IMPROVEMENTS IN CLOSING TUBES AND IN PREVENTING THE INCRUSTATION IN BOILERS
Year: 1848

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
SEATON, of Camden Town, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Thirtieth day of May,
One thousand eight hundred and forty-eight, in the eleventh year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
William Seaton, my exors, adñiors, and assigns, Her especial licence, full
power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said William Seaton, my exors,
adñiors, and assigns, and such others as I, the said William Seaton, my exors,
adiors, or assigns should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to
time and at all times during the term of years therein expressed should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the
Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, and in the Islands of Jersey, Guernsey,
Alderney, Sark, and Man, and in all Her said Majesty's Colonies and Planta-
tions abroad, my Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CLOSING TUBES AND IN
PREVENTING THE INCRUSTATION IN BOILERS;" in which said Letters Patent is
contained a proviso that I, the said William Seaton, should cause a particular
description of the nature of my said Invention, and the manner in which the

page_text: same is performed, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, to be
inrolled in Her said Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters
Patent, as in and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully
and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
William Seaton, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention, and
the manner in which the same is to be performed, are fully described and
ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, reference being had to
the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked thereon,
that is to say:-
My Invention consists of improvements in the means of closing the ends of
tubular flues;
And, secondly, my Invention consists of improvements in preventing and
removing incrustations in steam boilers and steam generators.
And in order that the Invention may be most fully understood and readily
carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the means pursued by me.
My improvements for closing tube ends for steam boilers and steam
generators consist in making the ends round and hemispherical. This part of
my Invention is applicable to that class of steam boilers or generators where
numerous short tubes are fixed into the bottoms and descend into the space
over the fire and into the main flue from the fire, by which the same is divided
into numerous passages or flues, such descending flues being closed at the
bottom. The mode adopted heretofore for closing such tubes was by stamping
out pieces of metal of the same nature, thickness, and internal diameter as the
tube to be closed, and which piece had afterwards, if of copper or alloys of
metal, to be soldered, and if of iron, to be welded.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
In working according to my Invention I take an iron or steel mandril a,
the upper end of which is rounded or made hemispherical, as shewn. The
tube b, when on the mandril, is to project sufficiently above the mandril to be
closed upon it when compressed by the die, and this is effected in the following
manner The die c is fixed above the mandril in a screw or other proper press;
the mandril is placed vertical under the dic, which is then caused to descend, by
which the end of the tube will be compressed until an hemispherical end is
formed. If the tube be of iron the end is to be heated to a welding heat
before putting it on the mandril. But in closing the ends of tubes of copper
and alloys of metal, as a perfect closing at the end of the tubes cannot so well

page_text: be produced, therefore a small hole is to be left or one made at the end of each
tube, which may be perfectly closed by a small rivet (of the same metal as the
tube) introduced and compressed on the mandril by the die. In place of using
a press to actuate the die c, the same may be acted on by a blow or be worked
in the manner of stamping.
The second part of my Invention consists of means of preventing and
removing incrustations in steam boilers and steam generators, which I will
now describe.
It is well known that the incrustations arises from the lime contained in
the waters used, and my first improvement consists of applying chemical
agents to separate or precipitate the lime from the water before it goes into
a steam boiler or generator.
Another mode of carrying this part of my Invention into practice consists
of employing an acid (in the steam boiler or generator with the water) suitable
for retaining the lime in a soluble state, and so as to prevent its being thrown
down, adhering to the steam boiler or generator, and thus allow of the accumu-
lation of lime being from time to time blown out of the boiler or generator.
And another mode of carrying out this part of my Invention consists of the
application of wood in fine division in steam boilers and steam generators where
water having lime in solution is employed.
It is well known that several chemical agents, if introduced into water
containing lime, which most waters do, the water is rendered turbit, and the
lime becoming insoluble is precipitated; thus if oxalic acid be put into the water,
it unites with the lime and the lime is precipitated to the bottom of the vessel.
I therefore have a suitable tank or tanks in connection with each steam boiler
or steam generator, into which the water to be used is first brought and acted
on by a chemical agent so as to throw down the lime, and if time cannot be
allowed for precipitation, then it will be desirable to filter through charcoal and
sand before the water enters the boiler; thus the lime never enters the boiler;
and such is the case if other chemical agent (capable of rendering lime
insoluble) be introduced into water. I prefer to use oxalic acid, carbonate
of potash, or carbonate of soda, though other chemical agents may be used
for this part of my Invention, and I add it to the water, so long as a precipitate
of lime is obtained.
I would remark, in respect to this part of my Invention, that I do not
claim to precipitate lime from water by chemical agents, the same being
well known, this part of my Invention being the application of this process to
prevent incrustation in steam boilers and other generators. Or in place of
causing the lime to be deposited before the water containing it enters the

page_text: boiler, the incrustation of the steam boiler or generator may be prevented by
employing an acid or the matter hereafter mentioned, capable of retaining the
lime in solution; for this purpose I prefer the use of muriatic, nitric, or acetic
acid, though I do not confine myself thereto, by which the lime may be dis-
charged from the boiler at the blow-cock, in the same way as other mud or
sand. The quantity of acid to be used should at all times depend upon the
quantity of lime held in solution in the water, and this may be ascertained by
analysis. The following is the means pursued by me :-
I take a quart or other measure of water to be tested, and put into it one, two,
or more grains of oxalic acid; the water will turn milky and the lime will be
precipitated to the bottom of the vessel; if, after having subsided, and more
acid be tried and no change is effected, then the quantity of lime in such
measure of water will be ascertained, and a quantity of muriatic acid, equal in
weight to the linie in the water is to be run into the boiler with the water, so
that the lime contained in the water may be thereby kept in solution. In
cases where the boiler is already incrusted, I use the acid slightly in excess of
what is required for the water in order to remove the incrustation. When
acting on salt water I use solsoda or saltwart in place of acid, and I employ
about the same weight of this matter as the quantity of lime held in solution.
Another mode of operating, which acts partly by mechanical and partly by
chemical means, consists of the employment of wood in fine division, such as
sawdust and charcoal powder, by the introduction of which into a steam
boiler containing water having lime therein, I have found that these materials
in the solution has a mechanical effect in absorbing and taking up any surplus
particles of the lime held in solution; it also acts with friction upon the plates
of the boiler; and I have found that for each quantity by weight of lime sup-
posed to be in the water, that double that quantity of wood or charcoal should
be employed, and fresh quantities introduced about once a week, blowing out
that which has been previously used.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, I would have it
understood that what I claim is,-
First, the closing of the ends of tubular flues by dies.
Secondly, I claim the means of preventing and removing incrustations in
steam boilers and steam generators herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Seaton, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty-eight.
WILLIAM (L.s.) SEATON.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Thirtieth day of November, in
the year of our Lord 1848, the aforesaid William Seaton came before our said
Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification afore-
said, and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form above
written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according to the
tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Enrolled the Thirtieth day of November, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and forty-eight.