IMPROVEMENTS IN CON- DENSERS AND IN EJECTING OR WITHDRAWING LIQUIDS AND FLUIDS THEREFROM
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Andrew Barclay, of Kilmarnock, in the County
of Ayr, North Britain, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CON-
DENSERS AND IN EJECTING OR WITHDRAWING LIQUIDS AND FLUIDS THEREFROM,
Sealed the 17th May 1870, and dated the 27th November 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Andrew Barclay at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
27th November 1869.
I, ANDREW BARCLAY, of Kilmarnock, in the County of Ayr, North
Britain, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention of "In-
PROVEMENTS IN CONDENSERS, AND IN EJECTING OR WITHDRAWING LIQUIDS AND
FLUIDS THEREFROM, AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH," to be as follows,
that is to say :-
This Invention relates to an arrangement of condensing apparatus,
wherein an ejector is used in combination with a condensing chamber
or vessel attached to cylinders of steam engines or other receptacles
wherein a vacuum or partial vacuum has to be formed. One passage of

page_text: the ejector is attached to the lower part of the condensing chamber,
and by means of it the injection water and water of condensation
resulting from the steam or vapour in the chamber is drawn off.
Another passage of the ejector is connected with an opening at a higher
level in the condensing chamber, and when the water in such chamber
rises up to and above this opening both water and air and any uncondensed
vapour that may be in the chamber are drawn off by such opening
until the water level is reduced below the lower edge of the orifice,
after which air and uncondensed vapour only are drawn off through it.
The condensing chamber or vessel has a float inside, which rises and
falls with the level of the water in the chamber, and it is attached by
a link to a valve which regulates the admission of the injection water
and also the admission of steam to the ejector in such manner as to
adjust both the admission of injection water according to the quantity
of steam or vapour to be condensed, and also according to the time
or period of its admission thereinto, and therefore the quantity of steam
This arrange
necessary at any time to draw off the injection water.
ment of condensing apparatus is specially applicable to such engines
as stop at short and frequent intervals, such for example as the engines
employed for winding up and down the cages in mine shafts, it being
explained that during the time of stoppage the quantity of injection
water admitted is very small, but at all times sufficient to maintain
the ejector in action. When however this arrangement is applied-
to engines which have long intervals between the strokes of the piston,
such for example as pumping engines, a second injection valve is
provided, which admits a large quantity of water for the condensation
at the instant when the exhaust from the cylinder takes place. The
starting handle or lever of the engine may or may not be connected to
a valve for regulating the admission of steam to the ejector.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Andrew Barclay in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 26th May 1870.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenth-seventh day of November, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in
the thirty-third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Andrew Barcley, Her special
license, that I, the said Andrew Barcley, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Andrew Barcley, my executors,
administrators, or 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 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN CON-
DENSERS AND IN. EJECTING. OR. WITHDRAWING LIQUIDS AND FLUIDS THEREPROM,
AND IN APPARATUS. CONNECTED. THEREWITH," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Andrew Barcley, by an instrument in writing
under my hand and seal, 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 Andrew Barcley, do hereby declare
the nature of my 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
Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to
say-
My said Invention relates to an arrangement of condensing apparatus
wherein an ejector is used in combination with a condensing chamber
or vessel attached to cylinders of steam engines or other receptacles
wherein a vacuum or partial vacuum has to be formed. One passage
of the ejector is attached to the lower part of the condensing chamber,
and by means of it the injection water and water of condensation
resulting from the steam or vapour in the chamber is drawn off. Another
passage of the ejector is connected with an opening at a higher level
in the condensing chamber, and when the water in such chamber rises
up to and above this opening both water and air and any uncondensed
vapour that may be in the chamber are drawn off by such opening until
the water level is reduced below the lower edge of the said orifice, after

page_text: which air and uncondensed vapour only are drawn off through it. The
condensing chamber or vessel has a float inside, which rises and falls
with the level of the water in the chamber, and it is attached by a link
to a valve which regulates the admission of the injection water and also
regulates the admission of steam to the ejector, effecting both in such
manner as to adjust the admission of injection water according to the
quantity of steam or vapour to be condensed in the chamber, and also
according to the time or period of its admission into the said chamber,
as well as the quantity of steam necessary at any time to draw off the
injection water. This arrangement of condensing apparatus is specially
applicable to such engines as stop at short and frequent intervals, such;
for example, as the engines employed for winding up and down the
cages in mine shafts, it being explained that during the time of stoppage
the quantity of injection water admitted is very small, but at all times
sufficient to maintain the ejector in action. When however this
apparatus is applied to engines which have long intervals between the
strokes of the piston, such, for example, as pumping engines, a second
injection valve is provided, which admits a large quantity of water for
the condensation at the instant when the exhaust from the cylinder
takes place. The starting handle or lever of the engine may or may
not be connected to a valve for regulating the admission of steam to
the ejector.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood
I now proceed more particularly to set forth the system, mode, or manner
in or under which the same is or may be used or practically carried into
effect, that is to say :-
:
On the accompanying Sheet of Drawings Figure .1 is a transverse
section of a condenser having an ejector applied thereto for withdrawing
the water, uncondensed vapour, and air in lieu of an air pump; Figure 2
is a plan of the same.
The condenser or condensing vessel A is that into which the
exhaust steam from a steam engine cylinder passes, being led thereto
by the branch or duct B. At the lower end of the condenser A a branch,
or duct C communicates with the water nozzle D of the ejector Z. The
condenser A contains a float E which moves upwards and downwards
in it correspondingly with the variation of the water level therein, it is
preferably guided by a central guide rod F, but this may be dispensed
with. At the upper end of the float E a link G is attached, having a

page_text: long slot a formed in it and through which the stud 6 in the lever H
passes; this lever being centred upon the spindle of the throttle
valve I in the injection passage, and when the level of the water in
the condenser A is such that the float E is raised so that the lower part
of the slot in the link G bears upon the stud b, it raises the lever H into
the position shown, so as to partly shut off the injection water from
issuing from the perforated nozzle or rose K (it being explained that
the valve I is of such size that when in the position shown in the
Drawing it still allows some water to pass around it). On the other
hand when the level of the water in the condenser A is low the upper
end of the slot in the link G bears upon the stud b, and therefore by
the weight of the float depresses the lever H, this having the effect of
opening the valve I, so as to allow a greater amount of injection water
to flow in. The stop valve L is for admitting or shutting off the water
from the injection passage, and the other stop valve M for admitting or
shutting off the flow of steam from the boiler into the ejector Z. The
lever H also actuates another shut lever H', shown in dotted lines,
connected by the link N to the lever O which actuates the cock P. Q
is the starting handle of the engine for actuating the link motion R as
the engine is started into motion, and it at the same time adjusts the
position of the throttle valve S, so as to admit the desired quantity of
steam into the ejector Z. The lower branch T of the ejector Z is con-
nected by the pipe U to an opening V in the condenser A, by which it
draws off water, air, and uncondensed vapour when the water level is
above the orifice V, but it draws off air and uncondensed vapour only
when the water is below the orifice V. It may be here explained that
ordinary apparatus of the kind now last set forth is specially applicable
to those engines which stop at short and frequent intervals, such engines
for example as are used for winding the cages upwards and downwards
in mine shafts.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-The ejector Z being
maintained in action by the steam from the boiler, as herein-before set

page_text: water condensing the exhaust steam as it escapes into the condenser
and constantly maintains the vacuum. The injection water for the
time, that is, during the admission of the exhaust steam issuing into
the condenser in greater quantity, causes the water level therein to be
raised together with the float E, which on again rising to the highest
position shown shuts off part of the injection water, and by means of
the lever. H and link. N opens the cock P, thereby admitting more
steam through the ejector, so as to draw off the water more rapidly at
such times as it is at such high level-in the condenser A, but when the
water is at a low level the action of the float on the lever H, and thence
through the lever H' acting on the cock P shuts off part or the whole of
the steam passing therethrough, so that the steam acts in the ejector Z
only by the nozzle a and therefore draws off a less quantity of water
from the condenser A. The object of this arrangement being dependent
on the necessity for always having some water in the condenser A
sufficient to ensure the action of the ejector, so that enough water for
such purpose is at all times admitted through the injection nozzle or
noso K, it being herein-before stated that the valve I has sufficient
clearance to allow a quantity of water at all times to pass around it.
The ejector also draws off the air and uncondensed vapour from the
condenser A by the branch T, and at such times as the water level rises
higher than the lower edge of the orifice V a. portion of such water is
drawn off through the same branch T, together with the air and vapour.
By means of this arrangement of condenser the air pump is avoided, and
at such times as an engine stops at short and frequent intervals the
ejector is maintained in action by a minimum expenditure of steam.
In place of using the branch C it may be dispensed with, in which case
the ejector is coupled by a conduit leading from the branch Y, shown
dotted.
"
At Figure 3 is shown a plan of the condenser A arranged for engines
which work very slowly, that is to say, at long intervals between the
strokes of the piston, such, for example, as pumping engines, in which

page_text: valve W is used, and for this purpose a branch W' is formed on the
injection pipe U. This valve W is acted upon by a tappet or cam, not
shown in the Drawings, and actuated by the engine, at the instant
preceding the termination of the stroke of the piston (when the exhaust
takes place) and being thereby lifted admits the required quantity of
water through the perforated nozzle K for immediately condensing the
steam and forming a vacuum.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the
system, mode, or manner in or under which the same is or may be used
or practically carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that
what I consider novel and original and therefore claim as the Invention
secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the
arrangement and construction of steam engine condensing apparatus,
as herein-before described and shown on the appended Sheet of
Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Andrew Barcley, have hereunto,
set my hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of May One thousand
eight hundred and seventy.