IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM BOILERS, AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Walls, of Farington, near Preston, in the
County of Lancaster, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
STEAM BOILERS, AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH."
Sealed the 23rd February 1864, and dated the 28th August 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Walls at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 28th August
1863.
I, JOSEPH WALLS, of Farington, near Preston, in the County of Lancaster,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN STEAM BOILERS, AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH," to be
as follows:-
This Invention consists, first, in an improved arrangement of steam boiler.
I employ one or more short boilers having fire-boxes similar to those in.a two-
flued boiler. At the back of each fire-box there is a bridge, and at the back
of each small boiler a large flue of brickwork, which contains a number of
pipes bent like a syphon, which pipes have their legs connected to a shell or
casing, or one row of legs connected to one shell or casing, and the other row
of legs to another shell or casing. The syphon pipes are full of water, and

page_text: the shells contain water and steam, and to the tops of the shells are connected
the domes, steam pipes, and apparatus usually connected to boilers. In some
cases I employ some of the syphon pipes for heating the feed water before it
enters the water, and the pipes are kept clean by wire brushes.
Secondly, in improved arrangements for making one or more dampers self-
acting, adapted to boilers of all descriptions. In the interior of the boiler
there is a lever, which at one end supports a float, and at the other end is
connected by a rod to a weighted valve in a valve box communicating by pipes
to another valve box containing a sheet of india-rubber, and having at the top.
a safety valve. The exterior edge of the india-rubber is fixed to the box, and
the centre jointed to a weighted lever connected to one or more dampers by
rods and cranks or chains. When the float descends on account of a deficiency
of water the other end of the lever rises and opens the valve and allows steam
to act upon and press down the india-rubber sheet, so as to shift the weighted
lever and close the damper or dampers, there being a spring to prevent the
closing being too sudden. When the water rises too high. it acts upon the
weight of the weighted valve and lifts the valve from its seating, and thus
allows steam to pass through the pipes to the india-rubber sheet and close the
damper or dampers in the same manner as when the water was too low.
When the weighted valve is closed the steam. escapes from the upper side of
the india-rubber sheet through a small hole in one of the pipes, and the weight
on the weighted lever gives a return movement to the lever and opens the
damper or dampers.
In another arrangement I employ a syphon containing mercury, and
connect one leg of the syphon to a pipe which passes through the top of the
boiler into the water. To the other leg of the syphon is connected a box
having a pipe communicating with the box before described containing the
india-rubber sheet. The box at the top of the syphon is provided with a steam
whistle, and on the top of the mercury there is a float acting as a steam gauge.
When the boiler is properly supplied with water the pipe connected to the
syphon is full of water, but when there is a deficiency in the boiler the water
runs out of the pipe, and steam enters it and forces the mercury into the box,
and allows steam to pass to the india-rubber sheet and close the damper or
dampers, and at the same time to blow the steam whistle. The india-rubber
sheet and box can also be worked in connection with Hopkinson's safety
valves, or others employed for the same purpose.
And, thirdly, in an improved arrangement for extinguishing the fire when
there is danger from deficiency of water in the boiler. At the front end of the
boiler, over.the centre of the fire, I support a lever having at one end a float

page_text: and at the other end a valve in a box open to the furnace. When the water
in the boiler descends too low, the float falls and raises the valve, which allows
water to pass into the furnace and extinguish the fire, there being a rod
passing through the top of the boiler for keeping the valve closed when the
boiler is being cleaned, or when a fresh supply of water is given to the boiler.