Improvements in Water Distilling Apparatus.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 28th July, 1891-Accepted, 5th Sept., 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Water Distilling Apparatus.
We, ROBERT PENDLETON BARNSTEAD, Master Plumber and RUFUS HENRY
SPALDING, Merchant, both of 94 Fulton Street, in the City of Boston, Massachu-
setts, United States of America and JOHN CUTTING BULLARD, Banker, of
Cambridge, Middlesex United States of America do hereby declare the nature of
the invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The water distilling apparatus of this invention, in substance, is composed
First Of a water evaporating vessel, means to heat and thereby to evaporate the
water contained in said vessel and a drum which is in communication with and is
of suitable construction to condense the vapors entering it from said vessel and to
discharge from it the water of condensation, in combination with a water-passage
connecting said evaporating vessel with a water supply under pressure and having
an opening that leads therefrom and in a direction opposite to the run of the water
therethrough and at its farther end-portion is open to the external air, and means
to heat the water as it passes through said water-passage and to a degree sufficient
to set free its ammoniacal and other extraneous and impure gases all so that prior to
the entrance of the water into the evaporating vessel, said gases escape and the
water in a heated condition is then entered into said evaporating vessel to be
evaporated and its vapors entering into, are condensed in, and the water of
condensation discharged from, said drum.
Second Of a water evaporating vessel and means to heat and thereby to
evaporate the water contained in said vessel, in combination with a drum which,
interiorly is partitioned off into transverse chambers one at each end and an inter-
mediate one closed to the end-chambers and has a passage, (preferably a series)-
that passes from end to end of and is closed to said intermediate chamber but is
open to the end-chambers, and with water-passages one connecting said evaporating
vessel and one of the end-chambers of said drum, another connecting the other
end-chamber with a suitable water-receiver and another connecting said inter-
mediate chamber with a water-supply, under pressure, and another connecting said
intermediate chamber with said evaporating vessel all so that the water to be
evaporated, and before it is entered into the evaporating vessel, is first passed
through said intermediate chamber of said drum and thereby utilized to condense
the vapors which have arisen from said evaporating vessel and are in said passage
of said chamber and is thence entered, in a more or less heated condition, into the
evaporating vessel, to be there evaporated and its vapors condensed as before and
so on; the water of condensation discharging from the drum at its end opposite to
that connected with said evaporating vessel.
Third-Of a water evaporating vessel and means to heat and thereby to
evaporate the water contained in said vessel, and a drum which is in communication
with and is of suitable construction to condense the vapors entering it from said
vessel and to discharge from it the water of condensation, in combination with a
water-passage connecting said evaporating vessel with a water supply, under
pressure, and having intermediate of its length and at the outside and within the
height of said evaporating vessel, two separated vertical water chambers, preferably
concentric, both at their upper ends and one only at its lower portion open to said
water-passage and the one at its lower end-portion open to said water-passage
having its upper open end on a level, preferably lower but in no event higher than
the level of the upper open end of the other and all so that a predetermined height
of water in the evaporating vessel is maintained whatever may be the supply of

page_text: said evaporating vessel.
Further than the above, the apparatus of this invention contains other features
of improvement all as hereinafter described and pointed out in the claim.
In the drawings, forming part of this Specification,
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a water distilling apparatus which is complete in
all respects as to this invention.
Figure 2 is a central vertical section of the evaporating vessel and of the water-
passage connecting said vessel with a suitable water-supply under pressure.
Figure 3 is a central vertical and longitudinal section of the drum or condenser
of the apparatus.
Figure 4 is a view of one end and Figure 5 is a transverse vertical section, line 5-5,
Figure 3 of the drum.
In the drawings, A is the evaporating vessel, to be in all respects suitable to
contain and to evaporate water. As shown the vessel A is cylindrical, it is
vertically placed, and at its lower end it is supported on brackets B2 of a
surrounding sheet metal casing B that is to rest on any suitable bench, table,
platform or other suitable support or otherwise is to be suitably supported as well
also as the evaporating vessel.
As one means of heating the vessel A to vaporize the water which it contains and
which is fed to it, D is a horizontal gas-burner of annular form and located under
the vessel A. and D2 is a pipe to supply it with gas and which is to be connected,
at D³, with a suitable gas-supply under pressure, and also preferably is to be
provided with a device, as at E, and such as described and shown in Letters Patent
of the United States, dated February 19, 1889, No. 398,022, to open and close the
gas supply to the burner but without however fully shutting off the gas from the
burner, all as in said Letters Patent and further so that said device is subject to
the heat of the water being evaporated in the vessel A and as will hereafter fully
appear.
F is a pipe which leads from the upper portion of the evaporating vessel A and
makes communication between it and a cylindrical drum G, the condenser for
condensing the vapors arising from the evaporating vessel and discharging the
water of condensation. This drum G is above the evaporating vessel and it is
preferably more or less inclined from end to end and it is to be supported in any
suitable manner.
The drum G is divided by two parallel transverse partitions G2, G3 into three
vertical transverse chambers G4, G, G³, two G, G respectively at each of the
opposite ends and one G between said end chambers of the drum. The middle
chamber G has a series of parallel tubes or passages G that extend lengthwise
of and are severally closed to it and at their opposite ends are open to the opposite
end chambers G¹, G³.
The pipe F before referred to and making communication between the evaporating
vessel and the drum G opens into the lower portion of the higher end-chamber G
and F is a pipe which leads from and opens into the lower end-chamber G at its
lower side and it is for discharging the water of condensation from the drum and
which is condensed therein as hereafter appears.
The discharge-pipe F2 of the drum G leads into the mouth of a jug K, the
receiver shown for the water of condensation.
G7, G are chambers one, G7 at the upper and one, G at the lower side of the
drum G. These chambers G', G8 are supplemental to and both are in communi-
cation with the middle chamber G of the drum, cach by a separate series of holes
or perforations a and a leading through the dividing walls respectively of the
under and upper chambers G7, G8 and the middle chamber G of the drum. The
perforations a² in the lower chamber G are of smaller superficial area at and
toward the lower end than at and toward the upper end of the drum, and the
reverse is true as to the perforations a of upper side chamber G' and for a purpose
as will hereafter appear.

page_text: H is a pipe to lead from a water supply and one under pressure (not shown)—
and thence to and opening into the under side chamber G8 at its lower end portion.
J is a pipe opening into and leading from the upper side chamber G7 at its upper
end-portion, and thence downward to and opening into the evaporating vessel A, at
its lower end-portion. This pipe J has an intermediate vertical portion which is
at one side of and within the height of the evaporating vessel and contains two
vertical chambers J, J³, concentrically by preference, and the outer J³ surrounded
by the water-way of the pipe. The vertical chambers J2, J³ are both open at their
upper ends to the water-way of the pipe and one, J², the inner, at its lower end is
open to the water-way of the pipe and the outer J³ at its lower end is extended to
the outside of the pipe to be thence run as may be deemed desirable. Preferably,
the open upper end of the outer vertical chamber J3 is higher than that of the
inner and they are so shown; however the open upper end of the outer may be
on the same level as that of the open upper end of the inner, but for the operation
intended and as hereafter explained it should not be lower.
The device E before referred to as being located in the gas-pipe D' for supplying
gas to the burner D extends into the inner vertical chamber J of the chambered
portion of the pipe J opening into the evaporating vessel A, so as thereby to place
its contained mercury into position to be subject to the temperature of the water
contained in said chambered portion of the pipe J and which temperature is
practically that of the water in the evaporating vessel, all as will hereafter fully
appear.
Jis an upward extending passage which surrounds a portion of the outside of
the water-pipe J leading from the upper side of the drum G. This passage is
between the vertical chambered portion of the pipe J and the drum G and its
upper end opens to the air and its lower end to the water-way of the pipe J.
The water-pipe J, below its upward passage J, has a branch-pipe J which is to
lead to any suitable point and this branch-pipe J and the pipe J below it are each
preferably to have a valve J, J7, respectively, to open and close them according
as may be desired.
The several parallel horizontal dotted-lines,-(Figure 2)-of the evaporating
vessel A and of the water-way and inner vertical chamber J2 of the pipe
represent water and its height or level within the evaporating vessel A at which it
is to be maintained in the operation of the apparatus as hereafter explained.
The upper end of the chambered portion of the water-pipe J, leading to the
evaporating vessel A, as shown, is closed by a cap J8 but the cap may be removed.
The apparatus described is suitably connected at its water supply-pipe H and its
gas supply-pipe D respectively to a continuous water-supply, under pressure, and
to a continuous gas-supply and with the valve J' of the water-pipe J opened and
the valve J of the branch pipe J of said water-pipe closed, on then properly
adjusting the supply of water and lighting the gas burner and properly adjusting
its supply the water from the supply and under pressure and in a continuous flow,
first enters the apparatus at the under side-chamber Go and thence passes there-
through into and through first the middle chamber G and then into the upper
side-chamber G' severally of the drum G and thence through the pipe J into the
evaporating vessel and on filling it to the determined height or level, (all other
parts of the apparatus through which it has passed and the supply-pipe obviously
being also filled)-all water of supply in excess of said height or level, and which
level, as will hereafter appear is that of the upper open end of the inner-chamber J2
of the chambered portion of the water-pipe J, then flows over said upper open end
of the inner chamber J2 and through the outer chamber J³ to the outside of the
water-pipe J to waste or otherwise as may be desired.
Thus the apparatus being started and the supply of water obviously checked or
regulated to obviate any necessary overflow thereof as has been described and yet
to compensate for the water evaporated in the evaporating vessel, on a then heating
of the water in the evaporating vessel to a degree sufficient to evaporate it and
continuing its evaporation, the vapors enter into the end-chamber G and there-

page_text: from pass into the tubes Ge of the middle chamber G of the drum, and by the
cooling action thereon of said tubes because of the continuous movement of water
from the water supply about them and through said middle chamber G, said vapors
are condensed and their water of condensation discharged at the pipe F2 and entered
into the jug K distilled, while at the same time, the water passing through said
middle chamber G' and therein serving to condense the vapors in its tubes as has
been stated, necessarily thereby more or less heated, passes on into the evaporating
vessel to be therein evaporated and its vapors condensed in the drum all as before,
and so on continuously.
The heating of the water supplied to the evaporating vessel and before it enters
therein, as has been described and as practical use demonstrates, is sufficient to free
its ammoniacal and other extraneous and impure gases, which as the water passes on
from the drum G escapes at the vertical passage J' of the water pipe J and the
water thereby being freed of them obviously on then being evaporated in the
evaporating vessel and the vapors condensed in the drum G and otherwise all as
described, the water of condensation must necessarily be pure in so far, at least, as
the purity of the water in the first instance was impaired by the presence of so
much of said gases escaping as described.
With the cover J8 of the chambered portion of the water-pipe J removed,
obviously another opportunity is afforded for the gases to escape from the water.
This may be used in connection with the vertical gas-escape J of the water-pipe J,
but the gas-escape J' is most preferable to use, as at that point the water is at the
better heat for the escape of gases as described.
The inner and outer chamber J2, J3 of the water-pipe J acting in co-operation
prevent, as is obvious, any substantial rise of the level of the water in the
evaporating vessel A. above the level of the upper open end of the inner chamber J²
for the reason, that on any increase thereabove, the water necessarily overflows
into the outer chamber J3 and thereby is carried off.
The regulator-device E for the gas-burner and herein before referred to, forms no
part of this invention, nor is the invention to be limited to any particular means
for heating and thereby evaporating the water in the evaporating vessel. The
gas-burner and regulator-device therefor shown, but only as a means for heating
the water desired to be evaporated, in many instances would no doubt be most con-
venient as also efficient and as they are shown, plainly it is well to observe that
the regulator is to be adjusted to maintain a proper supply of gas to the burner for
the heat necessary to continuously evaporate the water and that also it should be
placed, as for illustration, in the inner chamber J2 of the water-passage J, the
water of which is practically at the temperature of the water in the evaporating
vessel ; to wit, at a boiling point, in ebullition.
The ebullition of the water in the chamber J2 of the water-pipe J in co-operation
with the necessarily more or less back pressure on the water of the water-pipe J
because of the water evaporation which is occurring within the evaporating vessel,
forces scum and other impurities in the water not vaporized to the surface of the
water in chamber J, and thus their discharge is secured because of the overflow
which occurs from time to time from said chamber J2 into the chamber J3 as described.
In this manner the water to be and before being evaporated is practically relieved
of impurities, not only those existing therein in a gaseous but in other conditions.
The branch-pipe J³ leading from the water supply pipe J for the evaporating
vessel, enables a portion of the water which has passed through the drum G and
therein served to condense the vapors as described, to be drawn off, by which, as is
plain, sufficient water to ensure condensation of the vapors in the drum G and
with the rapidity desired can be used, without at the same time unduly forcing the
evaporating-vessel or so increasing the overflow at the upper end of the chamber J
as to practically interfere with the ebullition of the water therein and its advan
tageous result heretofore stated.
The upper and lower side chambers G7, G³ in communication by perforations, a
of an unequal area as has been explained, with the chamber G of the condensing

page_text: drum G, and all otherwise as described and severally acting in co-operation, secure
a most even diffusion of the water from the water-supply within the chamber G
and a confinement of it about its tubes G6, and thus the utilization of the water
for cooling the tubes and to condense the vapors therein is rendered most effectual
positive and reliable.
As to the level of the upper open end of the chamber J³ in relation to that
of the upper open end of the chamber J2 all as has been before stated, if the
upper open end of the chamber J³ is lower than that of the chamber J2, chamber J2
then ceases to serve as a regulator of the level of the water in the evaporating
vessel. It is preferable however, to have the upper open end of the chamber J³
higher than that of the chamber J2 as it secures steadiness to the overflow as
described and prevents the occurrence of sudden changes, of water level in said
chambered portion of the water-pipe, as also in the evaporating-vessel and ensures
more steady and even working of the chambers J2, J³ in co-operation as explained
to maintain a uniformity of the level of water in the evaporating vessel.
The condensing drum G and its construction and attachments all as herein
described are most effective in the operation of the apparatus, but obviously
other forms of condensers could be used and also means other than the water to
be evaporated could be used to secure the condensation desired without departing
from the essence of this invention.
Again, evaporating vessels of other forms and constructions to secure a heating
of the water within them to evaporate it may be used and the invention is not
to be limited in these relations, nor broadly considered is the invention to be limited
to the means described and shown for heating the water which is to be evaporated
before it enters into the evaporating vessel.
The inclination of the condenser drum G as described facilitates the flow of the
water of condensation from its condensing tubes, but the drum may be horizontal
and its tubes inclined; however the arrangement and construction shown and
described is most preferable.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is,
First. In an apparatus for distilling water, the combination with an evaporating
vessel, means to heat said vessel and a condenser having its steam space in com-
munication with the steam space of evaporating vessel and adapted for the discharge
of the water of condensation, of a pipe connecting water space of evaporating
vessel with a water supply under pressure and between its communications with said
vessel and said supply and outside of said vessel having an opening leading laterally
from and in a direction opposite to that of the run of water through and directly
open at the outside of it, and of means to heat the water as it passes through
and before it reaches said opening of said pipe, substantially as described for the
purposes specified.
Second. In an apparatus for distilling water, the combination with an evaporating
vessel, means to heat said vessel and a condenser having its steam space in com-
munication with the steam space of evaporating vessel and adapted for the discharge
of the water of condensation, of a pipe leading from a water supply under pressure
and in communication with the water space of said condenser and a pipe leading
from them and in communication with the water space of said condenser and of said
evaporating vessel and having an opening leading laterally from and in a direction
opposite to that of the run of water through and directly open at the outside of it
and located between its communications with the water spaces of said condenser
and said evaporating vessel, substantially as described, for the purposes specified.
Third. In an apparatus for distilling water, the combination with an evaporating
vessel, means to heat said vessel and a condenser having its steam space in com-
munication with the steam space of evaporating vessel and adapted for the discharge
of the water of condensation, of a water pipe connecting water space of evaporating

page_text: vessel with a water supply under pressure and two separated vertical chambers J2, Jª,
located within and the chamber J³ surrounded by a vertical portion of the water-
way of said pipe and placed otside or about chamber J2, and both chambers open
at both their upper and their lower ends, at their upper ends, the inner at a height
and the outer at or above a height corresponding to that of the communication of
said pipe with the upper end of the said vertical portion of its water-way and at
their lower ends the inner to said vertical portion of said water-way below said
level of its upper open end and the outer to the outside of said vertical portion of
said water-way, substantially as described and for the purposes specified.
Fourth. In a water distilling apparatus, the combination with an evaporating
vessel and means to heat said vessel, of a condenser constructed with three trans-
verse chambers, severally separated from each other and having the opposite end-
chambers in communication with each other by a passage or passages leading
through but closed to the intermediate chamber, and one end-chamber in
communication with the steam-space of the evaporating vessel and the other end-
chamber adapted for the discharge of the water of condensation and also with
chambers at opposite sides of and lengthwise of and each in communication with
the intermediate chamber of said condenser by means of perforations of greater
superficial area at one than at the other end of each of said side chambers but the
reverse as to the ends of both, and water-pipes one in communication with a water
supply under pressure and one of said side chambers of said condenser and at its
end having the perforations of smaller superficial area and another in communication
with the other of said side-chambers of said condenser and at its end having the
perforations of smaller superficial area and with the evaporating vessel, substantially
as described, for the purposes specified.
Fifth. In a water distilling apparatus, the combination with an evaporating vessel,
means to heat said vessel and a condenser having its steam space in communication
with the steam space of the evaporating vessel and adapted for the discharge of
the water of condensation, of a pipe leading from a water supply under pressure
and in communication with the water space of said condenser and a pipe leading
from and in communication with the water space of said condenser and of said
evaporating vessel and having an opening leading laterally from and in a direction
opposite to that of the run of water through and directly open at the outside of it
and located between its communications with the water spaces of said condenser and
said evaporating vessel, and two separated vertical chambers, J2, J³, located within
and the chamber J³ surrounded by a vertical portion of the water-way of said pipe
in communication with the water-space of said evaporating vessel and between said
vessel and said opening of said pipe, and placed outside or about chamber J2 and
both chambers open at both their upper and their lower ends, at their upper ends,
the inner at a height and the outer at or above a height corresponding to that of
the communication of said pipe with the upper end of the said vertical portion of
its water-way and at their lower ends, the inner to said vertical portion of said
water-way below said level of its upper open end and the outer to the outside of
said vertical portion of said water-way, substantially as described and for the
purposes specified.
Dated this 22nd day of Anril A D 1801
ROBERT PENDLETON BARNSTEAD.
RUFUS HENRY SPALDING.
JOHN CUTTING BULLARD.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicants.