IMPROVE. MENTS IN STEAM BOILERS OR STEAM GENERATORS.” MENTS IN STEAM BOILERS OR STEAM GENERATORS.
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Allibon, and Alexandre Manbré, of 19,
Salisbury Street, Strand, London, for the Invention of "IMPROVE.
MENTS IN STEAM BOILERS OR STEAM GENERATORS.”
MENTS IN STEAM BOILERS OR STEAM GENERATORS.
Sealed the 30th July 1872, and dated the 1st February 1872.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George Allibon and Alexandre Manbré in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 31st July 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, GEORGE
ALLIBON and ALEXANDRE MANBRÉ, of 19, Salisbury Street, Strand,
London, send greeting.
.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the First day of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the
thirty-fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto us, the said George Allibon and Alexandre Manbré,
Her special licence that we, the said George Allibon and Alexandre
Manbré, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
we, the said George Allibon and Alexandre Manbré, 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
STEAM BOILERS OR STEAM GENERATORS," upon the condition (amongst others)
that we, the said George Allibon and Alexandre Manbré, our executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under our, 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 we, the said George Allibon and Alexandré
Manbré, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in,
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement and the accom-
panying three Sheets of Drawings :--
We employ two or more cylindrical vessels of small diameter composed
or formed, or made up of a series of narrow rings or hoops of thin
metal; such of thc rings of each flue or furnace tube being formed of a.,
2
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page_text: sheet (or sheets) of metal having the ends thereof welded together so as
to form a continuous ring or hoop. The rings of the shell, as well as of
the furnace tube, are formed of continuous hoops of suitable thickness
and width, according to the diameter of the boiler and the maximum
pressure to be withstood, but by our Invention the necessity for the use
of thick plates of metal is avoided, as by the employment of rings or
bands of T iron the necessary strength is secured for resisting the
pressure or bursting (or compressing) action with the minimum weight
of material and other advantages.
With one or more such vessels having a longitudinal tube or flue
constructed or made up in a similar way, within which is a furnace or
fire-grate, and the usual fire-bridge, combustian chamber, and flue
arrangements for carrying off the heated products of combustion (or
there may be more than one of such), we combine a cylindrical vessel
(or vessels) which may be filled with small tubes or tubes of suitable
diameter, this vessel not having within it any furnace or furnace and
combustion chamber as in the other vessel.
In the first-described steam generating vessel the internal flue is
composed, as before stated, of a series of narrow rings or hoops of thin
metal (as plate iron or steel), and may be of circular, elliptic, or other
suitable shape, but by preference such internal furnace should be of
suitably large diameter and circular.
66
For high pressure and marine boilers, as for steam ships having
compound engines" requiring the use of steam of considerable
pressure so to effect any useful degree of coal economy, we prefer to
employ an arrangement of boilers or steam generators consisting of
several cylindrical vessels, each of small diameter, and built up of thin
metal, each having by preference a single furnace (although it may have
two), and each of such boilers having a furnace is connected to or com-
bined with a multitubular (or it may be a tubular) vessel or. vessels as
described, so that after the fuel has been consumed or "burnt off" in
the furnace or furnaces of the cylindrical. vessel or: vessels (or boilers)
the flame and heated products of combustion are conducted to. and
through the multitubular vessel, and so on to the "uptake" and root of
the funnel or chimney.
Several boilers or vessels, each. containing a furnace or furnaces, may
be combined side by side or on the same: plane, and the multitubular

page_text: vessels be above them in the same axial line (or transversely), as may be
most convenient.
The return or rising flue, by which the flame and other products of
the combustion of the fuel within the furnace are carried up to and
discharged into the tubular vessel, may be formed of fire-brick and fire-
lumps contained within and securely held by an iron frame or frames,
which may have brick lined and cased doors for giving access to the rear
of the boilers and for sweeping out the flues and tubes.
The steam connections may be made for taking off the steam generated
within the furnace flued vessels, and delivering it either direct to the
engines or into the multitubular steam generating vessel, and it may
be where desired to a superheater " in any convenient or suitable
manner.
66
We prefer in most cases that each vessel should have a steam space
and maintain its own water level independently, and although in the
illustrations hereunto annexed we have so shewn it to be it may be
otherwise.
In constructing these boilers we prefer to finish the rings by rolling
them thoroughly true in suitable rolls after they have been rolled round
and welded, and to turn and face in a lathe (or by a special tool) each
edge or end of each ring so that they fit truly end to end against each
other, and are also true in their circumference, that they may fit on to
or into the bands, or hoops, or rings formed by the T irons made to
surround and strengthen them.
Instead of employing (for the furnace tube or flue) rings flanged up
at each side or on each edge, and fitting a ring or washer between each
pair of flanges and rivetting the flanges together to connect the rings or
hoops; and instead of rivetting angle iron rings on to each edge or end
of each ring, and then rivetting those angle iron flanges together so as
to connect the rings together to form the flue or furnace tube, as has
been done heretofore, we take a series of the hoops or rings after they
have been "trued up," and we take a number of full or square section
Tiron rings, which after being rolled round and welded up are then
"trued" in finishing rolls, after which we prefer that such T iron rings,
hoops, or bands should be bored and burned to receive the ends of the
hoops or broad rings as a piece of finished mechanical construction not
depending for its excellence or fitting upon the skill of the workman in

page_text: riveting up, as most of such joints may be bolted or secured by bolts
and nuts, or even by screwed pins, as the strain produced by the steam
pressure is not thrown upon the bolts, or screw pins, or rivets, by which
the rings or hoops of the shell or the furnace tubes is not thrown upon
them, but upon the endless hoops or rings, and no recourse to caulking
is needed for making a tight joint.
The rings or hoops for furnace tubes and in such like cases may be
combined together by fitting the tubes over the inner face of the head of
the T iron, up to and so leaving the middle web or body of the T iron as
a division, and also a strengthening ring or vertical radial rib between
-the edges or ends of the two adjoining rings or hoops. In such case the
lead of the T iron projects within the furnace or flue, as also do the two
rows of rivets by which the adjoining edges of the two plate irons,
hoops, or rings are secured to the T iron bands or rings. By this
arrangement and disposition of the materials a maximum of strength
and ability to resist pressure is attained with a minimum of thickness
of the heat transmitting surfaces and a minimum weight of materials.
"
For the shell of the boiler proper or the furnace containing vessel we
prefer in some cases to "butt the joints of the edges or ends of the
larger rings or hoops together, and to surround the joint or junction of
each couple of hoops or rings of the shell with a bend or ring of T iron.
In such case we prefer to true the ends or edges of the rings, as well as
a portion of the circumferences at each end of each plate, iron hoop, or
ring, and also to bore out the inner surface or head of the T iron ring so
as to receive the ends of two of the hoops which abutt against one and
'other, and which joints are intended to be riveted (or bolted) to and
through the two portions of the lead of the T iron, whilst the middle
"web or body of the T forms a strengthening ring or vertical and radial
web extending outwards. But in some cases we apply and fit the inner
'edge of each hoop or plate-iron ring under the head of the T iron ring,
the web or body of the T iron projecting inwards instead of outwards.
In this case the middle web of the Tiron ring separates or parts the
edges of the two adjoining hoops or rings of plate iron composing the
shell of the boiler or vessel where the internal pressure operates to burst
the rings outwards, and where in like manner the vertical rib or body of
the T is introduced between the edges or ends of the plate hoops or
rings of furnace tubes, then the head of the T projects inwards like a
circular plate for a joint strip, and two rows of rivets, or bolts, or screwed

page_text: pins will hold securely in their places the metal hoops or rings, as the
rivets have upon them none of the strain due to the steam pressure.
The end joints of the end rings or hoops of the internal flue or furnace
tube instead of being flanged square outward and abutting on the front
plate of boiler, or instead of an angle iron ring they are at their outer
edge rolled specially with a corrugation or with a section like a reaping
hook, so as to permit of the extreme expansion and contraction of the
furnace tube and flues taking place without throwing undue steam upon
the flat ends of the boiler. Thus we employ them either alone or in
conjunction with the "Bowling Patent Weldless Hoops," (as used for
strengthening the flues and fire-boxes of steam boilers).
Our modification in the form of flanging the outer edge or end of the
end rings or hoops of furnace tubes and flues may also be applied to the
external hoops or rings of the shells of boilers where the heat is applied
externally.
The section of such corrugated flanges is shewn in Sheet 2, Fig. 5, of
the accompanying Drawings to an enlarged scale, and also in the
longitudinal sections of the furnaces in Sheets 1, 2, and 3. The parts
so joined to the end plates may be bolted instead of riveted. All rivet
and bolt holes should be drilled instead of being punched in the hoops,
ring ends, and in other parts of the boilers.
In Sheet 1, Figure 1 is a transverse section of two boilers, each con-
taining a furnace the furnace tubes of which are shewn as formed of
hoops or rings, and shew our method of forming the end flanges and
joints of furnace rings, and the mode of jointing to the front and back
and plates of boilers. The outer shells of these boilers are formed of
hoops or rings without flanges or angle iron, but are formed of plate-iron
hoops or rings welded and "finished true” in the rolls, and the ends of
each ring or hoop are faced truly in a lathe (or special tool), and the
joints are hooped each by a welded band or ring of T iron rolled true and
fitted on to and over the rings, the web or body of the T generally
radiating outwards.
In combination with the two boilers, each having a furnace, we have
shewn in Figures 1 and 2 a cylindrical vessel of larger diameter fitted
with small tubes nearly up to the water level. The shell of this larger
vessel is formed of plain rings or hoops of plate iron jointed or combined
together by means of T iron bands, rings, or hoops, the middle web or
body of the T being inwards. The plate-iron hoops are fitted under the

page_text: head of the T or within the ring formed by the T, the edges of the
hoops being fitted up to and inside of the central web, against the sides
of which they are made to abutt and fit.
In Figures 1 and 2 we have shewn gussett stays for strengthening the
upper portion of the plate ends of the internal furnace boiler, but
longitudinal stays or tie bars may also be introduced. Under the larger
vessel containing tubes we have (in this case) shewn a furnace as an
auxiliary furnace or means of generating steam, so that the heat and
products of combustion therefrom may be combined with those gene-
rated in the two internal furnaces of the smaller boilers, and when the
auxiliary furnace is not in use the part thereof is closed and made
air-tight to prevent injury to the draft of the other two furnaces.
We have shewn the back rising flue or means of conveying the heat
from the two internal furnaces as a brick lining inclosed and screwed
within a double caseing of wrought iron, and it may be divided in any
suitable manner so as to enable each furnace to be worked separately or
the whole together. And a suitable door or doors may be formed in
such flue caseing and be lined with fire-brick (or a fire-lump), or such
doors may be iron frames filled with iron lumps of greater thickness
than the frames so as to protect the joints and ironwork.
Each of the boilers or steam generators is shewn as having a small
steam receiver mounted upon it and furnished with a shut-off valve and
connecting pipe so as to unite and deliver the combined steam generated
from the vessels to the engine.
In this arrangement of steam generators the intention is to retain in
cach its own independent water level, leaving a sufficient steam space in
each, but in some cases the two smaller outside steam receivers may be
dispensed with, and the lower boilers or vessels having by means of con-
necting pipes the means of permitting the free circulation of the water
between the three vessels, the lower ones being entirely filled with
water, the steam therefrom (as generated) being permitted to escape into
the steam space of the tubular vessel, or into the steam receiver mounted
thereupon.
In Sheet 2, Figures 3 and 4 represent transverse and longitudinal
sections respectively of another arrangement and disposition of cylin-
drical steam generators suitable for generating steam of high pressure
and adapted to the requirements of high and low pressure (or compound)

page_text: marine engines. In this arrangement there are three boilers, each of small
external diameter, each. having a large internal furnace, and mounted.
above and between the three lower boilers are two tubular vessels,
through the numerous small tubes of which the heated products of
combustion from the three furnaces are caused to pass into the " uptake "
and out to the chimney. In these Figures 3 and 4 we have shewn one
transverse steam accumulator or steam chest, but there may be more.
than one such, and, where it is convenient a steam generator may be
placed longitudinally between the two upper or tubular vessels and
extend the same length (or any portion thereof), and be connected with,
the several boilers or generators by means of independent steam pipes.
and shut-off valves for the purpose of receiving the steam from each
separately or from the whole together, and also to enable either of the
boilers which may be out of use to be shut off from the others.
Figures 5 and 6 show two of the modes of jointing the hoops or rings
of the furnace tube and outer shell. Instead of one receiver, to which
the 5 steam generators are connected as shewn in Figures 3 and 4, each
steam generator may have an independent steam chest or receiver, and
so deliver the steam to the engine, or the receivers may be divided into
two sets, say "port and starboard,” or "fore and aft," and they may be.
combined or connected by a common junction pipe or a breeches pipe
with shut-off valves suitably disposed..
In Sheet 3 we have shown by Figures 7. and 8 another arrangement of
steam generators in which two long (Cornish type of) boilers constructed.
according to our Invention are combined together with a shorter cylin-
drical vessel containing small: tubes. This latter tubular vessel is placed.
at the fire end or front and. above the longer internal furnace boilers...
The modes of constructing, combining together, and making the joints
of the rings composing the furnace tubes and the outer shells being as
* herein-before described, whilst the flue or passages by which the heat is:
conveyed from the back ends of the two lower boilers. to the tubular..
vessel by means of a brick arched flue is as shewn. The steam from the
two lower boilers (or steam generators) is by means of vertical pipes
carried up to a common cylindrical receiver or steam chest, which is
3 independent from and unconnected with the tubular vessel or its steam
chest. This arrangement is more particularly suited to cases where
steam of two different pressures and different volumes of, steam are
required in the same works..

page_text: "
In Figure 9 we have shewn a modification of the arrangement shewn
in Figures 7 and 8 so far as the disposition of the two "internal
furnaces' steam generators in relation to the upper tubular vessel,
which in this case, instead of being mounted in front is mounted at the
back end of the longer and lower steam boilers (or generators), and the
long horizontal brick flue in Figures 7 and 8 is thereby dispensed with,
and the heat from the furnaces of the lower boilers is delivered direct
into the upper vessel. In this case, as in the previous illustration,
Figures 7 and 8, the steam generated in the two lower boilers) is kept
distinct from and may be of a different pressure from that generated in
the tubular boiler.
Although in the long-bodied boilers illustrated in Figures 7, 8, and 9
the internal tube is shewn as of the same diameter as the furnace, it may
be contracted beyond the bridge of the furnace, or it may be split into
two or three tubes of smaller diameter, or a number of tubes of smaller
diameter may be inserted in tube plates, one of which will form the end
of the internal furnace and the other the end plate of the boiler, or
instead thereof there may be between the back of the bridge and the
forward tube plate a combustion chamber.
We are aware that welded hoops or rings of plate iron, and also rings
of plate iron having flanges turned up and projecting outwards on each
end or each edge of such rings or pairs of furnace or flue tubes, have
been heretofore employed in constructing the furnaces and flues of steam
boilers, and moreover rings of angle iron may be employed for the pur-
pose of connecting short lengths or pieces of flue tubes, hoops, or rings
together instead of the turned up flanges, and instead of "lap jointing
or "butt jointing" with strips or lapping plates, and we are also aware
that weldless hoops such as are made by the Bowling Iron Company of
V section are used and employed for strengthening the flues or fire-boxes
of steam boilers, but what we claim as constituting our present Inven-
tion of "Improvements in Steam Boilers or Steam Generators" is, -
"
First. The novel modes or methods herein described of constructing
or forming and combining and joining together the rings and hoops
forming the furnace and flue tubes of internal furnace boilers as herein
described.
Second Turning the edges or joints of boiler Alue hoone or rings and

page_text: trued up, or bored, or turned for the purpose of receiving the rings or
hoops of plate iron.
Third. The expansion joint for connecting the end rings to the ends or
end plates of boilers as herein described, and as illustrated by Figures 1,
4, 5, and 8, and described as "joint A."
Fourth. Constructing and combining together as herein described
steam boilers having an internal furnace or furnaces with a tubular
steam generator, so that the heat generated in the furnace or furnaces
within one or more of such boilers is caused to pass through a tubular
vessel or vessels in its way to the chimney in manner described.
Fifth. The construction and arrangement of combined steam generators
as herein described, and as illustrated in the accompanying Drawings,
for the safe and economic generation of steam.
In witness whereof, we, the said George Allibon and Alexander
Manbré, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Thirtieth
day of July, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and seventy-two.
0 Witness,
W. H. SMITH,
19, Salisbury Street,
GEORGE ALLIBON.
(L.S.)
ALEXANDRE MANBRÉ. (L.s.)
Strand.