IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM BOILERS
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Englebert Théophile Van Hecke, of Courbevoie,
near Paris, in the Empire of France, Civil Engineer, for the Iuven
tion of "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM BOILERS."
Sealed the 22nd May 1869, and dated the 25th November 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Englebert Théophile.
Van Hecke at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with, his
Petition, on the 25th November 1868.
I, ENGLEBERT THÉOPHILE VAN HECKE, of Courbevoie, near Paris, in.
the Empire of France, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the.
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM BOILERS," to be as follows:-
The object and intention of this Invention is first to effect economy
of fuel; secondly, to utilize as near as may be all the heat from
the furnace for the generation of steam, also the waste steam from the.
engine, and to cause the heat from the furnace to heat the feed water
for the boiler; thirdly, to obviate the explosion of steam boilers arising
from the overheating of the bed plate of the boiler upon which the
impurities contained in the water are deposited. I propose to accom-

page_text: plish these objects by constructing steam boilers in the following
manner, observing that this Invention applies to vertical or upright
boilers. The boiler is formed cylindrical of plates of metal, with a dome-
shape top or steam chest. The fire-box is also cylindrical, with a dome-
shape top, and the bottom of the boiler and fire-box rest upon and are
affixed to an annular flat plate of metal with water space between the
two. A series of tubes extend from the top of the fire-box to the top of
the boiler, to which parts the said tubes are fixed water-tight by their
ends, and I surround the boiler with a jacket of metal for a portable or
locomotive boiler, and with brickwork for a stationary or fixed boiler, the
space between the boiler and jacket being for the passage of the heat,
gases, and smoke from the furnace fire; and on a level with the bottom
of the boiler and fire-box, and on a line with the top of the boiler I form
two short horizontal flues leading from the flue that surrounds the
boiler, and to the aforesaid short flues I affix an upright cylindrical
flue forming the chimney for the passage of smoke and unconsumed
gases from the furnace fire, and this upright flue I surround as high as
is necessary with a reservoir to contain water to supply the boiler. The
uppermost short flue is fitted with a damper, which is closed when the
boiler is at work so as to compel the heat from the fire to descend and
pass out at the bottom short flue, thereby causing the heat to be brought
into contact with the entire outer surface of the boiler, the surplus heat
as it passes up the chimney being given off to the water in the reservoir
that surrounds it. I also fix a damper in the said chimney to regulate
the draught. The other damper is only required to be opened when the
fire is first lighted, or when it is required to check any excess of heat
from the fire,, or when there is too great a pressure of steam.
SPECIFICATION în pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Englebert Théophile Van Hecke in the Great Scal
Patent Office on the 25th May 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ENGLEBERT
THEOPHILE VAN HECKE, of Courbevoie, near Paris, in the Empire of
France, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of November, in the

page_text: year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the
thirty-second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Englebert Théophile Van
Hecke, Her special licence that I, the said Englebert Théophile Van
Hecke, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said Englebert Théophile Van Hecke, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time
to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and
Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM BOILERS," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Englebert Théophile Van
Hecke, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed
in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Englebert Théophile Van Hecke, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement, that is to say:-
The object and intention of this Invention is, first, to effect economy of
fuel; secondly, to utilize as near as may be all the heat from the
furnace for the generation of steam, also the waste steam from the
engine, and to cause the heat from the furnace to heat the feed water for
the boiler; thirdly, to obviate the explosion of steam boilers arising from
the overheating of the bed plate of the boiler upon which the impurities
contained in the water are deposited. I propose to accomplish these
objects by constructing steam boilers in the following manner, observing
that this Invention applies to vertical or upright boilers. The boiler is
formed cylindrical of plates of metal with a dome-shaped top or steam
chest. The fire-box is also cylindrical with a dome-shape top, and the
bottom of the boiler and fire-box rest upon and are affixed to an annular
flat plate of metal with water space between the two. A series of tubes
extend from the top of the fire-box to the top of the boiler, to which
parts the said tubes are fixed water-tight by their ends, and I surround
the boiler with a jacket of metal for a portable or locomotive boiler, and

page_text: with brickwork for a stationary or fixed boiler, the space between the
boiler and jacket being for the passage of the heat, gases, and smoke
from the furnace fire; and on a level with the bottom of the boiler and
fire-box, and in a line with the top of the boiler, I form two short hori-
zontal flues leading from the flue that surrounds the boiler, and to the
aforesaid short flues I affix an upright cylindrical flue forming the
chimney for the passage of smoke and unconsumed gases from the fur-
nace fire, and this upright flue I surround as high as is necessary with
a reservoir to contain water to supply the boiler. The uppermost short
flue is fitted with a damper, which is closed when the boiler is at work
so as to compel the heat from the fire to descend and pass out at the
bottom short flue, thereby causing the heat to be brought into contact
with the entire outer surface of the boiler, the surplus heat as it passes
up the chimney being given off to the water in the reservoir that
surrounds it. I also fix a damper in the said chimney to regulate the
draught. The other damper is only required to be opened when the fire
is first lighted, or when it is required to check any excess of heat from
the fire, or when there is too great a pressure of steam.
And in order to explain this Invention more completely I now proceed
to describe the best means I am acquainted with for carrying the same
into practical effect, reference being had to the illustrative Sheet of
Drawings accompanying these Presents, and to the numeral figures and
letters of reference marked thereon respectively, as follows:-
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 represents a transverse and vertical section of a steam boiler
of about 12 horses' power, constructed according to this Invention;
Figure 2, a horizontal section through the line A, B, at Figure 1; and
Figures 3 and 4 shew the feed reservoir. At each of the foregoing
Figures similar letters of reference are employed to denote corresponding
parts.
A marks a vertical cylinder of boiler plate iron; B, tubular fire-box,
the number and size of the tubes varying as required. The cylinder
and fire-box rest on the bed plate C, in the centre of which is a round
hole D, on the edges or sides of which E rest the fire-bars of the furnace F
also the flange G, the dimensions of which can be varied to regulate
the clear area of the fire-bars as required. H, steam chest with man-
hole I; K, smaller steam chest, on which are placed the safety valves

page_text: steam pipes, and other ordinary fittings; L, casing of iron or brickwork,
a space being left between it and the boiler; this space forms the
downward flue M for the flame or heat from the fire-box. When this
casing is of iron it is formed of two concentric rings N, N', divided into
two equal parts, which are held in position by bands O. These concentric
rings by the mode in which they are fitted form two feed reservoirs
completely surrounding the boiler which may be easily removed for
repairs and replaced on the spot. If this casing is in brickwork the feed
reservoir P should be so arranged that one of its faces Q forms the side
of the descending flue M, and that the upward smoke flue R passes
through the feed reservoir, Figure 3; of whatever material this cover may
be made its lower part must be formed with four square recesses S, the
side about one foot, and placed in the form of a cross in front of four
small self-closing apertures T in the boiler, these recesses are closed by
doors, or by a simple plug V, which can be removed for the boiler to
be cleansed, or for sweeping the downward flue. One recess S₁ of the
same height as that above mentioned forms the lower escape passage U.
To this recess is attached the plinth W, which carries the upward flue
or escape x, which may be swept through the door y; a higher recess S³
forms a frame for the fire-box; Z, Z', is the ash-pit.
At Figure 1, a marks a cover made of one or more pieces as required,
so as to be easily taken off and replaced; it has flanges 6 turned up so
that it may be covered with cinder or other refractory substance (fire-
clay, for example), so as to keep it as far as possible out of contact with
the atmosphere and so to retain the heat. The cover a¹ is fitted
with a tube c and register, or any convenient arrangement for confining
and using the steam in the feed reservoir n, n', or allowing it to escape
as required; d is a register or damper always open whilst the boiler is
at its ordinary work, but which can be more or less closed when neces-
sary; e¹, upper escape flue containing the door f, which should be kept
constantly closed when the boiler is doing its usual work, and only be
opened when the fire is lighted and the draught has to be created, or in
the case of its being required to check any excess of heat or too great
pressure of steam, by keeping the register f closed the flame which on
account of its lightness has a tendency to ascend is prevented from
escaping, and is forced back into the lower escape flue U. By thus
constructing a boiler the entire apparatus becomes a heating surface,
and the heat being transmitted to every part of this surface becomes

page_text: more intense by the flame being driven back, and further the feed
reservoir being heated direct from the fire-box the waste steam from the
engine can be entirely applied where it may be wanted. These boilers
are applicable to marine engines and fixed or portable land engines,
and to any kind of manufacturing business where steam is required to
be used.
Having now fully described and set forth the nature and object of this
Invention for "Improvements in Steam Boilers," together with the best
means I am acquainted with for carrying the same into practical effect,
I hereby declare this Invention to consist in and I claim constructing
steam boilers in the manner above described with reference to the
accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Englebert Théophile Van Hecke,
have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of
May, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
sixty-nine.
Witness,
ENGLEBERT THÉOPHILE VAN HECKE. (L.S.)
JOHN PIDDINGTON.