Improvements in Water-tube Steam Generators.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Aug., 1898--Accepted, 21st Jan., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Water-tube Steam Generators.
We, JULES NICLAUSSE, and ALBERT NICLAUSSE, both of 24, Rue des Ardennes,
Paris, in the Republic of France, Engineers, 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:-
In the Specifications of our preceding Patents Nos. 105291 and 1013093, we have
indicated in what manner we intend to construct the assemblage of steam pro-
ducing tubes of a steam generator by means of a certain number of parts called
vaporizers. Each of these vaporizer parts was mounted upon a collector which
served at the same time to supply feed water and for the disengagement of the
steam produced. Several collectors thus composed were employed out of the reach
of the action of a furnace and their upper portion was fixed under a common
reservoir of water and steam.
We shall not again describe the principles of circulation for they are not modi-
fied by the improvements forming the subject of the present patent.
Our preceding Patents Nos. 10521 and 10136 have shortly for their
object the employment of vaporizing parts having the advantage that they may be
removed as desired either entirely or in part and this exclusively from the front
of the generator. Moreover in order to obtain the maximum advantage, the boiler
tube portion of the vaporizer was constructed in such a manner that it was balanced
by the inside pressure, that its fixture was merely an operation of screwing up
two pieces one into the other and that the obturation or tightness of these two
pieces consequent upon the above screwing up was obtained by means of joints
exclusively metal.
We thus obtained great advantages especially if it be remembered that all the
parts composing this generator are without exception rendered capable of being
dismounted; this dismounting taking place exclusively at a place which is always
accessible, namely, the fire room. Each vaporizer, composed of two tubes con-
nected together, may be completely dismounted in portions, or if desired in a
single piece, by withdrawing either successively the circulating tube and the heat
pipe or the two together.
By the improvements about to be described and of which we claim the property,
we in our new construction eliminate all casting and at the same time simplify
the construction.
With reference to the boiler tubes A Figure 1, originally the fore portion of
this tube was composed of a jointed piece called a lantern. The following are
the modifications made:-by a process of manufacture we deform the front por:
tion a bed of the boiler tube in such a manner as to obtain the parts a db c
forming respectively cones in front and in rear of the boiler tubes without the
addition of any piece whatever independent of the tube. These cones correspond
with the cones on the collector with which they form a joint.
Between the cone ad and the part ef and again between the part of and the
cone be we form apertures and oo which correspond respectively with the
water feed inlet and the outlet for the steam produced.

page_text: At e f, Figure 2, which shows in section a complete vaporizer, the head of
the circulation tube B usually forms a partition or to obtain this partition we deform
the tube at g as shown in Figure 3, or again we employ any other device.
The elasticity between the two conical joints necessary for insuring -tightness
is obtained by the deformations a' and d¹¹ and c¹.
Again it may be obtained by the deformation of the tube forming a partition
Figure 3.
The necessary elasticity may also be obtained by a combination in the construc-
tion of the two cones of the tube or vice versa in that of the two cones of the col-
lector. We claim also the property in this.
To obtain this result therefore the two cones of the tube are combined in such
a manner that one of the cones passes inwards with great ease.
For this purpose
we usually manufacture the front cone ad almost straight (or otherwise stated
almost cylindrical) in order to allow its inward travel to be varied without difficulty
and to at the same time insure tightness at the different points of this travel. The
second cone be of the tube is more open or inclined so that its range of inward
travel after it comes to bear is more limited.
The cones in the collector are similarly formed. If in this construction the dis-
tance between the two cones of the tube is a little less than the distance between
the two cones of the collector, the front cone will always bear first and consequent
on the ease with which it is pushed inwards it will allow the second to come into
place. At the momont at which it bears, the two joints are made. Theoretically
they might be made to bear at the same time but the difficulties of construction
would be great for in consequence of a very slight difference, the non elastic joint
might bear first and the other would then never be tight.
Practically therefore the above combination is necessary.
The front portion of the boiler tube A is closed by a threaded conical cap C,
any other method of closing may be employed but this method is preferable because
it gives the greatest advantage. Upon the internal portion of these plugs we fix
the circulation tube B by means of one or several tongues D) and as for cleaning
purposes this inner tube should in principle alone be withdrawn, this operation
takes place of itself on removing the cap.
The tongues D, connecting the cap C to the circulation tube B, are usually
fixed to the cap C by means of a piece E, forming a pivot, which allows the cap
to be unscrewed and the circulation tube B to be at the same time withdrawn
without however imparting to the latter its rotary movement.
In certain applications the rear end of the circulation 'tube B is guided (Figure 4)
by means of a contraction formed in the boiler tube A in order to keep this tube B
concentric with the tube A for its entire length. The rear end of the tube B is of
course provided with openings for the inlet of water.
We have thus reduced to a minimum the operations necessary for effecting either
the withdrawal of the inner tube only (the heater circulation tube) or the with-
drawal of the two tubes together (vaporizer as a whole) but we of course reserve to
ourselves as previously not only the property to tubes thus combined and able to be
withdrawn in this manner, but also all combinations made upon the principle of 1
the two tubes, boiler and circulation, combined in a solid manner which allow the
tubes to be mounted or dismounted separately or together.
It is evident that by means of a modification in the details of construction the
same operations of withdrawal might be obtained but either the construction or the
operations of withdrawal would take place in a less simple manner and would thus
diminish the advantages that we obtain by the method above described..
It is moreover to be understood that we reserve to ourselves the right of modi-
fying the details of construction in any manner compatible with the above
principles.
Figures 5 and 6 represent respectively (a sectional and front elevation) a portion
of a collector F provided with these vaporizers B and with safety bars G.

page_text: Figures 7 and 8 represent respectively a generator (a longitudinal section and a
[front elevation).
These general views show the tubes grouped upon their collectors which are them-
selves fixed under the water and steam reservoir.
As regards the collector we usually take a rectangular extra soft jointless steel tube
preferably as shown in Figure 9. We pierce in both faces which coincide with
the centres of the boiler tubes centre holes (Figure 10) but which are of course
of smaller diameter. By means of a punch, dies and hydraulic or other press we
deform at a single operation the whole of one face of a collector Figures 11 and 12
(perspective view and vertical section). Then we perform the same operation
upon the other face Figures 13 and 14 (this latter face view is partially in section
in order to show the inside of the rear face).
Figures 15 and 16 show respectively horizontal sections of Figures 12 and 13.
The punches and die are so arranged as to produce cones formed to agree with
the inclination of the tubes,
The portion which forms the head of the collector is then forged so as to form
a cylindrical neck Figure 17. Figure 18 is a horizontal section on the axis of the
holes for both tubes.
Figure 19 shows the head of the collector upon which we fix usually by means of
screw thread, an oval flange H constructed to form a conical metallic joint. By
means of two bolts only this collector may be fixed directly under the reservoir.
Then the partition I dividing the currents is introduced into the lower portion of
the collector and fixed to its sides Figures 20 and 21.
Lastly the lower portion of the collector is closed usually by welding in a piece J
Figure 22.
We may obtain the deformations necessary for forming the cones by stamping
or by any other method. These deformations allow the collectors to be straight
that is to say to be placed vertically and to mount inclined tubes therein.
Upright collectors utilize the space better and are less exposed to the action of
the gases than those which are at an inclination to the grate-they also wear less.
Upright collectors without deformation might be used for the passage of the
tubes, but in this case it would be necessary to increase their thickness and weight
which would give rise to inconveniences without taking into account the fact of
its being an awkward hand job.
To form a collector one may of course take a metal sheet and then by any means
form holes in it corresponding to those in the tube, bend this sheet so as to bring it
into a rectangular shape corresponding with that of the collector.
The two extreme edges are then welded and the operations for forming the head
of the lower portion of the collector are completed. Again one may commence
with two sheets bent to a U shape, make conical holes in them and weld together
the four sides of the sheets thus bent in order to finish the collector as above.
We usually take a rectangular jointless tube of extra soft steel for preference,
because it gives the maximum of security and facilities of manufacture.
Without limiting ourselves in any manner to the details of execution which may
be varied as desired we claim in the present patent the right to the
improvements applied to the construction of the different principle elements
of our generator which have the advantages of simplifying the construction and
also increasing the security by the elimination of all cast pieces forming part of
the assemblage of tubes.
We obtain these advantages in a general manner in the following way:-
1. The boiler tube is made from a single piece but deformed in such a manner
at its front end or head that these deformations form the two cones of the tube
which at the same time make joints at the two opposite faces of the collector.
2. By different combinations the front portion forming the head of this boiler
tube gives the elasticity necessary for insuring these two joints being easily
rendered tight.

page_text: 3. The collector is generally of soft steel stamped and combined as has already
been described thus allowing the most difficult casting to be eliminated and produc-
ing a new piece offering the maximum of security which at the same time is of
less weight, which is advantageous for marine applications.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is-
1. The process of manufacture of a boiler tube consisting in making it in one
piece, and deforming it at its front end or head in such manner that these deforma-
tions form the two cones of the tube making a tight joint with the two opposite
faces of the collector.
2. The boiler tube made and deformed as described and of which the head gives
the elasticity necessary for assuring the tightness of the joints.
3. The method of manufacturing the collector of extra soft steel without welding
and perforating it as described and shown in the drawings.
4. The collector constructed as above described.
5. The combination of the several pieces mentioned in the preceeding claims,
..
1000
CARPMAEL & Co.,
Agents for the Applicants.