Modular cast iron fin tube boiler

Claim 2

The combination of a combustion chamber, a cast iron header disposed at each end of the combustion chamber, a plurality of openings in said headers aligned with each other, a bundle of case iron, finned tubes disposed in the combustion chamber and extending across said combustion chamber, the opposite ends of the tubes in said bundle being disposed in said aligned openings and communicating with the headers, the opposite ends of said tubes and said openings being tapered to form a compression seal therebetween. a tie rod disposed inside of at least one of the tubes, said tie rod extending the full length of the tube and creating a force which compresses the headers onto the tubes and the seal between the ends of the tubes and the openings, manifolds on the opposite ends of said combustion chamber, each of said manifolds being interconnected with the header on the respective end of the combustion chamber, and a flue collector disposed above the tubes and enclosing the top of the combustion chamber.

Claim 3

The combination of claim 1 wherein said headers include a main body having a sidewall and an open backside, said sidewall including said plurality of openings, and a cover disposed over said backside and enclosing said header, said cover being removable to provide an access into the interiors of said headers and said tubes.

Claim 4

The combination of claim 2 wherein the headers and said bundle of tubes form a module, said openings are disposed in two staggered, horizontal rows, the cast iron, finned tubes in said bundle are staggered according to said openings and are disposed in two layers, and the ends of said header are contoured according to said stagger and are adapted to mate with the ends of said headers in adjacent modules.

Claim 5

In a boiler having a firebox, combustion means in said firebox and a flue collector for collecting the gases from the combustion means, a plurality of heat absorbing modules, each of said modules being identical to the other modules and including a first cast iron header adapted to be disposed on one side of said firebox, a second cast iron header adapted to be disposed on the other side of said firebox, each of said headers being substantially identical to the other header and having the opposite ends thereof contoured to mate with the end of the header in an adjacent module, a plurality of tapered openings in each of said headers, a plurality of cast iron tubes, the opposite ends of said tubes being tapered to fiT into said headers to thereby be rigidly interconnected with said headers whereby said module is a rigid self-contained structure, said tubes extending from one header to the other header whereby said tubes will extend across the firebox and over said combustion means, and a plurality of cast iron fins on each of said tubes, said fins being cast integral with the tubes.

Claim 6

In a boiler having a firebox, combustion means in said firebox and a flue collector for collecting the gases from the combustion means, a plurality of heat absorbing modules, each of said modules being identical to the other modules and including a first cast iron header adapted to be disposed on one side of said firebox, a second cast iron header adapted to be disposed on the other side of said firebox, each of said headers being substantially identical to the other header and having the opposite ends thereof contoured to mate with the end of the header in an adjacent module, a plurality of tapered openings in each of said headers, a plurality of cast iron tubes, the opposite ends of said tubes being tapered to fiT into said headers to thereby be rigidly interconnected with said headers whereby said module is a rigid self-contained structure, said tubes extending from one header to the other header whereby said tubes will extend across the firebox and over said combustion means, and a plurality of cast iron fins on each of said tubes, said fins being cast integral with the tubes.

Claim 7

The module of claim 4 wherein each of said headers include an end plate having openings therein to receive the ends of said cast iron tubes, and a manifold removably secured to said end plate, said manifold when secured to said end plate being effective to form an enlarged chamber communicating with said tubes, said manifold when removed from said end plate being effective to form an access opening into said headers and said tubes.

Claim 8

The module of claim 4 wherein each of said headers include a manifold having a face on one side and an enlarged chamber therein, a plurality of openings in said face communicating with said chamber and adapted to receive the ends of said tubes, and a removable cover adapted to be removably secured to said manifold, said cover when secured to said manifold being effective to seal said chamber and when removed from said manifold being effective to provide access to said tubes.

Claim 9

A heat absorbing module for use in a boiler having a combustion chamber and a plurality of heat absorbing modules in said combustion chamber identical to each other, each of said modules including a pair of end plates adapted to be disposed on the opposite sides of the firebox, a plurality of openings through said end plates, said openings being tapered, a bundle of cast iron water tubes having fins cast integral therewith, each of said tubes having its opposite ends tapered to mate with said openings, said tapered ends being forced into said tapered openings and rigidly connected to said sheets whereby the module is a rigid self-contained structure, said tubes being positioned between the two end plates so as to extend across said firebox above said combustion means when said module is properly disposed in position in said boiler, and a manifold removably secured on each of said end plates, said manifold when secured to said end plates being effective to form enlarged chambers communicating with said tubes and when removed from said end plates being effective to form access openings into said tubes.

Claim 10

A heat absorbing module for use in a boiler having a combustion chamber and a plurality of heat absorbing modules in said combustion chamber identical to each other, each of said modules including a pair of end plates adapted to be disposed on the opposite sides of the firebox, a plurality of openings through said end plates, said openings being tapered, a bundle of cast iron water tubes having fins cast integral therewith, each of said tubes having its opposite ends tapered to mate with said openings, said tapered ends being forced into said tapered openings and rigidly connected to said sheets whereby the module is a rigid self-contained structure, said tubes being positioned between the two end plates so as to extend across said firebox above said combustion means when said module is properly disposed in position in said boiler, and a manifold removably secured on each of said end plates, said manifold when secured to said end plates being effective to form enlarged chambers communicating with said tubes and when removed from said end plates being effective to form access openings into said tubes.

Claim 11

The module of claim 7 wherein the openings in said end plates are in two separate rows and laterally displaced from each other whereby said tubes are arranged in two tiers, and the opposite ends of said end plates are shaped to conform to the lateral displacement of the staggered tubes and to mate with the opposite ends of the end plates in adjacent modules.

Claim 12

The module of claim 8 including a tie rod disposed inside of at least one of said tubes and effective to impose a compressive load on the end plates which forces the parts of the module together.

Claim 13

The module of claim 8 wherein the ends of said tubes and the openings in the end plates are tapered to form a push fit therebetween.