IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM BOILERS
Year: 1884

page_text: I WILLIAM WORKMAN of 8 Corporation Street, Belfast Ireland Stock Broker
do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM
BOILERS 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 marine or other boilers of a similar type and has for
its object to produce efficient circulation and so maintain uniformity in the
temperature of the water at the top and bottom of the boiler.
The Boiler is as usual formed with an internal furnace flue or flues and near the
back of the Boiler these flues are each made to terminate in an enlarged combustion
chamber carried up to within a short distance.below the water level of the Boiler.
-At the sides or back of the combustion chambers I make a vertical tube or casing
the lower end of which is open and extends down nearly to the bottom of the
boiler and the upper end is also open and is carried up to about level with the
crown of the combustion chambers so as to be below the water level in the boiler.
One or two of the sides of each vertical tube or casing being formed by the plating
of a combustion Chamber, the water in the casing being in contact with the plates
forming the combustion chambers will become heated and thereby caused to
ascend, other water from the bottom of the boiler will rise up in its place and thus
produce a complete circulation. The water in the boiler will in this way be kept
at an equal temperature throughout and dangerous strains on the plates caused by
unequal expansion will be prevented.
In cases where circulating tubes are carried downwards through the furnace
flues or combustion chambers of steam boilers I prolong such circulating tubes
downwards to some distance below the bottom of the furnace flue or combustion
chamber so as to bring them close down to the bottom of the boiler and so ensure
more perfect circulation of the whole of the water.
In the drawings hereunto annexed I have shewn examples of steam boilers
having my improvements applied to them.
7

page_text: are vertical cross sections of modified construction. B and C shew horizontal
sections of these modified constructions.
In all the figures the same letters refer to similar parts X is the shell of the
Boiler Y are the furnace flues. A are the combustion chambers and Z are flue
tubes returning from the combustion chambers to the front of the boiler, from
whence the products of combustion are conveyed by an ordinary uptake to the
funnel.
•
In Figures A and A* plates BB are arranged to divide off the whole of the
back portion of the boiler which is behind the front of the combustion chambers
and form the spaces at the back and sides of the combustion chambers and between
the two combustion chambers into one passage extending up to the level of the
top of the combustion chambers. The plates B do not extend quite to the bottom
of the boiler but a small space is left between them and the bottom of the boiler
as shown at Figure A through which there will be a constant stream of water from
the front to the back of the boiler as above explained.
In the modified construction shown in Figures B and B there is a vertical
division B across the front of the space between the two combustion chambers
extending downwards nearly to the bottom of the boiler and in addition there are
longitudinal division plates D and C which divide the back portion of the boiler
into a number of upright passages to the lower end of which water from the front
end of the boiler can freely enter.
In the construction shown in Figures C and Cx there is not only a vertical
division B extending across the front of the space between the combustion
chambers but also a similar vertical division E across the back of this space and
the vertical division plates D are not employed. In this way the space between
the combustion chambers is formed into a separate upright passage.
On Sheet 2, Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of a marine boiler with three
internal furnace flues. The Vertical cross sections A. B. C and the horizontal
sections A* B* and C* on the same sheet show various ways in which upright
circulating tubes or passages may be formed at the back and sides of the combustion
chambers.
In Figures A and A* the plates B. B divide off the whole of the back portion
of the boiler which is behind the front of the combustion chambers and form the
spaces at the back and sides and between the combustion chambers into one
upright passage as in Figure A. and A* sheet 1. In the same way the arrangements
shown to be employed in Figures B B and C C* are similar to those shown to be
employed in the corresponding figures on Sheet 1.
In all the arrangements the upright circulating passages terminate at the top of
the combustion chambers and below the water level.
Figure 3 shows a cross section of one form of Cornish Boiler which is sometimes
adopted and in which circulating tubes a a are carried down through the flue in
the rear of the furnace or fire place. b b are prolongations to such circulating tubes
carried downwards nearly to the bottom of the boiler consequently when the
water in the circulating tubes becomes heated and rises water to take its place has
to pass to the circulating tube from close to the bottom of the boiler.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
First. In marine and other Steam boilers having internal flues and combustion
chambers at the back end of these flues the construction of upright passages or
compartments at the sides or back or both the sides and back of the combustion
chambers such passages or compartments extending from near the bottom of the
boiler to just below the water level so as to maintain an efficient circulation of
the water in the boiler.
Second. In marine and other steam boilers having internal flues and combustion
chambers at the back ends of these flues the construction of upright passages or,
compartments at the sides or back or both the sides and back of the combustion

page_text: chambers substantially in the manner hereinbefore described and illustrated in the
Drawings annexed.
Third I claim. In marine and other steam boilers having internal flues or flues
and combustion chambers and having circulating tubes carried down through
them the employment of downward prolongations to such tubes substantially as
described.