Improvements in or applicable to Steam-generators and Analogous Apparatus.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 7th May, 1890
Complete Specification Left, 9th Feb., 1891-Accepted, 18th Apr., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or applicable to Steam-generators and Analogous
Apparatus.
1, ROBERT GEORGE RUFFLES, of Aylesford Street, Pimlico, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of my said invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improved means of increasing the circulation of water
and the generation of steam in boilers and boiler tubes, the invention being also
applicable in facilitating the circulation and ebullition of other liquids in other
apparatus.
The invention consists in applying to steam generators or boilers or other
apparatus in which the generation of steam or ebullition of a liquid is required to
be effected, a tubular arrangement through which the water or liquid is caused to
circulate, and wherein the main body of the water circulating therein is caused
to be entirely (or partially) divided off or surrounded by a film thereof in communi-
cation therewith at lower and upper parts of the film-containing chamber, and
wherein such film of water is caused to be subjected to the full steam-generating or
evaporative effect of the fire; which arrangement is resultant in causing an
exceedingly rapid conversion of the said film of water into steam, which, con-
tinuously escaping into the surrounded body of water at the said upper communication
therewith, is effective in inducing a rapid and continuous circulation thereof both
through the inner tube and into the main water space and also a continuous
circulation of the water through the film-containing chamber.
or it
may
The improved means may advantageously consist of two concentric tubes adapted
to fit more or less snugly or to be connected together at the top, where they
are inserted into the bottom of the boiler so as to depend therefrom into the
furnace chamber. The inner tube is preferably continued up to above the water
level, where it may be left erect, and, if required, may be provided with a dashplate,
be bent over towards the water. At a part immediately adjacent to its
connection with the outer tube, the inner tube is formed with through apertures or
it
niay be otherwise equivalently formed or adapted so as to provide at such part
means of communication between the upper part of the annular chamber between
the tubes and the interior of the inner tube. The lower parts of the tubes are kept
concentric in any suitable manner. The annular space between the tubes at the
bottom thereof freely communicates with the mainway of the inner tube. The
outer tube is fed preferably from the bottom of the boiler by suitably inclined pipes
leading to mains branches from which are adapted to feed any required series of the
improved attachments.
Or, in lieu of feeding the attachments in such manner, the bottom end of the
outer tube may be closed, and the long leg of a syphon-acting tube may be inserted
thereinto with the shorter leg projecting from the upper end and depending into
the water in the boiler.
In either case, the rapid generation of steam from the film of water will cause a
continuous upward flow of water in the manuer aforesaid, and in the modification
secondly described will cause a continuous syphon-like feeding of the water through
the innermost tube.
The invention may be applied with equal advantage to Galloway Field and other
boiler tubes by fitting within the same an inner tube so as to divide off from the
main throughway a surrounding annular chamber in communication with upper and
lower parts of the main throughway as aforesaid. The said upper communication
may be made by indenting parts of the inner tube, which may be adapted with

page_text: a flange and bolted to the Galloway or other tube, with its upper contimmation
projecting above the samo and preferably above the water level.
Dated this 6th day of May 1890.
DAY, DAVIES & HUNT,
321, High Holborn, London, W.C'., Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or applicable to Steam-generators and Analogous
Apparatus.
1, ROBERT GEORGE RUFFLES, of Aylesford Street, Pimlico, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of the said invention, and in what manner the same is to
he performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This invention relates to certain improvements in or applicable to steam
generators, and by means of which the circulation of the water is rendered
extremely active and the generation of steam is materially facilitatea. The
invention is also applicable in facilitating the circulation and ebullition of other
liquids in analogous apparatus.
The invention consists in applying to steam generators or boilers or other
apparatus in which the generation of steain or the ebullition of a liquid is required
to be effected, a tubular arrangement, of the nature hereinafter described, through
which the water or liquid is caused to circulate continuously in an upward direction
without liability of any conflicting currents therein, and wherein the main body of
water circulating therein is surrounded (for any desirable longitudinal extent) by a
tubular film thereof, which latter, throughout its length, is exposed to the direct
effect of the fire, and is, at its top and bottom parts, in free comunication with the
said surrounded body of water: which arrangement is resultant in causing an
exceedingly rapid conversion of the said film of water into steam which, con-
tinuously caping into the said surrounded body of water at the said upper
communication of the film-containing chamber therewith, is effective in inducing
(after the manner of an injector), at the head of the column of surrounded water, a
continuous pull or a tendency to a vacuous condition, and consequently, an upward
following of such column of water, and is also resultant in causing an exceedingly
rapid upward circulation of water in the said film-containing chamber, and which.
owing to the said lower communication of the film-containing chamber with the
said surrounded body of water, is effective in inducing, at the base of the column of
surrounded water, a like upward following current both throughout the film-
containing chamber and the said surrounded body of water.
The invention is illustrated on the accompanying drawings in various modifications
of its application, in Figs. 1 to 4, which represent sectional elevations.
The same reference numerals indicate like parts wherever they are repeated on
the drawings.
The said tubular arrangement consists of outer and inner tubes 6, 7, the latter
of which is so adapted and arranged relatively to the former as to cause the
combination to co-act and be operative in the manner hereinbefore referred to.
The tube 6, may consist of the ordinary conical or parallel sided, inclined or
vertically arranged water tubes of Galloway or other analogous flued boilers, wherein
the water tubes are arranged transversely of the flues 8, examples of which are given
in the modifications represented in Figs. 2 and 3: or, if sneh tube be intended to
depend into a fire-chamber 9, from the crown 10, of a fire-chamber surrounded by
a water-container, or from the bottom 10, of a water-container 11, arranged above
a fire-chamber, (ride Fig. 1) it may be made open topped, and flanged, bolted or
otherwise suitably secured to the said crown of the fire-box or bottom of the water
container, as the case may be, so as to depend into the fire-chamber; the tube (in

page_text: such an application as lastly referred to) being placed in communication with the
water chamber by an under feeding pipe 12, preferably so arranged as to assist in
promoting the circulation of the water within the water container by leading the
water from a different part thereof to that where it re-enters the same after having
passed through the tube 6, and its co-acting tube 7.
The tube 7, is so adapted and arranged relatively to the tube 6, as to divide the
body of water contained by the latter into a central column surrounded by an
annular film-like portion, which latter is exposed to the direct heating effect of the
fire, and, at both its top and bottom parts, has free communication with the said
surrounded column of water.
The tubes 6, 7, or either of them, and, consequently, the annular chamber formed
thereby, and the surrounded chamber formed by the inner tube, may be of a
cylindrical or conical formation; and the tube 7, may be made of any suitable
length so as to divide off from the main throughway a surrounding annular chamber
of any desired longitudinal extent, in communication, as aforesaid, at both its upper
and lower parts, with the said main throughway.
The tube 7, is placed concentrically within the tube 6, and its upper part may be
adapted to fit more or less sungly within the upper part of the tube 6, by either
one or other thereof being slightly coned, ride Fig. 4; or the tube 7, may be
adapted to fit in a ring 17, bolted to the tube 6, vide Fig. 2, or to the crown 10, of
the furnace or bottom 10, of the water container, as the case may be, ride Fig. 1, or
it may be secured in the desired position in any other convenient manner. The
lower part of the tube 7, may be kept concentric with the tube 6, by projecting
studs 18, or in any other convenient manner.
At its top part, the tube 7, is made with through apertures 15, of any suitable
shape, size and disposition, or it may be slit, indented or otherwise equivalently
formed or adapted so as to provide at such part, the aforesaid free means of
communication leading from the top of the said annular chamber into the said
mainway through the tube 6, and at its bottom part the tube 7, may be similarly
adapted, or it may, at such part, be left of an open formation directly communicating
with the inlet to the main throughway as aforesaid.
The bottom end of the tube 7, is preferably adapted with a suitably supported
conical deflector 19, so arranged as to cause the circulating water to be deflected
from the axial centre of the mainway through such tube towards the adjacent and
concentric inlets to both tubes 6, 7.
The top end of the tube 7, may extend any suitable distance above the plate 10,
or its equivalent, and may be left erect or bent over, and in all modifications may
also be adapted with a suitably supported deflector 20, of any suitable formation,
so arranged as to laterally deflect the outpouring stream of hot water and steam.
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
1 claim is :-
In a steam generator or analogous apparatus in which the circulation and
ebullition of water or other liquid is desired to be effected :-
1. In combination, an inner open tube forming a mainway for the circulating
water, and an outer tube exposed to the fire, such tubes being so arranged as to
enclose between them an annular chamber and film of water in communication at its
top and bottom with the mainway through the inner tube, and operating as set forth.
2. In combination, an inner open tube forming a mainway for the circulating
water, an outer tube exposed to the fire, such tubes being so arranged as to enclose
between them an annular chamber and film of water in communication at its top
and bottom with the mainway through the inner tube and operating as set forth,
and an outer feeding pipe so arranged as to lead the water or liquid from one part
of the generator to within such tubes at a position adjacent to the bottom com-
munication of the annular chamber with the mainway through the inner tube, as
set forth.

page_text: 3. In combination, an inner open tube forming a mainway for the circulating
water, and adapted with a deflector at its entrance, and an outer tube exposed to
the fire, such tubes being so arranged as to enclose between them an annular
chamber and film of water in communication at its top and bottom with the mainway
through the inner tube, and operating as set forth.
4. In combination, an inner open tube forming a mainway for the circulating
water, and adapted with a deflector at its entrance, an outer tube exposed to the
fire, such tubes being so arranged as to enclose between them an annular chamber
and film of water in communication at its top and bottom with the mainway through
the inner tube and operating as set forth, and an outer feeding pipe so arranged as
to lead the water or liquid from one part of the generator to within such tubes at a
position adjacent to the bottom communication of the annular chamber with the
mainway through the inner tube as set forth.
Dated this 5th day of February 1891.
DAY, DAVIES & HUNT,
321, High Holborn, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.