Can Anyone Help Me to Identify This Very Old Boiler Please?

Please can anyone tell me anything about this boiler? I know nothing and have scoured the internet to no avail. I need to talk to a real person with real knowledge and experience. There is no maker's plate or identifying mark. I feel like it must be quite old as it has some very archaic features, for example the sliding cast iron balls to control the uppermost valve. I have always assumed it's from a steam engine - is this correct? How old might it be? What was its purpose? How did it work? Is it British or perhaps from another country? Who could have made it? And finally how much might I reasonably expect to sell it for? Any and all information would be most gratefully received. Many thanks in advance

Hattie

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Ah sorry I forgot, size is roughly 32 inches tall (including chimney), by 10 inches diameter. Thanks for replying.

Hattie

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Nicely made, but as a steam producer, I would expect its performance to be poor, only the central flue for heat transfer, unless there are cross tubes in the firebox. I can't see a steam off-take either.  What's it made of?

I've no real idea, but might it be some type of "novelty" hot -water urn for making tea in the workshop, heated by coal or, less smokey, charcoal?

This thought was prompted by the generously sized tap by the foundation ring.

Might be of interest to a collector of mechanical bits and bobs.

Edited By Clive Brown 1 on 14/08/2019 18:18:58

Edited By Clive Brown 1 on 14/08/2019 18:21:59

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Bill,

Reason for saying there aren't tubes is I can't see any sign of a smokebox tubeplate. Neither is there any access for cleaning assuming its solid fuel The safety-valve passageway would also have to pass through the smokebox, but this could be the case I suppose

Boiler could be filled via the safety-valve.

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I think that is one of those ones you have to give a good kicking because someone dropped a screwdriver in the safety valve.

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Could be built along the lines of a Merryweather boiler where you would not see the tubeplate as it is a smaller diameter than the boiler shell. Plenty of cross tube boilers about where you only have a ring of rivits top and bottom sucjh as this

Edited By JasonB on 14/08/2019 19:52:10

Good points! Reminded me that steam was, and is, used for many purposes other than powering engines. The lack of a steam outlet suggests to me this is a process steam boiler, perhaps a pressure cooker, more likely an autoclave.

Dave

Dear bill, Clive, Dave, Pete, Jason

Thanks for your thoughts. Can't say i understand all of your conversation, but interesting and enlightening nonetheless. The body of the boiler is cast iron about an inch thick. The taps are brass. The top chimney looks like a later addition, as it lifts off to reveal about four inches of pipe with a thread, but the chimney is about an inch wider in diameter than the pipe so it does not screw on, it just sits on top of the tank. I can only post photos here that are already online (on eBay), so I can't show you that. I have added here a photo of the inside, which is completely hollow - I suppose it must be missing maybe a copper water tank? As there is currently nowhere for it to hold water. There is a grate for fuel which comes in two so that it can be lifted out of the door.

Thanks again to all for your input, much appreciated.

Hattie

I don't think it was for steam, looks similar to the old Geyser hot water boilers - large tea urn??

Regards

It is not actually 1" think, from the bottom you can see a tell tale line of the inner tube, same around the firehole. If it were solid there would be no need for rivits around the bottom or fire hole. Hattie, this shows a section through a typical boiler, you can see how there are "spacers" between the inner and outer walls creating a space for the water.

It is certainly missing some form of base as you would have needed room for air to get in under the grate. The lack of other holes is odd, the two brass "test cocks" part way up would have been used to gauge the level of the water between the two skins of the boiler, safety valve is obvious. The larger of the two bottom fittings looks like it may have been used to draw off hot water as the handle suggests more frequent use than a blowdown valve that is just used at the end of the day to clean out the boiler.

Edited By JasonB on 16/08/2019 08:57:38

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I think it is likely a North American continent item. Doesn’t appear to be on epay uk.

" I have always assumed it's from a steam engine"

Suggests Hattie has had it for some time, and not yet listed it as she is enquiring what price she may expect it to sell for. Obviously if it can be described correctly she will hopefully get a better price which is why we get so many "what is it" questions.

Edited By JasonB on 16/08/2019 08:43:13

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