AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR CONDENSING STEAM, AND UTILISING THE HEAT THEREOF
Year: 1864

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Johann Gerstenberger at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 22nd February
1864.
I, JOHANN GERSTENBERGER, of No. 106, Hauptstrasse, Landstrasse, Vienna,
in the Empire of Austria, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR CONDENSING STEAM, AND
UTILISING THE HEAT THEREOF," to be as follows:-
Two or more cylinders are used, each constructed with a smaller. cylinder
fitted concentrically into it, leaving a space for water between the exterior and
interior cylinders. The cylinders so constructed are placed horizontally in any
position, which according to the construction of the engine may be most
convenient.
I assume in the following description that two cylinders so constructed,
which I will denominate A and B, are used. The water space of each being
supplied with cold water, the steam to be condensed is made to pass through
the interior cylinder of A, and thence by a connecting tube through the
interior cylinder of B, and is. thus condensed, the water resulting from such
condensation passing by a pipe fitted into the lower part of the end of the
inner cylinder of B to a pump, by which it is forced back into the water space
of B, which communicates by a pipe with the water space of A. A pipe is
fitted into the upper part of the end of A, by which the heated water flows
into the boiler when the water space is full. To provide for the carrying off
and condensation of any steam not at once condensed, so as to keep the

page_text: interior cylinders free for the reception of fresh steam, a pipe is fitted into the
upper part of the end of the interior cylinder of B, this pipe communicates
with a pump, which being put in action takes up such surplus steam and also
a small quantity of cold water from a reservoir provided for the purpose, and
the steam being thus condensed the resulting water is either forced into the
water space of B with the water produced by condensation in the cylinders A
and B, or it is let off as waste water, or retained for feeding the boiler from
time to time as required. When more than two condensing cylinders are
used they must be connected with each other in a continuous series through
which the steam is to pass in the process of condensation, and through which
the resulting water is to be returned from the pumps to the boiler, the
respective steam spaces being connected together, and the water spaces also
communicating with each other. --I-prefer using cylinders of small diameter,
and as great length as possible, but I do not confine myself to such proportions,
nor even to the cylindrical or tubular form, as in some cases it would be
necessary to use short cylinders of comparatively great diameter, or vessels of
other forms and shapes, but in such cases I should reverse the arrangement I
have described above, and use the interior cylinder or other vessel as the water
space, and the space between that and the exterior cylinder or vessel for the
steam. Or I should construct each cylinder or other vessel of more than two
concentric cylinders or vessels, the several spaces between the same being used
as steam spaces and water spaces alternately. The condensing apparatus may
be used for regenerating the steam if instead of conveying the water from the
condensing apparatus into the boiler, as above described, it is retained in the
water spaces of the condenser. The water in contact with that part where
the steam enters would in time take up sufficient heat from the fresh steam to
cause it to boil, and supply steam to the steam cylinder to work behind
the piston.