IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF WATER AND STEAM BOILERS AND THEIR FURNACES.”
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Wright, of Coatbridge, in the County
:
of Lanark, North Britain, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF WATER AND STEAM BOILERS AND THEIR FURNACES.”
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Wright at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 21st December 1875.
{
I, WILLIAM WRIGHT, of Coatbridge, in the County of Lanark, North
Britain, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-.
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF WATER AND STEAM BOILERS AND THEIR FURNACES,”
to be as follows:-
This said Invention has reference to the constructing of boilers for
the heating and circulating of water and the raising or generating of.
steam, for the heating of buildings or for other purposes, and for the.
producing of motive power, with their outer walls, shells, or cases:
formed hollow, and preferably of a nearly rectangular shape, with the..

page_text: four vertical sides and top of a cased form, having narrow parallel water
spaces (somewhat analogous to the sides of a railway locomotive fire-
box) in or for vertical boilers (with the draught of the heated products
of combustion ascending); the fire-grates of any ordinary construction
would be fitted in the lower part of the internal hollow space with the
fire-box above, and with the open space over this up to the water space
formed or filled with parallel horizontal or transverse water divisions or
spaces, joining or circulating with the four or two opposite sides at their
different levels, and heating parallel divisions or spaces between them,
all so that the flames and heated products of combustion pass up
through short tubes or other open spaces not in a line or opposite each
other within the several water divisions, impinging on the under side
of the water spaces in succession up to the top of the internal chamber
containing or forming the fire-place and whole heating chamber and
flues as a self-contained boiler and furnace, the unutilized gases passing
off by a large hole or flue smoke box in and at the top water space or
shell part of the boiler.
Instead of holes in the water divisions in the heat chamber above the
fire-place divisions might be made at their alternate sides, and right
across the whole sides or sides and centre of the internal heating space,
so that the flames and heat would undulate from side to side, or from
side to centre and from centre to the sides, impinging and acting on the
under side of the horizontal water divisions until reaching the top.
3
Although these water divisions have only been referred to as arranged
horizontally they might be made in the form of segments, preferably 2
with the, hollow side downwards; or they might be made square, conical,
circular, or of an A or W shape, or of other angular form in cross
section; or with tubes of these angled forms; or these tubes, might be
convex below and straight or flat on top; or of a semicircular form,
curved above and flat below; or of a segmental or saddle shape; or of a
triangular form, flat below; or of a square, lozenge, or diamond-shaped
section, preferably with the angled sides downwards; and although the
water has been described as passing through these tubes it is to be
understood that the heated products of combustion might be made to
pass through them by jointing their ends to flue spaces outside of the g
internal water shell, through which the tubes pass, and when small one
or more of these tubes may be inserted in the inside of larger tubes,.
ducts, or chambers of a corresponding or other shape, so as to form

page_text: duplex or compound tubes, with the water circulating all round the
small tubes and within the outer tube which would be jointed to the
side water spaces of the boiler, while the small inner tubes would pass
through these and communicate with outer flue spaces at one or. both
ends, all so that the heated products of combustion would act on the
outside of the large tubes crossing the heating chamber, and also be
directed from or by side or end flues through the internal tubes, so as to
give a double heating action to the water.
:
When the outside tubes are round the internal tubes may be in the
form of two semicircular or oval tubes with a central water space
between them; or one or more round tubes may be used for the inside
tube within an outside round or square tube, either directly above each
other or diagonally.
Although these improved forms or constructions of tubes have only
been described as applied to vertical boilers, it will be understood that
they are equally applicable to horizontal boilers, and in forming
horizontal boilers in accordance with these improvements the fire-box
space only at the one end would be open below for the ash-pit, and the
air entrance to the internal furnace and heating chamber, which extends
from end to end of the boiler or outer shell, which would have a water
space below, with the alternate transverse water heating divisions either
vertical or lying at a considerable angle at the top towards the front or
fire-box end, and communicating directly with the upper and lower
water divisions, leaving a continuous undulating space for the heating
products to pass through to the fire-box and chimney of any ordinary
construction at the rear end of the boiler.
When the charging side of the furnace, either in vertical or horizontal
boilers, is formed with a water space, the charging duct and door would
require to be formed and fitted through this, as with locomotive or
ordinary vertical boilers, but in the horizontal form the fire-box end or
water space might be dispensed with and fitted with a portable furnace
mouth instead, as in Cornish and other through-flue boilers.
: :
These new or improved boilers and tubes may be made of iron (cast
or malleable), steel, copper, or brass; or they may be made of iron, with
the tubing or fire-box of copper. Both the single and double tubes and
fire-box may be fixed permanently in boilers, as already described, or
be constructed independently and made so that the tubing or tubing

page_text: .
and fire-box combined may be placed in boiler frame (specially con-
structed for its reception), and removable at pleasure for repairs.
Double tubes may be taken through the fire-box casing and connected
outside with T pipes or other equivalent arrangement (so as to be under
control from the outside), and again connected to the boiler, top of tube
to top of boiler, and bottom of tube towards bottom of boiler, so that
thorough circulation and that from the coldest part may be secured if
necessary.
The double compound tubes may be of any diameter or arrangement
placed inside of boiler shell or casing, or may be set in brickwork them-
selves with connected ends outside of brickwork to steam receiver and
water tank.
This improved steam boiler and its furnace may also be made or
combined with a coke oven, or with an iron or other furnace and coke
oven, so that the coal or fuel may be coked on top or bottom of the
boiler and iron furnace, preferably on top, and its gases utilized by being
passed into the ash-pit, and forcing them through the fire-bars by
compressed air or similar arrangement, the whole being enclosed or in
large part enclosed as a water or steam boiler, and the entire heat as far
as possible conserved.
Fuel may be placed in the revolving grate inside of the boiler, with a
space for the heated products of combustion from furnace playing
underneath; or the flue may be constructed through the oven; or the
oven may be left without communication with the boiler or furnace.

page_text: year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the
thirty-ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said William Wright, Her special
licence that I, the said William Wright, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Wright, my 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
THE CONSTRUCTION OF WATER AND STEAM BOILERS AND THEIR FURNACES," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Wright, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, 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 Wright, do hereby declare
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 in writing, reference being had to the accom-
panying Sheet of Drawings, and to the reference letters and figures.
marked thereon, that is to say:—
My said Invention has reference to the constructing of boilers for the-
heating and circulating of water and the raising or generating of steam
for the heating of buildings, or for other purposes, and for the pro-
ducing of motive power. The outer walls, shelves, or cases of these
boilers are formed hollow, and preferably of a nearly rectangular shape,'
with the four vertical sides and top of a cased form, having narrow
parallel water spaces (somewhat analogous to the sides of a railway
locomotive fire-box) as or in the form of vertical boilers, with the
draught of the heated products of combustion ascending in the interior
from the fire-grate, which might be of any ordinary construction, and
fitted in the lower part of the internal hollow space with the fire-box.
above, and with the open space over this up to the water space formed.
or filled with parallel horizontal or transverse water divisions or spaces,'
or sections jointed, so that the water will circulate with or through

page_text: one or more of the vertical sides at their different levels, or by special
inlet and outlet connecting pipes for that purpose, with heating parallel
divisions or spaces between these horizontal water chambers; all so
that the flames and heated products of combustion would pass up
through short tubes or other open slots or spaces not in a line with or
opposite each other, but formed within and passing through the several
water divisions impinging on the under side of each water space or
chamber in succession up to the top of the internal chamber containing
or forming the fire-place and whole heating chamber and flues as a
self-contained boiler and furnace; the unutilized waste gases passing
off by a large duct, hole, flue, or smoke box formed in or at the top
water space or shell part of the boiler.
And in order that the nature, novelty, and mode of performing my
said Invention may be properly understood I will now proceed to
describe the several Figures on the Sheet of Drawings which I have
hereunto appended for the purpose of showing the best modes and
means I am at present aware of for putting the Invention into effect or
practice, the same reference letters indicating the same or like parts
in all the Figures where shown.
Figures 1 and 2 are a left side elevation and a half front and back
elevation at right angles to the former; and Figures 3 and 4 are a
sectional side and front elevation respectively, taken on the lines 1-1
and 2-2 in Figure 5, which is a plan of the same corresponding to
Figures 2 and 4, all of a vertical water heating and circulating boiler
A, B, B, C, C¹, for horticultural or other heating purposes, constructed
in accordance with and illustrative of one modification of my said
Invention or improvements. Figures 6 and 7 are horizontal sections
taken on or near the lines 3-3 and 4-4 in Figure 4 through the two
different forms of central horizontal sections or water chambers C¹
and C; while Figure 8 is a vertical section on the line 5-5 in
Figure 7 through the middle of one of the central sectional pieces or
horizontal water chambers C, all to show the form or construction of
the chambers C, C¹, more clearly.
Referring to these Figures, 1 to 8, the whole body of the boiler
(under this modification or construction and arrangement of the parts)
is rectangular and formed of cast iron in separate hollow water chambers
or sectional pieces, secured together by screw nuts and bolts, the latter
passing through outside, snugs at c!!! in the adjacent parts, which have,

page_text: .
suitable ducts or openings through, from, or joining the one to the.
other for insuring the proper circulation of the water through the
whole from the lower and coldest part of the boiler where the return
current or water enters at 6 up to the upper and warmest part 62, where
the current of water issues to pass through the heating circulating pipes
not shown in the Drawings. The lower part A of the boiler is cast and
cored out in the form of a close hollow rectangular vessel in one piece,
with outer and inner vertical walls on all the four sides, closed in all
round on the under and upper edges A', A", between the outer and
inner sides, except where the water communicating holes 6', c¹, are;
which also serve for the removal of the cores in this close vessel A,
which has the large rectangular space or chamber a in the centre, open
right through from the bottom A' to the top A", so as to form the fire-
box a of the boiler when erected on brickwork or other suitable
foundation over a furnace grate at A¹-A¹, of any ordinary or desired
construction, not shown in the Drawings. The furnace mouth A³ is
formed through the lower part of the front side A³ of this double
shelled vessel A, which might be fitted with any suitable hinged or
sliding door; while the inlet or return water current branch 6 is formed
at the lower part of the opposite side or back A™. The upper part of
this boiler is formed by jointing and bolting the lower ends of two long
vertical close boxes B, B¹, right across the top edges A" of the said
front and back sides A³, A¹¹¹, respectively, with two connecting water
holes 6, 6¹, in each; and by jointing and screwing the ends C", C², of
the horizontal close water chambers or sectional vessels C and C¹
respectively to and over the edges A" of the right and left sides.
A, A, of the vessel A.
The construction of these chambers C and C¹ (of each of which in
this modification there are three) are seen particularly in the horizontal
sections, Figures 7 and 6 respectively, having the deep or recessed
channels at their ends C, C³, by which they rest on and are bolted to
each other, joined by a shallow horizontal water chamber at their upper
side about half the depth of each section, so as to leave a flue space a¹
between them successively up to the under side of the top water
chamber C*, those marked C having a flue D right across and up
through the centre of the horizontal water space C, while those
marked C have two such flues D¹, D¹, at each side, all so that the
flames and heated products of combustion from the furnace chamber a
-

page_text: impinge on the under side of the first water chamber C, reverberating
and then passing up the flue D in the centre, so as to impinge on the
under side of the second water chamber C', and pass along it deflected
in both directions in the heat flue space a¹ to and up through the side
flues D¹, D¹, and then impinge on the under surface at the sides of the
next water chamber C, converging in the second flue space a' towards
the centre, so as to pass up through the flue D in it, and so on in suc-
cession through the alternate flues D and D¹ of the water spaces C, C',
and the horizontal heating flue spaces a¹ between them, on to the top
flue space a", from which the waste products of combustion pass up
through the round hole and spigot a² to a smoke box or chimney fitted
there for that purpose, all as indicated by the dotted arrows, particularly
in Figure 3. The central horizontal chambers or sections C and C¹ are
built over each other alternately in numbers sufficient to form any
desired height of boiler, their closed in ends C", C", being simply
secured close up between the back and front vertical water chambers
B, B', the ends of the top section C* only being jointed and bolted to
the top of these chambers B, B', by the two holes 6", 6", for the
circulation of the water up through these, as indicated by the arrows
in Figure 3, into the top section C*, which is formed with the exit water
branch at the top. The other or outer ends C", C², of these central
chambers B, B', which form the outer right and left sides of the upper
part of the boiler, all rest on each other by the deep transverse end
chambers or pockets C", C², and are secured together by the snugs and.
bolts at c¹, so as to form liquid-tight joints only on the left side C² at
the lower and upper faces of the pockets C, C³, which when closely
jointed over each other form an inlet and outlet duct or channel C, C³,.
as scen particularly in Figure 1 and in the section, Figure 4. The
liquid-tight joints of the lower and upper adjacent faces of the
openings into and out of these pockets are formed with annular
checked or countersunk recesses for the reception of an india-rubber or
other elastic or soft joint ring c', as seen particularly in Figures 1, 2,
and 4, which when screwed up by the bolts c¹¹¹ form a continuous water-
tight duct or channel from the top of the lower vessel A to the upper
central cross chamber C* on the left side A. of the boiler. The water
enters the pocket C" of the first horizontal water chamber C from
a pocket and opening c, c³, formed at the top side of the lower
water chamber A, and circulates therefrom direct up through these
ducts C, Cs, or through the horizontal transverse chambers C, C³, round

page_text: the horizontal central closed-in flue opening D, or central feather d, all
as indicated by the arrows in the several Figures, and particularly in
Figures 4, 6, and 7.
For the convenience of cleaning out the heating surfaces of the water
chambers C, C, and flue spaces a' between them (filling the whole heat
chamber above the fire-box a), doors B¹¹ are formed through the centre
of the front vertical water box B opposite each space a', and are fitted
with portable lids B², for easy withdrawal and replacement for that
purpose; and for cleaning out the water spaces in the chambers A
and C, C, at intervals small holes fitted with screw plugs or lids, with
india-rubber washers or other joints, and T-headed screw bolts may be
fitted at a* and 6*, which would also serve as well as the holes b, b²,
and c, c', for the removal of the cores when these water chambers or
boxes are made of cast iron or other metal.
The lower part A of the boiler might when desired be formed in
several pieces or chambers, and bolted or otherwise secured together,
and the channel c might be formed to extend to the bottom thereof, with
the inlet port c¹ there leading into it, so that the water would rise from
the lowest and coldest part to the pockets or ducts C, to supply and
circulate through all the water chambers C, C³, and after passing round
the central feather or web D or d, or it might be under and round over
a corresponding horizontal current directing plate instead, ascend
through the pockets or ducts C³, in the improved manner before stated,
and indicated more particularly in Figures 6 and 7.
When a larger combustion chamber is desired in a part of the heating
space above the fire-box, one of the water chambers C or C¹ could
be inserted, cast, or formed without the middle horizontal water
portion, either with or without air inlet ducts through the side water
chambers B, B¹, às B", fitted with doors to regulate the admission of the
air for the combustion of the gases in the said chamber.
Although the heat spaces a¹ have in this modification, Figures 1 to 8,
been shown by forming the transverse water ducts C", C³, all on the
lower side of the water chambers C, C', it is to be understood that they
might be formed by making the ducts C", C³, partly on the under and
upper side, as shown in the T section or Z section laid on their sides, as
seen respectively in Figures C1 and C2; and instead of having the
long transverse vertical flues D, D', through these water chambers C, C',,

page_text: they might be made in the form of large and small round or square
tubes, as shown at D", D2, in the plan views Figures C3 and C4
respectively, and either with or without a central division D³ between
them. And instead of these water chambers C, C', and their heating
surfaces being flat they might be made of a segmental or arched form,
or of an obtuse angle or wide shape, as shown in the sectional
elevations, Figures 9 and 10, either with the long ducts or round or
square ducts, as shown in the said former Figures C3, C4, and in
C5, C6, as well as in Figures 1 to 8.
Although I have only shown and described these boilers as suitable]
for being made in cast metals it is to be understood that they may be
made of boiler plate, copper, sheet steel, or other malleable metal, and
the parts might be constructed and put together in various ways
according to the requirements of the material used. And although I
have only shown and so far described these boilers for water heating 1
and circulating purposes it is to be understood that they might be used
as fuel economisers for heating the feed water of steam boilers by
attaching the feed pipe to the branch b, and the pipe leading to the
boiler to the branch 6²; or these boilers might be used as steam boilers
for generating steam for motive power and other purposes by having a 2
steam dome or other shaped receiving vessel erected and connected by
one or more branches to the top of the boiler shown above the water
level and furnace heating chamber a, a¹. These boilers may be coated
or covered in with any of the usual non-conducting materials on all
sides except at the furnace door A² and flue cleaning ducts B", or they 2
might be built in brickwork or encased in sheet metal on the sides,
back, and top, and filled in with sand, hair, or other non-conducting
material.

page_text: to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured
to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
First. The general arrangement of the parts or construction of portable
vertical self contained water heating and circulating boilers for heating
purposes, also suitable as feed water heaters for steam boilers, and as
steam boilers or generators, all substantially as herein described in
reference to and shown in the accompanying Drawings, or any mere
modification thereof.
Second. The forming of portable self contained vertical water heating
boilers or steam generators with the vertical flues D, D', formed through
the flat, curved, or angular central water vessel C, C¹, alternately at the
middle and sides or other position not opposite each other so as to cause
the flames and hot gases in ascending to the top from each flame or
heating space a¹ to the other, to uniformly impinge, deflect, and disperse
over the heating surface of each water vessel above the fire-box a, all
substantially as herein described in reference to and shown in the
accompanying Drawings, or any mere modification thereof.
Third. The producing of a new or improved current of the water in
water heating and steam boilers up from one set of ducts as C¹¹ and
either along the sides and round one end or under and over vertical or
horizontal current directing plates (as d), and up and out by a different
set of ducts C, all substantially as described in reference to and shown
at and by the arrows in Figures 4, 6, 7, and 8, of the water chambers
C, C', or any mere modification thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Wright, have hereunto
set
my. hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of June, in the year
of our Lord Eighteen hundred and seventy-six.
30
Witness,
W. R. M. THomson,
Patent Agent,
Glasgow.
WILLIAM WRIGHT. (L.S.)