiler cleaner comprising a skimmer basin located within the boiler and
extending from side to side thereof, a draw off head therein consisting of a
casing having a horizontal passage with an outlet, and a series of inclined trans-
verse-depending flanges forming inclined passageways communicating with such
horizontal passage and a valve governed discharge pipe communicating with said
outlet.
22. A boiler cleaner comprising a curved plate forming a skimmer basin extend-
ing from side to side of the interior of the boiler and secured respectively to the

page_text: front head and sides thereof and a draw off head located in said basin for removing
the collected sediment in the basin.
23. The combination, with a boiler, of a skimmer basin arranged therein, a pair
of draw off heads located in the basin and communicating therewith to remove
the collected sediment, to discharge pipes, a common outlet pipe connected with
said two pipes and a blow off cock governing said outlet pipe.
24. The combination, with a boiler, of a skimmer basin arranged therein below
its drp pipe and extending transverse with its front end secured to the front head
of the boiler, a pair of draw off heads located in the basin and communicating
therewith to remove the collected sediment, two discharge pipes extending
from said heads on either side of the dry pipe, a common outlet pipe connected to
said discharge pipes and a blow off cock governing said outlet pipe..
25. The combination, with a boiler having a water leg or like place where
sediment collects, of a valve governed discharge outlet and a draw off head
communicating therewith and located in a water leg or similar place, said head
being open at its bottom and having feet to raise it above the bottom of the water
leg and to provide for free passage on all sides of the head, such head having. a
horizontal passage communicating with such outlet and having depending trans-
verse and inclined flanges forming inclined passageways communicating with the
horizontal passage.
26. The combination, with a boiler, of a stationary skimmer basin located sub-
stantially at the surface in the path of water circulation, a draw off head located
therein, and a draw off head located in a water leg of the boiler..
27. The combination, with a boiler. of the locomotive type, of a skimmer basin
located therein in the path of water circulation, a draw off head located therein, a
draw off head in the front and back water legs respectively and a pair of draw off
heads located in each side water leg, each of said heads comprising a casing having
an outlet and having a series of inclined depending flanges forming inclined
passageways communicating with said outlet.
28. The boiler cleaner constructed substantially as herein shown and described.
29. The boiler cleaner operating substantially in the manner herein described.
HERBERT HADDAN & Co.,.
Agents to Applicants, 18, Buckingham Street, Strand, W.C., London: