IMPROVE- MENTS IN OR CONNECTED WITH STEAM ENGINES AND BOILERS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Weir and James Weir, both of Glasgow, in the
County of Lanark, North Britain, Engineers, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN OR CONNECTED WITH STEAM ENGINES AND BOILERS."
Sealed the 20th April 1880, and dated the 25th October 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Weir and James
Weir at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th October
1879.
GEORGE WEIR and JAMES WEIR, both of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, Engineers. "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR CONNECTED WITH STEAM
ENGINES AND BOILERS."
This Invention has principally for its object to improve and develop the system
of or arrangements for obtaining motive power by means of steam described in the
Specifications of various Patents obtained by the present applicants, namely,
No. 1936, of 1871; No. 5012, of 1876; and No. 1568, of 1878. The present
improvements, or some of them, are also applicable in connection with other steam-
engine and boiler arrangements besides those referred to.
The first part of the Invention relates to the condenser, which may be of the
usual tubular surface kind, and in carrying out the improvements the condenser
has connected to it two or more pumps, one corresponding to the ordinary air
pump, and the other for pumping out the larger portion of the water of condensation.
In some modifications an outlet leading to the air pump is arranged as far as
possible from the inlet for the exhaust steam from the engines, and the current of
the steam is made to have a tortuous or lengthened course through the condenser,
the cooling or circulating water being made to pass through the tubes so that its
general direction is as nearly as may be opposite to that of the current of steam;
care is also taken to have no spaces at the sides or other parts of the condenser,
These
through which the steam can pass more freely than amongst the tubes.
improvements render the condensing surface more efficient, and admit of the
condenser being smaller, and the quantity of circulating water and the power to
work the pumps less; they may be carried out in various ways, but in a preferable
modification the inlet for the exhaust steam is at or near the bottom of the
condenser, and the outlet leading to the air pump is at the top. Horizontal baffle
plates (which may be perforated for the passage of water) are arranged with
openings alternately at the middle and sides, and by preference nearer together
towards the upper part of the condenser; and the cooling or circulating water is

page_text: made to pass first through a number of the uppermost tubes, and afterwards in
succession through lower tiers. The water pump is connected to the bottom of the
condenser, and a siphon trap pipe is connected with its suction pipe, or with the
bottom of the condenser, and with the air pump passage, in order that in
the event of the feed pump being stopped or obstructed the water of condensation
may be drawn out by the air pump; or in some cases this siphon trap pipe may be
used without connecting the feed pump directly to the condenser.
When using a separate air pump as described it will be of advantage to cool the
air pump or passage leading to it, or both, by applying cold water in a jacket
surrounding the pump or passage, or in tubes in the latter; and when the water
available is not very cold any suitable artificial refrigerating appliances may
be used.
In some cases a simplified construction of pump may be used. This pump is
made with discharge lift valves as usual, but without inlet valves, the water or
water and air entering by perforations in the cylinder or barrel, which the piston
or plunger passes on returning after making a discharge stroke, a vacuum being
formed in the cylinder or barrel during the part of the stroke prior to the
uncovering of the perforations. This pump may be made single-acting or double-
acting, the perforations being at the middle of the barrel in the latter case.
pump is intended for cases where, as in a condenser, there is very little pressure,
and with it the water or water and air have not the weight of the ordinary suction
valves to contend with.
The
The second part of the Invention relates to the suction and discharge valves of
feed or other pumps connected with engines and boilers, and in carrying out this
part the valves and seats, both of metal, are made with two or more narrow
annular openings, the openings in the seat being opposite the solid parts of the
valve, an arrangement with which a small lift of the valve gives a comparatively
large passage. It is necessary to fix the seats securely, which is, by preference, done
by means of a centre pin held down from above, and which pin serves as the guide
for the valve. The lift or opening movement of the valve is, by preference,
limited by a stationary stop so as not to exceed one half of the width of one of the
annular openings, this limitation being necessary to insure prompt closing of the
valve. In some cases a greater lift may be allowed, but then the closing action
should be assisted by a spring. The solid ring like parts of the seat are held by
radial or other feathers, and the ring like parts of the valve may be cast in one
piece with radial connecting feathers; or the valve may consist of a number of
separate rings suitably guided, and with stops to limit their lifting movements.
Instead of the seat openings and valve parts covering the openings being annular
they may be straight or of any other suitable form.
The third part of the Invention relates to apparatus for separating air from the
feed water, according to the system described in the latest of the Specifications
herein before referred to. According to the present Invention the air separator
consists of a vessel placed in the steam space of the boiler, and having the feed
water led to the upper part of it. The top of the vessel is made with one or more
openings to admit the steam, and with a number of perforated diaphragms placed
one below the other. From the bottom of the vessel a pipe projects down a little
distance below the surface of the water in the boiler, whilst near the bottom of the
vessel there is inside of it an inverted cup or vessel in which the air collects, and
from which it is led by a small pipe extending to the outside of the boiler. The
feed water entering the top of the vessel, and descending through it in showers
causes steam to descend and mingle with it; the air separates as the water
becomes heated by the steam, and is carried downwards by the descending currents,
and being trapped by the pipe dipping into the water collects in the inverted cup,
whence it passes off by the small pipe. The vessel is, by preference, constructed in
a number of separate sections to facilitate its introduction into steam boilers,
particularly such as have a number of internal stays.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said George Weir and James Weir in the Great Seal Patent Office on .
the 22nd April 1880.
GEORGE WEIR and JAMES WEIR, both of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, Engineers. "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR CONNECTED WITH STEAM
ENGINES AND BOILERS."
Our said Invention has principally for its object to improve and develop the
system of or arrrangements for obtaining motive power by means of steam
described in the Specifications of various Patents obtained by us, namely, No. 1936,
of 1871; No. 5012, of 1876; and No. 1568, of 1878. Our present improvements,
or some of them, are also applicable in connection with other steam-engine and
boiler arrangements besides those referred to.
The first part of our Invention relates to the condenser, which may be of the
usual tubular surface kind; and in carrying out our improvements the condenser
has connected to it two or more pumps, one corresponding to the ordinary air
pump and the other for pumping out the larger portion of the water of con-
densation. In some modifications an outlet leading to the air pump is arranged
as far as possible from the inlet for the exhaust steam from the engines, and the
current of the steam is made to have a tortuous or lengthened course through the
condenser, the cooling or circulating water being made to pass through the tubes
so that its general direction is as nearly as may be opposite to that of the current
of steam. Care is also taken to have no spaces at the sides or other parts of the
condenser, through which the steam can pass more freely than amongst the tubes.
These improvements render the condensing surface more efficient, and admit of the
condenser being smaller, and the quantity of circulating water and the power to
work the pumps less. When using a separate air pump in the manner described
it will in some cases be of advantage to cool the air pump or passage leading to it,
or both, by applying cold water in a jacket surrounding the pump or passage, or
in tubes in the latter; and when the water available is not very cold any
suitable artificial refrigerating appliances may be used.
The second part of our present Invention relates to the suction and discharge
valves of feed or other pumps connected with engines and boilers, and in carrying
out this part the valves and seats, both of metal, are made with two or more
narrow annular openings, the openings in the seat being opposite the solid parts of
the valve, an arrangement with which a small lift of the valve gives a comparatively
large passage. The seats are by preference fixed in an improved manner, and the
lift or opening movement of the valve is by preference limited by a stationary
stop so as not to exceed one half of the width of one of the annular openings, this
limitation being necessary to insure prompt closing of the valve. In some cases a
greater lift may be allowed, but then the closing action should be assisted by a
spring. The valve may consist of rings connected by feathers or of unconnected
rings suitably guided, and instead of the seat openings and valve parts covering
the openings being annular they may be straight or of any other suitable form.
The third part of our present Invention relates to apparatus for separating air
from the feed water, according to the system described in the latest of the Speci-
fications herein before referred to, and consists in constructing such apparatus in an
improved manner hereinafter described.
And in order that our said Invention and the manner of performing the same
may be properly understood, we hereunto append two Sheets of explanatory
Drawings to be hereinafter referred to, and representing examples of our improved
arrangements or apparatus. In these Drawings the same reference numerals are
used to mark the same or like parts wherever they are repeated.

page_text: A surface condenser and accessories constructed and arranged according to one
modification under the first head of our present Invention are shown on Sheet 1
of the accompanying Drawings, Figure 1 being a transverse vertical section,
Figure 2 a side elevation, and Figure 3 another transverse vertical section. In
Figure 2 the condenser is shown with the middle part broken away to reduce the
length of the figure, and Figures 1 and 3 are sections as taken respectively near
the left-hand and right-hand ends of the condenser. The condenser is fitted with
tubes placed longitudinally, which are however shown only in Figure 3. The
exhaust steam from the engines enters by an inlet 10 into a space 11 along under
the tubes, and proceeds upwards amongst the tubes, becoming gradually condensed
as it rises. The tubes occupy the entire width between the vertical sides of the
condenser casing, instead of there being spaces between the sides and the outermost
vertical rows of tubes, as is the case in many condensers as hitherto constructed.
The whole uncondensed steam passing upwards has in consequence to go uniformly
between the tubes, instead of a portion of it rushing with comparative rapidity up
lateral or other similar spaces, and being on that account unequally subjected to the
condensing action. The water of condensation which gradually forms drops
downwards from the tubes, and meeting the rising steam acquires heat therefrom
(if the water happens to be colder), and whilst thereby saving heat reduces the
amount of cooling action required to condense the steam. Horizontal baffle plates
12 (which may be perforated for the passage downwards of water) are arranged
towards the upper part of the condenser between some of the horizontal rows of
tubes, being placed so as to leave openings alternately at the opposite sides, or it
might be alternately at the middle and sides, these plates being as is preferred
nearer together towards the top. The steam is thus made to pass through a
lengthened or tortuous course as it is being gradually condensed, little or no steam
but only a little air actually reaching the top when the apparatus is working
efficiently. The circulating water is us usual passed backwards and forwards
through successive sections of the tubes, care being taken however that the coldest
water passes through the tubes which are nearest the outlet for air, and afterwards
in order through the other sections, passing last through the tubes nearest the
inlet 10 for the exhaust steam. The condenser is represented as made with internal
recesses or wells 13, 14, at the ends descending below the space 11, but these wells
are connected by a pipe 15, so that the water may be at the same level in both.
The water pump 16 is connected to the bottom of one, 13, of the wells, and a
siphon trap pipe 17 is connected with the bottom of the other well 14 and with the
air pump passage 18, in order that in the event of the water pump 16 being
stopped or obstructed the water of condensation may be drawn out by the air
pump 19. In some cases this siphon trap pipe 17, and the separate outlets from
the condenser for water and air respectively, may be used without connecting a
water or feed pump directly to the condenser.
A valve made according to the second part of our present Invention, and suitable
for the suction or discharge valve of a feed or other pump, is shown in Figures 4, 5, 6,
on Sheet 2 of the accompanying Drawings; Figure 4 being an inverted plan of the
valve 20 itself; Figure 5 a vertical section, showing the valve complete in its
casing; and Figure 6 a plan of the valve seating 21. The valve seating 21 is made
with two annular openings, the metal parts inside and outside of these openings
being connected by radial ribs or feathers. The valve 20 is made with annular
parts which cover the openings in the seating, and with annular openings between
the solid parts, the solid parts being connected by radial ribs or feathers. The
seating 21 is held securely down in its place by a central pin 22 held in the
cover 23 of the casing, and this pin 22 also serves as a guide for the valve 20. The
lift of the valve 20 is limited so as not to be more than half the width of the
annular openings in the valve seating 21 by a stop 24 fixed in the cover 23 by
means of an external nut 25, and a reduced part of the pin 22 passes partly through
the stop piece 24, the pin being set down by a pin 26 screwed into the piece 24
and fixed by a jam nut.

page_text: Figures 7, 8, 9, on Sheet 2 of the accompanying Drawings represent our
improved air separator, constituting the third part of our present Invention,
Figure 7 being a plan, Figure 8 a side elevation, and Figure 9 a vertical section.
This air separator is a vessel to be placed in the steam space of a boiler, and has
the feed water led to the upper part of it through an annular passage 27, which it
enters by a side pipe 28. At the top the water is directed in a divergent film
between a top flange on the shell of the passage 27 and a curved flange 29 fixed
to the top of the central pipe 30. The film of water is directed towards an outer
cylindrical shell 31, and descending is next directed inwards again by a flange 32
on the inside of the shell 31. The water as it continues to descend is directed
inwards and outwards alternately by flanges 32 and 33, which may be repeated to
any extent that may be found desirable in practice. The top of the cylindrical
shells 31 is open to the steam, and some steam can also get in by narrow openings
just beneath each flange 32, the steam entering in this manner gradually heating
the feed water as it descends, and being drawn to and downwards with it. Horizontal
perforated diaphragms may be substituted for the slightly inclined flanges 32, 33, or
any other equivalent appliance which will cause the water to descend in showers or
films. Below the series of flanges 32 the vessel contracts in shape, and continues
downards in the form of a vertical pipe 34, which may have an open bottom end
dipping a little below the water level in the boiler; or where this is not convenient, or
it is considered desirable to make sure of the bottom end being sealed, a cup 35 is
attached at the bottom, and becoming full of water prevents steam from passing up the
pipe 34. At a little distance above the top of the pipe 34 there is an inverted dish or
cup 36, which opens up into the central pipe 30, and the air which is separated from
the water as the latter becomes gradually heated, and which air is carried down-
wards by the descending currents, collects under this cup 36, and passes up the
central pipe 30, being led away from the top thereof by a small pipe 37, which
passes to the outside of the boiler and has a stop cock fitted to it externally. The
air separator or vessel is by preference made in sections, as shown, to facilitate its
introduction into steam boilers, particularly such as have a number of internal
stays. The several sections are connected together by tie bars 38 passing through
lugs formed on the top and bottom sections and fixed by cutters.
Certain improvements in or modifications of pumps, which were referred to in
our Provisional Specification relative hereto, are not described herein, because we
do not now wish to make any claim in respect of them.
Having thus particularly described our said Invention, and the manner of per-
forming the same we have to state that we do not restrict ourselves to the precise
details herein described or delineated, but that what we believe to be novel and
original, and claim as the Invention secured to us by and in terms of the
hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent is,―
1. The constructing of a surface condenser with separate outlets for water and
air, such outlets being at lower and upper parts respectively, and connected to the
same pump or to separate pumps, substantially as and for the purposes herein before
described.
2. The fitting of separate pumps in connection with surface condensers for with-
drawing the air and water respectively, substantially as and for the purposes
hereinbefore described.
3. The arranging of the inlet for exhaust steam into a surface condenser, as
far as conveniently possible from the outlet leading to the air pump, substantially
as and for the purposes hereinbefore described.
4. The arranging of the tubes of a surface condenser, so as to avoid spaces through
which the steam can pass more freely than amongst the tubes, and the placing of
baffle plates or diaphragms to cause the steam to take a tortuous or elongated
course, substantially as and for the purposes herein before described.
5. The cooling of the air pump or passage leading thereto by means of cold or
artifically cooled water in a jacket space or spaces, or in tubes, such tubes being in
the passage, substantially as hereinbefore described.

page_text: 6. The constructing of valves with their seatings, fixing parts, and stops,
substantially in the improved manner hereinbefore described with reference to
Figures 4, 5, and 6 of the accompanying Drawings.
7. The constructing of apparatus for separating air from the feed water of steam
boilers, substantially in the improved manner herein before described with reference
to Figures 7, 8, 9 of the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Weir, on behalf of the said George
Weir and myself have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twentieth day
day of April, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
eighty.
JAMES WEIR. (LS.)