IMPROVEMENTS IN FEED-WATER HEATERS FOR STEAM GENERATORS
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Horatio Nelson Waters, of the City and County
of Hartford, State of Connecticut, United States of America, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FEED-WATER HEATERS FOR STEAM
GENERATORS."
Sealed the 19th February 1868, and dated the 20th August 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Horatio Nelson Waters
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 20th August 1868.
I, HORATIO NELSON WATERS, of the City and County of Hartford,
State of Connecticut, United States of America, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FEED WATER HEATERS
FOR STEAM GENERATORS," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in heating the water which is intended to be
pumped into the steam generator up to the boiling temperature, or nearly
so, with the exhaust steam from the engine, and at the same time sepa-
rating the sediment and floating impurities which it may contain by the
mechanism and apparatus that I will proceed to describe.

page_text: A reservoir is provided for the heated water into which the cold water
passes from a cistern or other receptacle through a pipe and is forced
through a sprinkler in a number of fine jets. The total area of the small
holes for the jets is about equal to that of the said pipe. The supply of
cold water through the pipe is regulated by means of a valve; this valve
is under the control of the engineer who keeps the water at the proper
height within the reservoir, the height being indicated on a suitable
gauge. The supply of water to the apparatus can be rendered automatic
if desired by means of a ball and cock inside the heater. The steam
enters the apparatus through a suitable supply pipe. A deflector is
attached by bolts to the top of the reservoir; against this deflector the
steam impinges, and is deflected downwards against the sprinkler. The
portion of the steam not condensed passes around the edges of the
deflector to an exit pipe in the top of the apparatus, and passes out
through the same into the atmosphere, or may be used for heating
purposes if desired. A feed pipe leading to the boiler pumps has its end
inside the reservoir turned down; this end is arranged at such a height
above the bottom of the reservoir as not to draw in the sediment
which collects there. An upright pipe enters at the top of the said feed
pipe and extends above the highest level of the water in the reservoir;
this upright pipe is for the purpose of admitting air or steam to the
pumps through the feed pipe when the water falls too low so that
the pump shall not draw out water from the reservoir below a certain
level. A hand hole or aperture is made to allow access to the interior
of the heater to adjust the parts and clean it out. A plug is provided for
drawing off the water from the reservoir when desired, and also an over-
flow pipe or plug to prevent rising of the water sufficiently high to enter
the steam pipe or the upright pipe. The reservoir may be of any desired
form and construction, and the arrangement of the entrance and exit
pipes with regard to the sprinkler may be varied, the principal object
being to arrange the pipes in such a manner that the steam is brought
immediately in contact with the fine jets from the sprinkler so as to
heat the cold water to a high temperature and condense or partially
condense the steam. If desired the deflector may be dispensed
with, the supply and exit pipes being placed in such positions as to
bring the exhaust steam in contact with the fine jets of cold water from
the sprinkler.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Horatio Nelson Waters in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 20th February 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HORATIO
NELSON WATERS, of the City and County of Hartford, State of Con-
necticut, United States of America, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of August, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the
thirty-second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors;
give and grant unto me, the said Horatio Nelson Waters, Her special
licence that I, the said Horatio Nelson Waters, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Horatio Nelson Waters,
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 FEED-WATER HEATERS FOR STEAM GENERATORS," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Horatio Nelson Waters, 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 Horatio Nelson Waters, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement, reference being had to the accom-
panying Drawing, and to the letters of reference marked thereon forming
part of this Specification:-
My Invention consists in heating the water which is intended to be
pumped into the steam generator up to the boiling temperature, or
nearly so, with the exhaust steam from the engine, and at the same
time separating the sediment and floating impurities which it may

page_text: describe.
A is the reservoir for the heated water into which the cold water
passes from a cistern or other receptacle through the pipe B, and is
forced through the sprinkler C in a number of fine jets. The total area
of the small holes for the jets is about equal to that of the pipe B. His
a valve for regulating the supply of cold water through the pipe B; this
is supposed to be under the control of the engineer who keeps the water
at the proper height within A by means of the gauge G. The supply of
water to the apparatus can be rendered automatic if desired by means of
a ball and cock upon the inside of the heater. D is the pipe by which
the steam enters the apparatus; E is a deflector, attached by the bolts
O, O, to the top of the reservoir, against which the steam impinges and
is deflected downwards against the sprinkler C. The portion of the steam
that is not condensed passes around the edges of E to the exit pipe F in the
top of the apparatus, through which it passes out into the atmosphere, or
is used for heating purposes if desired. I is the feed pipe leading to the
boiler pumps; it has the end inside the reservoir turned down as shown
in the Drawing, and is at a sufficient height above the bottom of the
reservoir not to draw in the sediment which collects there; J is an
upright pipe entering at the top of the pipe I and extending above the
highest level M of the water in the reservoir; this pipe is for the purpose
of admitting air or steam to the pumps through the pipe I when the water
falls below the horizontal part of the pipe to the level N, so that the
pump shall not draw out water from the reservoir below that level;
L is a hand hole for getting at the interior of the heater to adjust the
parts and clean it out; K is a plug for drawing off the water from the
reservoir when desired; and P is an overflow pipe or plug to prevent the
water rising sufficiently high to enter the pipes D. or J.
My Invention admits of different forms of reservoir and of different
arrangements of the entrance and exit pipes with regard to the sprinkler,
the principal object being to arrange the pipes in such a manner that the
steam is brought immediately in contact with the fine jets from the
sprinkler so as to heat the cold water to a high temperature and condense
or partially condense the steam,
The operation of my Invention is as follows:-The exhaust steam from
the engine enters through the pipe D and strikes against the curved
deflector E, by which it is deflected so as to remain for an instant in

page_text: contact with the fine jets of cold water from the sprinkler C. A part of
the steam is condensed and heats the water to the boiling point, which
then falls into the reservoir A. The waste steam passes around the edge
of the deflector and escapes through the pipe F.
My Invention will also operate, though in a less perfect manner,
without the deflector E, the pipes D and F being placed in such positions
as to bring the exhaust steam in contact with the jets of cold water from
the sprinkler. The end of the pipe I is turned down inside the reservoir,
and is furnished with the pipe J to admit air from above the surface of
the water for the purpose of keeping the water in the reservoir always
above the mouth of the pipe I, so that no oil or other substance floating
upon the surface can enter the pipe. When the water falls to the level N
the pump draws air or steam through the pipe J and no water enters the
pump, leaving the reservoir full up to the level N. When the pump is
situated below the pipe I the water will flow out to the level N of the
bottom of the inside of the pipe, if the pump be above the pipe the level N
will be at the top of the inside of I. The feed water being heated to a
very high temperature the sediment and soluble earthy matters con-
tained in it are separated and precipitated, falling to the bottom of the
reservoir, where they can be removed when necessary through the
hole L.
By means of my Invention clean hot water can be fed into the boiler
separated from the sediment and precipitates and from all floating
impurities, thereby preventing the formation of the scale or crust usually
formed upon the interior of boilers by the use of impure water.
What I claim as my Invention and desire to secure by Letters
Patent is,-
1. The combination and arrangement of the entrance and exit pipes D
and F and sprinkler C with the reservoir A, letting in the cold water in a
finely divided state through the sprinkler C in juxtaposition to the
pipe D, substantially as described.
2. The combination of the entrance and exit pipes with the sprinkler
and deflector, substantially as herein specified.
3. The device I, J, for the purpose of preventing the water in the
reservoir from being drawn down to the level of the orifice of the feed
pipe, substantially as herein specified.

page_text: 4. An improved feed-water heater for steam generators, constructed
and arranged substantially as herein described.
In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal, this