IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF STEAM BOILERS AND CONDENSERS
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Romaine, late of Canada West, and of
Myddelton Square, in the County of Middlesex, but now of Devizes, in
the County of Wilts, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF STEAM BOILERS AND CONDENSERS."
Sealed the 23rd November 1860, and dated the 9th June 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Romaine at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
9th June 1860.
I, ROBERT ROMAINE, late of Canada West, but now of Myddelton Square,
in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF STEAM BOILERS
AND CONDENSERS," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates, firstly, to a mode of simplifying the construction,
increasing the durability, and rendering more portable that class of steam
boilers the water space of which is formed of coiled tubes.
This Invention, relates, secondly, to improvements in the construction of
surface condensers whereby their efficiency is more easily maintained than
in condensers of the ordinary construction.
In constructing my improved boiler I form it in sections, and place the same
side by side. For each section I provide a suitable length of tube, and coil it
round so as to form therewith a long narrow fire chamber. The coils of tube
[Price 8d.]

page_text: I bring close together, and overlay them with a strip of metal so as effectually
to close the space between the adjacent coils and prevent the lateral escape
of flame and heated gases. One extremity of the tube I connect with a
force or circulating pump outside the boiler, and the other extremity I lead
into the steam space of a water reservoir. I provide a reservoir for each set of
coils when constructing a locomotive boiler, but in marine boilers I prefer to
place the reservoirs between two sets of these sections of coils. For agri-
cultural or portable engines one coil forming one fire chamber will in general
give a sufficient heating surface, Within each fire chamber, formed by the
coils of tube, I fit up a fire place, and the ends of the chambers I close with
boiler plate iron, furnished with fire doors suitably lined to retain the heat
within the chambers. I also enclose each coil within a thin casing of iron.
The circulating pumps I prefer to construct each with a lifting screw,
and to drive the whole series by bevel or other gearing. These pumps I
severally connect with the lower parts of their respective reservoirs, and to
facilitate the throwing of any one of the sections out of use I fit theconnecting
water pipes and also the steam pipes with cut-off valves. By the action of the
pumpsacontinuous forced circulation will be maintained throughout eachsetof
coils, and that with little expenditure of power, all the bends in the coils being
of that character which will offer little or no obstruction to the circulation of
the water. When it is deemed desirable to form the coil composing one fire
chamber of more than one length of tube I effect the junction outside the
chamber and fill the vacant space made by the dip of the tube below or
beyond the line of coils with a block of iron of suitable form. By this arrange-
ment it will be understood that no joint in the tube is exposed to the action of
the fire. The form and number of the fire chambers must in a great measure
depend upon the requirements of the boiler, but in every case I propose to
construct them on the principle above explained, leading off the smoke and
heated gases a little above the level of the floor of the fire chambers, whereby
these chambers are converted into reservoirs of heat. The gases as they pass
off circulate in or around the reservoirs before escaping into the chimney.
For stationary boilers the thin metal outer casing may be dispensed with and
the chambers set up in a brick casing.
In constructing my improved surface condenser I use a rectangular vessel,
which I divide horizontally by a tube plate. The lower division I also
subdivide into two compartments by means of a vertical partition, but by means
of a row of holes in the lower part of the partition I maintain a connection
between the two compartments. This portion of the condenser 1 keep
partially filled with condensed or feed water, the water level being sufficiently

page_text: high to cover the line of holes. The stem or air spaces of the two com-
partments above the water line I connect together by means of rows of
syphon-shaped tubes contained in the upper division of the condenser and
connected at their ends to the horizontal tube plate. The space between the
limbs of the innermost row of bent tubes is made sufficiently great to admit
of a person entering between them to clean and repair the condenser. The
water employed for condensing the steam in the bent pipes enters this space
just above the tube plate, and is either allowed to flow out at the top as it
becomes heated or is pumped out and replaced by a fresh supply, The air-
pumps areattached to one of the lower compartments, and the exhaust steam
is admitted to the other. By the action of the air pumps a tendency will
be given to the exhaust steam to rise up the bent tubes, where, parting with
its heat,itwill condense. To favor this action, and prevent the steam passing
to the exhaust side of the condenser, the capacity of the tubes is contracted
either by the insertion of a coil of metal, or by the reduction of the diameter
of the tubes or otherwise, by which means the progress of the steam will be
checked or time allowed for its condensation. The bent tubes may be rivetted
to the tube plate, the expansion and contraction of the tubes being allowed for
by the bends, or their ends may be inserted in or placed over short pieces of
tube secured to the tube plate,and cover d for a short distance with a piece of
india-rubber or other elastic binding tube.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Robert Romaine in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
8th December 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
ROMAINE, late of Canada West, but now of Devizes, in the County of Wilts,
Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of June, in the year of our Lord.
One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-third year of Her reign,
me, the
did, for erself, IIer heirs and successors, give and grant unto
said Robert Romaine; Her special licence, that I, the said Robert Romaine,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Robert Romaine,iny 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,

page_text: exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, au Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF STEAM BOILERS AND CONDENSERS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Robert Romaine, by an instrument in writing
under my hand and seal, should particularly 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 I, the said Robert Romaine, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
Hitherto water tube boilers have generally been constructed of several short
lengths of tube bent at their ends, or else jointed or screwed to separate short
bends, the whole forming a serpentine arrangement of tubes. These tubes
have been set in a furnace over a fire, the heated gases of which circulated
freely around them, and the walls of the fire chambers have been constructed
either of fire-brick or formed of a water casing, stayed as fire-boxes usually
are for locomotive boilers. Coils of tube screwed end to end have been
employed, also placed in similar furnaces and boilers, constructed of short
lengths of tube attached to water and steam chambers have been used, both
chambers being common to all the series of tubes; but the use of these
arrangements involved some of the following difficulties, viz.: - First, short
bends where an accumulation of deposit takes place, and the natural circulation
of the water is impeded, and when a forced circulation of the water is adopted
aconsiderable amount of power (consequent on the accumulated deposit) is
required to keep up such circulation; secondly, a great many joints to take
care of, which are not easy to be got at, and are more or less in direct contact
with the fire and highly heated gases of the furnace; thirdly, a heavy fire-
brick furnace, or else an expensive water case fire-box when employed for
marine, locomotive, or portable purposes.
Now, the first head of my Invention relates to certain means for avoiding
the difficulties above mentioned, and for facilitating the working of steam
boilers having serpentine or coiled water tubes. To this end I form such
boilers of sections of coiled tubes, which constitute not only the water spaces.
but the walls of the fire chambers, and these sections I enclose in a casing for
the
purpose of preventing loss of heat by radiation.

page_text: 22
In Sheet I. of the accompanying Drawings, Fig. 1 is a front end elevation
of a four-section marine boiler constructed according to my Invention; Fig.2
is a partial, side, and sectional elevation of the same; and Fig.3 is a sectional
plan view of one of the sections.composing the boiler. This boiler it will be
seen is composed of four steam and waterreservoirs m,and eight fire chambers
a, two to each reservoir. In Fig 1 I have shewn the end of one of the fire
chambers removed, and the lifting screw pump c in section; the next chamber
or section of boiler has its large door r, the fire door s, au d the damper tin
place, the other two sections have them removed. The means for driving and
connecting the seriesofliftingscre wpumps, viz., bythetransverse shaftla nd the
mitre wheels is also shewn. q is the uptake,and the main steam induction
pipe connecting the several steam spaces of the reservoirs m. The double
casing n is filled in with loam or other non-conducting material, and is
separated and distinct in itself from the other casing s. In Fig. 2 one of the
reservoirs m, and a portion of the end of one of the fire chambers a connected
therewith are shewn in section, and the direction of the heated gases which
issue a little above the floor of the chamber, and pass up through the vertical
tubes in the reservoir is in licated by arrows. The other or second fire
chamber in connection with the reservoir m is shewn broken off, and a portion
of the casing n is removed, so as to expose the outside of the coil of the water
tube b, which tube is so closely coiled as to form the walls, roo f, and floor of
the fire chamber a; ff, are the two supply pipes attached to the two lifting
screws c,c,for keeping up the forced circulation of the water through the whole
length of the coiled tube 6 or fire chamber a; the other ends are attached to
a T pipe, which is in connection with the vertical pipe win the centre of the
reservoir, which vertical pipe is furnished with a cap at the top, to prevent
deposit returning into the coil or fire chamber, best seen in the longitudinal
vertical section of another arrangement of boiler at Fig. 6. The delivery ends
of the coils enter the reservoir m at d, and the receiving ends of the coils are
connected to the case of the lifting screws, as seen at e, in Figures 1, 4, 5,
and 6. For cutting off the connection from either of the fire chambers with
the reservoir, the cocks i, i, i, are provided; the two attached to the supply
pipes are two-way cocks, so as to empty the coils of the water contained in
them when necessary; j, j, are cut-off valves or cocks for connecting the
several reservoirs m with the main steam induction pipe k, or disconnecting
them therefrom. The pipe g a ttached to the water space of the reservoir
(seen only in Fig. 1) is for supplying the feed water to the several sections of
the boiler, and maintaining the water level in each of them; it is connected
to the reservoir by a short branch pipe and cut-off valve,similar to that shewn

page_text: for the main steam pipek. It will be seen by this arrangement of separate
fire chambers and reservoirs, with their separate and distinct non-conducting
casings forming independent sections of a marine boiler, each one being
complete in itself, that any one of the sections, or either fire chamber of any
section; may be easily cut off from its neighbour for the purposes of cleaning
or repair at sea, without interfering with the working of the other sections of
the boiler. A mud or deposit collector 7, furnished with a blow-off cock; is
provided at the bottom of each reservoir m. u (Figures 3 and 6) represents
a brick baffling bridge, which stands up a considerable distance above the fire-
bars. In advance of this bridge (in each fire chamber) I provide a cast-iron
sliding plate or damper for cutting off the chambers from their reservoir.
While the furnaces are in action these dampers are suspended, but when
dropped down to close the passage out of the heated gases from the chamber
that is required to be disconnected from its reservoir, the chamber will quickly
cool down, and be ready for repairs or cleaning.
Fig. 1, Sheet II., is a front end view of a portable boiler for agricultural or
other purposes, the longitudinal sectional elevation of which is similar to that
shewn in Fig. 6; or it may have its reservoir, if required, similar to that
shewn in Fig. 2. In this arrangement the non-conducting material is simply
rammed in between the close coil forming the fire chamber and an outer
casing of sheet iron. is one of a series of cast-iron seats placed at certain
distances apart to support the coil of tube b; it is furnished as a seating to the
whole of the coils of the several forms of boilers, notwithstanding it is only
shewn in this view. The lifting or screw pump c,1, in this instance, drive bya
vertical spindle connected at its upper end by mitre wheels to the crank shaft
of the engine (which is generally placed in portable engines across the top of
the boiler), and at its lower end by spar gearing to the vertical spindle of the
screw pump. To admit of an engine of the locomotive or portable class
reversing its action without reversing the motion of the lifting screw, and to
make it self-acting it is only necessary to fit a pair of mitre wheels loosely on
the driving shaft or axle, and to gear them with the mitre wheel on the screw
spindle, then by means of a double clutch placed between the pair of wheels,
and sliding on a feather on the shaft, the clutch being fitted with two rings of
teeth.inclined or pointed in opposite directions, the reversing of the driving
shaft will throw one mitre wheel out of and the other into action, and thus the
rotation of the screw spindle will be maintained.
Fig. 5 is a front end elevation of a locomotive boiler, half of the end case
being removed, and Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section taken through one of the
fire chambers; and through the chimney and adjacent reservoir; m; m, are the

page_text: reservoirs, and y, y, pipes for connecting the several steam spaces of these
reservoirs together. It will be seen at Fig. 5 that the double casing surrounds
the whole four coils or fire chambers which are placed in close contact with
each other or without the vertical divisions with which the marine boiler
(Fig. 1) is provided. The four lifting screw pumps may be driven by a
donkey engine, or by gearing them as above mentioned to one of the axles of
the locomotive. In advance of the brick baffling bridge are three cast iron
baffling plates v, v, v; more or a less numt.er of these plates may be em-
ployed as circumstances may require for reducing the temperature of the gases
before entering the chimney so may also that portion of the chamber which
is between the brick bridge and the reservoir be much less in height to
accommodate an inside steam cylinder, and still maintain a deep fire box
dipping below the chamber or shell of the boiler similar to the common loco-
motive boiler now in use; the backside of the fire-box at the bottom I fill
in with fire-brick. Fig. 7 is an open end view of a boiler with a fire chamber
formed of a circular coil of tu be b, with two other circular coils b, b, acting
as flues; it is made precisely similar in its essential parts to the other forms
of boilers described, except as to its shape of fire-chamber; it may have either
a square casing (as shewn) or a circular one filled in with non-conducting
material as described for Fig. 4. When a single circular coil of tube is
preferred for a fire chamber. I use baffling plates v, v, v, and cause the heated
gases to issue into the chimney from a little above the floor of the fire-cham-
ber às described and shewn in Fig. 6. Whether it has circular flues or not
it may be used for any of the purposes to which the other forms of boilers are
applied, and the narrowed chambered form of boiler can be arranged with
flues equally as well as the circular one shewn in this Fig. 7; d, d, d, are the
delivery ends of the coils (seen dotted through) and e, e, e, the receiving ends.
In adapting any of the above forms of boiler to stationary purposes, the iron
casing may be dispensed with and a brick one substituted. Iron seatings are
provided for the circular coils of tubes to keep them separated and steady
similar to that shewn at x, Fig. 4. Fig. 8 is a detached view of the junction
made between two lengths of coiled tube when two or more lengths form but
one fire chamber so as to preserve the continuous stream of water circulating
into the reservoir. A front view of this junction o is shewn through the non-
conducting material at top of Fig. 5, and a sectional view is shewn in Fig. 6
with the piece of cast iron to fill up the gap or space formed by the extended
bends of the two coils to be joined. A bolted patch (not shown) covers a
slot in the top of the casing so as to get at the coupling o which is made with
a right and left hand screw thread. Figures 9 and 10 shew in side and

page_text: sectional views (on a larger scale) a portion of two of the bends of the coiled
tube b. When bent round into the forms shewn, or into a any other convenient
form, they are pressed as closely in contact with each other as possible, and
after that a strip of metal p of any desired section is wound round in the in-
terstices on the outer surface of the coils for the whole length of the fire cham-
ber so as to prevent effectually the lateral escape ofthe heated gases. The strip
of metal is heated by a small portable furnace which is carried round with it
and bent into the recesses between each coil. For the sake of giving clearness
to the Drawings I have left out the strip of metal in all the views of the
boilers, except in Fig. 3, where it is shewn wound round the outside of the
fire-place of the chamber.
Fig. 11, Sheet III., is a longitudinal side elevation (with the casing n
removed) of a fire-chamber formed of a continuous coil of tube and reservoir
m set in a horizontal position, instead of a vertical one, as before described.
At the fire-door end of the chamber a, a few of the coils of tube are made
shorter than the rest so as to leave a space, for getting in the fuel and ad-
mitting a person inside for cleaning and repairs. The sides of this break or
space are filled in with fire-brick, and the end with the fire door S. The con-
tinuity of the coil is still maintained, as will be seen in Fig. 12, which is a
sectional plan of Fig. 11 taken at the line c, d, shewing the short coils of tubes
near the end of the fireplace crossing from one side of the fire chamber a to
the other. The hollow chamber at shews a different plan from that
described for baffling the heated gases and throwing them into contact with the
sides of the fire chamber, which plan I prefer to the plates shewn in Fig. 6.
The chamber v is made of suitable fire-resisting material, and has a door v¹
to allow the smoke to pass through direct to the uptake when lighting the fire.
The heated gases are gradually deflected against the sides of the chamber a as
they approach its smoke-box n as indicated by the arrows. In chambers
formed of coils in a vertical position, I place the small end of the baffling
chamber at the top, and force or draw the gases down to the floor before
allowing them to pass to the uptake. In both positions of the coiled tube
forming the chambers a the tendency to cause the gases to pass along and into
the recesses formed by the several coils will be the same. Fig. 13 is a
transverse section of Fig. 11 taken at the line a, b, shewing a portion of the
casing forming the ash-pit which is only built the length of the fire place,
and then the rest of the casing is close up to the coiled tube; m¹ is a steam
dome which is required with a horizontal reservoir, as the water line would be
nearly up to three quarters its diameter. I prefer, however, when circum-
stances will permit, to employ a vertical reservoir, and for the class of boiler
"

page_text: shewn in Figs. 11, 12, and 13 to form the roof of the fire chamber a by con-
tinuing to bend or coil more lengths of tube until they meet longitudinally in
the centre line of the chamber, and then lead the delivery end d of the tube to
the vertical reservoir.
In Sheet IV., Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of the improved surface
condenser which constitutes the second head of my Invention; Fig. 2 is a
transverse section taken at the line A, B, Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a plan of the
same with the top cover removed. a is a rectangular vessel divided into three
compartments b, c, and h. The compartment b receives the exhaust steam to
be condensed direct from the steam cylinders through the pipe, and the air
pumps are attached to the pipe u of the compartment c. Both these com-
partments contain a certain quantity of water to supply the boilers, but the feed
pumps draw the water from conly; d is a vertical partition rivetted to the
bottom of the vessel a and to the tube f; e, e, are a series of holes in the
bottom part of the partition d for the purpose of maintaining the water level
in the compartments b and c; f is the tube plate into which the several rows
of vertical syphon-shaped tubes y are firmly rivetted, their expansion and
contraction being allowed for by the bends These syphon-shaped tubes form
above the water line the only communication between the two compartments
b and c, so that when a partial vacuum is made in the compartment c it sucks
or draws the exhaust steam thro' the syphon tubes g from the compart-
ment ; is a space left between the limbs of the inner rows of tubes to
give access for cleaning the top of the tube plate and tubes, and space enough
is also left between the rows of tubes transversely to admit a brush or other
cleaning instrument; is the upper compartment of the condenser, containing
the cold water employed for condensing the steam. It is either made in one
with the compartments b and c, or for large condensers I prefer making a
water-tight joint a little above the tube plate outside, so as to raise the upper
compartment without disturbing the lower ones, and thereby get at the outside
rows of tubes when repairs are required; ; is the cold water pipe for supply-
ing the compartment ; it is pierced with holes to distribute the water equally
thro' the whole length of the compartment; jj, are two pipes for drawing
the partially heated water off from the upper part of the compartment.
These pipes are similarly pierced with holes, and provided with lifting screw
pumps if necessary; k,k', are longitudinal and transverse stays bolted to the sides
of the compartment to support the syphon tubes in their vertical positions.
Fig. 4 is a view in section, on an enlarged scale, of so much of the two
lower ends of one of the syphon tubes gas is necessary to shew the manner in

page_text: which the exhaust steam is throttled or baffled in its passage through the
syphon tubes
g from the compartment to the compartment c; 1 and n are
two tubes inserted up through the two limbs of the tube g to near the bend;
they are of less diameter, and kept concentric with the tube g by small pro-
jecting pins q, and are fixed and held up by the two cross bars m and o. To
enable the tubes 7 and n to be inserted into the tubes.g they are made in
short lengths, and jointed end to end like a fishing rod, and passed through
the compartments b and c. In order that the steam may not meet with any
sudden obstruction one end of each tube and n is tapered or drawn to a
point, & the other ends are blocked up to their full diameter, as shewn. In the
compartments b and c, in this Figure the pointed ends of the tubes and n
are reversed, the pointe.l end of being placed near the bend at top of the
syphon tube g. The cross bars in and o are fastened at one end to the vertical
partition d, and at the other end to the sides of the compartments b and c, as
seen also in Fig. 1. The arrows indicate in both compartments the direction
the exhaust steam takes.
It will be understood, from the above described arrangement, that the
following improvements will be attained in this condenser, vizt, first, any
grease or other deposit issuing from the steam cylinders will be received into
the compartment b, from which it can easily be withdrawn when required
through a manhole or cock; secondly, the tubes g will have a tendency to
keep themselves clean by the constant trickling down of the water from the
condensed steam; thirdly, the feed water will have a high temperature, and
will be free from any grease or deposit when pumped from the compartment c;
fourthly, facilities are afforded for repairing and clearing the outsides of the
tubes g and the compartment h of any deposit obtained from sea or river
water; fifthly, causing the exhaust steam to be drawn in thin films and
thrown into direct contact with the condensing surface of the syphon tubes,
will simplify the construction of the condenser.
Figures 5 and 6 shew two arrangements of water-tight joint to be applied
when the tubes are required to be removeable for cleaning. In Fig. 5, 7 is a
short piece of tube rivetted in the tube plate, and s is another short tubular
.collar fitting tightly over the tube ; g is the syphon tube or other tube used
as a condensing surface fitting loosely over the tube r, and t is a piece of
india-rubber or other elastic tubing drawn tightly over the ends of the latter.
In Fig. 6, the end of the tube g is shewn projecting beyond and outside the
tube plate with the elastic tube stretched over it, and the short piece, which
is rivetted to the plate. In both Figures the elastic tubes are in à bath of the

page_text: cold water for condensing, but in Fig. 6 the cold water passes through the
tube 9. and the steam is condensed on the outside of it, while in Fig. 5 it
is the reverse, the steam being condensed on the inside of the tube g.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of improvements in the
construction of steam boilers and condensers, and explained the manner of
carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that, under the
above in part recited Letters Patent, I claim,-
First, the construction of steam boilers, as above described.
And, secondly, the improvements in surface condensers, as above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Romaine, have hereunto set my
band and seal, the Seventh day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
ROBT. ROMAINE. (L.S.)