Improvements in and Appertaining to Tube Stoppers for Marine or other Boilers.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Mar., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 21st Dec., 1889-Accepted, 25th Jan., 1890.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and Appertaining to Tube Stoppers for Marine or
other Boilers.
I, WILLIAM DOVER, of 30 Spellow Lane, Kirkdale, in the County of Lancaster,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The invention relates to apparatus for plugging or stopping injured or leaky tubes
in marine or other boilers so as to prevent the escape of steam or water, which would
probably eventually extinguish the furnace fire and render the boiler useless, until
the defective tube or tubes could be replaced by new ones. The invention likewise
relates to moulds for making the annular expanding discs employed with the apparatus
aforesaid.
In carrying out my invention, I provide a mandril rather longer than the boiler
tube to be expanded and preferably provided with a square projecting shank at one
end. This mandril receives a tube or sleeve which is free to move thereon, and whose
length is rather less than that of the boiler tube. At each end of the sleeve is mounted
and secured, preferably by a screw so as to be adjustable but to be water and steam
tight, a circular standing block, on the outward face of each of which is made a
cavity or recess. The annular flanges surrounding the said recesses are chamfered
so as to present a bevel plane to force the lead outward or expand it inside the boiler
tube.
The diameters of one end of the aforesaid standing blocks are approximately equal to
the inside diameter of the boiler tube, but the other end is preferably made smaller,
thus leaving a projecting rib, which can easily be turned or otherwise reduced in size
when required.
In proximity to each end of the mandril and in close proximity to the cheeks
aforesaid is a block or washer whose periphery is turned or moulded so as to receive a
ring of lead or other like material. At the operating end of the boiler the said block
is preferably loose on the mandril, but at the other end it is screwed or otherwise
secured. The diameters of one end of these blocks are approximately equal to the
inside diameter of the tube, but the other ends are smaller so as to enter the recesses
in the cheeks. The inside of the rings are preferably chamfered or bevelled at
one end.
When a tube begins to leak (during a voyage for example) the water often issues
with such violence that it is very difficult for the engineer to approach the boiler in
order to remedy the leakage by plugging or stopping up the ends of the tube. I
therefore propose to employ a shield of suitable diameter, for the front end of the
boiler, whose face abuts against the block or washer aforesaid and protects the
operator. I propose to mount the said shield on a collar or sleeve screwed to
the operating end of the mandril, and provided with projecting stops on its periphery
at suitable distances apart for the purpose hereafter described. The hole in the shield
for receiving the said screwed sleeve is provided with grooves or openings of
approximately the same size as the stops on the screwed sleeve. Each end of the
mandril is screwed and provided with a nut.
The mode of operation is as follows:
A ring of lead or like material is placed on the periphery of each of the blocks or
washers aforesaid. The apparatus is inserted in the boiler tube until the said blocks
with the annular collars of lead are at or near the extremities of the tube; the standing
blocks aforesaid are adjusted so that the chamfered flanges abut against the lead. The
operator is in the meantime protected from the boiling water which issues from the
defective tube, by the shield. The nut at the front end of the boiler can now be
turned, thus causing the blocks having the leaden rings to approach each other, and
[Price 811

page_text: squeeze the lead rings against the outwardly projecting chamfered flanges of the
standing blocks. If the mandril has a tendency to rotate, it can be held by means of
a box spanner or its equivalent slipped on to the square projecting shank. As the
rotation of the nut is continued, the lead is forcibly squeezed or expanded against the
interior walls of the tube, until the latter is effectually stopped or plugged and
leakage prevented. If during the operation, the shield is thrust against the flange of
.the boiler tube, it can be rotated (preferably by a handle provided for the purpose)
antil the openings aforesaid are received by the projecting stops, so that the shield
can be moved back on the next set of stops and so on.
The shield also.forms a stop
for the apparatus and prevents it being moved too far into the tube.
The mould I propose to use for making the lead rings consists of a hinged annular
ansing, whose inside diameter is approximately equivalent to the ring it is desired to
nake and to the diameter of the larger ends of the blocks aforesaid. The free ends of
the annular casing can be securely fastened together by a pin inserted through eyes
or lugs in the casing. When laid on a flat surface, the block is placed in the casing
with its smaller diameter upwards, and molten lead or other suitable metal is poured
into the space between the block and the casing. When the metal has cooled the pin
is drawn out, and the casing opened and removed.
Dated this 21st day of March 1980
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Patent Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and Appertaining to Tube Stoppers for Marine or
other Boilers.
I, WILLIAM DOVER of 30 Spellow Lane, Kirkdale, Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
The invention relates to apparatus for plugging or stopping marine or other
multitubular boiler tubes in case of leakage or accident, so as to prevent the escape
of steam or water, until (in the case of a marine boiler) the vessel has completed her
voyage and can be taken into dock and the defective tube or tubes replaced by new
ones.
:-
The invention is best described by aid of the accompanying drawings, in which
Figure 1 is a section of the tube stopper loosely inserted into the tube of a
boiler.
Figure 2, an elevation, partly in section, of the said stopper screwed up so as to stop
or plug the tube.
Figure 3, a section of an alternative way of arranging the shield for protecting
the operator from the steam and boiling water issuing through the mutilated tubo.
Figure 4, a front elevation of Figure 3.
Figure 5, a plan of the mould for making the lead rings.
Figure 6, a vertical section of the same.
In these, A is a mandrel rather longer than the leaky boiler tube to be stopped,
having screwed ends, and a square projecting shank a. B is the boiler tube, and C
are the tube sheets of the boiler. The said mandrel A receives a tube or sleeve D,
which is free to move longitudinally thereon, but whose length is less than the boiler
tube B and mandrel A. E E are standing blocks or cheeks approximately the same
diametor or slightly less than the internal diameter of the boiler tube. They may be
loosely mounted on the mandrel aforesaid, so as to he capable of being easily taken
off and a sleeve of the required length inserted between them. One face of each of
said blocks has a cavity or recess, and the annular rim surrounding it is chamfered.
so as to present a bevel edge adapted to force the lead or like material outward, or
expand it inside the boiler tube as hereafter described.

page_text: In proximity to the ends of the mandrel A and respectively in close proximity to
the cheeks E E¹ aforesaid are blocks or washers F F whose periphery is made to
receive a ring of lead G or other suitable material. At the operating end of the
boiler, the said washer F¹ is loose on the mandrel A, but at the other end the washer F
is screwed on the said mandrel or otherwise suitably secured. Portions of the said
washers are of such a diameter as to respectively freely enter the recesses in the
cheeks E E¹.
I is a loose fitting sleeve or washer for keeping the operating nut J outside the
boiler tube when the apparatus is being screwed up, (see Figure 2).
When a tube begins to leak (during a voyage for example) the water often issues
with such violence that it is very difficult for the engineer to approach the boiler in
order to remedy the leakage by plugging or stopping up the ends of the tubes.
I therefore propose to employ a flexible shield H of suitable diameter for the front
end of the boiler, mounted on the mandrel A between the sleeve I and washer F¹
which protects the operator from injury.
The mode of operation of the apparatus is as follows:-
Rings of lead such as G G or like material are placed on the periphery of the
blocks or washers F F aforesaid. The apparatus is inserted in the boiler tube, until
the said washers with their annular collars of lead are at or near the opposite
extremities of the tube. The shield touching the face of the boiler tube (see
Figure 1) prevents the apparatus being moved in too far, and the operator is in the
meantime protected from the boiling water, which issues from the defective tube, by
the said shield H. The nut J at the front end of the boiler can now be turned, thus
causing the washers F F with their leaden rings to approach the cheeks E E¹ and
forcibly squeeze the rings against the chamfered rims of the said cheeks. If the
mandrel A has a tendency to rotate, it can be held by means of a box spanner or its
equivalent, slipped on to the square projecting shank, until the lead is squeezed or
expanded against the inside walls of the tube (see Figure 2) when the box spanner
can be taken away and the nut J further screwed up if necessary. The flexible
shield I can now be cut off close round the sleeve I, and the lead caulked tight
against the inside walls of the tube by a hammer and suitable tools, and all leakage
stopped. The cap or thimble K (see Figure 2) can now be slipped on the mandrel
over the sleeve I and nut J and be secured by lock nut I, and a tight joint is made
at each of its opposite faces where it abuts against the washer F and lock nut L,
so that any leakage through the centre holes of the cheek and washer is
prevented.
Figures 3 and 4 show another way of shielding the operator. In this arrangement,
His a non-flexible shield mounted on a collar M at the operating end of the
mandrel, and provided with projecting stops m. The hole in the shield is provided
with grooves n approximately the same size as the stops m on the said collar. When,
during the operation of screwing up the nut J, the shield is thrust against the end
of the tube B as shown in Figure 3, the shield can be rotated by its handle ' until
its grooves n coincide with the stops m, so that the shield is released from the first
set of stops and can be moved back to the next set of stops m, and so on.
The mould I propose to use for making the lead rings G consists of a hinged
annular casing N (Figures 5 and 6) whose inside diameter is approximately equivalent
to the diameter of the ring it is desired to make. The free ends of the said hinged
annular casing N can be securely fastened together by a pin n² inserted through eyes
or lugs n. When laid on a flat surface, the washers For F¹ are placed in the casing
with its smaller diameter upwards, and molien lead is poured into the space between
the block and the casing. When the metal has cooled, the pin n' is drawn out and
the casing N opened and removed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what 1
claim is
:-
1. A tube stopper for marine or other multitubular boilers, in which a ring of lead

page_text: or other suitable compressible material, of approximately the same diameter as the
internal bore of the tube and mounted concentrically on a bevel-edged washer F
secured on a central operating mandrel A within one end of the tube and a like ring
of similar material mounted on a similar washer F loosely placed on the aforesaid
mandrel within the opposite end of the tube, are adapted to be simultaneously brought
towards one another and to be pressed or squeezed between their respective washers
and the beveled rims of cheeks E E also mounted concentrically within the tube and
kept at a determined. distance apart on the mandrel aforesaid, whereby they are
simultaneously upset or expanded against the inner walls of the tube and form tight
plugs or joints at or near each end thereof, substantially as described.
2. In combination with a tube stopper such as described a shield H or H¹ adapted
to be mounted on the operating mandrel or on a sleeve placed near the extremity of
said mandrel, at the front of the boiler, and so formed as to protect the operator,
while plugging a fractured tube, against the escape of steam or boiling water,
substantially as set forth.
3. A tube stopper for plugging marine or other multitubular boiler tubes in
case of leakage, the whole combined and arranged substantially as described and
shown.
Dated this 18th day of Dreamsho 1980
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Patent Agents for the Applicant.