AN IMPROVED MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR DISTILLING SEA WATER TO OBTAIN FRESH WATER THEREFROM, WHICH INVENTION IS APPLICABLE ALSO FOR DISTILLING OTHER LIQUIDS
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Fisher, of No. 16, Grafton Street, Heaton,
in the Town and County of Newcastle-upon-Tync, for the Inven-
tion of "AN IMPROVED MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR DISTILLING SEA
WATER TO OBTAIN FRESH WATER THEREFROM, WHICH INVENTION IS APPLICABLE
ALSO FOR DISTILLING OTHER LIQUIDS."
Scaled the 28th September 1875, and dated the 6th April 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Fisher at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
6th April 1875.
I, HENRY FISHER, of No. 16, Grafton Street, Heaton, in the Town
and County of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR DISTILLING
SEA WATER TO OBTAIN FRESH WATER THEREFROM, WHICH INVENTION IS APPLICABLE
ALSO FOR DISTILLING OTHER LIQUIDS," to be as follows:-
This Invention of an improved mode of and apparatus for distilling
sea water to obtain fresh water therefrom is designed to enable persons

page_text: in a boat at sea, shipwrecked or otherwise cast away, to secure a supply
of fresh water for any ordinary length of time by means provided in the
boat and capable of being put to work by the power then available. For
this purpose a boiler or vessel for containing the sea water to be distilled
has arranged in combination with it apparatus for producing heat by
friction for evaporating the sea water, and apparatus for collecting and
condensing in the form of fresh water the resulting steam or vapour.
In one arrangement the boiler is internally fitted with a revolving
cylinder working in frictional contact with segment plates accurately
fitted and kept in contact by springs or other means, so that when the
cylinder is caused to revolve rapidly a sufficient amount of heat is pro-
duced to boil the water in the boiler, the steam generated being passed
by means of a pipe into a worm or other form of condenser well known.
The revolving cylinder is-connectod by a train of wheels and pinions or
other mechanical arrangement to a handle worked by manual power so :
as to get up the speed required.
The friction may be produced by rubbing surfaces other than in the
form of a cylinder, the required motion being obtained by suitable
"mechanical arrangements from the first mover.
The whole of the apparatus may be made of such dimensions as to bo
casily fitted under the "thwarts" of an ordinary slup's boat, thus
forming a part of such boat, so that in case of shipwreck thero would be
no danger of a boat leaving the ship without the means of procuring a
plentiful supply of fresh water for any ordinary length of time.
The principle of generating heat by friction for purposes of con-
densation may be applied to distil or condense any other liquid, body, or
substance other than the above.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Henry Fisher in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 6th October 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
FISHER, of No. 10, Grafton Street, Heaton, in the Town and County of
Newcastle-upon-Tyne, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the thirty-
eighth year of Her reign, did for Herself, Her hours and successors,
give and grant unto me, tho said Henry Fisher, Her special license
that I, the said Henry Fisher, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Henry Fisher, my executors, admi-
nistrators, 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, usc, cxcrcise, and vend,
within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED MODE OF AND
APPARATUS FOR DISTILLING SEA WATER TO OBTAIN FRESH WATER THEREFROM,
WHICH INVENTION IS APPLICABLE AISO FOR DISTILLING OTHER LIQUIDS," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Henry Fisher, my exccu-
tors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and scals, 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 Henry Fisher, 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 (that is to say) .-
This Invention of an improved mode of and apparatus for distilling
sea water to obtain fresh water therefrom is designed to enable persons
in a ship or boat at sea, shipwrecked or otherwise cast away, to secure a
supply of fresh water for any ordinary length of time by means provided
in the ship or boat, and capable of being put to work by the power then
available. For this purpose a boiler or vessel for containing the sea
water to be distilled has arranged in combination with it apparatus for
producing heat by friction for evaporating the sea water, and apparatus
for collecting and condensing in the form of fresh water the resulting
3 steam or vapour.
In one arrangement the apparatus is internally fitted with a hollow

page_text: with segment pieces accurately fitted and kept in contact by springs or
other means, so that when the cylinder is caused to revolve a sufficient
amount of heat is produced to boil the water in the cylinder. The steam
generated is passed by means of a pipe into a worm or other form of
condenser well known.
The revolving cylinder is connected by a train
of wheels and pinions or other mechanical arrangement to a handle
worked by manual or any other power then available.
The friction may be produced by rubbing surfaces other than in the
form of a cylinder, the required motion being obtained by suitable
mechanical arrangements from the first mover.
The whole of the apparatus may be made of such dimensions as to be
easily fitted under the thwarts of an ordmary ship's boat, thus forming
a part of such boat, so that in case of shipwreck there would be no
danger of a boat leaving the ship without the means of procuring a
plentiful supply of fresh water for any ordinary length of time.
The principle of generating heat by friction for purposes of condensa-
tion may be applied to distil or condense liquid, bodies, or substances
other than sea water.
The accompanying Drawings illustrate one method of applying the
principle for the purpose of procuring fresh water from sea water in a
ship's boat.
Fig. 1 is an elevation of the general arrangement, in which the con-
denser and boat are shown in section, Fig 2 is a section through the
line T, T, of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a section of the heat generator
through the line R, R, of Fig. 1, shewing the apparatus in sectional
plan. The same letters of reference refer to like parts in all the views.
A is the heat generator, B, the condenser. The condenser and
filtering vessel C are cach firmly fixed to the box or chamber formed
under the seat of the boat. F is a feed pipe leading from the condenser
to the heat generator, and is fitted with a glass gauge and stop cock so
that it will be self feeding, and the level of the water in the generator
will be indicated by the gauge, G is a pipe for the purpose of conducting
the steam from the generator to the condenser. D is a hollow copper
cylinder, in the centre of which is fixed another hollow cylinder E
closed at the ends, which may be filled with any suitable compound or
may remain empty, as shewn. The journals of the cylinder D arc

page_text: hollow, and arc connected at the bottom with the water feed pipo F, and
at the top with the steam pipe G. H, II, are oak segment pieces
accurately fitted to bear on the sides of the copper cylinder D, and aro
kept up and the pressure adjusted by means of the springs and set
screws I, I, J is a case containing the whole fitted with a door K
secured by means of thumb screws. The bearings of the cylinder
journals at the top of the case and in the door are lined with lignum
vitæ. Cast on to the case at the top are the brackets L, L, by means of
which the generator is fixed to the boat's thwart; the brackets L, L,
also contain the bearings (lined with lignum vitae) for the shaft M and
bevel wheel N; O, O, are handles to work the apparatus by manual
power. When the apparatus is not required for use one of the handles
is taken off and the shaft may be withdrawn by means of the other
handle; the wheel N may also then be taken out and the hole through
the boat's thwart P closed by means of the cover and hinge, as shown.
The handle, shaft, and bevel wheel may then be stowed away within the
box Qwhich is made to enclose the whole of the apparatus under the
thwart when not required to be in operation, and is constructed with
folding doors, to be open, as shown, when in operation.
•
The action of the apparatus when in operation is as follows:-On the
handle O being turned a rapid motion is communicated (by means of
the bevel wheels) to the cylinder D which is filled with sea water from
the condenser by means of the feed pipe F. The oak segments are then
set up to the required pressure and heat is thereby generated which
causes the water in the cylinder to boil. The resulting steam is conveyed
through the hollow journal at the top of the cylinder into the pipe G,
and from thence to the worm in the condonser, it is there distilled and
is received at the bottom by vessels prepared to receive it ready for use.
The door K is constructed so that it may be easily removed with the
bottom of the cylinder D and internal cylinder E, and the salt deposit
removed when required.
Having described the nature of the said Invention and the manner of
performing it I desire to have it understood that I do not confine myself
to the precise arrangement shewn in the Drawings, as the same may
obviously be modified to suit circumstances without departing from the
distinctive character of my said Invention, as respects which what I
consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim under the Letters
Patent herein-before in part recited 1s,—

page_text: First. The mode of obtaining fresh water from sea water by evaporating
the sea water in a boiler or vessel by heat produced by friction, and
collecting and condensing the resulting steam or vapour.
Secondly. In apparatus for distilling sea water or other liquid, the
combination of a boiler or vessel for containing the liquid to be distilled,
apparatus for producing heat by friction to evaporate said liquid, and
apparatus for collecting and condensing the resulting steam or vapour.
Thirdly. The combination of parts forming the improved distilling
apparatus, constructed, arranged, and operating substantially as herein-
before described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Fisher, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fourth day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five.