IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF DISTILLED WATER
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine,
Lake, & Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London,
for the Invention of "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF
DISTILLED WATER."-A communication from abroad by William A.
Lighthall, of Brooklyn, New York, United States of America.
Sealed the 12th February 1875, and dated the 7th November 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 7th November 1874.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR THE MANU-
FACTURE OF DISTILLED WATER,” a communication, to be as follows:-
"
My Invention relates to the combination of a steam condenser,
aerator, and filter with a cooler for the production of distilled water, and-
consists in the apparatus herein-after described, wherein the introduction
of the steam into the said condenser is made to cause a partial vacuum-

page_text: in the filter, thereby facilitating the passage through the filter of the
water, and at the same time reducing its temperature and continuing the
cooling operation by the use of an atmospheric cooler.
In carrying this Invention into practice I provide a steam condenser,
not differing essentially in construction from condensers in use. It
consists of a large number of tubes, into which the steam is introduced
to be condensed, inclosed in a water-tight case or tank, through which
cold water is caused to circulate in contact with the said pipes, these
pipes all open into steam-tight chambers at the ends of the case; and
these chambers are divided into compartments by the division plates,
whereby the tubes are divided into three series, the steam passing
through the upper series No. 1 into the steam chamber at the opposite
end of the case, then back through the series No. 2 that lie between the
plates, and then back again and out of the condenser through the series
No. 3 lying below the lower plate, thus protracting the condensing and
cooling action taking place in the tubes. I then provide a filter to
operate in connection with the said condenser. It is formed of a water-
tight case or tank divided into several compartments so arranged that water
passing from one end to the other of the case shall circulate alternately
downward through one compartment and upward through another. For
this purpose the case is supplied with a false perforated bottom, and the
partitions rest with their lower edges against the perforated bottom, their
upper edges being fastened to the top or cover of the case with water-
tight screws. The middle partition extending through the perforated
bottom is fastened with a water-tight seam to the bottom of the case, 1
but does not extend upward quite to the top of the case. The several
compartments are filled with animal charcoal or some other suitable
filtering material.
The steam conductor leading from the steam generator is made to
form an injector just at its entrance into the condenser by being severed
at that point, and having the end of the portion connected with the
generator contracted to form a nozzle, which enters the enlarged end of
that portion connected with the condenser, and is closed around the
nozzle, leaving a portion of the same projecting into it.
Then just
opposite the extreme end of the nozzle a tub is inserted in the outer
pipe surrounding the nozzle, which leads into the top of the filter case.
By this arrangement it is evident that the steam in passing from the
nozzle into the condenser through the larger pipe surrounding it will

page_text: tend to form a vacuum in the filter by drawing therefrom the air through
the tube leading from the pipe surrounding the nozzle. The air so
drawn is carried with the steam into the condenser, and serving to
aërate the water formed by the condensation of the steam, while the
vacuum formed in the filter tends to facilitate the flow of water into and
through the filter; at the same time the temperature of the water in the
filter is somewhat reduced in consequence of the increased evaporation
which takes place in the filter because of the vacuum. I then continue
the cooling process by pumping the filtered water directly from the filter
case to a receiving tank, which if used on a ship may be upon an upper
deck, from which point the water may flow by its own gravity to any
lower part of the vessel. From the bottom of this receiving tank a pipe
leads to an atmospheric cooler, consisting of a closed vessel, which is
supplied with water from any source. Within this vessel and immersed
in the contained water is placed a coil of pipe, which is a continuation
of the pipe leading from the receiving tank. The lower end of the coil.
projects from the said vessel, and is provided with a stop-cock. A very
small pipe open at both ends is inserted in the top of the said cooling
vessel, and extends nearly to the bottom of the same; then by means of
a suitable pump I withdraw the air from this vessel, forming therein a
partial vacuum, the result of which is to cause a rapid evaporation of the
water surrounding the coil, thereby reducing its temperature. The little
air that will rush in through the small tube inserted in the top of the
cooler will agitate the water, thus facilitating the evaporation and
cooling. The distilled water in the coils will of course be cooled by the
water surrounding the coil, and may be drawn for use at pleasure. At
or near the top of the receiving tank is inserted a pipe, which may lead
to any other point desired, and through which the surplus water after
supplying the cooler will flow off.
30 SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 3rd May 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM.
ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
35 Southampton Buildings, London, send greeting.
."

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the
thirty-eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Robert Lake, Her special
licence that I, the said William Rober Lake, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Robert Lake,
time
my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
with
agree
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
"IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF DISTILLED WATER," a com-
munication to me from abroad by William A. Lighthall, of Brooklyn,
New York, United States of America, upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said William Robert Lake, my executors or ad-
ministrators, 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 William Robert Lake, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawing forming a part of this Specification :-
My Invention relates to the combination of a steam condenser,
aerator, filter, and cooler, for the production of distilled water and
cooling the same, and consists in the apparatus herein-after described,
wherein the steam introduced into the condenser is made to carry with it
atmospheric air, by means of which the distilled water produced by con-
densing the steam is aerated, and by drawing the said air from the filter
a partial vacuum is formed therein, facilitating the passage of the water
through the filter, and at the same time somewhat reducing its tempe-
rature, the water being by the action of a force pump drawn from the
filter and driven through a worm or series of pipes placed in a receptacle
and surrounded by water under a partial vacuum, an air pump acting

page_text: to make the said vacuum and remove the vaporized water from the
receptacle, causing a reduction of the temperature therein and farther
cooling the distilled water.
A is the steam condenser, not essentially differing in construction from
condensers in use. It consists of a large number of tubes, into which
the steam is introduced to be condensed, inclosed in a water-tight case or
tank, through which cold water is caused to circulate in contact with the
said pipes. These pipes all open into steam-tight chambers at the ends
of the case, and these chambers are divided into compartments by the
division plates a and b, whereby the tubes are divided into three series,
the steam passing through the upper series Number 1 into the steam
chamber at the opposite end of the case, then back through the series
Number 2 lying between the plates a and b, and then back again and
out of the condenser through the series Number 3 lying below plate b,
thus protracting the condensing and cooling action taking place in the
tubes. B is a filter formed of a water-tight case or tank, divided
preferably into several compartments, so arranged that water passing
from one end to the other of the case will circulate alternately downward
through one compartment and upward through another. The said case
is supplied with a false perforated bottom c, and the partitions d and f
rest with the lower edges against the perforated bottom, the upper edges
being fastened to the top or cover of the case B with water-tight screws.
The middle partition e extending through the perforated bottom is
fastened with a water-tight seam to the bottom of the case, but does not
extend upward quite to the top of the case. The several compartments
are filled with animal charcoal or some other suitable filtering material.
I prefer to use a filter of the peculiar construction herein-above described,
but a filter of any other suitable form and construction may be em-
ployed.
'

page_text: the receptacle N. Within the cylinder O is a float, represented by dotted
lines, and consisting of a hollow cylinder open at the bottom and closed
at the top, upon which is arranged a valve to close the open end of the
pipe m that projects a little below the top of the cylinder O, the rising
upward of the float acting to close the end of said pipe. B¹ and S' are
pipes leading from the cylinder O to the tank N'. T is an air pump,
which acts to exhaust the air from the tank N¹ through the pipe U. V is
a force pump to supply water to the condenser A through the pipe I.
The several pumps are driven by a steam engine, whose cylinder is
represented at W. A small pipe, open at both ends, is inserted in the
head of the tank N', and extends nearly to the bottom for the admission
of air.
Suitable valves and stop-cocks are provided where required, and
openings or hand holes, with proper air-tight or water-tight covers, are
made in various parts of the apparatus for convenience in clearing and
inspecting the interior of its several parts.
The operation of this improved apparatus is as follows, that is to
say-By a suitable circulating pump V cold water is thrown into and
made to circulate through the condenser case A, entering at the bottom
by the pipe I and escaping at the top by the pipe L, the condenser tube
being thereby surrounded by cold water circulating among them, the
lower series of pipes being subjected to the action of the coolest water
as it enters the condenser. The steam to be condensed is then intro-
duced through the pipe O, nozzle g, and pipe D. The water resulting
from the condensation of the steam leaves the lower series of condensing
tubes through the steam chamber at the end of the condenser and flows
into the filter through the pipe F. Meantime a partial vacuum will be
formed in the filter by the action of the steam passing through the
nozzle g drawing air from the pipe E. This air mingles with the steam
in its condensation, and very completely aerates the water formed by
such condensation. Under the pressure upon the water caused by the
partial vacuum the water is urged through the filter more rapidly than
it would be without the vacuum. At the same time the temperature of
this water is somewhat reduced in consequence of the increased evapo-
ration which takes place in the filter because of the vacuum. The
surplus air at the end of the condenser at which the distilled water is
_discharged by the action of the ejector escapes through the pipe G.
From the filter the water is drawn by the force pump G³¹ and thrown

page_text: into the receptacle N, from which a portion flows into the coil of pipe
in the tank N' through the pipe R, and a portion flows into the small
cylinder o through the pipe m when the valve at the lower end is open,
and thence into the tank N¹ through the pipe B', so that the coil of pipe
in the said tank will be immersed in water. Now the action of the air 5
pump T tends to form a vacuum in the tank N¹, which causes a rapid
evaporation of the water therein, the evaporation being also promoted
by the agitation of the water occasioned by the air which will rush into
and through the water in the tank through the small open pipe inserted
in its head. The air pump being kept in motion the vapor is removed 1
from the tank N' as fast as formed, and a constant refrigeration of the
water contained therein is carried on. The water in the coil within the
said tank is of course brought to the same temperature as the body of
water surrounding it, and may be drawn off through the cock / for use.
As the water in the tank N¹ is removed by evaporation a new supply is 1
furnished from the receptacle N through the pipe m, the cylinder O, and
pipe B¹, the float in O operating to open and close the lower end of m so
as to keep the proper quantity of water in the tank N¹. The pipe §¹
opens a communication between the cylinder O and tank N¹ near the top
of both, and thus serves to equalize the atmospheric pressure in them, 2
thereby keeping the water in both at the same level.
By this apparatus it is obvious that steam is condensed and the water
of condensation aerated, filtered, and cooled to a tempeature con-
siderably lower than the prevailing temperature of the surrounding air
or that of the water employed as the cooling agent in the condenser, and 2
that the entire movements may be made by a single motor.
Having thus fully described the said Invention, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the
same, I wish it understood that I claim,―
First. The combination of a steam condenser A, a filter B, and an
aerator formed in the pipe D by the nozzle g, the air pipe E supplying
air to the aerator leading from the filter, so that air supplied to aerate
the steam entering the condenser is drawn from the filter, thus creating
a partial vacuum therein, as and for the purpose specified.
Second. The steam condenser A. and the filter B with the pipes F, E, 3
D, C, and injector nozzle g, combined and operating as and for the

page_text: Third. The combination of the receptacle N, tank N¹, cylinder O,
force pump G', air pump T, filter B, and their several pipe connections,
whereby after water is filtered its temperature is reduced by the
action of a partial vacuum, as and for the purpose described.
Fourth. A steam condensing and water aerating, filtering, and cooling
apparatus composed of the condenser A, the filter B, the steam in-
jector C, g, the water receptacle N, the cooling tank N', the cylinder O
with its float, the pumps G³, T, and the pipe connections combined and
operating as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Third day of May, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
five.
Witness,
HY. JA. NOONE.
W. ROBT. LAKE. (L.s.)