IMPROVE- MENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO THE EMPLOYMENT OF STEAM FOR HEATING OR DRYING PURPOSES
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Wheatley, of Hopton Mills, Mirfield, in the
County of York, Woollen Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO THE EMPLOYMENT OF STEAM FOR HEATING OR
DRYING PURPOSES."
Sealed the 10th October 1862, and dated the 24th April 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Wheatley at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 24th,
April 1862.
I, HENRY WHEATLEY, of Hopton Mills, Mirfield, in the County of York,
Woollen Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO THE EMPLOYMENT OF STEAM FOR HEATING
OR DRYING PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to heating or warming rooms in factories or other
buildings, and to drying fabrics or fibrous substances and other materials by
means of steam passing through pipes placed in such rooms or places or in
connection with apparatus for drying. In the present mode of employing
steam for such purposes, after passing it from the boiler or generator through
the series of pipes where it gradually becomes condensed, it is allowed to pass
out or be discharged therefrom in hot water and sometimes in steam, thereby
occasioning waste of fuel and water.

page_text: My improvements consist in applying a pump to the exhaust or discharge
end of such pipes, which I connect by other pipes to the boiler or steam gene-
rator, by the action of which the condensed steam or hot water is returned
direct to the boiler, thereby economizing both fuel and water.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Henry Wheatley in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
23rd October 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
WHEATLEY, of Hopton Mills, Mirfield, in the County of York, Woollen
Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-fifth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Henry Wheatley, Her special license that I, the said Henry
Wheatley, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Henry Wheatley, 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 Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO THE EMPLOYMENT OF STEAM FOR HEATING OR DRYING
PURPOSES," .upon the condition, amongst others, that I, the said Henry
Wheatley, 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 Henry Wheatley, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement (that is to say) :-
This Invention relates to heating or warming. rooms in factories or other

page_text: buildings, and to drying fabrics or fibrous substances and other materials by.
means of steam passing through pipes placed in such rooms or places, or in
connection with apparatus for drying. In the present mode of employing steam
for such purposes, after passing it from the boiler or generator through the
series of pipes where it gradually becomes condensed, it is allowed to pass out
or be discharged therefrom in hot water and sometimes in steam, thereby
occasioning waste of fuel and water.
My improvements consist in applying a pump to the exhaust or discharge*
end of such pipes, which I connect by other pipes to the boiler or steam gene-
rator, by the action of which the condensed steam or hot water is returned
direct to the boiler, thereby economizing both fuel and water.
In further explanation of my said Invention and in order that it may be
clearly understood, I would observe, that in the employment of steam for
heating or drying purposes a "syphon box" or steam trap is generally applied
to the outlet or discharge end of the range of steam piping, to prevent waste of
steam, by only allowing the condensed steam or water to escape; but in some
cases the steam is allowed to pass out of the pipe along with the condensed
water, which is a very wasteful practice; and in either case it will be evident
there is a great loss of heat, consequently of fuel, also of pure distilled water,
which is of great value in many manufacturing processes as well as being the
best water for feeding steam boilers. Now, by the use of my Invention, both
this heat and pure soft water are saved, the whole of the steam or water being
returned to the boiler by simply applying an ordinary feed pump to the
discharge end of the steam pipes, with piping from the said pump to the boiler.
By means of this application the steam is caused to circulate rapidly through
the pipes, whereby the said pipes are kept free from water, consequently less
condensation is going on therein, and a greater amount of beat is given off
therefrom, which is of considerable importance in heating and drying processes.
It will also be readily perceived that this condensed water may be drawn off
by a tap in the pipe from the pump, for any purpose requiring soft water.
Having thus fully described the nature of this my said Invention, and the
manner in which the same is or may be performed or carried into practice, I
would have it understood that I do not confine myself to the kind of pump or
method of application thereof for the purposes herein set forth, as various
modifications of construction and arrangement in the application of such feed
pump may be employed without departing from the spirit or main features of
my Invention; but what I claim and therefore consider to be new within the
realm is, the application and use of a pump for drawing off the condensed

page_text: water or steam from steam piping, and returning the same to the boiler or
steam generator, or to be used for other purposes.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Wheatley, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of October, One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-two.
Signed, sealed, and delivered, by the
within-named Henry Wheatley, in
the presence of
W*. TASKER,
Patent Agent,
Halifax.
HENRY WHEATLEY. (L.S.)