Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 18th July, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 11th Nov., 1893-Accepted, 16th Dec., 1893
I, JAMES YATE JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (which has been commu-
nicated to ine from abroad by Paul Dubiau, of 10, Rue de Paradis, Marseilles, in the
Republic of France) to be as follows:-
This invention which is applicable to steam generators of all descriptions relates
to means for ensuring a rapid circulation of the water in contact with the heated
surfaces or plates of the boilers or generators.
The apparatus employed according to this invention has no moving parts and its
action is automatically regulated by the generation of the steam without the aid of
any motor and to the exclusion of all moving mechanical parts such as pumps,
turbines and the like.
The said invention consists essentially in utilising conjoiutly in the interior of the
generator, the ascending force of the globules or bubbles of steam passing upward
through the body of water and a property possessed by gases and liquids when passing
through tubes of small diameter. When a current of steam and water for example
at the same temperature is caused to ascend in a small tube, the bubbles of steam
notwithstanding their small density do not pass through the water and do not escape
except by driving before them the layers of liquid situated between them.
The apparatus according to this invention may be modified as regards
its shape in accordance with the type of generator to which it is
applied but it consists essentially of a watertight inverted bell or other chamber
acting as a steam collector placed below the normal level of the water and communi-
cating at its upper part with a series of vertical tubes connecting the interior of the
bell or steam collector with the steam space of the boiler. A wide passage or tube
for the communication of water is provided between the parts or spaces above and
below the bell or chamber on the exterior of the latter.
This combination may be employed in conjunction with a steam separator or with
a steam drier or both as hereinafter explained.
The steam collector or watertight bell is arranged below the normal level of the
water in a position in which it is enabled to receive or collect all or part of the steam
generated on the most highly heated plates or surfaces of the boiler.
This bell is combined with a series of mixing tubes hereinafter referred to as
mixers being composed of vertical tubes of small diameter. These tubes pass
through the roof or upper part of the collector or tell to which they are connected
by a watertight joint. The sectional area of the tube is proportional to that of the
surface on which the steam is generated.

page_text: The level of the orifices at the lower ends of the mixers is located between the
bottom edges and the upper part of the inverted bell and the upper orifices of the
said mixers or tubes are situated slightly above the normal level of the water in
the boiler.
A wide water passage connects the water spaces above and below the
collector or bell at the exterior of the latter. This cominunication exists in all
boilers provided with the improved apparatus but the construction of the bell or
chamber inay in some cases render it necessary to provide for it in another way or
in another part of the generator.
The steam generated accumulates and forms a layer in the upper part of the
bell and drives out a portion of the water through the mixer tubes and around or
under the lower edges of the bell.
When the body of steam accumulating in the upper part of the bell reaches the
lower ends of the tubes or mixers the excess of steam escapes through these tubes
drawing with it a certain quantity of water which is continually replaced by water
entering the bell from other parts of the boiler. In order to promote the mixing
action, lateral orifices may be formed in the sides of the tubes or their lower
extremities may be cut obliquely so as to graduate the escape of steam and water.
In order to cause all the mixer tubes to come into action simultaneously their upper
extremities are all arranged at the same level. In order that the numerous
applications of which the invention is susceptible may be thoroughly understood
several examples of arrangements in which the apparatus is combined with different.
types of boilers are hereinafter described. In the following description the same
terms are employed to designate the several parts as in the preceding part of this
Specification. When the apparatus is combined with a horizontal boiler having
tubular return flues or fire tubes or with a plain cylindrical boiler the inverted bell
or chamber is formed by a thin plate or sheet curved or arched longitudinally and
having its ends closed either by the end sheets of the boiler or by plates specially
provided for the purpose. This bell may extend from one end of the boiler to the
other or it may simply cover the part directly over the furnace or it may be divided
into a number of separate lengths or compartments each provided with a series of
mixer tubes. By these means the energy of the circulation may be limited or
regulated.
The edges of the bell are brought sufficiently near to the boiler plates to cause the
water to flow rapidly in a thin stream over the most highly heated parts.
The invention is equally applicable to vertical boilers whether constructed as
plain cylindrical boilers or provided with pendent tubes.
In boilers with water chambers in the flues the steam collector or bell is formed by
the upper part of the water chamber. The mixers or series of vertical steam and water
tubes are connected with one of the upright tubes or legs of the boiler, the other leg
being connected with a tube forming an extension of the said leg projecting down-
wards nearly to the bottom of the water chamber acting as a bell.
In a boiler provided with water chambers and fire tubes the steam bell being
specially constructed for the purpose is placed inside the water chamber being simply
formed by a bent sheet (closed at both ends). A series of mixers or tubes thus
enabled to be introduced in each leg and extends to above the level of the fire tubes
the water chamber being supplied with water through a passage formed around the
series of tubes.
In order to obviate the difficulty attending the operation of adjusting all the
tubular orifices in the same horizontal plane it is simply necessary to divide the bell
into compartments each of such compartments being provided with a separate series
of mixing tubes. Specially constructed bells are of course applicable to boilers with
other than tubular water chambers and water chambers acting as steam bells may be
employed with boilers provided with fire tubes.
In boilers with internal furnaces the bell is attached to the bottom and alınost
completely surrounds the cylindrical furnace. This arrangement compels the water
from the upper part to circulate underneath the furnace and thus establishes a
uniform temperature throughout all parts of the boiler.

page_text: In addition to obtaining an active circulation about the furnace which is always
highly heated, the chief defect of this type of boiler in which the temperature of the
lower part is always lower than the temperature corresponding with the pressure is
thus corrected.
Galloway boilers-According to another arrangement which is suitable for Galloway
boilers only that steam is utilised for the circulation which is generated by the plates
directly acted on by the furnace. The bell is fixed to the sides of the main shell and
to the bottom and is closed at the rear end by a plate or partition extending down-
wards for a considerable distance. The water passage being left free supplies the
chamber with water taken from the lowest part below the elliptical chamber.
An analogous arrangement may be employed for marine boilers.
The plates forming the steam collector or bell may be arranged in various positions
and curved or otherwise formed as found most convenient for the type of boiler in
which it is employed provided that it enables the steam to escape and draw water up
the vertical mixer pipes and the return passage for the admission of water taking the
place of that driven out by the steam may be multiplied or otherwise arranged so as
to uniformly distribute the circulation about the heated plates or furnaces.
In the case of a multitubular boiler constructed to contain two rectangular bodies
of water in direct communication with the upper reservoir or chamber at each
extremity and connected together by the tubes in which the water circulates it
is simply necessary to place a horizontal water tight partition across one of the
rectangular water chambers in order to form a bell or steam collector. The mixer
tubes are fixed in this plate and the ordinary circulation is augmented by the
quantity of water carried over by the generation of steam.
The vertical lines or rows of tubes may form distinct elements connected to the
main body by vertical or inclined tubes. In this case the bell or steam collector
may be formed by a plate or partition connected to the sides of the water chainber
above the upper orifices of the tubular ascending passages. The water passage
communicating with the transverse water chamber is covered with water but the stear
passage is formed by small orifices arranged under a screen or shield.
or shield forins a steam separator.
This screer
The invention herein before described is applicable to almost all types of multitubular
boilers provided that the upper chambers are not too much contracted in size. The
upper part of each of the end chambers of a multitubular boiler may be arranged
to form a bell or steam collector each connection through which they communicate
with the transverse chamber being provided with a diaphragm through which are
passed mixer tubes of small diameter connecting the two steam chambers.
The separator may be so arranged that the greater part of the water carried over
with the steam falls back into the transverse reservoir at the rear which communicates
directly with the longitudinal chamber of the boiler through a wide orifice covered
with water as in the arrangement previously herein before described.
The steam produced is dried in the first place by passing through two partitions
perforated with small holes bifurcated or set at an angle acting as a separator and
afterwards proceeds through two collecting chambers into two series of tubes heated
by the flue nearest to the chimney. These drying tubes communicate at one end
with a transverse chamber communicating throughout its entire sectional area with
the main longitudinal body.
Dated this 18th day of Jul, 1902
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.

page_text: Improvements in or connected with Steam Generators.
I, JAMES YATE JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman, do bereby declare the nature of this invention (which has been
communicated to me from abroad by Paul Dubiau, of 10, Rue de Paradis,
Marseilles, in the Republic of France), and in what manner the same is to be
performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
This invention relates to means for ensuring a rapid circulation of the water in
contact with the heated surfaces or plates of the boilers or steam generators of all
descriptions.
The apparatus employed according to this invention has no moving parts and its
action is produced and regulated automatically and solely by the generation of the
steam as hereinafter explained.
In order to cause the water to circulate in a steam generator according to this
invention one or more series of tubes of small diameter is arranged vertically in the
interior of the boiler or generator and in a suitable position as hereinafter described
their upper extremities communicating with the steam space in the upper part of
the generator and having their lower ends situated below the level of the main body
of water in the boiler in a part forming a bell or steam coliector. The lower orifices
of the tubes or series of tubes being situated at the level of the surface of the body of
water in the bell the series of tubes is traversed by a mixture of water and bubbles of
steam; the latter drive the water before them and thus ensure a very rapid circula-
tion. A passage for the return of the water must always be provided outside the
mixing tubes in order to conduct back to the lower part of the boiler the water which
has passed through the tubes. This return passage exists or is already provided for
in most boilers.
And in order that the said invention may he fully understood I shall now proceed
more particularly to describe the same and for that purpose shall refer to the several
figures on the annexed sheets of drawings the same letters of reference indicating
corresponding parts in all the figures.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings is a diagram illustrating the principle of
the invention.
Figure 2 illustrates in longitudinal section a special type of tubular boiler provided
with mixing tubes according to this invention.
Figure 3 illustrates the same boiler partly in transverse section and partly in end
elevation.
Figure 4 represents the boiler in horizontal section showing one of the series of
mixing tubes and the normal return or reflux of water in the boiler.
Figure 5 drawn to a larger scale illustrates a detail of the fitting of the mixing
tubes as arranged in the upper part of a boiler analogous to that represented in
Figure 2.
Figure 6 illustrates this arrangement in plan the tubes being of angular or
hexagonal form in section in order that they may occupy as little space as
possible.
Figures 7 and 8 illustrate in longitudinal and transverse section respectively a
boiler with a water chamber provided with a mixing apparatus according to this
invention.
As represented in Figure 1 the apparatus is provided with a steain collector or bell A
arranged below the normal level of the water and receiving in its upper part the steam
generated. B is a series of mixing tubes consisting of tubes of small diameter

page_text: passing through the upper part of the bell A to which they are connected by a water-
tight joint.
The upper
ends of the tubes are situated above the level of the main body of liquid
in the boiler. Directly the steam is generated it accumulates and forms a layer in
the upper part of the bell A and drives out a portion of the water until the level o
the water that is to say the division between the steam and the water in the bell has
been brought down to the level of the lower ends of the tubes.
extremities of the tubes being cut or formed at an angle or obliquely as represented
in the drawing they are gradually uncovered and a mixture of water and steam is
blown up and passes through the tubes. The mixture and circulation of the water is
thereby caused to take place in a continuous manner, the water returning to the bell
in the direction indicated by the arrows C.
The lower
As an example illustrating the practical application of the invention I will now
proceed to describe it in detail as applied to a sectional boiler constructed with a
number of water tubes as represented in Figures 2 to 6 of the accompanying
drawings.
In the upper part of a box or case 1 (Figure 5) connected with the upper ends of
the main water tubes 2 is arranged a series of vertical tubes B passing through the
bottom 3 of the upper chamber of the boiler. These tubes are represented as being
of hexagonal form and their lower extremities are cut obliquely as represented in
Figures 5 and 6. In this arrangement the upper part of the chamber 1 acts in the
same way as the bell or steam collector A Figure 1 and the division between the
steam and the water is formed in this chamber in the plane 4 (Figure 5) so that
the excess of steam in the chamber drives a portion of the water up the tubes B.
As represented in Figure 6 the mixing apparatus is formed in this instance by two
series of tubes. The type of boiler illustrated in Figures 2, 3 and 4 has been selected
in order to show that the mixing or circulating tubes may be arranged in different
parts of the boiler.
With this object an intermediate water chamber is provided at 5 between the two
clusters of water tubes and communicates at its extremity with a chamber 6 containing
a series of mixing or circulating tubes 7 communicating with the upper chamber 8 of
the boiler. This second mixing or circulating apparatus acts in the same way as the
first and the bell A is formed in this case by a water tight joint or partition 9 Figure 3
A continuous circulation of
by which the tubes 7 are supported in the chamber 6.
the water is provided for by means of a return tube 10 Figure 4 which conducts the
water to the lower part of the boiler or to the lower collector or water chamber 11.
A return pipe of this description is provided in almost all kinds of boilers.
Figures 7 and 8 illustrate the arrangement of the mixing or circulating apparatus
in a boiler with a water chamber arranged underneath the main body of the boiler.
In this case the bell or steam collector is formed by the upper part of the lower water
chamber and the water in circulation, after ascending through the mixing tubes,
returns to the lower part of the water chamber through a tube Cas represented by the
arrows.
It is unnecessary to illustrate other examples of the application of the invention
the foregoing explanations being sufficient to enable the apparatus to be applied to
the case of
any other type of boiler, whether provided with water chambers as
elephant boilers or not, as well as to fixed or portable tubular boilers for
example.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
olaim is :-
1. In a steam generator an apparatus or means for collecting or accumulating
steam below the normal level of the water by the introduction of a division or
partition forming a steam space for the purpose of obtaining a flow or circulation of
the water substantially as herein before described with reference to the accompanying
drawings.

page_text: 2. In a steam generator an arrangement for establishing communication between
the steam space under the partition or division referred to in the preceding claiming
clause and the ordinary steam space above the level of the main body of water in the
boiler by means of mixing tubes (B) of small diameter extending to a suitable depth
into the lower water space or chamber and opening at or above the normal level of
the main body of water in the upper space or chamber as and for the purpose
herein before described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
3. The arrangements and combinations of parts constituting the improvements in or
connected with steam generators substantially as hereinbefore described with reference
to the accompanying drawings.
Dated thin 1121
1000