Improvements in Steam Generators and Water Heaters for Heating Buildings and the like.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd May, 1898-Accepted, 6th Aug., 1898
COMPLETE DIECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by UNITED STATES HEATER COMPANY, a corporation
organized under the laws of the State of Michigan, and having its principal
office at 251 to 257, Campbell Avenue, Detroit, Michigan, United States of
America.]
Improvements in Steam Generators and Water Heaters for Heating
Buildings and the like.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
The invention consists in the construction of a water heater or steam generator,
especially intended for heating purposes. As the difference between the two
devices relates simply to the size of the upper water or steam chamber and as
in both cases the device is a water heater, will refer to it herein as a water heater,
understanding that its uses may as well embrace steam generation.
The invention consists in the construction of a sectional heater adapted to form
a round or substantially round fire pot and consists particularly in the construc-
tion of the sections whereby when they are assembled the circulating body of
water moves with the least possible resistance through the heater, so that a rapid
circulation may be obtained and so that the products of combustion and the heat
from the fire travel with the water, the heater being so constructed as to get the
most efficient results from the heat.
The invention consists in the construction of the sections whereby this quick
and undisturbed circulation is obtained with large heating surface with the best
shape to resist internal strains, with perfect provision to take care of the expan-
sion and contraction and with the utmost economy in the cost of manufacture,
and further in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various
parts, all as more fully hereinafter described.
In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a vertical, central section through the improved
heater.
Fig. 2 is a cross section thereof on line --.
Fig. 3 is a cross section thereof on line
y―y.
Fig. 4 is a cross section thereof on line z―z.
The heater is built up from a series of sections of like size. There is shown in
this drawing, a heater made of three like sections, each section A is in the shape
(in cross section) of a segment of a ring, as shown in Fig. 4, the inner walls near
the edges of each section having the curved faces c, which curves outwardly to the
outer wall b and making a minimum point of contact between the sections, at the
same time permitting the heat to contact the inner walls to the extreme edges
without any dead material or spacing at the contacting points of the section
thereby increasing the heating effect with a minimum of material.
At the bottom the inner walls of the sections have the curved faces which

page_text: likewise curve to the outer wall making a minimum of contacting surface between
the sections, and the ring B upon which they are supported and to which they are
connected in any suitable manner, such as by the nipple e. These sections at the
points near the top have their inner and outer walls curved in concentrically or
nearly so, thereby contracting the water space therein towards the top and thus
carrying the water which rises therein toward the center of the fire.
The sections are stopped short of contacting centrally at the top, as plainly
shown in Fig. 3. Centrally of the upper part of each section is the inward pro-
jecting lobe, C, which continues up or has an extension h to the top of the outer
wall of the section.
The lobes at the lower end have the inclined face which gradually merges
into the inner wall of the section as shown, the sides being connected and merg-
ing into that wall by curved connecting faces, as illustrated in Fig. 2.
Of course in that section which has the door D the lobe is cut away as shown
in Fig. 1 to permit of feeding the coal into the furnace in the usual way.
From the construction described it will be observed that the uprising water from
the ring B will pass up the ring segments of the sections and as these sections con-
tract towards the top the lobes C swell out and thus permit the water to flow
through the sections with practically no internal resistance and without any sharp
bends or elbows at any point.
The decided advantage in this construction is the employment of the inclined
faces i on the lobes against which the fire can strike, and the corresponding
inclined faces on the under faces of the contracted or inward portions
of the sections against the under side of which the fire may strike
without impeding the water circulation or deflecting it laterally to any material
extent from its continuous upward course, that is, such water as enters the lower
part of the section and is deflected into the lobe C may take a gradually rising
course through that lobe and without any sharp bends or angles or without any
angles, or without encountering any partitions or diaphragms will flow to the top
and find exit upwardly through the exit pipes or ripples E which are at the
meeting points of the sections and lobes.
The construction of sections and lobes described forms a series of contracted
flues for the heat and products of combustion which at the top form smoke flues
or exits G between the ends or inner faces of the sections and beside the lobes, as
plainly shown in Fig. 3. The nipples E¹ connect into and support the drum or
dome H leaving between a smoke chamber I. In this smoke chamber and extend-
ing between the end faces of the drum or dome H and the upper
faces of the heater body is the ring J, being apertured or broken
away in front, as shown at K, so that the products of combustion rising
through the flues G into the smoke chamber will pass through the opening K and
around through the passage way L between the outer casing M and the ring J
to the rear of the heater to the smoke pipe M. The uptake pipes may be
extended from the drum H at any desired point.
Pare the grates and Q is a base upon which the heater is supported over an ash
chamber beneath the heater in the usual manner.
The construction described forms a substantially round sectional heater, each
section of which comprises a ring shaped double shell, contracting at the top, a
lobe projecting from the inner face of this section forming in effect another water
way from the base of the section out over the fire and terminating at the samo
point from which point the uptake pipe extends. This section and its lobe forms
a, water shell, with a series of gradually contracting passages merging into a
common discharge combined with correspondingly contracting smoke passages
centrally of the heater.
The object and advantage of this is that the greatest heat is concentrated at
the point in the circulation where the greatest speed in the circulation is obtained
and it has been found that the results in water circulating and heating effects,
with minimum of fuel, are excellent.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is:-
1 A water heater composed of a series of vertical sections, each section com-
prising a segmental water shell having converging walls whereby it contracts
towards the top, lobes overhanging the fire on the inner face of the shell and
having free communication with the interior of the shell, the shell and lobes con-
verging to a common point, up take pipes from this point, this arrangement of shell
and lobes forming corresponding converging smoke flues whereby the heat is
concentrated at the point of greatest speed of the circulation of the heater and the
products of combustion move along with the direction of the circulation.
2 In a water heater, a series of vertical segmental sections, each comprising a
water shell contracting and overhanging at the top separated at the inner ends to
form a smoke flue or flues, a series of lobes springing (with inclined lower walls)
from the shell sections and merging into a discharge common to the discharge from
the contracted end of the shell sections, thereby forming a series of contracting
flues between the lobes, a series of uptake pipes from the upper inner ends of the
sections, a common dome, or chamber into which they connect, and a smoke
chamber between this dome and the heater body.
3 In a water heater comprising sections each segmental ring shaped, contract-
ing into a dome shape at the top, the inner wall of the section having the curved
fares ed, at the sides and bottom to the outside wall, the central lobes C, having
the lower inclined walls and the extensions into which the contracting ends of
the shell sections merge, and the exit pipes E from these extensions.
4 In a water heater, the combination of sections forming ring segments curved
inward at the top both outside and in, and with converging sides inwardly pro-
jecting lobes at the upper part of each section terminating at the inner edge of the
top of the section, the water exit for the sections at the top of the lobes and smoke
flues formed through the tops of the sections between and beside the lobes.
Dated this 3rd day of May 1898.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.