IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CON- DENSING STEAM
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Goudchaux Alcan, of Chaumont, in the Empire of
France, Gentleman, Administrator of the Personal Estate and Effects of
the late Emile Alcan, of King Street, in the City of London, Merchant,
deceased, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CON-
DENSING STEAM."-A communication to the said Emile Alcan from abroad
by Leon Gauchez, of Brussels, Belgium.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Emile Alcan at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 21st
July 1863.
I, EMILE ALCAN, of King Street, in the City of London, Merchant, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPA-
RATUS FOR CONDENSING STEAM," to be as follows:-
This apparatus consists of a cylindrical or other shapel vessel suspended
from the short arm of a lever the long arm of which carries a weight which
balances the vessel when water rises to a given height therein. The bottom
of the vessel is furnished with a valve which closes by its own weight; this
valve closes an outlet from the vessel leading into an outlet pipe, and the
spindle of the valve is carried below the bottom of the vessel. The upper part
of the vessel is furnished with an air-escape cock, and a pipe is also provided
through which water may be admitted into the vessel. The valve being
always covered with water steam is prevented from passing out through it, and
as soon as water produced by the condensed steam or otherwise rises above the
set level its weight overcomes that of the balance weight and the vessel falls;
the valvo spindle coming in contact with a plate under the vessel raises the

page_text: valve and allows of water running off through the outlet pipe until the balance
is restored, when the vessel rises and the valve prevents all further outlet of
water until the set level is passed, when it will descend, and so on, as before
described.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Goudchaux Alcan in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
21st January 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GOUDCHAUX
ALCAN, of Chaumont, in the Empire of France, Gentleman, Administrator of
the Personal Estate and Effects of the late Emile Alcan, of King Street, in
the City of London, Merchant, deceased, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-seventh year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Goudchaux Alcan, Her special licence that I, the said Goudchaux
Alcan, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Goudchoux Alcan, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR CONDENSING STEAM," (communicated to the said Emile Alcan
from abroad by Leon Gauchez, of Brussels, Belgium,) upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Goudchaux Alcan, my executors or adminis-
trators, 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 Goudchaux Alcan, do hereby declare the
nature of the 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 thereof, reference being had to the Drawings bereunt annexed,
that is to say:-
This apparatus is applicable to all engines where steam is condensed, and
is intended to prevent steam escaping with the condensed water. It consists

page_text: of a cylindrical or other shaped vessel suspended from the short arm of a lever,
the long arm of which carries a weight which balances the vessel when water
rises to a given height therein. The bottom of the vessel is furnished with a
valve which closes by its own weight; this valve closes an outlet from the
vessel leading into an outlet pipe, and the spindle of the valve is carried below
the bottom of the vessel. The upper part of the vessel is furnished with an
air escape cock, and a pipe is also provided through which the steam is
admitted into the vessel. The valve being always covered with water, steam
is prevented from passing out through it, and as soon as water produced
by the condensed steam or otherwise rises above the set level its weight over-
comes that of the balance weight and the vessel falls; the valve spindle
coming in contact with a plate under the vessel raises the valve and allows of
water running off through the outlet pipo until the balance is restored, when
the vessel rises and the valve prevents all further outlet of water until the set
level is passed, when it will descend, and so on, as before described.
The annexed Drawing shews the apparatus in section. A, B, C, D, is the
cylindrical vessel suspended from the short arm of the lever G, H, J; P is a
weight which balances the vessel when water therein is at the level E, F ;
S is a valve in the bottom of the vessel closing by its own weight when the
weight P more than balances the vessel. The valve opens when the weight
of the water in the vessel makes it heavier than the weight P, as then the
vessel descends, and the spindle of the valve coming in contact with the sole
plate M, N, raises the valve and allows water to flow through the outlet
pipe O until it descends to the level E, F; T is the inlet pipe for the steam
to be condensed; R is an air-escape cock.
And having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim the improved
apparatus for condensing steam, constructed and acting substantially in
manner herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Goudchaux Alcan, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of January, One thousand
eight hundred and sixty-four.