IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO THE WORKING OF ENGINES DRIVEN COMPRESSED AIR, AND APPARATUS USED IN CONNECTION THEREWITH
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake
& Co, Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for an Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO THE WORKING OF ENGINES DRIVEN
COMPRESSED AIR, AND APPARATUS USED IN
CONNECTION THEREWITH communicated to him from abroad by Hezekiah
Ellis Depp, of Sedalia, Missouri, United States of America, Gentleman
BY
COMBINED
STEAM
AND
"
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 26th December 1883.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co, Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London, "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO THE
WORKING OF ENGINES DRIVEN BY COMBINED STEAM AND COMPRESSED AIR, AND
"
APPARATUS USED IN CONNECTION THEREWITH communicated to me from
abroad by Hezekiah Ellis Depp of Sedalia, Missouri, United States of America
Gentleman
This invention relates to that class of engines which are driven by means of
steam and compressed air combined; and has for its object to improve the
construction and increase the efficiency of the apparatus described in the
specification of United States Patent dated April 25th A.D. 1882 and numbered
256,826, by utilizing in a novel manner the exhaust products from the compressing
engine for assisting in driving the main engine; by using the said products from
the compressing engine, or both from the main and the compressing engines, for
heating the air, delivered from the compressing cylinders, as well as the boiler feed
water, and the waste lubricating water flowing from the said cylinders on its way
to the boiler; and by delivering the said heated air to the boiler to be mixed with
the steam generated therein, and forcing the said heated water into the boiler,
thus utilizing the heat of the exhaust, increasing the effectiveness of the motive
agent, and avoiding waste of water, as will be hereinafter described. To this end
IP 71

page_text: the said invention consists partly in an improved method of operating engines
which method consists in admitting steam from the boiler into the compressor-
engine cylinder, exhausting it into the main engine cylinder, and admitting
additional steam and air into the said main cylinder, and then exhausting the
combined steam and air into a casing, jacket, or pipe surrounding the pipes
containing the compressed air, the feed water, and the waste lubricating water
from the compressing cylinders; the said combined air and steam exhaust of the
compressing engine, or both the compressing engine and the main engine heating
the compressed air delivered from the compressing cylinder or cylinders, and the
feed water, or both the feed water and the lubricating water, on their passage to
the boiler, which air and water in this heated state are mingling with the body of
steam and water within the boiler, as hereinafter specified. It also partly consists
in certain novel combinations of devices as hereinafter described whereby an
improved compressed air and steam engine, or apparatus, is produced, wherein the
heat from the exhaust products are utilized for the purpose of heating the
compressed air, the feed water, and the lubricating water of the compressor or
compressors, during the delivery of the same to the boiler.
In the accompanying drawing.
Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section, of the combined steam and air
engine or apparatus constructed according to this invention; and
Figures 2, 3, and 4 are transverse sections drawn to an enlarged scale of the air
and feed pipes encased in the jacket or exhaust pipe of the compressing and main
engines.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several Figures.
A indicates a boiler of any suitable size and construction, and B the main engine
having the usual fly wheel and operating parts. The air compressor consists of a
steam cylinder C, and two air cylinders D, E of ordinary construction, but any
other suitable number of air cylinders may be used.
The compressing engine C receives steam through the pipe a connected to the
boiler, by opening the valve a³, and the steam is exhausted through the pipe d
into the cylinder of the main engine B by opening the valve e. After the engine B
is started steam and compressed air combined are admitted if required through
the pipe b by opening the valve c.
The exhaust products of the air compressing steam cylinder C when not required
in the engine B pass, when the valve è is closed and the valve e¹ opened, through
the pipe, while the exhaust from the main engine B passes through the pipe i
into a casing, jacket or pipe F within which are arranged the delivery pipe or
pipes ¹ of the air cylinders, as well as the feed water pipe g, leading from the feed
pump G to the boiler, and the pipe h³ for the water used for lubricating the air
cylinders.
By reason of the heat of the exhaust products of the compressor engine C, or of
both this engine and the main engine (which exhaust products enter the said
casing, jacket or pipe) together with the heat caused by the compression of the
air, the air, the lubricating water, and the feed water passing through the small
pipes h, h³ and g leading to the boiler are heated. The said casing jacket or pipe
may be of a size suitable for containing either one pipe, as shown in Figure 1, or
two, three, or more pipes for air and water (see Figures 2, 3 and 4) and if desired
it may be encased with a non-conducting covering to prevent radiation of heat.
The heated air is conducted to the steam space of the boiler to be mixed with
the steam, while the heated water may either be conveyed into the said space, or
into the water spare as found most desirable. After heating the air and feed
pipes, the exhaust steam in the casing, jacket or pipe F may escape into the
atmosphere at h or through a cock h, or otherwise.
By means of this invention I dispense with the reservoir described in the said
former specification, and also utilize the heat of the exhaust products for heating
the feed water of the boiler, and the waste lubricating water of the compressor on
its way to the boiler.

page_text: The heat of the exhaust, and the heat caused by the compression of the air, is
partly absorbed by the water in its passage to the boiler, and the water thus enterз
the boiler along with the air in a heat-d state, while the heated and compressed
air imparts heat to the steam, and serves for enlivening and increasing its effect.
The air and water may be subjected to the heat of the exhaust products of the
compressing engine C only, before passing into the boiler, by closing the right hand
end of the pipe F against the exhaust pipe i; or they may be subjected to the
heat of the exhaust from both the compressing engine C and the main engine B,
by having the right hand end of pipe F open and the pipe i connected to it, as
shown, or in any other suitable manner.
The heat referred to is utilized in the boiler either to enliven the steam
and prevent rapid condensation, or to act as an auxiliary heating means, or to
produce a combination of both these effects upon the steam and water within the
boiler.
The different parts or pipes may be provided as circumstances may require, with
such corks, and regulating or governing devices in addition to those shown, as are
commonly used in engines, without departing from the nature of this invention.
The waste lubricating water pipe, the feed water pipe, and the compressed air
pipes, may all be arranged if desired to discharge into one common delivery pipe
leading into the boiler, the liquid therefrom being forced by the engine and steam
pump into the boiler. The entrance of the waste lubricating water under pressure
into the boiler may be facilitated by setting the compressing cylinders above the
level of the boiler according to a principle well understood.
The operation of the improved apparatus is as follows, that is to say-Steam
being generated to the desired pressure in the boiler (all the valves being closed)
the valve a¹ in pipe a leading to the steam cylinder C is opened, and thereby live
steam is admitted to this cylinder. A short time afterwards the main engine B
is started by closing cock e¹ and opening the cock e thereby admitting the exhaust
from the cylinder C to the cylinder of the main engine B. If the motive power of
the main engine is not sufficient, the valve c in the pipe b is opened, and additional
steam is admitted from the boiler. In practice the said valve is connected with,
and operated by, the governor of the engine B. The amount of steam and
compressed air is proportioned in such manner as to regulate the exhaust from the
main engine. The exhaust from the engine cylinder of the compressing engine C,
as also that from the main engine B, is conveyed into the jacket casing or pipe F in
which are arranged the delivery pipes of the air cylinders, and the waste pipe of
the lubricating apparatus of the said cylinders; and also the feed water pipe of
the boiler. The exhaust is thus made to serve for heating both the water and the
air before delivering the same to the boiler, the air by this means being caused to
increase the volume of the steam. The thus mixed or combined steam and
compressed air after the first few strokes of the engine C forms the motive agent
for operating the engines.
It will be readily understood that the original steam pressure which is reduced,
by operating the air compressor, to about one fourth, is in a great degree
compensated for in volume on account of the compressed air introduced into the
boiler being heated on its way to the boiler by exhaust steam, so that there is
but very little loss of pressure and consequently of power.
In the drawings I have not shown the cylinders E and D as provided with the
usual valves required upon the same, but it is to be understood that these cylinders
are provided with such valves as well as all the well known appliances commonly
used in connection with such cylinders Also that these cylinders are provided
with suitable means for lubricating them with water, and that the water used to
lubricate the air cylinder or cylinders may also be conveyed through a pipe or
pipes ³ to the boiler; and such water being heated by means of compression in
the said cylinders and by the exhaust products, will greatly aid the combined
steam and compressed air apparatus, by reducing the quantity of feed water
required to be supplied to the boiler by the feed pump G.

page_text: Having thus fully described the said invention as communicated to me by my
Foreign Correspondent, and the manner of performing the same I wish it understood
that I Claim.
First. The method hereinbefore described of operating engines, which method
consists in admitting steam from the boiler into the compressor-engine cylinder,
exhausting it into the main engine cylinder, and admitting additional steam into
the said main engine cylinder, and then exhausting the combined steam and air
into a casing, jacket or pipe surrounding the compressed air pipes and the water
pipes, the said combined air and steam-exhaust heating the compressed air and
the water, in the pipes, as they pass to the boiler, which air and water in this
heated condition are mingled with the body of steam and water within the boiler,
substantially as described.
Second. The combination of a boiler A and steam engine B, an air compressing
engine C, D, E, and suitable inlet pipes and delivery pipes, the latter being
enclosed in a casing, jacket, or pipe, through which the exhaust products of the
main and compressing engines pass, substantially as, and for the purpose,
described.
Third. The combination of a boiler A. and steam-engine B, an air compressing
engine C, D, E, pipes a, b, d having suitable valves, and a feed water pipe g,
substantially as, and for the purpose, described.
Fourth. In an engine operated by combined steam and compressed air, the
method herein described of utilizing combined exhaust steam and air from the
compressing engine, or both the compressing and main engines, which method
consists in introducing the said combined exhaust steam and air into a casing,
jacket, or pipe containing the compressed air delivery pipes of the compressing
cylinder or cylinders and the feed water pipe, or both the feed water and lubricating
water pipes, heating the said compressed air and the said water on their way to
the boiler, and introducing the same into the boiler and mingling them with the
steam and water therein, substantially as described.
Fifth. The combination of a boiler A, a main engine B, a compressing engine C
provided with one or more air cylinders, with inlet pipes having suitable valves,
and with outlet pipes for the air, feed water pipes, and a casing, jacket or pipe F
in which the outlet air pipe or pipes, and the water pipes are enclosed, and into
which the exhaust froin the main and compressing engines is introduced,
substantially as, and for the purpose, described.
In Witness whereof I the said William Robert Lake have hereunto set my hand
and seal this Seventeenth day of December in the year of Our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and eighty three,
A בד
W. ROD. LAKE
("S"T)