AN IMPROVED SHIP'S COOKING AND DISTILLING APPARATUS, AND IMPROVE- MENTS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF FRESH WATER FROM SEA OR SALT WATER
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Mara Fell, of 49, Frederick Street, Gray's
Inn Road, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for the Invention
of "AN IMPROVED SHIP'S COOKING AND DISTILLING APPARATUS, AND IMPROVE-
MENTS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF FRESH WATER FROM SEA OR SALT WATER."
Scaled the 3rd June 1856, and dated the 5th December 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Mara Fell at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 5th
December 1855.
I, THOMAS MARA FELL, of 49, Frederick Street, Gray's Inn Road, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for AN IMPROVED SHIP'S COOKING AND DISTILLING APPARATUS,
AND IMPROVEMENTS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF FRESH WATER FROM SEA OR SALT
WATER, to be as follows:-
Firstly, the nature of my said Invention has reference to the manufacture
of an apparatus combining the advantages of an ordinary ship's fire hearth or
cooking stove, with improved arrangements or means for the production of
fresh water from sea or salt water, and in constructing the said combined
apparatus in such manner, that either or both processes of cooking and dis-
tillation may be used seperately or otherwise. To the ordinary and well-
known appliances for boiling, baking, stewing, &c., comprising a ship's fire
hearth, which, for the purposes of this Invention, is more judiciously arranged,
I attach a new arrangement of flues aud condensers, whereby the hent
obtained from the fuel is conducted either direct to the ships' oven or pots,
or immediately, for the production of fresh water, to the distilling portion of

page_text: the apparatus, thereby effecting considerable advantages and important saving
in the consumption of fuel.
Secondly, in constructing apparatus with condensers for the production of
fresh water entirely seperate from cooking arrangements, but having the same
essential means for evaporation or distillation, with provisions and connexions
for receiving a supply of heated atmospheric, air or steam from the ship's
boiler or fire hearth; or, when used for land purposes, or found necessary, to be
capable of generating under a low degree of evaporation, sufficient steam for
the production of fresh water.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Mara Fell in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
5th June 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
MARA FELL, Civil Engineer, of the firm of Symonds, Fell, & Company,
Smelters and Ore Reducers, of Mill Wall Sufferance Wharf, Poplar, late of
49, Frederick Street, Gray's Inn Road, in the County of Middlesex, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of December, in the year of our Lord
Que thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the eighteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Thomas Mara Fell, Her special licence that I, the said Thomas
Mara Fell, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as J,
the said Thomas Mara Fell, 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
night make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention
for AN IMPROVED SHIP'S COOKING AND DISTILLING APPARATUS, AND IMPROVEMENTS
FOR THE PRODUCTION OF FRESH WATER FROM SEA OR SALT WATER, upon the
condition (amongst others) that. I, the said Thomas Mara Fell, my execu-
tors 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 per-
formed, 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 1, the said Thomas Mara Fell, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement-
The nature of my said Invention has reference to the manufacture of an
apparatus combining the advantages of an ordinary ship's fire hearth or
cooking stove, with improved arrangements or means for the production of
fresh water from sea or salt water, and in constructing the said combined
apparatus in such manner, that either or both processes of cooking and dis-
tilling may be used separatly or otherwise. To the ordinary ship's fire hearth
or arrangements for boiling, baking, stewing, &c., which is, however, more
judiciously constructed for the purpose of this Invention, I introduce a con-
trivance of heated flues, evaporating and condensing chambers, whereby tho
heat produced by the combustion of fuel is communicated direct to the ship's
ovens or pots, or immediately to the distilling portion of the apparatus, thereby
effecting considerable advantages in the consumption of fuel and general utility
of ships fire hearths.
My Invention consist also in constructing apparatus for the production of
fresh water from salt or sea water without the said cooking appliances, but
having the same essential means of distillation and condensation upon a more
extended scale, with provisions and connexions for receiving a a supply of
heated atmospheric air or steam from the ship's boiler or fire hearth; or,
when used for land purposes, or found necessary, to be capable of generating
sufficient steam for the production of fresh water.
In order that my said improvements may be fully understood and readily
carried effect, I will now describe them by aid of the annexed Drawings,
reference being had to the letters and figures thereon marked.
Fig. 1 represents a side elevation of my improved apparatus for cooking
and distilling by the one operation, or, if required, either process separatly,.
and which is especially adapted for ships' use; Fig. 2, a side elevation in
the line A, B; Fig. 3, sectional elevation in the line C, D; Fig. 4, a plan
or horizontal section. In each of the above Figures the same figures and
letters of reference denote similar corresponding parts.
A, furnace; A', fire bars; A, door and ordinary roasting bars; A³, fire
bridge; A, ash-pit; B, furnace boiler, bolted to and in connextion with the
principal boiler (I); C, hot or cooking plate, of cast iron, fitted with lids C';
1), oven, of cast iron; E, E', & E, dampers; F & F', flues surrounding oven;
G, oven door; H, iron framework or stand; I, boiler containing sea water to
the level shewn, and bolted to the framework (H); K, steam or condensing

page_text: chamber, bolted to a partition across the top of boiler (I), fastened by flanges
at (K); L, an arrangement of ships boilers or cooking pots, forming a con-
denser for steam, which exits, when condensed into distilled water, by
pipe (L') into the condenser (U); M, circular openings made in the upper
part of chamber (K), for the purpose of admitting the steam from the boiler
(I); N, tap for passing steam immediately to the ship's pots, or by pipe (N) to
the receiving hot condenser (U); O, a large circular flue, stopped by fire
brick or bars, as shewn, thereby causing the current of hot air to pass down
its entire length, returning by (O'), and again by (O2), discharging by the
chimney (P); R, connextion between boilers B & 1. In order to regulate
the supply of sea water to the boiler, I introduce an apparatus, of which (S,
Fig. 1) is the regulating valve, attached by means of a double crank and.
stuffing boxes to a float or hall moving in the small chamber (S¹). T, cock
for emptying the boilers; U, receiving hot condenser, an explanation of which
is given, as likewise of the second or cold water condenser used for this appa-
ratus, in the description of Figures 7, 8, 9, and 10; V, supply of salt water
from receiving condenser, regulated by the valve (S); V₁ and V2, pipes termi-
nating at the level of water in a small box, open at (V) for the exit of
saturated or highly concentrated sea water; W, a small pipe with valve and
ball, preventing any accumulation of steam in the condenser U.
Figures 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10, an extensive modification or arrangement of
my Invention for the production of fresh water, without the cooking appli-
ances, which is especially adapted for land use. A, the furnace, placed in this
apparatus in the interior of the lower or principal evaporating boiler; A', fire
bars; A, stop back; A³, ash-pit; B, principal boiler; C, second boiler;
D, third boiler; E, fourth boiler; and E', fifth or top boiler; each bolted to:
the other by flanges round their circumferences. It is obvious that a sixth, or
seventh, or more boilers may be erected in this way, by extending the con-
nextions and extending the flue, the uppermost chamber or boiler having the
steam or vapour dome. L. F, flues from furnace conveying heated air to
the boilers by menus of the connecting flues (G); H, circular partitions of
iron, surrounding the flues, and forming steam condensing chambers, bolted
at (H); I, holes perforated near the top for admission of steam or vapour;
Z'. pipes for conveying the vapour and condensed water to the receiving
condenser (Fig. 7 & 8); L, steam' dome; M; the apparatus for regulating
the supply of. sea water to the boilers, before explained; and M', a provision
for receiving steam from any convenient scource, if necessary. The following
pipes are for the same purpose as (V, V, and V2), the sea or salt water
entering by the pipe N into the boiler (E), which, after overflowing the dip or

page_text: valve pipe N', and filling to the level marked, passes up pipe N, and
thence into the boiler (E) by N, and again, by the pipes N and N. into.
boiler (D), by N and N' into boiler (C), by pipes N° and N° into boiler (B),
and, finally, passes up N" and exits down N" with saturated sea or salt water;
this pipe before discharging is carried through the lower part of the receiving
condenser in a spiral form, shewn in Fig. 7. O, framework or stand of iron.
The receiving and cold water condensers, used for both the above arrange-
ments of cooking and distilling, and distillation separately, are shewn in
Figures 7, 8, 9, and 10; in which, P, outside casing of iron, mounted on the
stand (P 1), and terminating with a dome or top bolted thereon; R, inner
casing or vapour chamber; R', a small tube, dipping into a water vale, and
communicating with the dome, for the prevention of any accumulation of
steam; this tube is furnished with a small valve and ball in order to exclude
an overflow of water. The pipes Z' pass down to nearly the bottom of the
chamber (R), and connects this with the condensing chambers H. S, sea
water pipe from the cistern or reservoir; in Figures 9 and 10, cold water
condenser. T, exterior casing or cistern; V, a vertical worm pipe, having
the centre of each lower curve pierced by small tubes (V), dipping through a
chamber (V) into short tubes (V³); V*, exit of distilled water (fresh); W
and X, communications with the exterior atmospheric air; and Y, communi-
cating tube from the small chamber (V), with the spiral or worm tube U.
Having now fully ascertained and described the nature of this my said
Invention, the operation is conducted as follows:-First, as regards cooking
and distilling, in the event of both these processes being required at the same
time (Figures 1, 2, 3, 4,) by raising the three dampers E, E', and E³, the
smoke and hot air will pass in two seperate directions, portion proceeding
along the hot plate to the cooking boilers and under the oven, and the
remainder through the large circular flue (O), thereby distilling and cooking by
the one operation; by closing the dampers E and E¹, and opening E, the whole
draft or current of air will pass along the cooking portion, and by shutting
E and E, the heated current of air will proceed entirely up the circular
flue (0), thereby effecting only the process of distillation, which is as follows
(Figures 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10):-Sea or salt water first enters the pipe S,
to which the regulating valve is attached to the bottom part of the receiving
condenser (P), in which it surrounds the inner casing or vapour chamber (R)
by the pipe N into the top boiler (E) to the level marked, by the pipes N2,
& No into (E), by the pipes N' & No to the boiler (D), by the pipes No & N' to
boiler (C), by the pipes N° & N° to boiler (B), and, lastly, exits by the pipes N¹
& N, as concentrated sea water, in proportion of about 10 of the supply.

page_text: The vapour or steam rising from the series of boilers passes through the
holes (I) into the condensers II, thereby causing a further evaporation of sea
water, the resulting condensed vapour being passed out by the pipes Z' into
the receiving condenser (P). In order that this said steam or vapour may
acquire a slight pressure or increase of temperature, the pipes Z' are con-
tinued to the bottom of the chamber R, through the column of water contained
therein. The condensed water, after filling the vapour chamber to the level
shewn, flows over, and from thence, by the pipe R', together with any vapour
non-condensed into the spiral tube cold water condenser, from which it issues
by the pipe V (Fig. 9). The pipes W, X, and Y, (Fig. 9) are used for the pur-
pose of assisting the vapour or steam to pass along the spiral or worm tube T,
thus bringing the same in contact with a greater extent of condensing surface.
The operation with the arrangements, as shewn in Figures 1, 2, 3, & 4, to
obtain fresh water, being similar, or a modification of the above plan adapted
to a ship's fire hearth, no further explanation of the process is necessary.
I am aware that many apparatus have been constructed for producing fresh
water from salt or sea water, and likewise for cooking and distilling, by the one,
arrangement; I would therefor have it clearly understood that my Invention
consists,―
Firstly, in the employment of, a series of boilers, heated by a continuous
flue passing through the same, in conjunction with the resulting steam, in the
manner and with the arrangement or plan of my improved condensers, as
berein described and substantiated.
And, secondly, the combination of these my said improved means of dis-
tillation and condensation, with the necessary cooking appliances for ship use,
thereby effecting an economy in the consumption of fuel, and producing a
greater and superior quantity of fresh water than can be obtained from a single
boiler or still.
It is obvious that the above apparatus is susceptible of many modifications
and arrangements; the series of boilers may be placed and connected in other
positions than vertically, as herein described; therefor do not confine myself
to the precise details as above given..
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Mar Fell, have hereto set my
hand and seal, this the Third day. of June, A.D. 1856.
Signed,
THOMAS MARA (Ls.) FELL.