IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CLEANING BOILER PLATES EXPOSED TO THE ACTION OF FIRE IN THE FLUES
Year: 1884

page_text: This Specification was, upon the 21st day of April 1887, Amended under
Sections 18 to 21 of the Patents, Designs, and Trade Marks Act, 1883.
I ARTHUR OTHNIEL STOPES of East Hill, Colchester in the County of Essex
Brewer, do hereby declare the nature of said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR CLEANING BOILER PLATES EXPOSED TO THE ACTION OF FIRE
IN THE FLUES," to be as follows :-
This invention relates to a peculiar construction and arrangement of apparatus
worked by hand or other power for cleaning the surface of boiler plates exposed to
the action of fire in the flues, by removing therefrom the soot and other solid
deposits resulting from the direct contact therewith of the products of combustion
and is more particularly applicable for use in connection with Cornish and other
like external flued boilers. The said apparatus consists of a metal or other brush
(by preference composed of steel wires) curved to conform to the contour of the
surface to be cleaned, said brush being provided with supporting and guiding
rollers running along guide grooves or rails inside the flue and if desired with
springs for holding it by a yielding pressure up to its work. When intended to
be worked by hand the said brush is provided with a long handle composed of one
or more parts or sections jointed together by which it is traversed longitudinally
to-and-fro in contact with the plates to be cleaned or it may be worked by endless
chains or other well known mechanical appliances if preferred.
The said apparatus may be introduced through the ordinary soot doors or the
flues may be left open at the end or ends for that purpose and provided with
removeable doors or cover plates rebated or otherwise and fitting against the
boiler and the brick work setting thereof.
EDWIN P. ALEXANDER,
Agent.

page_text: I ARTHUR OTHNIEL STOPES of East Hill Colchester in the County of Essex,
Brewer do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR CLEANING BOILER PLATES EXPOSED TO THE ACTION OF
IN THE FLUES and in what manner the same is to be performed to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
"
FIRE
This invention relates to a peculiar construction and arrangement of apparatus
worked by hand or other power for cleaning the surface of boiler plates exposed
to the action of fire in the flues by removing therefrom the soot and other solid
deposits resulting from the direct contact therewith of the products of combustion
and is more particularly applicable for use in connection with Cornish, Galloway,
Lancashire, Egg end and other like external flued boilers. The said apparatus
consists of a metal or other brush (by preference composed of steel wires) or n
soraper-curved made to conformn to the contour of the surface of to be cleaned said
brush or scraper being provided with supporting and guiding rollers running along
guide grooves or rails inside the flue and if desired with springs for holding it by a
yielding pressure up to its work. The said brush or femper is provided with
a long handle composed of one or more parts or sections connected together by
screwing or otherwise by which it is traversed longitudinally to-and-fro in contact
with the plates to be cleaned.
The said apparatus may be introduced through the ordinary soot doors but
I prefer to employ special removeable doors or cover plates sufficiently large to
admit the brush with ease.
By my said invention I effect a considerable economy in fuel by keeping those
parts of the boiler plates exposed to the action of the fire in the flues free from any
nonconducting coating of soot and am enabled to effect such cleaning operation at
any time and even whilst steam is up in the boiler.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings is a transverse vertical section of an
ordinary Cornish boiler and setting showing in side elevation two forms of my
improved apparatus here shown as a brush for cleaning or removing the soot from
the boiler plates exposed to the action of the fire in the flues as adapted respectively
to one of the external side flues and to the bottom flue of the boiler.
Figure 2 is a part longitudinal vertical section taken through the centre of the
boiler the said improved apparatus being seen in end view as adapted to the external
bottom flue of the boiler.
Figure 3 is a part longitudinal vertical section taken through one of the side
flues the said improved apparatus adapted thereto being seen in back elevation,
and
.
Figure 4 is a front end elevation of the boiler and setting showing the removeable
covers for closing the ends of the flues.
a is the outer shell of the boiler. b b are the two external side flues and c the
external bottom flue. d d are the removeable end covers to the flues here shown
as fitted to a metal frame e surrounding the mouths of the flues so that when the

page_text: said plates are removed almost the entire flue is exposed for the ready introduction
of my said apparatus hereinafter fully described. The said cover plates d may
obviously be mounted or fitted in various ways or the ordinary soot doors alone
may be employed but I prefer the arrangement shown as affording greater facility
for the introduction and withdrawal of the apparatus.
My said apparatus consists of a scraper or a brush of any convenient width
composed by preference of steel wires f secured into a metal or other back fitted in
a holder or frame g which should be curved or otherwise so shaped as to conform
to the contour of the surface to be operated upon-It may be of any required
dimensions so as to sweep or scrape over the whole width of surface at once or to
operate upon a portion thereof only at each traverse of the brush. To the holder
or frame of the brush or scraper there is secured at h or any other convenient part
an actuating handle i which for convenience of use may be made in two or more
sections or lengths capable of being readily screwed or otherwise secured together
and separated according to the length of the flues to be operated upon. The brush
or seraper for the side flues is supported and held up to its work by vertical and
horizontal arms or projections and 11 respectively attached to the back of the
brush or frame carrying the same but the brush for the bottom flue need only be
provided with a single upright support or arm k-These arms or projections bear
against the bottom and side of the flue or against the bottom alone as shown, and
with a view to reduce the fricti- they may be fitted with grooved or plain anti-
friction wheels running alon guide rails o or metal plates p p secured to the
bottom or to the bottom and side of the flue; or guiding grooves or channels
may be formed in the flue for the said wheels to run in."
The said supporting arms or projections are by preference made adjustable in
length in any well known manner to suit flues of various widths or depths and
a spring or springs not shown in my drawings may be interposed between the
bearings of the antifriction wheels and the brush or scraper so as to hold it
against the surface to be cleaned with a more or less elastic or yielding pressure.
In using the said apparatus it is to be introduced into the flue so that the wires
of the brush or the edge of the seruper shall be brought in contact with the
surface of the plates to be cleaned and the antifriction wheels or rollers adjusted
in or upon their guiding grooves rails or plates. The brush or seraper is then by
means of the handle i caused to traverse to-and-fro along the flue.
my
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
For cleaning boiler plates exposed to the action of fire in the flues the construc-
tion and arrangement of a brush or scraper suitably shaped and guided and caused
to traverse along the surface to be cleaned substantially as hereinbefore described.
Dated this Seventh day of April 1885.

page_text: I ARTHUR OTHNIEL STOPES of East Hill, Colchester in the County of Essex
Brewer, do hereby declare the nature of said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR CLEANING BOILER PLATES EXPOSED TO THE ACTION OF FIRE
IN THE FLUES," to be as follows:-
This invention relates to a peculiar construction and arrangement of apparatus
worked by hand or other power for cleaning the surface of boiler plates exposed to
the action of fire in the flues, by removing therefrom the soot and other solid
deposits resulting from the direct contact therewith of the products of combustion
and is more particularly applicable for use in connection with Cornish and other
like external flued boilers. The said apparatus consists of a metal or other brush
(by preference composed of steel wires) curved to conform to the contour of the
surface to be cleaned, said brush being provided with supporting and guiding
rollers running along guide grooves or rails inside the flue and if desired with
springs for holding it by a yielding pressure up to its work. When intended to
be worked by hand the said brush is provided with a long handle composed of one
or more parts or sections jointed together by which it is traversed longitudinally
to-and-fro in contact with the plates to be cleaned or it may be worked by endless
chains or other well known mechanical appliances if preferred.
The said apparatus may be introduced through the ordinary soot doors or the
flues may be left open at the end or ends for that purpose and provided with
removeable doors or cover plates rebated or otherwise and fitting against the
boiler and the brick work setting thereof.

page_text: по
"
I ARTHUR OTHNIEL STOPES of East Hill Colchester in the County of Essex,
Brewer do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR CLEANING BOILER PLATES EXPOSED TO THE ACTION OF FIRE
IN THE FLUES and in what manner the same is to be performed to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:
"
This invention relates to a peculiar construction and arrangement of apparatus
worked by hand or other power for cleaning the surface of boiler plates exposed
to the action of fire in the flues by removing therefrom the soot and other solid
deposits resulting from the direct contact therewith of the products of combustion
and is more particularly applicable for use in connection with Cornish, Galloway,
Lancashire, Egg end and other like external flued boilers. The said apparatus
consists of a metal or other brush (by preference composed of steel wires) or a
scraper curved to conform to the contour of the surface of to be cleaned said brush
or scraper being provided with supporting and guiding rollers running along guide
grooves or rails inside the flue and if desired with springs for holding it by a
yielding pressure up to its work. The said brush or scraper is provided with
a long handle composed of one or more parts or sections connected together by
screwing or otherwise by which it is traversed longitudinally to-and-fro in contact
with the plates to be cleaned.
The said apparatus may be introduced through the ordinary soot doors but
I prefer to employ special removeable doors or cover plates sufficiently large to
admit the brush with ease.
By my said invention I effect a considerable economy in fuel by keeping those
parts of the boiler plates exposed to the action of the fire in the flues free from any
nonconducting coating of soot and am enabled to effect such cleaning operation at
any time and even whilst steam is up in the boiler.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings is a transverse vertical section of an
ordinary Cornish boiler and setting showing in side elevation two forms of my
improved apparatus here shown as a brush for cleaning or removing the soot from
the boiler plates exposed to the action of the fire in the flues as adapted respectively
to one of the external side flues and to the bottom flue of the boiler.
Figure 2 is a part longitudinal vertical section taken through the centre of the
boiler the said improved apparatus being seen in end view as adapted to the external
bottom flue of the boiler.
Figure 3 is a part longitudinal vertical section taken through one of the side
flues the said improved apparatus adapted thereto being seen in back elevation,
and
Figure 4 is a front end elevation of the boiler and setting showing the removeable
covers for closing the ends of the flues.
a is the outer shell of the boiler. bb are the two external side flues and c the
external bottom flue. d d are the removeable end covers to the flues here shown
as fitted to a metal frame e surrounding the mouths of the flues so that when the

page_text: said plates are removed almost the entire flue is exposed for the ready introduction
of my said apparatus hereinafter fully described. The said cover plates d may
obviously be mounted or fitted in various ways or the ordinary soot doors alone
may be employed but I prefer the arrangement shown as affording greater facility
for the introduction and withdrawal of the apparatua.
My said apparatus consists of a scraper or a brush of any convenient width
composed by preference of steel wires f secured into a metal or other back fitted in
a bolder or frame g which should be curved or otherwise so shaped as to conform
to the contour of the surface to be operated upon-It may be of any required
dimensions so as to sweep or scrape over the whole width of surface at once or to
operate upon a portion thereof only at each traverse of the brush. To the holder
or frame of the brush or scraper there is secured at h or any other convenient part
an actuating handle i which for convenience of use may be made in two or more
sections or lengths capable of being readily screwed or otherwise secured together
and separated according to the length of the flues to be operated upon. The brush
or scraper for the side flues is supported and held up to its work by vertical and
horizontal arms or projections k and respectively attached to the back of the
brush or frame carrying the same but the brush for the bottom flue need only be.
provided with a single upright support or arm k-These arms or projections bear
against the bottom and side of the tlue or against the bottom alone as shown, and
with a view to reduce the friction they may be fitted with grooved or plain anti-
friction wheels running along guide rails oor metal plates p p secured to the
bottom or to the bottom and side of the flue; or guiding grooves or channels
may be formed in the flue for the said wheels to run in.
The said supporting arms or projections are by preference made adjustable in
length in any well known manner to suit flues of various widths or depths and
a spring or springs not shown in my drawings may be interposed between the
bearings of the antrifriction wheels and the brush or scraper so as to hold it
against the surface to be cleaned with a more or less elastic or yielding pressure.
In using the said apparatus it is to be introduced into the flue so that the wires
of the brush or the edge of the scraper shall be brought in contact with the
surface of the plates to be cleaned and the antifriction wheels or rollers adjusted
in or upon their guiding grooves rails or plates. The brush or scraper is then by
means of the handle i caused to traverse to-and-fro along the flue.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
For cleaning boiler plates exposed to the action of fire in the flues the construc-
tion and arrangement of a brush or scraper suitably shaped and guided and caused
to traverse along the surface to be cleaned substantially as herein before described.
Dated this seventh day of April 1885.