IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM BOILERS OR GENERATORS
Year: 1866

page_text: LETIERS PATENT to William Woodward and John Woodward, of
Queen's Foundry, New Islington, in the City of Manchester, and
County of Lancaster, Engineers, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN STEAM BOILERS OR GENERATORS."
Sealed the 27th July 1866, and dated the 31st January 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Woodward and
John Woodward at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 31st January 1866.
We, WILLIAM WOODWARD and JOHN WOODWARD, of Queen's Foundry
New Islington, in the City of Manchester, and County of Lancaster,
Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM BOILERS OR GENERATORS," to be as follows:-
The object of our Invention is to economize heat in the combustion of
fuel used in generating steam and to dispense with grate bars, which
require to be frequently renewed; and at the same
at the same time to obtain
other advantages. In boilers for generating steam it has hitherto been the
common practice to burn the fuel upon grate bars, so that the under side
of the fire has only come in contact with the atmosphere, consequently .the
greater part of the heat from this part of the fire has been wasted;
and besides this disadvantage, the heat of combustion has been very much

page_text: diminished by the cooling action of the large body of air in contact with
and passing through the fire, and the heat generated has been carried away
by gases of comparatively low temperature which part with their heat
slowly to the water in the boiler, so that a large portion of heat has escaped
up the chimney unused, while by our improvements the heat of the lower
part of the fuel in combustion is greatly increased, and can pass directly to
the water in the boiler; at the same time the temperature of the gases
from the fuel in combustion is considerably augmented. Our improvements
are applicable to both vertical and horizontal steam boilers or generators,
and consist in forming the furnace part of the boiler so that a water space
will surround it, the fuel being placed immediately upon and in contact
with the bottom inner surface of the furnace, fire-box, or boiler, so that
the plates forming this surface only intervene between the fuel in combus-
tion and the water in the boiler in contact with it. Air to support com-
bustion is admitted through a series of tubes passing through the water
space of the boiler, such tubes being open to the fuel at the inside, and to
the atmosphere at the outside of the boiler, and while these tubes allow
the air to enter they also allow the ashes from the fuel to pass out of the
furnace. In combination with boilers having their furnaces or fire-boxes
arranged as above described we use (and this is another feature of our
Invention) a jet or jets of steam in the flue or chimney leading from the
furnace to draw air to support the combustion of the fuel through the tubes
above referred to.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Woodward and John Woodward in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 28th July 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, WILLIAM
WOODWARD and JOHN WOODWARD, of Queen's Foundry, New Islington, in
the City of Manchester, and County of Lancaster, Engineers, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirty-first day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the twenty-ninth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
us, the said William Woodward and John Woodward. Her special license
that we, the said William Woodward and John Woodward, our executors,

page_text: administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said William Wood-
ward and John Woodward, our 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 STEAM BOILERS OR GENERATORS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that we, the said William Woodward and John Wood-
ward, by an instrument in writing under our hands and seals, or under
the hand and seal of one of us, 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 immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said William Woodward and John
Woodward, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement and accompanying Drawings,
that is to say:-
The object of our Invention is to economize heat in the combustion of
fuel used in generating steam and to dispense with grate bars, which
require to be frequently renewed, and at the same time to obtain
other advantages. In boilers for generating steam it has hitherto been the
common practice to burn the fuel upon grate bars, so that the under side
of the fire has only come in contact with the atmosphere, consequently the
greater part of the heat from this part of the fire has been wasted;
and besides this disadvantage the heat of combustion has been very much
diminished by the cooling action of the large body of air in contact with
and passing through the fire, and the heat generated has been carried away
by gases of comparatively low temperature which part with their heat
slowly to the water in the boiler, so that a large portion of heat has escaped
up the chimney unused, while by our improvements the heat of the lower
part of the fuel in combustion is greatly increased and can pass directly to
the water in the boiler; at the same time the temperature of the gases
from the fuel in combustion is considerably augmented and sinoke is
prevented. Our improvements are applicable to both vertical and hori
zontal steam boilers or generators, and consist in forming the furnace part
of the boiler so that a water space will surround it, the fuel being placed
immediately upon and in contact with the bottom inner surface of the furnace,

page_text: fire box, or boiler, so that
the plates forming this surface only
intervene between the fuel in combustion and the water in the boiler
in contact with it. Air to support combustion is admitted through a series of
tubes passing through the water space of the boiler, such tubes being open
to the fuel at the inside and to the atmosphere at the outside of the boiler,
and while these tubes allow the air to enter they also allow the ashes from
the fuel to pass out of the furnace. In combination with boilers having
their furnaces or fire-boxes arranged as above described we use (and this
is another feature of our Invention) a jet or jets of steam in the flue or
chimney leading from the furnace to draw air to support the combustion
of the fuel through the tubes above referred to. The steam for the
jet may be wholly or partly steam exhausted from high-pressure steam
engines.
The manner in which our Invention is carried into effect in application to
various classes of steam boilers or generators will be described by reference
to the accompanying three Sheets of Drawings. Fig. 1 is a sectional
elevation, and Fig. 2 a plan section of a vertical boiler according to our
improvements. The boiler is supposed to be mounted on four pillars (a),
with its bottom some distance from the ground; (b) is the outer casing or
skin of the boiler; (b) its inner casing or skin forming the chimney (b) at
its upper end as shewn; (b) are a series of water tubes placed obliquely
to promote rapid circulation and increase the heating surface of the boiler.
The bottom of the boiler (b) is formed into a water space concave on its
top side, upon which the fuel rests, the air being supplied through a series
of tubes stays (65), as shewn; (c) is the door through which fuel is supplied
to the furnace. The draught to supply air to the fuel is obtained by a
steam jet arranged as shewn. d is the nozzle for the jet; d, the steam
pipe; and d, the cock or valve to turn on or shut off the supply of steam
to the nozzle. When it is desirable to discharge the ashes of the burnt fuel
the steam jet is shut off and the fuel is stirred, when the ashes will fall through
the air tubes (65). When the steam exhausted from a high-pressure steam
engine or engines is used wholly or partly for the jet it may be arranged by
that the steam
means of cocks and pipes so
or be
shut off from the nozzle (d), or pass away at an independent outlet. When
exhaust steam is used for the jet in combination with steam directly from the
boiler separate nozzles (d) may be used, one for the exhaust and the other for
the high-pressure steam. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal elevation in sec-
tion; Fig. 4, a cross sectional elevation of the fire-box; and Fig. 5, a plan view
(the fire-box in section) shewing the application of our improvements to a
can pass
to

page_text: locomotive boiler of a common type. Our improvements are applied in this
case by forming the bottom of the fire-box (b) into a water space with a series
of tube stays (6), and combining therewith a steam jet in the
chimney to be used if required when the locomotive is standing
and there is no blast from the exhaust steam. No description of the other
parts of the boiler will be required, as they are of ordinary and well-known
construction. Fig. 6 is a longitudinal elevation in section, Fig. 7 a cross
sectional elevation, one half through the furnace, the other half partly through
the flue, and Fig. 8 a plan section shewing our improvements applied to the
common double flue stationary boiler. The grate bars are removed
and a series of tubes (6) are placed between the flue (e) (at
that part of it where the fuel is to be consumed) and the outer casing (b) of
the boiler, as shewn, to admit air to the fuel placed upon the bottom side (b*)
of the flue; (f) is the fire-bridge: (62) is the chimney or funnel for the steam
jet; d is the nozzle for the jet; d' is the steam pipe; , the steam cock. In
other respects than above explained the boiler is of ordinary con-
struction and arrangement. Figs. 9 and 10 are views corresponding respec-
tively to Figs. 6 and 7 of an ordinary double flue stationary boiler,
with a single furnace for the two flues. The bottom of the furnace (b) has
a series of hollow stays (b) passing through the water space to
admit air to the fuel. In other respects this boiler is similar to that shewn
by Figs. 6, 7, and 8. Figs. 11 and 12 are views corresponding respectively
to Figs. 7 and 8, representing a single flue stationary boiler with our im-
provements applied; Figs. 13 and 14 are views corresponding respectively
to Figs. 11 and 12, representing a single flue stationary boiler without brick-
work or brick chimney. Our improvements as applied to the boilers shewn
by Figs. 11, 12, 13, and 14 will be readily understood by inspecting the Draw-
ings with the explanation herein-before given and the letters of reference
upon the Drawings. Fig. 16 is a longitudinal section, Fig. 17 a cross sec-
tion, and Fig. 18 a plan section shewing the application of our improvements
to marine boilers. It will be seen that the water spaces take the place of
the ordinary fire-bars. The fuel is placed upon the surface (b) and is sup-
plied with air by means of hollow stays (b) passing through the water space
as shewn; g are the ash places under each furnace; d is the nozzle for the
steam jet; d', the steam pipe; b, the chimney for the jet. The other parts
of the boiler not referred to are of ordinary construction.
We have now particularly described the nature of our Invention and the
mode of carrying the same into effect, and claim as our Invention the con-
struction of furnaces of boilers or steam generators to burn the fuel in con-

page_text: tact with a water space combined with the use of a steam jet or jets in the
flue or chimney to supply air for the combustion of the fuel, substan-
tially as herein-before described and illustrated by the accompanying
Drawings.
In witness whereof, we, the said William Woodward and John Woodward,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twenty-sixth day of
July, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-
six.
Witness,
PETER J. LIVSEY,
Patent Agent,
Manchester.
WILLIAM WOODWARD. (L.S.)
JOHN WOODWARD.
(L.S.)