Improvement in Boiler Tube and Tube Sheet Protectors.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Nov., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 9th Aug., 1894-Accepted, 15th Sept., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvement in Boiler Tube and Tube Sheet Protectors.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT, of 323 High Holborn, London, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the Improvements in
Boiler Tube and Tube Sheet Protectors, communicated to me by Charles
William Whitney, of 81 and 83 Fulton Street, New York City, in the United
States of America, Commission Merchant, and in what manner the same are to
be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in the following
statement :-
This invention relates to protectors for boiler tubes and tube sheets, designed
more especially for use with ribbed tubes, but they may be used with plain tubes
to good advantage.
These tube protectors are made preferably in the form of a short, slightly
tapering cylinder or thimble with ribs formed therein, which are generally arranged
to match or register with the ribs in the tubes when used with ribbed tubes, but
this may be varied at will.
The outside of the cylinder or thimble may be furnished with a slight bead near
the outer extremity, and it may also be slit down the side to render it slightly
flexible, so that it may be forced into a boiler tube, and then as the cylinder
expands the bead will catch in the groove ordinarily made by the tube expander,
and hold the protector in place.
I prefer to make these protectors with heads which will project outside the tubes
and by partially or wholly covering the tube sheet serve to protect it from the
intense heat generated in the fire-box. These heads may be of any desired form,
but I prefer to make them square or hexagonal with flanges so made as to interlock
over and under each other, whereby the protectors not only are securely held in
place, but as they cover the side of the flue sheet usually exposed to the fire, they
serve the purpose of a protection for the tube sheet.
It is evident that these protectors may be made either with or without a head,
with or without a slot, with or without a bead, with heads of any form, and with or
without interlocking flanges, and that they may be used either in plain or ribbed
tubes.
In some cases I may make these protectors having interlocking heads without
the ribs, and I may also make the ribbed protectors without the heads.
Dated this 14th day of November 1893.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvement in Boiler Tube and Tube Sheet Protectors.
I, Alfred Julius Boult, of 323 High Holborn, London, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the Improvements in
Boiler Tube and Tube Sheet Protectors, communicated to me by Charles
William Whitney, of 64, 66 and 68 Broadway, New York City, in the United
States of America, Commission Merchant, and in what manner the same are to
be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in the following
statement :-
This improvement relates first to a novel form of boiler tube protector, designed

page_text: to not only protect the ends of tubes but to prevent the entrance into the same of
particles. too large to pass easily through them, which if allowed to enter, not
unfrequently form an impediment or dam around which the soot and other infusible
matters collect and ultimately block the 'tube and nullify its action as a steam
generator. To these ends the invention consists in the peculiar construction and
arrangement of parts hereinafter more particularly described and then definitely
claimed:
In the accompanying drawings-
Figure 1 is an elevation of a portion of a tube-sheet of a boiler with one form of
my improved protector attached over a portion of the tubes..
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the same protector on a larger scale detached.
Figure 3 is a similar view of a protector having a round interlocking head.
Figure 4 is a similar view of a protector having a hexagonal interlocking head.
Figure 5 is a similar view of a protector having a "mushroom" head partly
broken away.
protector with a solid round head also partly
Figure 6 is a similar view of
liroken away.
Figure 7 is a similar view of a protector without a head.
Figure 8 is a similar view of a protector without the bead and slit shown in
Figure 7.
Referring now to the details of the drawings by figures1 represents part of a
tube-sheet of a boiler and 2 the tubes set therein. Figure 2 shows one of my
protectors with a square head (3) and preferably provided with flanges (4) to
interlock over and under the heads of the adjoining protectors.
The protector shown in Figure 3 has a round head, the two halves of which are
on different planes so as to interlock with the adjoining heads. When made with
round heads as in Figure 3, there are little triangular places left between them
which leave the tube-sheet lightly exposed. This, however, may be remedied by
the construction shown in Figure 4 where the 'head is shown in the hexagonal
form and with this style the tube-sheet may be entirely covered.
"
In the form shown in Figure 5, the head is hollowed out underneath as shown
at the part represented broken away, making what is known as a ❝ mushroom
top.
In Figure 6 the top is half round in cross section and solid underneath as
indicated in the broken away portion.
In Figures 7 and 8 the protectors are shown without heads.
The bodies of these protectors are round and preferably slightly tapering.
Inside of the bodies I have shown a series of ribs (5) running lengthwise through
the interior and extending outwards flush with the front, and each body is
preferably slit down one side, as shown at 6, and is provided with a bead of about
inch in width at about of an inch below the head (varying with the thickness
of the tube-sheet) but I may make them with two or three beads if found
preferable, and may also use the protectors as shown in Figure 8 without beads,
slits or heads if so preferred.
With these ribs (5) it will be seen that all large pieces of cinder, coke, clinker
or other objectionable materials are prevented from entering the tube, the ends of
the ribs acting as a sieve or strainer through which only such particles. can enter
as will readily pass through the tube with the ordinary draft employed, and
between the ribs where ribbed tubes are employed. In order that these protectors
may work to the best advantage where ribbed tubes are used, I provide the inner
end of the protector with one or more slightly tapering tongues (7), which will
enter between the ribs of the tube, thus preventing the protectors from turning
in the tubes. As these tongues are set on a line between two of the ribs of the
protector (when ribbed tubes are used) said ribs will register with the ribs in the
tube, and thus there is no chance for anything to accumulate at the beginning of
said ribs if my protectors are employed. Of course where ribbed tubes are used,
the ribs in the protectors should never be less than the number of ribs in the tubes,

page_text: but the number of ribs may be varied to suit the various conditions under which
the protectors are used. They may also be varied in shape to suit the makers or
users, and it may be found better in practice to increase the number of ribs in the
protector so as to reduce still more the size of the particles than can enter the
tube. The height of the ribs may also be varied, or they may extend completely
across the face of the protector as may be found best in practice.
The annoyance of clogging or filling up by the reception of particles within the
tube too large to pass readily through it, although by no means confined to ribbed!
tubes, is more pronounced in their case, because the ribs being removed for several
inches from the ends of the tubes for the purpose of expanding them in the boiler,
present of themselves at the point where they are cut off, an obstruction against
which a piece of cinder or other matter too large to pass between the ribs is apt
to lodge and form a nucleus or dam against which other matter collects and finally
blocks the tube.
But besides protecting the tube, my invention also protects the tube-sheet from
the excessive heat of the furnace, which is so great in locomotive and other
boilers in which forced draft is used, that the water coming into direct contact
with the tube-sheet is immediately converted into steam, which practically deprives
the ends of the tubes from the moisture and protection which the water in its.
liquid and natural state affords, and which in my judgment, is one of the principal
causes of leaky tubes in boilers, riz., the excessive and unequal expansion and
contraction of the metal in the tube and tube-sheet, due to this continual over-
heating and subsequent cooling off.
It will be noticed that the heads or flanges of some of the patterns of my tube-
end protectors interlock or fit into one another by lapping, so that in case one
should become loose from any cause it would be held in place by the others adjoining
it; but they may be used with a solid or mushroom head if preferred, or without
flanges, and of any thickness that may be found best in practice. The protectors
having square or hexagonal heads may be made to cover the entire surface of the
tube-sheet, and also interlock. It will be seen that my protectors with or without
heads or flanges and with either tapering or straight bodies, as may be preferred,
and being either solid or having an opening or slit entirely through them lengthwise,
may be forced into tubes of the sizes they are intended for substantially as they
come from the foundry, so as to remain practically tight in the tube-sheet without
being turned up or ground to fit each particular tube.
Moreover, after the protectors having openings or slits in them have been driven
into the tube, the bead shown in the drawings passing beyond that portion of the
tube which is expanded in the tube-sheet, will catch on the shoulder or into a groove.
formed by the expander or other tool back of the tube-sheet, and will thus assist
materially in holding the protector in place.
I may find it advisable in practice to have a second or third bead cast on the out-
side of my protector, so that if it should be found necessary to turn up or grind
down any portion of the outer surface to make a tighter fit than can be obtained by
forcing the unfinished casting in the end of the tube, this labor may be confined to .
these beads, and not necessarily, as would be the case without them, cover the entire
outer surface of the body.
With my invention, the article may be used almost as it comes from the foundry,
without any turning up or labor upon it to speak of, other than that required to
drive it in place.
From the foregoing Specification it will be seen that my invention is not only a
protection to the end of the tube, which is always the most vulnerable part of it
and the soonest to wear or burn out, but a protection to the tube-sheet itself,
because as before stated, the collars lapping and interlocking each other, may be
made to cover the entire face of the tube-sheet and protect it from the direct
action of the flame or gases upon it, thereby not only lengthening the life of the
tube, but of the tube-sheet also; lessening the liability of the tubes to leak;

page_text: increasing the generation of steam; and thus consequently lessening the cost of the
motive power.
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. A tube protector comprising a cylindrical body, provided with solid ribs
arranged longitudinally in the interior thereof, substantially as described..
2. A tube protector adapted to be used with ribbed tubes, comprising a cylindrical
body having a series of solid longitudinal ribs, said ribs substantially matching
with the ribs of the tube in which said protector is designed to be inserted, as set
forth.
3. Tube protectors having bodies constructed to enter boiler tubes with solid
internal longitudinal ribs and having interlocking heads whereby both tubes and
tube-sheet are protected, substantially as described.
4. A tube protector having solid internal longitudinal ribs and a round body,
and a head provided with flanges arranged at different planes, whereby one head
may overlap the flange of the next adjacent head, substantially as and for the
purpose set forth.
5. A tube protector adapted to be used with ribbed or plain tubes, consisting
of a cylindrical body having an enlarged portion or bead near its outer end,
and a series of solid internal ribs arranged longitudinally in the interior thereof
and matching with the ribs of the tube (when ribbed tubes are employed) in
which said protector is to be used, with or without a projecting tongue or
tongues set in line with the space or spaces between the ribs of the protector to
enter between the ribs of the tube (when ribbed tubes are used) substantially as
described.
Dated this 9th day of August. 1894.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.