IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM BOILERS, AND IN THE METHOD OF COLLECTING THE DEPOSITS OF MUD IN CERTAIN VESSELS OR RECEPTACLES CONNECTED THEREWITH."
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Whittle, of Smethwick, in the County of Stafford,
Mechanical Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM BOILERS,
AND IN THE METHOD OF COLLECTING THE DEPOSITS OF MUD IN CERTAIN
VESSELS OR RECEPTACLES CONNECTED THEREWITH."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Whittle at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th November 1879.
WILLIAM WHITTLE, of Smethwick, in the County of Stafford, Mechanical
Engineer. 'IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM BOILERS, AND IN THE METHOD OF
COLLECTING THE DEPOSITS OF MUD IN CERTAIN VESSELS OR RECEPTACLES
CONNECTED THEREWITH."
My Invention consists of the arrangement, hereinafter described, of parts con-
stituting a steam boiler having for its object the facilitation of the generation of
steam, by causing a rapid circulation of water over the heated parts of the boiler
in an upward direction, while at the same time a copius supply of water is
maintained in a downward direction to the lower parts of the boiler, each current
being distinct from the other, and also in arrangements for collecting the deposits
of mud in certain vessels or receptacles removed from the hotter parts of the boiler.
I will describe my Invention, firstly, as relating to an upright boiler. Instead of the
shell or body of the boiler being perpendicular, as in an ordinary upright boiler, I
construct it in a conical or sugar loaf form, tapering upwards, inside of which I
place a similar conical shell of smaller diameter, thus forming a narrow water
space between the outer and inner shells concentric with each. The inner and
outer shells are secured at their base to a ring or bed plate of iron by reveting or
other suitable method of attachment, thus rendering the concentric water space
contained between the two shells steam and water tight. The said space at the
upper end of the conical shells being left open for the escape of the ascending
current of steam and water and terminating inside a globular formed vessel fixed
over the upper part of the outer conical shell by reveting, while the inner conical
shell is continued upwards, terminating in a funnel or chimney, passing through
the central part of the said globular vessel or boiler head. Fire bars are placed
near the base of the inner shell for the support of the fuel, the interior of this shell
[Price 8d.1

page_text: forming the fire box and heating space, the firing hole and door being fixed as in
an ordinary upright boiler. By arranging the shells forming the body of the boiler
and fire box in a conical form it presents a much better heating surface to the action
of the fire than when made perpendicular.
The globular vessel or boiler head forms the steam chamber and extra water
Брасе. The narrow water space between the outer and inner shells as also a
portion of the globular head being filled with water, and the fire lighted, a rapid
circulation of water and steam takes place up the narrow space contained between
the two shells, discharging itself into the globular head of the boiler, from whence
the water is again returned to the lower part of the boiler by a pipe fixed outside the
boiler, and communicating from the lower part of the globular boiler head to
the lower part of the water space, the pipe entering near the bottom part of the
boiler, thus producing a rapid and constant circulation so long as heat is applied.
By this means an ascending and descending current is maintained indipendently of
each other, while the mud is found to deposit itself around the lower part of the
globular head, quite removed from the fearce heat of the fire, thus preventing it
from being burnt or fixed firmly to the plates, and may be blown out in the
ordinary way.
Inside, and near the upper part of the boiler head and encircling the funnel, I
place in an inverted position a circular cuplike disc for the purpose of directing the
ascending current of water and steam issuing from the narrow water space con-
tained between the two shells in a downward direction for the more effectual
seperation of the water and steam.
In combining an engine with this form of boiler a less basement space is required
than when combined with an ordinary upright boiler.
I will describe my Invention, secondly, as relating to a horizontal boiler. Instead
of the fireing flues being fixed inside the shell of the boiler in a longitudinal
direction, as in a Cornish or Lancashire boiler, I arrage them transversely, passing
through the cylindrical sides of the boiler at a right angle to its axis, and somewhat
below it; the fire box or flue being surrounded by an outer casing, the space
between the interior of which and the exterior of the fire box forming a water
space, the outer casing being secured to the boiler shell by angle iron and reveting,
while the fire box may be secured to the casing by flanches and screw bolts to
facilitate the removal for repairs. The fire box terminates in a circular smoke box of
larger diameter than the fire box but smaller than the interior of the outer casing.
From this smoke box a number of tubes are arranged in a circle around the exterior of
the fire box, and passing through the water space contained between the exterior of
the said fire box and the interior of the outer casing. These tubes again terminate
in a second smoke box arranged around the front end of the fire box, and from
this second smoke box the smoke and heat is conveyed by a suitable flue beneath
the shell of the boiler to the chimney.
This arrangement of furnaces is continued at certain distances from each other
along the whole length of the boiler, so that that instead of one or two fires, as in the
case of the Cornish or Lancashire boilers, being placed at one end I have a number
of fires arranged along the whole length of the boiler, thus causing a much greater
amount of heat to be brought in contact with the water contained therein.
The interior of the shell of the boiler is divided into seperate compartments
each compartment containing an arrangement of furnace and tubes, as above
described. In the under part of the before mentioned outer casing of the fire box
is an opening communicating with the first compartment, and in the upper part of
the same there is also an opening communicating with the second compartment, and
so on with the rest. Water being placed in the boiler and the fires being lighted
a strong circulation takes place throughout the water spaces contained between
the fire boxes and the outer casings, the water entering by the lower opening from
one compartment, while the steam and water is discharged by the upper opening
into another compartment, and so on to the last compartment, from thence the
water is conveyed by a pipe outside the boiler to a vessel fixed for collecting the

page_text: mud, through which vessel the water circulates and again enters by another pipe
into the first compartment of the boiler, thus keeping up a constant circulation of
water around each furnace or fire box so long as the firing is continued, while the
mud subsides in the mud collecting vessels, and may be blown out at intervals, or
otherwise removed.
'
In applying this part of my Invention to a low pressure marine boiler where the
sides are perpendicular, and the body of the boiler is built up in rectangular form,
I dispence with the outer casing around the fire box, as the tubes from the smoke
box fixed at the further end of the fire box return directly through the main body
of water in the boiler and terminate in a seccond smoke box in front of the boiler;
from this second smoke box there is a second series of tubes returning from the
front to the uptake at the rear of the boiler. The arrangement of compartments
inside the boiler are similar to the one previously described, the water passing from
one compartment to another, and from the last compartment through the mud
collecting vessel back to the first compartment of the boiler, and so on.
In this description of boiler I place a second series of fire boxes and tubes above
the first series, arranged in the same manner as previously described, the one set
being fired from the front and the other from the rear of the boiler, thus presenting
a much greater amount of heating surface to the water without enlarging the size
of the boiler.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by.
the said William Whittle in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 18th May
1880.
WILLIAM WHITTLE, of Smethwick, in the County of Stafford, Mechanical
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM BOILERS, AND THE METHOD OF COLLECTING
THE DEPOSITS OF MUD IN CERTAIN VESSELS OR RECEPTACLES CONNECTED
THEREWITH."
"
My Invention has for its object the facilitation of the generation of steam in
steam boilers, and in the collection of the usual deposits consequent in such
generation, and consists in the arrangement or combination of parts hereafter
described for causing a rapid circulation of water over the heated parts of the
boiler in an upward direction, and at the same time maintaining a full supply of
water in a downward direction to the lower part of the boiler, each current being
distinct from the other, and also in the arrangement for collecting the deposits of
mud in certain places or receptacles removed from the parts of the boiler affected
by the greatest heat.
But as my Invention will be best understood by the aid of the Drawings here-
unto annexed, I will proceed to describe the same, references being made to the
Figures and letters marked thereon.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Figure 1, Sheet 1, represents an elevation, and Fig. 2, a vertical section of an
upright boiler constructed according to my Invention. The shell or body A of the
boiler is of a sugar loaf form tapering upwards, instead of perpendicular as in
ordinary upright boilers, which gives much greater heating surface. Inside the
outer case the smaller shell B is placed, the space between forming the receptacle
for the water.
These shells are united at the bottom by angle iron and rivetting or otherwise
rendering the concentric space water and steam tight, and the whole is mounted
on a suitable foundation of masonary or otherwise as at C, C. The fire bars D, D,
Fig. 2, are placed at the base of the inner shell or tube B for supporting the fuel,
which may be fed through the fire door made in the side of the outer and inner
shell at E. The space at the upper part of the inner shell or body B is extended
upwards, and forms the chimney or outlet for the smoke, while the outer case A is
also left open for the escape of the ascending current of steam and water into the
globular head or vessel G secured to the outer case A at H, H, by angle iron &
rivetting or otherwise. This globular head or vessel G forms the steam chamber
and extra water space.
The space between the two cases A and B, and the vessel G being supplied with
water, as shown in Fig. 2, and the fire lighted a rapid circulation of water and
steam takes place up the narrow space F between the two cases or shells, as
indicated by the arrows, discharging itself into the globular vessel G, from whence
it is returned through the tube J, J, to the bottom part of the boiler at K again
into the circular water space F, so that as long as the heat is kept up a continuous
circulation is produced, and an ascending and descending current of steam and
water is maintained, independent of each other. Around the top end of the inner
case B, and immediately over the top of the outer case A, I fix the inverted cup
like disc L which has the effect of directing the ascending current of water and
steam issuing from the water space F in a downward direction for the separation
of the water and steam.
By this construction of boiler and the ascending and descending current of steam
and water, the mud will be collected and deposited around the bottom part of the

page_text: head or steam chamber G, as shown at Fig. 2, quite removed from the effects of the .
fierce heat of the fire, thus preventing it being burned, or fixed firmly to the plates
of the boiler, as is the case with boilers of ordinary construction and where the
water remains stationery. The steam is conveyed from the steam chamber G
through the steam pipe M to the engine, as shown at Fig. 1, or otherwise; N is the
water guage; O, the man hole, and P, the safety valve, which form no part of my
Invention.
Instead of the arrangement just described, consisting only of one boiler with one
globular head or steam chamber, I may construct a series of such upright furnaces,
as shown in end view at Fig. 3, and side view at Fig. 4, Sheet 2. In this case the
conical shells or bodies A enter into the longitudinal boiler head P, P, the inner
cases B forming the funnels of the furnaces entering into flues extending the
whole length of the boiler head P, P, as shown in dotted lines at Q, Q, which flues
are connected to an upright chimney R by the branch pipes S, S, to carry off the
smoke from each furnace. In this way several furnaces may be set going at one
time, the circulation of steam & water being independent from the other, and
yet terminating in one steam chamber above, thereby rapidly generating steam
when required, being highly suitable for marine purposes.
At Figs. 5 and 6, Sheet 2, I have represented in transverse and longitudinal
section, my Invention as applied to a horizontal boiler in which it will be seen that
instead of the firing flues being fixed inside the shell of the boiler in a longitudinal
direction, as in a Cornish boiler, I arrange them transversely as shown at T, T, T, T,
Fig. 6, passing through the cylindrical side of the boiler. The flues T are
surrounded by outer cases or tubes U, U, U, U, equivalent to the outer case A,
described in Sheet 1, the space between forming the water space. These outer
cases are secured to the boiler by angle iron and rivetting, as shown, and built in
the brickwork at the back and front, as seen at Fig. 5. The inner flues terminate
at the back end with circular smoke boxes V, Fig. 5, larger in diameter than the
flue or internal case, and in the flanges thus formed a number of tubes are arranged
in a circle at W, W, passing through the water space between the outer cases and
inner tubes or flues, terminating in a smoke box at the front end of the fire box
at X, X, from which the smoke and heat is conveyed by a suitable flue to the
chimney.
This arrangement of furnace is continued at certain distances from each other
along the whole length of the boilers, as seen at Fig. 6, so that instead of one or
two fires, as with Cornish boilers, I have a number of fires, thus causing a greater
amount of heating surface for heating the water contained therein.
The boiler proper is divided into compartments by the partitions Y, Y, Y, Y, each
compartment containing an arrangement of furnace and tubes, as before described.
On the under side of the outer casing U of the fire box T is an opening B¹ commu-
nicating with the water space and smoke tubes W, and on the upper side of the
outer casing U there is another opening B" communicating with the compartment C¹,
as indicated by the arrow, and in like manner throughout the rest of the compart-
ments C, C Water being placed in the boilers and the fires lit a strong circu-
lation takes place throughout the water spaces contained between the inner shell or
flue and the outer casings, the water entering the lower openings B¹ from one
compartment while the steam and water is discharged from the upper openings B
into the next compartment, and so on to the last; from thence the water is
conveyed and circulated through the descending pipe D¹ to a receiver underneath
the boiler, marked E', E', in which the mud or deposit is collected, the water
passing on through the tube F1, F1, and again entering the first compartment at B',
thus keeping up a constant circulation while the mud subsides in the mud
collecting receiver E¹, to be blown out or otherwise removed at convenient
intervals.
In applying my Invention to low pressure marine boilers, where the sides are
perpendicular and the body of the boiler built in rectangular form, as shown at
Fig. 7 and 8, Sheet 3, I dispense with the outer casings around the fire box, as

page_text: before described, as the tubes G¹ from the smoke box H' return directly through the
main body of water in the boiler, and terminate in a second smoke box J' in front
of the boiler; from this smoke box there is a second series of tubes, marked K¹,
returning from the front to the uptake L, L', at the rear of the boiler, the flue Luí
communicating with the back uptake L' to the front outlet or uptake M', and this
same series and arrangement of tubes and smoke boxes is repeated in the second
series above, the smoke passing in the direction of the arrows and entering into the
main outlet M¹.
The arrangement of compartments for holding the water and steam is similar to
that last described, which will be seen by referring to Fig. 7, the water passing and
circulating upwards as indicated by the arrows, and then downwards over the
plates N into the next compartment at O¹, and in like manner circulating through
the remaining compartments until it reaches the downward pipe P¹, and from thence
to the mud collecting receiver Q¹ and up the pipe R' again into the first compart-
ment, to be again circulated as described.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner of giving
effect to the same, I wish it understood that I do not purpose confining myself to
the details herein described and exhibited, as the same may be varied without
departing from the nature of my Invention, but what I claim and wish protected
by these my in part recited Letters Patent is, the general arrangements of parts
constituting steam boilers, as herein described and exhibited, whereby rapid circu-
lation of water and consequently quick generation of steam is effected, and in the
means or method of collecting the mud or deposits at positions or in receptacles
apart from the direct heated surfaces of the boiler, avoiding thereby incrustation
and permitting the ready renewal of such deposit.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Whittle, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Fourteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty.
Witness,
WILLIAM H. TAYLOR,
Draughtsman & Patent Agent,
11, Cannon Street,
Birmingham.
WILLIAM WHITTLE. (L.S.)