IMPROVEMENTS IN ECONOMISING HEAT IN LOCOMOTIVE AND OTHER HIGH-PRESSURE STEAM ENGINES
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Atherton Molineaux, Engineer, Brighton, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ECONOMISING HEAT IN LOCOMOTIVE AND
OTHER HIGH-PRESSURE STEAM ENGINES."
Sealed the 3rd September 1857, and dated the 9th April 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Atherton Molineaux
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
9th April 1857.
I, JOHN ATHERTON MOLINEAUX, Engineer, Brighton, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ECONOMISING HEAT IN
LOCOMOTIVE AND OTHER HIGH-PRESSURE STEAM EMGINES," to be as follows:-
passes
My improvements consist in an apparatus for heating the water as it
from the tender or tank to the boiler, and also for using the condensed steam
over again after it has imparted its heat to the feed water. It is also useful
as a regulator to the blast in the case of locomotive engines.
DESCRIPTION.
The apparatus consists of two closed metal boxes or cisterns of any con-
venient shape one inside the other; the inner one has a number of thin metal
tubes or chambers of any suitable form. To the outer box is fixed the ordinary
feed cocks, with pipes leading to the pumps, and a pipe or pipes connected to
the tender or water tank for the admission of cold water; there is also a pipo

page_text: fixed to the lower part of the outer cistern, to which is attached a small clack
or valve, to prevent the water after it has passed the feed cock from returning
into the outer cistern. Pipes are brought from the bottom of the blast (or
exhaust) pipe and connected to the outer cistern. In the case of locomotive
engines, the pipes can be brought through the boiler or outside in any con-
venient manner. The exhaust steam is admitted betwixt the two cisterns,
which acts on the outer surface of the inner cistern and inside the tubes or
chambers. The water from the tender or tank passes through the inner cistern
and outside of the tubes or chambers which contain the steam; in its passage
it receives the heat of the exhaust steam. The steam is condensed and carried
off by the pumps through the small pipe at the bottom of the cistern, as before
mentioned.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Atherton-Molineaux in the Great Seal. Patent Office on
the 8th October 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
ATHERTON MOLINEAUX, Engineer, Brighton, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twentieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
John Atherton Molineaux, Her special licence that I, the said John Atherton
Molineaux, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said John Atherton Molineaux, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time
and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed; should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom
of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ECONOMIZING HEAT IN LOCOMOTIVE AND OTHER
HIGH-PRESSURE STEAM ENGINES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said John Atherton Molineaux, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same
to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months.next
and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Atherton Molineaux, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:-
1. My improvements consist in the arrangement of apparatus by which the
feed water is heated on its passage from the tank to the boiler by means of a
portion of the exhaust steam, and also for using the water obtained by conden-
sation of the steam over again in the boiler.
2. In the following description the same letters of reference apply to similar
parts. D, D, in all the Figures are pipes for conveying the exhaust steam
from the cylinders to the apparatus; to these pipes are attached stop-cocks G, G,
for turning on or stopping the supply of exhaust steam to the heating apparatus.
The connection between the engine and tender is shown by the flexible pipes
X, X. The cocks F, F, are for regulating the supply of water from the tank
to the boiler. E is a drip pipe for carrying away the water formed by the
exhaust steam after it is deprived of its caloric by the feed water; V is a
valve attached to the same pipe, which allows the water of condensation to
pass through the pump, and prevents the water from the feed pipes flowing
back into the steam spaces.
3. Figure 1 is a transverse section of the smoke box of a locomotive engine,
showing the manner of connecting the pipes D, D, with the exhaust ports of
the cylinders. Two methods are shown by which this may be done; the left-
hand cylinder is specially provided with an additional exhaust port, to which
the pipe D is fixed; the right-hand cylinder shows a method of fixing the
pipe D to any ordinary locomotive engine.
4. Figure 2 is a longitudinal elevation of a locomotive engine and tender;
Figure 3 is an end clevation of the tender, showing one plan of apparatus,
portions of which are shown in section in each Figure. It consists of two
closed metal boxes or cisterns Y. and y', one inside the other; the inner
cistern (y') has a number of metal tubes fixed in the usual way at each end;
the two cisterns are distinct, having no communication or connection with each
other; that is, the water being admitted into the inner cistern cannot pass into.
the outer one, neither can the steam which is. admitted into the outer cistern
get into the inner one, but is confined betwixt the surfaces of the two cisterns
and inside the tubes; by this means it is deprived of its caloric by the feed
water on its passage through the apparatus. The water from the tank is
admitted to the heating box or cistern through the open pipe C.
5. Figure 4 is a longitudinal section of a tender; and Fig. 5, a transverse
section of the same, showing another application. The well or lower part of

page_text: the tank is furnished with a number of tubes T, T, fixed in each end, which is
covered by boxes which form the steam chambers H, H; the steam is
admitted into these chambers and circulates through the tubes; the heat from
the steam is thus imparted to the surrounding water.
6. Figure 6 is a longitudinal section of a tender; and Fig. 7, a transverse
section of the same, showing another form of application. In this the pipes D, D,
are continued, and pass direct into the tank, terminating in the domes or
chambers 0, 0, which prevents the water in the tank flowing into these pipes.
inside the tank; they may be formed into a coil, spiral, or other form, so as to
give a greater extent of acting surface. The method of admitting the exhaust
steam and drawing off the distilled water is the same in all the applications
herein described, and the same letters of reference are used in each case.
7. Having now described the several parts of my Invention, I will now
describe the manner of operation. By either of the methods shown in the
Drawings (see Figs. 1, 2, and 3) I take the steam from the exhaust or blast
pipe by the pipe or pipes D. In the Drawing two pipes are shown, but
one may be used, in which case the outlet pipe must be placed above the
breech at Z.
.
8. The steam on leaving the exhaust port passes along the pipe D either
inside or outside of the boiler, (if outside it should be covered with some non-
conducting substance.) In the most convenient part of pipe D, I place the
stop-cock G, by means of which, when my apparatus is not in use, I shut off
the access of steam. After leaving the cock G, the steam passes through the
continuation of the pipe D and the flexible connecting pipe X into the outer
cistern Y of the apparatus, where it diffuses itself through the outer cistern
and the tubes or chambers, which pass through the inner cistern Y', and thus
raises the temperature of the water contained in the inner cistern, which is
kept supplied with water by the open pipe C. The boiler is supplied in the
usual manner by means of the pump P, which draws the feed water through
the pipe p, p, p, and stop-cock F, which is connected with the inner cistern.
The steam is condensed in the outer cistern, and is drawn off by the pump P
through the pipe E and valve V into the pipe p, p, p, and mixes with the feed
water; the valve V prevents the access of the feed water to the outer cistern.
9. It is not so shown in the Drawing, but I prefer to cover the outer cistern
with some non-conducting substance to prevent the loss of heat.
10. In Figures 4 and 5 the action is precisely similar to that in Figures 1, 2,
and 3, just described; the only difference consists in the form and arrangement
of the apparatus, and in the use of an outer case at the ends only, already
described paragraph 5.

page_text: 11. In Figures 6 and 7 the steam passes through the pipes D, D, into the
tank and through the water into the domes O, O. The water in the tank is thus
raised in temperature. That portion of the steam which becomes condensed
in the pipes D, D, is carried off by the pump P through the pipe E and
valve V, in the same manner as in Figs. 2, 3, 4, and 5, before described.
12. Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be carried into effect, I would observe, in conclusion, that
the arrangements and details before described may be varied in a number of
ways without altering the principle of my Invention; but what I claim as my
improvements in economizing heat in locomotive and other high-pressure
steam engines is,-
First, the arrangement and construction of apparatus herein-before described
for heating the feed water of steam boilers on its passage from the tank by
means of exhaust steam.
Second, the particular arrangement for drawing off the water produced by
the condensation of the exhaust steam and using the same over again in the
boiler.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Atherton Molineaux, have hereunto
my hand and seal, this Eighth day of October, in the year of our
† 1305
Witness,
ALFRED PYALL.
JOHN ATHERTON MOLINEAUX. (L.S.)