Improvements in and relating to Appliances for Burning Oil in Steam Boiler and other Furnaces.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Feb., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 16th Nov., 1893-Accepted, 30th Dec., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Appliances for Burning Oil in
Steam Boiler and other Furnaces.
We, ALLAN STEWART, and CHARLES STEWART, Brassfounders, of Port
Eglinton Brass Foundry, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, and JOHN FARMER, Engineer, of
147 St. Andrews Road, Pollokshields, Renfrewshire, do hereby declare the nature
of our invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to and comprises improvements in the construction
and arrangement of the jet spraying nozzle apparatus and the oil and pressure air
appliances for burning mineral and other hydrocarbon oils to produce heat in the
furnaces of marine or land steam boilers, or other furnaces; and which will be more
efficient and convenient than such appliances have been as heretofore constructed.
As applied to the furnaces of a marine steam boiler the improvements consist in
the use of one, two, or more oil spray nozzle apparatus, of the improved construction
hereinafter described, secured to the front and outside of the furnace plate above or
around the ordinary fire charging doors. These doors would usually only be
required for the putting in of coals or other fuel at the start of the fires over the
usual grate bars and be fitted with the usual arrangements of louvre boards, or
other equivalent, for the regulation of the admission of air to the front of the
furnace. Closing doors would be fitted to the front of the ashpit to admit air below
furnace while the ordinary fuel was being.used, but afterwards closed when all the
heat was applied to the furnaces by the oil spray arrangements. Each improved
nozzle apparatus consists of an outer open ended aunular air supply conical case or
chamber, with a large central hollow boss having an inner annular recess round
it, into which the pressure air used for spraying the oil would be forced, by a blower
through a lateral coupling branch passing through the said annular outer air
chamber, or a steam jet may be used instead of the compressed air although this is
not preferred as it uses more oil in proportion to the yield of heat. The inner
hollow boss is screwed on the inner and outer sides of the said air forcing chamber,
and a large hollow nozzle spindle is screwed on the outside into it, with lateral
holes formed through it into this hollow conical pointed chamber and through which
the compressed air or steam is forced out through a central hole in the conical
point; and handles and a jam nut are fitted on the outer end of this hollow spindle
to screw it in and fix it and regulate the amount of outer air which shall pass
through the annular chamber into the central combining air and oil nozzle fitted in
the inner end of this case in line with the central spindle. A conical pointed solid
spindle is screwed into the centre of the hollow spindle and carried out through
a stuffing box, or made tight by a jam nut, with a hand wheel on its outside for
regulating, by the conical point, the jet of compressed air or steam which shall pass
through it to spray the oil through the said central oil spray nozzle. This oil
spray nozzle is conical or trumpet shaped at its entrance end, but nearly parallel at
its inner spraying end, and has a slightly enlarged chamber in the centre where the
oil passes in through a series of lateral holes all round to be sprayed by the jet,
or instead of a series of holes one large hole may be used for admitting the oil to
the enlarged chamber. This oil passes in from a central annular chamber round
these holes or hole, and the oil is led to this chamber through an oil regulating
valve formed on the inner end of a lateral regulating spindle passed out through a
stuffing box in an oil duct formed on the outside of the outer spraying chamber,
with a coupling branch on it for attaching the oil pipe to, near the outer end. The
inner end of this nozzle case apparatus has a screwed coupling end on it for screwing
into the hollow eye formed in the outer trumpet part of another annular outer

page_text: air nozzle leading the air into this inner combining air and oil spray nozzle which
is screwed by snugs or otherwise to the front plate of the furnace but leaving a
small annular opening all round it through the plate for the outer air to enter this ;
and thus enable the nozzle apparatus to be removed, by simply uncoupling the
pressure air and oil spray tubes, for repair or otherwise. The inner end of this
outer combining air and oil spray nozzle has preferably fitted on it a short inner
flame and air combining nozzle, trumpet shaped at its outer air receiving end where
it comes up against the inside of the furnace plate, and with vanes on it fitting the
outer end circumference of the said oil spray nozzle so as to let an annular jet of
the outer air pass in through this from the opening in the plate round the spray
nozzle and so supply ample air from the outside to the flame and prevent the latter
from burning the inner end of the nozzles. And to further induce air from outside
of furnace one, or more, additional nozzles may be fitted on outside of each other
and holes bored or circular slots cut in the furnace front to admit air into the
trumpet shaped opening of these flame and air combining nozzle. And these instead
of being placed inside the furnace may be bolted on the outside. These nozzles would
generally be directed at an angle downwards towards the fire grate bars, and where two
or more nozzle apparatus were used they would also be directed to cause the flames
to combine or approach each other at the centre of the furnace instead of striking
the sheet metal of the furnace as a blow pipe.
The pressure air is supplied to each nozzle apparatus by a single tube from one
common main air pipe preferably mounted along the front end of the boilers, said
tube being fitted with a stop cock for only putting on or shutting off the supply of
air, as the air supply is regulated by the nozzle spirdles. The pressure air is
supplied to the main pipe by a branch pipe from a compressed air receiver, fitted
with an air pressure regulating valve, and which is charged from an ordinary air
compressing engine or blowing apparatus. The air on its way to nozzle may be
heated when desired in the usual manner by passing the air conveying pipe at sides
of or under the furnace bars or in any convenient manner. The oil is supplied to
the said oil chamber of each nozzle apparatus by a single tube leading from one
common sun pipe mounted at the front end of the boilers, said tube being fitted
with a top cock on it for use only in shutting off the supply of oil, as the oil is
regulated by a valve to each apparatus. By these improvements the oil is supplied
to the main or common oil pipe by branch pipes with cocks or valves on them
leading from the opposite ends of the oil supply tank on board ship, and may be
fitted at their mouth or at any convenient part with wire gauze to prevent any
foreign or gritty matter from entering and choking up the burners, and be fitted
with air pipes on top for ventilating, so that when the ship rolls the main oil
pipe is sure to receive oil from one or both of the branch pipes. The oil tank
when placed above the level of the furnaces enables the oil to gravitate through
the said end branch pipes at the bottom of tank, but when the tank is obliged to be
placed below or on a level with the spray jet apparatus, then the tank is necessarily
made close on the top and has a pressure air pipe led from the air receiver or
pressure pipes to the top of the oil tank to force the oil up the open ended branch
pipes of the tank which in this case would be led down to near the bottom of tank ;
and the tank would be fitted with a usual drawing off branch and valve, and have a
manhole door on one side; and in order to maintain a nearly constant pressure on
the oil leading to burners, we may also lead an air pipe from the compressed air
receiver to top of tank to press on the oil although the oil tank is placed above the
burners. By a further improvement for preventing the diffusion of the disagreeable
smell of the oil, this oil tank is fitted with an outer case of thin sheet iron, wood, or
other material on all sides, with a few inches jacket space all round: The lower
jacket space below where the tank would rest on girder iron bars would be filled
with broken charcoal or other open absorbent material for absorbing the oil which
may escape over or around the tank and have convenient hand holes with swivelling
doors between the bars and along the lower part of this outer jacketing tank for
the insertion and removal of the absorbent material. These doors would preferably

page_text: be made of a simple swivelling character oscillating on one end, and secured by a
segmental recess taking on to a securing pin at the other; and these doors would
preferably be fitted also with portable wire gauze frames for allowing air to get
in through them and prevent the charcoal or absorbent material from running out.
And the upper part of this close jacketed space would be connected by a branch
pipe to the main air suction pipe of the air compressing engine, and preferably
fitted with an air regulating valve, and having suitable gauze protectors to keep
the charcoal from being drawn up by the action of compressed air. This would
draw off all the obnoxious gases arising from the escaping oil round the tank. By
an alternative arrangement the air and foul gases may be drawn off from the
jacketed space of the oil tank by leading a pipe to one or more of the inlet
outer air annular nozzle cases, by closing these up at the outer end, instead of
leaving them open as hereinbefore described; or the air may be drawn from the
jacket by means of a pipe led to any air pump or an ejector may be attached to
jacket for the purpose, worked by either steam or air.
Dated the 15th 12 L
1000
W. R. M. THOMSON & Co.,
96, Buchanan Street, Glasgow, Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Appliances for Burning Oil in
Steam Boiler and other Furnaces.
We, ALLAN STEWART, and CHARLES STEWART, Brassfounders, of Port
Eglinton Brass Foundry, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, and JOHN FARMER, Engineer,
of 147 St. Andrews Road, Pollokshields, Renfrewshire, do hereby declare the
nature of our invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement in writing,
that is to say :-
This invention has reference to and comprises improvements in the construction
and arrangement of the jet spraying nozzle apparatus and the oil and pressure air
appliances for burning mineral and other hydrocarbon oils to produce heat in the
furnaces of marine or land steam boilers, or other furnaces; and which will be
more efficient and convenient than such appliances have been as heretofore
constructed.
As applied to the furnaces of a marine steam boiler the improvements consist in
the use of one, two, or more oil spray nozzle apparatus, of the improved construction
hereinafter described, secured to the front and outside of the furnace plate above
or around the ordinary fire charging doors. These doors would usually only be
required for the putting in of coals or other fuel at the start of the fires over the
usual grate bars and be fitted with the usual arrangements of louvre boards, or
other equivalent, for the regulation of the admission of air to the front of the
furnace. Ordinary closing doors would be fitted to the front of the ashpit to
adinit air below furnace while the ordinary fuel was being used, but afterwards
closed when all the heat was applied to the furnaces by the oil spray arrangements.
And in order that our said invention and the manner of performing or carrying
the same into effect or practice may be properly understood, we have hereunto
appended three explanatory sheets of drawings in which the same reference letters
are used to indicate corresponding parts in all the figures where shown.
Figure 1 on Sheet 1 is a sectional elevation, broken away, of the outer or inlet
part of one arrangement of our improved oil-spray nozzle apparatus and its
regulating fittings.
Figure 2 is a sectional elevation of another arrangement of our improved oil-spray
nozzle apparatus slightly modified from that shown in Figure 1; and
Figures 3 and 4 are horizontal sections as-taken on the lines 3-3 and 4-4
respectively on Figure 2.

page_text: Figures 5 and 6 on Sheet 2 represent transverse sections of a steam ship,
showing general views of.the application of our improvements to the furnaces of the
boilers thereof.
Figures 7 and 8 on Sheet 3 represent a sectional elevation and end view
respectively of a jacketed oil tank and its fittings as constructed in accordance with
our improvements.
Figure 9 is a side elevation, Figure 10 a sectional plan view, and Figure 11 a
transverse section of a jacketed tank with its fittings somewhat modified from the
arrangement shown in Figures 7 and 8. And
Figure 12 is a sectional plan view showing our improved arrangement of jacketed
tank, which may be applied at the bulkhead of a ship.
Referring to Sheet 1 of these drawings:-Each improved nozzle apparatus, of
the construction shown in Figure 1, consists of an outer open ended annular air
supply conical case or chamber A, with a large central hollow boss at A¹ having an
inner annular recess A" round it, into which the pressure air used for spraying the
oil would be forced, by a blower through a lateral coupling branch A', passing
through the said annular outer air chamber A', or a steam jet may be used instead
of the compressed air although this is not preferred as it uses more oil in proportion
to the yield of heat. The inner hollow boss A', is screwed on its inner surface, and
a large hollow nozzle spindle B is screwed on the outside and screws into it, with
lateral holes B', formed through it into the hollow chamber A" and through which
the compressed air or steam is forced and passed out through a central hole B" in
the conical point of nozzle spindle B; and a handle B' and jam nut B' are fitted
on the outer end of this hollow spindle B to screw it in and fix it and regulate the
amount of outer air which shall pass through the annular chamber A into the
central combining air and oil nozzle C fitted in the inner end of this case in line
with the central spindle B. A conical pointed solid spindle b is screwed into the
centre of the hollow spindle B and carried out through a stuffing box, or made
tight by a jam nut at with a hand wheel 6" on its outside for regulating, by the
conical point 62, the jet of compressed air or steam which shall pass through it to
spray the oil through the said central oil spray nozzle C. The arrangement shown in
Figure 2 is substantially the same as that shown in Figure 1 except that the central
regulating spindle for compressed air is dispensed witli, and instead of the regulating
spindle B for outer air a fixed screwed central inlet nozzle is used and the holes B' and
inner recessed chamber A" are dispensed with. The oil supply and regulating fittings.
and inner air inducing nozzles would be the same for both arrangements Figures 1
and 2 and are therefore only shown in the latter figure. As shown in Figure 2
the oil spray nozzle C is conical or trumpet shaped at its entrance end C¹ but
nearly parallel at its inner spraying end C, and has a slightly enlarged chamber c
in the centre where the oil passes in through a series of lateral holes c', as seen in
Figure 4, all round to be sprayed by the jet, or instead of a series of holes one
large hole may be used for admitting the oil to the enlarged chamber c.
is led by the pipe a² to a coupling branch a' on the chamber a, and the oil is led
from this chamber a through an orifice a¹¹, to a chamber a³, from whence it passes
through the holes c', to the central chamber c in the nozzle C. A lateral
regulating spindle d is passed out through a stuffing box d" at the lower part of
the oil chamber a so that the distance which its inner end shall be from the
orifice a" will regulate the quantity of oil passed through said orifice and this
regulation will be effected by a hand wheel on the outer end of the spindle d,
and this spindle is made hollow for facility in "redding or cleaning the
orifice a, by inserting a cleaning wire through it. The inner part of this nozzle
case apparatus has a screwed coupling end A³ on it for screwing into the hollow
eye forined in the outer trumpet part D' of another annular outer air nozzle D
leading the air through its annular mouth D³, into the inner combining air and oil
spray part D which may be screwed by snugs or otherwise to the front plate Z of
the furnace but preferably be coupled at D³ to another annular air inducing
nozzle D. A small annular opening D₁ would preferably be left all round the
22
The oil

page_text: uner end of nozzle D" and through the plate Z for the outer air to enter this;
and the nozzle apparatus can be removed, by simply uncoupling the pressure air
and oil spray tubes, for repair or otherwise. These nozzles would generally be
directed at an angle downwards towards the fire grate bars, and where two or
more nozzle apparatus were used they would also be directed to cause the flames
to combine or approach each other at the centre of the furnace instead of striking
the sheet metal of the furnace as a blow pipe. Instead of using the delivery
nozzles D, D, in some cases these may be dispensed with and the oil spray nozzle
apparatus be screwed or secured direct to furnace front. As shown in Figure 5
Sheet 2, the pressure air is supplied to each nozzle apparatus by a single tube e
from one common main air pipe E, preferably mounted along the front end of the
boiler X, said tube e being fitted with a stop cock e¹ for only putting on or
shutting off the supply of air, as the air supply can be regulated by the nozzle
spindles. The main pipe E, is fitted with a pressure regulating valve E', and is
supplied with pressure air from a compressed air receiver F and which is charged
through a branch pipe F¹ from an ordinary air compressing engine or blowing
apparatus F. The oil is supplied to the said oil chamber a of each nozzle
apparatus by a single tube 9 leading from one common supply pipe G fitted with a
regulating valve G" and mounted at the front end of the boilers X, said tube,
being fitted with a stop cock g' on it for use only in shutting off the supply of oil,
as the oil is regulated by a valve g² to each apparatus. By these improvements
the oil is supplied to the main or common oil pipe G, by branch pipes G¹, G³,
leading from the opposite ends of the oil supply tank H on board ship, and may
be fitted at their mouth or at any convenient part with wire gauze to prevent any
foreign or gritty matter from entering and choking up the burners, and be fitted,
as shown in Figures 7, 8 and 11 with air pipes such as, on top for ventilating, so
that when the ship rolls the main oil pipe G is sure to receive oil from one or
both of the branch pipes G1 G'; and the pipe G¹ may be led direct to the main
pipe G, through the branch G", fitted with a regulating valve. The oil tank H
when placed above the level of the furnace enables the oil to gravitate through
the said end branch pipes G', G, at the bottom of tank, but when the tank is
obliged to be placed below or on a level with the spray jet apparatus, or if desired
to ensure a nearly constant pressure on the oil when the tank is at the high level,
then the tank is necessarily made close on the top and has a pressure air pipe e
fitted with a pressure regulating valve e" and led from the air pressure pipe E to
the top of the oil tank H, to force the oil through the branch pipes G', G.
By a further improvement for preventing the diffusion of the disagreeable smell
of the oil, this oil tank H is fitted, as shown in Figures 7 to 12, with an outer
case H of thin sheet iron, wood, or other material on all sides with a few inches
jacket space H all round. The lower jacket space below where the tank H would
rest on girder iron bars I would, as shown in Figure 11 be filled with broken
charcoal or other open absorbent material for absorbing the oil which may
escape over or around the tank H or escape at joints and may, as shown in
Figure 9, have convenient hand holes with swivelling doors h between the
bars and along the lower part of this outer jacketing tank H for the
insertion and removal of the absorbent material 11. These doors h would
preferably be made of a simple swivelling character, as shown to the left of
Figure 9, oscillating on a pin " at one end, and secured by a segmental recess ³
taking on to a securing pin at the other end, and gauze screens or frames would
preferably be fitted in the holes h' for allowing air to get in through them and
prevent the charcoal or absorbent material 1' from running out.
And the upper.
part of this close jacket space H', would be connected through a branch F", to the
main air suction pipe F³, of the air compressing engine F³, and suitable gauze
protectors H", Figure 11 would he provided to keep the charcoal from being
drawn up by the action of the suction air. This would draw off all the obnoxious
gases arising from the escaping oil round the tank H. The oil would be fed to

page_text: these cisterns H, through a coupling branch pipe i at top, and be led away to the
burners from a coupling branch or branches, at bottom, while a pipe may be
used either for conveying compressed air to produce a uniform pressure on the
surface of the oil within the tank H, or for permitting the escape of air from said
tank, when the tap i", shown in Figures 7 and 8, is turned. As shown in Figures 7
and 8 fresh air may be admitted from the atmosphere to the jacket space H³, of the
tank H, by forming a series of radial holes or slots in one or both ends H" of the
tank H, and fitting a turning disc with a corresponding series of holes and solid
parts, so that when the disc is turned by the hand screw spindle, on which it is
mounted, the apertures j may be uncovered, covered or partly covered to permit or
stop the ingress of air. Or instead of a turning disc, a sliding door j¹ with apertures
fitted over a corresponding series of holes j, may be used as shown in Figures 10
and 11. As shown in Figures 9 and 10, a sludge discharge pipe J may be fitted in
connection with bottom of oil tank H, and a pipe J', for leading away the waste oil
from jacket space H'; while a manhole door J' may be fitted at the side of tank for
cleaning out same; and an ordinary gauge glass J", may be fitted within a box
casing J, to indicate and show the level of the oil within the tank H. Figure 12
illustrates how the oil tank H may be fitted at the bulkheads of a steam ship, the
two sides H', H', of bulkheads being utilized to form the outer jacket casing
around tank H which is shown as of cylindrical shape, and a hinged door H³ is
fitted to form the third side of the triangular jacket casing. By an alternative
arrangement, as shown in Figure 6 Sheet 2, the air and foul gases may be drawn
off from the jacketed space H, of the oil tank H, by leading a pipe or flue F³ from
said tanks along the front of the boilers X from whence branch pipes e would
convey same to the air annular nozzle cases A by closing these up at the outer end,
instead of leaving them open as herein before described, in reference to Figures 1
to 4; or the air may be drawn from the jacket H' by means of a pipe such as F
led to any air pump on board the vessel or an ordinary ejector may be attached to
jacket H³ for this purpose, worked by either steam cr air.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
First. The constructing of oil-spray nozzle apparatus for use in connection with
steam boiler and other furnaces, with annular air and oil chambers and central
compressed air combined mixing spraying and delivery nozzles, substantially as
herein described in reference to and shown in Sheet 1 of the accompanying
drawings.
Second. In connection with steam boiler and other furnaces, the constructing of
an oil tank or cistern with an annular or exterior jacket space in combination with
a drawing off pipe and air compressing engine, substantially as herein described in
reference to and shown in the accompanying drawings.
Third. In connection with steam boiler and other furnaces, the combination
of a jacketed oil tank, drawing off pipe and close nozzle or injecting apparatus,
substantially as herein described in reference to and shown in the accompanying
drawings.
Fourth. In connection with steam boiler and other furnaces on board ship, the
combination of a close cistern, oil drawing off pipes from each end of cistern to
pipes leading to burner, and an air conveying pipe for producing a uniform pressure
on the surface of the oil in tank, substantially as herein described, in reference to
and shown in the accompanying drawings.
Fifth. In connection with steam boiler and other furnaces, the constructing of oil
tanks with jacketed spaces and ventilating apertures substantially as and in the
improved manner herein described, in reference to and shown in the accompanying
drawings.
Sixth. The general arrangement and combination of pipes and appliances for

page_text: supplying oil spray fuel to furnaces, substantially as herein described in reference
to and shown in Figures 5 and 6 of the accompanying drawings.
Dated the 14th November 1893.
W. R. M. THOMSON & Co.,
96, Buchanan Street, Glasgow, Agents.