Improvements in Steam Boilers.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd July, 1890
Complete Specification Left, 31st Mar., 1891-Accepted, 2nd May, 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Steam Boilers.
e
I, JEAN LÉON CASTELNAU, of 23, Boulevard de Strasbourg, Paris, in t
Republic of France, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows :--
This invention relates to a new kind of steam boiler, and it consists essentially of
a vertical compartment or chamber containing a vertical sheet of water.
To one side of this compartment is fixed two series of serpentine tubes placed
side by side against each other so as to economize space; these tubes form the
heating surface.
Above the group of tubes is a cylindrical tank communicating with the vertical
water space.
On the tank is placed a dome carrying the safety-valves and the steam port.
All the parts above described are enclosed in a sheet metal casing, within which
and around the fire bars is placed a row of refractory bricks forming a bridge and
lateral casing.
Above the bricks to the right and left of the serpentine tubes are two sheet
metal sliding plates serving to protect the sheet metal casing against great heat;
these sliding plates can be replaced without it being necessary to unscrew a bolt or
to cut off a rivet.
The chimney is mounted above the tank.
The operation of the apparatus is as follows:-The boiler is filled with water up
to its normal level and the fuel is then ignited on the fire-bars. The flame and the
hot gases rise and at the same time traverse the whole system of tubes and pass
away through the chimney; the water in the tubes becoming heated rises and is
discharged into the vertical water compartment and a continuous current is soon
established, each tube drawing in water through its lower opening and returning it
by the upper opening. The current increases with the temperature and in a short
time becomes very rapid. The subsequent operations are similar to those which
take place in ordinary boilers, the steam is taken to the dome, the feed enters at
some point of the vertical water compartment, and below the compartment is a
cock serving in the ordinary manner for cleansing and emptying the boiler.
The advantages derived from the special arrangement above described of flat
serpentine tubes with a single water compartment are as follows:
--
1. The lower orifice of the lowermost. tube is about 0.30 m. above the bottom of
the compartment; this distance is never less but can be increased, if required.
The object of this arrangement is to allow a certain quantity of water to lie
tranquil at the bottom of the water compartment; the water in the compartment
below the tubes is not forced through them and remains in a tranquil state; all the
solid impurities contained in the water compartment fall vertically by their weight
into this zone of tranquil or still water. Further all the impurities thrown out by
the upper part of the tubes during the working of the apparatus also fall into this
part, and for the reason above given, viz., the tranquillity of the water such
impurities do not tend to leave it. Thus, by the natural action of the water
obtained by the arrangement of the apparatus there exists in the boiler a place in
which the deposits can accumulate and whence they can be extracted at any time
through a cock during working and through an opening when the apparatus is at
rest.
2. The water contained in the water chamber above the lowest tube is intended
to produce steam and is in constant circulation; it is heated in the tubes and rises

page_text: to the top of the water chamber where it becomes disengaged from its steam by
expanding the surface of the water at that part; it then descends through the
water chamber to again enter into the tubes by their lower orifice; thus by the
natural action of the water obtained by the special construction of the apparatus
there exists in this boiler a distinct quantity of water for working purposes, which
water is purified in the tubes by the great heat and carries along by its strong
current the impurities which it throws off into the zone of tranquil water always by
the simple arrangement of the parts.
3. The steam generated is dry and the level of the water is fixed; by means of
the horizontal cylindrical tank the water spreads out in a horizontal direction and
this water is only heated by the gases which have already traversed the whole of
the tubes; these gases are sufficiently cooled on leaving the tubes not to cause any
ebullition in the tank: further they only come in contact with the cistern at the
place where the chimney is; the water contained in the tank not producing steam
and having no current is tranquil or still water; should it have an undulatory
movement, this is owing to its vicinity to the agitated water in the water compart-
ment, but such movement is only undulating and does not raise the water. This
undulatory movement is even useful, as in the tube of the water-gauge, it allows of
seeing at any moment whether the tube is choked up without blowing off each time.
If the water in the tank is tranquil by placing the dome of the steam-port above
the water dry steam is obtained because it is taken above tranquil water and also
because the steam passing through the dome is not replaced by steam from the
water in the tank, but by steam from the agitated water at the upper part of the
vertical water compartment.
The cylindrical horizontal tank also gives stability to the water level because at
the surface of the water level it allows the water which fills it up to its horizontal
diameter to spread out in length and width, that is to say, to occupy a large
horizontal surface and the more such surface is extended the more stable is the
level. Thus by the natural play of the water obtained by the simple arrangement
of the boiler there exists a third part of water placed at the upper part of the
generator which is tranquil and consequently gives dry steam; further it is spread
out horizontally and thus gives stability to the water level.
Dated the 2nd day of July 1890.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Steam Boilers.
I, JEAN LEON CASTELNAU, of 23, Boulevard de Strasbourg, Paris, in the
Republic of France, 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 :-
This invention relates to a new kind of steam boiler which I will describe by
reference to the accompanying drawings, in which :-
Figure 1 is a front end elevation of the steam boiler:
Figure 2 is a longitudinal section on the line X Y of Figure 1, the dotted lines
shewing the external casing or jacket of the boiler:
Figure 3 is a horizontal section on the line UV of Figure 1:
Figure 4 is a view shewing half of the back end of the boiler in elevation and
half of a section taken through the chimney of the boiler:
Figure 5 is an elevation shewing a modified arrangement of the boiler tubes:
Figure 6 is a longitudinal section of the nature of a diagram shewing the outline
or shape of the boiler illustrated in Figures 1 to 4:
Figure 7 is a similar view of a modified shape of the said boiler :

page_text: Figure 8 is a section on the line M N of Figure 7; and,
Figure 9 is a horizontal section taken on a level with the furnace bars:
Figure 10 is a diagrammatic sectional view shewing another modified shape of
the boiler.
I will first describe my invention by reference to Figures 1 to 4.
The improved boiler consists essentially of a vertical compartment or chamber C
formed of two parallel sheet iron plates B, the front one of which is provided with
openings A, A; the periphery or circumference of the chamber is formed by a
plate B and the parallel plates are connected by stays e, e.
The water chamber
can be constructed in other ways provided it encloses what may be termed a
vertical sheet of water.
To one side of the chamber C are fixed two serpentine tubes t, t, placed side by
side against each other so as to economize space; the two ends of each tube are
screw-threaded and carry two nuts, one outside the chamber to make a joint and the
other inside the chamber to make a joint and fix the tube; these tubes form the
heating surface and twenty three of them are shewn in the drawings.
Above the group of tubes is a cylindrical tank R of sheet metal rivetted or
bolted to the same plate that supports the tubes and communicating with the
vertical water space C. A. tie-bar T holds the whole firmly in position.
On the tank R is placed a dome D carrying the safety-valves S and the
steam-port.
All the parts above described are enclosed in a sheet metal casing F within
which and around the fire-bars G is placed a row of refractory bricks H forming a
bridge and lateral lining.
Above the bricks H to the right and left of the serpentine tubes t are two sheet
metal sliding-plates K serving to protect the sheet metal casing F against great
heat; these sliding-plates K can be replaced without it being necessary to unscrew
a bolt or to cut off a rivet.
The chimney I is mounted above the tank R.
J is the water-gauge, the normal height of the water level being shewn at N.
P are the doors of the tube-chamber.
Figure 5 is a view shewing two tubest and t' placed on the same plate B one
above the other, an arrangement employed for steam boilers of great height..
In some cases a single tube is employed having six or eight turns instead
of four.
The operation of the apparatus is as follows:-The boiler is filled with water up
to its normal level N and the fuel is then ignited on the fire-bars G. The flame
and the hot gases rise and at the same time traverse the whole system of tubes and
pass away through the chimney; the water in the tubes becoming heated rises and
is discharged into the vertical water chamber C and a continuous current is soon
established, each tube drawing in water through its lower end and returning it
through the upper end. The current increases with the temperature and in a short
time becomes very rapid. The subsequent operations are similar to those which
take place in ordinary boilers, the steam is taken to the dome D, the feed enters at
some point of the vertical water chamber C and, at the lower part of the chamber,
is a cock serving in the ordinary manner for cleansing and emptying the boiler.
For the sake of simplicity the various indispensable accessories, such as steam-
port, feed valve, discharge-cock, etc. are not shewn in the drawings, but it will be
understood that all the necessary accessories of a return flame boiler, for example,
are also necessary for the present boiler.
The advantages derived from the special arrangement above described of flat
serpentine tubes with a single water compartment are as follows
1. The lower orifice of the lowermost tube is about 0.30m. above the bottom of
the chamber; this distance is never less but can be increased, if required. The
object of this arrangement is to allow a certain quantity of water to lie tranquil at
the bottom of the water chamber; the water in the chamber below the tubes is not

page_text: forced through them and remains in a tranquil state; all the solid impurities con-
tained in the water chamber fall vertically by their weight into this zone of tranquil
or still water. Further, all the impurities thrown out by the upper part of the
tubes, during the working of the apparatus, also fall into this part and for the
reason above given, viz., the tranquillity of the water such impurities do not tend
to leave it. Thus by the natural action of the water obtained by the arrangement
of the apparatus there exists in the boiler a place in which the deposits can
accumulate and whence they can be extracted at any time through a cock, during
working, and through an opening when the apparatus is not in use.
2. The water contained in the water chamber above the lowest tube is intended
to produce steam and is in constant circulation; it is heated in the tubes and rises
to the top of the water chamber where it becomes disengaged from its steam by
expanding the surface of the water at that part; it then descends through the
water chamber to again enter into the tubes by their lower orifice; thus by the
natural action of the water obtained by the special construction of the apparatus
there exists in this boiler a distinct quantity of water for working purposes, which
water is purified in the tubes by the great heat and carries along by its strong
current the impurities which it throws of into the zone of tranquil water always by
the simple arrangement of the parts.
3. The steam generated is dry and the level of the water is fixed; by means of
the horizontal cylindrical tank the water spreads out in a horizontal direction and
this water is only heated by the gases which have already traversed the whole of
the tubes; these gases are sufficiently cooled on leaving the tubes not to cause any
ebullition in the tank: further they only come in contact with the tank at the
place where the chimney is; the water contained in the tank R not producing
steam and having no current is tranquil or still water; should it have an undulatory
movement this is owing to its vicinity to the agitated water in the water chamber
but such movement is only undulatory and does not raise the water.
undulatory movement is even useful as it allows of seeing at any moment whether
the tube of the water-gauge is choked up without blowing off each time. If the
water in the tank R is tranquil, by placing the dome of the steam port above the
water at D dry steam is obtained because it is taken above tranquil water and also
because the steam passing through the dome D is not replaced by steam from the
water in the tank but by steam from the agitated water at the upper part of the
vertical water chamber.
This
The cylindrical horizontal tank also gives stability to the water level because at
the surface of the water level it allows the water which fills it up to its horizontal
diameter to spread out in length and width, that is to say, to occupy a large
horizontal surface and the more such surface is extended the more stable is the
level. Thus by the natural play of the water obtained by the simple arrangement
of the boiler there exists a third part of water placed at the upper part of the
generator which is tranquil and consequently gives dry steam; further it is spread
out horizontally and thus gives stability to the water level.
The boiler hereinbefore described consists essentially of a chamber L (Figure 6)
formed to contain a sheet of water, of a tank R and of tubes t, the whole enclosed
by sheet iron and brick work.
The boiler illustrated in Figures 7, 8, and 9 has its furnace F surrounded with
water except on one side; there are therefore two additional or lateral sheets of
water. The tank R, instead of being cylindrical as in Figure 6, is semi-cylindrical
and the chimney X passes through it. The tubes t are placed in the same manner
as in Figure 6. The furnace is preferably of sheet iron welded without rivets ;
but it can be made with rivets if required.
This arrangement is suitable for small or medium sized boilers. For boilers of
larger size the body is the same, but the tubes t, instead of being placed on the
water chamber L are placed on the lateral water chambers C, C, as shewn in
Figure 10.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
The combination of parts forming the improved boilers, arranged substantially
in the manner, and for the purposes hereinbefore described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4. South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.