IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS USED IN CON- NECTION WITH MARINE STEAM ENGINES FOR CONDENSING THE EXHAUST STEAM AND SUPPLYING FEED WATER TO THE BOILERS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Hill, of 30, Milton Street, Westoe, South Shields,
Durham, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS USED IN CON-
NECTION WITH MARINE STEAM ENGINES FOR CONDENSING THE EXHAUST
STEAM AND SUPPLYING FEED WATER TO THE BOILERS."
Sealed the 11th July 1879, and dated the 26th April 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Hill at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 26th April 1879.
GEORGE HILL, of 30, Milton Street, Westoc, South Shields, Durham. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPARATUS USED IN CONNECTION WITH MARINE STEAM ENGINES FOR
CONDENSING THE EXHAUST STEAM AND SUPPLYING FEED WATER TO THE
BOILERS."
This Invention has for its object to facilitate the use of fresh or distilled water
in place of salt water for the working of steam engines used for propelling vessels,
and at the same time to do away with the necessity of having openings through the
sides of the vessel for drawing in and discharging water for the working of the
engine. For this purpose, in place of using tubular surface condensers in the interior
of the vessel for condensing the exhaust steam and keeping cool these condensers by
water pumped through them by circuluting pumps from the exterior of the vessel,
as is now for the most part usual, I form condensing chambers on the exterior of
the vessel, by preference along its two sides as has before been proposed. The
exhaust steam from the cylinders of the engine is led by pipes to these condensing
chambers and is condensed in them. The condensed water is allowed to flow from
the condensing chambers into a closed reservoir or reservoirs. In order to again
supply this water to the steam boiler I place above the boiler a closed supply vessel
which is connected by a pipe with the top of the steam boiler, and by another pipe
with the lower part of the water reservoir. The pipes are each furnished with a
tap or valve by which the passage through them can be closed. Steam is first
admitted from the boiler to the supply vessel and then shut off, thereby forming a
vacuum in the supply vessel. The communication between this supply vessel and
the condensed water reservoir is then opened and the supply vessel thereby becomes
filled with water from the reservoir, the reservoir having previously been cut off

page_text: from the main condensing chamber at the side of the vessel and a communication
from it to the air opened. For removing all air that gradually accumulates in the
condensing chambers I employ a small air pump worked by the engine. To make
good the small loss of steam which must of necessity take place in the working of
the engine, I place around the funnel or chimney of the steam boiler furnace a water
casing in which salt water may be kept heated. The upper part of this casing I
connect by a pipe fitted with a tap to the water supply vessel. When a vacuum
has been formed in the supply vessel this tap may be opened and steam from the
water casing be drawn in; any loss of water can thus readily be replaced by steam
drawn from the water casing which forms a distilling apparatus in which salt water
can be distilled.
To prevent loss of steam when the engines are stopping, all steam which blows
off from the safety valves on the boilers is conducted into the condensed water
reservoirs and serves to heat the water in these reservoirs.
By arranging the condensing and water feed apparatus in the manner above
described no feed pumps or circulating pumps are required in the engine, and the
construction of the engine is much simplified.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said George Hill in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 24th October
1879.
GEORGE HILL, of 30, Milton Street, Westoe, South Shields, Durham. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPARATUS USED IN CONNECTION WITH MARINE STEAM ENGINES FOR
CONDENSING THE EXHAUST STEAM AND SUPPLYING FEED WATER TO THE
BOILERS."
This Invention has for its object to facilitate the use of fresh or distilled water
in place of salt water for the working of steam engines used for propelling vessels,
and at the same time to do away with the necessity of having openings through the
sides of the vessel for drawing in and discharging water for the working of the
engine. For this purpose, in place of using tubular surface condensers in the interior
of the vessel for condensing the exhaust steam and keeping cool these condensers
by water pumped through them by circulating pumps from the exterior of the
vessel as is now for the most part usual, I form condensing chambers on the exterior
of the vessel, by preference along its two sides, as has before been proposed. The
exhaust steam from the cylinders of the engine is led by pipes to these condensing
chambers and is condensed in them; the condensed water is allowed to flow from
the condensing chambers into a closed reservoir or reservoirs. In order to again
supply this water to the steam boiler I place above the boiler a closed supply vessel
which is connected by a pipe with the top of the steam boiler, and by another pipe
with the lower part of the water reservoir. The pipes are each furnished with a
tap or valve by which the passage through them can be closed. Steam is first
admitted from the boiler to the supply vessel and then shut, thereby forming a
vacuum in the supply vessel. The communication between this supply vessel and
the condensed water reservoir is then opened and the supply vessel thereby becomes
filled with water from the reservoir, the reservoir having previously been cut off
from the main condensing chambers at the side of the vessel, and a communication
from it to the air opened. For removing all air that gradually accumulates in the
condensing chambers I employ a small air pump worked by the engine. To make
good the small loss of steam which must of necessity take place in the working of
the engine I place around the funnel or chimney of the steam boiler furnace a water.
casing in which salt water may be kept heated.
The upper part of this casing I connect by a pipe fitted with a tap to the water
supply vessel. When a vacuum has been formed in the supply vessel this tap may
be opened and steam from the water casing be drawn in. Any loss of water can thus
readily be replaced by steam drawn from the water casing which forms a distilling
apparatus in which salt water can be distilled.
To prevent loss of steam when the engines are stopping, all steam which blows
off from the safety valves on the boilers is conducted into the condensed water
reservoirs and serves to heat the water in these reservoirs.
By arranging the condensing and water feed apparatus in the manner above
described no feed pumps or circulating pumps are required in the engine, and the
construction of the engine is much simplified.
In order that my Invention may be fully understood and readily carried into
effect I have shewn in the Drawings hereunto annexed an example of an ordinary
aide lever tug boat fitted with apparatus arranged as above described.
Figure 1 is a front view of the boilers.
A, A, are the receivers, one for each condenser; B is the feeder for the boiler;
C is a surface condenser placed outside the skin of the vessel; D is a similar con-
denser placed inside the skin of the vessel. I have shewn the two condensers placed
in different positions so as to show that they can either be fitted inside or outside
as thought desirable. E is a bar attached to two cocks Z to be opened with the
cock under the feeder, or rather shut when the foed cock is open. The bar is turned

page_text: to and fro in its bearings to open and close the cocks by means of a toothed rack F'
gearing with a toothed wheel F fixed on the bar. The rack may be moved to and
fro by means of the eccentric by which the main slide is worked, or by an eccentric
sleeve on the main shaft. G is the feed cock for feeding the boiler; the cock is a
three way cock, and it is turned by a spindle G¹ which is geared by a pair of
bevilled wheels H to the bar E, as will be seen in Figure 2. Y, Y, are the pipes to
receive the condensed steam water and pass it to the cisterns A; the two lead like
pipes on which are the cocks Z are to convey the water from the receiver to the
feed cistern by the aid of the vacuum formed and preserved by the air pump. The
receivers A are alternately shut off from the condensers by closing a cock at their
side, and as each receiver is in turn shut off from the condensers its pet cock is
opened and air admitted to the interior of this receiver to allow the condensod
water collected in this receiver to rise up into the feed cistern when the cocks Zaro
opened.
Figure 2 is a side view of the starboard boiler, the port one being removed so as
to expose to view the three way cock, the two bevilled wheels, and the strap by
which the bar E is carried; I is the main steam pipe; the casing X round the funnel
is to supply the waste of steam and to heat the water before its being introduced to
the boilers. Figure 3 is a bottom plan shewing the condensers cut longitudinally;
that on the starboard sido shews an opening to receive the water as it passes the
ship's side, and the force of the water causes a flow of water through the condenser
to cool the pipes. No. 1 in this plan is the receiving pipe, No. 2 is the exhaust
pipe, No. 3 is the pipe for pumping off the fixed air formed in condensing the steam.
On the inside condenser there is a large cock at each end, as will be seen, so that
they can be shut and the condenser taken off, even at sea, should it be necessary.
At Figure 2 there is shown at ba raised border around the feeder to hold cold
water so as to condense the steam in the feeder should it refuse by the ordinary
means to draw up the water.
The Drawings annexed are not made to scale, they are simply diagram drawings
to illustrate the arrangements of the several parts.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I would state that although I have only shewn my Invention as applied
to one class of marine steam engine, yet that it is applicable for condensing the
exhaust steam of all classes of marine steam engines, and for returning the water
so obtained to the steam boilers by which the engines are supplied with steam.
What I claim is,-
First. The combination of apparatus, substantially as herein before described, for
condensing the exhaust steam of marine steam engines and returning the water so
obtained to the steam boilers.
Second. The combination of apparatus, substantially as herein before described,
for condensing the exhaust steam of marine steam engines and returning the water
so obtained to the steam boilers, and for making good the small loss of steam that
must of necessity take place.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Hill, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Twentieth day of October, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy nine.