Ships to Economically Provide a Supply of Fresh Water.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 8th May, 1886.
Complete Left, 8th Feb., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 8th Mar., 1887.
Ships to Economically Provide a Supply of Fresh Water.
I CHARLES JONES of St. Georges Engine Works Cotton Street, Liverpool, in the
County of Lancaster Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:
Owing to the working pressure of steam in marine engines (mainly triple
expansion) having been increased of late to ten or twelve atmospheres, it has been
found that condensation in certain parts of the engines and incrustation in the boilers
have become troublesome, both on account of leakage past the glands, and the
rapidity with which scale is formed in the boilers owing to high temperature, and
on account of the greater liability of incrusted flues to collapse under working
conditions.
With the object of obviating the above evils, obtaining safety and efficiency,
enabling the working pressure of steam to be increased without danger, and for
prolonging the life of engines and boilers I have invented the improved means here-
after described for relieving the engines and economically supplying the said boilers
with fresh water from sea or impure water. The said fresh water may be used for
many purposes on shipboard besides supplying the boilers.
The first part of my invention consists in applying between the high and inter-
mediate cylinders of a tri-compound engine an automatic steam or water trap to
withdraw the water of condensation. This avoids damage of glands and stuffing
boxes in the intermediate cylinder. The water thus obtained can be passed direct to
the hot well.
The second part of my invention consists essentially in obtaining condensed water
from sea or impure water. The said sea or impure water is evaporated in vacuo by
heat from steam taken from the boilers, or from the waste heated gases and products.
of combustion.
This second part of my invention consists of an evaporator having one or more
chambers pipes or tubes heated by steam internally externally or both, or heated by
waste heated gases and products of combustion. When heated by steam the said

page_text: steam is obtained direct from the boilers, and passed into spaces within or on the
outside of the evaporator. When heated gases and products of combustion are used
the evaporator is so made that part of it is contained within the uptake or smoke
stack. Both heated gases and steam may be used in combination. The evaporator
is connected to a condenser for condensing steam into water and also the main or any
condenser pump ejector or apparatus for maintaining a vacuum. Connections are
provided for admitting water into the evaporater, and for withdrawing the condensed
water which is used for feeding the boilers, or for other purposes. Cleaning out
doors, gauge glasses and like adjuncts are applied to my new apparatus.
A third part of my invention to avoid the chances of collapse of marine boiler flues
from deposit of oil on the furnaces both when such boilers are fed with fresh water
as above or otherwise consists in providing an interceptor-scraper vessel to. remove
fatty matter from the water. The vessel is fitted with a scraper which can be moved
back and forth by a handle. Each double stroke pushes the fatty matter into a well
at the end from which it can be withdrawn.
J. T. KING,
Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements Applicable to the Engines and Boilers of Steam
Ships to Economically Provide a Supply of Fresh Water.
1 CHARLES JONES of St. Georges Engine Works, Cotton Street, Liverpool in the
County of Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
Owing to the working pressure of Steam in Marine Engines (mainly triple
expansion) having been increased of late to ten or twelve atmospheres it has been
found that condensation in certain parts of the engines, incrustation in the boilers
have become troublesome both on account of leakage past the glands and the rapidity
with which scale is formed in the boilers owing to high temperature, and on account
of the greater liability of incrusted flues to collapse under working conditions.
With the object of obviating the above evils, obtaining safety and efficiency,
enabling the working pressure of steam to be increased without danger, and for
prolonging the life of engines and boilers, I have invented the improved means
hereafter described for relieving the engines and economically supplying the said
boilers with fresh. water from sea, or impure water. The said fresh water may be
used for many purposes on shipboard besides supplying the boilers.

page_text: The first part of my invention consists in applying between the high and inter-
mediate cylinders of a tri-compound engine an automatic steam or water trap to
withdraw the water of condensation, this avoids damage of glands and stuffing boxes
in the intermediate cylinder, the water thus obtained can be passed direct to the
hot well.
The second part of my invention consists essentially in obtaining condensed water,
from sea, or impure water. The said sea or impure water is evaporated in vacuo by
heat from steam taken from the boilers, or from the waste heated gases and products
of combustion.
The third part of my invention consists of an evaporator having one or more
chambers, pipes, or tubes, heated by steam internally, externally, or both, or heated
by waste heated gases and products of combustion. "When heated by steam, the said
steam is obtained direct from the boilers, and passed into spaces within or on the
outside of the evaporator. When heated gases and products of combustion are used
the evaporator is so made that part of it is contained within the uptake or smokestack.
Both heated gases and steam may be used in combination. The evaporator is con-
nected to a condenser for condensing steam into water and also to the main or any
condenser pump, ejector, or apparatus for maintaining a vacuum. Connections are
provided for admitting water into the evaporator and for withdrawing the condensed
water which is used for feeding the boilers or for other purposes clearing outdoors,
guage glasses and like adjuncts are applied to my new apparatus.
A fourth part of my invention to avoid the chances of collapse of marine boiler
flues from deposit of oil on the furnaces both when such boilers are fed with fresh
water as above, or otherwise consists in providing an interceptor scraper vessel to
remove fatty matter from the water. The vessel is fitted with a scraper which can be
moved back and forth by a handle. Each double stroke pushes the fatty matter into
a well at the end from which it can be withdrawn.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1. Sheet 1. is a view part in elevation and part in section, illustrative of
improvements under the first and fourth parts of my invention applied to tri-
compound Marine Engines, 1. high presssurè, 2. intermediate, 3. low pressure
cylinder, 4. exhaust pipe through which steam passes from the high pressure to the
intermediate cylinder. 5 pipe leading from the exhaust pipe 4. to the so called steam
or water trap 6. The trap 6. is of any usual or desired construction to separate
condensed water from steam, the condensed water flows through the pipe 7, to the
seperater 8. 9 scraper carried on edge or angle pieces secured to the sides of the
seperater 8. 10 handle attached to the scraper 9. 11. well into which oil and grease
is pushed by the scraper 9., 12. grease discharge pipe, 13. 14. feed water inlet and
outlet ways. When in use the water in 8, is kept at the level shown by the line A A
so that the motion of the vessel will not cause the water to flow over the partition
dividing the main body of the seperater 8. from the well 11. When the oil and
grease is to be removed the level of the water is raised to the top of the partition
and the oil and grease is caused to flow over the said partition by means of the
scraper 9.
Figure 1. Sheet 2. is a side view, and figure 2. a front view of apparatus under the
third part of my invention for carrying out the improvements set forth under the
second part of my invention. 15. are tubes passing through the smokestack 16. into
chambers 17. 18 pipes leading from chambers 17. to condenser 19. 20 pipes from
condenser to fresh water vessels 21. 22. pipes leading from fresh water vessels 21. to
air pump or other vacuum producing appliance. 23. cocks and valves.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-The water in the tubes 15. and
chambers 17. is evaporated by the heated gases and products of combustion passing
up the smokestack the steam or water vapour flows through the surface condenser 19,
which is of any usual construction and the condensed water runs into one or other
of the vessels 21. according to the position of the cocks and valves 23.—The vacuum

page_text: apparatus is also in communication with the said vessel. As the vessel becomes filled
the cocks and valves 23. are turned and the other vessel is connected to the condenser
and vacuum producing apparatus. 24. draw off pipe connected to both vessels 21.
by pipes and cock 25. 26. steam ejector apparatus to be used for emptying the
chambers 17. When the apparatus is used to supply extra feed for the boilers, the
pipes from the chambers 17. may be led to the main condenser instead of to a separate
condenser, the vapour is condensed therein and passed through the hot well in the
usual way.
Figure 2. Sheet 1. is a front view and figure 3. sheet 1. a side view of a modification
of apparatus in which the chamber 17. is provided with a series of closed ended tubes
projecting into the smokestack.
Figure 1. Sheet 3. is a front view and figure 2. a side view of a modification of
apparatus for use with double ended boilers. 17. chamber in smokestack. 15 tubes
from chamber down through uptakes heading to the smokestack. 27. circulation pipes.
In the drawings herewith the tubes are all shown heated externally by heated gases
and products of combustion but it will be evident that they might be heated by steam
and that the heated gases and products of combustion might pass through tubes in
the chambers instead of around the said tubes and that both external and internal
heating may be combined in the same apparatus.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what 1 claim is-
First. In tricompound engines the application between a high and intermediate
cylinder of a steam or water trap for the purpose set forth.
Second. Obtaining condensed water from sea or other water by evaporating and
condensing in vacuo, substantially as set forth.
Third. The combination of evaporater, condenser, vacuum apparatus and receiving
vessels substantially in the manner and for the purpose set forth.
Fourth. The combination with marine boilers fed with fresh water of an interceptor
for the purpose set forth.