Improvements in Steam Generators.
Year: 1899

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION,
Improvements in Steam Generators.
We, GORDON HENRY HARDIE and NICHOLAS THOMPSON, of 105, Cordova Street,
in the City of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, Consulting Engineer and
Marine Engineer respectively, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
-
Our invention relates to improvements in that class of steam generators known
as pipe, or portable boilers, in which we employ down-pipes projecting outwards
on each side of the furnace-grate, said pipes being either connected with a main
drum suspended over the furnace, or with a series of header-pipes, according to
the work for which the generator is intended; and the primary object of our
invention is to arrange the down-pipes on each side of the furnace-grate in such
a manner that their lower depending ends will be below the greatest generating
heat, and to provide facilities for a free circulation from the bottom of said
down-pipes, so that the danger of burning out the tubes will be reduced to a
minimum, as will now be fully explained and pointed out in the appended
claims.
We attain this object by the general arrangement of the parts illustrated in
the accompanying drawings, in which-
Fig. 1 shows a front sectional elevation of our generator taken on the line a a
in Fig. 2.
Fig. 2 is a side sectional elevation taken through the centre on the line b b.
Figure 3 shows a front elevation and part section of a modified type of our
invention, to be applied as a marine generator, the down-pipes in this as in
Fig's 1 and 2 being the same in relation to the furnace, which gives the result
that we wish to obtain, in the different modes of application.
Fig. 4 is a side sectional view of the same, on the line c c.
Fig. 5 is a section of one of the down-pipes, as indicated by line d d on
Figures 1 and 3, and,
Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section of the lower end of the same.
Similar numerals and letters refer to similar parts throughout all the views.
The construction leading up to our improved steam-generator, when to be
used as a boiler specially designed for transportation, consists of main vertically
placed pipes 10 having their lower ends provided with T's, and closed and
resting on a support frame a, and arranged on opposite front sides of the
furnace.
Connecting the tops of these vertical pipes 10 and providing a free communica-
tion from one to the other is a main steam-reservoir in the form of a drum 11.
A horizontally placed pipe 12 resting on a support b is arranged to the rear
of the furnace-grate A, and approximately on a horizontal plane with the sup-

page_text: port a; and 13 are pipes communicating between the vertical pipes 10 and
the horizontal pipe 12. Connecting with the pipes 12 at regular intervals, and
passing upwards are pipes 14 and 15. These pipes 14 and 15 pass up the rear
outer side of the furnace and communicate with horizontally disposed pipes 16
and 17 respectively, (see Fig. 1). These pipes 16 and 17 are a continuation of
the pipes 14 and 15, and they communicate with the drum 11, the horizontal
portions being known as header-pipes; and the two opposite side ones 17 com-
municate with the vertical pipes 10, they being in alignment with such pipes,
and therefore not susceptable of being connected with the drum by the means
of elbows, as is the case with the others, (see Fig. 2).
And now comes the important feature of our invention, which consists of
arranging series of down-pipes 18 pendant from the header-pipes 16 and 17,
diverging outwardly so that their closed ends are on a plane approximately
with and on each side of the furnace-grate, A. The opposite-walls of the furnace,
as e, are carried for a distance upwards; and continuing up in proximity with
the rear or outer sides of the inner series of pipes are baffles 19, which cause
the flame from the furnace to pass upwards, as shown by arrows, and through
the other series of down-pipes to the outer side of same. Other baffles 20 and 21
placed between the said down-pipes at the proper positions as shown, below the
tops of the baffles 19, prevent the gases from passing downwards between the
pipes, but cause them to flow back and forth until the spaces below the depending
ends of the down-pipes are reached whence they are carried off by the uptake 22.
In this case the header-pipes, the down-pipes, and the furnace are enclosed in
a suitable covering f, which is preferably a non-conductor of heat, as is the case
in constructions of this kind; and the uptake is connected from the rear beneath
the furnace.
To provide for free circulation in the down-pipes 18, and cause the water to
flow up one side and down the other, we place diaphragms 23 in the pipes
having their flat sides to the furnace. These diaphragms 23 are not of sufficient
width to engage the opposite sides of the tubes, but they are crimpled or corru-
gated as 23, sufficient for each alternate deflection or curve to engage the
opposite sides of the tubes, and such engaging edges of each of the diaphragms
will form a chord on each side of the tube it occupies; and the spaces between
the chords and the shell of the tube made large or small according to the
relative width of the diaphragms to the diameter of the tubes, provides the means
for the bubbles formed on the lower side of the pipe-next to the
furnace to pass to the upper side of the pipe. This causes the flow in
the pipes to be reversed to what it would be if the tubes were completely divided
into distinct and independent compartments except at the ends. The crimples 23ª
also hold the diaphragms in their place, and at the same time allow of them
being withdrawn by removing the caps 18". To provide for free circulation in
case the lower ends of the diaphragms should slip down close to the caps 18ª,
such ends are perforated as 23b.
As shown by the arrows in Fig. 1, the intense heat of the furnace passes
outward round the pipes near their upper ends, and is then passed downward
and inward by the particular arrangement of the baffles 20 and 21; but before
passing the lower depending ends of the down-pipes the intense heat is spent in
the area occupied by the upper portions of the said down-pipes, where the
principle steam generation is taking place. By reason of the above arrangement,
it is clear that comparatively dirty water may be used without the danger of
burning out the tube-ends, as the sediment will invariably settle to the lower
ends of the pipes and as the heat is applied the circulation will commence to
stir or lift the deposit before the heat has hardened or converted such deposit
into scale and owing to the novel arrangement of the diaphragms in the pipes
having their apertures at their lower ends, the flow or circulation will commence
before the lower ends of the pipes are heated. In fact, the depending ends of
the pipes will never become sufficiently heated to cause any damage even if a

page_text: heavy coating of sediment should lodge in such tube-ends, so that our improve-
ment is well designed to perform the work for which it is intended.
As shown in the marine types Fig's 3 and 4, the furnace is arranged as in
Fig. 1, but the down-pipes 18 are fixed into the opposite lower sides of a drum
or reservoir B, this being supported by lugs or cross-timbers C on the deck or
frame of the vessel, and the whole is supported in a convenient manner above
the furnace A with the down-pipes straddling the furnace, as in Fig. 1. Owing
to the contracted form of the casing f in the marine type, the down-pipes 18,
as they approach the outer sides, are reduced in length so as to conveniently
utilize all of the heating area; and the baffles are arranged to cause the flame
and the heated gases to flow downwards after passing the baffles 19, and the
rest of the baffles are fixed alternately to the drum B and the casing f, as 25,
26, and 27, so that the flame will pass back and forth through the said down-
pipes and be finally delivered to the uptake 22, which, in this case, is above the
generator.
In the construction of our boiler, it is our intention to have the parts as
much as possible of standard fittings, so that if a tube is defective it may be
replaced without serious delay and at a minimum of cost.
We are aware that prior to our invention various types of pipe boilers have
been employed having the tubes arranged horizontal, pendant, and sloping, their
upper ends being connected to header-pipes or main drums, but not having our
special arrangement on each side and over the furnace with the means of pro-
tection from the heat for the pendant ends of the down-pipes, which, with the
division strip in such down-pipes, are the features we wish protection in.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
1-In a steam generator having vertically disposed support pipes. 10 and 14
connected at the bottom by pipes 12 and 13, and at the top by pipes 16 and 17
and a main steam-reservoir 11 communicating with and arranged over the said
pipes 10, in combination with a furnace-grate A having its sides e projected'
upwards, down-pipes 18 communicating with the header-pipes 16 and 17 and
diverging downwards on each side of the furnace-grate, the lower ends of which
are protected from the heat of the furnace by means of their position and the
arrangement of baffles 19, 20, and 21, substantially as and for the purposes
specified.
2-In a steam generator having a frame comprised of tubes 10,. 12, 13, 14,.
16, and 17, placed approximately vertical and horizontal, the said tubes providing.
a means for water circulation in combination with down-pipes 18 communicating
with the tubes 16 and 17, having their lower ends extending approximately on
a horizontal plane with a furnace-grate A and diverging on opposite sides thereof,
of baffles arranged between such down-pipes for directing the heated gases
there-round, and towards the depending ends thereof, as and for the purposes
set forth.
3--In a steam-generator; in combination, tubes 10, 12, 13, 14, 16, and 17,
arranged in the form of a frame the same to provide ample circulation for the.
water, a furnace grate arranged in said frame; of down-pipes 18 diverging out-
wards and having their lower ends beneath the intense heating area of the
furnace, of diaphragms in such pipes composed of crimpled detachable strips 23.
having apertures 23 in their lower. ends, substantially as specified.
4-In a steam generator having a means for supporting a plurality of down-
pipes suspended over a furnace grate, said pipes diverging outwards on each side
of the furnace grate, and their lower ends protected from the intense heat of
the furnace, and means for causing a constant circulation in the said down-pipes,
substantially as and for the purposes specified.
5 In a steam generator having down-pipes diverging from their support.

page_text: over the furnace on each side thereof, in combination with crimpled diaphragms
passing flatways to the heat of the furnace through said down-pipes, apertures
in lower ends of said diaphragms, to allow the water to circulate, and of baffles
arranged between the said pipes to cause the heat to circulate above the lower
ends of the same, as and for the purposes set forth.
Datal A 0.141. 1900
· Improvements in Steam Generators.
We, GORDON HENRY HARDIE and NICHOLAS THOMPSON, of 105, Cordova Street,
in the City of Vancouver, Province of British Columbia, Canada, Consulting
Engineer and Marine Engineer respectively, 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:-
Our invention relates to improvements in that class of steam generators known
as pipe, or portable boilers, in which we employ down-pipes projecting outwards
on each side of the furnace-grate, said pipes being either connected with a main
drum suspended over the furnace, or with a series of header-pipes, according to
the work for which the generator is intended; and the primary object of our
invention is to arrange the down-pipes on each side of the furnace-grate in such
a manner that their lower depending ends will be below the greatest generating
heat, and to provide facilities for a free circulation from the bottom of said
down-pipes, so that the danger of burning out the tubes will be reduced to a
minimum, as will now be fully explained and pointed out in the appended
claims.
We attain this object by the general arrangement of the parts illustrated in
the drawings filed with our Provisional Specification, in which-
Fig. 1 shows a front sectional elevation of our generator taken on the line a a
in Fig. 2.
Fig. 2 is a side sectional elevation taken through the centre on the line b b.
Figure 3 shows a front elevation and part section of a modified type of our
invention, to be applied as a marine generator, the down-pipes in this as in
Fig's 1 and 2 being the same in relation to the furnace, which gives the result
that we wish to obtain, in the different modes of application.
Fig. 4 is a side sectional view of the same, on the line c c.
Fig. 5 is a section of one of the down-pipes, as indicated by line d d on
Figures 1 and 3, and,
Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section of the lower end of the same.
Similar numerals and letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.
The construction leading up to our improved steam-generator, when to be
used as a boiler specially designed for transportation, consists of main vertically
placed pipes 10 having their lower ends provided with T's, and closed and
resting on a support frame a, and arranged on opposite front sides of the
furnace.
Connecting the tops of these vertical pipes 10 and providing a free communica-
tion from one to the other is a main steam-reservoir in the form of a drum 11.
A horizontally placed pipe 12 resting on a support b is arranged to the rear
of the furnace-grate A, and approximately on a horizontal plane with the sup-
port a; and 13 are pipes communicating between the vertical pipes 10 and
the horizontal pipe 12. Connecting with the pipes 12 at regular intervals, and

page_text: passing upwards are pipes 14 and 15. These pipes 14 and 15 pass up the rear
outer side of the furnace and communicate with horizontally disposed pipes 16
and 16 respectively, (see Fig. 1). These pipes 17 and 16 are a continuation of
the pipes 14 and 15, and they communicate with the drum 11, the horizontal
portions being known as header pipes; and the two opposite side ones 17 com-
mmunicate with the vertical pipes 10, they being in alignment with such pipes,
and therefore not susceptable of being connected with the drum by means of
of elbows, as is the case with the others, (see Fig. 2).
And now comes the important feature of our invention, which consists of
arranging series of down-pipes 18 pendant from the header-pipes 16 and 17,
diverging outwardly so that their closed ends are on a plane approximately
with and on each side of the furnace-grate, A. The opposite walls of the furnace,
as e, are carried for a distance upwards; and continuing up in proximity with
the rear or outer sides of the inner series of pipes are baffles 19, which cause
the flame from the furnace to pass upwards, as shown by arrows, and through
the other series of down-pipes to the outer side of same. Other baffles 20 and 21
placed between the said down-pipes at the proper positions as shown, below the
tops of the baffles 19, prevent the gases from passing downwards between the
pipes, but cause them to flow back and forth until the spaces between the depending
ends of the down-pipes are reached whence they are carried off by the uptake 22.
In this case the header-pipes, the down-pipes, and the furnace are enclosed in
a suitable covering f, which is preferably a non-conductor of heat, as is the case
in constructions of this kind; and the uptake is connected from the rear beneath
the furnace.
To provide for free circulation in the down-pipes 18, and cause the water to
flow up one side and down the other, we place diaphragms 23 in the pipes
having their flat sides to the furnace. These diaphragms 23 are not of sufficient
width to engage the opposite sides of the tubes, but they are crimpled or corru-
gated as 23, sufficient for each alternate deflection or curve to engage the
opposite sides of the tubes, and such engaging edges of each of the diaphragms
will form a chord on each side of the tube it occupies; and the spaces
between the chords made large or small according to the relative
width of the diaphragms to the diameter of the tubes, provides the means
for the bubbles formed oll the lower side of the pipe-next to the
furnace to pass to the upper side of the pipe. This causes the flow in.
the pipes to be reversed to what it would be if the tubes were completely divided
into distinct and independent compartments except at the ends. The crimples 23"
also hold the diaphragms in their place, and at the same time allow of them
being withdrawn by moving the caps 18". To provide for free circulation in
case the lower ends of the diaphragms should slip down close to the caps 18",
such ends are perforated as 23b.
As shown by the arrows in Fig. 1, the intense heat of the furnace passes
outward round the pipes near their upper ends, and is then passed downward
and inward by the particular arrangement of the baffles 20 and 21; but before
passing the lower depending ends of the down-pipes the intense heat is spent in
the area occupied by the upper portions of the said down-pipes, where the
principle steam generation is taking place. By reason of the above arrangement,
it is clear that comparatively dirty water may be used without the danger of
burning out the tube-ends, as the sediment will invariably settle to the lower
ends of the pipes and as the heat is applied the circulation will commence to
stir or lift the deposit before the heat has hardened or converted such deposit
into scale; and owing to the novel arrangement of the diaphragms in the pipes
having their apertures at their lower ends, the flow or circulation will commence
before the lower ends of the pipes are heated. In fact, the depending ends of
the pipes will never become sufficiently heated to cause any damage even if a
heavy coating of sediment should lodge in such tube-ends, so that our improve-
ment is well designed to perform the work for which it is intended.

page_text: As shown in the marine types. Fig's 3 and 4, the furnace is arranged as in
Fig. 1, but the down-pipes 18 are fixed into the opposite lower sides of the drum
or reservoir B, this being supported by lugs or cross-timbers C on the deck or
frame of the vessel, and the whole is supported in a convenient manner above
the furnace A with the down-pipes straddling the furnace, as in Fig. 1. Owing
to the contracted form of the casing f in the marine type, the down-pipes 18,
as they approach the outer sides, are reduced in length so as to conveniently
utilize all of the heating area; and the baffles are arranged to cause the flame
and the heated gases to flow downwards after passing the baffles 19, and the
rest of the baffles are fixed alternately to the drum B and the casing f, as 25,
26, and 27, so that the flame will pass back and forth through the said down-
pipes and be finally delivered to the uptake 22, which, in this case, is above the
generator.
In the construction of our boiler, it is our intention to have the parts as
much as possible of standard fittings, so that if a tube is defective it may be
replaced without serious delay and at a minimum of cost.
We are aware that prior to our invention various types of pipe boilers have
been employed having the tubes arranged horizontal, pendant, and sloping, their
upper ends being connected to header-pipes or main drums, but not having our
special arrangement on each side and over the furnace with the means of pro-
tection from the heat for the pendant ends of the down-pipes, which, with the
division strip in such down-pipes, are features we wish protection in.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:
1-In a steam generator having vertically disposed support pipes 10 and 14
connected at the bottom by pipes 12 and 13, and at the top by pipes 16 and 17
and a main steam-reservoir 11 communicating with and arranged over the said
pipes 10, in combination with a furnace-grate A having its sides a projecting
upwards, down-pipes 18 communicating with the header-pipes 16 and 17 and
diverging downwards on each side of the furnace-grate, the lower ends of which
are protected from the heat of the furnace by means of their position and the
arrangement. of baffles 19, 20, and 21, substantially as and for the purposes
specified.
2-In a steam generator having a frame comprised of tubes 10, 12, 13, 14,
16, and 17, placed approximately vertical and horizontal, the said tubes providing
a means for water circulation in combination with down-pipes 18 communicating
with the tubes 16 and 17, having their lower ends extending approximately on
a horizontal plane with a furnace-grate A and diverging on opposite sides thereof,
of baffles arranged between such down-pipes for directing the heated gases
there-round, and towards the depending ends thereof, as and for the purposes
set forth.
3-In a steam generator, in combination; tubes 10, 12, 13, 14, 15 16 and 17,
arranged in the form of a frame the same to provide ample circulation for the
water, a furnace grate arranged in said frame; of down-pipes 18 diverging out-
wards and having their lower ends beneath the intense heating area of the
furnace, of diaphragms in such pipes composed of crimpled detachable strips 23
having apertures 23 in their lower ends, substantially as specified.
4In a steam generator having a means for supporting a plurality of down-
pipes suspended over a furnace grate, said pipes diverging outwards on each side
of the furnace grate, and their lower ends protected from the intense heat of
the furnace, and means for causing a constant circulation in the said down-pipes,
substantially as and for the purposes specified.
5-In a steam generator having down-pipes diverging from their support
over the furnace on each side thereof, in combination with crimpled diaphragms
passing flatways to the heat of the furnace through said down-pipes, apertures

page_text: in lower ends of said diaphragms, to allow the water to circulate, and of baffles
arranged between the said pipes to cause the heat to circulate above the lower
ends of the same, as and for the purposes set forth.
GORDON HENRY HARDIE,
NICHOLAS THOMPSON,
Per W. G. Trethewey,
Agent.