IMPROVEMENTS IN SYPHONS FOR CARRYING OFF THE CONDENSED WATER FROM STEAM PIPES
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Vickerman, of Taylor Hill, near Hudders-
field, in the West Riding of the County of York, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SYPHONS FOR CARRYING OFF THE CONDENSED WATER FROM
STEAM PIPES."
Sealed the 10th October 1861, and dated the 17th April 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Vickerman at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 17th
April 1861.
I, JOSEPH VICKERMAN, of Taylor Hill, near Huddersfield, in the West
Riding of the County of York, do hereby declare the nature of the said
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SYPHONS FOR CARRYING OFF THE CONDENSED WATER FROM
STEAM PIPES," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to improvements in syphons or syphon valves for
carrying off the condensed water from steam pipes without any loss of steam
whatever, and by its use a great economy in fuel is effected, as the blowing off
of the steam in the open air to clear the pipes of the condensed water is
oliviated, and a greater degree of heat is also obtained from a smaller quantity
of steam by keeping the water constantly drained off from the pipes. The
exterior casing of the syphon consists of a rectangular box of cast iron, with
the sides tapering downwards, the lid being bolted on with an india-rubber or
other packing interposed to keep the joint steam-tight. In the lid is a small
air valve for the emission of the cold air from the pipes when the steam is
turned on, and for admitting the same again when the steam is turned off.
On one side of the box is a short tube, terminated by an union joint to connect
the box with the pipes from which it is proposed to carry off the condensed

page_text: water. This is the inlet pipe. In front of the aperture of this pipe inside the
box there is a screen of plate iron, which extends downwards to nearly the
bottom of the box, where it is turned slightly inwards towards the centre of
the box. In the bottom of the box another tube is inserted, which serves as
the outlet; the upper end of this tube rises in the box higher than the lower
edge of the screen above named, and upon it is placed a hollow copper ball,
furnished below with a small brass tube, which fits in the inside of the outlet
pipe, and is provided with about four small holes slightly below the ball.
These holes are the only outlet for the water; the tube opens also into the
ball, to take off any water that may get into the ball, owing to the porosity of
the copper. The copper ball is made in two parts brazed together, instead of
being soldered as usual, and when there is no water in the pipes the holes in
the small pipe attached thereto are closed by. being inside the outlet pipe; but
as soon as the water begins to accumulate, it first rises above the lower edge of
the iron screen above referred to, and shuts off the pressure of the steam, from
the box, and as it continues to rise it raises the ball with it, and allows the
water to run off through the small holes in the tube attached thereto, and to
escape through the outlet pipe without any waste-or escape of steam at the same
time. There is a metal cup attached by a screw to the inside of the lid of the
box, to regulate the height to which the ball is allowed to rise according to
the pressure of the steam in the pipes. There are also small grooves in the
surface of the top of the outlet pipe, to prevent the accumulation of any sand
or sediment about the orifice, which would impede the free action of the
copper ball.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Joseph Vickerman in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
16th October 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPH
VICKERMAN, of Taylor Hill, near Huddersfield, in the West Riding of the
County of York, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fourth year of Her reign,
did, for IIerself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Joseph Vickerman, Her special licence that I, the said Joseph Vickerman,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Josephi
Vickerman, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time

page_text: 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN SYPHONS FOR
CARRYING OFF THE CONDENSED WATER FROM STEAM PIPES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Joseph Vickerman, 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 Joseph Vickerman, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to bo
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement in writing, and on reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings, that is to say:-
This Invention relates to improvements in syphors or syphon valves for
carrying off the condensed water from steam pipes without any loss of steam
whatever, and by its use a great economy in fuel is effected, as the blowing off
of the steam in the open air to clear the pipes of the condensed water is
obviated, and a greater degree of heat is also obtained from a smaller quantity
of steam by keeping the water constantly drained off from the pipes. The
exterior casing of the syphon consists of a rectangular box of cast iron, with
the sides tapering downwards, the lid being bolted on with an india-rubber or
other packing interposed to keep the joint steam-tight. In the lid is a small
air valve for the emission of the cold air from the pipes when the steam is
turned on, and for admitting the same again when the steam is turned off.
On one side of the box is a short tube terminated by an union joint, to connect
the box with the pipes, from which it is proposed to carry off the condensed
water. This is the inlet pipe. In front of the aperture of this pipe, inside the
box, there is a screen of plate iron, which extends downwards to nearly the
bottom of the box, where it is turned slightly inwards towards the centre of
the box. In the bottom of the box another tube is inserted, which serves as
the outlet; the upper end of this tube rises in the box higher than the lower
edge of the screen above named, and upon it is placed a hollow copper ball,
furnished below with a small brass tube, which fits in the inside of the outlet
pipe, and is provided with about four small holes slightly below the ball.
These holes are the only outlet for the water; the tube opens also. into the

page_text: ball to take off any water that may get into the ball, owing to the porosity of
the copper. The copper ball is made in two parts brazed together, instead of
being soldered, as usual, and when there is no water in the pipes the. holes in
-the-small pipe-attached-thereto are closed by-being inside the outlet pipe, but
as soon as the water begins to accumulate, it first rises above the lower edge
of the iron screen above referred to, and shuts off the pressure of the steam
from the box, and as it continues to rise it raises the ball with it, and allows
the water to run off through the small holes in, the tube attached thereto, and
to escape through the outlet pipe without any waste or escape of steam at the
same time. There is a metal cup attached by a screw to the inside of the lid
of the box, to regulate the height to which the ball is allowed to rise according
to the pressure of the steam in the pipes. There are also small grooves in the
surface of the top of the outlet pipe, to prevent the accumulation of any sand
or sediment about the orifice, which would impede the free action of the
copper ball.
.
Such being the nature and object of my said Invention for "Improvements
in Syphons for Carrying off the Condensed Water from Steam Pipes," I will
now proceed to describe the manner in which the same is to be or may be
performed or carried into practical effect.
And in order that the same may
be distinctly understood, I have annexed hereunto one Sheet of Drawings
illustrative thereof, and have marked the same with figures and letters. of
reference corresponding with those in the following explanation thereof, that
is to say:
In the annexed Drawing Figure 1 represents a vertical section taken
through about the centre of a syphon valve constructed according to my
improvements, and Figure 2 is a plan or horizontal view of the same as
seen from above, with the cover and ball removed.
a, a represents the exterior casing or box, and b, b the cover thereof, c, c
is the air valve for the emission of the cold air from the pipes when the
steam is turned on, and for the re-admission of the same when the steam is
turned off. The peculiar construction of this valve is clearly shewn in the
detached sectional view, Figure 3; d, d, is the inlet pipe, furnished with
an union joint e, e, by means of. which the 'apparatus is connected to the
pipes from which it is desired to carry off the condensed water. In front
of the aperture of the pipe d, d, inside the box a, a, is a. screen of plate
iron f, f, which extends downwards to nearly the bottom of the box, where
it is turned slightly inwards towards the centre of the same; 9, 9, is the
outlet pipe in the centre of the bottom of the box. Into this is screwed.
a tube h, h, the upper end of which rises in the box higher than the lower-

page_text: edge of the screen f, f. Upon the top of this tube rests the hollow copper
ball i, i, which is provided below with a small brass tube k, k, fitting into
the inside of the tube h, h, and drilled with about four small holes 1, 1,
slightly below the ball, which holes form the outlet for the water from the
box when the ball rises. The tube k, k, also communicates with the inside
of the ball so as to take off any water that may get into the ball either from
the porosity of the copper or otherwise.
It will be perceived that the copper ball is made in two parts, which as
above-named are brazed together instead of being soldered. m, m, is a metal
cup, attached by a screw n, n, to the inside of the lid or cover b, b, for regu-
lating the height to which the ball is allowed to rise; and o, o, (seo Figure 2)
are grooves in the upper surface of the tube k, k, to prevent the accumulation
of sand or sediment about the outlet orifice. When there is no water in
the pipes the apparatus remains in the position shewn in Figure 1, the ball
resting on the top of the tube k, k,. and the outlet holes 1, 1, being closed by
being inside the said tube, but as soon as the water begins to accumulate
it first rises above the lower edge of the screen f, f, and shuts off the pressure
of the steam from the box, and as it continues to ascend it raises the hollow
ball with it, thus uncovering the openings 1, 1, and allowing the water to flow
off through the pipe k, k, without any waste or escape of steam at the same
time. As the water flows out, the ball falls and closes the openings, and
so on alternately, the water being thus removed from the pipes immediately
on its formation without any escape of steam.
D
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention for
"Improvements in Syphons for Carrying off the Condensed Water from Steam
Pipes," together with the manner in which the same is to be or may be
performed or carried into practical effect, I would remark in conclusion that
I claim as my Invention the peculiar construction and arrangement of
apparatus shewn in the Drawings and above described, or any mere modifi-
cation thereof, operating substantially in the manner and for the purposes
above set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Vickerman, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fifth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
JOSEPH VICKERMAN. (L.S.)