IMPROVEMENTS IN PORTABLE, LOCOMOTIVE, AND OTHER ENGINES WITH MULTITUBULAR BOILERS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Arthur Biddell, of Ipswich, in the County of
Suffolk, for the Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN PORTABLE, LOCOMOTIVE,
AND OTHER ENGINES WITH MULTITUBULAR BOILERS."
Sealed the 5th May 1876, and dated the 16th February 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Arthur Biddell at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 16th February 1876.
" IMPROVE-
GEORGE ARTHUR BIDDELL, of Ipswich, in the County of Suffolk.
MENTS IN PORTABLE, LOCOMOTIVE, AND OTHER ENGINES WITH MULTITUBULAR
BOILERS."
The
These improvements refer firstly to arrangements for arresting and retaining the
sparks so as to prevent their entering the chimney. This end is obtained by.
forming a water chamber or receptacle within or open to the smoke box, and so
arranging the entrance space from the smoke box into the bottom of the chimney,
that the same shall be but a short distance from the surface of the water.
sparks in rushing down towards the bottom of the chimney (whither they are
drawn by the draught up the chimney) are caught in the water and are quenched
and retained. A simple way of effecting this is to form the lower part of the smoke
box water tight, and prolong the chimney downwards from the top of the smoke
box towards the surface. The water can be maintained at its proper height by.
means of a pipe and cock connected with the delivery pipe of the feed pump of
the engine; or it can be filled in by hand occasionally.
It will be desirable to have a sloping deflecting plate fixed at the bottom of the
smoke box just in front of the two or three rows of tubes and only a short
distance from the end of the tubes so as to give an upward direction to the sparks.
coming from them before they are caught by the downward draught towards the
chimney bottom.
The water receptacle may be formed in connection with the upper part of the
locking gear which can be enlarged for this purpose. Or it may be arranged
and fixed upon the inside of the smoke box door to which also a portion of the
lower part of the chimney within the smoke box can be attached so as to swing
out with the door when it is opened for the purpose of cleaning the tubes or to
empty the water receptacle of the accumulated drowned sparks. Or a separate
portable small tank can be placed in the smoke box and lifted out when necessary..
The second part of these improvements refers to the method of forming and fixing

page_text: the axle arms to receive the carrying wheels to the fire-box of an ordinary portable
engine boiler, and consists in firmly attaching (preferably by rivetting) to each side
of the fire-box a large ring of iron or steel, and round, square, or polygonal in shape,
about an inch in thickness and about three inches in width. This ring when fixed
can be thoroughly caulked both on the outside and inside edges so as to insure a
permanent and perfectly steam-tight joint. The axle arm is made of wrought iron,
steel, or malleable cast iron formed on a solid disc, shaped to fit into the ring
attached as above-mentioned to the boiler so that the vertical strains are transferred
from the edge of the disc to the internal edge of the said ring. And the disc of
the axle arm is held into the-ring and close up to the side of the fire-box by bolts
or studs passing through the outside plate of the fire-box and through the flat of
the disc, and is fastened by nuts on the bolts or studs, the latter being preferred
as they can be tapped steam-tight into the fire-box plates. I further strengthen
the arrangement by the addition of an extra piece of plate on the water side of
the fire-box plate, and the rivets holding the ring inay also pass through it.
Care is
to be taken that none of the studs or bolts passing through the disc of the axle arm
shall touch in the holes for them but are to be quite clear so that no transverse
strain can come upon them; they will thus be strained only in the direction of
their length as by screwing up the nuts.
The novelty and utility of this arrangement consist in throwing the strain of
the weight of one end of the boiler upon thin slightly projecting rings in immediate
and close permanent contact with the side of the fire-box and in gaining greater
facilities for removing the axle arins than by any of the methods hitherto en-
ployed for the purpose, and thereby greatly reducing the measurement for shipment
or stowage.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said George Arthur Biddell in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
29th June 1876.
GEORGE ARTHUR BIDDELL, of Ipswich, in the County of Suffolk.
"IMPROVE-
MENTS IN PORTABLE, LOCOMOTIVE, AND OTHER ENGINES WITH MULTITUBULAR
BOILERS."
This Invention has for its object improvements in portable, locomotive, and other
engines with multitubular boilers.
These improvements refer firstly to arrangements for arresting and retaining
the sparks so as to prevent their entering the chimney. This end is obtained by
forming a water chamber or receptacle within or open to the smoke box and so
arranging the entrance space from the sinoke box into the bottom of the chimney
that the same shall be but a short distance from the surface of the water. The
sparks in rushing down towards the bottom of the chimney (whither they are drawn
by the draught up the chimney) are caught in the water and are quenched and
retained. A simple way of effecting this is to form the lower part of the smoke
box water tight and prolong the chimney downwards from the top of the smoke
box towards the surface. The water can be maintained at its proper height by
means of a pipe and cock connected with the 'delivery pipe of the feed pump of
the engine. Or it can be filled in by hand occasionally.
It will be desirable to have a sloping deflecting plate fixed at the bottom of the
smoke box just in front of the two or three lower rows of tubes and only a short
distance from the end of the tubes so as to give an upward direction to the sparks
coming from them before they are caught by the downward draught towards the
chiuney bottom.
The water receptacle may be formed in connection with the upper part of the
locking gear which can be enlarged for this purpose. Or it may be arranged and
fixed проп the inside of the smoke box door, to which also a portion of the lower

page_text: part of the chimney within the smoke box can be attached, so as to swing out with
the door when it is opened for the purpose of cleaning the tubes or to empty the
water receptacle of the accumulated drowned sparks. Or a separate portable small
tank can be placed in the smoke box and lifted out when necessary.
The second part of these improvements refers to the method of formning and fixing
the axle arms to receive the carrying wheels to the fire-box of an ordinary portable
engine boiler, and consists in firmly attaching (preferably by rivetting) to each side
of the fire-box a large ring of iron or steel, and round, square, or polygonal in shape,
about an inch in thickness and about three inches in width. This ring when
fixed can be thoroughly caulked both on the outside and inside edges so as to
ensure a permanent and perfectly steam tight joint. The axle arm is made of
wrought iron, steel, or malleable cast iron, formned on a solid disc, shaped to fit into
the ring attached as above-mentioned to the boiler, so that the vertical strains are
transferred from the edge of the disc to the internal edge of the said ring. And
the disc of the axle arm is held into the ring and close up to the side of the fire-box
by bolts or studs passing through the outside plate of the fire-box and through the
flat of the disc and is fastened by nuts on the bolts or studs, the latter being
preferred as they can be tapped steam-tight into the fire-box plates. I further
strengthen the arrangement by the addition of an extra piece of plate on the water
side of the fire-box plate, and the rivets holding the ring may also pass through it.
Care is to be taken that none of the studs or bolts passing through the disc of the
axle arın shall touch in the holes for them but are to be quite clear so that no
transverse strain can come upon them; they will thus be strained only in the
direction of their length as by screwing up the nuts.
The novelty and utility of this arrangement consist in throwing the strain of the
weight of one end of the boiler upon thin slightly projecting rings in immediate
and close permanent contact with the side of the fire-box and in gaining greater
facilities for removing the axle arms than by any of the methods hitherto employed
for the purpose, and thereby greatly reducing the measurement for shipment or
stowage.
And in order that my improvements may be more readily understood I will now
proceed to describe the Drawings hereto annexed.
Figures 1, 2, and 3, show one mode of carrying out the improvements for arrest-
ing the sparks and in which a is the usual locking carriage enlarged as shewn to
form the water cistern, b is a portion of the ordinary chinney attached to the top
of the smoke box, and c is a short piece likewise fixed to the top of the smoke box
for prolonging the chimney downwards; a further prolongation is effected by the
part d which is fixed to the sinoke box door e, and swings out of the smoke box
when the door is opened, giving access to the tubes for cleaning; the bottom edge of
the chimney at f is thus brought near to the surface g of the water in the cistern;
his the overflow spout. The baffle plate i deflects the sparks coming from the
three lowest rows of tubes upwards.
Figures 4, 5, 6, and 7 shew a modification in which the water chamber a is
attached to the smoke box door and swings out of the smoke box when the door is
opened. The lengthening piece d is fixed to the cistern a, and is shaped to form a
joint with the lower end of the piece when the smoke box door is closed. The
general action of this arrangement is the same as in the first described, but the
surface of the water being placed at a higher level the deflecting plate i of Figure 1
is dispensed with.
Figures S and 9 show a further modification in which the cistern a is removable
by hand for emptying out the ashes.
Figures 10 and 11 shew my improved mode of forming and fixing the axle arms
to the sides of the fire-box of a portable engine and in which is the ring attached
to the fire-box plate l by the rivets m; n is the axle arm having a solid disc o
shaped to fit into the ring k; p are studs which are tapped into the fire-box plate
l; is a plate strengthening the side plates of the fire-box and through which the
rivets m as also the studs p are intended to pass.

page_text: Having thus described the nature of my said Invention and the manner of
performing the same I would have it understood that I claim,
First. The arrangement for extinguishing sparks by providing a water chamber or
receptacle in the smoke box and prolonging the chimney downwards towards the
surface of the water, substantially as described.
Second. The arrangements substantially as shewn in the Drawings in Figures
1, 2, 3, in Figures 4, 5, 6, and 7, and in Figures 8 and 9 respectively.
Third. The method of forming and fixing the axle arms so that the vertical
strains may be borne by a projecting ring or support separately attached to the
fire-box of the boiler, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Arthur Biddell, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
G. A. BIDDELL. (L.S.)