IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING AIR AND GASES, AND THE EMPLOYMENT OF THE PROAL FOR OBTAINING MOTIVE POWER
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Archibald Brooman, of 166, Fleet Street,
in the City of London, E. C., Patent Agent, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING AIR AND GASES, AND THE EMPLOYMENT OF THE
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Archibald
Brooman at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 4th November 1858.
I, RICHARD ARCHIBALD BROOMAN, of 166, Fleet Street, in the City of
London, E. C., Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING AIR AND GASES, AND THE EMPLOYMENT
OF THE SAME FOR OBTAINING MOTIVE POWER," (communicated to me from abroad),
to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is to lessen the diameter of the pump of caloric
engines by treating the air, or other gas or gases in such a manner that its
volume will be greatly increased when in contact with heated surfaces over the
same quantity when worked in its normal condition.
The nature of the Invention consists, firstly, in saturating air or gas with
water to its full capacity of retaining the fluid in a separate condition previous
to its contact with the heated surfaces.
Secondly, in regulating the force developed by the admixture of dry air
between the moistening apparatus and the air pump.
Thirdly, in constructing the heated surfaces in the form of a hollow ribbon
concentrically coiled.
Fourthly, in overcoming the resistance arising from the lap of the valve
employed in the pump by means of lever and cam motions, or their
equivalents.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Richard Archibald Brooman in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 4th May 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, RICHARD
ARCHIBALD BROOMAN, of 166, Fleet Street, in the City of London, E. C.,
Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-second year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me
the said Richard Archibald Brooman, Her special licence that I, the said
Richard Archibald Brooman, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Richard Archibald Brooman, my executors,
administrators, and 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 TREATING AIR AND
GASES, AND THE EMPLOYMENT OF THE SAME FOR OBTAINING MOTIVE POWER," (a
communication,) upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Richard
Archibald Brooman, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly 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 imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Richard Archibald Brooman, 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 thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto:
annexed, that is to say:-
The object of this Invention is to lessen the diameter of the pump of caloric
engines, by treating the air or other gas or gases in such a manner that its
volume will be greatly increased when in contact with heated surfaces over the
same quantity when worked in its normal condition.
The nature of the Invention consists, firstly, in saturating air or gas with
water to its full capacity of retaining the fluid in a separate condition previous
to its contact with the heated surfaces.

page_text: Secondly, in regulating the force developed by the admixture of dry air
between the moistening apparatus and the air pump.
Thirdly, in constructing the heated surfaces in the form of a hollow ribbon
concentrically coiled.
Fourthly, in overcoming the resistance arising from the lap of the valve
employed in the pump by means of lever and cam motions or their
equivalents.
The manner in which this Invention is carried into effect is illustrated at
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings. In order to moisten the air the
induct pipe A of the pump B is connected with a tank C, the connection being
made above the centre of the tank. The upper part of this tank is filled with
wicking D (or other substances having capillary properties) hanging vertically,
which is kept wet by having the lower ends immersed in the water E. In
the end of the tank, and opposite the pump connection, is an aperture F, cor-
responding in size with the pump connection. It will be seen that by such
an arrangement the air entering the pump must traverse the wet interstices of
the fibrous matter interposed between the opening F and the valve II, and
by its impingement vaporise the water, and charge itself with moisture.
As the power of all engines actuated by aeriform bodies is as the difference
between the diameter of the pump and cylinder, it is important that the air
should be drawn through the moistening bodies into the pump instead of
forcing air in its normal condition through the moistener into the heater, for
the act of moistening is also one of refrigeration.
That condition of moisture has been found the most favourable that approaches
the condition of the human breath, and which is readily attained by causing
the air to traverse or impinge upon wet surfaces under velocities that will not
mechanically separate or transport the aqueous particles.
As all aeriform bodies traverse conduits with but a comparative small portion
of their quantities in contact with the walls, it becomes necessary, in order to
insure the best results, to reduce the space between the heated surfaces to the
least possible measurement. To effect this and secure free passage of the air,
and also to obtain a great extent of fire surface in small space, I construct the
heater in the form of a hollow ribbon I, concentrically coiled. The moist air
is made to enter this coil on the outer termination L, and traverse its curves
till it leaves at the centre M, where the cylinder pipe connects.
In order to render the expansive force of the moist air variable and subject
to the necessities of unequal resistances, I make an opening O in the pipe A
between the tank and pump. This opening is closed by a valve P, which by
any suitable arrangement is connected with the governor of the engine, and

page_text: by its mutations made to open and close, thus admitting the air in its normal
condition to mingle with the moist air, and modify its properties.
1: To improve the working of marine and stationary engines, I connect the
exhaust port with the moistening tank, thus condensing the air after its duty
in the cylinder to its normal condition without loss of its moist properties, and
thus gain the value of the vacuum incident to the action of the pump upon the
moistener.
To accomplish this result, I construct the moistening tank in the form of a
cylinder A (see Figure 2,) and pass a spindle B through its centre. On this
shaft are a number of wire gauze diaphragms C. The cylinder is made to
revolve by suitable attachments to the engine, and the lower part of the
moistener is filled with cold water D. The exhausted pipe E is attached to
one end of the moistener, and the feed pipe F of the 'pump to the opposite.
It will be seen that as the pump piston rises, a vacuum to the extent of its
capacity will be formed in the moistener which the exhaust air will rush in to
fill, and in so doing will traverse the wet and cool diaphragms, and thus
become condensed and its moisture retained ready for the next action of the
pump..
Should the heat from the exhaust air raise the temperature of the water
inconveniently, the usual modes of removing the warm water and supplying
cold may be resorted to.
And having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner. the same may be performed, I declare that I claim,―
.
First, the simultaneous moistening and refrigerating of the air previous to
its entrance into the pump in combination with the modifying valve marked P.
And, second, causing the air to exhaust into the vacuum made by the pump
in the moistener, substantially in the manner and for the purposes herein set
forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Archibald Brooman, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Fourth day of May, One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-nine.