IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES, AND IN THE MODES AND MEANS OF FEEDING, THEIR BOILERS
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Hamilton, of the City of Glasgow, in
the County of Lanark, North Britain, Engineer, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES, AND IN THE MODES AND MEANS OF
FEEDING, THEIR BOILERS."
Sealed the 9th April 1874, and dated the 21st October 1873..
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Hamilton at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 21st October 1873.
-
.
I, WILLIAM HAMILTON, of the City of Glasgow, in the County of
Lanark, North Britain, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES, AND IN THE MODES
AND MEANS OF FEEDING THEIR BOILERS," to be as follows:-
1
This said Invention has for its object the saving of heat in land and
marine high pressure and condensing steam engines, and especially
either simple or compound condensing steam engines of the class in
which the exhaust steam is condensed by the direct action of injection
water upon it within the ordinary condenser, or of the surface-

page_text: feed water by their exhaust steam to a temperature much higher than
heretofore, as to nearly 212°, and of feeding the same into their steam
boilers.
.
And the nature of this said Invention consists in introducing as
much water as is required to feed the boiler of any particular engine
through a small pipe controlled by a cock or valve, drawn from the
hot well or other source of supply; or, when a pump or other
equivalent is used, it might be drawn from the bottom of the surface
condenser into the large exhaust pipe in a broken jet or spray, as
through a rose or perforated pipe, so as to act on or intermingle with
and be heated by the exhaust steam, preferably near or before its
entrance into the condenser, so as, by another improvement, to fall
into or be caught in a trap or receiving pocket, preferably placed with
its open mouth opposite the said entrance throat of the exhaust pipe
into the condenser, for the purpose of trapping this feed water, along
with any of the steam condensed by it, all heated to near the boiling
point by the first of the exhaust steam condensed while yet at a high
temperature, and before it escapes past or over the top of the trap to
be condensed by the ordinary injection water or the surface condenser,
as the case may be. This feed water, so heated and trapped, is drawn
off from the lower part of the said trap or pocket, whether that is
formed inside or outside of the condenser, by the suction pipe of the
feed pump, which may be of any of the ordinary constructions generally,
but (as by these improvements they have practically to act as small air
pumps and force pumps combined, or with the vacuum of the condenser
acting on their suction side or stroke) having their barrel bored the
full size of the piston or plunger, no space for air or vapour being left,
except what the piston can directly force out; and wherever such
space is unavoidable to have it below the level of the pocket fitted with
a very small pipe, controlled by a tap or inlet valve, to admit or draw
a small jet of water from the hot well or other source to the upper
part of such chamber or space of the barrel or pump, so as to condense
any steam or vapour which may be there at the time of the in-stroke,
and thus insure, the proper working of the pump by taking in and:
discharging nearly the full displacement of the plunger or of the barrel
of this, hot water, each stroke into the boiler, preferably with two
admission or check valves on the discharge side of the pipe, which would

page_text: be connected to the water space of the boiler and work all otherwise in
the usual manner, but with the hot feed water at nearly the boiling
temperature instead of at 90° or 100°, as usual, when feeding direct
from the hot well.
For engines with surface condensers a double acting pump may be.
used, the one end of the pump acting as the feed pump, connected to.
and discharging into the boiler; the other end acting as a circulating
pump, connected to and discharging into the inlet end of the cooling
water space of the condenser.
The condenser may be of any of the ordinary constructions to which
these improvements are fitted, except that it must have the mouth of
the said improved water trap up high, a short distance from and directly
below the entrance of the exhaust steam, so as thus to receive or catch the
said heated water, and also the lubricating oil and tallow, carried in
from the cylinders and casings, and so caught or condensed' with the
first of the steam, which oil or grease is thus prevented from depositing
on the condenser tubes and saved or fed back into the boiler with the
water and passed through the engine again with the steam to assist in
lubricating the working surfaces.
This new or improved trap containing the feed water may be fitted
with a glass gauge, and have the bottom kept high enough not to be
in contact with the colder condensed steam or the water at the bottom
of the condenser; and when these.improvements are applied to the
surface condenser of an engine, and the feed water (to be injected
into the exhaust pipe and steam) to be heated is taken from the bottom-
of the condenser instead of from the hot well, as before stated, this is
done either by the ordinary small air pump of such engines or by a
special drawing and forcing pump of the ordinary construction, or with
an injector worked by a little live steam from the boiler.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of October, in the
year of our Lord. One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the
thirty-seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said William Hamilton, Her
special licence, that I, the said William Hamilton, my executors,.
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William.
Hamilton, 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 In-
vention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES, AND IN THE MODES AND
MEANS OF FEEDING THEIR BOILERS," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said William Hamilton, 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 I, the said William Hamilton, 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 in writing, reference being had to the
accompanying Sheet of Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked
thereon, that is to say :-
My said Invention has for its object the saving of heat in land and
marine high-pressure and condensing steam engines, and especially in
either simple or compound condensing steam engines of the class in
which the exhaust steam is condensed by the direct action of injection
water upon it within the ordinary condenser, or of the surface condensing
class by new or improved modes and means of heating the feed water
by their exhaust steam to a temperature much higher than heretofore, as
to nearly 212°, and of feeding the same into their steam boilers..
And in order that the nature, novelty, and mode of performing my
said Invention may be properly understood, I shall now proceed to.

page_text: describe the Figures on the Sheet of Drawings which I have hereunto
appended for the purpose of showing the best modifications and means I
am at present aware of for carrying the Invention into effect or practice,
the same reference letters and numerals indicating the same or like parts
in both the Figures.
Figure 1 is a sectional clevation of an ordinary construction and
arrangement of condenser and air pump B and C, such as used for land
and marine engines, in which the condensing water is injected into the
condenser B by the ordinary pipe D, controlled by the injection cock D¹
through the rose D2 in a spray to act directly on the steam and condense
it, falling to the bottom Bº in a shower, from which this waste con-
densing water and condensed steam and air are pumped out by the
ordinary air pump C and discharged into the well c, all shown as
fitted with one modification or arrangement of my said improvements as
applied thereto for the new supply of very hot water for the boilers of a.
c is a new
steam engine heated by the waste heat of its exhaust steam.
waste or dischargé condensed hot water receiver jointed to the under side.
of and supplied from the ordinary hot well C', and having a glass gauge
c¹ on it to indicate the height or state of the supply of water in it ready
to be injected through the new set of small injection pipes a, connected
by a branch c at its lower end and through the new small injection cock
and rose a¹ and a², entered and jointed to any convenient part of the
ordinary exhaust steam pipe A leading from the cylinder, preferably
near the condenser B; and b, b', is the new hot water trap fitted at the
inlet throat A of the exhaust pipe A to the top of the condenser B¹ to
catch this highly heated condensing water injected into the exhaust
pipe A, and which is for being drawn off by the pipe b² to be fed into
the boiler at the high temperature due to that of the heat in the steam
at this entering high part B¹ of the condenser, all in accordance with
these improvements, the arrows indicating the motion, direction, or
course of the steam and water in the several pipes and vessels.
Figure 2 is a vertical section of a vertical tubular surface condenser B*
such as frequently substituted for ordinary condensers and air pumps in
converting double cylinder and other engines to the surface condensing
principle, in which A, A, are the exhaust steam pipes leading from each
cylinder and engine into a compartment B' at the top end of an ordinary
surface condenser and tubes B, B*, which condense the steam in passing
through them to the bottom compartment B2, from which the condensed

page_text: steam or water and air are drawn off by the two small air pumps C, O,
in this case (but it might be one such pump) and discharged into the
hot well C¹ of each, having the sea or other cold water drawn or forced
by an ordinary circulating pump through vertical or horizontal divisions
in the chamber or case B of the condenser so as to act on and cool the
outside of the tubes B* and condense the steam within, all so far in an
ordinary manner, but fitted with a modification of my said improve-
ments of pipes a and trap b and their connections for giving a small
injection of water in the exhaust pipes A. and trapping it at a high
temperature to feed the steam boiler or boilers of the engine to which
they are applied, all in accordance with this my said Invention.
Referring generally to these Figures 1 and 2, my said Invention or
improvements consist all as follows:-In introducing as much water as
is required to feed the steam boiler or boilers of the engine to which
these improvements are applied through a set of small pipes a, con-
trolled by a cock a¹, or valve, drawn from the hot well C¹, c, or other
source of supply, or when a pump or other equivalent is used to draw
and force this injection water it might be drawn from the bottom of the
ordinary condenser or surface condenser B³, when that was used, or
injected into the large exhaust pipe or pipes A when there are two or
more cylinders in a broken jet or spray, as through a rose or perforated
pipe a², so as to act on or intermingle with, condense, and be heated by
the exhaust steam, preferably near, or before its entrance into the top
B of the condenser B, while at its hottest, and so as by another
improvement to fall into or be caught in a trap or receiving pocket by
preferably formed or secured with its open mouth 6' below, and opposite
the said entrance throat A¹ of the exhaust pipe A into the condenser B,
for the purpose of trapping this water d, so heated as or for feed water
for the boilers, along with any of the steam condensed by it; all heated
to near the boiling point by the first of the exhaust steam from the
engine, condensed while yet at a high temperature, and before it escapes
past or over the top 6' of the trap b, to be condensed by the ordinary
injection water issuing from the rose D¹, Figure 1, or by the action of
the surface condenser B*, Figure 2, as the case may be. This feed
water d, so heated and trapped at b, is drawn off from the lower part of
the said trap or pocket b, secured or formed inside of the condenser
B, B', or it may be so attached or formed outside the condenser by the
suction pipe b² of the feed pump, which may be of any of the ordinary

page_text: constructions generally, except that, as by these improvements it has
practically to act as a small air pump and force pump combined, or with
the vacuum of the condenser acting on its suction side or stroke, it is
preferred to have their barrel bored the full size of the piston or plunger
a little larger than the pipe 62, leaving no space for air or vapour at the
top part, except what the piston can directly force out, and wherever
such space is unavoidable to have the pump placed below the barrel of
the pocket b, and fitted with a very small pipe, controlled by a tap or
inlet valve to admit or draw in a small jet of water from the hot well or
other source to this upper part of such chamber or space of the barrel
or pump, so as condense any steam or vapour which may be there at
the time of the in-stroke of the plunger of the pump, and thus, even
with the vacuum against it insure its proper working by taking in and
discharging nearly the full displacement of the plunger within the
barrel of the hot water from, the pocket. 6 at each stroke into the boiler,'
preferably through two admission or check valves on the discharge side
of the pipe, which would be connected to the water space of the boiler,
and work all otherwise in the usual manner, but with this hot feed water
at nearly the boiling temperature instead of at 90° or 100°, as usual,
when feeding direct from the hot well C₁ or bottom of the con-
denser B³.
For engines with surface condensers a double acting pump may be
used, the one end of this pump being constructed, as described, to act as.
the new or improved feed pump connected to and drawing the water
from the pocket 6 and discharging it into the boiler; the other end
acting as a circulating pump, connected either to the discharge or inlet
end of the cooling water space as B, Figure 2, of the condenser, to draw
or force the sea or other cooling water through it.
Although I have only shown two forms of condensers it will be
understood and evident to engineers that these improvements may be
fitted to any ordinary construction of condenser, so that the improved!
hot water trap 6 is kept high in the condenser so as not to be in contact
with the colder condensed steam or the water at the bottom of the con-
denser with its mouth a short distance from and directly below. the
entrance of the exhaust steam to the condenser so as thus to receive or.
catch the said heated water d, and also the oil and tallow, used in.
lubricating the pistons and valves carried in from the casings and
cylinders and so caught with the first of the condensed steam, which oil.

page_text: or grease is thus prevented from depositing on the tubes B* of the con-
denser and saved or fed back into the boiler with the water d and passed
through the engine again with the steam to assist in lubricating the
working surfaces.
.
The new or improved receiver c is shown as fitted with a glass gauge,
so that when the water falls in it the attendant may regulate the
injection by the cock a or shut it when there is no water to prevent air
from getting into the condenser; and when desired gauges may also be
fitted on to the trap b outside to regulate the supply of water to the
feed pump and boilers.
When the feed water d (to be injected into the exhaust steam and
pipe A) to be heated is taken from the bottom B² of a surface condenser,
as before stated, instead of from the hot well C¹, as described in reference
to Figure 2, this is done either by an ordinary small air pump of such
surface condensing engines, or by a special drawing or forcing pump
of the ordinary construction, or as herein described for feeding the
boilers, or with an injector worked by a little live steam from the boiler..
:
up
A new or improved means of supplying the extra feed water, to make
for the loss at the stuffing boxes and other joints of surface con-
densing marine engines, and having my said improvements applied
thereto, as shown in Figure 2, consists in the application of an auto-
matically worked double beat or equilibrium supply valve O, having its
inlet branch at 1 jointed or attached to the inlet circulating pipe or end
of the condenser B, and its outlet branch, as 2, to the inlet space B¹ of
the condenser, and having its spindle 3 carried up and actuated by one
end 4 of a light two armed lever 4, 5, oscillating on the centre 6, and
having its other arm 5 connected by a rod 7 to an india-rubber or other
equivalent elastic or flexible disc 8, attached by a ring or other equivalent
to the large circular flange at the upper or open end of a pipe 9 con-
nected to the lower part of the supply chamber c (all as indicated in red
lines and numerals in Figure 2), from which the new injection water d
is drawn by the pipes a to be injected into the exhaust pipes A herein-
before described, and all so that as the mean level of the water rises or
falls in the chamber c above or below the level of the disc 8 it corre-
spondingly raises or lowers the disc, so as, by the rod 7, lever 4, 5, and
rod 3, to respectively close or open the said extra feed supply equilibrium
valve, and thus insure a constant supply of water in the chamber c,
indicated by the glass gauge c¹, to supply the injection water to the cock

page_text: and rose a³, a³, and thus prevent air being admitted through these to the
condenser to impair or destroy the vacuum.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner of performing the same, I wish it to be understood that I do
not restrict myself to the precise details or their arrangements and
adaptations which I have had occasion to describe, delineate, or refer to,
as many variations of and from these might be made without departing
from the main or essential features of my said Invention; neither on
the other hand do I desire to claim the mere principle of heating the
feed water of steam engine boilers by the exhaust steam, and feeding it
from a chamber within or connected with the exhaust pipe, as this may
have been done either in high pressure or in condensing engines by
other modes and means, but what I consider novel and original and
therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in
part recited Letters Patent is,-
First. The new or improved mode and means of and apparatus for
heating the feed water for the steam boilers of steam engines by their
exhaust steam, all substantially as herein described and shown in the
accompanying Drawings, and indicated by the small or italic letters and
numerals.
Second. The construction and arrangement of an improved feed water
pump for feeding very hot water into steam engine boilers with very
little space in the barrel around the piston for air or vapour to
accumulate, and with a small pipe and cock to supply a jet of colder
water at each in-stroke of the pump while it is drawing the hot water
from the condenser of steam engines and forcing it into their boilers, all
substantially as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Hamilton, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of April, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
WILLIAM HAMILTON. (L.S.)