AN IMPROVED APPARATUS APPLICABLE TO STEAM PIPES USED FOR THE PURPOSES OF HEATING AND DRYING, WHICH SAID AP- PARATUS MAY ALSO BE USED FOR OTHER SIMILAR PURPOSES WHERE STEAM IS EMPLOYED
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Gimson, of Staley Bridge, in the County of
Lancaster, Engineer, and George Gimson, of the same Place, Engineer,
for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED APPARATUS APPLICABLE TO STEAM
PIPES USED FOR THE PURPOSES OF HEATING AND DRYING, WHICH SAID AP-
PARATUS MAY ALSO BE USED FOR OTHER SIMILAR PURPOSES WHERE STEAM IS
EMPLOYED."
Sealed the 22nd July 1856, and dated the 24th January 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Gimson and
George Gimson at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 24th January 1856.
We, JOHN GIMSON, of Staley Bridge, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer,
and GEORGE GIMSON, of the same Place, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature.
of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED APPARATUS APPLICABLE TO STEAM
PIPES USED FOR THE PURPOSES OF HEATING AND DRYING, WHICH SAID APPARATUS MAY
ALSO BE USED FOR OTHER SIMILAR PURPOSES WHERE STEAM IS EMPLOYED," to be
as follows:-
Our Invention consists in the novel application or adaptation of an apparatus
to steam pipes, or other situations where steam is so employed, which apparatus
is furnished with a valve for the necessary discharge of air from such pipes, as
well as being provided with the ordinary means of retaining the steam as
required, and of discharging the condensed water; such valve is also capable of
being closed by self-acting means, namely, the action of the steam alone

page_text: without requiring any further attention. The air valve is situated in a steam
chamber attached to the steam pipes, and is so placed or suspended opposite
to the mouth or orifice of the air tube, that it will remain open, and allow of
the escape of air from the steam pipes or apparatus through the ordinary
discharge valve and outlet pipe, until it is closed by the pressure of steam, which
is directed against it for this purpose by means of a small steam tube being
extended from the inlet pipe in the steam chest or chamber attached to the
steam pipes. The condensed water from the steam pipes falls into the steam
chamber; and is also discharged, as required, by means of a ball and lever lifting
and opening the discharge valve, as in common use.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Gimson and George Gimson in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 24th July 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JOHN
GIMSON, of Stayley Bridge, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, and GEORGE
GIMSON, of the same Place, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of January, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the nineteenth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto us, the said John Gimson and George Gimson, Her especial
licence that we, the said John Gimson and George Gimson, our executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said John Gimson and
George Gimson, our 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 "AN IMPROVED APPARATUS
APPLICABLE TO STEAM PIPES USED FOR THE PURPOSES OF HEATING AND DRYING, WHICH
SAID APPARATUS MAY ALSO BE USED FOR OTHER PURPOSES WHERE STEAM IS EMPLOYED,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said John Gimson and
George Gimson, or one of us, by an instrument in writing under our 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Gimson, do hereby declare the
nature of our 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 and accompanying Drawings (that is to say) :-
:
Our Invention consists in the novel application or adaptation of an apparatus
to steam pipes used for the purposes of heating and drying, or other situations
where steam is so employed; which apparatus is furnished with a valve for the
necessary discharge of air from such pipes, as well as being provided with
the ordinary means of retaining the steam as required, and of discharging
the condensed water; such valve is also capable of being closed by self-acting
means, namely, the action of the steam alone, without requiring any further
attention. The air valve is situated in a steam chamber attached to the steam
pipes, and is so placed or suspended opposite to the mouth or orifice of the
air tube, that it will remain open and allow of the escape of air from the steam
pipes or apparatus, through the ordinary discharge valve and outlet pipe, until
it is closed by the pressure of steam, which is directed against it for this pur-
pose by means of a small steam tube, being extended from the inlet pipe in the
steam chest or chamber attached to the steam pipes. The condensed water
from the steam pipes falls into the steam chamber, and is also discharged as
required by means of a ball and lever, lifting and opening the discharge valve
as in common use. In order that these improvements may be better .under-
stood and explained in detail, we have attached to these presents a sheet of
Drawing, made about one quarter the real size.
Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of the apparatus, shewing the situation of the
inlet steam pipe, through which the steam passes for closing the swinging
valve; Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of the chamber; and Fig. 3 is a
plan view of the same, having the top plate or cover removed in .order more
clearly to shew the arrangement of the enclosed mechanism; in the various
Figures similar letters of reference are marked upon corresponding parts of the
machinery or apparatus. The casing a, a, is provided with a steam-tight cover
b, which when bolted or otherwise secured upon the casing, forms a perfectly
steam-tight chamber, into which the steam used for heating and drying, &c.
passes by means of the inlet pipe c and communicating chamber d, and thence
through the pipe c' against the valve or trap e, which, swinging or hanging
loosely upon the pivot or centre f, is closed upon its seat 9 by the pressure of
the steam against the cup formed upon the back of the said valve. h is the
outlet pipe for air, communicating with the pipe i, through which the water
from the condensed steam passes, and which is open to the outer atmosphere.
The operation of the before-named apparatus will be more easily understood

page_text: by referring to the 'Drawings and the following description thereof: Steam
being admitted into the pipes used in any arrangement of apparatus for heating,
drying, or other purposes, and to the extremity of which this apparatus is
attached, the air in such pipes will, by the force of the steam, be driven forwards
and into the chamber, and thence through the swinging valve e, which is open
in consequence of there being no pressure upon it, and down the air outlet pipe h
through the pipe and into the atmosphere; the steam having driven all the
áir out of the pipes and chamber, fills the chamber, and exerts a pressure upon
the valve, which is kept closed by the column of steami issuing from the inlet
pipe. The chamber being now perfectly steam-tight, and being maintained-in
that condition by the constant supply of steam thereto, any air is prevented from
entering the pipes, and thus the safety and perfect heating of the pipes is
ensured. When the steam in the chamber condenses, and is converted into
water, we have provided an arrangement of the ordinary ball and lever for
lifting and opening the valve of the discharge pipe i, through which the surplus
water escapes; the communicating or connecting chamber d is also provided
with small orifices through which the water from the steam condensed therein
escapes into the chamber below, and is carried off as before mentiond."
Having now described the nature and object of our said Invention, together
with one method of carrying the same into practical effect, we would remark,
in conclusion, that we claim as our improved apparatus applicable to steam
pipes used for the purposes of heating and drying, which said apparatus may
also be used for other purposes where steam is employed,―
First, the employment of a swinging or other similarly constructed valve,
upon which the confined steam within the chamber, and also that issuing from
the inlet pipe, will exert a pressure, and thereby render it self-closing after
the discharge of air has taken place.
And, secondly, I claim the general arrangement of the apparatus, sub-
stantially as berein-before described, and 'fully set forth and exhibited on the
Drawings attached, or any other slight variation or modification thereof,
without confining ourselves to the precise details herein contained.
.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Gimson, have bereunto set our
hands and seals, this Twenty-third day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
GEORGE GIMSON.
L.S.)