IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM GENERATORS STEAM-GENERATORS
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake,
"
and Co. Patent Agents Southampton Buildings London for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM GENERATORS" Communicated to him from abroad
by James Curtis Stead of Brooklyn, New York, United States of America
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 6th December 1882.
[A
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London, "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM-GENERATORS
communication to him from abroad by James Curtis Stead of Brooklyn, New
York, United States of America]
This invention relates to steam generators or boilers and comprises the following
features that is to say.
The combination with a drum or chamber which is kept partly filled with water,
of a header, circulating pipes leading therefrom and communicating with the drum
or chamber above the water line, a pipe leading from the lower part of the drum or
chamber to said header, and a pipe for feeding water into the generator below the
said drum or chamber. By this combination of parts a very effective circulation
of the water is effected, the steam is separated from the water and is very dry.
Preferably there will be combined with these parts a pipe leading from the
header to the drum or chamber above the water line so that all steam generated
in the header may pass directly into the said drum or chamber. I shall preferably
use, in conjunction with the parts named, an inclined mud drum into which the
feed-water shall pass before entering the header, for then mud and sediment will
gravitate towards the lower end of said drum and thereby be separated from the
water before the entrance of the latter into the header. It will be found
advantageous to connect the mud-drum to the lower side of the header.
In carrying the said invention into practice the walls of the steam generator
may be constructed of masonry in a well known manner.
I provide a bridge-wall which comprises a mud drum made of boiler iron and of
any approved construction-A pipe conducts the feed water to the mud-drum.
Preferably this mud-drum is arranged at an incline so that mud and sediment will
gravitate to the lower end. Pipes extend from the mud drum at, or near, the ends
to coils which extend close to the side walls of the furnace and are connected by
pipes with drums or chambers which I term separators located in the upper part of
the generator-Any steam which is generated in these coils passes into these
separators above the water line. The office of the separators is to separate the
steam from the water, and as the pipes lead to their upper portions above the water
11

page_text: line the water conveyed into them by said pipes drops down and the steam enters
the space above the water line. The separators are kept partly filled with water.
Pipes, of which there may be any suitable number, lead from the mud drum to a
device which I term a header consisting of a cylynder or drum made of boiler iron
and of any suitable construction. This header is supported on à suitable foundation
of masonry. It is placed somewhat higher than the mud drum. Pipes lead to its
lower side; a pipe leads from the header to one of the separators above the water
Jine
The mud drum and header will preferably be provided with man-holes to afford
facility for the removal of mud and sediment
A number of pipes which I term circulating pipes lead from the circumference of
the header at a point considerably above the bottom or lowermost portion towards,
and over, the furnace. These pipes are arranged side by side. They incline
upwards at an angle say one half inch to the foot, more, or less.
At the ends they are secured to return bends whereby they are connected with
similar pipes extending at a reverse but corresponding incline to a point over, or
slightly beyond, the header. Here they are connected by return-bends with
similar pipes extending similarly to the first series. These are connected by return-
bends to another series of pipes like the second series. Any desired number of
series of these pipes may be similarly connected together by return bends and the
last or uppermost series extend rearwardly and are connected, some to one separator
and the others into the other separator; these pipes extend up through the bottom of
offsets with which the separators are provided. The bottoms of these offsets are
about on a level with the water line. The circulating pipes may be screwed or
expanded into, or otherwise connected with, the return-bends.
As the water in these pipes becomes heated it ascends, and in this way a
'circulation is kept up through the entire length of the pipes without interruption
until the water is finally discharged into the separators. Entering the separators
the water and steam are projected upwards against the top thereof whereupon the
water drops down and the steam remains in the space above the water line. The
return bends may be of any suitable construction-If desirable they may be made
of rectangular form and provided with hand-holes opposite the ends of the pipes
which they connect so as to afford convenient access to the pipes without disturbing
the latter.
A pipe extends from about the middle of the header to the lower part of one of
the separators, and another pipe extends from the other end of the header to the
lower part of the other separator The object of those pipes is to convey the
cooler water from the separators back to the header
Division walls extend alternately from opposite sides nearly across the generator
and made of masonry, or metal, or masonry and metal combined They severally have
openings which are out of line with those of the others hence they cause the
products of combustion to be deflected or reverberated from side to side in their
passage through the steam generator without occasioning any interference with the
draft. After passing one partition the products of combustion pass over another
partition and thence they pass through a passage to a chimney. The four partitions
contribute to the support of the circulating pipes.
The separators are connected by pipes with a steam drum.
I do not wish to be confined to the use of two separators as I may use one, or
more than two; according to the size of the steam-generator to be made. The
circulating pipes may be staggered, or in other words alternate pipes may be
arranged in parallel positions and the intermediate ones in different positions if
desirable. Instead of being arranged in one group they may be arranged in
several groups. I may find it advantageous to extend the pipes between the ends
of the separators and the corresponding side or side portion of the header, in order
to render them more accessible

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by.
the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 5th June
1883.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE. of the firm of Haseltine. Lake, and Co., Patent Agents,
" A
Southampton Buildings, London "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM GENERATORS
communication to me from abroad by James Curtis Stead, of Brooklyn, New
York, United States of America.
This invention relates to steam generators or boilers and comprises the following
features, that is to say ;-
The combination, with a drum or chamber which is kept partly filled with
water, of a header, circulating pipes leading therefrom and communicating with
the drum or chamber above the water line, a pipe leading from the lower part of
the drum or chamber to the said header, and a pipe for feeding water into the
generator below the said drum or chamber. By this combination of parts a very
effective circulation of the water is effected and the steam is separated from the
water and is very dry. Preferably there is combined with these parts a pipe
leading from the header to the drum or chamber above the water line, so that all
steam generated in the header may pass directly into the said drum or chamber.
I preferably use, in conjunction with the parts named, an inclined mud drum into
which the feed-water passes before entering the header, whereby mud and sediment
will gravitate towards the lower end of the said drum and be separated from the
water before the entrance of the latter into the header. It will be found
advantageous to connect the mud drum to the lower side of the header.
In the accompanying drawing
Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of a steam generator constructed
according to this invention.
Figure 2 is a horizontal section of the same, and
Figure 3 is a vertical transverse section thereof
A indicates the walls surrounding the steam generator, which may be
constructed of masonry in a well known manner; B.the furnace; B¹ the grate
thereof; and B2 the ash-pit..
CC, indicate the bridge-wall, the part C of which, as here shown, consists of
a mud-drum made of boiler iron and of any approved construction. A pipe C¹³
conducts the feed water to the mud drum. This mud drum is preferably inclined
so that mud and sediment will gravitate to the lower end. Pipes D extend from
the mud-drum at or near the ends to coils D¹, which extend close to the side-walls
of the furnace B and are connected by pipes D2 with drums or chambers E E',
which I term separators located in the upper part of the generator. Any steam
which is generated in these coils passes into these separators above the water line.
The office of the separators is to separate the steam from the water, and as the
pipes D' lead to their upper portions above the water line, the water conveyed into
them by the said pipes drops down and the steam enters the space above the
water-line. The separators E E¹ are kept partly filled with water. Pipes F, of
which there may be any suitable number, lead from the mud-drum C' to a
device G which I term a header consisting of a cylinder or drum made of boiler-
iron and of any suitable construction. This header is supported on a suitable
foundation of masonry G¹. As shown, it is placed somewhat higher than the mud-
drum, and the pipes F lead to its lower side. O indicates a pipe leading from the
header to one of the separators above the water line. The mud-drum and header
are preferably provided with man-holes to afford facility for the removal of mud
and sediment.

page_text: A number of pipes H, which I term circulating pipes, lead from the circumference
of the header at a point considerably above the bottom or lowermost portion,
towards and over the furnace. These pipes H as shown are arranged side by side.
They incline upwards at an angle of say one-half inch to the foot, more or less.
At the ends they are secured to return-bends. I, whereby they are connected with
similar pipes H, extending at a reverse but corresponding incline to a point over;
or slightly beyond the header G. Here they are connected by return-bends I with
similar pipes H, extending similarly to the first series. These are connected by
return-bends I to another series of pipes H like the second series. Any desired
number of series of these pipes may be similarly connected together by return-
bends I, I, and the last or uppermost series extend rearwardly and are connected
some to the separator E, and the others to the separator E¹. It will be observed
that these pipes extend up through the bottom of offsets e, e, with which the
separators are provided. The bottoms of these offsets are about on a level with
the water line. The circulating-pipes H may be screwed or expanded into, or
otherwise connected with, the return bends I I.
As the water in the pipes H becomes heated it ascends, and in this way a
circulation is kept.up through the entire length of the pipes without interruption,
until the water is finally discharged into the separators. Entering the separators
the water and steam are projected upwards against the top thereof, whereupon the
water drops down and the steam remains in the space above the water line. The
return bends may be of any suitable construction. If desirable, they may be made
of rectangular form and provided with hand-holes opposite the ends of the pipes H
which they connect, so as to afford convenient access to the pipes without
disturbing them.
K indicates a pipe. extending from about the middle of the header G to the
lower part of the separator E, and L indicates a pipe extending from the other
end of the header G to the lower part of the separator E¹. The object of the
pipes K, L, is to convey the cooler water from the separators back to the
header G
PP1 P2 indicate division walls extending alternately from opposite sides nearly
across the generator and made of masonry, metal, or masonry and metal combined.
They severally have openings p, p, p, which are out of line with those of the
others, hence they cause the products of combustion to be deflected or reverberated
from side to side in their passage through the steam generator without occasioning
"any interference with the draught. After passing the partition P2 the products of
combustion pass over a partition P³, and thence they pass through a passage R, to
a chimney. The partitions P, P', P2, P3; assist in supporting the circulating
pipes H.
The separators E, E', are connected by pipes E2 with a steam drum S.
I do not wish to confine myself to the use of two separators as I may use one,
or more than two, according to the size of the steam generator to be made. The
alternate circulating pipes H may be arranged in parallel positions and the inter-
'mediate ones in different positions, if desirable. Instead of being arranged in one
group they may be arranged in several groups.
I sometimes find it advantageous to extend the pipes K, L, between the ends of
the separators and the corresponding side or side portion of the header G, in order
to render them more accessible.
Having thus fully described the said invention as communicated to me by my
foreign Correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim in a steam-generator
First. The combination, with a drum or chamber which is kept partly filled with
"water, of a header, circulating pipes leading therefrom and communicating with the
drum or chamber above the water-line, a pipe leading from the lower part of the
drum or chamber to the said header, and a pipe for feeding water into the generator
below the said drum or chamber, substantially as specified
Second. The combination, with a drum or chamber which is kept partly filled

page_text: with water, of a header, circulating pipes leading therefrom and communicating
directly with the said drum or chamber above the water line, a pipe leading from
the lower part of the drum or chamber to the header, a pipe leading from the said
header to the drum or chamber above the water-line, and a pipe for feeding
water into the generator below the said drum or chamber, substantially as
specified
Third. The combination, with a drum or chamber which is kept partly filled
with water, of a header, an inclined mud-drum connected by a pipe communicating
with the lower end of the header, circulating pipes leading from the said header
and communicating with the said drum or chamber above the water line, a pipe
leading from the lower part of the drum or chamber to the said header, and a pipe
for supplying feed-water to the generator below the said drum or chamber,
substantially as specified.
Fourth. The combination, with a drum or chamber which is kept partly filled
with water when the generator is supplied, of a header, an inclined mud-drum, a
pipe connecting the said mud-drum to the lower end of the header, a pipe
connecting the said header with the drum or chamber above the water-line,
circulating pipes leading from the said header and entering the said drum or chamber
above the water-line, and a pipe for supplying feed-water to the generator below
the said drum or chamber, substantially as specified
In witness whereof I the said William Robert Lake have hereunto set my
hand and seal this Fifth day of June in the year of our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and eighty three
W. ROB. LAKE (L.S.)