IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF TUBES OR RING-PLATES FOR STEAM-BOILER FLUES, AND IN FLUES CONSTRUCTED ENTIRELY OR PARTLY THEREOF."
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Addy Hopkinson and Joseph Hopkinson, both of
the Firm of J. Hopkinson and Co., of Huddersfield, in the County of York,
Engineers, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
TUBES OR RING-PLATES FOR STEAM-BOILER FLUES, AND IN FLUES
CONSTRUCTED ENTIRELY OR PARTLY THEREOF."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Addy Hopkinson
and Joseph Hopkinson at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the
9th August 1880.
JOHN ADDY HOPKINSON, and JOSEPH HOPKINSON, both of the Firm of
J. Hopkinson and Co., of Huddersfield, in the County of York, Engineers.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF TUBES OR RING-PLATES FOR STEAM-
BOILER FLUES, AND IN FLUES CONSTRUCTED ENTIRELY OR PARTLY THEREOF."
Our present Invention relates to an improved construction of flue-tubes or
plate-rings for steam-boilers, and to their application in the manufacture of steam
boiler flues, and consists chiefly in forming such plate-rings or tubes with corrugated
and plain surfaces combined, that is to say, with a portion or portions thereof
corrugated, and one or more portions plain or smooth, the plain or smooth
portion or portions being designed to receive conical or other forms of circulating
water-tubes.
In the Provisional Specification filed by us on the Fourth day of August,
A.D. 1880, No. 3184, we described a boiler-flue which is composed of two or more
corrugated tubes connected by a plain portion or portions of tube; but according to
the present Invention we construct plate-rings or tube-sections with a portion or
portions of their surface corrugated cylindrically, and a portion or portions thereof
plain or smooth, that is to say, each section forms a flue tube or ring consisting of
Corrugated and plain spaces or surfaces.
According to the first part of the present Invention we construct the said
sections or plate-rings with one or more circumferential corrugations extending
completely along the said section with the exception of a portion or portions
thereof extending completely around the periphery or circumference, which is left
entirely plain or smooth. This plain or smooth portion or portions may be in the

page_text: centre of the section of tube, or at any desired part or parts thereof, and of such a
width as is deemed desirable.
According to the second part of our present Invention we construct separate
sections of tube with one or more circumferential corrugations as above described,
and leave one or more portions plain or smooth, but not entirely around the
circumference, and in a tube section so constructed, the plain or smooth portion or
portions will be of any desired area.
In some cases we provide such plain or smooth portion on the upper or lower
part of the surface only, and in other cases we provide such a plain portion on
both the upper and lower surfaces, according to the kind of water-circulating-tubes
designed to be employed, but it is to be understood that according to the second
part of our Invention some part of the section or plate-ring will be corrugated
circumferentially from end to end, and that whether the tube sections be made
according to the first or second part of our present Invention, they will be partly
corrugated and partly plain.
Any desired number of these separate sections may be united to form a complete
flue, or in some cases a complete flue may be constructed with some of these
sections combined with sections entirely corrugated or entirely plain.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Addy Hopkinson and Joseph Hopkinson in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 5th February 1881.
JOHN ADDY HOPKINSON, and JOSEPH HOPKINSON, both of the Firm of
J. Hopkinson and Co., of Huddersfield, in the County of York, Engineers.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF TUBES OR RING-PLATES FOR STEAM
BOILER FLUES, AND IN FLUES CONSTRUCTED ENTIRELY OR PARTLY THEREOF."
Our present Invention relates to an improved construction of flue-tubes or
ring-plates, and to their application in the manufacture of steam-boiler flues, and
consists chiefly in forming each of such ring-plates or tubes of a single plate, with
both corrugated and plain surfaces combined the plain or smooth portion or portions
being designed to receive conical or other water-circulating pipes extending across,
or partly across, the said flues.
In the Specification of Letters Patent, dated the Fourth day of August, A.D. 1880,
No. 3184, we have described a boiler flue-tube composed of lengths or sections
wherein corrugated portions are connected by rivetting to plain or uncorrugated
portions, but according to the present Invention instead of rivetting the corrugated
to the plain portions of each length or section of tube, we construct ring-plates or
cylindrical tube-sections, each of which is formed of a single plate with a portion
or portions of its surface corrugated, and a portion or portions thereof
plain or smooth, that is to say, each section forms a flue-tube or ring with both

page_text: corrugated and plain spaces or surfaces, which plain or uncorrugated portion or
portions may be in the centre of each section or tube or at any desired part or
parts thereof, and of any desired width. And in some instances we construct
the said ring-plates or tube-sections with the plain or uncorrugated portion or
portions extending only partially around them, such plain or uncorrugated portion
or portions being of any desired area.
In some cases we construct the tube-section or ring with a plain or smooth
portion on its upper or lower surface only, and in other cases we provide a plain
portion on both the upper and lower surfaces according to the arrangement of
water-circulating tubes designed to be employed.
Any desired number of these separate ring-plates or tube-sections may be united
to form a complete flue; or a flue may be constructed with some of these sections
combined with other sections entirely corrugated or entirely plain.
In the accompanying Drawings we have clearly illustrated the manner in which
we carry our said Invention into practice.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of a steam-boiler provided with flue-
tubes constructed according to our said Invention.
Figure 2 is a horizontal section of the said boiler above the flue-tubes.
Figures 3 and 4 are transverse sections of the said boiler.
Figure 5 is a longitudinal section of a ring-plate forming one length or portion
of such a flue-tube.
Figure 6 is a similar section, and
Figure 7, a top view of the same provided with a cylindrical water-circulating
pipe welded within the said flue-tube.
Figures 8, 9, and 10 are similar views of another of the said ring-plates ;
Figures 9 and 10 shewing a conical water-circulating pipe rivetted therein.
Figure 11 shews an exterior view of a tube-section with two plain portions flush
with the top or outer surface of the corrugations.
Figure 12 is an exterior view shewing the plain portions flush with the bottom
of the corrugations.
In the above Figures of the Drawings we have shewn our improved tube-sections
or ring-plates constructed with alternate corrugated portions a and plain or
uncorrugated portions b, which plain or uncorrugated portions b extend entirely
around the same, and we have also shewn various arrangements of water-circulating
pipes or tubes c secured in such plain or uncorrugated portions.
In Figures 13 and 14 we have shown a water-circulating pipe placed centrally
between two of the said tube-sections and intersecting the joint or line of rivets
thereof.
In Figures 15, 16, 17, and 18 we have shewn our improved tube-sections formed
with the plain or uncorrugated portions not extending entirely around the same.
Figure 15 is an exterior view shewing the plain or uncorrugated portion 6 flush
with the top or outer surface of the corrugations, and
Figure 16 is a transverse section on the line x, x, of the same.
Figures 17 and 18 are similar views shewing the plain or uncorrugated portion
flush with the bottom of the corrugations.
It will be observed that the plain or uncorrugated portion in these tube-sections
does not extend over a very large area, and although we do not limit ourselves to
making these plain portions of such a small area, yet it is obviously preferable
to do so in all cases where they do not extend entirely around the flue-tube.
In Figures 19 and 20 we have shewn a modification of this last described part
of our Invention, Figure 19 being a top view and Figure 20 a longitudinal section
through the line y, y. In this modification we turn up or bulge out of the plain
or uncorrugated portion a rim or collar d, within which the pipe c is secured by
welding or otherwise.
In Figures 21 to 24 we have shewn another modification of this part of our said
Invention, wherein the area of the plain portion is still further reduced, the
collars d being formed as above described.

page_text: Figure 21 is a top view; Figure 22, a side view; Figure 23, a longitudinal
section; and, Figure 24, a transverse section on the line 2. 2, Figure 21.
By reason of the facility for welding afforded by these rims or collars & we may
make them and the water-circulating pipes placed in them either circular, oval,
or otherwise shaped, as may be desired.
Having thus fully described our Invention and the manner of performing the
same, we wish it understood that the said Invention is distinct from that described
in the Specification of our former Patent, dated August 4th, A.D. 1880, No. 3184,
as by our present Invention we make each section of a singlo plate instead of
forming the corrugated and plain portions of separate plates and uniting them by
rivetting. And we further wish it understood that although we have described
the construction illustrated in Figures 21 to 24 of the Drawings as a modification
of the part of this Invention which relates to the plain surfaces not extending
entirely around the tube, yet inasmuch as in this so called modification no plain
or uncorrugated portion extends over or includes any of the cylindrical portion
of the flue-tube's surface, and as it may for this reason be considered the subject
matter of a distinct Invention whereby the transverse circulating pipes are inserted
in the corrugated portions of the above described or other corrugated flue_tubes,
we have on the 14th day of January 1881 filed an application for separate Letters
Patent therefor, and this Specification should be read and construed with that of
such separate Letters Patent, but we now claim,-
First. A tube formed of a single plate with a portion or portions thereof
corrugated, and with a portion or portions plain or uncorrugated, and extending
either entirely or partially around the said tube, with or without the water-circu-
lating pipe or pipes inserted and secured in the same, all substantially as and
for the purposes set forth.
Second. In a steam-boiler, a flue-tube consisting partly or entirely of such tubes,
ring-plates, or tube-sections, either with or without the water-circulating pipes,
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Hopkinson, for myself and on behalf
of the said John Addy Hopkinson, have hereunto set my hand and seal
this Twenty ninth day of January, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty one.
Witness,
HENRY H. LAKE,
8, Southampton Buildings,
London, W.C.
JOSEPH HOPKINSION. (L.S.)