IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS, OF SUPPLYING OR FEEDING STEAM BOILERS WITH WATER, WHEREBY A GREAT SAVING OF FUEL IS EFFECTED
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Parker, of Ivy House, Bradford, in the
County of York, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS, OF
SUPPLYING OR FEEDING STEAM BOILERS WITH WATER, WHEREBY A GREAT
SAVING OF FUEL IS EFFECTED."
Sealed the 5th February 1858, and dated the 6th August. 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Parker at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
6th August 1857.
I, JOHN PARKER, of Ivy House, Bradford, in the County of York, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OF
SUPPLYING OR FEEDING STEAM BOILERS WITH WATER, WHEREBY A GREAT SAVING OF
FUEL IS EFFECTED," to be as follows:--
This Invention consists in forcing the feed water through hollow fire bars
made of copper, or other metal capable of standing the required pressure,
said pressure being exerted upon the water by plungers or rams, suitably
placed and actuated.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Parker in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
6th February 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
PARKER, of Ivy House, Bradford, in the County of York, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twenty-first year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said John Parker, Her special licence that I, the said John Parker, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John
Parker, my 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, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OF
SUPPLYING OR FEEDING STEAM BOILERS WITH WATER, WHEREBY A GREAT SAVING OF
FUEL IS EFFECTED,' upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John
Parker, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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 John Parker, 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, that is to say:
My Invention relates to improved means of supplying or feeding steam
boilers with water, and consists in forcing the feed water through hollow fire
bars made of copper, or other metal capable of standing the required pressure,
the feed water may be forced through said hollow bars by plungers or rams of
the ordinary kind, and suitably placed and actuated.
These improvements are particularly adapted to the boilers of locomotive
engines, and to the boilers of stationary and marine engines. The mode here-
tofore commonly practised of supplying or feeding steam boilers with water has
been to force the water there into cold, or comparatively so, thereby rendering

page_text: a large amount of fuel necessary to raise and keep the water in the boiler up
to the boiling point, so as to generate steam.
Now, the object and intention of my said Invention is to obviate the above
objection, and to economize the consumption of fuel, which I propose to effect
by causing the feed water before it enters the boiler to become intensely
heated, by forcing such water through hollow fire bars as above stated.
And in order to explain my said improvements as completely as possible, I
have annexed to these Presents two Sheets of Drawings, illustrative of the
best means I am at present acquainted with for carrying my said improve-
ments into practical effect, and have marked the said Drawings with numeral
figures. and letters of reference, similar letters being employed to denote
corresponding parts in so far as such parts appear, or can be seen at each of
such said Figures, respectively as follows:-
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
At Sheet 1, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a Cornish boiler, shewing my
improvements adapted thereto; Figure 2 is a cross section of said boiler,
shewing fire grates and flues thereof, with my improvements adapted thereto;
Figure 3 is a top plan view, partly in section, of a set of hollow fire bars con-
structed according to my said Invention, and drawn to an enlarged scale at
this Figure; Figure 4 is an end view at A (Figure 3), and Figure 5 is a cross
section through the line A, B, at Figure 3; Figure 6 is a cross section, in which
the hollow bars are formed of tubes; Figures 7, 8, 9, and 10, exhibit several
views of a scraper, which I propose to employ for removing soot from the pipes
through which the feed water passes when said pipes are placed in the flues of
the furnace; Figure 7 shews the application of two of the aforesaid scrapers
to a pipe, the scrapers being represented in section, and the pipe by dotted
lines.
At Sheet 2, Figure 11 is a sectional plan view of a Cornish boiler, shewing
the main and side flues of the furnace, as also the fire grates, and the mode of
adapting my improvements thereto; Figure 12 is an elevation of the feed
pipes situated in the main flue; Figures 13, 14, 15, 16, exhibit several views
of my said improvements, shewing the adaptation thereof to the boiler and
furnace of a locomotive engine; Figure 13 is a longitudinal section of the fire
box of a locomotive in connection with a tender; Figure 14, is a horizontal
section through the line C, D, at Figure 13; Figure 15 is a transverse and
vertical section of the fire box through the line E, F, at Figure 13; Figure 16
is a similar section through the line G, H, at Figure 13; at each of the

page_text: foregoing Figures similar letters of reference are employed to denote corre-
sponding parts.
At Figures 1 and 2 of Sheet 1, and at Figures 11 and 12 of Sheet 2, A, A,
is a Cornish boiler set in brickwork; B, the furnaces; C, C, the side flues
thereof; D, D, the main flue, shewn at Figure 11 of Sheet 2; E, E, hollow
fire bars (shewn also at Figure 3) of the following construction: The bars E
may be made either of cast iron or wrought iron, and if necessary of copper;
the bars represented at Figure 5 of Sheet 1,. are intended to be of cast-iron,
and those exhibited at Figure 6 of same Sheet, are of wrought iron, or copper
tubing; these bars are connected by their ends to long flanges a, a, cast
around said bars or tubes when the same are formed either of wrought iron, or
of copper; but when made of cast iron, the aforesaid iron bars E, and
flanges a, a, are then cast in one entire piece of metal; G, H, are boxes,
respectively forming chambers for the inlet and outlet of the feel water to and
from the hollow fire bars to which the boxes G, H, are connected water-tight,
by screws or other suitable means; the faces of the flanges a, a, and edges of
the boxes G, H, being planed or otherwise made true, so that when brought
together, and by the aid of white lead previously applied thereto, they may
form a perfectly water-tight joint. It will be seen, upon referring to Figure 3,
that the inlet pipe I forms no part of the box G, but the outlet pipe K is cast
with the said box, and communicates direct with the interior thereof, the
intention for thus constructing these pipes is to compel the water as it enters
the inlet pipe I to pass into the chamber H, from thence through the several
hollow bars into the outlet chambers G, so that supposing fire to be on said
bars, the heat therefrom would be imparted to the water during its passage
through said hollow bars.
In cases where the firing is slow, and consequently the heat on the furnace
bars is only of moderate intensity, in such cases I recommend making the
boxes G, H, with compartments across them, so as to cause the water to
circulate through them, and one, two, or more of the aforesaid hollow fire bars
in succession, instead of the water flowing through the whole of the bars
simultaneously from one box to the other, as lastly above described.
I would also here observe that the aforesaid hollow fire bars may either be
used in combination with ordinary grate.bars, as represented by the Drawings,
or the surface of the fire grate may be composed wholly of the aforesaid
hollow bars; as this, however, will depend on the amount of heating surface
necessary for raising the temperature of the feed water to the required degree,
and the amount of fire surface necessary for generating steam in the boiler,

page_text: the adoption of the separate, or of the combined use of the fire bars, as above
stated, must be left to the judgment of the proprietor or his servants. I have
found good results obtained from having the hollow bars three feet long, and
a sectional area across the bar, of about two inches when the fire grate is two
feet wide, but I do not intend to limit myself to the above proportions. In
all cases great care should be taken to have the area of the inlet and outlet
boxes G and H, sufficiently large to prevent throttling of the water in the
hollow fire bars, or in other words, to allow the feed water to enter and leave
the said bars freely.
I now proceed to describe a method which I have found answer well in
practice for connecting the hollow fire bars E with the interior of the boiler
and with the pipes leading from the feed water reservoir, as follows:-In the
main flue D of the furnace I arrange and dispose one, two, or more pipes,
M, N, furnished with a safety valve at Z; the pipe M proceeds direct from
the force pump, from which the feed water is supplied to the boiler, and the
pipe N is for conducting the water by means of branch pipes 0, 0, to the
hollow fire bars E; or, instead of the pipes O passing through and along the
said flues of the furnace, as exhibited by the Drawings, in black lines, said
pipes may be carried from the main flue L, along the top of the brickwork,
or other convenient and suitable part of the furnace, to the front of the boiler,
as denoted by dotted lines at Figures 1 and 2, of Sheet 1; and, further, the
said feed pipe may pass direct from the force pump and enter from the front
of the brickwork, instead of said feed pipe passing through the main flues and
side flues, as lastly above described. I would here remark that, I am aware of
pipes having heretofore been arranged and disposed in the main flues and
side flues of furnaces for the purpose of partially heating the feed water of
steam boilers, but I believe such methods have failed in practice in consequence
of no provision having been made for keeping the outer surfaces of such pipes
free from soot (which is well known to be a bad conductor of heat), nor for
removing incrustation from the inner surfaces thereof; I do not, therefore, lay
any claim to passing the feed water through one or more pipes placed in the
main flues and side flues of the furnaces of steam boilers, but I do consider it
to be an important feature in my said improvements that I have discovered a
method for preventing accumulation of soot upon such said pipes by means
of scrapers of the following novel and peculiar construction, exhibited at
Figures 7, 8, 9, 10, of Sheet 1, where P, Q, mark two curved pieces of metal
hinged or connected together at "; the piece P has a weight b formed thereon
for keeping the curved end of this piece forced upwards, so that when such

page_text: scraper is applied to the outside of a pipe, as exhibited by dotted lines at
Figure 7, of Sheet. 1, the inner curved edges of the said scraper shall be
forcibly pressed against the pipe, and supposing several of these scrapers to be
fixed upon a long rod R (one or more scrapers between the flanges of each
length of pipe) and motion imparted to such said rod from the outside of the
furnace, either continuously or at intervals of time, by hand, or otherwise, it
will appear evident that the accumulation of soot will thus be prevented, and
the objection attending the use of feed water pipes, as heretofore constructed,
be entirely obviated.
I now proceed to describe the mode of connecting the pipes 0, 0, with the
hollow fire bars E and boiler, as follows:-To the outer ends of each of the
pipes 0, 0, I connect one end of the box of an ordinary check valve S, and the
other end of the said box I connect by an elbow pipe with the inlet pipe I of
the hollow fire bars E; and the outlet pipe K of each set of hollow bars. I
connect together by a branch pipe T (shewn best at Figure 1 of Sheet 1);
this branch pipe is fitted with a screw valve at U for cutting off, when
necessary, the communication between. the hollow fire bars and the water in
the boiler. And in order to keep up a circulation of water in the aforesaid
hollow fire bars to prevent them from bursting when the feed water is not
being forced into the boiler, I establish a communication between the water
in the boiler and the hollow fire bars by means of pipes .c, c, to each
check-valve-box.S; each-of-such-said- pipes-being-furnished-with-a-cock-d,
which should be shut when the feed water is passing through the hollow fire
bars, and the said cocks must be opened when the feed water is not passing
through said bars; and in this manner, and by these means, I keep up a
continual circulation of water in the hollow fire bars when the feed pump is
not at work. The hollow bars E may be readily freed, when necessary, from
incrustation or sediment by removing the screw plugs e and introducing a
suitable scraper, after which, by opening the cocks d and blowing water
through the bars, they will be thoroughly cleansed. As I have found it
difficult in practise, without great care, to get the points of junction or joints
of the boxes G, H, and flanges a, a, perfectly tight under a great pressure (say,
one hundred pounds to the square inch), I recommend therefore that these
joints be tested before the bars are fixed in the furnace to which they are to
be applied; this may be effected by hydraulic pumps such as are now used
with hydraulic presses or rams; and I further recommend that the said bars
and joints be tested to stand a pressure at least three times as great as their
average working, pressure, to provide against contingencies. In setting these

page_text: improved bars in a furnace. I have found it desirable to keep the innermost
end. H thereof somewhat lower than the opposite end G, as also the pipes in
the main flues, and those connected therewith in the side flues or other parts
of the furnace, (say, from one to three inches fall,) and I consider this necessary.
to ensure free circulation of the water through the hollow fire bars.
Having now described the adaptation of my said improvements. to 'the'
boilers of stationary engines, which said improvements are alike applicable to
the boilers of marine engines, I next proceed to describe the adaptation of my
said improvements to the boilers of locomotive engines, as follows:-Observing
that it is a well-known fact that the intense heat in the fire box of such said
engines causes the grate bars thereof to be worn out very quickly; it is also
well known that, according to the methods herein-before practised of supplying
the feed water to such said boilers, heated water could not be forced into the
boiler, in consequence of the heat destroying the vacuum in the force pump;
now, by my said improvements, I propose to remedy these objections and to
effect considerable economy in the wear and tear of the grate bars, and in
the consumption of fuel, in the manner and by the means exhibited more
particularly at Figures 13, 14, 15, 16, of Sheet 2, of the Drawings hereunto
annexed, as follows:-In connection with the ordinary feed water pipes and
force pumps I employ two other pipes O, O, each connected to and with its
respective force pump. S is a check valve, of which there should be two, one
to each of the pipes O, O; these valves should be placed as near as may be
to each force pump to allow the water which is contained in that part of the
feed pipe situate between the check valve and the hollow fire bars, to become
as much heated as possible during the impulses of the force pumps, and to
avoid, as far as practicable, forcing perfectly cold water into the hollow fire
bars. It might even be found desirable in practice to coat or cover the said
pipes with some substance or material which is a bad conductor of heat.
Having already fully described the construction of the hollow bars, and their
connection with the boiler and feed pipes of stationary and marine engines,
and as in the boilers of locomotive engines I propose to employ the same
general arrangement of the several parts to those already above described, . I
shall therefore now proceed to describe those minor differences of the details of
arrangement which are necessary in order to adapt the former arrangement to
the boiler of a locomotive; and I employ similar letters of reference to denote
corresponding parts in all cases where such parts are in both arrangements
used for the same purpose, and only differ in shape, for the sake of con-
venience of arrangement, that is to say, in the present arrangement I employ

page_text: two inlet pipes I for the feed water to pass from the force pumps into the
hollow fire bars, and three outlet pipes K for the passage of heated feed
water from the bars into the boiler, that the water may enter and leave the
hollow bars quickly; and I adapt a cock z to each of the pipes K, which can
be shut when it is required for repairs, so as to cut off the communication
between the aforesaid hollow bars and the water in the boiler. In connection
with the above, I employ the following arrangement for keeping up a free
circulation in the hollow fire bars when the feed pumps are not in motion.
I connect the feed pipes O, O, together by a branch pipe T, fitted with a
screw valve at U, placed in a convenient position for being readily opened
when the feed pumps are not in motion, and for being closed when said pumps
are in motion. In order that the fire grate may be readily cleared out, I
propose to have one or more solid loose bars at each side of the fixed hollow
bars, so that by raising the aforesaid loose bars the fire grate may be cleared
out as before stated. By the above mode of supplying the feed water to
steam boilers through hollow fire bars, the said bars from being constantly
charged with water are prevented from becoming red hot, or otherwise destroyed
by the intense heat of the fire thereon, clinkering is avoided, the heat and
vigour of the fire is increased, and the feed water is delivered into the
boiler in an intensely heated or boiling state instead of cold, or comparatively
so, as was formerly the case, and thus a great saving of fuel and fire bars is
effected.
:
Having now fully described and set forth the nature and object of my said
Invention of improvements in the means of supplying or feeding steam boilers
with water, whereby a great saving of fuel is effected, together with the best
means I am acquainted with for carrying the same into practical effect, I
would remark, in conclusion, that I am aware of hollow fire bars having
heretofore been employed in furnaces for various purposes, but I am not aware
of hollow fire bars having heretofore been employed for heating the feed water
of boilers; and I hereby declare my Invention to consist in and I claim,-
First, the means above particularly described, set forth, and represented of
heating the feed water of steam boilers, by causing the same to pass through
hollow fire bars, whereby such water becomes intensely heated before it enters
the boiler, as above stated.
Secondly. I claim combining the aforesaid hollow fire bars with one, two, or
more pipes when placed horizontally in the main flue of the furnace, and con-
nected to branch pipes O, O, passed either through the side flues of the furnace
or along the top or other convenient and suitable part thereof, as above stated,

page_text: for the purpose of conveying the feed water from the feed pump to the aforesaid
hollow fire bars.
Thirdly, I claim connecting the aforesaid hollow fire bars with the interior
of the boiler by means of the pipes I, K, T, and check and screw valves S
and U; and especially I claim the pipes and cocks c and d, for maintaining
free circulation of the water in the boiler through the aforesaid hollow fire bars
when the feed pump is not in motion, as above stated.
Fourthly, I claim the scraper exhibited at Figures 7, 8, 9, and 10, of
Sheet 1, of the Drawings hereunto annexed, for the purpose of removing soot,
and preventing accumulation thereof upon the pipes, through which the feed
water passes, as above stated.
Fifthly, and lastly, I claim the mode set forth and described with reference
to Figures 13, 14, 15, 16, of Sheet 2, of adapting the foregoing arrange-
ments to the boilers of locomotive engines for the purposes set forth.
And I desire it to be distinctly understood that I do not intend to limit or
confine myself to the precise details of construction and arrangement exhibited
by the annexed Drawings, as the same may be varied without departing from
the spirit of my said Invention.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Parker have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Second day of February, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight.
Witness,
THOMAS PARKER,
Toun Hill Street, Bradford,
Yorkshire.
JOHN