IMPROVE- MENTS IN STEAM BOILERS, BOILER FURNACES, FURNACE GRATE AREA, SELF- FEEDING APPARATUS, IMPROVED ASH-BOX, AND ARRANGEMENTS IN WORKING THE SAME, APPLICABLE FOR LOCOMOTIVES, MARINE AND LAND BOILERS, ALSO OTHER FURNACES AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Rydill, of 8, Quality Court, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN STEAM BOILERS, BOILER FURNACES, FURNACE GRATE AREA, SELF-
FEEDING APPARATUS, IMPROVED ASH-BOX, AND ARRANGEMENTS IN WORKING
THE SAME, APPLICABLE FOR LOCOMOTIVES, MARINE AND LAND BOILERS, ALSO
OTHER FURNACES AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES."
Sealed the 9th January 1874, and dated the 17th November 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Rydill at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 17th November 1873.
I, GEORGE RYDILL, of 8, Quality Court, Chancery Lane, in the
6 County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM BOILERS, BOILER FURNACES, FURNACE GRATE AREA,
SELF-PEEDING APPARATUS, IMPROVED ASH-BOX, AND ARRANGEMENTS IN WORKING

page_text: THE SAME, APPLICABLE FOR LOCOMOTIVES, MARINE AND LAND BOILERS, ALSO OTHER
FURNACES AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
This Invention of improvements is to economize fuel and to give an
improved area of heating surface, and to improve the construction of
steam boilers, boiler furnaces, furnace grate area, revolving grate
apparatus, self-feeding apparatus, improved ash box, and arrangements
in working the same to save fuel and prevent smoke, applicable for
locomotives, marine and land boilers, also other furnaces and for other
purposes.
This Invention of improvements may be variously applied. The object
of these improvements is to construct high-pressure steam boilers so that
great heating surface from one fire is obtained to economize fuel, con-
necting two or more boilers to the furnace boiler fire-box, also to save
manual labour in firing, having a revolving grate and working boilers
under pressure.
In order to describe the improvements clearly so that they may be
understood I first construct two boilers one over another with a furnace
connected to the front ends, but to show the advantage obtained by having
a number of boilers or more than one placed over another, I will first
describe the arrangement of three boilers fixed one over another which
are placed apart from each other from four to six feet, or even more if
required; near to the back end of these three boilers placed one over
another is an upright tube or boiler of equal diameter to the three
boilers, or it may be larger or of less diameter, but taking them all as of
equal diameter an opening is made on the top side of the bottom boiler,
and the upright boiler or tube is riveted on to the top side of this
bottom boiler; then the second or middle boiler is riveted to the side of
the upright tube or boiler, an opening being made in the upright tube
or boiler side forms a communication with the second or middle boiler;
the third or top boiler is riveted on to the top of the upright boiler; the
top boiler being pierced with an opening on the under side round which
the upright boiler or tube is riveted, forming a free communication with
the three boilers. I then fix at the front end of the three boilers a
cylindrical upright boiler containing an internal fire-box boiler, an
opening is made near the top of the fire-box boiler opening inwards towards
and betwixt the two top boilers, and the three boilers are rivetted to the
upright boiler fire-box, the two boilers underneath are riveted to
openings in the upright boiler fire-box side, and the top boiler which is

page_text: fixed on the top of the fire-box boiler forms a free communication
betwixt all the boilers; a water space is formed all round the fire-box
boiler, being suitably stayed, so that in working the boiler a free circulation
of the water is the result, and the five sectional boilers form one complete.
3 boiler, the end boiler forms the fire-box which is the entire depth of the
three boilers. I narrow the bottom part of the boiler furnace when the
grate bars area is not a stationary one, the ash-box is a jacketed one
being part of the boiler, or a metal ash-box is fixed to the boiler.
The under side of the top boiler is pierced, having large openings every
three or four feet along its entire length, and a flanged short metal tube
is riveted to the under side of each opening, the end of the tubes being
made up with a pierced plate for water tubes to fit into from one inch
to any required diameter; similar openings and short projecting tubes are
riveted on to the top side of the bottom boiler, and the same kind of
openings and projecting tubes are fixed on to the top side, also on the
under side of the middle boiler, except that these tubes are a little
longer, which are fixed to the middle boiler, so that water tubes of any
required length can be taken into the middle boiler and put through
the pierced plate containing openings, which is riveted to the end of
each tube, so that small water tubes extend from the centre boiler
pierced plate tubes to both the bottom and top boiler; the openings in
cach pierced plate tube ends are all of one diameter and stand exactly
opposite each other, so that the drawn water tubes are pushed through
the middle boiler tube and tube plates, filling the top and bottom boiler
tube and openings, and securing the same in the pierced openings
which forms a water communication from the bottom to the top boiler,
breaking up the water into small columns and exposing a great amount
of external heating surface for the products of combustion to act against,
and the boiler or boilers are accessible to every part for cleaning and
repairs, retaining the shape of a circular boiler throughout.
The projecting tubes or small columns of water as I have explained
them stand perpendicular, but I fix them in a slanting position as well
as an upright one, so that the heated products of combustion travel in a
serpentine manner in passing through and amongst the small columns
of water tubes, enabling long columns of water tubes being drawn into
the boilers and fixed in any required position.
In fixing two or more boilers to one fire-box a free circulation of the
water in the fire-box is maintained, and as the water is raised in

page_text: temperature and turned into steam a quick supply of water enters the
bottom of the fire-box. The ash-box is formed either as a jacketed
water space or made of solid metal, being so constructed that the fuel
can be consumed under pressure.
I fix in the ash-box a revolving hollow pierced fire-grate area so that
the fire rests on a revolving metal plate or table-like surface, the fire-
box boiler area is narrowed near the bottom causing a fresh part of the
revolving grate table area to be constantly exposed to the fire, pre-
venting large clinkers being formed. A frame containing spikes which
may be hollow to contain water when a great heat is maintained in the
furnace and by moving a lever the iron spikes open out the air passages
in the revolving pieced table area, the hollow table grate are is supplied
with water by means of a water inlet and outlet pipe to keep it cool,
and is supported by means of stays, which may also be hollow, for con-
taining water; and the hollow spindle of the table grate area either
rests on a footstep or rests on a collar, and is worked round by a worm
screw, cog wheels, or friction wheels, or other contrivance, a kind of
scraper clears away any small ash resting upon the table grate area; or
I fix a hollow revolving cone or cylinder pierced with air tubes for
supplying the fire with air, which are made to contain water to keep.
them cool, or the fire-grate is formed like an endless chain, the under
side passing through water, or the fire-grate is worked by a crank, or
the fire-grate bars are worked backwards and forwards with a crank,
hot air is forced into the ash-box and the products of combustion are
consumed under pressure. A valve or damper is fixed at the end of the
boiler or boilers so that the heated products pass slowly from the boiler
tubes into the flue leading into the chimney so that the heat is retained
in the boiler tubes, causing a less quantity of air to be forced into the
ash-box and through the fire, the fire being supplied with air by means
of a fan or blowing engine. Suitable doors or openings are made to the
ash-box and the furnace boiler so that the furnace may be hand fired if
desired; but to cause the boiler and furnace to be an economical one in
consuming fuel the furnace is of great depth so that a thick fire can be
maintained in the boiler furnace, which prevents a great evil which
exists in having long thin fires, as cold air rushing through the fire is
entirely prevented. Fixed at the front end of the jacketed ⚫boiler
furnace is a hopper containing fuel made any required width and height,
and may be closed with a lid or left open, and it may retain a jacketed

page_text: water space. The bottom of the hopper communicates with a cylinder or
a kind of metal spout fixed in a slanting position which communicates
with an opening near the bottom of the jacketed boiler furnace fixed in
the cylinder or metal spout. Attached to the hopper works a piston
and piston rod, and the top side of the piston carries or works a sliding
door which opens or closes up the bottom of the hopper when required,
the furnace fire being constantly fed in the following manner: —The
hopper is charged with coal, and the cylinder or metal spout, piston, and
piston rod being fixed in a slanting position the piston is drawn to
the bottom of the cylinder or spout which draws the sliding plate
from the opening at the bottom of the hopper, causing the coals in the
hopper to fall into the cylinder or spout; the piston sliding plate and
piston rod is worked with self-acting gear fixed on the outside of.
the cylinder or spout, or for small works the same may be worked by
hand.
The self-acting gear is set in motion by steam or other power so that
slowly and constantly the coal or other fuel is forced into the bottom or
middle of the fire, such ascending in a slanting upward position tends to
break up the fire by its own action, and as the position moves upwards
it closes the opening at the bottom of the hopper with the sliding plate,
and on the piston returning the metal plate slides away from the
bottom of the hopper, so the cylinder or spout is again charged with
fuel, so the piston is made to constantly feed the fire and the coal is
gradually burnt from the end as it is supplied, and the gases are
thoroughly consumed by passing through the body of the fire, which
fire may be two, four, six, or more feet thick. I also place a water
space round the cylinder or spout if the furnace is worked at a very
high temperature.
The self-feeding hopper cylinder and piston may be made to feed
furnaces gradually with coal or other fuel by pushing coal on to the top
side or over the fire, but to feed the furnace near the bottom of a thick
fire will effectually prevent smoke, as the gases are sufficiently raised in
temperature, and by supplying the fire with a requisite quantity of hot
air it would be impossible to produce smoke so this boiler and furnace
forms one complete smokeless boiler; but these improvements may be
applied in many ways to existings boilers. I will therefore describe what
improved arrangements are requisite to enable them to be fixed to my
improved boilers; the boiler and the furnace work so that the boiler is

page_text: not perfect without the furnace nor the furnace perfect without the
boiler arrangements; if this arrangement is applied for feeding a very
wide furnace, the coal may be spread over the fire with a revolving
shaft carrying metal blades or wings, but I prefer to feed the furnace
with a self feed so that the speed of feeding is entirely under the control
of the stoker. Or I form a boiler in sectional parts by fixing small
water tubes with large tube chambers standing side by side in sectional
parts so that a boiler is made any required length, the bottom large tube
chambers may be longer or shorter than a number of large tube
chambers standing over and fixed several feet apart from the bottom
tube chambers, being fixed exactly opposite each other; on the ends of
the large tube chambers are riveted pierced plates in which are fixed
small columns of water tubes which extends any required length that
can be drawn into the tube chamber connecting the top and under side
of the large tube chambers.
Small water tubes from a water tube boiler fixed the entire length
under the bottom of the tube chambers to keep up a constant supply of
water, also on the top side of the large tube chambers a similar boiler
tube is fixed which answers as a steam or steam and water tube boiler,
being connected with small tubes extending from its under side to the
top side of the tube chambers; the fire-box is similarly constructed as
the first boiler, being connected at the top and bottom of the sectional
boilers.
By another method I place a jacketed boiler furnace having a water
space all round in the centre of two boilers like a locomotive or a
greater number of boilers, so that the heat from one furnace rises up
and spreads through the tubes of each boiler, this exposes a great area
of heating surface to the action of the fire so that the heat from the
fire raises steam in the two boilers, and I prefer to work the furnace
under pressure by the action of a fan or blowing engine; escape valves
made of clay or metal is fixed over the escape openings from the boiler
tube leading to the chimney; if fixed to a locomotive engine the fan or
air piston may be worked by a steam cylinder, but when the train was
in motion such might be worked by the axle which carries the wheels,
doing away with the back pressure to cause the fire to raise steam. Or
I construct a jacketed water space boiler furnace to the end of a
boiler like described in my patented improvements on steam boilers
dated January 28, 1873, No. 329, so that the heated products of com-

page_text: bustion from the furnace passes through the boiler tubes from one boiler
to another, so that 2 or more boilers may stand over each other and the
heated products are passed from one boiler tube to another through
jacketed water space connections, and I cause the 2nd or 3rd boiler to
communicate with the jacketed boiler furnace causing jacket water
furnace to be readily supplied with water from the 2nd or 3rd boiler
so that a rapid circulation is maintained in the jacketed boiler furnace;
a similar number of boiler may be fixed on the other side of the
furnace when requisite, so that one furnace may be made to heat and
raise steam in 2, or 6, or more boilers connected and formed into one
boiler by water communications being fixed to support one boiler over
another; a boiler for containing water and steam passes over the top of
the 2 or more boilers, and is supported and is connected to the other
boilers by water tubes passing from its under side to openings on the
top side of the boiler furnace; this boiler is fitted with valves, and I
prefer to work the boiler slightly under pressure, and the furnace is
worked by the self-feeding apparatus.
By another arrangement of boiler the jacketed cylindrical furnace boiler
is connected to a tube running through the boiler, and on reaching near
the back end of this boiler the tube is connected to another tube which
passes through the centre of a boiler standing perpendicular, forming a
water space round the tube which forms a communication with a boiler
fixed some 6 or more feet below the boiler standing over it, and com-
municates with the tube of a boiler, which extends from the back boiler
to the fire-box boiler forming a free communication, so that the fire-box
boiler is readily supplied with water to be turned into steam. A tube
opening forms a communication with the interior tube near the fire-box
end, extending through the boiler shell so that the products of combustion
pass out betwixt the 2 boilers. On the under side of the boiler con-
nected to the top side of the furnace boiler and the top side of the bottom
boiler, which is connected to the bottom of the jacketed furnace boilers,
openings are made in the boilers, and large tubes are riveted over them
every 3 or 4 feet. The tube ends contain pierced openings, which are
exactly opposite each other, and small water tubes are fixed into the
pierced openings, extending from one projecting pierced tube to the
other, forming a free communication with all parts of the boiler. Fixed
over the top of these boilers is a boiler containing water and steam;
water tubes are placed betwixt this boiler forming water communi-

page_text: cations betwixt what I term the fire-box boiler and this top boiler, so
that a circulation of the water and is caused throughout the entire
length of the top boiler. This boiler is also a self-feeding one, and
carries a revolving grate area. The products of combustion pass
through the boiler tube connect to the furnace down the end upright
boiler along the bottom boiler tube to near the fire-box end, when
it uses through the tube flue and passes in amongst the small water
tubes and escapes through the flue leading to the chimney. The ends
of the boiler tubes contain doors for access to the boiler tubes, and the
boiler is fitted with valves.
I also construct a jacketed fire-box boiler at the end of a boiler con-
taining an external fire tube. Connected to this boiler tube near the end
is a tube turning downwards through a water space and entering the
back end chamber of a boiler fixed underneath, which boiler is fitted
with small tubes like a locomotive mulitubalar boiler, and at the front
end of the boiler is another chamber, and from this chamber a tube
passes through a water space and is connected to a third boiler tube of a
boiler fixed underneath, one end of which communicates with the
jacketed furnace boiler fire-box, and the tube on reaching the end of a
boiler conducts the heated products into a flue leading to the chimney.
Over the entire length of what I term the top furnace boiler is a boiler
for containing water and steam, which is connected to the furnace boiler
with water tubes. Also water tubes pass from one boiler to another
forming a free water communication betwixt all the boilers, and a free
circulation of water is supplied to the furnace jacketed boiler. The
tube ends are fitted with doors so as to retain the heat one boiler to
another. This boiler is also fitted a self-feeding furnace and revolving
grate area, or it may be supplied with fuel by hand in the usual
way.
In order to apply this improved jacketed furnace boiler to my patented
steam boilers, dated August 4th, 1873, No. 2624, which are much in the
form of a Cornish or Lancashire tube boiler, I make an opening into a
3 tubed boiler cutting a hole through the bottom tube and shell of
the boiler on the under side nea the front end of the boiler. Another
opening I cut in the open shell on the under side, a little distance away
from the one near the front end of the boiler, and I make up the opening
near the front end of the tube and shell by fixing and riveting a jacketed
furnace boiler which projects from the under side of the boiler any

page_text: required number of feet. The ash-box of the furnace boiler is also
jacketed if desired, or water tube of any diameter is fixed to the second
opening of the boiler shell projecting from the under side of the boiler
the depth of the furnace boiler if desired, and a water tube is rivetted
to the shell of the furnace boiler and to the water tube fixed to the
boiler shell, being so connected a free circulation of the water from one
to the other is the result, the furnace boiler tube receiving the water
from the boiler near the bottom of the furnace, so that a rapid circu-
lation is maintained in the boiler. The furnace may also be a self-
feeding one or fired by hand, having a revolving grate area. I also fix
this improved jacketed furnace boiler to a Cornish boiler or a Lancashire
boiler, but to explain it clearly I describe it as a Cornish boiler. I
therefore fix the furnace at the front end of the boiler, and I rivet to
the boiler a jacket water tube extending some little distance beyond
the front end of the boiler, to which is riveted a jacketed furnace
boiler, which extends below the bottom of the Cornish boiler. A water
tube is fixed to the shell of the boiler which extends the depth of the
jacketed furnace boiler, and a water tube is riveted to the jacketed
boiler shell, and the projecting water tube from the shell of the boiler,
forming a free communication with each other. A small boiler is fixed
over the furnace boiler and the jacketed tube which communicates
with the Cornish boiler. Small water tubes are rivetted from the furnace
boiler and jacketed tube to the small boiler fixed over the same, so that
the small boiler answers a a water boiler and steam chest in order to
weaken the end of the boiler forming a water communication. And I
fix a tube if desired to the water tube fixed underneath and to the
jacketed tube connected to the furnace. The furnace boiler allows of a
deep fire and the furnace to be a self-feeding one with a revolving grate
area. Or the fire may be supplied with air through tewel holes, and
the coal from the hopper is thrown or forced on to the fire by the pressure
of air, and the furnace bars kept loose by working backwards and for-
wards by means of a crank shaft.