US737558A - Steam-boiler. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTED AUG. 25, 1903.

A. W. LA PRANGE. STEAM BOILER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 1Q, 1902.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- H0 MODEL.

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No. 737,558. 7 PATBNTED AUG. 25, 1903. AJW. LA FRANCE.

STEAM BOILER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 14, 1902. N0 MDDEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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WITNESSES: ,INVENTOR 7/ M. S. Qwmgogn mv 777 I Y IA/LL ATTORNEY "ma mums PETERS m4 Pum'oumo. WASHINGTON, u. c.

UNITED STATES Patented August 25, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

ASA W. LA FRANCE, OFELMIRA, NEW YORK.

STEAM-BOILER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 737,558, dated August 25, 1903. Application filed November 14. 1902. Serial No. 131,418. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

' Be it known that I, ASA W. LA FRANCE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Elmira, in the county of Ghemungand State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steam -Boilers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in vertical steam-boilers of the combined water and smoke tube type intended more particularly for the quick and rapid generation of steam as required for steam fire-engines and similar purposes.

My object is to provide certain improvements in the form, construction, and ar: rangement of the water-tube nests, whereby a more perfect circulation of the heat and gases of combustion will be attained and whereby the water as it circulates through the said nests will be presented in a smaller body to the heating-surfaces.

A further object is to provide for the more perfect separation of the steam and water above the crown-sheet after passing out from the heads or manifolds of said nests, and a still further object is to provide the watertubes with a novel displacing-core, so mounted within the tubes as to be free to move in any direction therein in order that the water as it passes through the tubes when the boiler is steaming will be in a continual state of agitation, thereby preventing any deposit of mud or sediment in the heads or tubes of the nests.

I attain these objects by means of the construction and arrangement of the boiler and its parts as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which--- Figure 1 represents a vertical section of my improved boiler; Fig. 2, a transverse section of the same on the line 2 2 in Fig. 1, looking downward; Fig. 3, a section on the line 3 3, looking upward; Fig. 4:, a detail showing a vertical section through one of the water-tubes and the u pperand lower nest-heads; and Figs. 5, 6, and 7, transverse sections on the lines 5 5, 6 6, and 7 7, respectively, in Fig. at.

Like letters of reference designate like parts in the several views.

A represents the outside shell of the boiler, and B the inside shell or fire-box sheet.

0 is the leg of the boiler, in which the wa ter circulates between the outer and inner shells.

D is the fire-box space, and E the crownsheet closing the upper end of shell B. Between the crown-sheet and the fire-box in what may be termed the combustion-chamber are located a number of nests of Watertubes consisting of manifolds or headers F and G, connected together by tubes H. It will be noted that these headers F and G are of a novel zigzag formation and that the nests formed thereby are set in radial positions in an annular ring around a central compound nest. The water enters these nests from the leg of the boiler through connections I, which are coupled to the headers F at the outer ends thereof, and after rising through the tubes II it passes from the headers G to the waterspace above the crown-sheet by way of the connections J, which pass upward through the crown-sheet from the inward ends of said headers G. The connections J are closed at.

the top and provided with lateral outlets in the usual manner to prevent the water and steam from being thrown directly upward as they issue from the nests. At the center of the combustion-chamber is an annular nest formed of the headers K and M, united by tubes H, the header K being coupled to the leg of, the boiler by connection L and the header M to the space above the crown-sheet by connection N. Within this annular nest is a small nest coupled to the cross-piece of the header M and composed of headers O and Q, connected by water-tubes as before, the header 0 being connected to the leg of the boiler by connection P. The lower ends of tubes H are reduced or contracted at h, where they enter the lower headers F, K, and 0, and the said headers are correspondingly reduced in cross-section. I attain a twofold object in thus contracting the tubes and lower headers. By reducing the lower ends of the tubes I insure an equal circulation of the water from the headers through all the tubes, since the area of the tube-openings can be so proportioned that none of the tubes can take water from the others, and the tubes farthest from the point of supply will have delivered to them as much water as those nearest said point. By contracting the lower headers I reduce the surface of the metal presented over the fire-box, thereby giving more free and open spaces for the smoke and gases of combustion as they rise through the nests and permitting the heated gases to rise in close contact with the water-tubes H. Heretofore the large and blunt bottoms of these lower headers have presented a considerable amount of metal obstruction over the fire, thereby hindering the upward flow of these gases and tending to throw them away from around the water-tubes. Also the cinders, which are drawn up from the fire by the strong and forced draft incident to this type of boiler, will lodge on the projecting ledges and in the narrow spaces between the headers as so formed,clogging up the flue-spaces between the nests and seriously impeding the rise of the gases through the nests. This fault is obviated by my construction of these lower headers. In order to further facilitate the rise of the heat, gases, and smoke, I make the bottom of these lower headers of a V shape in cross-section, all of which will appear from an inspection of Fig. 4. With respect tothis reduction of the lower headers, I do not confine myself toits use in connection with any particular shape or formation of the headers, as it may be applied with equally good results to those forms now in common use.

By my radial arrangement of the headers and nests improved results are attained, inasmuch as the water entering the lower headers at their outer ends and passing out through the upper headers at their inward ends must pass from the outer'periphery of the combustion-chamber to points adjacent the center thereof in rising through the nests, the water thus passing from the points of lowest heat to the points of, greatest heat in all the nests before it issues into the waterspace above the crown-sheet through the connections J. By the radial zigzag formation of the nests I am also enabled to provide more free and equal passages for the smoke and gases between the nests and to arrange the smoke-lines above the crown-sheet to better advantage than heretobefore.

In order to fill the central space after bringing the inward ends of the radial nests as close to the center as practicable, I provide a compound nest consisting of the annular nest composed of headers Kand M, united by tubes H, fed from the water-leg by the connection I. and coupled to the crown-sheet by connection N, and the central nest coupled into the head of said annular-nest, composed of headers O and Q, connected by similar tubes and having a separate connection P with the leg of the boiler, thus insuring an ample supply of water for the circulation through this central nest, which receives the strongest heat from the combustion-chamber.

In order to more perfectly separate the steam and water after it issues from the connections J and N above the crown-sheet, I provide a bafiie-plate R, which is supported on suitable standards or studs at a point adjacent to the water-line, the smoke-Flues passing through corresponding holes in said plate, and the outer periphery of said plate being of somewhat smaller diameter than the shell A of the boiler, thereby leaving an annular open space near the said outer shell. As the circulation through the nests is very rapid in this type of boiler, the steam rising from above the connections J and N will be in a highly-saturated condition, and if allowed to rise immediately into the steam-space at the top of the boiler it will be found almost impossible to get dry steam into the steam-pipe S. By placing the baffle-plate R at the point indicated and forcing thereby all the steam and water to take a lateral direction after issuing from the nest connections, so as to flow outwardly toward the shell of the boiler,

there will be given time during its outward circulation, which circulation takes place in contact with the heated smoke-Hues, for the steam and water to become perfectly separated, the steam rising from around the outer periphery of the baffle-plate in the direction indicated in Fig. 1 and the waterdescending into the leg of the boiler, where it again circulates through the nests. The steam after passing, around the'baifle-plate is drawn to the center of the steam -space above the said plate before it passes into the steampipe S, and in thus passing'to the center it is again brought in contact withthe smokeflues, and thereby superheated or at least freed from any degree of saturation. Heretofore without the use of such a baffle-plate the smoke flues have interfered with the lateral flow of the water from the center of the crown-sheet to the leg of the boiler, thereby causing the water to bank up at the center of the crown-sheet and resulting in the spurting upward of the water into the Steamspace. By my arrangement of a broad baffle-plate covering all of the outlets above and adjacent to the crown-sheet the thorough separation of the steam and water is accomplished and primingin the boiler is prevented, since the water which rises above the crown-sheet is forced to flow outwardly to the space adjacent the outer shell, where it is caught by the strong current of the water circulating down the leg of the boiler and is drawn thereinto away from the steam-space. By thus forcing the water outwardly from the center of the space immediately above the crown-sheet to the leg of the boiler I furthermore provide a constant and steady circulation of the water down the leg and through the nests, thus insuring an ample supply of water to the nests and preventing the rapid circulation through the nests from drawing the water out of the leg of the boiler, as has been frequently the case heretofore in this type of boiler when running with low water under forced draft. While I preferably locate the baffle-plate a short distance above the water-line, it may be placed at or even below the water-line with good results, and I do not, therefore, confine myself to the exact location as herein shown.

In order to reduce the body of water passing through the water-tubes II and yet retain a large heating-surface, I provide in each tube a core or water displacing piece T, which is preferably hollow with closed ends, so as to render it water and steam tight, although it may be made solid. By the use of this core the water circulates through the tubes H in an annular stream and is subject throughout to the direct heat imparted to the tubes, thereby causing the generation of steam several minutes earlier than where the water is allowed to pass through the tubes in a solid body. These cores or water-displacers T, I preferably make of aluminium or other metal and of such specific gravity that they will be free to rise and fall with the ebullition of the water while steam is being generated. In order to keep them in place, I provide guide-pins t i at the top and bottom, the upper pin not reaching to the top of the header G when the lower pin is resting on the bottom of header F, as indi cated in Fig. 4, in order that the displacer may rise and fall in the tube. As the water in passing through the tubes H will be subject to more or less violent ebullition, these displacers T will be constantly moving up and down and from side to side within the tubes and will loosen any deposit of sediment that might otherwise adhere to the inside walls of the headers and tubes, thereby keeping the said headers and tubes free from scale, so that the water will always be in direct contact with the heated metal of the nests. The lower guide-pins 2f, resting as they do on the bottom of headers F, will constantly stir up any mud deposit settling in these lower headers, and I thus obviate a trouble which has heretofore been experienced by reason of these lower headers F filling up with mudwhen dirty water must be used.

Having thus described my improvements, whatI claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is.

1. In an upright boiler, the combination of a radiated series of substantially zigzagshaped nests of water-tubes located between the crown-sheet and fire-box, the lower nest heads, or manifolds being connected with the leg of the boiler and the upper heads with the water-space above the crown-sheet.-

2. In an upright boiler, the combination of a radiated series of nests of water-tubes, comprising substantially zigzag-shaped heads or manifolds united by tubes, said nests radiating from points adjacent the center of the combustion-chamber toward the leg of the boiler and being located between the crownsheet and fire-box, the lower heads having connection with the leg of the boiler and the upper heads with the water-space above the crown-sheet.

3. In an upright boiler, the combination of a radiatedseries of tubular nests located between the crown-sheet and fire-box, the nest heads or manifolds being of irregular formation with interprojecting offsets so spaced apart as to give substantially uniform flue areas at all points between the heads, the lower heads having connection with the leg of the boiler, and the upper heads with the water-space above the crown-sheet.

4. In an upright boiler, the combinationof a radiated series of tubular nests extending outwardly from near the center to the leg of the boiler between the crown-sheet and firebox, the lower nest heads or manifolds being connected at or near their outer ends with the leg of the boiler, and the upper heads being connected at or near their inner ends with the water-space above the crown-sheet.

5. In an upright boiler, the combination of a radiated series of tubular nests extending outwardly from around a central nest to the leg of the boiler between the crown-sheet and fire-box, said nests being connected at their lower ends with the leg of the boiler and at their upper ends with the water-space above the crown-sheet at points adjacent the central nest.

6. In an upright boiler, the combination of a radiated series of tubular nests disposed about a central nest between the crown-sheet and fire-box, said nests being connected at their lower ends with the leg of the boiler and at their upper ends with the Waterspace above the crown-sheet at points adjacent the center thereof, and a battle-plate extending across the boiler adjacent the water-line with an annular space between it and the outer shell of the boiler.

7. The combination, with a water-tube and smoke-flue boiler, of a shallow circulatingchamber formed by a baffie-plate located in the smoke-flue section above the crown-sheet, the water-tubes of the boiler having their outlets through the crown -sheet in direct communication with said chamber, and said chamber being in direct communication with the leg of the boiler and with the steam-space above by way of annular passages adjacent the outer shell of the boiler.

8. In a boiler, the combination, with the water-tubes, of core pieces or displacers having end and side play therein, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

9. In a boiler, the combination, with the vertical watertubes, of impervious core pieces or displacers loosely mounted therein and having guide-pins at each end projecting into the heads or manifolds by which said tubes are coupled together.

10. In a boiler, the combination, with the vertical water-tubes, of core pieces or displacers com prising hollow tubes closed at each end and provided with guide-pins projecting from the ends, as and for the purpose set forth.

11. In a boiler, a nest of vertical watertubes having their upper ends of full size entered into an upper head or manifold and their lower ends contracted and entered into a correspondingly-contracted lower head or manifold, as and for the purpose set forth.

12. In a boiler, a nest of vertical Watertnbes having their lower ends contracted and entered into a correspondingly-contracted head or manifold, the bottom of said head being also contracted to a V-shaped crosssection.

13. In a-boiler, a nest of vertical water tubes, the lower head or manifold of said nest having its bottom at the outside contracted to a sharp V-shaped crosssection, for the purpose set forth.

14. In a boiler, a nest of Water-tubes having their ends contracted where they enter the head or manifold which receives the greatest heat, and their opposite ends of full diameter, for the purpose set forth. y

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ASA W. LA FRANCE. Witnesses:

M. L. BECK, M. E. VERBECK.

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