Improvements in and relating to Steam Generators.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Nov., 1895-Accepted, 28th Dec., 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Steam Generators.
1, JAMES JOSEPH BUSH, residing at No. 40 Carver Street, in the City of
Boston, County of Suffolk, and State of Massachusetts, United States of America,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement:-
My present invention has reference to improvements in steam generators and
water circulators, and is designed to provide an efficient and simply constructed
device, the invention having for its main purpose to prevent incrustation of the
shell of the boiler; to produce a constant and positive circulation of the water
through the same; to provide a means, whereby, when the fire is hottest on the one
side of the furnace, a positive circulation of the water must result, the construction
being such to prevent the "backing-up of the steam in the generator pipes,
whereby super-heated steam is caused and results in the burning out of the pipes;
and finally, to heat the water in the boiler to a high degree and generate steam
more rapidly than under ordinary circumstances, all of which is accomplished by
an economical and simply constructed device without adding greatly to the cost of
the boiler.
"
In certain kinds of water heaters and steam generators, a series of pipes
underneath the boiler, (arranged in pairs) have been used, each series being in
communication at one end through couplings, which are rect-angular in shape, and
communicating at the other end through a water box, both of said series of pipes
leading into one and the same chamber in said water box.
I have found that the construction of couplings and the water box employed
and set forth in the appliances, as heretofore made, is impractical, for the reasons
that the rect-angular couplings cannot be used on account of the limited space at
the lowest portion at the back of the boiler, and also, that when the water box is
made with one continuous chamber, when the fire is hottest on one side in the
furnace, the water will be caused to circulate directly through said continuous
chamber from oue series of pipes to the other series of pipes, instead of passing
directly into the boiler, thereby generating super-heated steain in the pipe sections
and finally resulting in the burning out of the pipes.
I have successfully overcome these serious difficulties, in my novel construction
of steam generator and water circulator as a complete device; and the invention
therefore consists, first, in the novel construction of steam generator and water
circulator as a complete device; secondly, in the novel construction of expatision
header provided with slip joints; thirdly, in the novel construction of a partitioned
water box; fourthly, in the novel arrangement and combinations of these parts
with certain other parts to form an efficient and successfully operating steam
generator; and finally, the invention consists in the details of construction of
certain other parts, as will be hereinafter fully described and finally embodied in
the clauses of the claim.
The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which :—
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a boiler and the improvements applied

page_text: igure is a front end view, and Figure 3 a back end view of the boiler and
steam generator and water circulator.
Figure 4 is a plan view of the sections or series of piping, expansion headers,
water box and the various connections comprising my novel form of steam generator
and water circulator.
Figure 5 is a horizontal section of one of the expansion headers and its slip
joints, to allow for the expansion and contraction of the generator pipes connected
with the header.
Figure 6 is a horizontal section of my novel form of partitioned water box
connected with the heater or generator pipes, and
Figure 7 is a side view of a novel form of elbow used in connection with my
present invention.
Similar letters of reference are employed in each of the above described views,
to indicate corresponding parts.
Referring to the drawings, 6 indicates a suitable construction of boiler, with
the parts of the side walls of the furnace broken away, clearly illustrating the
arrangement and application of my novel form of steam generator and water
circulator to this type of boiler.
My novel form of steam generator and water circulator is arranged within the
combustion or flame chamber of the furnace, in close proximity to the boiler, and
consists, essentially, of a series of heater or generator pipes a, arranged in two
series, to both sides of a central dividing line through the middle of the boiler, as
clearly illustrated in Figure 4.
For the sake of clearness in the following description, I shall hereafter designate
these two series of pipes by the reference letters A and A
The pipes in each series A and A' communicate at the front with a suitable
water box c, having a centrally placed wall or partition c¹ forming two chambers c
and c³, the pipes a in the series A being connected with openings or holes in the
wall of the chamber, and the pipes a in the series A¹ being connected with
openings or holes c in the wall of the chamber (³. At the rear, said pipes connect
with the slip joints e on the suitable teats of a pair of expansion headers d,
substantially as illustrated in Figures 4 and 5.
Said headers d are open at their ends near the centre line of the boiler, being
provided with suitable nipples d' or other suitable means for connecting the ends d³
of the headers d with an opening f in the specially constructed elbow-fittings f
and f. In the upper openings of the respective elbows are fitted short pieces of
piping and f³, see Figure 4, secured in the end of the boiler, to establish direct
communication with the lower part of the said boiler. Directly connected with the
lower openings f of said elbows are the vertical pipes g and g', which communicate
with the mud drum h, as clearly illustrated in Figures 1 and 3.
My novel construction of elbow, illustrated more particularly in Figure 7, permits
me to tap the boiler b at the lowest possible point, on both sides of the hand hole b²,
see Figure 3, and connect the same with the ends of the comparatively large
expansion headers, without interfering with the utility of the hand hole and the
. parts of the appliance applied to the boiler.
The expansion joints in the constructions of steam generators as heretofore
made, are cumbersome and useless, in that, owing to the arrangement of the
connecting pipes in the centre of the joint fittings, the latter are brought too
closely to the hand hole in the end of the boiler, and interfere with the utility of
said hole, preventing the workman from removing the cover over said hole, when
necessary.
This is a very serious objection and has been successfully obviated by the use
of my novel form of elbows, illustrated in Figure 7, and the manner of connecting
the same with the expansion headers d.
Each pipe a in the series A, and A¹ is loosely arranged in an opening in certain
screw-threaded teats or enlargements on the said headers, and a steam-tight
joint is made by slipping the perforated caps el over the ends of said pipes a and

page_text: screwing them down upon said teats with a suitable packing i behind said caps, in
the manner substantially as illustrated in Figure 5.
The front ends of said pipes a, being permanently fixed in the holes or openings
in said partitioned water box c, will cause said pipes to expand in a direction
toward the back of the boiler, said pipes slipping back and forth in the slip-joints
of said headers when they expand or contract, as will be readily understood.
As has been previously stated, the pipes f and are in communication with
the lower part of the boiler, and the chambers 2 and 3 are respectively connected
by means of pipes k and with the upper portion of the boiler, above the water
line thereof.
I have found by experience, that when the two series of pipes A and A¹ com-
municate with but one and the same chamber in the water box, when the fire is
hottest on one side of the furnace, a circulation of water will be caused from the
section of pipes on the hottest side to the series of pipes on the colder side,
resulting in generating superheated steam in the pipes, and hence causing the early
destruction of the same.
When the water box c is provided with a partition, forming chambers, and with
each of which but one series or section of pipes a is in direct communication, an
independent circulation of the water will be caused through each series of pipes,
its respective chamber in the water box, and finally through the boiler and back
into the series of pipes, irrespective of the intensity of the heat of the fire at any
point of the furnace, and a perfectly operating device for the purposes for which it
is intended, will be the result.
Of course it will be understood, that each series of pipes A and A¹ may
comprise therein any suitable number of pipes a, usually ranging from two to
eight pipes in each series. It will also be understood, that the water box c may
be provided with several partitious, if desirable, forming within said box, more
than two chambers.
As will be seen from an inspection of Figure 1, the water box c can be employed
to take the place of the usual form of brick arch employed in furnace constructions,
and the heat heretofore wasted by absorption, now materially assists in the
generation of steam, as will be evident.
Of course it will be understood, that many other modifications of the construction
shown and described may be made without departing from the scope of my present
invention, and I therefore do not limit my invention to the exact arrangements and
combinations of the parts herein shown.
By my novel arrangement and combinations of the parts, I have virtually devised
two independently operating steain generators and water circulators used in
connection with one boiler, resulting in a positive, continuous, direct and
unobstructed flow of the water through the sections or series of pipes, chambers in
the water box and the boiler, the water being taken at the lower part at one end,
and being delivered at the top of the boiler, whereby the circulation is such to
prevent any deposition of dirt, sediment, or other foreign substances on the inner
surface of the boiler, all such substances being duly deposited in the mud drum.
'
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is :-
1. The combination, with a boiler, of a steam generator and water circulator,
consisting of a series of pipes, as A and A', arranged immediately below the boiler
and in the fire box or flame-chamber, communicating with the lower portion of the
rear end of the boiler, and at the other end of said pipes, a partitioned water box
forming separate chambers with which said series of pipes are independently
connected, and means for establishing communication between said box and the
boiler at or near the top thereol, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
2. The combination, with a boiler, of a steam generator and water circulator,
consisting of a series of pipes, as A and A', arranged immediately below the boiler

page_text: and in the fire box or flame-chamber, communicating at one end through expansion
headers, as d, having slip-joints e, and a pipe at one end of each header which
communicates with the boiler at or near the bottom thereof, and at the other end
of said series of pipes, a partitioned water box forming separate chambers with
which said series of pipes are independently connected, and pipes connected with
said box for establishing communication between said box and the boiler at or near
the top thereof, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
3. The combination, with a boiler, of a steam generator and water circulator,
consisting of a series of pipes, as A and A¹, arranged immediately below the boiler
and in the fire box or flame-chamber, communicating at one end through expansion
headers, as d, having screw-threaded teats d', a perforated cap el on each teat and
a packing in each cap, forming slip-joints, a pipe at one end of each beader which
communicates with the boiler at or near the bottom thereof, and at the other end
of said series of pipes, a partitioned water box forming separate chambers with
which said series of pipes are independently connected, and pipes connected with
said box for establishing communication between said box and the boiler at or
near the top thereof, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
4. The combination, with a boiler, of a steam generator and water circulator,
consisting of a series of pipes, as A and A', arranged immediately below the boiler
and in the fire box or flame-chamber, communicating at one end through expansion
headers, as d, having slip-joints e, an elbow at one end of each header, said elbows
having openings f, f³ and f, pipes in said elbows connecting them with the boiler
at or near the bottom thereof, pipes also connecting said elbows with a mud drum,
and at the other end of said series of pipes, a partitioned water box forming
separate chambers with which said series of pipes are independently connected, and
pipes connected with said box, for establishing communication between said box
and the boiler at or near the top thereof, substantially as and for the purposes set
forth.
5. The combination, with a boiler, of a steam generator and water circulator,
consisting of a series of pipes, as A and A¹, arranged immediately below the boiler
and in the fire box or flame-chamber, communicating at one end through expansion
headers, as d, having slip-joints e, and a pipe at one end of each header which
communicates with the boiler at or near the bottom thereof, and means at the
other ends of said series of pipes, for establishing communication at or near the top
of the boiler, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
6. The combination, with a boiler, of a steam generator and water circulator,
consisting of a series of pipes, as A and A', arranged immediately below the boiler
and in the fire box or flame-chamber, comiaunicating at one end through expansion
headers, as d, having screw-threaded teats d', a perforated cap el on each teat, and
a packing in each teat, forming slip-joints, and a pipe at one end of each header
which communicates with the boiler at or near the bottom thereof, and means at
the other ends of said series of pipes, for establishing communication at or near
the top of the boiler, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
7. The combination, with a boiler, of a steam generator and water circulator,
consisting of a series of pipes, as A and A¹, arranged immediately below the boiler
and in the fire box or flame-chamber, cominunicating at one end through expansion
headers d, having slip-joints e, an elbow at one end of each header, said elbows
having openings f, and f, pipes in said elbows for connecting them with the
boiler at or near the bottom thereof, pipes also connecting said elbows with a mud
drum, and means at the other ends of said series of pipes for establishing com-
munication at or near the top of the boiler, substantially as and for the purposes
set forth.
8: The hereindescribed header d, for a steam generator and water circulator,
having screw-threaded teats, as d², perforated caps e¹ on said teats, and a packing
between said teats and caps, and an opening d³ in one end of said header, adapted
to receive a nipple, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
9: The hereindescribed water box c, for a steam generator and water circulator,

page_text: having a partition or wall c³, integral with the inner sides of the box, forming
chambers and c³, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
Dated this 19th day of October 1895.
JAMES JOSEPH BUSH.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.