Barrel of a boiler

Barrel \Bar"rel\ (b[a^]r"r[e^]l), n.[OE. barel, F. baril, prob.
   fr. barre bar. Cf. {Barricade}.]
   1. A round vessel or cask, of greater length than breadth,
      and bulging in the middle, made of staves bound with
      hoops, and having flat ends or heads; as, a cracker
      barrel. Sometimes applied to a similar cylindrical
      container made of metal, usually called a {drum}.
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   2. The quantity which constitutes a full barrel. This varies
      for different articles and also in different places for
      the same article, being regulated by custom or by law. A
      barrel of wine is 311/2 gallons; a barrel of flour is 196
      pounds.
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   3. A solid drum, or a hollow cylinder or case; as, the barrel
      of a windlass; the barrel of a watch, within which the
      spring is coiled.
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   4. A metallic tube, as of a gun, from which a projectile is
      discharged. --Knight.
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   5. A jar. [Obs.] --1 Kings xvii. 12.
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   6. (Zool.) The hollow basal part of a feather.
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   {Barrel bulk} (Com.), a measure equal to five cubic feet,
      used in estimating capacity, as of a vessel for freight.
      

   {Barrel drain} (Arch.), a drain in the form of a cylindrical
      tube.

   {Barrel of a boiler}, the cylindrical part of a boiler,
      containing the flues.

   {Barrel of the ear} (Anat.), the tympanum, or tympanic
      cavity.

   {Barrel organ}, an instrument for producing music by the
      action of a revolving cylinder.

   {Barrel vault}. See under {Vault}.
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Boiler \Boil"er\, n.
   1. One who boils.
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   2. A vessel in which any thing is boiled.
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   Note: The word boiler is a generic term covering a great
         variety of kettles, saucepans, clothes boilers,
         evaporators, coppers, retorts, etc.
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   3. (Mech.) A strong metallic vessel, usually of wrought iron
      plates riveted together, or a composite structure
      variously formed, in which steam is generated for driving
      engines, or for heating, cooking, or other purposes.
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   Note: The earliest steam boilers were usually spheres or
         sections of spheres, heated wholly from the outside.
         Watt used the wagon boiler (shaped like the top of a
         covered wagon) which is still used with low pressures.
         Most of the boilers in present use may be classified as
         plain cylinder boilers, flue boilers, sectional and
         tubular boilers.
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   {Barrel of a boiler}, the cylindrical part containing the
      flues.

   {Boiler plate}, {Boiler iron}, plate or rolled iron of about
      a quarter to a half inch in thickness, used for making
      boilers and tanks, for covering ships, etc.

   {Cylinder boiler}, one which consists of a single iron
      cylinder.

   {Flue boilers} are usually single shells containing a small
      number of large flues, through which the heat either
      passes from the fire or returns to the chimney, and
      sometimes containing a fire box inclosed by water.

   {Locomotive boiler}, a boiler which contains an inclosed fire
      box and a large number of small flues leading to the
      chimney.

   {Multiflue boiler}. Same as {Tubular boiler}, below.

   {Sectional boiler}, a boiler composed of a number of
      sections, which are usually of small capacity and similar
      to, and connected with, each other. By multiplication of
      the sections a boiler of any desired capacity can be built
      up.

   {Tubular boiler}, a boiler containing tubes which form flues,
      and are surrounded by the water contained in the boiler.
      See Illust. {of Steam boiler}, under {Steam}.

   {Tubulous boiler}. See under {Tubulous}. See {Tube}, n., 6,
      and 1st {Flue}.
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