US2273453A - Boiler - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 17, 1942. P; w. VANDENBERG 2,273,453

BOILER s. sheets-Sheet 1 FiledAug. 16, 1959 Feb. 17, 1942. P. w. VANDENBERG 2,273,453

BOILER Filed Aug. 16, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. 17, 1942. P. w. vANDENl-:RG

BOILER Patented Feb. 17, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BOILER `Paul W. Vandenberg, Elmhurst, Ill., assignor to rCrane Co., Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application August 16, 1939Serial No. 290,418 4 Claims. (Cl. 122-225) This invention relates to steam and hot water boilersl and more particularly it relates either to I coal, gas or oil red boilers characterized by upright or vertically extending sections. The novel construction of the boiler sections has been evolved ,to` create greater efciency in the boiler operation and to make available easily and economically new advantages and conveniences in the manufacture'and` assembly of the equipment.

It is well known by those skilled inthe art that in a coal or solid fuel burning boiler, whether the stoking is done by hand or by automatic means, the arrangement ofthe flue passages should preferably conform to the general construction of an up-draft type'l of boiler. It is also well known that in a gas or oil fired boiler; in order to procure the greatest efciency in the operation of the boiler, the arrangement ofthe flue passages should conform to the general construction of a down-draft type boiler. However, boilers presently available are vnot adaptable to such convenient or ready conversion from solid fuel burning respectively to gas orliquid fuel burning,` or vice versa, without an.y appreciable reduction in the operating efliciencies of the boilers.

Accordingly, it is a main object of this invention to provide a boiler construction which is readily adaptabler to conversion from an up-draft type of boiler to a down-draft type of boiler or, conversely, from a down-draft to an lip-draft, and in which the operating eiiiciency of the boiler lwhen burning any type of fuel is comparable to the operating efliciency of a nonconvertible boilerv when burning the particular fuel for which itwas designed.

A further object of the invention is to provide a steam andl hot water boiler having upright or vertically extending sections in which certain of the said.l sections lare invertable for the conversion of the boiler from a down-draft type of boiler to an up-draft type vof boiler, or vice versa. A `still further object is to incorporate in a single boiler the most efficient design for hand or automatic solid fuel firing and'also vthe most eiicient design for gas or liquid fuel firing, therebyA substantially reducing the amount of manufacturing equipment and-the number of operations ordinarily required for the production of boilers which will efficiently burn all kinds of fuel. j

In carrying these and otherl objects, advantages and capabilities into effect reference should be had to the'accompanying drawings which disclose a preferred embodimentof the invention as described in the specification.

Fig. 1v is a front elevation of the boiler with the rst boiler section together with the doorsl and grate operating mechanism removed. The boiler is shown assembled for operation with coal or other solid fuel.

Fig. 2 is akvertical sidesectional' boiler shown in Fig. 1. j

Fig. 3 is a slightly magnified vertical side sectional view of the boiler taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 4. The boiler is shown assembled with the intermediatesections inverted for operation with gas or` liquid fuel, in which it will be noted that this figure shows a smoke hood different view of the `from the smoke pipe shown in Fig. 1.

forming a single boiler is` subject to variation inasmuch as the number of intermediate sections may be optionally altered to increase or decrease theucapacity of the boiler. Therefore, the four sections herein shown serve only to illustrate the invention. j

Referring in detail to Figs. 1 and 2, a typical coal fired boiler is shown which comprises a front section, generally designated I, one or more intermediate sections 2, and a rear section 3. The usual grates, shaker mechanism, and ash pit are provided and a suitable re box or combustion space 4 above the grates is provided as indicated. Each of thesections is provided with a pair of side vertical water legs 5 in communication with each other at their lower ends derstood that'the precise' construction or arrangement of the lwater passageways' and the flue passageways is not important in the utilization of the invention herein disclosed and that the shape of each Amay be variedconsiderably to the water.

Without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention.

As in the usual solid fuel burning boiler, the main body of the products of combustion passes upwardly and rearwardly impinging upon the exposed walls of the water passageways defining the combustion chamber 4 where the heat of combustion is thus transferred through the walls The burned and cooled products of combustion pass from the boiler through the smoke pipe I3 which is interconnected with the com-bustion chamber and the flue passageways at the rear uppermost portion of the rear boiler section 3.

The rear side of the rear boiler section 3 is preferably provided with flue apertures near each end of the section. When the boi-ler is assembled for operation as an up-draft type of boiler, the lower flue aperture should be closed with a suit- 'able cover such as, for example, the cover I G,

which, if desired, may assume the form of a draft door, and when the boiler is assembled for operation as a down-draft boiler, as hereinafter described, each upper flue aperture should be closed with a suitable cover such as, for example, the cover 2U, which, if desired, may take 'the form of an explosion relief door.

The water is brought into the boiler through the return iiow inlet I located at the rear lower end of section 3. It then may pass from one boiler section to the next through the passageways 6. The amount of water drawn into each water leg and section passageway will depend upon the rate at which the Water in each section is being heated and caused to rise from the respective legs to the upper portions of each -boiler section. When the boiler is used for generating steam, the water level will ordinarily be maintained in proximity to the passageways 'I. The steam rising from the water is conducted from the boiler through the outlet Iii, although more than one outlet may be utilized, if desired. If the boiler is used in connection with a hot water heating system the water is conducted from the boiler through the outlet pipe or pipes I5 to the system.

Attention is now directed to Fig. 3 in which the same four boiler sections which were shown and described in connection with Figs. 1 and 2 have been assembled with the intermediate sections 2 inverted, thereby providing a down-draft type of boiler for the eihcient combustion of gas or liquid fuels. The usual burner I6 and the repot I'I are here provided in place of the grates and other appurtenances which were provided on the solid fuel burning boiler. As indicated by the arrows the combustion of the fuel takes place within the repot and the hot gases tend to rise within the boiler.

At this point an important element of my contribution is stressed. and specically attention is directed to the fact that when my boiler is used as an up-draft type the smoke pipe I3 is attached to the upper rear side of the boiler section 3. However, when my boiler is used as a down-draft type under such conditions the smoke hood Il, which preferably comprises a separate attachment, is secured to the rear side of the boiler section 3. However, as distinguished from the smoke pipe I3, the smoke hood I9 extends to the bottom of the section 3 where it connects with the boiler flue apertures I8. In view of the fact that the smoke hood I9 is not used on the boiler when the latter is assembled as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, it is not shown.

Referring now to Fig. 4, the solid line arrows indicate the paths taken by the hot gases after combustion is completed within the repot. The gases rise in the central portion of the boiler. Then as they come in contact with the exposed water passage surfaces the gases are cooled and descend adjacent the interior sides of the boiler down past the repot to the ues I2 provided by the intermediate sections 2. Then, as more clearly shown in Fig. 3, the gases pass through the apertures IB in section 3 to the smoke hood I9 and then upwardly and out of the boiler as indicated.

The Water return and the outlet piping are identical to that described in connection with Figs. 1 and 2 and the general course of the water through the boiler is likewise from the lower portion of the boiler upwardly through the water legs of the sections to the upper portion of the boiler and then out through the pipe, or pipes, I5, as shown by the dotted arrow lines in Fig. 4.

Referring now to Fig. 5 wherein one of the intermediate sections 2 is shown, it will be noted thatl if the section is assembled in a boiler in the position shown the water channel provides a support for the flrepot II and at the same time provides for the relatively cool return water to be brought in close proximity to the combustion chamber immediately upon entering the boiler. If the boiler is to be used for the burning of solid fuels, one or more of the sections 2 are assembled in the boiler in the inverted position to that shown in Fig. 5. In the inverted position the water channel 8 is immediately above the combustion chamber and provides additional exposed surface within the boiler for the absorption of heat from the products of combustion. In addition, the rectangular shape of the opposite end of the section makes possible a large and conveniently shaped ash pit.

In order to facilitate the assembly, disassembly and reassembly of the boiler each section is provided with transverse openings therein for the reception of the usual hollow push nipples 2| which interconnect the water passageways. The boiler is preferably maintained in assembled relation by the upper and lower tie rods 22 and 23,

respectively. However, if desired, other means may of course be employed for maintaining the individual boiler sections in cooperative assembled relation.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments thereof described herein above, but includes all such modifications, variations and equivalents as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A boiler for hand or automatic coal-iiring or for oil or gas-ring comprising a plurality of vertically extending sections, a front boiler section, a rear boiler section and at least one intermediate boiler section therebetween, the said intermediate section being invertible and capable of assembly with the said front section and the said rear section in either inverted or upright position, the rear section having a plurality of horizontal ue outlets, one of the latter being adjacent to the upper portion thereof for attachment of a smoke-hood for coal-firing or as a relief door opening for oil or gas firing, the other flue outlet being adjacent the bottom portion of the said rear section for attachment of a smokehood for oil or gas-iiring or for a draft-box for coal-firing.

2. In a boiler having a plurality of vertically extending sections, a front section, a rear section, one or more intermediate sections therebetween, the said intermediate sections being capable of inversion when assembled with said front section and said rear section to convert the said boiler from an up-draft type of boiler to a down-draft type, or vice versa, the said rear section being provided with a pluralityof flue apertures whereby in predetermined assembly with said intermediate sections, the upper of said flue apertures serves as an outlet for the gases of combustion for a coal-red boiler, the lower of said ue apertures of the rear section being closed when the boiler is converted 'to an updraft type and the upper of said ilue apertures of the rear section being closed when the boiler is assembled for operation as a down-draft boiler.

3. In a boiler selectively suitable for coal, or oil burning or the like and having a plurality of vertically extending sections, a front section, a rear section, and one or more ported intermediate sections, the said intermediate sections being capable of assembly with said front and rear sections to convert the said boiler from an up-draft type of boiler to a down-draft type, or vice versa, the said rear section having upper and lower flue apertures, the arrangement of the said intermediate sections providing that when the sections are inverted in their assembly with said rear section a horizontal ue passage is formed at the lower portion of the boiler to make the latter a down-draft type, the lower of said flue apertures of the rear section being closed when the boiler is converted to an up-draft type and the upper of said flue apertures of the rear section being closed when the boiler is assembled for operation as a down-draft boiler.

4. In an up-draft boiler having a plurality of vertically extending sections, a front section, a back section having upper and lower ilue apertures, and one or more intermediate sections having a plurality of horizontally extending ports, intermediate sections being capable of converting the said boiler from an up-draft type to a downdraft type of boiler upon inverting said sections .to transpose said ports from the upper to the lower portions of the said sections, whereby when the boiler is used for oil firing, the lower flue aperture of the back section serves as an outlet for the gases of combustion, the upper flue aperture of the said back section serving as relief means for the prevention of explosion of the combustible gases within the combustion chamber, the lower of said ue apertures of the rear section being closed when the boiler is converted to an up-draft type and the upper of said flue apertures of the rear section being closed when the boiler is assembled for operation as a down-draft boiler.

PAUL W. VANDENBERG.

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