NEW OR IMPROVED METHOD OF A communication from abroad AND APPARATUS FOR GENERATING STEAM
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick John Brougham, of 7, Whitehall Place, in the
City of Westminster, for an Invention of "NEW OR IMPROVED METHOD OF
A communication from abroad
AND APPARATUS FOR GENERATING STEAM."
by Messieurs Serpollet Frères et Cie., of Paris, in the French Republic.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick John Brougham
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 11th March 1880.
FREDERICK JOHN BROUGHAM, of 7, Whitehall Place, in the City of Westminster.
"NEW OR IMPROVED METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR GENERATING STEAM.”
(A communication from abroad by Messieurs Serpollet Frères et Cie., of Paris, in
the French Republic.)
This Invention consists in a new and particular mode or method of generating
steam which is applied directly to work an engine as soon as it is produced.
According to this Invention, a quantity of water is forced (by a force-pump)
between two boiler plates, almost touching one another. These plates being highly
heated, the water is instantaneously converted into dry steam. This steam acts
directly on the piston of the engine, and a slide-valve may be dispensed with. The
feed-pump having a variable length of stroke, measures the quantity of water
which converted into steam is necessary for each stroke of the engine.
This new or improved steam generator formed of two boiler plates, the edges of
which are jointed so as not to let steam or water escape, may be flat or cylindrical,
the space between the plates being always almost capillary. When it is cylindrical,
it may be divided into two equal parts, each designed to produce the steam for one
side of the piston of a double acting engine, or of a single acting engine.
The generator may be heated-with-coal or gas. It needs no safety valves or
water gauges, and is for the purpose of working small engines for domestic use or
for small work shops.
The Invention therefore consists essentially in forcing a regulated quantity of
water between two plates highly heated, these plates being very close together, so
that the thin film of water is instantly converted into dry or superheated steam
which acts immediately upon the piston of the engine, after which it may escape
into the air by the ordinary means.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Frederick John Brougham in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 9th September 1880.
FREDERICK JOHN BROUGHAM, of 7, Whitehall Place, in the City of Westminster.
"NEW OR IMPROVED METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR GENERATING STEAM."
(A communication from abroad by Messieurs Serpollet Frères et Cie., of Paris, in
the French Republic.)
This Invention consists in a novel method of producing steam, which allows of
the immediate utilisation of its expansive force or power in a steam engine cylinder,
without necessitating the use of a special distributing arrangement for regulating
the admission of the steam.
This novel method of producing and applying steam consists in injecting by a
pump the liquid necessary to produce steam for each stroke suddenly between two
heated smooth surfaces, and between which there exists but a capillary-like vacant
space. The liquid spread out in a thin sheet vaporises instantly, but without
taking the spheroidal form or condition, and the steam immediately passes into the
cylinder where it acts as though it had been instantaneously formed there.
In fact, vaporisation takes place suddenly in a space that is hardly measurable by
reason of its thinness. From this it follows that, properly speaking, there is no
unserviceable space between the cylinder and the steam producer or generator, and
that a distributing arrangement for the admission of steam may be dispensed with.
The injecting pump is at the same time the distributing organ. Its stroke is
regulated like that of a valve or slide valve, so as to cause it to correspond to the
work of the engine.
In order that the Invention may be the better understood, I now proceed to
explain it more in detail with reference to the Figures of the accompanying
Drawing.
Fig. 1 represents an arrangement with flat producer or generator fed by a single
acting pump, the steam produced being utilised in a single acting cylinder.
Fig. 2 is an arrangement with oval or cylindrical producer or generator heated
by gas, fed by two pumps, and supplying a cylinder of a double acting steam
engine.
Referring to Fig. 1, A is a chamber or firebox for fuel, and may have any kind
of grate; B, the steam producer or generator constituting the main feature of the
Invention, and consisting of two metallic plates arranged close to each other, with
their edges soldered or rivetted so as to leave between them a vacant space of only
about one tenth of a millimetre. When the plates are flat, rivets arranged at equal
distances apart, and in a zig-zag direction are employed to prevent the distance
between the plates being increased, by reason of the pressure which the steam has a
tendency to exert.
This producer is heated on its two faces, whether it be vertical and the fire be
made at each side, or whether it be horizontal and the hot gases be caused to
circulate over its upper face after having heated the lower face.
B', chimney or flue by which the hot gases escape, and which may be utilised to
heat the feed water.
C is the delivery pipe of the pump. This pipe, according to the surface of the
producer, may be single, double, or divided into several branches so as to divide the
water supplied to the producer or generator and facilitate its spreading over a large
surface and its immediate vaporisation.
D is a single acting force pump, but a double acting one of an altogether different
design may be used, provided its injection be sudden; E is a cam acting on the
pump rod, the stroke of the pump being regulated so as to give only the quantity
of water necessary to produce sufficient steam for each stroke of the steam piston.
F is a pipe for conveying the steam from the instantaneous producer into the
engine cylinder.
G is an outlet arrangement which may be of any suitable kind, such as a slide

page_text: valve, cock, or valve, for allowing of the escape of the steam into the atmosphere
or into a condenser. This organ is operated by a cam, an eccentric, or any other
arrangement fitted on the driving shaft, or whose operation is dependent on the
working of the engine.
It is not necessary to describe the remainder of the mechanism, as it may be of
any suitable known construction and strength.
Referring to Fig. 2, A is a chamber in which is concentrically arranged the
producer or generator, the said chamber serving at the same time as a base or frame
for the steam engine.
each
B is the producer or generator of a conical form consisting of two cones one
within the other and nearly touching each other. In the case of a double acting
engine this producer or generator may be separated into two parts B, B',
supplying one side of the steam cylinder, and each being fed separately by means
of a delivery pipe with several branches.
C, C, are delivery pipes from the pump or pumps, if there be two single acting
ones, as is here the case.
D, D, force pumps actuated by the cams E, E.
F, F, apertures conveying the steam produced to the cylinders.
G, slide valve operating the exhaust and which can be kept against its face by
any suitable contrivance.
H, coal gas or petroleum burner, the heating of which it is easy to regulate. The
hot gases after having heated the inside of the cone descend exteriorly to pass to
the chimney. The system of heating may be different and consist in heating the
two conical faces by allowing the gases to rise directly or by causing them to travel
spirally around the producer or generator.
Another way of making the producer or generator consists in forming a worm
with two flattened tubes arranged the one above the other, and forming as many
spirals as may be desired. One of these spirals receives the injection at the bottom
and feeds one side of the cylinder; the other also receives at the bottom its separate
injection, and feeds the other side of the cylinder with steam. In the case of a single
acting engine a single spiral will suffice. The proper distance of the faces apart is
maintained by small disseminated rivets. When heating is effected by a solid
combustible, the grate is moveable so as to remove it from beneath the producer or
generator as soon as the injection ceases.
It will be seen that according to this Invention the water injected between the
two metallic plates forming the steam producer or generator becomes spread out
into a very thin film or sheet thus differing from arrangements which have been
proposed heretofore.
And having now described the nature of the said Invention, and explained in
what manner the same is to be or may be performed or carried into practical
effect, as communicated to me as aforesaid, I would have it understood that what
I claim as secured to me under the Letters Patent hereinbefore in part recited is,
the method, substantially as herein-before described, of producing steam instan-
taneously, and its application to motive power engines, the said steam being only
formed in proportion as it is required, and its formation taking place between two
heated surfaces arranged very close together (say, about one tenth of a millimetre
apart); I also claim the arranging apparatus as shewn in and described with
reference to Figs. 1 and 2 of the Drawings, for the purpose specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederick John Brougham, have hereunto-set--
my hand and seal, this Ninth day of September, in the year of our Lord