IMPROVEMENTS IN HIGH-PRESSURE STEAM BOILERS AND IN APPARATUS TO BE USED IN CONNECTION WITH THE SAME
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN HIGH-PRESSURE STEAM BOILERS AND IN APPARATUS
TO BE USED IN CONNECTION WITH THE SAME." A communication from abroad
by Charles Delévaque, of Paris, France.
Sealed the 17th May 1878, and dated the 21st November 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st November 1877.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN HIGH-PRESSURE STEAM
BOILERS AND IN APPARATUS TO BE USED IN CONNECTION WITH THE SAME.'
[A communication from abroad by Charles Delévaque, of Paris, France.]
This Invention relates to improvements in high-pressure steam boilers and to
automatic heating apparatus for the same.
The defects in the apparatus in use in factories and on board ships have shewn
that it would be of great advantage on the one hand to abandon the ordinary
arrangements, and on the other hand to succeed in dispensing as much as possible
with the intervention of manual labor in the operation of heating.
Many grates have been tried without success with the object of effecting auto-
matic heating; part of my improved apparatus may be applied to any boiler at
present in use.
In order that the said improvements in evaporating apparatus may be clearly
understood, I will briefly explain the principles upon which the said Invention is
based.
High pressure is at present most commonly used in steam engines whatever may
be the object for which they are designed; it is therefore necessary to give to the
boilers the most suitable forms to sustain high pressures. Consequently my appa-
ratus is only composed of cylindrical surfaces and of semi-spherical caps; the tube
plates strongly tied or stayed by the bundle of tubes are protected from any
injury.

page_text: In order not to have serious difficulties of construction to overcome I have
eliminated large diameters, which necessitate considerable thicknesses of metal, and
by keeping within the limits adopted, I have reduced the relative weight of the
apparatus. The boiler without being of an exaggerated height is constructed in a
vertical direction, which is of very great importance in factories where generally
only a limited space is at disposal.
The boiler has been designed in such a manner that the course of the flame is
entirely surrounded by water, and none of the fire surface is in contact with the
steam. As there are many ties and stays in high-pressure apparatus, and which are
an obstruction to the working and cleaning, and also render the construction of the
boiler more difficult, I have avoided ties and stays, without however compromising
the solidity of the apparatus.
By ensuring a constant direction of the circulation in a boiler, I avoid the priming
so prejudicial to economy, and at the same time I increase the yield of the evapo-
rating apparatus.
By means of the small tubes which connect the three cylindrical bodies, the
ascending current is in my improved boiler compelled to go to the rear and there is
no reason to doubt that this direction ever changes.
In order to facilitate the fixing of the apparatus, more especially on board ships,
where it is necessary with the boilers at present in use to open the decks to a great
extent, the said. improved apparatus has been divided into several parts, but at the
same time avoiding the multiplication of this division, because it is necessary
to avoid causes of escape of steam, at the same time allowing suitable dimensions
to the several parts.
The cleaning and inspection of the boiler may be effected without difficulty, and
repairs are rendered extremely simple by the combinations adopted, which is of
great advantage, especially in factories where there often is not a staff accustomed
to repair and maintain tubular boilers.
In the apparatus constructed according to this Invention the feeding of the sheet
of water from the fire-box is direct, which obviates any danger which might arise
in the feeding.
As the gases entering the fire-box are completely burnt, and after they have
passed the fire-bridge do not find the necessary air for combustion, I provide a
supplementary aëration at the back of the boiler; it is in such a position that its
working will never be interrupted; so that the gases in traversing the tubes are
only deprived of their heat in absolutely the same manner as if coke only was
burnt in the grate. The direct heating surface, the efficiency of which far surpasses
that of the tubular surface is relatively considerable.
In heating automatically according to this Invention, the coal being placed in the
front of the grate, the carburets of hydrogen are distilled, pass over the burning coke,
and traverse either above the grate, or by supplementary aëration, a layer of air,
sufficiently voluminous and sufficiently agitated to be completely transformed into
water and carbonic acid; the coke which remains is pushed step by step from the
front of the grate to the back without a single part of the grate being allowed to be
removed, and scales of iron are got rid of by reversing from time to time a small
movable grate which occupies the bottom of the furnace.
If a part of the carbon, by reason of incomplete combustion, should be transformed
into carbonic oxide, the supplementary aëration will furnish the complement of
oxygen necessary for the complete transformation into carbonic acid.
A shovel moved mechanically which breaks up the lumps formed in the hopper
supplies fresh fuel at each instant in place of the coke which proceeds from the
distillation of the coal.
The said Invention is illustrated in the accompanying Drawings, in which,-
Figure 1 is partly a front elevation of the said apparatus, and partly a transverse
Bection.
Timun o ina
f the fun hav

page_text: Figure 3 is a longitudinal section of the said apparatus; Figure 4 is partly a pian,
and partly a horizontal section of the same.
Figure 5 is a longitudinal section of the furnace.
Figure 6 is a horizontal half section, shewing the grate of the furnace.
Figure 7 shows partly a front elevation and partly a transverse section of the
fire-box.
Figures 8, 9, and 10 represent detached portions of the furnace.
The apparatus is formed of three parts bolted together.
First. The complete furnace, the interior of the fire-box, and the tube chamber.
Second. The casing of the back of the fire-box.
Third. The steam chamber.
The furnace a is like its casing, a cylinder, which is placed at a right angle to
another cylindrical surface b, or fire-box, which meets also at a right angle the
elongated tube chamber c, which is itself a cylinder; the casing leaves around the
furnace a space for water.
In order to withdraw the furnace a, it is only necessary to unrivet the T iron,
which connects the furnace to the front of the apparatus to unbolt the large joint in
the part containing the sheet of water at the back of the fire-box, then to unrivet
the seam of the two parts of the tube chamber, the extremity of the casing of which
forms the cover joint.
By a series of holes pierced in the tube chamber c, the water space of the fire-box
communicates with the water which envelopes the tubes.
Two large tubes e, e, rivetted on the casing of the furnace and on the tube
chamber connect the two portions of the apparatus which are inseparable.
Two other large tubes e¹, e¹, attach the steam chamber f to the tube chamber c,
and a tube e², smaller than the preceding tubes, causes the sheet of water of the
fire-box b to communicate with the chamber f.
The lower semi-spherical caps h' are pierced with holes, in which are inserted the
ends of tubes i, rivetted on both sides; the air which penetrates by these openings
is spread out in thin jets by means of a rose j fixed to the interior cap.
In case the heating chambers should be transversal, as in some steamboats, a fire-
box would be placed common to two opposite furnaces.
The smoke box g is placed according to the number of furnaces; it is to be
adjusted in front of the bundle of tubes; its section varies with the distance of each
furnace from the chimney, and the steam pipe passes into the upper part of this box,
which thus has a drying effect.
The complete cleaning of the tubes may be effected by distributing at certain
distances removable tubes, the extremities of which are shaped in such a manner
as to increase the diameter; then they are turned up without rivetting.
The grate is formed of three series of inclined bars extending to a fire-bridge m
made of a basin of cast iron n filled with fire-bricks.
The flame in getting free from the fire-bridge, rises, licks the walls of the fire-
box, and after having traversed the tubes the products of combustion are gathered
together in the smoke box to escape afterwards by the chimney.
The principal dimensions of the type which I have combined are calculated with
a view to obtain between the surface of the grate the fire surface, the volume of
water and the volume of steam, the proportions which will best tend to a thorough
utilization of the heat and to a regular vaporization.
The evaporating surface has been determined in relation to the pressure and to
the volume of the steam chamber in such a way as to avoid as much as possible
drawing up the water. In order to render it still less probable I propose to carry
the steam three quarters of the length of the chamber f by a tube pierced in the top
of the longitudinal slits.
This apparatus effects great economy of horizontal space, and may be adapted
for heating chambers in buildings of a moderate height. In a group of furnaces is
then placed a steam chamber for two sets of apparatus, or even a tube chamber for
two furnaces, and a chamber for four sets of apparatus, reducing the height of the

page_text: evaporating apparatus without increasing the length too much. Into the hopper o,
of which the upper part is removable (Figure 5) in order to allow the opening of
the dours of the smoke box, are turned some coals, which a shovel p, actuated by an
excentric forked rod p¹, throws into the fire at each turn of the shaft q, placed in
front of the ash pan, and carried on plummer blocks bolted to the front.
Two cams & placed symmetrically in relation to the axis of the boiler cause the
bars to rise, guided by the beam, and coming in contact with the end of the T
iron rivetted to the shovel.p.
A lighting door u is placed at the bottom of the front of the basket o.
A comb v
makes at each turn of the shaft q; (first) an ascending motion, then a descending
one, being caused to do so by four symmetrical cams 8. two-and-two, which receive
the movement of the excentrics ¹; (second) an alternative movement of translation
by means of the two pieces w, guided by the end of a T iron fixed to the furnace,
and by the shaft itself; they carry a groove, in which slides the end of an arm of
the comb v. These pieces ware pushed by cams, against which they are compelled
to remain by springs a fixed on the one side to a washer ', which plays upon the
shaft, and on the other side to the axis of the friction rollers which they carry.
The last row of the bars contains in its centre a frame y, which clasps the special
bars y, mounted upon the same axis; the bar in the middle is extended by a tail,
which is moved from the heating chamber by means of a rod; this bar draws all
the others, and the whole of them are nearly level.
By giving to this movable grate a rocking motion the scales of iron which the
comb has successively accumulated in this place are made to fall.
v
The teeth of the comb never reach the upper level of the layer of coals; for this
reason the grate is certain never to be entirely emptied in any part whatever.
This apparatus, not liable to any injury, resulting from the high temperature of the
furnace, is in all parts cooled by the current of air which traverses the ash pan, its
mechanism is simple, and the work of heating is reduced to the feeding of the
hopper, and to the intermittent extraction of the ashes and of the scales of iron.
According to the nature of the fuel, which may be more or less bituminous, and
may adhere more or less to the bars, the apparatus herein-before described may be
adapted to all the requirements by giving to the shaft q a greater or less speed of
rotation.
I wish it to be clearly understood that I reserve to myself to vary the details as
regards the materials and the dimensions, and to modify the grouping of the
elementary furnaces to appropriate the apparatus to its different applications on
land and on board vessels.
.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 21st May
1878.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN HIGH-PRESSURE STEAM
BOILERS AND IN APPARATUS TO BE USED IN CONNECTION WITH THE SAME."
A communication from abroad by Charles Delévaque, of Paris, France.
This Invention relates to improvements in high-pressure steam boilers, and to
automatic heating apparatus for the same, and is based upon the principles herein-
after explained.
The defects in steam-generating apparatus in use in factories and on board ships
have shown the desirability on the one hand of abandoning the ordinary arrange-
ments, and on the other hand of dispensing as much as possible with the intervention
of manual labor in the operation of firing.
Numerous forms of grates have been tried with the object of effecting the firing
automatically, all of which have been more or less unsuccessful, but according to
one part of this Invention I provide an apparatus which will operate satisfactorily
either in connection with the other apparatus herein described, or may be applied to
any boiler at present in use.
In order that the said improvements in steam-generating or evaporating apparatus
may be clearly understood I will briefly explain the principles upon which this
Invention is based.
High-pressure steam is at present commonly used in steam engines, whatever may
be the object for which they are designed; it is therefore necessary to give to the
boilers the most suitable forms to work safely under high pressure; therefore my
apparatus is only composed of cylindrical surfaces, and of semi-spherical caps;
the tube plates are strongly tied or stayed by tubes, and are protected from any
injury.
In order that there may be no serious difficulties of construction to overcome I
avoid large diameters, which necessitate considerable thicknesses of metal, and keep
within such limits as will permit the reduction of the relative weight of the apparatus,
as will herein-after appear. The boiler may be of the class termed vertical, without
being of an exaggerated height, which is of very great importance in factories where
generally only a limited space is available.
•
The boiler is constructed in such a manner that the course of the flame is entirely
surrounded by water, and none of the fire or heating surface is in contact with the
steam. As the numerous ties and stays in high-pressure apparatus are an obstruc-
tion to the working and cleaning, and also render the construction of the boiler very
difficult, I have avoided the use of ties and stays without impairing the strength of
the apparatus.
By ensuring a constant direction of the circulation in a boiler I avoid the priming
so prejudicial to economy, and at the same time I increase the evaporating effect of
the said apparatus.
By means of the small tubes which connect the three cylindrical bodies the ascending
current in my improved boiler is compelled to establish itself at the rear of the same,
and does not apparently change its direction.
In order to facilitate the erection or fixing of the said apparatus, more especially
on board ships, where it is necessary with the boilers at present in use to make
an opening of great extent in the decks, the said improved apparatus may be
divided into several parts or sections, but this division is not carried to a greater
extent than is absolutely necessary, as it is desirable to avoid leakage or escape of
steam, and at the same time allow suitable dimensions to the several parts or sections..
The cleaning and inspection of the boiler may be effected without difficulty, and
repairs are rendered extremely simple by the combinations adopted. This facility

page_text: of repair is of great advantage, especially in factories where frequently there is not a
staff accustomed to repair and maintain in order tubular boilers.
In the apparatus constructed according to this Invention the feeding of the sheet
of water from the fire-box is direct, so that any danger which might arise from a
defective feed is obviated.
As the gases entering the fire-box are completely burnt, and, after they have
passed the fire-bridge, are not supplied with the necessary air for combustion, I
provide a supplementary aëration at the back of the boiler; it is in such a position
that its working will never be interrupted; and the gases in traversing the tubes are
only deprived of their heat in absolutely the same manner as if coke only was burnt
in the grate. The direct heating surface, whose efficiency far surpasses that of the
tubular surface, is relatively considerable, and the volume of water contained in the
boiler is not an obstacle to a prompt rise of pressure.
As to the automatic heating it is only the mechanical realization of the operations
prescribed by a careful study of the combustion of fuel. The coal being placed in
front of the grate the carburets of hydrogen are distilled, pass over the burning
coke, and traverse either above the grate or by the supplementary aëration a layer
of air sufficiently voluminous and sufficiently agitated to completely transform it
into water and carbonic acid; the coke which remains is pushed step by step from
the front to the back of the grate without any part of this grate being uncovered,
and scales of iron are removed by reversing from time to time a small movable grate
which occupies the bottom of the furnace.
If a portion of the carbon, by reason of incomplete combustion, should be trans-
formed into carbonic oxide, the supplementary aëration will furnish the complement
of oxygen necessary for its complete transformation into carbonic acid.
A shovel moved mechanically stirs up the pieces in the hopper, and thereby the
coke obtained from the distillation of the coal is replaced by fresh fuel.
In the accompanying Drawing,-
Figure 1 is partly a front elevation of the said apparatus, and partly a transverse
section of a furnace.
Figure 2 is a transverse section of the fire-box.
Figure 3 is a longitudinal section; Figure 4 is partly a plan and partly a horizontal
section.
Figure 5 is a longitudinal section of the furnace.
Figure 6 is a horizontal half-section, showing the grate of the furnace.
Figure 7 is partly a front elevation, and partly a transverse section of the fire-
box.
Figures 8, 9, and 10 represent detached portions of the said furnace.
The said apparatus is formed of three parts bolted together, namely,---
First. The complete furnace, the interior of the fire-box, and the tube chamber.
Second. The casing of the back of the said fire-box.
Third. The steam chamber.
The furnace a, like its casing, is a cylinder placed at a right angle to another
cylindrical surface b or fire-box, which meets also at a right angle the elongated
tube chamber c, also a cylinder; the casing leaves around the furnace a space for
water, by preference about ten centimetres.
In crder to withdraw the furnace a it is only necessary to unrivet the T iron,
which connects the furnace to the front of the apparatus, to unbolt the large joint in
the space containing the sheet of water at the back of the fire-box, then to unrivet
the seam of the two parts of the tube chamber, the extremity of the casing of which
forms the cover joint.
By a series of holes pierced in the tube chamber c the water space of the fire-box
communicates with the water which envelopes the aforesaid tubes.
Two large tubes or cylinders e, e, rivetted on the casing of the furnace and on the
tube chamber connect the two portions of the apparatus, which are inseparable.
Two other large tubes or cylinders e', e', attach the steam .chamber to the tube

page_text: chamber c, and a tube e², slighter than the above-named tubes, allows the sheet of
water of the fire-box b to communicate with the chamber f.
The lower semi-spherical caps h¹ are pierced with holes, in which are inserted
the ends of brass tubes i, rivetted on both sides; the air which enters by these
openings is spread out in thin or fine jets by means of a rose j fixed to the
interior cap.
In case the heating chamber should be transversal, as in some steamboats, a
fire-box would be arranged to serve for the two opposite furnaces.
The smoke box g arranged according to the number of furnaces; it is to be
adjusted after the fitting together of the parts in front of the set of tubes; its
section varies with the distance of each furnace from the chimney, and the steam'
pipe passes into the upper part of this box, which thus has a drying effect.
The thorough cleaning of the tubes may be effected by distributing at certain
distances removable tubes, whose extremities are shaped in such a manner as to
increase the diameter, and they are turned up without rivetting.
The grate is formed of three series of inclined bars extending to a fire-bridge m,
consisting of a cast-iron trougli n filled with fire-bricks.
The flame in escaping from the fire-bridge, rises, licks the walls of the fire-box,
and after having traversed the tubes, the products of combustion are collected in the
smoke box to escape afterwards by the chimney.
The principal dimensions of the parts I have combined as above described are
calculated with a view to obtain between the surface of the grate the fire surface,
the volume of water, and the volume of steam, the proportions which will best tend
to a thorough utilization of the heat and to a regular vaporization.
:
The evaporating surface has been determined in relation to the pressure and to
the volume of the steain chamber, in such a manner as to avoid as much as possible
the drawing up of the water; to render such drawing up still less probable, I take the
steam for three-fourths of the length of the chamber f by a tube pierced on the upper
side with longitudinal slits.
This apparatus is very economical with regard to horizontal space, and may be
adapted for heating chambers in buildings of a moderate height. In this case in a
group of furnaces is placed a steam chamber for two sets of apparatus, or a tube
chamber for two furnaces and a chamber for four sets of apparatus. These arrange-
ments reduce the height of the evaporating apparatus without inconveniently
increasing the length of the same.
Into the hopper o whose upper part is removable, as shown in Figure 5, to allow
the opening of the doors of the sinoke box, I place a quantity of coal; a shovel p
actuated by a forked excentric rod p' throws some of the coal into the fire at each
turn of the shaft q, placed in front of the ash pan r, and carried on plummer blocks
bolted to the front of the boiler.
Two cams & arranged symmetrically in relation to the axis of the boiler cause the
barst to rise; they are guided by the shaft and act on the end of a T iron rivetted
to the shovel p.
A lighting or firing door u is arranged at the bottom of the front of the hopper o.
A rake v makes at each turn of the shaft q, first, an ascending motion, then a descending
one, being caused to do so by four symmetrical cams s, which receive the movement
of the excentrics q'; second, reciprocating movement by means of the two pieces w
guided by the end of a T iron fixed to the furnace, and by the shaft itself; they
carry a groove in which slides the end of an arm of the rake v. These pieces ware
pushed by cams, against which they are compelled to remain by springs a fixed on
the one side to a washer x', which acts upon the shaft, and on the other side to the
axis of the friction rollers which they carry.
The last row of the bars contains in its centre a frame y which clasps bars y
mounted upon the same axis. The bar in the middle is extended by a tail which is
moved from the heating chamber by means of a rod; this bar draws all the others,
and the whole of them are nearly balanced.
.

page_text: .
By giving to this movable grate a rocking motion, the scales of iron which the
rake v has successively accumulated in this place are made to fall.
The teeth of the rake never reach the upper level of the layer of coals; for
this reason the grate is certain never to be entirely emptied in any part whatever.
The data which I adopt by preference for these different parts are the following,
that is to say :-
0m090 for the rise of the rake
0m130 for its displacement
0m160 for the rise of the shovel.
This apparatus not liable to be thrown out of shape, though the high temperature
of the furnace is in all parts cooled by the current of air which traverses the ash
pan; its mechanism is simple, and the work of the stoker is reduced to the feeding
of the hopper, and to the intermittent drawing out of the ashes and scales of iron.
The apparatus herein-before described may be adapted to all requirements by
giving to the shaft q a greater or less speed of rotation, thus providing for variations
in the nature of the fuel, which may be more or less bituminous, and may adhere
more or less to the bars.
I wish it to be clearly understood that I may vary the details as regards the materials
and dimensions, and modify the grouping of the elementary furnaces, in order to
adapt the apparatus to its different applications, whether on land or on board ships.
And having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated.to me by
my foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it
understood that I claim,-
First. A high-pressure boiler and apparatus connected therewith, arranged as above
described, and as represented in the Drawing.
Second. The special construction of the fire-box as above described.
Third. The division of the apparatus into three cylindrical parts, one of which
contains the furnace, and the second the bundle of tubes; the third forming the
steam chamber.
Fourth. The superposition of three cylindrical parts as and for the purposes
described.
Fifth. The method of grouping these three cylindrical parts together, and in
combination with the fire-box as above described.
Sixth. The arrangement of parts for obtaining the complete combustion of the
fuel, as described.
Seventh. The method of systematically burning the fuel, and the means employed
for ensuring automatic heating, as above described.
Eighth. The general arrangement of each elementary part of the said apparatus,
as above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
WUM RORT LAKE (LS)