IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM BOILERS
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Henry Nicholson and William Mather both of
Newark-upon-Trent in the County of Nottingham Agricultural Engineers
for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM BOILERS"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Henry Nicholson
and William Mather at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the
1st June 1883.
EDWARD HENRY NICHOLSON and WILLIAM MATHER [both] of Newark upon
Trent in the County of Nottingham, Agricultural Engineers IMPROVEMENTS IN
STEAM BOILERS
Our invention relates more particularly to improvements in Steam Boilers of the
Vertical type. Its chief objects are to provide increased effective heating surface
in the flues; to utilize the products of combustion more thoroughly and to reduce
the surfaces on which sediment from salt or dirty feed water can collect; and also
where vertical or inclined flue-tubes, of small diameter, are used, to prevent their
unequal expansion and contraction and burning, by keeping them entirely below
the water level.
The first part of our invention consists in connecting the Fire box of Vertical
Boilers by means of one or more oblique or Vertical flue pipes with one or more
transverse flue-pipes which act as Combustion chambers: to these transverse pipes
are attached again one or more oblique or Vertical flue-pipes having their outer
ends carried through the external Shell of the Boiler and in communication with
the Chimney.
The Firebox and the whole of the lower oblique or Vertical Pipes and the
transverse Pipes are below the Water level. The Fire box is by preference
hemisperical in shape.
The transverse pipes are attached to the Boiler Shell & have doors at each end
affording easy access for cleaning.
The second part of our invention consists in constructing Vertical Boilers with a
Firebox having a number of Flue-tubes of small diameter attached at their lower

page_text: ends to the Box crown and at their upper ends to the Shell of the Boiler below
the Water level-The Shell of the Boiler is made with an encircling middle ring
of Plates projecting sufficiently far beyond the lower & upper portions of the Shell
to admit of the insertion of one or more rings of Vertical Flue-tubes parallel with
the Shell and also below the Water level. The upper ends of these tubes are
connected by separate nozzles or by a continuous chamber with the upper ends of
the Firebox flue-tubes & their lower ends with a chamber communicating with the
Chimney.
In the Fire boxes of either of the Boilers above described an inverted T shaped
Water Tube with a circulating diaphragm may be fixed.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Edward Henry Nicholson and William Mather in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 1st December 1883.
EDWARD HENRY NICHOLSON and WILLIAM MATHER both of Newark-upon-Trent
in the county of Nottingham, Engineers. IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM GENERATORS
OR BOILERS [sic]
The object of our Invention is to increase the effective heating surfaces of the
flues of Vertical Cylindrical or other Boilers and more thoroughly utilize the
products of combustion; to diminish the flat and concave surfaces of the liquid and
steam containing portions of Vertical Boilers on which sediment from water
charged with salt or other impurities can collect and to make such as are of
necessity retained, more easily accesible for cleaning or renewal: also where
curved Vertical or inclined Tubes of small diameter are used, to prevent their
unequal expansion and contraction and burning by keeping them entirely below
the water level: and finally to promote rapid circulation of water and freer
generation of steam in Vertical Boilers by the avoidance of cramped and sinuous
water spaceв.
Figure 1 of the Drawings is a central Vertical Section of the first form of our
improved Steam Generator or Boiler and figure 2 a horizonzal section thereof in
the line A A of Figure 1. 'a' is the Firebox which we make by preference of
hemisperical shape: 'b' is a neck connecting it with a cylindrical combustion
chamber c through which is passed a conical or parallel tube or tubes as de is a
second neck connecting the first combustion chamber c with a second one f of like
construction-In Vertical Boilers of greater height a series of similar combustion
chambers or envelope Tubes may be inserted acting as baffle plates to the ascending
gases and compelling them to disperse and part with their heat before passing away
through the uptake g. Access is had to them and their internal Tubes for cleaning,
by means of Manholes pierced through their end plate (as at o' o¹ Fig: 7) and the
outer shell of the Boiler (as at o³ Fig: 7)
Figure 7 is a central Vertical Section of a Modification of our steam generator
above described. In it the combustion chamber is connected with the Firebox k
by means of two necks m. m. and in Boilers of larger diameter the number of these
necks may be multiplied as found desireable for the free passage of the products of
combustion.
Figures 3 and 5 are central Vertical sections of other forms of our improved
Boiler and Figures 4 and 6 horizontal sections of the same in the lines B B and
CC respectively. The combustion Chamber n in Figure 3 is connected at one end
with the outer shell of the Boiler and fitted with several Water-Tubes which may
be cleaned, removed and replaced through manholes provided for the purpose as at
Otherwise the combustion chamber may be united with the Boiler shell by
both ends and left thoroughfare.
0 0.
In figure 5 the combustion chamber is shewn with a number of small horizontal
Water Tubes passing through it-Access to these is obtained through handholes in
the Boiler shell. The gases pass into the open air either through the orifice por
the uptake Be it understood that in case the height of the Boilers shewn be
increased a succession of combustion chambers similar to those delineated may be
provided fixed horizontally or obliquely and transversly or at any angle to one
another. Two are shewn arranged transversly in Figures 1 and 2.
Figure 8 is a half central Vertical section and a half external elevation of our
improved Multitubular Vertical Boiler. Figures 9 and 10 are segmental horizontal
section. Figure 9 in the lines DD and Figure 10 in the lines E E. qq is a

page_text: projecting ring of Plates forming the centre portion of the exterior shell of the
Boiler and connected with the upper and lower parts of the shell q² q2 by Tube
plates y¹y S is the Firebox TT are bent tubes of the shape of an inverted U
united at their lower ends to the Vertical upcast Tubes v. v. by bends w. w The
products of combustion pass upwards and downwards through the Tubes T T.
thence again upwards through the Tubes v. v into the smoke box x x to which
the chimney Z is attached-The bent Tubes T T may be continuous or constructed
with an elbow and sleeve joint and if the latter may be carried through the shell
of the Boiler as at y, & back again through the Tubes plates y¹ y'. If they are
continuous they may be fastened and fashioned as indicated by the dotted lines t¹ t
entirely inside the water space, one leg of each Tube being secured to the Firebox
crown S¹ & the other leg to the lower Tube plate y either way the whole of the
Tubes between the points where they are fixed in the Boiler plates are below the
water level and free from the fatal defects of partial immersion.
Having described the nature of our invention and explained the methods of 1
carrying it out into practical effect we claim specifically as our invention the
envelope Tube or combustion chamber constructed substantially as described and
delineated in Figures 1. 2 and 7.
We claim the combination and arrangement of Fireboxcand combustion chambers
of the various forms as described and delineated in Figures 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6 and 2
7 and we claim the arrangement of connected or continuous up-and down cast
Tubes in a vertical Boiler constructed on the principle and in the manner described
and delineated in Figures 8. 9 and 10 or any mere modification thereof.
•
In witness whereof we the said Edward Henry Nicholson and William Mather.
have hereunto set our hands and seals this Twenty seventh day of November 2
in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eighty three.
EDWARD NICHOLSON
Ta