IMPROVEMENTS IN FIXING THE TUBES OF STEAM BOILERS, CONDENSens, Vacuum PanS, AND OTHER VESSELS
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Renny Watson (of the Firm of Mirrlees,
Tait, & Watson, Engineers), of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FIXING THE
TUBES OF STEAM BOILERS, CONDENSens, Vacuum PanS, AND OTHER VESSELS."
Scaled the 12th August 1873, and dated the 7th March 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Renny Watson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 7th March 1873.
I, WILLIAM RENNY WATSON (of the Firm of Mirrlees, Tait, &
Watson, Engineers), of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North
Britain, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN FIXING THE TURES OF STRAM BOILERS, CONDENSERS, VACUUM PANS, AND
'OTHER VESSELS,” to bo as follows, that is to say :-
This Invention, which relates to improvements in fixing the tubes of
steam boilers, condensers, vacuum pans, and other vessels, has reference

page_text: to that class of tubes which are removable, that is to say, tubes which
are or may be taken out of the boiler, condenser, vacuum pan, or other
vessel, and replaced as required.
The Invention consists in constructing the ring which fills the annular
space situate between the exterior of a tube and the hole in the tubo
plate through which it passes with one or more grooves at or on its
interior surface, so that a portion of the metal of the tube when ex-
panded therein by the action of a tube expander is forced into tho
groove or grooves, and thereby the ring and tube become firmly con-
nected together, so that when the tube is removed or withdrawn the
ring is simultaneously removed with it. The groove or grooves at the
interior surface of the ring may be either in the plane of the tube plate
or helical.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Renny Watson in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 4th September 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
RENNY WATSON (of the Firm of Mirrlees, Tait, and Watson), of Glasgow,
in the County of Lanark, North Britain, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of March, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the
36th year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Renny Watson, Her special
license that I, the said William Renny Watson, my executors, admini-
strators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Renny
Watson, my executors, administrators, or 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

page_text: and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man,. an Invention: for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN FIXING THE TUBES OF STEAM BOILERS, CONDENSERS, VACUUM.
PANS, AND OTHER VESSELS," upon the condition (amongst others) that. I,.
the said William Renny Watson, by an instrument in writing under my
hand and scal, 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 I, the said William Renny Watson; do hereby
declaro the nature of my said Invention, and, in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being, had to the accompanying
Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to
say:
My said Invention, which relates to improvements in fixing the tubes
of steam boilers, condensers, vacuum pans, and other vessels, has refer-
enco to that class of tubes which are removable, that is to say, tubes
which are or may be taken out of the boilers, condensers, vacuum pans,
or other vessels, and replaced as required.
The Invention consists in constructing the ring which fills the annular
space situate between the exterior of a tube and the hole in the tubo
plate through which it passes with one or more grooves at or on its
interior surface, so that a portion of the metal of the tube when ex-
panded therein by the action of a tube expander is forced into the groove
or grooves, and thereby the ring and tubo become firmly connected
together.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood, I
now proceed more particularly to set forth the system, modo, or manner
in or under which the same is or may be used or practically carried into
effect, that is to say :-
On the Sheet of Drawings hereunto appended Figure 1 is a vertical
section shewing my improvements in fixing the tubes of steam boilers,
condensers, vacuum pans, or other vessels, the tubes being of that class
which are removable, that is to say, tubes which are or may be taken

page_text: out of the boilers, condensers, vacuum pans, or other vessels, and replaced
as required. The ring or collar A. which fills the annular space situato
between the exterior of the tube B and the hole in the tube plate O
through which it passes is formed with a taper, or slightly conical at the
outside thereof, so as to fit steam-tight into the tube plate O. The ring
or collar A situate at the inner end of the tube B is made a little
smaller in diameter than the ring or collar A at the outer end of the
tube B so as to allow of the tube B being easily withdrawn from the
boiler or other vessel after both collars are fixed. The ring or collar A
is constructed with two rectangular grooves a on its interior surface, so
that a portion of the metal of the tube B when expanded therein by the
action of a tube expander is forced into the rectangular grooves a, and
thereby the ring A and tube B become firmly connected together, so
that when the tube B is removed or withdrawn the ring or collar A is
simultaneously removed with it. The grooves a at the interior surface
of the ring or collar A may be either in planes parallel to the tube
plate B or helical. In place of forming the grooves a of a rectangular
section, as shewn at Figure 1, they may be constructed curved or semi-
circular in section, as shewn at Figure 2 of the Drawings; or the rings
or collars A may be constructed at their interior surface with projec-
tions b, as shewn at Figure 3 of the Drawings, that portion of the metal
of the tube B when expanded therein by the action of a tube expander
being forced between and round about the projections 6, thereby forming
grooves in the end of the tube B and firmly connecting the tube B and
ring or collar A together.
In constructing the rings or collars A and tubes B, as herein-before
described and illustrated, it is preferable to have the rings or collars
made of harder metal than the tube, so that the softer metal of the tubo
is more easily expanded into, the grooves formed in the collars. The
rings or collars A may also be applied to one or both ends of the tubes
as required.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my
said Invention, and the system, mode, or manner in or under which the
same is or may be used or practically carried into effect, I would observe
in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original, and there-
fore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part
recited Letters Patent is,-fixing the tubes of steam boilers, condensers,

page_text: "
vacuum pans, and other vessels by the means herein-before described
and illustrated under several modifications on the Sheet of Drawings
horeunto appended.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Renny Watson, have here-
unto set my hand and scal, this Twenty-second day of August
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.