Improvements in Down Draft Steam Boilers.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 30th May, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 28th Feb., 1894-Accepted, 5th May, 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by CALEB ROBINSON AYER, of 252, Chestnut Avenue,
Boston, Contractor, and GEORGE ALFRED AYER, of Worcester, Massachusetts,
Engineer, both of the United States of America.]
Improvements in Down Draft Steam Boilers.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT 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 to be as follows:-
The present invention combines a down-draft furnace with a sectional, water-
tubular steam boiler, under an arrangement of parts which disposes the water tubes
in the path of the current and utilizes the fuel to the utmost in generating steam.
The fire box or furnace is peculiar having a grate and an upper surface formed of
water tubes mounted at each end in water boxes, and side walls of similarly-
mounted tubes having interposed space-pieces fitting the curvature of the tubes.
The grate and roof-tubes approach each other as they recede from the feed-door
located between them, and they all enter a water box at their inner ends which is
free to yield as they expand and contract, and which deflects the caloric current
downwardly between the grate tubes, whence it passes by a circuitous path among
the water tubes of the boiler. These tubes, with the "headers" into which their
ends are inserted, are arranged in sections, side by side, each section standing
vertically, the headers in an upright position and the water pipes running obliquely
one above the other. The headers diverge or become broader as they rise from
bottom to top and are offset reversely at the top, alternately to right and left, so
as not to be contracted before entering the steam-drum with which they all connect
at the top. This gradual enlargement of the headers affords a proper clearance,
and promotes the circulation, making each section independent of those adjacent to
it, each header at the lower end of the tubes having a water supply from an
enlarged pipe at the base of the boiler, and each flanged and riveted at its upper
end to the steam drum which connects them all transversely. The two drums
communicate by means of a cross pipe. A plate of fire brick or the like covers
the roof tubes of the fire box, and other like plates deflect the caloric current and
lengthen its journey while in contact with the various tubes. Headers similar to
those described connect the several tubes constituting the water-tube wall at each
side of the boiler.
The furnace is provided with a hollow front wall, containing water for supplying
the tubes of the water grate. These tubes are preferably arranged in a zigzag
relation to each other, the lower series of less diameter than the upper so as to give
increased space between them, in order that any cinders passing the upper tier will
readily pass between the tubes of the lower tier.
The grate-tubes rise obliquely to a transverse water-box, which closes the inner
end of the fire-box and enforces a downward draft through the grate,-the draft
inlet being the fuel-feed-door. The top of the fire-box is formed by the reversely-
inclined tubes, entering the upper part of the water-box and rising thence to
communicate with the lower part of each of the front sectional "headers" herein-
after described. The water box is not connected to the sides of the furnace and
hence may yield laterally as the grate and roof-tubes expand and contract. A slab
of fire-brick extends from the water-box to the header, above the series of tubes.
closing any air-passage between them.

page_text: The side walls of the fire-box and of the boiler, are shown as formed of a
succession of inclined water tubes, placed one above another, with interposed space-
pieces, fitting the curvature of said tubes so as to close the openings between
them. They will project but slightly if at all beyond the vertical central line of
such tubes, leaving the inner half of the tubes exposed to the fire. These tubes
and space-pieces will be dispensed with when the boiler has the ordinary brick
setting.
The body of the boiler is made up of a series of parallel sections arranged in
vertical planes, each section being composed of a succession of oblique water tubes,
connected at their ends to the upright headers, and rising gradually from rear to
front, parallel with the roof tubes of the fire-box. These headers are of cast or
wrought metal, with parallel sides, but with edge walls diverging regularly from
bottom to top, to afford full vent for the steam formed and to promote the proper
circulation of the water.
This gradual enlargement of the headers continues up to the point of their
discharge into the steam drum, which connects them all transversely. Their upper
ends are offset alternately to right and left so as, without reducing their area, to
give space between and around them for riveting their curved terminal flanges to
the drum. Only the alternate headers which are offset to the front may be so
riveted, the others being secured to the right, lower side of said drum. These
latter ones may not only communicate with the drum, but also, may connect, by a
pipe, with a water drum, to which the several headers at the rear end of the boiler
are secured, being alternately offset and flanged as described. Water is supplied
to the lower ends of the headers through the supporting tubes which rise from the
transverse feed-water pipe connected to the main pipe.
Headers, similar to those described for the oblique water pipes, receive the ends
of the inclined tubes which form the side walls of the boiler and of the fire-box.
These headers are offset, and flanged, and riveted to the drums as described with
regard to the series, and they are similarly supplied with water at their lower ends
and diverge as they ascend for like reasons. Screw caps, in the outer faces of the
headers give access to the ends of the several tubes where required.
A transverse brick barrier is provided for deflecting the caloric current upwardly,
and other deflectors, of fire-brick or like material, direct the current in a circuit
among the tubes.
..דנית
0011 1
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Down Draft Steam Boilers.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT 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 present invention combines a down-draft furnace with a sectional, water-
tubular steam boiler, under an arrangement of parts which disposes the water tubes
in the path of the current and utilizes the fuel to the utmost in generating steam.
The fire box or furnace is peculiar, having a grate and an upper surface formed
of water tubes mounted at each end in water boxes, and side walls of similarly-
mounted tubes having interposed space pieces fitting the curvature of the tubes.
The grate and roof-tubes approach each other as they recede from the feed-door
located between them, and they all enter a water box at their inner ends which is
free to yield as they expand and contract, and which deflects the caloric current

page_text: downwardly between the grate tubes, whence it passes by a circuitous path among
the water tubes of the boiler. These tubes, with the "headers" into which their
ends are inserted, are arranged in sections, side by side, each section standing
vertically, the headers in an upright position and the water pipes running obliquely
one above the other.
The headers diverge or become broader as they rise from bottom to top and are
offset reversely at the top, alternately to right and left, so as not to be contracted
before entering the steam-drum with which they all connect at the top. This
gradual enlargement of the headers affords a proper clearance, and promotes the
circulation, making each section independent of those adjacent to it, each header at
the lower end of the tubes having a water supply from an enlarged pipe at the base
of the boiler, and each flanged and riveted at its upper end to the steam drum which
connects them all transversely. The two drums communicate by means of a cross
pipe. A plate of fire brick or the like covers the roof tubes of the fire box, and
other like plates deflect the caloric current and lengthen its journey while in contact
with the various tubes. Headers similar to those described connect the several
tubes constituting the water-tube wall at each side of the boiler.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section through one of the improved boilers.
Figure 2 is a front elevation, partly in vertical transverse section, and
Figure 3 is a sectional detail on an enlarged scale showing the side wall tubes
and space pieces.
A represents the hollow front wall of the furnace, containing water for supplying
the tubes B B of the water grate. These tubes are preferibly arranged in a
zigzag relation to each other, as shown in Figure 2 the lower series being of less
diameter than the upper so as to give increased space between them, in order that
any cinders passing the upper tier will readily pass between the tubes of the
lower tier.
The grate-tubes B rise obliquely to a transverse, water-box C, which closes the
inner end of the fire-box and enforces downward draft through the grate,—the
draft inlet being the fuel feed-door, D. The top of the fire-box is formed by
the reversely-inclined tubes E, entering the upper part of the water-box C and
rising thence to communicate with the lower part of each of the front sectional
"headers" hereinafter described. The water-box is not connected to the sides of the
furnace and hence may yield laterally as the grate and roof-tubes expand and
contract. A slab of fire-brick F, extends from the water-box C to the header,
above the series of tubes E, closing any air-passage between them.
The side walls of the fire-box and of the boiler, are shown as formed of a
succession of inclined water-tubes G, placed one above another, with interposed
space-pieces, H, see Figure 3, fitting the curvature of said tubes so as to close the
openings between them. They will project but slightly if at all beyond the vertical
central line of such tubes, leaving the inner half of the tubes exposed to the fire.
These tubes and space-pieces will be dispensed with when the boiler has the ordinary
brick setting.
The body of the boiler is made up of a series of parallel sections arranged in
vertical planes, each section being composed of a succession of oblique water
tubes J, connected at their ends to the upright headers K, K, and rising gradually
from rear to front, parallel with the roof tubes E of the fire-box. These headers
are of cast or wrought metal, with parallel sides, as in Figure 2, but with end walls
diverging regularly from bottom to top, as in Figure 1, to afford full vent for the
steam formed and to promote the proper circulation of the water.
This gradual enlargement of the headers K continues up to the point of their
discharge into the steam drum L, which connects them all transversely. Their
upper ends are offset alternately to right and left so as, without reducing their area,
to give space between and around them for riveting their curved terminal flanges k
to the drum L.
This peculiarity will be clear from Figure 2, where only the alternate headers

page_text: which are offset to the front are shown so riveted, the others being secured to the
right, lower side of said drum, as seen in Figure 1. These latter ones may not
only communicate with the drum L, but also, as shown may be connected by a
pipe M, with a water drum N, to which the several headers K' at the rear end of
the boiler are secured, being alternately offset and flanged as described. Water is
supplied to the lower ends of the headers K' through the supporting tubes O which
rise from the transverse feed-water pipe P connected to the main pipe P.
Headers Q, Q, similar to those described for the oblique water pipes J, receive
the ends of the inclined tubes G which form the side walls of the boiler and of the
fire-box. These headers are offset, and flanged, and riveted to the drums L and N
as described with regard to the series K and K', and they are similarly supplied
with water at their lower ends and diverge as they ascend for like reasons. Screw
caps R, Figures 1 and 2 in the outer faces of the headers give access to the ends
of the several tubes G and J where required.
A transverse brick barrier S is shown in Figure 1 deflecting the caloric current
upwardly, and other deflectors T, of firebrick or like material, direct the current in
a circuit among the tubes, as denoted by the arrows. The uptake is denoted by the
letter U in Figure 1.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondents, I declare that what I claim is :-
:―
1. In a sectional steam boiler, the inclined, parallel water tubes united at their
ends in adjacent vertical sections, having the headers K, K¹ offset alternately to
right and left and riveted to the drums, substantially as set forth.
2. The combination of adjacent series of inclined pipes J, and upright
headers K K diverging upwardly and reversely offset as described, with the
transverse drums, L, N and connecting pipe M, substantially as set forth.
3. In a downward draft boiler, the side walls formed of the inclined tubes G,
connected in series one above another, and the space pieces H serving to close the
openings between adjacent tubes, leaving the tubes exposed laterally to the action
of the fire, in combination with upwardly diverging headers Q, Q' with which the
tubes Gengage, and with transverse steam drums L, N, at the upper ends of said
headers, substantially as set forth.
4. A boiler and down-draft furnace, provided with a series of tubes mounted in
and communicating with water boxes at their ends, in combination with a zigzag
water grate, in which the tubes of the lower series are of less diameter than those
of the upper series, said tubes and boxes forming a water lining upon all faces of
the fire box, substantially as set forth.
5. A boiler and down-draft furnace having a front water wall, a water grate,
and a series of water pipes in the top of the fire box, in combination with a thin,
flat, upright water box, extending transversely across and forming the entire inner
end of the fire box, and being free to yield laterally with the expansion and
contraction of said water pipes and grate tubes, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 28th day of February 1894.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.