IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR DISCHARGING THE WATER RESULTING FROM THE CONDENSING OF STEAM USED IN APPARATUS HEATED BY STEAM
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Bowden, of Pendleton in the County of.
Lancaster, Millwright, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
FOR DISCHARGING THE WATER RESULTING FROM THE CONDENSING OF STEAM USED
IN APPARATUS HEATED BY STEAM."
Sealed the 18th December 1857, and dated the 6th July 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Bowden at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 6th
July 1857.
J, THOMAS BOWDEN, of Pendleton, in the County of Lancaster, Millwright,
do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPA-
RATUS FOR DISCHARGING THE WATER RESULTING FROM THE CONDENSING OF STEAM
USED IN APPARATUS HEATED BY STEAM," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for discharging
the water resulting from the condensing of steam used in apparatus heated by
steam. For these purposes, a box or chamber is used, which may be called
the discharge box or chamber, and according to one arrangement of the
apparatus, there is a partition on the inside of such box, which divides it into
two compartments. In this partition there are two holes, to which two valves
are applied, and such valves are attached to the two ends of a lever, the
fulcrum of the lever being intermediate of the two valves. On the stem of
one of the valves is a float, and to the other end of such stem is a second
valve, suitable for closing the outlet from the box or chamber; this valve is
pressed on by a spring with a tendency to open it. On steam being admitted
into the box or chamber, it opens one of the valves which is carried by the
lever, and by so doing, closes the other valve, which is on the same stea

page_text: which stops the water outlet from the box or chamber; when the water
accumulates it will raise the float and cause the water outlet to be opened.
According to another arrangement, in place of using the divided box or
chamber above mentioned, the box or chamber used has a steam opening at
or near the top, and an outlet passage at the bottom, and a buoyant valve is
used by preference of a spherical form of vulcanized india rubber or other
suitable material, capable of floating and acting as a valve. This valve is
only slightly less in diameter than the interior of the box or chamber. On
the cover or upper part of the box or chamber is a hole, with a light valve
opening inwards, but kept nearly closed by a spring; this valve admits of the
passage away of air, but closes with the pressure of steam.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said. Thomas Bowden in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
6th January 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
BOWDEN, of Pendleton, in the County of Lancaster, Millwright, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twenty-first year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Thomas Bowden, Her special licence, that I, the said Thomas Bowden,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Thomas Bowden, 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 "IMPROVE-
NENTS IN APPARATUS FOR DISCHARGING THE WATER RESULTING FROM THE CONDEN-
SING OF STEAM USED IN APPARATUS HEATED BY STEAM," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Thomas Bowden, my executors or admi-
nistrators, 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Bowden do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be

page_text: performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say:-
On the stem of
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for discharging.
the water resulting from the condensing of steam used in apparatus heated
by steam.
For these purposes, a box or chamber is used, which may be.
called the discharge box or chamber; and according to one arrangement of the
apparatus, there is a partition on the inside of such box, which divides it into
two compartments. In this partition there are two holes, to which two valves
are applied, and such valves are attached to the two ends of a lever, the
fulcrum of the lever being intermediate of the two valves.
one of the valves is a float, and on the other end of such stem is a second
valve, suitable for closing the outlet from the box or chamber; this valve, is
pressed on by a spring, with a tendency to open it. On steam being admitted.
into the box or chamber, it opens one of the valves which is carried by the
lever, and by so doing closes the other valve on the same stem, which stops.
the water outlet from the box or chamber. When the water accumulates
it will raise the float, and cause the water outlet to be opened. According to
another arrangement, in place of using the divided box or chamber above
mentioned, the box or chamber used has a steam opening at or near the top,"
and an outlet passage at the bottom, and a buoyant valve is used by preference.
of a spherical form of vulcanized india rubber or other suitable material,.
capable of floating and acting as a valve. This valve is only slightly less in
diameter than the interior of the box or chamber. On the cover or upper
part of the box or chamber is a hole, with a light valve opening inwards, "
but kept nearly closed by a spring; this valve admits of the passage away of
air, but closes with the pressure of the steam.
And in order that my said Invention may be most fully understood; and
readily carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto
annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a vertical section of the apparatus which I first described.
a, a, is the discharge box or chamber; and is a partition which divides it
into two compartments; c and d are valves working over holes in this
partition; they are attached to the ends of the lever e turning on the fulcrum
f; on the stem of the valve c the float is fixed; and this stem carries at
its lower end a valve h for closing the outlet from the box or chamber.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-The steam, air, and water enter
the apparatus by the inlet a', the apparatus being in a state of rest; the valve
hat the bottom of the box is kept open by a spiral spring, round the guiding

page_text: spindle, and allows the air to escape; when the steam itself begins to approach
the box, it will drive the water before it into the box, and the pressure will
close the valve when the water will gradually rise in the box, till the
hollow copper float g,
which is attached to the rod which connects the two
valves c and, is partially submerged, when it will rise and let out the water
at the same time closing the valve c, and opening the valve d, so that there is
always access for the steam and water into the box; and whenever the water
accumulates sufficiently to raise the float it is let out.
.
Figure 2 is a vertical section of the other form of apparatus which I have
described. a is the outer case of the apparatus; b, the inlet for steam, air, or
water from the pipes; c, a small valve opening inwards; d, a hollow ball or float,
made of copper, vulcanized india rubber, or other suitable material; it is not
necessary that this ball or float should, as shown, be made liollow, if it be made
of any material that will float in water; the spindle of this ball is merely
intended to act as a guide to keep it in its proper position. e is the outlet pipe
or escape for the water resulting from the condensation of steam in the pipes,
&c.; f, a ring of india rubber. To describe the operation of the apparatus,
I will suppose it to be attached to a range of steam pipes, at that part where
it would be most convenient for the water of condensation to escape. When
the steam is turned into the said steam pipes, they will of course be filled with
cold atmospheric air, which will escape through the valve e till the whole is
discharged, when the box or chamber of the apparatus will be filled with
steam, the pressure of which will close the valve c, and by acting on the upper
surface of the float d, press it on the india-rubber ring f and close the opening
into the outlet pipe e; but as soon as sufficient water is formed by the
condensation of the steam in the pipes, to find its way into the apparatus, it
will cause the float d to rise, and it is evident that the water will then escape
into the outlet pipe, and so accomplish the object desired.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Bowden, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fourth day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight.
Witness,
WILLIAM WILKINSON PLATT,
of Broughton, near Manchester.
THOMAS BOWDEN. (L.S.)