IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF STEAM BOILERS FOR MARINE, LOCOMOTIVE, AND STATIONARY ENGINES
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Heather, of Devonshire House, Southsea,
Hants, and John Redfern, of Cumberland Road, Southsea, Portsmouth,
in the County of Hants aforesaid, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF STEAM BOILERS FOR MARINE, LOCOMOTIVE, AND
STATIONARY ENGINES."
Sealed the 13th November 1863, and dated the 18th May 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Heather and John
Redfern at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 18th May 1863.
We, ALFRED HEATHER, of Devonshire House, Southsea, Hants, and JOHN
REDFERN, of Cumberland Road, Southsea, Portsmouth, in the County of
Hants aforesaid, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF STEAM BOILERS FOR MARINE, LOCOMOTIVE,
AND STATIONARY ENGINES," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to certain improvements upon a Patent dated 23rd
February 1860, N° 495, granted to John Redfern, of Cumberland Road,
Southsea, Portsmouth, in the County of Hants, for an Invention for "Improve-
ments in the Construction of Steam Boilers, for Increasing the Durability
thereof, and also for Economizing Fuel," and the present improvements,
which are applicable to the boilers of marine, locomotive, and stationary
engines, are as follows:-

page_text: The first improvement relates to the tube plate marked E on Sheet 1 of
the Drawings of the Specification of the Patent of 1860 aforesaid, and con-
sists in forming the tube plate situate at the front of the boiler angular or
curved towards the side flues, instead of flat or square with said side flues,
as described and represented in the Specification of the former Patent above
mentioned, said improvement being designed for the purpose of increasing
the draught in the flues of multitubular boilers.
The second improvement consists in constructing multitubular boilers with
a central flue extending from back to front of the boiler. These improve-
ments we propose to use in combination with the other parts of the boiler as
described and represented by the Specification and Drawings of the aforesaid
Patent of the 23rd February 1860. By the above improvements complete
consumption of the smoke is effected without any extra appliances or expense
beyond that of a common multitubular boiler, and the tubes are kept free
from smoke, consequently the boiler is more durable and great economy of
fuel effected.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Alfred Heather and John Redfern in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 18th November 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, ALFRED
HEATHER, of Devonshire House, Southsea, Hants, and JOHN REDFERN, of
Cumberland Road, Southsea, Portsmouth, in the County of Hants aforesaid,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-sixth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the
said Alfred Heather and John Redfern, Her special licence that we, the
said Alfred Heather and John Redfern, our executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as we, the said Alfred Heather and John Redfern,
our 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 THE CONSTRUC-
TION OF STEAM BOILERS FOR MARINE, LOCOMOTIVE, AND STATIONARY ENGINES,"

page_text: upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said Affred Heather
and John Redfern, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under our, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly 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 we, the said Alfred Heather and John Redfern,
do hereby declare the nature of our 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:-
This Invention relates to certain improvements upon a Patent dated 23rd
February 1860, N° 495, granted to John Redfern, of Cumberland Road,
Southsea, Portsmouth, in the County of Hants, for an Invention for "Im-
provements in the Construction of Steam Boilers, for Increasing the Durability
thereof, and also for Economising Fuel," and the present improvements, which
are applicable to the boilers of marine, locomotive, and stationary engines, are
as follows:-
The first improvement relates to the tube plate marked E on Sheet 1
of the Drawings of the Specification of the Patent of 1860 aforesaid, and
consists in forming the tube plate situate at the front of the boiler angular or
curved towards the side flues, instead of flat or square with said side flues,
as described and represented in the Specification of the former Patent above
mentioned, said improvements being designed for the purpose of increasing
the draught in the flues of multitubular boilers.
The second improvement consists in constructing multitubular boilers with
a central flue extending from back to front of the boiler. These improve-
ments we propose to use in combination with the other parts of the boiler as
described and represented by the Specification and Drawings of the aforesaid
Patent of the 23rd February 1860. By the above improvements complete
consumption of the smoke is effected without any extra appliances or expense
beyond that of a common multitubular boiler, and the tubes are kept free
from smoke, consequently the boiler is more durable and great economy of
fuel effected.
In order to explain our said Invention as completely as possible, we now
proceed to describe the best means we are acquainted with for carrying the
same into practical effect, reference being had to the illustrative Sheets of
Drawings accompanying these Presents, and to the numeral figures and
letters of reference marked thereon respectively as follows.

page_text: At Sheet 1, Figure 1 is a transverso and vertical section of a marine boiler
constructed according to our said Invention; Figure 2, a sectional plan view
through the line A, B, at Figure 1; Figure 3, a sectional front view of the
boiler; Figure 4, a sectional view of the back end of said boiler. At Sheet 2,
Figures 5, 6, 7, 8, respectively represent similar views of a marine boiler,
constructed upon the same principle as that represented at Sheet 1, adapted
for vessels of very light draught of water; the tubes and flues of this boiler
are placed level with the fire-place. At Sheet 3, Figure 9 is a elevation of
an improved marine boiler of the kind known and distinguished in the naval
service as a fighting boiler, used in ships of war; Figure 10, a sectional plan
view of said boiler; Figure 11, a longitudinal section of same, through the
line C, D, at Figure 10; Figure 12, a sectional elevation of the back end of
the boiler; Figures 13, 14, 15, 16 represent detached parts drawn to an
enlarged scale. At Sheet 4, Figure 17 is a front sectional elevation of a
30-horse power high-pressure stationary steam boiler; Figure 18, a sectional
plan view of same; Figure 19, a longitudinal section through the line E, F,
at Figure 17; Figure 20, a sectional elevation at the back end of the fire-
box. At Sheet 5, Figure 21 is a front sectional elevation of a boiler con-
structed according to our said Invention, and adapted for puddling or heating
furnaces employed in the manufacture of iron; Figure 22, a sectional plan
view; Figure 23, a longitudinal section through the line G, H, at Figure 21;
Figure 24, an elevation of the back end of the boiler. At Sheet 6, Figures
25, 26, 27, respectively exhibit a sectional elevation, plan, and longitudinal
section of a modified form of construction of boiler also adapted for puddling
and heating furnaces. As regards Sheet 1, A is the outer case or shell of the
boiler; B, the flues placed over the fire-boxes; C, said flues returning to the
front of the boiler; D, bent tube plate the heat passes through the tubes E
and the "take-up" G, at back of boiler instead of front thereof; H, a door
for affording access to back tube plate I, for repairs or other purposes; K is
the front smoke-box; L, the back smoke-box; the arrows' flight denote the
course of the heat through the flues and tubes. We propose to fit this boiler
with ventilating smoke doors regulated by a rack and valve, as herein-after
described. As regards Sheet 2, it being simply a modification of Sheet 1,
similar letters of reference to those used at Sheet 1 are used to denote cor-
responding parts at Sheet 2. As regards the boiler exhibited at Sheet 3, the
principal feature of novelty in its construction consists in making the back
and front tube plates A, B, curved instead of flat, as usually practised, thus

page_text: giving to the boiler great additional strength, and dispensing with the use of
stays; this boiler is also rendered very acessible for cleaning or repairs by
fitting ordinary doors B, B, underneath fire-bars into smoke-box at the back
of the furnaces, as represented. The following is the construction of the
ventilating doors exhibited at Figures 18, 14, 15, 16 of this Sheet, where C
marks a plate of metal perforated with holes a, a, of about three-eighths of an
inch in diameter; D is another plate, perforated with holes of about half an
inch in diameter; E, another plate, solid. The plate D is connected by
hinges b, b, to the boiler, and the plates C and E are each connected to the
plate D, the plate C being placed inside and the plate E outside; space is left
between said plates for the passage of atmospheric air, the course of which is
denoted by the arrows' fight at Figure 11; the air is admitted by a valve c,
shewn, drawn full size, at Figure 16; G is a lever for opening and closing the
valve c, and H is a rack, and I a pall for holding the valve open to the extent
desired; the valve c is fitted between the plates D and E at the bottom
thereof, as at Figure 11, which shows said valve open; the Figure 16 repre-
sents said valve closed.
I now proceed to describe the construction of the boiler represented at
Sheet 4 as follows:-The construction of this boiler is such that it requires
no brickwork setting, but simply iron beams for it to rest upon. The front
tube plate A is made circular, which enables the tubes B to be readily
taken out and replaced, and when great power is required this boiler may
be made to fire at each end thereof, as at Figure 20. The arrows' flight
denote the course of the heat through the tubes and flues. C, C, are mud-
holes. As regards Sheet 5, A denotes the position of a puddling or heating
furnace; B, the damper thereof; C, chimney stack; D, flue leading from
boiler into the stack; E, flues of boiler; G, tubes of boiler; H, ventilating
door for access to flues and tubes of boiler; the arrows' flight denote the
course of the heat through the flues and tubes G; I, water space. This boiler
requires no brickwork and only one or two iron beams over the furnace, A,
for the boiler to rest upon, one end thereof standing on the neck of the
furnace. The boiler may be fixed either to double or single furnaces, and the
furnace or furnaces may be worked either with or without the boiler, when
required, a damper being suitably fixed for that purpose. As regards the
boiler represented at Sheet 6, it is of the same construction as that represented
at Sheet 5, but the furnace to which the boiler at Sheet 6 is connected is
intended to have the fire enter the boiler from the top of the furnace instead
of the neck thereof, and is formed without a leg at the back to connect it with
the furnace.

page_text: Having now fully described and set forth the nature and object of our said
Invention for "Improvements in the Construction of Steam Boilers for Marine,
Locomotive, and Stationary Engines," together with the best means
are acquainted with for carrying the same into practical effect, we would
remark, in conclusion, that we hereby declare our Invention to consist in, and
we claim,
First, forming the tube plates of multitubular boilers angular or curved
towards the side flues thereof, as above described and represented, instead of
making said tube plates flat or square with said side flues, as commonly
practised, and as described and represented in and by the Specification and
Drawings of the aforesaid former Patent of the 23rd of February 1860,
No 495, for the purpose of increasing the draught through the flues of multi-
tubular boilers.
Secondly, we claim constructing multitubular boilers with a central flue
extending from back to front of the boiler, as at Figures 21 and 22 of Sheet 5
of the accompanying Drawings.
Thirdly and lastly, we claim the above-mentioned curved tube plates and
central flue, either in combination with the other parts of the boiler described
and represented in and by the Specification and Drawings of the aforesaid
former Patent of the 23 February 1860, N° 495, or separately, in the
construction of multitubular boilers of the ordinary kind in combination with
the other parts thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Redfern, one of the parties
hereto, have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of
November, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
sixty-three.
JOHN REDFERN. (L.S.)