IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR GENERATING STEAM, AND FOR HEATING AND COOLING FLUIDS
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the "International
Patent Office," No. 8, Southampton Buildings, London, Consulting
Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR
GENERATING STEAM, AND FOR HEATING AND COOLING FLUIDS." -A com
munication from abroad by Antoine Romain Thiriou, of Paris, in
the Empire of France, Engineer.
Sealed the 2nd November 1869, and dated the 3rd June 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 3rd June 1869.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the "International Patent Office,"
No. 8, Southampton Buildings, London, Consulting Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
FOR GENERATING STEAM, AND FOR HEATING AND COOLING FLUIDS," a communi-
cation, to be as follows:-
By my Invention I am able to construct a boiler of small bulk while
offering the advantage of a large heating surface with bent tubes which
extend down into the fire-place, see Figures 1 and 2.
Price 1

page_text: By experiment I have ascertained what is the action of water in a
bent tube having its two extremities fixed at the bottom of a vessel
containing water, as in Figure 3. As soon as the temperature is raised
the water is put in motion, and there is established a curront which
becomes more rapid according as the heat is increased; this current is
established in one direction, and follows the same during all the time of
the experiment; the supply takes place through one of the ends of the
tube, and the escape of the water and of any vapour that may be formed
through the other end. I have repeated the experiment many times
with always the same result. It is true that I could not foresee the
direction of the movement of the water, it might enter by the orifice Bor
by the orifice C, leaving the tube at the opposite end, but as soon as the
water had taken its course it continued to circulate in the same direction
to the end of the experiment.
I call the bent tube B, A, C, of which I have above described the
advantages, the vaporizing tube, so as to distinguish it from another
tube which will herein-after mention. The result, which I have obtained
with my vapourizing tube is that which I have sought for the production
of a large quantity of steam, and I do not fear the deterioration of the
tubes which descend into the furnace, a difficulty which would certainly
exist if a current were not established. The object of my Invention is
therefore the application of the bent tube B, A, C, full of water, in
which is established a current as soon as it is heated, and I claim all the
applications thereof which may be made. I wish it to be well under-
stood that I do not limit the number of vaporizing tubes which I place
in the boilers or heating apparatus, and I may place them in any desired
positions therein. I have also sought the means of determining the
direction of the current, and I have obtained this result by using a
tube. D, E, Figure 3, closed at the lower end; I immerse it in a branch
of the vaporizing tube, leaving open the part above the wator. The
result is a remarkable reduction of the volume of water at the side of the
immersed tube, so that the steam is produced much more rapidly than in
the other branch of the vaporizing tube, and determines the course of the
current in the direction F, G, H. By this menus my Invention is completed
by giving the direction of the movement of the water even in diminishing
its volume. Other means however may be employed for obtaining the
same result, the great point of my discovery being that the current is
established in the bent tube. The immersed tube serves only to establish

page_text: the direction of the current. These generators with bent tubes increase
and hasten the vaporization because the water is vaporized while in
motion. No deposits are formed because the tubes are always moving
by expansion, and there is always a current of water, the expansion of
the tubes not causing any inconvenience. This system of tubular
generators with bent tubes will also serve as a surface condenser for
condensing any vapour.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 1st December 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the "International Patent Office," No. 8, South-
ampton Buildings, London, Consulting Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Third day of June, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-
second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Robert Lake, Her special
licence that I, the said William Robert Lake, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Robert Lake,
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,
aud vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR GENERATING STEAM, AND FOR HEATING AND COOLING FLUIDS,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Robert
Lake, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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 1, the said William Robert Lake, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same

page_text: is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawing forming a part of this Specification.
My Invention relates to the construction of a boiler of small bulk
wherein by an arrangement of tubes bent into a U shape, and extending
vertically or nearly so to the fire-place, I obtain a large heating surface
and a rapid evaporation.
The accompanying Drawing shews two kinds of boilers constructed
according to my system.
Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of a horizontal boiler without
heating tubes, but with U-shaped tubes arranged in the furnace and
flue; Figure 2 is a truusverse vertical section of the same on the line 1, 2,
Figure 1 Figure 3 is a vertical section of an upright boiler or steam
generator with vaporizing tubes arranged above the fire-place; Figure 4
is a horizontal section of the same on the line 3, 4, Figare 3; Figures 5
and 6 aro detached sectional views of the vaporizing tubes.
Experiments have shewn what is the action of water in a bent tube,
having its two extremities fixed at the bottom of a vessel containing
water as in Figure 3. As soon as the temperature is raised the water is
put in motion and there is established a current which becomes more
rapid according as the heat is increased; this current is established in
one direction and follows the same during all the time of the experiment:
the supply takes place through one of the ends of the tube, and the
escape of the water and of any vapour that may be formed through the
other end. The experiment has been repeated many times always with
the sume result. It is true that the direction of the movement of the
water could not be foreseen, it might enter by the orifice B or by the
orifice C, leaving the tube at the opposito end, but as soon as the water
had taken its course it continued to circulate in the same direction to
the ond of the experiment.
I call the bent tube B, A, C, of which I have above described the
advantages, the vaporizing tube, so as to distinguish it from another
tube which will herein-after mention. The result which I have obtained
with my vaporizing tube is that which has been sought for the pros
duction of a large quantity of steam, and I do not fear the deterioriation
of the tubes which descend into the furnace, a difficulty which would
certainly exist if a current were not established. The object of my
Invention is therefore the application to the purposes set forth of the

page_text: I
bent tube B, A, C, full of water, in which is established a current agr
soon as it is heated.., I. wish. it to be well understood that I do. not,
limit myself to the application of this principle to what I have herein.
set forth, nor to the number of vaporizing tubes which I place in the
boilers or heating apparatus, and I may place them in any desired
positions therein. It has also been found necessary to provide the means
of determining the direction of the current, and this result is obtained
by using a tube D, E, Figure 3, closed at the lower end or a rod.
immerse it in a branch of the vaporizing tube, leaving open the part
above the water. The result is a remarkable reduction of the volume of
water at the side of the immersed tube, so that the steam is produced
much more rapidly than in the other branch of the vaporizing tube,
and determines the course of the current in F, G, H, as indicated by the
arrows. By this means my Invention is completed by giving the
direction of the movement of the water while diminishing its volume.
Other means however may be employed for obtaining the same result,
the great point of my discovery being that the current is established in
the bent tube. The immersed tube serves only to establish the direction
of the current.
The advantages derived from my Invention are, first, the generators
with bent tubes increase and hasten the vaporization, because the water
is vaporized while in motion; second, no deposits are formed because the
tubes are always moving by expansion, and there is always a current of
water third, the expansion of the tubes does not cause any incon-
venience; fourth, this system of tubular generators with bent tubes
will also serve as a surface condenser for condensing vapour and for
other purposes.
This arrangement of tubes for effecting the circulation of liquids
may be applied with advantage to the evaporation of liquids generally.
It is well known that in many manufactures where the rapid heating
of liquids is necessary they must be constantly stirred or kept in motion
to prevent incrustation. The addition of my tubes to any apparatus for
heating liquids will therefore be found very advantageous, as it will
obviate the necessity for this mechanical agitation of the said liquids to
prevent the incrustation, the circulation of the liquid in the tubes of
itself effecting this result.
Having thus fully described the said Invention, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, and shewn how the same may be

page_text: conveniently and advantageously carried into practice, I claim the novel
application to steam generators and evaporators or to condensing or
cooling apparatus of an arrangement of U-shaped bent tubes for vapori-
zing or condensing liquids with rapidity and in a relatively restricted
space, substantially in the manner herein set forth.
I also claim inserting within the U-shaped tube a rod or other body
for regulating the direction of the current.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this First day of December, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nino.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE. (L.S.)
Witness,
H. J. GEDGE,
Clerk to Messrs. Haseltine, Lake, & Co.
8, Southampton Buildings,
London.