IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM GENERATORS
Year: 1881

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Blake at the Office.
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 5th September 1881.
JAMES BLAKE, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Boiler Maker.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM GENERATORS."
My Invention relates in the first place to a former Invention, for which Letters
Patent, bearing date the third day of April, in the year 1875, and numbered 1207,
have been granted to me. In a part of the said former Invention I extended the
front end of horizontal tubes over the fire. I now make the fire-box of spherically
moulded plates or of a conical form, the axis being inclined so that in some cases
the front side is vertical, the outer enclosing shell being of cylindrical formation.
The narrow end of the box opens into a combustion chamber, which in some cases
I form by recessing the outer shell. In some cases I form one or more openings
closed by means of a door or doors opposite to the tube plate so that access to the
tubes can be had from the fire box end, and I fix a cross stay or stays as near as
convenient to the meeting points of the horizontal and vertical shells of the boiler.
My Invention relates in the second place to vertical boilers. The fire-box opens
into a combustion chamber, having a tube plate on one side, whence horizontal or
nearly horizontal tubes extend to a smoke box on the exterior of the boiler shell.
The exterior tube plate is circular or elliptical, or is formed with circular ends, and
is connected by means of a short shell with the boiler shell, a cross stay or stays
passing between the tubes. I prefer to make the boiler shell of a cylindrical form,
having a dome top, and to make the fire box and combustion chamber of plates
which are spherically, conically, or cylindrically moulded, so as to dispense in a
great measure with stays. In some cases I divide the combustion chamber from
the fire-box by means of a water partition in which is or are formed one or more
openings, and in some cases I provide the fire boxes with inclined water tubes.
The smoke box is fitted with a door or with doors as is usual. My Invention
Price G21

page_text: relates in the third place to tubular boilers having horizontal cylindrical shells. I
form a combustion chamber between the fire-box or boxes, or furnace flue, or flues,
and the front tube plate, the outer shell being discontinued at the place where
such chamber is situated, and I connect directly with such outer shell the tube
plate and a plate with which is or are connected the rear end or ends of the fire
box or boxes, or furnace flue or flues. I prefer to form the crown of the combustion
chamber by arching over the upper end of the furnace flue plate to meet the tube
plate. This method of construction furnishes a comparatively larger space for the
deposit of accumulations at the bottom of the combustion chamber, which may
extend in the seating below the boiler shell, and permits of access to the combustion
chamber and tubes without passing through the furnace flue, and also permits of
the arranging of a large number of tubes in the shell. The sides of the said
chamber may be closed by means of plates or doors of brickwork. In some or in
all cases I connect the lower parts of the sections on each side of the combustion
chamber by means of a water tube or of water tubes. In some cases I may apply
a second furnace below the boiler shell, and arrange for the products of combustion
to pass upwards into the said combustion chamber, and in other cases I may provide
both sections of the boiler with tubes, and arrange for the products of combustion
from a furnace below each section, or from a central furnace to pass upwards into
the combustion chamber and to flow in opposite directions through the tubes. In
a further modification, I form a furnace flue in the lower portion of each section,
and arrange for the products of combustion entering the central combustion
chamber, to return through upper tubes to end smoke boxes.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said James Blake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 4th March 1882.
JAMES BLAKE, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Boiler Maker.
IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM GENERATORS."
My Invention relates in the first place to a former Invention for which Letters
Patent, bearing date the Third day of April in the year 1875, and numbered 1207,
have been granted to me. In a part of the said former Invention I extended the
front end of horizontal tubes over the fire. I now make the tire-box of spherically
moulded plates, or of a couical form, the axis being inclined, so that in some cases
the front side is vertical, the outer enclosing shell being of cylindrical formation.
The narrow end of the box opens into a combustion chamber, which in some cases
I form by recessing the outer shell, In some cases I form one or more openings
closed by means of a door or doors opposite to the tube plate, so that access to the
tubes can be had from the fire-box, and I fix a cross stay or stays as near as con-
venient to the meeting points of the horizontal and vertical shells of the boiler.
My Invention relates in the second place to vertical boilers. The fire-box opens
into a combustion chamber having a tube plate on one side, whence the horizontal
or nearly horizontal tubes extend to a smoke-box on the exterior of the boiler shell.
The exterior tube plate is circular or elliptical, or is formed with circular ends, and
is connected by means of a short shell with the boiler shell, a cross stay or stays
passing between the tubes. I prefer to make the boiler shell of a cylindrical form
having a dome top, and to make the fire box and combustion chamber of plates
which are spherically, conically, or cylindrically moulded, so as to dispense in a
great measure with stays. My Invention relates in the third place to tubular
boilers having horizontal cylindrical shells. I form a combustion chamber between
the fire-box or boxes, or furnace flue or flues and the front tube plate, the outer
shell being discontinued at the place where such chamber is situated, and I connect
directly with such outer shell the tube plate and a plate with which is or are
connected the rear end or ends of the fire-box or boxes, or furnace flue or flues.
I prefer to form the crown of the combustion chamber by arching over the upper
end of the furnace flue plate to meet the tube plate. In some or in all cases
I connect the lower parts of the sections on each side of the combustion chamber by
means of a water tube or of water tubes. In some cases I may apply a second
furnace below the boiler shell, and arrange for the products of combustion to pass
upwards into the said combustion chamber; and in other cases I may provide both
sections of the boiler with tubes, and arrange for the products of combustion from
a furnace below each section, or from a central furnace to pass upwards into the
combustion chamber, and to flow in opposite directions through the tubes. In a
further modification, I form a furnace flue in the lower portion of each section, and
arrange for the products of combustion entering the central combustion chamber to
return through the upper tubes to end smoke boxes.
And in order that my Invention may be fully understood, I have attached
hereunto a sheet of Drawings, made to a scale of about three eighths of an inch to
the foot, to which Drawings reference will hereinafter be made. In the said
Drawings Figs. 1 to 4 are illustrative of the first part of my Invention, Fig. 1
representing a vertical longitudinal section, and Fig. 2, a horizontal section of a
steam generator of the semi-portable class, which in the Drawing is curtailed in
length. The outer shell a which encloses the fire-box b is of cylindrical formation,
and is by preference, made about equal in diameter to the horizontal shell or
barrel c in order that a better connection may be effected. The two parts meet
together in a similar manner to the two branches of an elbow pipe. In the
example, the upper front portions of the shells a and c are connected together by
means of spherically moulded plates; but the formation of this part may be varied,

page_text: The
as, for example, a less rounded formation of this part or the angular formation
represented in Fig. 3 may be used. The fire box bis conically formed, the axis of
the cone being inclined towards the front of the boiler. The lower edge of the
cone is flanched outwards and is riveted to the outer shell a, and the upper
end of the fire box opens into a combustion chamber d, which in the example
is formed of a cylindrically curved plate d¹, which is connected by each end
with the side edges of the tube plate e and of a curved crown plate ², which
is riveted to the upper edge of the plate d' and of the tube plate.
said tube plate is formed with a lower extension e2, which is bent forwards
and is connected with the top of the fire-box and with the bottom edge of
the plate d. A circular or nearly circular piece is cut out of the plate e², and
the edge of the aperture is flanched downwards to form a ring, which is riveted to
the top of the fire-box. A cross stay f extends from side to side of the boiler,
passing between the fire-tubes, and a gusset stay g connects the crown of the com-
bustion chamber with the front part of the outer shell. It will be seen that owing
to the absence of any flat surfaces requiring to be stayed, the ordinary screw
stays are entirely dispensed with. Figs. 3 and 4 illustrate a modification wherein
the front tube plate e is extended entirely across the boiler, and forwards to the
front, so as to be riveted directly to the outer shell. It will be seen that an upper
semi-circular shaped extension e' of the tube plate is bent into a horizontal
position, and is connected with the semi-cylindrical front of the boiler, and a
corresponding lower extension e³ is bent forwards to be connected in like manner
with the said front, or the plates e¹ and e² are welded or riveted to the edges of the
tube plate. The front shell is cut away between the parts e¹ and e², so that it is
necessary to fit doors or a door h to this part in order to enclose the combustion
chamber. The said door or doors may be lined with fire bricks, or with fire clay
tiles. The neck of the conical fire-box is connected with the plate e², and strong
vertical water tubes connect the plates e¹ and e². In place of the conical formation
of fire-box a fire-box formed wholly or partly of spherically moulded plates may
be used in either of the examples, but I prefer the indicated formation. This part of
my Invention is also applicable in the construction of the boilers of locomotive and
portable engines. Figs. 5 to 8 are illustrative of the second part of my Invention.
Fig. 5 represents a vertical section, and Fig. 6 a front elevation of a vertical steam
generator, Fig. 7 representing a horizontal section on the line A in Fig. 5. In this
example I use a conically shaped fire-box opening into a combustion chamber
formed of curved plates, as in the example illustrated by Figs. 1 and 2. Tubes
extend from the tube plate e, which forms one side of the combustion chamber, to
an outer tube plate i, which in the example is formed with rounded ends, as seen in
Fig. 6. This tube plate is riveted to a short shell k, which is riveted to the outer
shell of the boiler. In some cases I may mould the edges of the tube plate into a
suitable form for connection with the said outer shell so as to take the place of the
shell k. The said tube plate by being nearly in line with the boiler shell acts as a
vertical connection between the parts of the shell which are above and below the
opening which is cut in the boiler shell for the passage of the tubes, and vertical
stays passing between the tubes are therefore not required. Horizontal stays 1, 1,
give lateral strength to the sides of the said opening, or in some cases the central
stay passing between the tubes is alone required. The tubes open into a smoke
box m, which may be an extension of the shell k, and which is provided with
suitable doors m¹. The combustion chamber is stayed to the boiler shell by means
of a gusset stay n, and of a single row of stay bolts o, but in some cases I dispense
with one or other of these methods of staying. A modification in the form and
construction of this generator is illustrated by Fig. 8. In this example the fire-
box is made principally of spherically moulded plates, and is connected by a back
opening p with a vertical combustion chamber r, which is flat on one side and
curved on the other. The lower end of this chamber opens downwards through
the bottom of the boiler, and is closed by means of a horizontal door 8, or of a
vertical door indicated by dotted lines. The said door can be opened to withdraw

page_text: soot deposit, or to admit air to promote combustion in order to lessen the emission
of smoke. This construction enables me to use longer tubes. In any of the
examples I may provide the fire-box with inclined water tubes. The remaining
Figs. illustrate the third part of my Invention, Fig. 9 representing a vertical
longitudinal section of a horizontal tubular steam generator, Fig. 10, a vertical
cross section on the line B, and Fig. 11, a back end view with the smoke box
removed. In this example the outer shell t is cylindrical, and the boiler is divided
into two parts by means of a central combustion chamber u. In the forward
division are two furnace flues v, v, and in the rearward division are fire tubes. The
inner tube plate w is extended sideways and downwards to the boiler shell to
which it is riveted, and a plate x to which the inner ends of the furnace flucs are
riveted is similarly connected with the outer shell, and is arched over at the top to
meet the upper edge of the tube plate to which it is riveted. The outer shell of
the boiler is discontinued or cut away between these two plates. The lower parts
of the two divisions of the. boiler are connected together by means of a large
water tube z, which serves to strengthen the boiler and also furnishes a communication
between the lower parts of the two water spaces. It will be seen that the com-
bustion chamber is open at the sides and bottom so far as the shell of the boiler is
concerned, and extends downwards below the boiler shell, but the sides are closed
by means of walls or metal casings y lined with fire bricks or tiles. In one or
both of these casings doors y', y², are provided, in order that access to the chamber
may be conveniently obtained. This method of construction furnishes a com-
paratively large space for the deposit of soot at the bottom of the combustion
chamber, and permits of access to the said chamber, and to the tubes, without the
operator having to pass through the furnace flues, and also a larger number of
tubes can be arranged within a shell of a given diameter. The accumulations in
the said chamber can be readily withdrawn through the lower door y². The front
division may be provided with only one or with more than two furnace flues. The
arrangements of the furnaces and flues may be variously modified, as herein before
indicated, so long as the pecular formations of the combustion chamber and boiler
shell are retained. The said chamber may be situated otherwise than in the centre
of the length of the boiler.
Having now fully set forth and indicated the nature of my Invention, and
methods of construction whereby the same may be carried into effect, I would
have it to be understood that I claim,-
First. The forms and constructions of steam generators substantially as set forth
and indicated hereinbefore and in and by the accompanying Drawings.
And, Secondly. The combustion chamber opening through the sides and bottom of
the boiler shell, substantially as set forth and indicated with reference to the third
part of my Invention..
In witness whereof, I, the said James Blake, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Third day of March, in the year of our Lord One thousand
Signed, sealed, and delivered
in the presence of
EDWARD K. DUTTON,
41, John Dalton St.,
Manchester
(Agent for the Patentee).
JAMES BLAKE. (L.S.)