Steam boiler

Claim 2

An improved steam boiler including in combination, a steam drum for holding a supply of water for the boiler and for collecting generated steam; a plurality of convection tubes operatively positioned for exposure to a heat supply, each of said convection tubes having a respective inlet and outlet end; and a plurality of headers positioned with respect to the steam drum so that the upper portions thereof are substantially below the normal operating level of said water supply, each of said headers individually communicating with the steam drum for receiving water from said drum and for conducting steam to said drum, each of said headers also being connected to both ends of each of a group of said plurality of convection tubes so that each header and the convection tubes connected thereto form a close circulatory loop independent of said steam drum whereby water is recirculated through said headers and convection tubes without passing through said steam drum.

Claim 3

An improved steam boiler including in combination, a steam drum for holding a supply of water for the boiler and for collecting generated steam; a plurality of convection tubes operatively positioned for exposure to a heat supply, each of said convection tubes having a respective inlet and outlet end; and a plurality of headers positioned with respect to the steam drum so that the upper portions thereof are substantially below the normal operating level of said water supply, each of said headers individually communicating with the steam drum for receiving water from said drum and for conducting steam to said drum, each of said headers also being connected to both ends of each of a group of said plurality of convection tubes so that each header and the convection tubes connected thereto form a close circulatory loop independent of said steam drum whereby water is recirculated through said headers and convection tubes without passing through said steam drum.

Claim 4

An improved steam boiler including in combination, a steam drum for holding a supply of water for the boiler and for collecting generated steam; a plurality of convection tubes operatively positioned for exposure to a heat supply, each of said convection tubes having a respective inlet and outlet end; and a plurality of headers positioned with respect to the steam drum so that the upper portions thereof are substantially below the normal operating level of said water supply, each of said headers individually communicating with the steam drum for receiving water from said drum and for conducting steam to said drum, each of said headers also being connected to both ends of each of a group of said plurality of convection tubes so that each header and the convection tubes connected thereto form a close circulatory loop independent of said steam drum whereby water is recirculated through said headers and convection tubes without passing through said steam drum.

Claim 5

A steam boiler as set forth in claim 1 wherein the individual headers are U-shaped and operatively aligned in parallel planes respectively adjacent to one another so as to collectively form side walls of a fire chamber defined thereby.

Claim 6

A steam boiler as set forth in claim 2 further comprising a plurality of inspection plugs respectively attached to each end of the individual headers so as to enable the easy removal of foreign material accumulated therein.

Claim 7

An improved water-tube type steam boiler including, in combination: a steam drum for holding a supply of water for the boiler and for collecting generated steam; a plurality of convection tubes, each having a respective inlet and outlet end and being operatively positioned for exposure to a heat supply; a plurality of looped headers aligned in parallel planes respectively adjacent to one another so as to collectively form side walls of a fire chamber defined thereby, each of said headers individually communicating with the steam drum for receiving water from said drum and for conducting steam to said drum, each of said headers also being connected to both ends of each of a plurality of said convection tubes so that each header and the convection tubes connected thereto form a closed circulatory loop independent of said steam drum whereby water is recirculated through said headers and convection tubes without passing through said steam drum; and a plurality of screen tubes each having an inlet and an outlet end respectively, a first group of said plurality of screen tubes being individually connected at both ends to the header at one end of said group of adjacently aligned headers and a second group of said plurality of screen tubes being individually connected at both ends to the header at the other end of said group of adjacently aligned headers, so as to form the respective end walls for the fire chamber.

Claim 8

An improved water-tube type steam boiler including, in combination: a steam drum for holding a supply of water for the boiler and for collecting generated steam; a plurality of convection tubes, each having a respective inlet and outlet end and being operatively positioned for exposure to a heat supply; a plurality of looped headers aligned in parallel planes respectively adjacent to one another so as to collectively form side walls of a fire chamber defined thereby, each of said headers individually communicating with the steam drum for receiving water from said drum and for conducting steam to said drum, each of said headers also being connected to both ends of each of a plurality of said convection tubes so that each header and the convection tubes connected thereto form a closed circulatory loop independent of said steam drum whereby water is recirculated through said headers and convection tubes without passing through said steam drum; and a plurality of screen tubes each having an inlet and an outlet end respectively, a first group of said plurality of screen tubes being individually connected at both ends to the header at one end of said group of adjacently aligned headers and a second group of said plurality of screen tubes being individually connected at both ends to the header at the other end of said group of adjacently aligned headers, so as to form the respective end walls for the fire chamber.

Claim 9

A steam boiler as set forth in claim 4 wherein the individual screen tubes associated with one of said end headers are respectively shaped to form an opening in the respective side wall to permit the introduction of a heat source therethrough.

Claim 10

A steam boiler as set forth in claim 4 further comprising a superheater tube communicating with the steam drum and positioned adjacent to the outwardly facing surface of the plurality of screen tubes associated with the other of said end headers.

Claim 11

A steam boiler as set forth in claim 4 further comprising a housing made of a insulating material and enclosing the entire boiler.

Claim 12

In a water-tube boiler for generating steam, including a steam drum for holding a supply of water for the boiler and for collecting generated steam, a plurality of convection tubes operatively positioned for exposure to a heat supply, and a plurality of looped headers individually connected to respective groups of the plurality of convection tubes and communicating with the steam drum for receiving water from the drum and for conducting steam to the drum, the improvement wherein said plurality of headers are operatively aligned in parallel planes respectively adjacent to one another so as to collectively form side walls of a fire chamber defined thereby.

Claim 13

In a water-tube boiler for generating steam, including a steam drum for holding a supply of water for the boiler and for collecting generated steam, a plurality of convection tubes operatively positioned for exposure to a heat supply, and a plurality of looped headers individually connected to respective groups of the plurality of convection tubes and communicating with the steam drum for receiving water from the drum and for conducting steam to the drum, the improvement wherein said plurality of headers are operatively aligned in parallel planes respectively adjacent to one another so as to collectively form side walls of a fire chamber defined thereby.