CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PYRO-HYDRO-PNEUMATIC APPARATUS FOR GENERATING, PURIFYING, AND CONDENSING STEAM AND OTHER VAPOURS, AND FOR OBTAINING VEGETABLE EXTRACTS
Year: 1846

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
CLARK, of Cornhill, in the City of London, -Merchant; send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by
Her Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, beár-
ing daterat Westminster, the Twenty-ninth day of June, in the tentli
year of Her reign did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Charles. Clark, my exors, adññors, and assigns,
Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the
said Charles Clark, my exors, admors, and assigns, and such others as I;
the said Charles Clark, my exors, adñiors, or assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others; from time to time and at all times during the
term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exer-
cise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed;
Her said Majesty's Colonies and Plantations abroad, and also in the Islands
of Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, Sark, and Man, my Invention of :" CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PYRO-HYDRO-PNEUMATIC APPARATUS FOR GENERATING,
PURIFYING, AND CONDENSING STEAM AND OTHER VAPOURS, AND FOR OBTAINING
VEGETABLE EXTRACTS;" in which said Letters Patent there is contained a
proviso that I, the said Charles: Clark, shall cause a particular description of
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per
formed, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, to be enrolled

page_text: in Her said Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent,
as in and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at
large appear.
"
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Charles Clark, do hereby declare that the apparatus to which my said invented
improvements has reference, is that which formed the subject of former Letters
Patent for England and the Colonies, granted to me on the Thirty-first day of
January, One thousand eight hundred and forty-three, for an "Improved
Pyro-hydro-Pneumatic Apparatus or means of Generating, Purifying, and
"Condensing. Steam and other Vapours, and of Extracting from Vegetable
Substances the Soluble Portions thereof, as also the Application of Parts of
"the said Apparatus to other Heating, Evaporating, and Distilling Purposes;"
and that the said improvements have reference, as well to the said apparatus
itself as to the application of parts thereof to other heating, evaporating, and
distilling purposes. And I declare that the nature of the said improvements,
and in what manner the same are to be performed, are fully described in and
by the present Specification thereof, reference being had to the Drawings
hereunto annexed, (that is to say) :-
Firstly, in place of making the steam or still head of the apparatus in the
manner described in the Specification of the last-mentioned Letters Patent,
(that is to say), with a steam inlet pipe, the upper orifice of which was covered
by a broad concave plate or shield, kept steady by suspended weights, and
free to rise under a slight pressure, the object of which plate was to separate
from the steam any water which might ascend along with it into the still-head,
or, in other words, to prevent what is commonly called "priming," one of the
most serious obstacles which exists to the perfect freshening of sea water
(the water so separated being afterwards withdrawn from the bottom of the
still-head (by a discharge cock), I construct the still-head in the manner
represented in Figure 1 of the annexed Drawings. C is the water cylinder
or boiler, as in the original apparatus; A is the steam or still-head, which is
made with a bottom a³, perforated all over with holes of small but various
diameters; and a²; a second similarly perforated plate, which is fixed in the
still-head a little way above the first. The steam ascends freely through these
perforated plates, while any particles of water which may be carried up along
with it are attracted to and arrested by the solid parts of one or other of them,
whence they drop back into the water. cylinder or boiler C. The inlet pipe,
the weighted shield, and the discharge cock of the original apparatus, are thus
entirely dispensed with, and at all pressures, not exceeding five pounds on the

page_text: square inch, (which is the highest pressure to which the steam of sea water
intended for conversion into fresh water should be carried), the evil of priming
is obviated. When the evaporation is intended to be effected at very low
degrees of pressure, as two or two and a half pounds to the square inch, the
second perforated plate may be dispensed with; and so also, when higher
degrees of pressure are employed, a third, or even a fourth plate, may, for the
sake of greater certainty in the operation, be introduced. Figure 2 represents
a still-head, constructed on the same plan as Figure 1, and differing only from
it in being of a square instead of cylindrical form.
Secondly, in the apparatus, as originally constructed, three condensing and
ærating vessels of a conical form were employed, and a cold air pipe was
carried up through these vessels, for the purpose of accelerating the process of
condensation. A representation of this original arrangement is given in
Figure 3 of the Drawings hereunto annexed. I now find that the process
of condensation may be still further accelerated by surrounding the cold air
pipe with another and larger pipe of a conical form, and conveying the steam
first of all into the space between the two pipes, as shewn in Figure 4. In
this Figure D represents the original cold air pipe, and E the new conical
enclosing pipe. The steam may be introduced into the intermediate space,
either by a pipe such as C', leading directly thereto, or by a pipe such as C³,
entering in at the top of the air pipe, and carried through the side of it to the
intermediate space. The whole body of steam being thus brought at once into
contact with the whole of the cold surface of the air tube, or, at least, into such
close proximity therewith as vastly to multiply the chances of contact, a large
portion of it is thereby almost instantly condensed, and falls in the form of water
into the receiver below, being ærated in its descent by intermixture with the
currents of air ascending from below, while the remainder, escaping out of the
top of the outer conical pipe, expands into the three condensing and ærating
vessels of the original apparatus to be acted on by them in the same way, but
more slowly.
Thirdly, by combining the two improvements last herein-before described,
along with the more essential only of the other parts of the original Invention,
I am enabled to produce an apparatus capable of yielding from two to two and
a half gallons of fresh water per hour, which occupies no more than a space of
about twenty-four and a half cubic feet, and may be therefore employed with-
out inconvenience on board of ships of small size, and either as a fixture
between decks, or as a portable article, which may be moved about from place
'to place. A sectional elevation of this apparatus is given in Figure 5: A, is
the boiler, which is connected by a feed pipe a with an open sea water

page_text: cistern G; b, boiler guage cock; B, the furnace, and, 6 the. funnel for feeding
it with fuel; C, the ash-pan; D, the chimney; E, the still-head constructed in
the improved manner before described; P, a pipe through which the steam
passes from the still-head E.to. the rectifier F, whence it. is carried over by a
pipe finto the central, air pipe I of the condensing and aerating vessels
H, H, H, and through the side. of that pipe into the space between it and; a
conical pipe K, by which. it is surrounded, as, last herein-before directed;
e, e, are air pipes passing laterally. through the vessels H, H, H; L,. the
purified and ærated water receiver; M, filter; and N; the fresh water reser-
voir, from which it is drawn off for use by the cock.n. In using this;apparatus
care must be taken to draw off, from time. to, time; the brine resulting from the
evaporation of the sea. water in the boiler, by means of the cock c. . The
supply cistern.G. should also be .cleared occasionally of any deposit, which, may
take place in,it by opening the brine cock_d...
Fourthly, I still, further.improve the apparatus last herein-before .described
by enclosing so much of the condensing and aerating vessels, H, H, H, as are
there left in contact with the salt water of the supply.cistern. G, in a. separate
close cistern filled with, fresh, water, and by making the salt water supply
cistern. G (which surrounds the other.) also close. Each cistern. has a funnel
by which it is separately filled, and a cock, for clearing it occasionally; the
fresh water cock being attached to the outer end of a pipe, carried from.the
fresh water or inner cistern through the sea water or outer cistern. The steam
pipe P is in this case carried from, the rectifier F, in an upwardly inclined
position, first. through the sea water of the supply. cistern G, and then over. into
the air pipe I of the condensing, and aerating vessels, as in the apparatus last
herein-before. described. The advantages attending this modification of the
apparatus are, that the condensing and aerating, vessels are protected from the
corrosive action of, the sea water, and that the steam parts with a good deal of
its heat to the sea water in its passage through. it, and becomes thus in a fitter
state for condensation, while the sea water, on the other hand, becomes partially
heated before entering the boiler. Should any portion of the steam be con-
densed in the steam pipe P, it falls back into the rectifier F. whence it may be
drawn, off by a cock, for any purpose to which water not thoroughly sweetened
and aerated may be applicable. When the condensing, and acrating part of
the apparatus happens to be placed on a lower level than the boiler (as may
under any circumstances be expedient), then the sea water supply cistern must
be wholly detached. therefrom and placed in, some other situation above the
level of the boiler, and the close fresh water cistern only left at the top of the
.condensing and aerating apparatus;

page_text: Fifthly, I combine my pyro-hydro-pneumatic apparatus, including the
improvements herein-before described with the ordinary cooking hearths of
men of war and other large sailing vessels in such manner and with such
suitable modifications and additions as to make one fire or set of fires serve the
purposes of both. The cooking hearths used in vessels of the above description
consist commonly of a long range, with a fire for roasting, behind the back
plate of which range' there is a baking oven, and next to it a furnace; above
which, three cooking pans are placed in a row side by side, surrounded by a
wrought iron casing, which admits of the heat of the furnace playing round
the sides as well as acting on the bottonis of the pans. In the hearths' used
in the combination about to be described, the parts are nearly the same but
arranged differently, so as to encrease the length of the hearth, and thereby
admit of the pyro-hydro-pneumatic apparatus being more conveniently united
therewith. For the sake, also, of embracing the whole within as small an area
of the vessel as may be, the pyro-hydro-pneumatic apparatus is not all placed
on the same level or deck with the hearth, but portions of it only on the same
deck and portions of it on the deck or in the hold beneath. Figure 6 of the
annexed Drawings represents a side elevation, and Figure 7 a top plan of a
ship's hearth as so modified, and of so much of the pyro-hydro-pneumatic
apparatus as is on the same deck and immediately connected therewith. R is
the range; V, the chimney; F; the usual furnace. H, H, H, the threc
cooking pans newly arranged as aforesaid. A', A2, A2, the boiler of a T form
for evaporating the sea water intended to be converted into fresh, which is
placed partly between and partly behind the cooking pans, as shewn ; and
C, C, two close cisterns placed upon the range one on each side of the
chimney V, which are kept filled (through funnels d) with sea water, and are
connected by a pipe which communicates by another short pipe (having a
cock a) with the boiler A. As the pans H. and the piece A¹ of the boiler are
the only parts which are immediately above the furnace and have the full
benefit thereof, a small auxiliary furnace G is inserted at the back of the
apparatus into the midst of the water in the main piece A² of the boiler, and a
flue G¹ carried from it right through the piece A¹ to the chimney. S is the
steam or still-head, which is made with a perforated plate or plates to prevent
priming, as firstly herein-before described. B is a rectifier, from which the
steam is conveyed by two pipes i, i, through the supply cisterns C, C, and
thence down to the condensing oerating and other portions of the pyro-hydro-
pneumatic apparatus placed in the hold or on the deck beneath. D is a brine
box; b, brine tap; c, tap to rectifier; and E, a glass guage attached to the
boiler. The parts placed in the hold or on the deck beneath are in all respects

page_text: the same as the corresponding parts of the modification of the apparatus
fourthly berein-before described, wherein the sea water cistern is detached
from the condensing and aerating vessels, and need not therefore be here again
described.. Any man of war's, or other ship's hearths, which is of size enough
to do cooking for the ship's company,, will, by means of the modifications and
additions which, have been just described be able also to furnish a supply of
fresh water equal to the rate of one gallon per man per day; and this at no
more additional expence for fuel than is requisite to feed the small auxiliary
furnace G.
Sixthly, to extend at a cheap rate the benefits of the pyro-hydro-pneumatic
apparatus to the smaller classes of merchant vessels, I adopt the arrangements
represented in Figure 8. Such hearths consist usually of a hot plate in front,
having holes in it for the reception of cooking vessels, beneath which is the
furnace and roasting range, and behind a baking oven, on the top of which
one or more cooking pans are placed. In my improved arrangement I attach
to the side of the hearth opposite the furnace a boiler B, to contain the salt
water which is to be converted into fresh, and carry a flue from the furnace
under and around, the bottom part of this boiler, and the better to secure an
ample and constant supply of heat to the boiler, I substitute for the hot plate
a rectangular box which is open at one side to the boiler, and serves in fact as
a small auxiliary boiler to the other, inserting holes in this steam box similar
to those in the hot plate, so as not to interfere with its separate use as a hot
plate. The steam or still head is made of the improved description firstly
before described, and the steam may be conveyed from it to a set of rectifying,
condensing, ærating, and filtering vessels, constructed on the plan of the
pyro-hydro-pneumatic apparatus, and placed behind the hearth. An apparatus
such as has been just described, and of size enough to do the cooking for a
ship's company of ten men, would also yield from one to two gallons of fresh
water per hour without any additional cost whatever for fuel, and with no
more trouble than that of keeping the boiler supplied with sea water, and
occasionally drawing off the brine. Should still greater cheapness be required,
and the aerating of the fresh water be regarded as a matter of indifference, a
condenser and filter of the description represented in. Figure 9 may be
employed and placed immediately behind the cooking hearth. The uppermost
compartment A of this apparatus is about four inches deep, and has a funnel
through which it is filled with refrigerating sea water, which, when it becomes
too hot, is drawn off by a cock band replaced. One pailful three or four times
a day is all that is wanted. Beneath this is the rectifier B, and a steam
chamber C, in which last there are one or more perforated metal plates for the

page_text: purpose of aiding condensation. As the pressure of the steam increases while
a portion of it, is being condensed into hot water, the air and the water. must
pass through the filter D, and by means of the tube e into the fresh water
cistern, from which it is drawn off by a cock d; c is a small vertical pipe for
letting the air pass in and out. The product not being aerated will be vapid,
but pure and fit for cooking, making tea and coffee, &c., and when filtered a.
second time it will also be fit for drinking.
.
Seventhly, in order to make the heat of ships' cooking hearths still more
extensively available to the conjunct purpose of converting sea water into fresh,
that is to say, to make the two combined apparatuses to do a greater amount
of duty with a given expenditure of fuel than by any of the arrangements
before described, I construct the hearths in the improved manner represented
in. Figures. 10 and 11; Figure 10 being a side elevation, and Figure 11 a.
plan on the line a, b, of Figure 10. A is the cooking furnace, which it will
be seen is placed at a much greater distance from the range (R) than usual. B
is a baking oven, as before. B' a second baking oven, which is introduced
into the space between the furnace and range. C, C, are the salt water
supply cisterns; M, the boiler; N, brine box; D, D, cooking pans;
F, F, F, flues, which are so arranged that the heat from the furnace is made
to traverse all under and around the bottom of the cooking pans and ovens,
and alongside and through the boiler before escaping into the chimney. The
other parts of the apparatus, that is to say, the rectifying, condensing, ærating,
and filtering parts are in all respects the same as in that described under the
fifth head of this Specification.
Eighthly, in order to produce a more rapid evaporation of the sea water
in the boilers of the pyro-hydro-pneumatic apparatus, whether employed
in its original form or in any of the improved forms herein-before described,
and also in all other boilers to which this part of the said apparatus is appli-
cable, I construct the boiler in the manner exemplified in Figures 12, 13 and 14,
of the Drawings annexed; Figure 12 being a cross section, Figure 13 a side
view, and Figure 14 a plan. A broad flue F extends straight from the furnace
through, the midst of the water in the boiler to the chimney, and in this flue
there are placed one, two, or more rows of vertical evaporators E, E, E, which
are open at top and bottom, and present sidewise the form of an inverted
pyramid, but are in their cross section of the shape of an oblate spheroid, as
shewn in the plan, Figure 14. I place these evaporators in straight rows
parallel to the sides of the flue F, and make them of an oblate spheroidal
form, in, order that they may offer as little interruption as may be to. the
furnace draught. A small body of water being brought in each of these
evaporators into immediate contact with their intensely heated surfaces is very

page_text: rapidly raised to the steam point, and ascending to the top of the water in the
boiler gives place to another body of water to be heated in like manner, and
so 'the operation goes on unceasingly."
Ninthly, my Invention consists in the adaptation, in manner following, of
parts of the pyro-hydro-pneumatic apparatus to steam vessels, and in certain
alterations in the steam generators of such vessels to render them suitable for
such adaptation. Most sea-going steamers are provided with condensers of
some sort or other, for converting a portion of the steam of the engine boilers
into fresh water; but complaints are general of the quality of the water thus
obtained, which is frequently so' bad 'that even the live stock on board refuse
it. And this must be always more or less the case as long as the steam
sought to be condensed is of so intensely hot a description as that given off by
engine boilers. The improved arrangement for the purpose of supplying such
vessels with a constant supply of fresh water is represented in Figure 15.
A is a close cistern, kept filled through a funnel f with sea water, and enclosed
in a steam jacket a, a. B is a boiler, which is also provided with a steam
jacket b, b, and is supplied with water by the pipe C from the cistern. A.
D, D, are a number of small tubes, which are passed obliquely from one side
of the boiler jacket, down through the water in the boiler to the bottom portion
of the jacket (or may be carried in any other direction) for the purpose of
accelerating evaporation. S is the steam or still head, which is constructed in
the improved manner described under the first head of this Specification. The
steam for the heating of both jackets is obtained from the engine boiler by the
pipe F, and being returned, with but little loss from condensation, by the pipe
Ġ, it abstracts but little from the power of the engine. H is a brine box; and
h, brine cock. From the steam or still head the steam is carried off to a set of
rectifying, condensing, ærating, and filtering vessels, as in the other arrange-
ments before described:
And having now described the nature of the improvements in which my
said Invention consists, and in what manner the same are to be performed,
I declare that what I claim is as follows:-
First, I claim the making of the pyro-hydro-pneumatic apparatus, with the
improved steam or still head before described.
Second, I claim the addition to the condensing and aerating vessels of the
said apparatus of a conical tube, surrounding the central air tube, and the
introducing of the steam from the rectifier into the space between these two
tubes, as before described.
Third, I claim the economical modification of the apparatus thirdly herein-
before described.
Fourth. I claim the enclosing of the condensing and ærating portions of the

page_text: said apparatus wholly or partially in separate close vessels of fresh water, as
before described.
Fifth, I claim the combination of the said apparatus with the cooking
hearths of men-of-war, and other large vessels, in manner before described.
Sixth, I claim the combination of the said apparatus with the cooking
hearths of smaller vessels by both of the methods sixthly herein-before
described.
Seventh, I claim the combination of ships' hearths of the improved construc-
tion described under the seventh head of this Specification, with the rectifying,
condensing, ærating and filtering parts of the pyro-hydro-pneumatic apparatus,
as before described.
Eighth, I claim the employment in the boilers of the pyro-hydro-pneumatic
apparatus, and in other boilers, of evaporators of the peculiar construction
described in the eighth head of this Specification.
And ninth, I claim the adaptation of the pyro-hydro-pneumatic apparatus to
steam vessels, as lastly before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Clark, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of December, One thousand
night hundred and farty siz