IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM BOILERS AND WATER HEATERS
Year: 1877

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by James Burnett, Adam Caldow, and
Thomas White at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th
February 1877.
JAMES BURNETT, ADAM CALDOW, and THOMAS WHITE, all of Kilmarnock, in the
County of Ayr, North Britain. "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM BOILERS AND WATER
HEATERS."
This Invention has reference to a new or improved mode and means of constructing
tubular steam boilers, or water heaters for these, or for heating conservatories and
buildings, or for other purposes, whereby such boilers are made of a much simpler
construction, and consequently with less labour and cost, while they are quite as
efficient as other tubular boilers, the tubes being easier renewed, and capable of
being shipped or transported in parts and easily put together on the spot where
the boiler is to be used in a very short time, and by any intelligent person, not
requiring experienced boiler makers or engineers. And the nature and novelty of
the Invention consist in forming the main body part of the boiler, that is, the sides
for the fire-box, heating chambers, and the internal flues of tubes with tapered or
conoidal ends, set and fitted vertically in lower and upper, or basement and top
vessels, pipes, or tubular ducts, and as close as the hollow conical recesses or sockets
can be bored or formed in the said vessels for the ends of the vertical tubes, these
tubes and vessels containing the circulating water and the steam above it, the whole
being secured together by tie-rods passing through the tubes, with washers and
nuts at their end joints outside the lower and upper vessels or ends.
Malleable iron rods are inserted to fill up the spaces between the tubes on either
or opposite sides, and held together in position by the S shaped clasps or bands
of sheet iron, to form or complete the inner vertical heating surface of the fire-box
and flue space, and also the outer walls covered with some of the non-conducting
materials or "lagging" or covering; and where a division wall flue is required to
be exposed to the heat on both sides, it is preferred to have two sets or rows of such
tubes, set nearly close and parallel to each other, with the rods and clasps filling up
the spaces between them; all so that the fire-box formed over a grate hearth of
ordinary construction is fitted and carried in an open part through the lower or
horizontal basement vessel into which the lower ends of the said vertical tubes are
itted. The water is heated and circulated with the steam up all the inner sides
•

page_text: of these vertical tubes, exposed to the action of the fire and heated products of com-
bustion, passing through the hot chamber and flues, and returns to the bottom again
down through the coolest sides not exposed to the heat.
Round or rectangular vertical steam boilers may be constructed in this manner,
with a fire-door formed by making a few of the side tubes short, and fitting their
lower conical ends into a short cross tube forming the top of the doorway, supported
and jointed into two short tubes forming the sides of the doorway, having an
ordinary hinged door fitted to close the same against these and the upper cross tube,
the long tie bolts securing all tight; and the hole for the chimney is formed in the
centre up through the top end box, preferably with a steam branch or socket above
for securing the chimney to.
When made for long rectangular forms of boilers, the heating chamber or flues
behind the grate and fire-box, might be formed by the double rows of vertical tubes,
set and ranged in longitudinal rows, or transverse rows, with sufficient space between
them to form corresponding longitudinal flues, for the flames and hot gases to pass
direct back, or tranverse flues for thom to undulate back to the flue leading to the
chimney, a few tubes being left out at each alternate side to allow of this undulation.
The vertical tubes, when made of malleable iron, might have their conical ends
formed or compressed in turned or bored matrixes or shaping sockets, all to exactly
the same shape and length to fit their sockets in the end chambers or pipes, which
are bored to a uniform angle and size, and the tie bolts passing through the centre
of the water and steam tubes would all be subject to the same temperature as the
tubes, and so expand equally with them, and maintain the joints always steam and
water pressure tight; but when the tubes are inado of cast iron, the tapered ends
would all be turned to fit their end sockets.
The end boxes or chests, with the sockets bored in them, would preferably be
made of cast iron, with the chambers either open, with strengthening internal
feathers, or as tubes along the circular or longitudinal line of the sockets and tubes,
with a web between them to case in the ends of the heat chamber; but they might
be made of malleable iron with cast-iron socket plates bolted or rivetted to them.