IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF HEATING APPARATUS, AND IN THE APPLICATION OF HYDROCARBON OR OTHER VOLATILE OILS OR SPIRITS FOR HEATING PURPOSES AND GENERATING STEAM
Year: 1873

page_text: ETTERS PATENT to Samuel James Ditchfield, of Seaham Harbour,
in the County of Durham, Coal Fitter, George Watson, of the
same Place, Oil Manufacturer, and John Childs, of Seaham
Harbour, aforesaid, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF HEATING APPARATUS, AND IN THE APPLICATION OF
HYDROCARBON OR OTHER VOLATILE OILS OR SPIRITS FOR HEATING PURPOSES
AND GENERATING STEAM."
Sealed the 10th March 1874, and dated the 12th December.1873.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Samuel James Ditchfield,
George Watson, and John Childs, at the Office of the Commissioners
of Patents, with their Petition and Declaration, on the 12th
December 1873, pursuant to the 9th Section of the Patent Law
Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, SAMUEL
JAMES DITCHFIELD, of Seaham Harbour, in the County of Durham,
Coal Fitter, GEORGE WATSON, of the same Place, Oil Manufacturer, and
JOHN CHILDS, of Seaham Harbour, aforesaid, Engineer, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS we are in possession of an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF HEATING APPARATUS, AND IN THE APPLICATION OF HYDRO-
CARBON OR OTHER VOLATILE OILS OR SPIRITS FOR HEATING PURPOSES AND
GENERATING STEAM," and have petitioned Her Majesty to grant unto us,
our executors, administrators, and assigns, Her Royal Letters Patent
for the same, and have made solemn Declaration that we are the true
and first Inventors thereof, and that the same is not in use by any other
persons or persons to the best of our knowledge and belief.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Samuel James Ditchfield, George
Watson, and John Childs, do hereby declare that the following Complete
Specification, under our hands and seals, fully describes and ascertains
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, in and by the following statement:-
We employ what we term generators constructed as herein-after more
fully described, and we place in them sponges to absorb hydrocarbon
or other volatile oil or spirit supplied from a store tank, over which
sponges a steady and regular current of compressed air is passing from
the compressed air chamber. The said generators are encircled by a
trough or steam jacket filled with hot water or steam.
Our method of constructing and using our improved apparatus will
be fully understood by reference to the accompanying Drawings, which
shew one application of our improvements as we employ them on board
ship, marked with corresponding letters and explained as follows:---
"A," pipe fitted with stop-cock for filling the store tank with the oils or
spirits. "B," store tank for oils or spirits fitted with regulating guage.
"C," generator fitted with divisions to cause the air to circulate in a
serpentine manner over and through the sponges which are held by rings
fitted half way up between the said divisions, the said generator being
the receiver of the required quantities of oils or spirits and atmospheric
air, which in it commingle, the oils or spirits being introduced by means
of the supply pipe E connecting store tank with the generator, and the
air being supplied at the opposite side of the generator through the
pipe marked "E". The air thus charged or impregnated passes through
the exit pipe marked "F" through the stop valve or self-acting throttle
valve, through the pipe and stop taps marked "G," through and out of
the leading pipes "I" into the furnace "M" where the light is applied.
The object of the stop valves or self-acting throttle valves
marked "F" is to prevent the possibility of an accident, and they are so

page_text: constructed as to remain open when there is a given pressure of car-
buretted atmospheric air, and to close when the pressure is less than the
given minimum. The stop tap is fixed to enable the engineer to reduce
the pressure of carburetted atmosphere, or shut it off altogether or entirely.
.
The ordinary furnaces may be used, but instead of being charged with
coal they are charged with coke, or in some cases with asbestos.
"N," transverse section of boiler shewing furnaces and tubes which
are of the usual character, and are shewn on the plan to make the
object of the improvements more easily comprehended. "J," a donkey
boiler (with cylinder of donkey engine marked "K," fired with coal in
the usual way to enable the engineer to work air pumps marked " 0"
until steam is raised in the main boiler, the said air pumps forcing air
through pipe "P" to the compressed air chamber "Q.”
When steam is raised in the main boiler the steam may be blown off
from the donkey boiler "J," and by means of a connecting rod the said
air pumps "0" may be worked from the main engine shaft.
The air pumps marked "R" are likewise worked by means of eccentric-
sheaves fixed on main shaft of main engines, or by rods connected with
the donkey engine at the discretion of the engineer. "S," a tap for
regulating the supply of air from the chamber "Q" to the gene-
rators "C." "T," a self-acting safety valve which will open when the
air chamber is pressed to a given pressure, and close when the chamber
is relieved of the surplus air; the air chamber "Q" also being fitted
with a pressure guage. U, a stop valve for disconnecting the generator
from the pipe "G"; "I," one of the flange joints of this pipe is fitted
with wire guaze to prevent the possibility of the current of carburetted
atmosphere returning into the pipe "G." "H," end of pipe "G."
"L," shaft for working air pumps "0" from donkey engine.
"D," interior of generator shewing sponge, rings, and divisions.
"V," guage to indicate the quantity of oils or spirits contained in the
generator C.

page_text: Our apparatus is also intended to be adapted, or applied to, or used,
or employed for locomotive, stationary, or other engines and boilers,
and for all or any purpose or purposes of heating and generating steam;
and we claim the right to adapt, apply, employ, or use the same for all
or any such purposes as aforesaid..
In witness the said Samuel James Ditchfield, George Watson, and
John Childs, have hereunto respectively set their hands and
seals, this Ninth day of December, in the year of our Lord, One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-three."