Improvements in and relating to Apparatus for Purifying Water and Steam, and for Heating and Softening Water.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 28th June, 1897
Complete Specification Left, 28th Mar., 1898-Accepted, 4th June, 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Apparatus for Purifying Water and
Steam, and for Heating and Softening Water.
I, WILLIAM JAMES BAKER, of Peasholme House, Scarborough, in the County
of York, Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in apparatus, and in combinations of
apparatus, to be employed in the rough and rapid filtration of dirty water drawn
from rivers, streams, and the like, the purification of exhaust steam to be employed
in heating water by actual contact, the water heating apparatus, the automatic
feeder for supplying the precipitating re-agent to the water to be softened, and
the depositing tank in which the precipitated lime, magnesia, or other solid impuri-
ties are retained.
Parts of this invention are improvements upon my former inventions, for which
Letters Patent were granted, namely, No. 91 dated 1st, of January 1895, and
No. 5516 dated 15th of March 1895.
The first part of this invention consists of a rough filter for removing suspended
earthy matter and other forms of solid impurities suspended in the water of rivers
and streams, and is formed of inclined troughs, open at the top, and resting upon
brackets fixed to upright standards or framework. These troughs are arranged
in zig-zag form, in order that the water flowing from the lower end of the top
one, may fall into the higher end of the second one immediately below it, and so
on through any required number. Fixed across the troughs are upper and lower
partitions, under and over which the water flows, and the spaces between the
partitions are filled in with either coke broken small, and washed free from dust,
or cocoa-nut fibre, or wood chips, or other suitable material, or diaphragms of
coarse cloth may be employed in places of, or supplementary to the partitions.
The water thus roughly filtered or strained, is forced or allowed to gravitate
into the heater, where it is divided into thin streams or spray, by means of a jet,
or perforated plate, fixed across the upper part of the heater.
Where a chemical re-agent required to facilitate the softening process, the
solution is mixed with the water at about the same time that the steam heat is
applied, or immediately before that juncture. For this purpose the selected re-
agent in solution is either allowed to gravitate into the upper part of the heater,
where it mixes with the incoming water, or is mixed with the water in the pipe
which conducts the water to the heater, being injected into the said pipe, in a
regulated quantity, by means of a small ram-pump which is actuated by means
of a water motor, or water wheel, the vanes of which project into the pipe, or into
a square trough forming a continuation of the pipe, and being actuated by the
flow of water passing to the heater. This motor or water-wheel will be in motion
only when water is turned on to supply the heater.
For the purpose of heating the water, either live or exhaust steam may be

page_text: employed, and is introduced into the upper part of the heater, where it meets tho
water in thin streams or spray.
In using exhaust steam; it is necessary that the grease of lubrication, gathered
by the steam in passing through the cylinder and valve chest should first be
eliminated.
For this purpose the greasy steam, instead of in the first instance coming into
contact with the angle iron bafflers or channels, in the manner described in my
former Specification of Patent, No. 5516 of 1895, is caught by a deflector, which
alters the course of the current of steam into a downward and partially backward
direction, causing it to impinge upon the surface of the condensed water contained
in the lower portion or well of the separator; the steam then flows upwards,
towards the outlet, and in its passage comes in contact with the hollow surfaces
of the angle iron bafflers, whereby any remaining grease is removed in the manner
described in my previous Specification referred to.
In the water heating apparatus, the circular inclined dishes referred to in my
former specification, are according to my improvements provided with vertical
flanges or rims near their outer edges, between which rims and the sides of the
heater, packing is forced, to prevent water from flowing down the sides of the
heater without becoming thoroughly heated.
In the lime depositing tank, instead of the pipes shown, as leading from the
upper part of one compartment to the lower part of the adjoining oue, a square
orifice of sufficient area is cut out of the upper part of each partition, and a
channel of D form or other suitable section, is fixed against the partition, to
convey water passing through the orifice to the lower part of the next compart-
mont.
Dated this 22nd day of June 1897.
WILLIAM JAMES BAKER,
Peasholme House, 'Scarborough.
Improvements in and relating to Apparatus for Purifying Water and
Steam, and for Heating and Softening Water.
I, WILLIAM JAMES BAKER, of Peasholme House, Scarborough, in the County
of York, Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to the performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement: —
This invention relates to improvements in apparatus, and in combinations of
apparatus, to be employed in the heating, softening and purification of water, and
the cleansing of steam from grease and other impurities.
Parts of this invention are further improvements upon my two former inven-
tions for which Letters Patent have been granted, namely No. 91 dated 1st
January 1895, and No. 5516 dated 15th March 1895.
"The complete apparatus consists of:-
1. The oil separator, wherein exhaust steam is cleansed from lubricating oil,
and rendered suitable for heating water by actual contact, and admixture.
2. The water heater, wherein the water to be heated softened, and otherwise
purified, is injected through a jet or strainer in the form of spray or small streams,
and also comes into repeated contact with live or exhaust steam, and is passed
over heated surfaces, at the same time 'being charged with a suitable precipitating
re-agent.
.3. The depositing tank, wherein the lime and other earthy impurities 'settle

page_text: to the bottom, heated and softened water passing away from the outlet pipe for
boiler feeding and other purposes.
Where live steam is employed in the water-heater, it is obvious that an oil
Bepurator will not be required..
To enable this invention to be clearly understood, I will describe the same with
reference to the accompanying drawings in which,
Figure 1 represents a sectional elevation of the combination of the oil separator,
the water heater, and the depositing tank.
Figure 2 represents a plan partly in section of the same combination.
Similar letters of reference indicate similar parts in both drawings.
"The oil separator is represented at A, A, the water heater at B; B, and the
depositing tank at 'C, C.
Where exhaust steam is employed for heating the water to be softened, the
said steam enters the oil separator at D, and is received by the deflector E, which
diverts the current into a downward direction wherein it comes in contact with
the surface of the water F, contained at the bottom or well of the separator.
.After leaving the surface of the water, the steam already divested of a great
part of its grease by the change of direction and contact with water, passes
upwards, and between the angle iron bafflers G, G, to the water heater.
The angle iron bafflers reach from top to bottom of the separator, and are held
in position by top and bottom racks a and b, the angle-irons fitting easily into
angular holes therein, permitting the easy withdrawal of each for cleaning.
The overflow grease pipe H, regulates by its height the level of water F, in the
well, and this water which flows away spontaneously when exhaust steam is
employed, must be withdrawn by means of a pump when the oil separator is used
with a condensing engine, as it may be, independent of the water softening
apparatus herein referred to. Or instead of a pump a closed airtight cylinder
or tank may be employed, placed below the level of the separator, into which
the grease and water may gravitate without interfering with the vacuum of the
condenser to which the cleansed 'steam -passes.
The water which accumulates in the well of the separator, and is subsequently
withdrawn or drained away in the manner described, is milky in appearance,
and contains all the grease separated from the exhaust steam, which grease ulti-
mately rises to the surface, and may be skimmed off for further use.
'The steam, 'from which grease has been removed; passes along the pipe J, or
live steam may be employed, entering the water-heating cylinder immediately
below the strainer K, through which the feed-water from the pipe L, percolates
in a shower, the said feed-water where necessary having mingled with it a small
regulated supply of solution of a suitable precipitating or softening re-agent,
introduced through the pipe and cock M.
Or the water and steam may pass into the heater together through an injector.
The water then falls over the surfaces and between the series of dishes N,.and
cones O, which impart further heat, and insure a complete blending. of the steam
and water.
Raised flanges c, c, are formed upon the dishes between which and the walls
of the heating cylinder packing is inserted to prevent water passing down at the
sides of the cylinder.
A relief pipe P, prevents undue pressure, and allows the escape of steam and
released gases (if any) and the hand-hole at f, enables the strainer K, to be readily
cleaned or unstopped.
The heated water, containing if required a regulated proportion of re-agent,
at this stage liberates the lime and other earthy matters, mixed with suspended
dirt, dye matter, and other impurities, and passing down the pipe Q, into the
depositing tank C, C, almost immediately deposits a large proportion of the
separated lime at R, the clearer liquid gradually rising until it overflows through
an aperture 8, in the partition T, and passing down the channel U, enters the
second or middle compartment, where a smaller deposit R¹, takes place, and the

page_text: further clarified water rises to S¹, where it overflows, passing down the channel U¹,
into the third compartment, where it again leaves a slight deposit R, and travels
on heated and purified to the outlet and feed valve V.
Manholes d, d, and blow-off cocks e, e, are provided to facilitate the removal
of semi-liquid or solid deposited matters respectively.
Any scum which forms upon the surface of the water under treatment may be
removed periodically at convenient intervals by closing the valve V, and allowing
the water in the tank to rise above the top edge of the partitions to the line x, x,
and to overflow over the skimming lip Y, to pass away by the overflow pipe Z.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
-
1. In apparatus for separating grease from steam, the combination of the
deflector represented at E, with the angle-iron bafflers G, G, operating in con-
junction with the water F, contained in the well of the apparatus; and the over-
flow pipe H, all constructed, arranged, and operating in the manner described, and
as represented.
2. In water heating and softening apparatus, the combination, general arrange-
ment, and construction of the various parts, the dishes, packed round their vertical
flanges, the hand-hole and strainer, all as described and represented.
3. In water softoning apparatus, the depositing tank having the combination
of various parts, with the communicating channels, and the devices for skimming,
all as described and represented.
4. In water softening, heating, and purifying apparatus, the general arrange-
ment and combination of the various parts and devices described and represented,
to be further combined where required with means for supplying a solution of a
precipitating re-agent.
Dated this Twenty sixth day of March 1898.