IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE MEANS OF AND APPARATUS FOR OBTAINING MOTIVE POWER FROM THE COMPRESSION AND EXPANSION OF VAPORS
Year: 1866

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by John Ramsbottom at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 20th March
1866.
I, JOHN RAMSBOTTOM, of Blackburn, in the County of Lancaster,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MEANS OF AND APPARATUS FOR OBTAINING MOTIVE POWER FROM THE
COMPRESSION AND EXPANSION OF VAPORS," to be as follows:-
The object of the present Invention is to utilize heat, and by the use of
aqueous or other fluids to effect its conversion to mechanical effect in a more
complete and economical manner than heretofore, which I effect as follows:-
I employ two vessels either conjointly or separately, one of which answers the
purpose of a low-pressure boiler, with a slightly weighted valve thereon, so
that steam may readily escape when slightly in excess of the atmospheric
pressure. This boiler is intended to heat the water or other fluid, and to
contain vaporous pressure sufficient to raise water contained therein into
a valve chamber wherewith to supply the second vessel, to be called a
convertor."
"
In constructing a boiler and convertor conjointly I place the convertor
within the boiler, the flames and heated gases from the fire beat the water in
the boiler and pass through a number of fire tubes in the convertor to the
flue. The convertor is made of strength to withstand excessive pressure, and
is intended to change the liquid supplied thereto into vapor or steam of
greater or less density, but of high temperature. An alternate connection or.
communication is made for the purpose of conveying the liquid in the low

page_text: pressure boiler to the convertor in the following manner :-A chamber is
made and placed above the convertor, in which chamber is a valve having a
cavity formed therein; a pipe leading from the liquid space in the low-
pressure boiler conveys the liquid by pressure through an orifice in the valve
seating to fill the cavity in the valve before mentioned. This valve is then
moved forwards until the cavity formed therein is brought over two other
orifices in the seating, and both communicating with the convertor; one of
these orifices passes to the upper portion of the cavity in the valve, and the
other communicates with the lower part thereof; the object being to effect
the discharge of the liquid more rapidly within the convertor by establishing
an equilibrium of pressure (the liquid enters an evaporating basin placed
within the convertor, this basin serving to retain within itself all sedimentary
deposit), the lap on the valve being arranged so that one source of communi-
cation shall be closed when the other is open; or instead of a slide valve I
may employ two or more lift valves moved alternately by cams on a shaft; or
the liquid may be injected by a force pump into the convertor from the low-
pressure boiler. The size of the cavity or containing space within the valve
and the frequency of communications made from one to the other are
arranged so that when at work the required rarity or density of vapor is
maintained, and as this valvular apparatus is worked by the engine it will be
properly regulated. When in operation vapor or steam from the convertor is
conveyed to the engine, "giving motion thereto, and when the return stroke of
the piston commences the exhaust vapor or steam passes through the exhaust
port and connecting pipe into the low-pressure boiler, which it enters against
a pressure slightly in excess of the atmospheric pressure, and as the vapor is
highly attenuated, and as the heat is almost wholly abstracted therefrom in its
passage through the engine, the heat remaining in the vapor or liquid of con-
densation is thus further utilized, as well as being again available for
recharging with heat for conversion to vapor. The operation is thus
continued without more additional liquid being used further than is necessary
to replace loss by leakage or escape through the blow-off valve.
As this Invention provides for the continuous use of the same liquid, vapor,
or gas, if other than aqueous fluids are found convenient or economical, they
may be used in preference.