Improvements in and connected with the. Formation of Parts of Steam Boilers.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Aug., 1891-Accepted; 19th Sept:; 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with the. Formation of Parts of
Steam Boilers.
I, GEORGE RICHARDS, of 145 Cannon Street, London, in the County of
Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:-
My invention relates to methods of forming parts of steam boilers of the type
known as "Harrisons." These boilers are formed by uniting a number of spheres
of about 8 inches in diameter, in groups surrounded by suitable brickwork. The
general construction of the boiler is set forth in the Specification of Letters Patent
No. 1970 A.D. 1859. Up to the present time the spheres have been made of cast
iron as the only metal in which they could be conveniently produced. My improve-
ments consist in making these spheres from tubes which are preferably prepared
from solid ingots so that the finished tube has no joint. I do not claim the making
of the spheres of iron or steel, as a Patent was granted in the year 1864, and
bearing No. 1424, for making the spheres in groups by stamping two, halves and
joining them together, but owing to the defects of the method it was never
practically used.
My methods of making the spheres in groups are hereinafter described.
In the accompanying drawing
Fig. 1 is a section of a tube preferably of the kind known commercially, as
seamless or weldless steel tube.
Fig. 2 a section of a partly formed sphere.
Fig. 3 a section of a finished sphere.
Fig. 4 an elevation of two spheres connected together.
Fig. 5 an elevation of three spheres connected together.
Fig. 6 a section of a tube.
Fig. 7 an elevation of such tube when partly formed into. a group of three
spheres.
Fig. 8 a section of a mould for continuing the formation of the spheres, shown in
Fig. 7.
Fig. 9 a section of the spheres when they leave the mould.
Fig. 10 a section of the three spheres when finished, and
Fig. 11 an enlarged section of part of one of the spheres, showing-the-thickening
of the metal at the joint.
Referring to Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, I cause the tube to be acted upon by suitable
lies in a hydraulic or other press to bring it to the form shown in Fig. 2. In this
operation I also form and thicken the metal into a suitable cross section for
fterwards machining the steam joint easily by producing a recess on one side
ta, and a projection on the other at b. In practice these are about th of an inch
leep.
The next operation consists in forming by suitable dies the projection or neck
tc (Fig. 3), the end being bevelled or scarfed for the subsequent operation. In
ome of the spheres a neck is formed on the other side as shown by the dotted lines
td in Fig. 3.
The next operation consists in joining the necks of two or more spheres by
elding either by gas or electricity, producing complete units as shown in Figs. 4
nd 5, in which the dotted lines indicate the welds. The joints at a and b (Fig. 2),
re then finished accurately to form steam joints.
By this method of forming the spheres and connecting them, they are com-
lete without a joint except at the necks where it is possible to form a perfect

page_text: weld, and where the metal is of the smallest diameter, and in-the strongest form to
resist the bursting strain.
Referring to Figs. 6 to 10 inclusive of the drawings.
I also produce groups of two or more spheres from tubes, by taking a length of
tube as shown in Fig. 6. The first operation consists in closing the end at e
(Fig. 7) by any known process, while the end at f is drawn down leaving a short
piece of pipe projecting for the purpose hereinafter described. I then cause the
tube to be reduced to form necks at gand (Fig. 7), by rolling or hammering.
The connected spheres so formed are then heated and placed in a mould k, shown
in Fig. 8. The internal shape of the mould corresponds to the desired finished
form of the spheres. By introducing gas or air at a high pressure inside the tube
through the pipe f¹, I cause the metal to be forced out at 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, into the
mould, thereby forming the projections for the steam joints referred to as a and b
in Fig. 2. The projection at m and recess at n in the mould produce corresponding
shapes in the spheres. I then cause, the small pipe f' to be cut off from the
product shown in Fig. 9, and weld up the small opening at o.
By then cutting out the plate at p, p, p, p, p, p, in Fig. 10, 1 produce the
openings. The operation of finishing the steam joints is then similar to that
described in connection with Figs. 4 and 5.
I have not shown the units grouped together to form a steam boiler, as the
arrangement is well known
In Fig. 11 I have shown an enlarged view of the steam joint 6 (Fig. 2), to
show the increase of the thickness of the metal in the sphere.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
In steam boilers of the type described
1. Forming each of the spheres from iron or steel tubes with a neck or necks
for the purpose of connecting same together in groups of two or more spheres,
substantially as described and shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings.
2. Forming a group of two or more spheres by connecting separate spheres
made from iron or steel tubes by welding the same together at the necks formed
thereon in the course of their manufacture, substantially as described and shown in
Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawings.
3. The formation of two or more spheres from iron or steel tubes in the manner
described and shown in Figs. 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 of the drawings.
4. Forming the spheres, specified in the preceding claims from weldless tubes or
tubes made from solid ingots, substantially as described.
}
Dated this 14th day of August 1891.
ALLISON BROS.,
Agents for the Applicant.