IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO THAT CLASS OF WATER HEATERS KNOWN AS CIRCULATING WATER BOILERS, AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH.
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Franklin Hocking, of Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO THAT CLASS
OF WATER HEATERS KNOWN AS CIRCULATING WATER BOILERS, AND IN
APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH.'
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Franklin Hocking at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th June 1881.
FRANKLIN HOCKING, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster. " IMPROVE-
MENTS RELATING TO THAT CLASS OF WATER HEATERS KNOWN AS CIRCULATING
WATER BOILERS, AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH."
My Invention relates to certain improvements in the arrangement of circulating
water boilers or heaters, and consists of so constructing the boiler and boiler casings
and mountings that the boiler is automatically fed or stoked with fuel.
According to one arrangement of my Invention I construct a boiler in the form
of a tapered closed cylinder with a central tube or fuel feeding pipe, this boiler is
I
mounted with its broad end up over a fire place having suitable fire bars.
surround the boiler with a water or fire clay casing, leaving a space or uptake
between the boiler and the casing. Over the boiler I construct a smoke box with
a suitable chimney. Over the boiler and smoke box and connected with or leading
to the central tube I mount a fuel receptacle or hopper, preferably of cylindrical
shape, with enclosed cover or lid. Pipes for the circulation of water are connected
to the top and bottom of the boiler, from whence they lead to the pipe ranges or
other heating apparatus which the boiler is meant to supply.
In operation the hopper or fuel receptacle is filled with suitable fuel, such as a
mixture of coke and breeze; this fuel gravitates from the hopper through the
central tube of the boiler onto the fire place where combustion takes place, the
heat and products of which pass up not through the fuel supply but through the
space between the boiler and the casing, ultimately escaping into the smoke box
and up the chimney; by this arrangement a constant supply of fuel is maintained
on the fire place as long as the hopper is charged.

page_text: Another arrangement according to my Invention consists in using a boiler con-
structed of concentric annular cylindrical chambers, such as that described in the
Specification of former Letters Patent granted to me on the 12th March, 1877,
No. 983. I mount this boiler over a fire place having suitable fire bars, and I
surround the boiler with, a water or fire clay casing, leaving a space or uptake
between the boiler and the casing. Over the boiler I construct a smoke box with
a suitable chimney, and over the smoke box and connected with or leading to the
central tube or annular chamber of the boiler I mount a fuel receptacle or hopper,
the fuel from which, as previously described, gravitates from the hopper onto the
fire place.
Another method of carrying my Invention into operation consists in mounting
the boiler over a flue or combustion chamber at the back or side of a suitable fire
place, over which fire place is mounted the continuous fuel feeding hopper. The
heat and products of combustion from the fire place pass through the flue and up
round the boiler, the fuel gravitating from the hopper onto the fire place as it is
consumed. The hopper and fire place may be wholly or partly enclosed in a water
casing which is connected by pipes to the boiler, and if wished to the circulating
pipes.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Franklin Hocking in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 23rd
December 1881.
FRANKLIN HOCKING, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster.
IMPROVEMENTS
RELATING TO THAT CLASS OF WATER HEATERS KNOWN AS CIRCULATING WATER
BOILERS, AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH."
My Invention relates to certain improvements in the arrangement of circulating
water boilers or heaters, and consists of so constructing the boiler and boiler casings
and mountings that the boiler is automatically fed or stoked with fuel.
According to one arrangement of my Invention I construct a boiler in the form
of a tapered closed cylinder with a central tube or fuel feeding pipe; this boiler is
mounted with its broad end up over a fire place having suitable fire bars. I
surround the boiler with a fire clay or water casing, leaving a space or uptake
between the boiler and the casing. Over the boiler I construct a smoke box with
a suitable chimney. Over the boiler and smoke box and connected with or leading
to the central tube I mount a fuel receptacle or hopper, preferably of cylindrical
shape, with a cover or lid. Pipes for the circulation of water are connected to the
top and bottom of the boiler, from whence they lead to the pipe ranges or other
beating apparatus which the boiler is meant to supply.
In operation the hopper or fuel receptacle is filled with suitable fuel, such as a
mixture of coke and breeze; this fuel gravitates from the hopper through the
central tube of the boiler onto the fire place where combustion takes place, the
heat and products of which pass not through the fuel supply but through the space
between the boiler and the casing, ultimately escaping into the smoke box and up
the chimney. By this arrangement a constant supply of fuel is maintained on the
fire place as long as the hopper is charged.
Another arrangement according to my Invention consists in using a boiler con-
structed of concentric annular cylindrical chambers, such as that described in the
Specification of former Letters Patent granted to me on 12th March 1877, No. 983.
I mount this boiler over a fire place having suitable fire bars, and I surround the
boiler with a water or fire clay casing, leaving a space or uptake between the boiler
and the casing. Over the boiler I construct a smoke box with a suitable chimney,
and over the smoke box and connected with or leading to the central tube of the
boiler I mount a fuel receptacle or hopper, the fuel from which as previously
described gravitates from the hopper onto the fire place.
Another method of carrying my Invention into operation consists in mounting
the boiler, which may be of any suitable type over a flue.or combustion chamber
at the back or side of a suitable fire place, over which fire place is mounted the
continuous fuel feeding hopper. The heat and products of combustion from the
fire place pass through the flue and up round the boiler, the fuel gravitating from
the hopper onto the fire place as it is consumed.
The beforegoing being the nature of my Invention, I will now proceed to describe
more.in detail how the same may be carried out into practical effect, and for that
purpose I have hereunto attached five Sheets of Drawings illustrating examples of
circulating water boilers and fuel feeders constructed according to my Invention.
The Drawings are marked with Figures and letters of reference, and like letters
and Figures are used to denote the same or corresponding parts throughout the
various views.
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a boiler and fuel feeder constructed according
to my Invention.
Figure 2 is an outside view of Figure 1.

page_text: Figure 5 shows my Invention as applied to a boiler described in Letters Patent,
No. 983, A.D. 1877.
Figure 6 is an outside view of Figure 5.
Figure 7 is a section through X, X, Figure 5.
Figure 8 is a section through Z, Z, Figure 6.
Figure 9 illustrates a modification of Figure 5, namely, a boiler with the central
water space removed, but the central fuel feeder retained.
Figure 10 is a sectional elevation showing another method of carrying my
Invention into operation.
Figure 11 is a plan of Figure 10.
Figure 12 is a modification of Figure 10.
Figure 13 is a plan of Figure 12.
Figure 14 is a modification of Figures 10 and 12.
Upon reference to Figures 1, 2, and 3 of the Drawings, it will be seen that I
construct à boiler in the form of a tapered closed cylinder A with a central tube, B
being the fuel feeding pipe. The boiler A is mounted with its broad end up over
the fire place C provided with suitable fire bars. I surround the boiler with a fire
clay casing D or a water casing D', which latter is shown at Figure 5, forming part
of the boiler. Between the boiler A and the casing D I leave the space or uptake
E, up which the heat passes, as shown by the arrows into the smoke box F, and
thence to the chimney. Over the smoke box F and connected with the central
pipe or tube B I mount the fuel receptacle or hopper E, provided with a suitable
cover and a feed pipe to fit into the pipe B. The fuel from the receptacle H
gravitates down the pipe B onto the fire place C, and keeps up a constant supply
while anything remains in the receptacle H. The pipes J, K, are the circulating
water pipes; J being the cold water or intlet pipe, and K the hot water or outlet
pipe.
In the modification shown at Figure 4 it will be seen that I provide a casing L
between the receptacle H and the smoke box F, and I form a space M between the
fuel feeding pipe B and the boiler A, and I draw my supply of air to feed the
fire C through this casing and space M; the air supply is thus beated in its down
passage and the supply through the furnace bars can be cut off or reduced to a
minimum.
In the modification shown at Figures 5, 6, 7 and 8, it will be seen that the water
spaces of the boiler A and the water casing D¹ are connected. The heat and
products of combustion passing up the tapered annular space E, the fuel being fed
from the hopper H through the central pipe B, as in Figure 1.
In the modification shown at Figure 9 it will be seen that I dispense with the
water space A, Figure 5, and I form the boiler A alone of what is before termed the
water casing D¹. The fuel feeding pipe B is a plain pipe, preferably of cast iron
leading from the fuel receptacle H to the fire. place C.
In the modification shown at Figures 10 and 11, it will be seen that the boiler A
is of the same type as that shown at Figure 1, but in this case the boiler is placed
over the flue or combustion chamber G at the side of the fire place C, the centre
tube of the boiler, which is tapered in this case, forms an uptake E, another uptake
being formed by the space E between the boiler A and the fire brick casing D..
The fuel receptacle H is placed over the fire place C and feeds the fuel to the fire
place C through the pipe B. N is a water space between the receptacle H and the
fire place C, and forms a part of the boiler A with which it is connected by the
pipe O.
In the modification shown at Figures 12 and 13, it will be seen that the boiler A
is set without the casing D, the heat passing from the combustion chamber G
simply through the centre space of the boiler, as shown.
Figure 14 shows how the arrangement shown at Figures 10 and 12 can be
provided with the air casing L and space M for feeding air onto the top of the
fire place C instead of drawing the air through the fire bars for supporting
combustion,

page_text: In operation the hopper or fuel receptacle H may be filled with fuel. The
fuel gravitates through the central tube B on to the furnace C where combustion
takes place. The heat and products of combustion then pass up through the
space E into the smoke box F and thence to the chimney, or in the case of the
examples shown at Figures 10 and 12, the heat passes from the fire place C through
the combustion chamber G and through the boiler flues. As the fuel is consumed
in the fire place C the supply is maintained from the hopper H.
Having now described my Invention and shown how the same may be carried
into effect, what I claim as iny Invention and secured to me by Letters Patent as
aforesaid is,
First. Constructing water heaters known as circulating water boilers of tapered
cylindrical form having a superposed fuel receptacle, an intermediate smoke box,
and a central fuel supply which feeds the fire, the heat and products of combustion
ascending up the inclined surfaces of the boiler and thence into the smoke box as
herein described, and such as shown at Figures 1 to 9 inclusive of the Drawings
hereto annexed.
Second. Constructing water heaters known as circulating water boilers of tapered
or other form, positioned over a combustion chamber in connection with a fire place
over which latter is superposed a portion of the boiler and a fuel receptacle with a
central fuel supply to the fire as herein described, and such as shown at Figures 10
to 14 inclusive of the Drawings hereto annexed.
Third. In water heaters known as circulating water boilers which have a central
fuel supply, providing a space between the central fuel supply and the boiler,
through which air is supplied to support the combustion of the fire, as herein
described and shown at Figures 4 and 14 of the Drawings hereto annexed.
Fourth. The construction and arrangement of water heater or circulating boiler,
herein described and shown at Figures 1, 2, and 3, of the Drawings hereto
annexed.
Fifth. The construction and arrangement of water heater or circulating boiler,
herein described and shown at Figures 5, 6, 7, and 8, of the Drawings hereto
annexed.
Sixth. The construction and arrangement of water heater or circulating boiler,
herein described and shown at Figure 9 of the Drawings bereunto annexed.
Seventh. The construction and arrangement of water heater or circulating boiler,
herein described and shown at Figures 10 and 11 of the Drawings hereto
annexed.
Eighth. The construction and arrangement of water heater or circulating boiler,
herein described and shown at Figures 12 and 13 of the Drawings hereto annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Franklin Hocking, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty first day of December, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
FRANKLIN (L.S.) HOCKING.