IMPROVEMENTS IN HIGH-PRESSURE STEAM ENGINES
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Angier March Perkins, of Francis Street, Gray's Inn
Road, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN HIGH-PRESSURE STEAM
ENGINES."
Sealed the 26th October 1858, and dated the 29th April 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Angier March Perkins
.
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 29th April 1858.
I, ANGLER MARCH PERKINS, of Francis Street, Gray's Inn Road, do hereby
declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN HIGH-PRESSURE
STEAM ENGINES," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in high-pressure steam
engines, and consists in an improved method of condensing the steam from
such steam engines, so that the boiler of the engine may have the condensed
water returned to it at a high temperature. For this purpose the steam from
the engine is caused to pass into a case, which receives one of the ends of
each of a number of pipes of small diameter, so that the steam may pass from
the case into these pipes, which are open to the atmosphere at their other
ends. Within these pipes of small diameter the steam becomes condensed,
the tubes being sufficiently long to effect this either entirely or in great part,
and the condensed water runs back into the case, and thence into the body of
a pump, by which it is returned to the boiler. In order to cause-an equal

page_text: quantity of steam to pass into each of the pipes in connection with the case,
I contract the upper end or mouth of each pipe, so that the total area of the
passages from the pipes into the atmosphere may, to some extent, correspond
with the area of the exhaust pipe of the engine. For the purpose of causing
a current of air to pass amongst the pipes of small diameter, I enclose these
pipes in a chest, open at one end to the air, and at the other end in connection
with the ash-pit of the steam boiler furnace. By the use of apparatus of
this description, steam engines may be worked with a much less expenditure
of water than is now necessary when the steam is allowed either to escape into
the atmosphere or is condensed by means of water.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Angier March Perkins in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 29th October 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ANGIER
MARCH PERKINS, of Francis Street, Gray's Inn Road, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-first year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Angier March Perkins, Her special licence that I, the said Angier
March Perkins, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Angier March Perkins, 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 HIGH-PRESSURE STEAM ENGINES," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Angier March Perkins, 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Angier March Perkins, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is

page_text: to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement thereof, that is to say :-
This Invention has for its object improvements in high-pressure steam
engines, and consists in an improved method of condensing the steam from
such steam engines, so that the boiler of the engine may have the condensed
water returned to it at a high temperature. For this purpose the steam from
the engine is caused to pass into a case which receives one of the ends of each
of a number of pipes of small diameter, so that the steam may pass from the
case into these pipes, which are open to the atmosphere at their other ends.
Within these pipes of small diameter the steam becomes condensed, the tubes
being sufficiently long to effect this either entirely or in great part, and the
condensed water runs back into the case, and thence into the body of a pump,
by which it is returned to the boiler. In order to cause an equal quantity of
steam to pass into each of the pipes in connection with the case, I contract
the upper end or mouth of each pipe, so that the total area of the passages
from the pipes into the atmosphere may, to some extent, correspond with the
area of the exhaust pipe of the engine. For the purpose of causing a current
of air to pass amongst the pipes of small diameter, I enclose these pipes in
a chest, open at one end to the air, and at the other end in connection with
the ash-pit of the steam boiler furnace. By the use of apparatus of this
description, steam engines may be worked with a much less expenditure of
water than is now necessary, when the steam is allowed either to escape into
the atmosphere or is condensed by means of water.
Having thus stated the nature of my said Invention, I will proceed more
fully to describe the manner of performing the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 shews a vertical section of condensing apparatus arranged and
combined according to my Invention; Figure 2 is a plan thereof; and Figure 3
is a section of the two ends of one of the tubes separately, full size. Each
tube a has its outer end closed, with the exception of a very small outlet b.
The end e of each tube is screwed or otherwise fixed to the plate d, the other
end fsimply passes through the plate c, which acts as a stay to the pipe, hence,
the tubes a, a, are free to expand and contract; g is a chamber into which
the steam is introduced by the steam pipe h, and from which it passes into the
several tubes wherein it becomes condensed, the trickling down of the condensed
steam on the inner surfaces of the tubes aiding in the condensation; i is a
tube, by which the water resulting from the condensation of the steam is con-
stantly pumped off; and should any accumulation of water take place from the

page_text: stopping of the pump, or otherwise, j is a syphon pipe to allow the same to
run off. And in order to induce currents of air to pass freely amongst the
tubes a, I sometimes enclose the tubes in a case, which, at one end, is open to
the atmosphere, and the other communicates with the ash-pit of the boiler
furnace.
I employ ordinary iron welded tubing by preference, by reason of the com-
paratively small cost, but copper or other tubing may be used. I find it
desirable to have about 150 square feet of surface for each horse-power, or
one cubic foot of water evaporated when using steam of 30 lbs. to the square
inch above the atmosphere, but this may be varied.
In witness whereof, I, the said Angier March Perkins, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of October, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight.
Witness,
GEO. PITT.
A. M. PERKINS. (L.S.)

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