Improvements in Tubular Steam Boilers.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Dec., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Mar., 1893-Accepted, 29th Apr.,
1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Tubular Steam Boilers.
I, JOHN OWDEN O'BRIEN, M.I. Mech. E., of the firm of W. P. Thompson & Co.,
of 6 Bank Street, Manchester, Liverpool and London, in the Counties of Lancaster,
and Middlesex, respectively, Patent Agents, (a communication from abroad by
Eugène Scherding, of Rue du Louvre, Paris, in the Republic of France, Merchant),
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object to provide a simple and practical apparatus
whereby the passage of the hot gases coming from the group of tubes in horizontal
steam boilers can be confined and controlled or directed before the arrival of such
gases in the chimney.
It consists in an apparatus placed in the smoke box of such boilers and arranged
in such a way as to reduce the excessive activity of the central part and especially
of the upper part of the group of tubes and on the other hand to increase the
circulation of the heated gases in the lateral and lower tubes of this group so that
the evaporation being equally distributed over all the tubes a better utilization of
the tubular group is obtained and the repairs so frequently necessitated at present
are avoided."
The apparatus consists of a chamber open in its lower part arranged or placed in
the smoke box of the boiler the front of which placed in front of the tube plate is
closed by means of plates or doors hinged on one or more vertical shafts the
optional opening of which during the working of the boiler has the effect of
gradually causing the heated gases to issue by the sides of the smoke box and thus
to spread the work of evaporation over all the tubes without reducing the draught
and in consequence the activity of the combustion of the furnace.
The apparatus has no valve or opening on its upper part and in order to
accelerate the combustion as may be required it suffices to increase the opening of
its vertical doors and further this avoids any inconvenience resulting from the
accumulation in the smoke box of cinders and sparks which might reduce too
greatly the passage of the gases if it had to take place solely by means of the
lower part of the apparatus.
Finally coatings of fire resisting material may be employed to obviate the
consequence of the considerable increase of temperature which may result from
the use of this apparatus.
In the smoke box of the boiler a casing of sheet metal is fixed formed of two
side pieces and of an upper plate in order to limit above and at the sides the space
into which the tubes of the boiler open.
The regulator properly so called is composed of a fixed frame or casing in which
are mounted or hung two doors capable of turning freely on a vertical shaft sup-
ported at its ends by fastening sockets. These doors by reason of their slight
inclination have a tendency to close automatically and in order to cause their
opening they are provided with rings to which are attached chains. The other
extremity of these chains are wound on drums mounted on a common shaft which
may be operated by means of a rod with a worm on the end gearing with a worm
wheel keyed on one of the ends of this shaft.
In order to prevent the heated gases at the first moment of opening the doors
escaping directly at their upper edge these doors may be provided at this point
with vertical triangular gussets and the upper plate may be prolonged to the rear
to a certain extent.
In order to allow of the distance between the regulating doors and the tube plate
of the boiler being adjusted at will the framing is provided with sliding lugs in
which bolts are fitted which serve to fix it on the lateral sides of the surrounding

page_text: casing above mentioned. When it is desired to clean the tubes the doors are held
completely open by fastening them together by means of a hinged hook.
Finally plates made of fire resisting material protect the lateral parts of the
smoke box from the direct action of the heated gases flowing from each side of the
apparatus.
In case the central part of the smoke box is occupied by the steam passage pipe
two shafts placed on each side of this pipe may be employed in order that the two
vertical doors by opening more or less will always force the gases to escape by the
lateral sides of the smoke box as has been already described.
In this case also as in the preceding case if required the shafts may be dispensed
with and the doors may be mounted on pivots attached to their extremities and
engaged to the casing of the apparatus.
It is understood that this invention is not limited to the forms and arrangements
herein before described; for instance instead of using doors in one piece as has
already been described these doors may be composed by means of several hinged
flaps capable of folding down one over the other when it is so desired. In certain
cases these movable doors of the apparatus may be provided with graduated
undulations intended to reduce to a considerable extent the excess of activity of
the tubes occupying the centre of the group.
Dated this 6th day of December 1892.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Tubular Steam Boilers.
I, JOHN OWDEN O'BRIEN, M.I. Mech. E., of the firm of W. P. Thompson
& Co., of 6 Bank Street, Manchester, Liverpool and London, in the Counties of
Lancaster and Middlesex, respectively, Patent Agents, (a communication from
abroad by Eugène Scherding, of Rue du Louvre, Paris, in the Republic of
France, Merchant,) 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 :-
This invention has for its object to provide a simple and practical apparatus
whereby the passage of the heated gases issuing from the group of tubes in
horizontal steam boilers can be confined and controlled or directed before the
arrival of such gases in the chimney.
It consists in an apparatus placed in the smoke box of such boilers and arranged
in such a way as to reduce the excessive activity of the central part and especially
of the upper part of the group of tubes and on the other hand to increase the
circulation of the heated gases in the lateral and lower tubes of this group so that
the evaporation being equally distributed over all the tubes a better utilisation of
the tubular group is obtained and the repairs so frequently necessitated at present
are avoided.
The apparatus consists of a chamber open at its under side arranged or placed
in the smoke box of the boiler in front of the tube plate the front of which is
formed by means of plates or doors hinged on one or more vertical shafts the
opening of which during the working of the boiler has the effect of gradually
causing the heated gases to issue by the sides of the smoke box and thus to spread
the work of evaporation over all the tubes without reducing the draught and in
consequence the activity of the combustion of the furnace.
The apparatus has no valve or opening on its upper part and in order to
accelerate the combustion as may be required the opening of its vertical doors is
increased and further this prevents any inconvenience which might arise from the
accumulation of cinders and sparks in the smoke box reducing too greatly the
passage of the gases if they had to pass solely through the lower or under side of
the apparatus..

page_text: Finally coatings of fire resisting material may be employed to prevent the
consequence of the considerable increase of temperature which may result from
the use of this apparatus.
Referring to the annexed drawings
Fig. 1, is a front elevation of the apparatus arranged in the smoke box of a
locomotive.
Fig. 2, is a vertical section of same.
Fig. 3, is a horizontal section of same.
Fig. 4, is a front elevation of a modification of the apparatus, and
Fig. 5, is a horizontal section of the same.
As will be seen in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 in the smoke box of the boiler a casing of
sheet metal is fixed formed of two side pieces A A and of an upper plate B in
order to limit or contract the space above and at the sides into which the tubes of
the boiler open.
The regulator properly so called is composed of a fixed frame or casing a in
which are mounted or hung two doors capable of turning freely on a vertical
shaft c supported at its ends by sockets d. These doors by reason of their slight
inclination have a tendency to close automatically and in order to cause their
opening they are provided with rings e to which are attached chains f. The other
extremities of these chains fare wound on drums 9 mounted on a common shaft h
which may be operated by means of a shaft with a worm on the end gearing with
a worm wheel i keyed on one of the ends of this shaft h.
In order to prevent the heated gases at the first moment of opening the doors b
escaping directly over their upper edge the upper plate B may be prolonged to the
rear to a certain extent as seen in Fig. 2. and further the outer edges of these
doors may have triangular sheet metal strips or gussets arranged so as to
prevent the passage of the gases towards the top of the apparatus.
In order to allow of the distance between the regulating doors 6b and the tube
plate of the boiler being adjusted at will the framing a a is provided with sliding
lugs in which bolts are fitted which serve to fix it on the sides A A of the
surrounding casing above mentioned. When it is desired to clean the tubes the
doors bare held completely open as seen at b₁ Fig. 3., by fastening them
together by means of a hinged hook or small chain.
Finally plates made of fire resisting material 11 Fig. 3., protect the lateral parts
of the smoke box from the direct action of the heated gases issuing from each side
of the apparatus.
In case the central part of the smoke box is occupied by the exhaust steam
pipe M as seen in Fig. 4. two shafts c one placed on each side of this pipe may be
employed in order that the two vertical doors bbby opening more or less will
always cause the gases to issue at the sides of the smoke box as has been already
described.
In this case also as in the preceding case if required the shafts c may be
dispensed with and the doors bb may be mounted on pivots attached to their
extremities and engaged to the casing a a of the apparatus.
It is understood that this invention is not limited to the forms and arrangements
herein before described and shown as a specimen on the accompanying drawings;
for instance instead of using doors in one piece as has already been described these
doors may be composed of several flaps capable of folding down one over the other
when it is so desired. In the same way the opening of these doors may be operated
in any manner suitable for the purpose.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to me, I
declare that what I claim is :-
In an apparatus placed in the smoke box of tubular boilers and intended to
regulate the escape of the heated gases
1. The combination of a fixed sheet metal casing such as A B arranged so as to

page_text: contract the space above and at the sides of the openings of the boiler tubes and
with doors such as mounted in an adjustable frame such as a on one or more
vertical or practically vertical axes, the opening of these doors being optional and
adjustable, to allow a portion of the heated gases to escape laterally with the
object and in the manner herein before detailed.
2. In combination with the fixed casing A B and the movable frame a supporting
the movable doors b, an arrangement of chains such as f, and of a roller such as g,
by which the above named doors are opened more or less when it is necessary to
increase the draught, substantially as hereinbefore described.
3. In combination with the fixed casing A B, the adjustable frame a and the
movable doors b, plates or lateral facings such as ll of fire resisting material, or
other like substances for the purpose of protecting the metal walls from the direct
action of the heated gases issuing from each side of the apparatus, substantially as
herein before described in detail.
Dated this 21st day of March 1893.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.