IMPROVEMENTS IN BOILERS FOR GENERATING STEAM AND HOT AIR TOGETHER OR SEPA- RATELY
Year: 1852

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Ramsell, of Deptford, in the County
of Kent, Boiler Maker, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
BOILERS FOR GENERATING STEAM AND HOT AIR TOGETHER OR SEPA-
RATELY."
Sealed the 24th June 1853, and dated the 24th December 1852.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Ramsell
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Peti-
tion, on the 24th December 1852.
I, WILLIAM RAMSELL, of Deptford, in the County of Kent, Boiler
Maker, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN BOILERS FOR GENERATING STEAM AND HOT AIR
TOGETHER OR SEPERATELY" to be as follows:-
Firstly, in a peculiar construction of boilers, presenting a large
heating surface for evaporating water or heating air; secondly, in
the mode of submitting the water to be evaporated or the air to
be heated to the action of the heat generated for that purpose; and
thirdly, in an apparatus or supplementary boiler employed for
heating water by means of the heat passing off in the flues.

page_text: I shall now proceed to a particular description of the several parts
of my Invention, elucidated by reference to the figures and letters
marked on the Drawings hereunto annexed, the same figures and
letters referring to the same parts in each.
Fig. 1, is a longitudinal vertical section of an improved steam
engine boiler, consisting of the external boiler or casing A, A, con-
taining the internal boiler or generator B, B', the two boilers having
no direct communication with each other. The external boiler A, is
of sufficient capacity and strength for the required steam or the hot
air, and the internal boiler B is merely used as the generator of the
requisite heat, being filled with water or other suitable liquid,
heated under pressure, and not allowed to escape. It is heated by
the furnace C, at the end of which is the water bridge D, and
beyond that the usual boiler flue, intersected with water tubes E, F,
alternating in series, the one series placed at right angles or there-
abouts to the next throughout; and each series of tubes that
stands at the same angle with each other are so alternated that the
second series is opposed to the spaces of the first series, and so on
throughout, thus subjecting them to the fullest possible action of
the heat. The upper portion of this generator B' is connected with
the lower part by large water tubes, as G, G, G, and by a lesser tube
✗ communicates with an expansion safety hot water cylinder
H, I, having a piston J fitting steam-tight into it, with a safety
valve at K, properly weighted, and the whole regulated by guide
rods L, L, governed in their ascent by weights, springs, or levers.
At M is a tube for charging the generator, and at N may be
affixed such indicators as a barometer and a thermometer. At the
end F of the fluc E, F, the flame and heat impinge against an hori-
zontal U shaped tube of large capacity, having an inlet at O, and
an outlet at P; at O¹ runs a pipe of small bore the whole length of
that portion of the U tube, perforated along its upper surface with
snall holes; the outlet at P is connected with the horizontal pipes
P1, P1, and Q, Q, the latter perforated along its upper surface with
small holes. At the take up of the flue F. is placed the supple-
mentary boiler a, b, c, d, consisting of a series of flat tubes or

page_text: cases, forming a series of water spaces and of smoke flues, and with
their front and back ends opening into e, f, g, h, forming a water
connexion with the outer casing of this auxiliary boiler, which is
supplied with a draw off pipe at V, to supply the force pump
at T, when so required; & a feed pipe at I, and R, serves as
a low pressure steam chest from which to supply pure water by
condensation.
Fig. 2, is a transverse section, showing the generator B, with
2 flues and 2 furnaces C, and C'; C, exhibiting the fore part
with the furnace bars removed, and C¹ the back part beyond the
bridge, giving the arrangement of the water tubes E, F ; S, S, are
perforated pipes for forcing water through, which falling in a
shower on the upper part of the generator B', B₁, spreads over its
surface. This portion of the generator has its upper flat surface
B', B', connected with its lower flat surface y, y, by small tubes,
affording increased heating surface, and acting also as stays, a large
number being inserted in every square foot of surface, as at z, z, z.
Sheet metal shields or guide plates j, j, j, j, k, k, k, k, are placed so as
to keep the steain or air forced upwards through Q, as close as
possible to the heated generator; likewise to direct the fall of any
water from s, s, escaping through the small tubes z, z, z, at the
lower side y, y, of the generator against the circular sides of C, C¹..
Fig. 3, is a transverse section of the auxiliary boiler g, h, g, h,
The dotted
with its water spaces a, a, a, and flue spaces w, w, w.
circle A, A, marks the bounds of the main boiler; O, P, shows the
horizontal U tube, and O¹, O¹, the internal perforated pipe for forcing
in jets of water or air, thus acting as a supplementary generator;
P', the escape pipe for the steam or hot air generated, to be thence
conveyed to the boiler A, as described in Fig. 1.
It will be thus seen that the principle of my Invention consists
in having a generator containing a highly heated liquid enclosed
within a steam boiler, and supplying scarcely more water to be evapo-
rated by the generator than is requisite to produce the necessary
quantity of steam, and also in dividing the water into small drops,
jets, films, or even vapour. It is therefore evident that my present

page_text: arrangement may be variously modified by generators formed
wholly of tubes or in other ways, and by different modes of dividing
and distributing the water; all which methods would, however, par-
take of the principle of my Invention. I am aware that mercury
and fusible metals have been used as generators, and that generators
have been immersed in water, and formed to hold the water in a
body to be evaporated, with none of which does my Invention
interfere. I would therefore observe that I do not claim the furnace,
Hues, or any of the ordinary parts of boilers; but what I specially
claim as my Invention as described herein is,-
First, the peculiar construction of a generator for evaporating
water or for heating air.
Second, the combination of such a generator with an external
boiler or casing.
Third, the mode of distributing air or water minutely divided
over a generator, however constructed, when heated by hot water or
other liquid confined therein under pressure.
Fourth, the arrangement of the safety hot water cylinder.
Fifth, the water tubes in steam boiler flues when arranged in
alternating series placed at opposing angles to each other; and
Sixth, the arrangement of the auxiliary boiler for absorbing what
is called the "waste heat" of the flues.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters
Patent, filed by the said William Ramsell in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 24th June 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
WILLIAM RAMSELL, of Deptford, in the County of Kent, Boiler
Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of December, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-two, in
the sixteenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-

page_text: cessors, give and grant unto me, the said William Ramsell, Her
special licence that I, the said William Ramsell, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William
Ramsell, my 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 BOILERS FOR GENERATING STEAM
AND HOT AIR TOGETHER OR SEPERATELY," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said William Ramsell, by an instrument in
writing under
my hand and seal, 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 imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Ramsell, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:
My Invention consists, firstly, in a peculiar construction of
boilers presenting large heating surface for evaporating water or
heating air; secondly, in the mode of submitting the water to be
evaporated, or the air to be heated, to the action of the heat gene-
rated for that purpose; and thirdly, in an apparatus or supple-
mentary boiler employed for heating water by means of the heat
passing off in the flues.
For the better understanding of my said Invention, and the
manner of carrying the same into effect, I shall now proceed to give
a description of the Drawings hereunto annexed, in which the same
figures and letters have reference to like parts throughout.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1, is a longitudinal vertical section of my improved steam
engine boiler, consisting of the external boiler or casing A, A,
containing the internal boiler or generator B, B'; the two boilers

page_text: A and B, having no direct communication with each other. The
external boiler A, is of sufficient capacity and strength for the
required, steam, or for the hot air, as the case may be; and the in-
-ternal boiler B, is used merely as the generator, being filled with
water or other suitable liquid, heated under pressure sufficient to
prevent its free escape. It is heated by the furnace C, at the end of
which is the water bridge D, and beyond that the usual boiler fluc,
but intersected with water tubes E, F, alternating in series, the one
series placed at right angles or thereabouts to the next series, and
so on throughout; thus each series of tubes that stands at the same
angle with each other are so alternated that the second series is
opposed to the spaces of the first series, by which arrangement each
series becomes subjected to the full action of the heat. The upper
part B of the generator B is connected with the lower part by means
.of large water tubes or socket joints as G, G, G, made of wrought
iron; and a lesser tube X, communicates with an expansion safety
hot water cylinder H, I, having a piston J, fitting steam-tight into
it, with a safety valve at K, properly weighted, and the whole regu-
lated by guide rods L, L, governed in their ascent or descent by
weights or other suitable means. At M, may be attached a pipe,
by which to charge the generator with water or other requisite
liquid, by employing a force pump; and at N, may be affixed such
indicators as a barometer and thermometer. At the end F, of the
flue E, F, the flame and heat impinge against a horizontal U shaped
tube of large capacity, having an inlet at O, and an outlet at P; at
O' runs a pipe of rather small bore along the whole length of that
portion of the U tube, and is perforated along its upper surface with
small holes; the outlet at P, is connected with the horizontal pipes
P', P, and Q, Q, the latter being perforated along its upper surface
with small holes. At the take up or end of the flue F, is placed the
supplementary boiler a, b, c, d, consisting of a series of flat tubes
or cases, forming alternately a series of water spaces and of sinoke
flues; the water spaces having their front and back ends opening
into e, f, g, h, forming a water connexion with the water casing of
this auxiliary boiler, which is supplied with a feed pipe at i; and

page_text: R, serves as a low pressure steam chest, from which to supply pure,
water by condensation.
Figure 2, is a transverse section, showing the generator B, with,
two flues and two furnaces C, and C'; the back part beyond the
bridge being exhibited by the latter, giving the arrangement of the
water tubes E, F; and C, the fore part with the furnace bars.
removed; S, S, are perforated pipes for forcing water through,
which falling in a shower on the upper part of the generator B¹, B¹,
spreads over its surface. This portion of the generator has its
upper flat surface connected with its lower flat surface y, y, by.
small tubes z, z, z, affording increased heating surface, and acting
also as stays, a large number being inserted in every square foot of
surface. Sheet metal shields or guards j, j, j, j, k, k, k, k, are placed
so as to keep the steam or air that is forced upwards through Q, in
contact as close as possible with the heated generator; likewise to:
direct the fall of any water from S, S, escaping through the small
tubes z, z, z, at the lower side y, y, of the generator against the
circular-sides of C, C¹.
Figure 3, is a transverse section of the auxiliary boiler g, h, g, h,
with its water spaces a, a, a, and flue spaces w, w, w. The dotted
circle A, A, marks the bounds of the main boiler; O, P, shows the,
horizontal U tube; and O¹, O', the internal perforated pipe for
forcing in jets of water or air, thus acting as a supplementary gene-
rator; P, the escape pipe for the steam or hot air generated, to be
thence conveyed to the boiler A, as described in Fig. 1.
I would here observe that although I have described the external
boiler and the internal generator conjoined, that the latter may some-
times be more suitably employed by itself, particularly for the purpose
of a hot air generator for use in many operations of drying or desic-
cating or other like oprations; the air in such cases being princi-.
pally heated in its passage through the small stay tube z, z, z. It will
be observed that the principle of my Invention consists in having a
generator confining a liquid heated to a high temperature, and either
used alone or enclosed within a steam boiler, and that the mode of
using it consists in supplying scarcely more water to be evaporated

page_text: than is required to produce the requisite steam, and the same
when using air, heating only small portions successively. It is
therefore evident that my present arrangement may be variously
modified by generators formed wholly of tubes, or in other ways
partaking of the principle of my Invention. I am aware that
mercury and fusible alloys have been used as generators, and that
generators have been constructed for immersion in a body of water,
and sometimes formed to hold the water required to be evaporated,
with none of which arrangements does my said Invention interfere. I
would therefore remark, that I do not claim the steam boiler, furnace,
flues, or any of the ordinary parts of boilers; and I do not restrict
myself to any particular dimensions, form, or situation of the gene-
rator which will vary according to the class of boilers and nature of
the work required; but what I do especially claim as my improve-
ments herein described are, namely,-
First, the peculiar construction of a generator for evaporating
water or for heating air.
Second, the combination of such generator with an external
boiler or casing.
Third, the arrangement for distributing the air or water in small
divided streams or jets.
Fourth, the arrangement of the safety hot water cylinder; and
Fifth, the arrangement of the auxiliary boiler for absorbing what
is called the "waste heat" of the flues.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Ramsell, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of June, in the
year of our Lord 1853.
(L.S.)