IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CONDENSING STEAM OR OTHER VAPOURS
Year: 1884

page_text: I ROBERT HOWARTH, of 9 Beaumaris Terrace Lower Villiers Street, Blakonhall,
Wolverhampton, in the County of Stafford, Engineer do hereby declare the nature
of said invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CONDENSING STEAM OR
OTHER VAPOURS to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to an improved arrangement or combination of parts of
condensers constructed of plates, and has for its object the obtaining of an increased
cooling surface, and a simple arrangement of parts, that can be easily taken to
pieces for cleaning.
In constructing a Condenser according to my Invention I use a series of square
or rectangular plates, preferably of copper, each of which is perforated with
suitable holes for bolts as near the edges, as convenient, so that when any number
of plates are placed one on the top of the other, bolts can be freely passed through
the holes intended for them :-I then take one of the above mentioned plates, and
on it I lay a number of metal strips, equidistant apart and extending across the
plate from end to end, on the two outside edges, in the same direction as the strips,
I lay two pieces of sheet india rubber, or any other suitable jointing material
likewise extending across the plate, and having corresponding holes.
On the plate thus prepared, I place another similar plate, so that a joint can be
made upon the two outside edges, leaving tho ends open, and a free passage
between the plates, from one end to the other, the strips inaintaining any required
distance or space between the two plates.
I then place a suitable number of strips upon the second plate, in such a manner
that the direction of their length shall be at right angles with the first set of strips,
and the material for making the joints, having suitable holes I place at the ends
instead of the sides.
Upon these I place a third similar plate thus a joint can be made upon the two
ends leaving the sides open, and a free pussage between the plates from one side to
t'o other the strips maintaining a regular distance or space between the two plates.
This arrangement I repeat any required number of times.
To give support and strength to the whole, on the two outsides external to any
number of plates, that is to say under the first plate and over the last, I place two

page_text: strong cast iron or other plates, of corresponding shape with flat surfaces and
having similar holes.
Through these holes I insert screw bolts and secure the whole tightly together.
This arrangement I then mount in any suitable casing, arranged so that the
steam or vapour to be condensed shall pass vertically through one set of openings
between the plates and the condensing water or other cooling medium, shall pass
in a transverse direction through the other set of openings between the plates, the
object of this arrangement being, that each plate shall have the steam or vapour to
be condensed, on one side of it, and the circulating water or other cooling medium
on the other side of it.
In operation the circulating water or other cooling medium, enters the casing by
suitable pipes or tubes, fills and circulates through one set of openings between the
plates, and the steam or vapour to be condensed enters the casing by suitable
connections at another point, and in its passage through the other set of openings
between the plates, meets at opposite sides of each plate, the cold circulating water,
or other condensing medium;-the condensed steam passes as water into a receiver,
and is drawn off as required.
The required cocks, and fittings may be of any known description.

page_text: I ROBERT HOWARTH of 9 Beaumaris Terrace, Lower Villiers Street Blakenhall
Wolverhampton in the County of Stafford Engineer do hereby declare the nature
of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CONDENSING STEAM OR
OTHER VAPOURS and in what manner the saine is to be performed, to be par-
ticularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement, reference
being had to the accompanying Drawings and to the letters and figures marked
thereon:-
My Invention relates to an improved arrangement or combination of parts of
condensers constructed of plates, and has for its object, the obtaining of an increased
cooling surface, and a simple arrangement of parts, that can be easily taken to
pieces for cleaning.
In order that the description of the Invention may be more easily understood
Drawings are attached hereto, similar letters referring to the same parts in each of
the Figures.
In constructing a Condenser according to my invention, I use a series of square
or rectangular plates, preferably of copper each of which is perforated with suitable
holes for bolts O Fig 9, as near the edge as convenient, so that when any number
of plates are placed one on the top of the other bolts can be freely. passed through
the holes intended for them.
I take one of the above mentioned plates and on it I lay a number of metal
strips L Fig 9 equidistant apart and extending across the plate from end to end ;-
On the two outside edges, in the same direction as the strips, I lay two pieces of
Sheet India Rubber, or any other suitable jointing material a. a Fig 9. likewise
extending across the plate; On the plate thus prepared I place another similar
plate, so that a joint can be made upon the two outside edges, leaving the ends
open, and a free passage between the plates from one end to the other, the strips L
Fig 9 maintaining any required distance or space between the two plates.
I then place a suitable number of strips upon the second plate, in such a manner
that the direction of their length shall be at right-angles to the first set of strips,
as indicated on the Drawing Fig 9 by the dotted lines L'. and the material for
making the joints shall be at the ends a¹ a¹ Fig 9.
. Upon this I place a third similar plate thus a joint can be made upon the two
ends of the second plate, leaving the sides open, and a free passage between the
plates from one side to the other.
This arrangement I repeat any required number of times.
To give support and strength to the whole, on the two outsides and external to
any number of plates, that is to say under the first plate and over the last, I place
two strong cast iron or other plates P. Fig 1. 2. 3 of corresponding shape with
flat surfaces, and having similar holes to correspond with those in the plates O
Fig 9.
Through these holes I insert screw bolts and secure the whole firmly together.
This arrangement I mount in any suitable casing R. Fig 1. 3. having four internal
vertical flanges T Fig 3. so arranged as to coincide with the edges of the plates P
Fig 3.
•
The whole of the plates being of an equal length from a¹ to a¹ Fig 9 as the
body of the casing R. Fig 1; it follows that when the cover A Fig 1. is bolted
down to the facing B Fig 1. the series of plates is pinched tightly between the

page_text: jointing material U. U¹ Fig 1. making a joint as indicated by the dotted surface F
Fig 3; square openings being cut in the jointing material to allow free passage
between the plates at c. E. Fig 1. thus effectually preventing contact of the
condensing medium, and the steam or other vapour to be condensed :—the pro-
jections M. M. Fig 2. 3. aro intended to keep the series of plates central in the
casing prior to screwing up, and also to serve as handles for the purpose of
removing the same.
In operation the circulating water or other cooling medium, enters the casing
through the branch pipe H Fig 1. 3. fills and circulates through one set of openings
between the plates and discharges at the branch J. Fig 1. 3. as shown by the
arrows but is prevented from passing round the outside to any objectionable degree.
by the vertical flanges 'T' Fig 3.
The steam or vapour to be condensed enters the cover by the branch pipe D
Fig 1 and in its passage through the other set of openings between the plates,
meets at opposite sides of the plates the cold circulating water or other cooling
medium and the condensed steam or other vapour passes as a liquid into the
receiver S Fig 1 thence drawn off for use at the branch K Fig 1. 3.
The object of this arrangement being that each plate shall have the steam or
vapour to be condensed, at one side of it and the circulating water or other cooling
medium at the other side of it.
A modification of my Invention consists in having the plates only wide enough
to pass between the binding screw-bolts as illustrated by Fig 1. 3.
The arrangement shown in Fig 4 is intended to lengthen the passages between
the plates, and more effectually to mix up the hotter and colder portions of the
condensing medium, and the steam or other vapour to be condensed, and thereby
cause greater regularity in the varying expansion of the mass.
The device as shown in Fig 5 is intended to be used in cases where the distance
between the plates is greater than can be conveniently maintained if the strips
were straight as in Fig 9;-the object gained by the strips being corrugated and
placed on edge, is to give stiffness to the whole.
The design shown by Fig 6 is intended to be used under circumstances where it
is found desirable to break up the voluine passing between the plates, and consists
of wire gauze, cut to a suitable size and placed between the plates instead of the
strips.
Fig 8 shows a design which dispenses with a seperate stay arrangement, the
distance between the plates being maintained by means of parallel projections,
raised upon the plate itself by being passed between suitable rollers.
In the arrangement shown at Fig 7 the distance between the plates is maintained,
by making cup like indentations upon one side of each plate, leaving a projection
the required height upon the opposite side, which operation can easily be performed
by means of a press, the projections to be so spaced, that by placing one plate over
the other with the end V Fig 7 of the upper plate over the end W of the lower
plate the point of contact of each projection on the lower plate, and the underside
of the upper plate would be between the projections on the upper plate, which
arrangement can be repeated any required number of times: It is likewise
intended in this arrangement that the joints at the ends and sides of the plates,
where needed, shall consist of flat strips of metal 6 Fig 7 of the same thickness the
projections are in height which are intended by way of packing pieces and the
actual joint is to be made by dipping the edges and ends into a bath of molten
solder or tin thereby uniting the surfaces in contact and making a secure joint.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
Firstly: An improved arrangement or combination of parts of condensers,
constructed of square or rectangular plates held in position by screw bolts, passed
through strong outer plates, the whole constructed substantially as described.

page_text: Secondly-A combination of any or all of the parts or devices herein described
and set forth in the Drawings.
Thirdly: An arrangement of plates substantially as herein described, having
the strips for maintaining the required distance between the plates, secured to cach
plate individually by means of soldering or brazing.
Fourthly: An arrangement of plates substantially as herein described, wherein
the required distance of the plates apart shall be maintained by pieces of wire of
suitable lengths, to be used instead of the strips aforesaid.
Fifthly: An arrangement of plates substantially for the purposes herein
described, the distance between the plates being maintained by projections upon
one face of each plate itself, the other face being a flat surface.
Sixthly-An arrangement of plates substantially for the purposes herein
described the distance between the plates being maintained by projections upon
both faces of each plate itself.
Dated this Third day of November One Thousand Eight Hundred and Eighty