Improvements in Apparatus for Condensing, Cooling, and Heating Fluids, and Machinery Employed in the Construction thereof.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Apr., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 8th Jan., 1889
Complete Specification Accepted, 12th Feb., 1889
Improvements in Apparatus for Condensing, Cooling, and Heating
Fluids, and Machinery Employed in the Construction thereof.
I, JOHN HENRY BREZE, of 31 Sessions Road, Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my said invention to be as
follows:-
This present Invention relates to apparatus for condensing, cooling and heating
fluids in which the operating fluid and the fluid operated upon are separated from each
other by metal walls the interchange of heat between the said two fluids having to pass
through the said metal walls, or in other words the interchange of heat is effected by
what is termed surface contact.
The Invention hereinafter described is applicable for condensers for condensing steam,
particularly in the production of fresh water from salt water, heaters, coolers,
refrigerators of all kinds where the conditions above stated exist.
The object, or objects of this Invention are amongst other things to produce, or
provide apparatus of the type above specified of simple, strong, inexpensive and
efficient construction, and in which their parts, that is their condensing, cooling, or
beating surfaces, shall be interchangeable, and capable of ready renewal whether in
single, or multiple form.
For the sake of brevity and facility of description, I will proceed to set forth the
nature of the present Invention as applied to the condensing of steam. According to
this Invention, the ducts through which the steam is passed and around which
the cooling, or circulating water is passed are constructed of oval, ellipse, or like
formation and bent in a spiral, volute, or zig zag form in such a manner that the
maximum length of travel of fluid is obtained and consequent lengthened subjection of
the steam and water condensed from it to the action of the cooling fluid is secured.
For condensers of the ordinary type, such as those used on board ships, I prefer to
employ the duct bent in the spiral form.
When it is desired, or necessary to form the said spiral ducts ways from ordinary
round copper, or like metal tubes, I employ a machine in which the tube is coiled into

page_text: the spiral form and flattened to the required shape simultaneous and without the use of
any ductile or pliable metal, or liquid in its interior. The principle of this Improve-
ment in the art of making spiral flattened ducts for condensers, heaters, or coolers of
the type herein described, consists in producing spiral flattened ducts from ordinary
round tubes without the employment within such tubes during the bending, or
Blattening, of any pliable ductile metal, or liquid.
The essential parts of the machine consist of a spirally grooved barrel, or mandril
and a roller tool. The operation is effected by first securing the end of the round tube
to the mandril, then revolving the mandril and pressing the roller tool up against the
tubo with sufficient force as to bend the tube onto the convolutions of the mandril and
flatten it to the desired degree and shape.
The spiral convolutions of the mandril are concave and preferably of shallow curved
form; as is also the face of the roller tool. This tool is so arranged on the machine
that it can travel in line with the axis of the mandril as well as rotate. In lieu of this
roller tool, two rolls of similar construction to the mandril above specified may bo
employed for flattening and bending the tubes. In such case both rolls would be
provided with spiral grooved convolutions, but running in opposite directions.
When the duct is made in volute or zig zag form, I first flatten the tube by two
roller tools, then fill it with a pliable material or with a liquid, and then bend it by
suitable instruments to the required form and then empty the duct of the material.
The ends of the ducts according to this Invention are provided with suitable nipples,
or other device, by which they may be secured to their respective diaphragms, or other
parts of the apparatus for which they are intended to be used and the steam, or other
fluid led to the ducts in any suitable way.
The spiral ducts may be arranged in the apparatus in which they are employed in a
group, or groups, or concentrically, or as a single duct.
It must be understood that it is intended that the improvements herein specified
shall be applicable to all kinds of heating, cooling and condensing apparatus, where
tubes, or ducts, or ways of the nature herein specified are, or can be employed.
Dated this 7th day of April 1888.

page_text: Improvements in Apparatus for Condensing, Cooling, and Heating
Fluids, and Machinery Employed in the Construction thereof.
I, JOHN HENRY BREZE, of 31 Sessions Road, Liverpool, in the county of Lancaster,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
This present Invention relates to apparatus for condensing, cooling and heating
fluids in which the operating fluid and the fluid operated upon are separated from each
other by metal walls, and interchange of heat between the said two fluids having to
pass through the said metal walls, or in other words the interchange of heat is effected
by what is termed surface contact.
The Invention hereinafter described is applicable for condensers for condensing
steam, particularly in the production of fresh water from salt water, heaters, coolers,
refrigerators of all kinds where the conditions above stated exist.
The object, or objects of this Invention are amongst other things to produce, or
provide apparatus of the type above specified of simple, strong, inexpensive and
efficient construction, and in which their parts, that is their condensing, cooling, or
heating surfaces, shall be interchangeable, and capable of ready renewal whether in
single, or multiple form.
For the sake of brevity and facility of description, I will proceed to set forth the
nature of the present Invention as applied to the condensing of steam. According to
this Invention, the ducts through which the steam is passed and around which the
cooling, or circulating water is passed are constructed of oval, elliptical or like
formation and bent in a spiral form in such a manner that the cooling surface is large
in proportion to the capacity or sectional area of the tube, and a maximum length of
travel of fluid is obtained and consequent lengthened subjection of the steam and
water condensed from it to the action of the cooling fluid is secured. For condensers
of the ordinary type, such as those used on board ship, I prefer to employ the duct
bent in the spiral form.
When it is desired, or necessary to form the said spiral duct ways from ordinary
round copper, or like metal tubes, 1 employ a machine in which the tube is coiled into
the spiral form and flattened to the required shape simultaneously and without the
use of any ductile or pliable metal or material in its interior. The principle of this
Improvement in the art of making spiral flattened ducts for condensers, heaters, or
coolers of the type herein described, consists in producing spiral flattened ducts from
ordinary round Lubes without the employment within such tubes during the bending,
or flattening, of any ductile metal, or material and without heating them.
By constructing a tube in the manner and of the form herein described I am enabled
to produce from an ordinary straight round tube, a condensing, cooling or heating
tube having a large length of run for the fluid passed through it, and a large area of
metal to act upon or be acted upon by the fluid, in or outside the tube, in proportion

page_text: to the capacity thereof, by which said two properties, a large volume or quantity of
fluid can be condensed, cooled or heated by the apparatus; and this can be effected in
an apparatus occupying comparatively little space and of small weight.
The essential parts of the machine consists of a spirally grooved barrel, or mandril
and a roller tool. The operation is effected by first securing the end of the round tube
to the mandril, then revolving the mandril and pressing the roller tool up against the
tube with sufficient force as to bend the tube into the convolutions of the mandril and
flatten it to the desired degree and shape.
The spiral convolutions of the mandril are concave and preferably of shallow curved
form; as is also the face of the roller tool. This tool is so arranged on the machino
that it can travel in line with the axis of the mandril as well as rotate. In lieu of
this roller tool two rolls of similar construction to the mandril above specified may
be employed for flattening and bending the tubes. In such case both rolls would be
provided with spiral grooved convolutions, but running in opposite directions.
When the duct is made in volute or zig zag form, I first flatten the tube by two
roller tools, then fill it with a pliable material, then bend it by suitable instruments
to the required form, and then empty the duct of the material.
The ends of the ducts according to this Invention are provided with suitable nipples,
or other device, by which they may be secured to their rospective diaphragms, or
other parts of the apparatus, for which they are intended to be.used, and the steam
or other fluid led to the ducts in any suitable way.
The spiral ducts may be arranged in the apparatus in which they are employed in a
group, or groups, or concentrically, or as a single duct.
It must be understood that it is intended that the improvements herein specified
shall be applicable to all kinds of heating, cooling and condensing apparatus, where
tubes, or ducts, or ways, of the nature herein specified, are, or can be employed.
Having now specified generally the object, or objects and nature of this Invention,
its description will first be proceeded with in reference to the drawings, by way of
explaining more fully, the construction and operation of apparatus according to this
Invention.
The drawings and the following description of them set forth special examples of
apparatus designed to apply certain improvements, according to this Invention, the
nature of which has been above explained; and the novel features of which are specified
in the claiming clauses concluding this specification.
In the Figures of the Drawings, like letters and figures of reference are used
throughout to denote the same or corresponding parts.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shows a coiled tube partly in section according to my Invention, and
Figure 2 shows the same in plan.
Figure 3 is a plan showing the coiled tube made with flatened or parallel sides
instead of a true spiral. Figure 4 is an elevation, Figure 5 is a plan, Figure 6 a cross
section at XX Figure 4, and Figure 7 an end view of an apparatus for making the
tubes illustrated in Figures 1 and 2.
Figure 8 is a plan showing parts of the apparatus illustrated in Figures 4 to 7 of a
modified form, and Figure 9 shows in cross section the form of coiled tube made by
this modification.
Figures 10 and 11 show in elevation and end view respectively another modified
arrangement of the apparatus illustrated in Figures 4 to 7.
With reference in the first instance to Figures 4 to 7, B designates the bed plate of
the apparatus having at each end bearings 61 and 6; is a spirally grooved mandril
or roller mounted in the bearings 6'; D is a screw mounted in the bearings 2 and
adapted to operate the slide rest d' mounted on the slides ; E is a roller tool mounted
angularly to the vertical plane in the adjustable carrier e¹ of the slide rest d'; F are
toothed wheels of equal size mounted upon the ends or shafts of the mandril C and
the screw D, and arranged to be operated by a handle f', and to move the said roller

page_text: laterally for each revolution, a distance equal to the pitch of the convolutions of the
mandril C.
To construct a tube of the form and flatened cross section, illustrated in Figures 1
and 3 that is with parallel sides and semicircular ends, I fix an ordinary straight tube
to the mandril C by the clamp c', then move the roller tool E up into contact with the
end of the tube-which end is provided with a plug-and then rotate the mandril (
by the handle through the toothed wheels F. By this action the roller tool will
be moved laterally from right to left and the tube will be coiled upon the spiral groove
of the mandril C. When the tube is completely coiled or formed, the mandril C is
taken out of its bearings and the coiled tube turned off the roller. To employ a tube
thus formed in a condenser, heater or cooler of the ordinary kind in which the usual
top and bottom or end diaphragms or tube plates are used, the ends of the tube A
(see Figures 1 and 2) may be provided with threaded hollow nipples, by which it is
connected to said plates in the ordinary way, and through which the fluid to be
condensed, cooled or heated is passed to the interior thereof; the fluid to or from
which the exchange of heat is desired to pass or take place being circulated over the
outside surface.
The converse arrangement of apparatus to that just described with reference to
Figures 4 to 7 would consist in adapting the mandril C to move, and the tool E and
holder to remain stationary.
It will be evident the mandril C can be mounted in an ordinary latho and the tool E
in the slide rest thereof and the tube can thus be obviously operated upon in it in
the same manner as set forth with reference to the machine described-and illustrated in
Figures 4 to 8.
In some cases where the metal of the round tube to be formed into a flat one is
thin the tool E may be dispensed with. In such a case the tube is coiled and flattened
by the action of the mandril and merely requires guiding onto it by hand or a
moving guide.
It will be observed the curve of the grooves of the mandril as well as that of the
roller tool E are shallow and of a segment of a circle, or a curve approximating it;
this form of contour of the groove and tool, I have found most effective for coiling and
flattening a round tube A to the form shown, in section in Figure 1, without first
having to fill it with pliable or ductile material as is usually practised to coil round
tubes.
With reference to Figures 8 and 9 it will be seen the section of the coil tube
produced is of triangular form; and to give it this form the grooves of the roller C
must be made in the form of an ordinary angular screw thread and the tool E slightly
curved or nearly flut; or, conversely, the groove of the tool E may be angular and that
of the roller nearly flat or slightly curved.
In the modification in Figures 10 and 11 a second stationary grooved roller E is
used instead of the roller tool E set forth with reference to Figures 4 to 8, the grooves
of said rollers and E boing arranged in opposite directions as shown, so as to cause
their convolutions or edges, to coincide with each other as they are revolved.
To construct a tube of spiral form with flatened and parallel sides, as illustrated in
Figure 3, I first form it into a true spiral by the apparatus herein before described,
then fill it with lead, pitch, or other equivalent ductile or pliable material, then flatten
the sides by hammering or pressure upon a suitable mandril or anvil, and then melt
out the material with which it is filled.
In some kinds of cooling condensing or heating apparatus, tubes coiled in volute or
zig-zag form are necessary or desired; in such cases 1 first flatten a round straight
tube to the sectional form, shown in Figures 8 or 9 or a like or equivalent form, by
passing it between two roller tools having a surface of the form herein described, then
fill it with a ductile or pliable material, and then bend it by hammering or pressing
with suitable instruments of any known kind, and then empty the tube of the filling
material by melting it out.
To employ the apparatus herein described for constructing spirally coiled tubes
from straight round tubes having a circular cross section, that is with the original

page_text: section, the rollers and E are provided with deeper grooves corresponding near
with the half section of the tubes.
I would state in conclusion that various modified improved forms of tubes according
to my Invention may be made and used to meet special cases, but in all the essential
feature is, the use of a tube, so formed, that the cross sectional area of the space
surrounded by the metal of the tube, shall be small in proportion to the length or
extent of the metal surrounding it, whereby the cooling, condensing or heating surface
of such tube, in relation to its capacity will be increased above that possessed by a
round tube; but I would also state that the apparatus for coiling tubes herein described
and claimed may be applied to the manufacture of tubes of round section as well as
the other types of section.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:
First. As a new or improved article of manufacture, ducts for employment in or
employed in condensers, coolers or heaters, consisting of a tube coiled as a spiral or
helix, and having a section of oval, elliptical, or flat form, substantially as set forth
with reference to Figuro 1 of the drawings for the purposes specified.
Second. The manufacture of ducts for employment in or employed in condensers,
coolers, or heaters, herein described, that is to say by machinery or tools such as
herein described, whereby and wherein a round tube is flattened or pressed to the form
or forms such as specified, without the employment therein of ductile pliable
material.
Third. In machinery for forming spiral tubes for condensers, coolers, or heaters,
the combination of a spirally grooved mandril and a grooved roller or tool, adapted to
operate substantially in the manner heroin set forth, for the purposes specified.
Fourth. In the manufacture of tubes for condensers, coolers, or heaters, the
employment of roller tools having a curved bearing edge or periphery, by which a
round tube is formed into a tube having parallel sides and semi-circular ends, or an
ellipse or equivalent form, without the employment in said round tubes of ductile or
pliable material; substantially as set forth.
Fifth. Ducts for employment in condensers, coolers, or heaters, of spiral form
having a flat, elliptical, oval or equivalent form of section produced from round tubes
without the employment in said round tubes of ductile or pliable material; substantially
as set forth.
Sixth. In machinery for forming spiral tubes for condensers, coolers, or heaters,
the employment of a mandril provided with a spiral groove, the form of said groove
being that of a part or segment of a circle, or curve approximating it, operating
substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
Seventh. In machinery for forming spiral tubes for condensing, cooling, or heating
apparatus, the combination of a spirally grooved mandril and a spirally grooved
tool E, substantially as set forth with reference to Figure 10 of the drawings.
Eighth. The combination and arrangement of parts of apparatus set forth with
reference to Figures 4 to 7 of the drawings, operating as and for the purposes
set forth.
Dated this Seventh day of January 1800