IMPROVEMENTS IN CONDENSERS
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Moses Poole, of the Avenue Road, in the County
of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CONDENSERS."-A
communication.
Sealed the 12th December 1854, and dated the 30th September 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Moses Poole at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 30th September
1854.
"
I, MOSES POOLE, of the Avenue Road, in the County of Middlesex, do
hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN CONDENSERS'
to be as follows:-
Heretofore when tubular or surface condensers have been employed, great
difficulties have been experienced from the unequal expansion and contraction
of the tubes, by which leaks were rapidly produced. Now, this Invention has
for its object the so arranging the tubes in such condensers, that each may
expand independently of the others; and this I do by causing them at one or
both ends to pass through a packing formed of a sheet of vulcanized india-
rubber or other suitable material, which is supported by collars formed on the
tubes, and is kept in place by plates of metal pressed thereon, by screws, or
other suitable apparatus.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Moses Poole in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
7th March 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, MOSES
POOLE, of the Avenue Road, in the County of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the eighteenth year of Her
reigu, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Moses Poole, Her special licence that I, the said Moses Poole, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Moses
Poole, 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
CONDENSERS," (communicated to me from abroad,) upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Moses Poole, 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 Moses Poole, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof (that is to say) :-
Heretofore when tubular or surface condensers have been employed, great
difficulties have been experienced from the unequal expansion and contraction
of the tubes, by which leaks were rapidly produced. Now, this Invention has
for its object the so arranging the tubes in such condensers, that cach may
expand independently of the others; and this I do by causing them at one or
both ends to pass through a packing formed of a sheet of vulcanized india-
rubber or other suitable material, which is supported by collars formed on the
tubes, and is kept in place by plates of metal pressed thereon, by screws, or
other suitable apparatus.
And in order that the said Invention may be most fully understood and
readily carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the Drawing hereunto
annexed.

page_text: THE DRAWING.
The case (a, a,) is formed of any figure, cylindrical or polygonal, and the
best position for the tubes is vertical; there is a water space at the bottom of
this cylinder at (b), the whole size of the bottom, into which an induction
water pipe (c) opens, the water therefrom passing up through the tubes, and
inaking its exit at an eduction pipe (d) above. The steam to be condensed is
let into the space around the outside of the tubes at the top, which space
forms the vacuum chamber, and when condensed is drawn off below at (2),
see Figure 1; the temperature of the water thus conforms in position with that
of the steam, the liottest being above, although the reverse of this arrangement
might be made, but I prefer that first named. The mode of constructing,
inserting, and retaining the tubes in place constitutes the important feature
of this improvement; one modification of it is as follows:-I form a tube sheet
of composition metal, copper, or other suitable metal; I then form therein
holes at proper distances apart for inserting the tubes, which should be as
near as is possible without touching, and allow a passage for water or steam.
I then put this tube sheet into position at (e) at the bottom, just above
the space (b), before named; a template is then put into the cylinder at the
point (f), to serve as a guide to a runner. The 'runner is then put down
through a hole in the template, having a shank long enough to reach the tube
sheet (e), and I thus truly rim out the holes in the tube sheet conical, and to a
proper and uniform depth, as clearly shown in the Drawing, Figure 3. When
all the holes are thus rimmed out, the tubes are inserted, being first constructed
as follows:-The cheapest and in many particulars the best material for forming
the tubes is iron, the lap-welded tube being preferable; the lower end of this
tube has a short piece of composition metal brazed on to it (see s, Figure 3,)
to prevent corrosion at the joint. This part is turned off conical to fit the tube
sheet; on the upper part of the tube, near the top, there is also a collar (h),
brazed or otherwise secured, of hexagonal or other proper form, see Figures
2 and 6. As the tubes are put in place, these hexagonal collars (Figure 2,
all fit each other, forming the equivalent of an upper tube sheet, but each
ndependant of the others, so that each separate tube is at liberty to expand
and contract. Above these collars there is a thick sheet of vulcanized india-
ubber (i), which is pierced with holes, and fits down around the ends of the
ubes over the collars; this is kept pressed tightly down to its place, forming a
perfect joint, by means of a series of hexagonal pieces, each covering the space
round a half dozen, more or less, tubes. A tripod brace (k), Figure 4, connects
his with a nut or socket above, which is screwed down by a screw (1), that

page_text: bears against a bar or other fixture (m) above. By introducing cork or other
elastic substance (2) between the screw and tripod, a yielding pressure will
be obtained; in this manner a perfect series of joints are made, and as each
tube is independent of all the others, all or any of them can be removed and
returned or replaced with facility while the others can remain undisturbed.
It is obvious that instead of the conical seats for the lower ends of the tubes,
similar collars to those above may be made on them, and a packing of india-
rubber (9), (Figure 5, placed between them and the tube sheet; the tubes may
also, if preferred, be laid horizontal instead of perpendicular, without changing
the character of the Invention, which is the construction of the joints. The
independent character of the tubes, and their ready removal and replacement,
gives me the power conveniently to clean the tubes and inspect them; and I
prefer, in using the iron tubes, to galvanize, japan, or otherwise coat them with
some suitable non-oxydizing material. Instead of india-rubber, felt or other
analogous packing may be employed.
The accessories of this condenser may be of any suitable construction to suit
the purpose and position for which it is wanted, all of which is well understood
by any competent engineer, and needs therefore no particular explanation.
There is an enlargement or belt around the outside of the tubes at a, a, see
Figure 1, for the steam to pass around, and thence it takes a centripetal
direction between the tubes on all sides towards the centre as it condenses,
I claim as the Invention, the mode herein described of forming and placing
the tubes of a condenser by the employment of collars, as above described,
either with or without the conically pierced tube sheet, and made at the joints
air-tight by means of the india-rubber or other suitable packing, as above
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Moses Poole, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of December, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
Witness,
CHRISTOPHER WOOLLACOTT,
4, Compton Street East,
Brunswick Square.
MOSES POULE. (L.S.)