IMPROVEMENTS APPLICABLE TO LOCOMOTIVE AND OTHER HIGH-PRESSURE STEAM ENGINES FOR ECONOMISING FUEL.
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Metcalfe, Locomotive Fitter, Edward
Hamer, Locomotive Superintendent, and Richard Metcalfe, Loco-
motive Fitter, all of Abersywith, in the County of Cardigan, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS APPLICABLE TO LOCOMOTIVE AND OTHER
HIGH-PRESSURE STEAM ENGINES FOR ECONOMISING FUEL.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Metcalfe,
Edward Hamer, and Richard Metcalfe at the Office of the Com-
missioners of Patents, with their Petition, on the 25th August
1875.
We, JAMES METCALFE, Locomotive Fitter, EDWARD HAMER, Loco-
motive Superintendent, and RICHARD METCALFE, Locomotive Fitter, all
of Aberyswith, in the County of Cardigan, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS APPLICABLE TO LOCOMOTIVE
AND OTHER HIGH-PRESSURE STEAM ENGINES FOR ECONOMISING FUEL," to be as
follows:-
Our Invention of improvements applicable to locomotive and other
high-pressure steam engines consists of a novel mode and improved

page_text: apparatus for utilising the exhaust or waste steam in heating the feed
water for the boilers thereof.
Ordinarily the greater portion of the exhaust steam beyond what is
used for creating a draught escapes through the chimney and is lost,
and in most of the Inventions for utilising this waste steam the steam
is condensed.
Now by our Invention the greater part of the exhaust steam is
applied directly to the heating of the feed water, the temperature of
which it raises to about 12 degrees Fahrenheit, or even more, thereby
causing a saving of fuel equal to about 20 per cent. According to our
Invention the exhaust steam is intercepted and conveyed by means of a
pipe connected with the blast pipe at one point and with the injector at
the other end, and our Invention relates more particularly to the use
of exhaust steam in combination with the injector, whereby the waste
steam is utilised without being condensed in a separate vessel or
chamber.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Metcalfe, Edward Hamer, and Richard
Metcalfe, in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 25th February
1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JAMES
METCALFE, Locomotive Fitter, EDWARD HAMER, Locomotive Super-
intendent, and RICHARD METCALFE, Locomotive Fitter, all of Aberyswith,
in the County of Cardigan, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of August, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the
thirty-ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto us, the said James Metcalfe, Edward
Hamer, and Richard Metcalfe, Her special license that we, the said
James Metcalfe, Edward Hamer, and Richard Metcalfe, our executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said James
Metcalfe, Edward Hamer, and Richard Metcalfe, our executors, admini-
strators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein

page_text: 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 APPLICABLE
TO LOCOMOTIVE AND OTHER HIGH-PRESSURE STEAM ENGINES FOR ECONOMISING
FUEL," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said James.
Metcalfe, Edward Hamer, and Richard Metcalfe, our executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under our or their hands
and seals, or under the hand and seal of one of us or them, 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 Edward Hamer, on behalf of
myself and the said James Metcalfe and Richard Metcalfe, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement thereof, that is to say :-
Our Invention of improvements applicable to locomotive and other
high-pressure and compound steam engines, consists of a novel mode
and improved appliances for utilizing the "exhaust" or waste steam
from the cylinders or ports of such engines by returning it to the boiler
in connection with the feed water.
Ordinarily so much of the exhaust steam as is not required for
creating a draught passes up the chimney or funnel as waste, and
according to most of the Inventions which have been from time to
time introduced for the purpose of utilizing this waste steam it is taken
to the tank for heating the feed water before it reaches the feed
pump or injector, but by our Invention this surplus exhaust steam, or
the whole of it if desired, is turned directly into the feed water whilst
it is passing through the injector on its way to the boiler, thereby con-
siderably heating the water and increasing the current, besides allowing
a portion to re-enter the boiler as steam, and at the same time effecting.
a great saving of pure or live steam, which would otherwise have to be,
taken from the boiler to work the injector.
The other advantages attending the use of our Invention are,-

page_text: f
A saving is effected in the quantity of coals necessary to keep up the
required amount of steam, because the feed water is made considerably
hotter-than-by-any other method.-
Less stoking is required, and undue wear and tear of fire-box, bars,
and tubes considerably reduced, and when the locomotive is going up 5
steep inclines or drawing heavy loads the boiler is materially assisted.
by the ease and rapidity with which steam is generated; to supply
the engines a smaller quantity of feed water will be required, and
therefore less stowage capacity of tank or tender, and there will also
be less strain on the boiler through unequal expansion and contraction 1
of the plates because the difference of temperature between the feed
water and the steam is not so great as by the ordinary methods of
feeding.
Our Invention may be applied to either locomotive, portable or fixed
boilers, or any other kind of boiler generating steam and requiring feed 1
water to be forced in under pressure by means of an injector.
Our Invention is carried into practical operation in the following
manner when used in connection with locomotive boilers, similar
arrangements with slight modifications being applicable to other kinds
of boilers: We insert in the blast pipe a conical or bell-mouthed a
receiver, which collects the exhaust steam not required for draught, and
.allows it to pass through a pipe directly into the injector, where it
meets with a stream of water from the feed tank and steam from the
boiler, and then being partially condensed passes with the feed water
along the feed pipe and into the boiler. That portion of the exhaust
steam which is condensed assists to increase the temperature of the feed
water, the remainder passing into the boiler as steam. This exhaust
steam also assists in working the injector when the locomotive is
running.
.
We sometimes take exhaust steam direct from the exhaust ports of
the cylinders instead of allowing it first to pass into the blast pipe. In
such cases a branch pipe is placed over or under the exhaust port of
each cylinder and the steam allowed to pass in. These branches are
then joined and pass into one pipe, which may be taken through the
boiler or outside as required. The branch pipes before joining the single
pipe may be taken either under or over the cylinders, or if preferred
each branch pipe may be taken directly back to the injectors. .

page_text: In the exhaust steam pipe between the blast pipe and the injector, and
as close to the blast pipe as is practicable, is inserted a catch valve, the
object of which is to catch the exhaust steam at a considerable pressure..
Thus when the exhaust port is opened the steam rushes out, and for an
instant the pressure in the blast pipe or branch pipe is approximate to
that which obtains in the cylinders at the close of the stroke, and this
pressure gradually diminishes, so that by allowing the catch valve to
close at a fraction of the stroke a quantity of exhaust is caught under
considerable pressure. A second valve may be inserted at the other end
of the exhaust steam pipe near the injector, the object of which is that
in case the engine is worked or not if the injector from any cause
should cease working it prevents the water from running into the blast_
pipe and steam chest. These valves may close by their own weight and
by the back pressure of the exhaust steam behind them, or by a spring
or other equivalent means, or in place of the catch valve a slide valve
may be used geared to to the engines, and so set as to close directly the
steam from the cylinder has had time to pass into the exhaust pipe, and
the box for receiving it may be cast in one piece with the blast pipe.
Although we can use our Invention with an ordinary injector, we
prefer to use an injector constructed with an extra cone, as shewn at
Sheet III., Figures 2 and 3, the exhaust steam entering the injector at
the top of the new cone. An overflow pipe is inserted between the
bottom of the new cone and top of the old lower cone, this overflow
pipe being also connected by another pipe to a hot-water tank, from
which hot water may be drawn to feed the boiler. Taps are inserted in
the exhaust steam pipes, and also in the hot-water pipes, to regulate
the supply.
And in order that our Invention may be better understood and more
easily carried into practical operation we will now proceed to describe
the Drawings hereunto annexed.
Sheet No. 1 represents our Invention as applied to locomotive boilers,
with the exhaust steam pipe carried outside the boiler.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the boiler with apparatus complete;
Figure 2 is an end elevation.
Figure 3, a section of the blast pipe and receiver, shewing also a
catch valve in the exhaust pipe.
Figure 4 is a back pressure valve.

page_text: A is the blast pipe in the smoke box of boiler; B, the exhaust steam
pipe through which steam passes to the injector C; D is the feed pipe
from the injector to the boiler; E, the back pressure valve; F, the
overflow pipe; G, the hot-water pipe; H, tap in exhaust steam pipe;
K, the tap in overflow pipe; L, supply pipe. . .
Sheet No. 2 also shews our Invention applied to locomotive boilers,
but with the exhaust steam pipe carried inside the boiler.
Figure 1 is a side elevation, and Figure 2 an end elevation of the
boiler and apparatus complete.
Figure 3 shews an arrangement for taking the exhaust steam direct
from the exhaust ports above the cylinders.
Figure 4 shews a similar arrangement, but with the branch going
from below the cylinders.
A is the blast pipe in the smoke box of boiler; B is the receiver;
C, catch valve; D, exhaust steam pipe, through which steam passes to
the injector E; F is the feed pipe from injector to boiler; G, back
pressure valves; H, tap in exhaust pipe; K, overflow pipe; L, hot.
water pipe; M, three-way cock; N, supply pipe.
Sheet No. 3, Figure 1, represents our Invention as applied to
stationary boilers, shewing a side elevation of the engine with an end
elevation of the boiler.
A is the boiler; B, the engine; C, cold water feed tank; D, hot
water feed tank; E, steam pipe from boiler to injector; F, injector;
G, suction pipe for cold water; H, exhaust pipe leading into the atmo-
sphere; K, exhaust pipe leading to injector; L, back pressure valve;
M, regulating tap; N, hot water supply pipe; O, overflow pipe;
P, three-way cock.
Figure 2 represents a section of that part of our improved apparatus
applied to injectors, shewing new cone.
Figure 3 represents a modification of the arrangement shewn in
Figure 2, allowing the overflow to pass through the exhaust pipe, the
passage being controlled by a three-way cock.
These Drawings clearly illustrate the mode of applying our improve-
ments to existing boilers, but the details of construction may be varied
in many ways without departing from the principle of our Invention.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our
Invention, and how the same may be carried into practical operation,
we do not make any claim in general to the utilizing of the exhaust
steam of steam engines by leading the same or a part thereof to the
injector to heat the water therein, as we are aware that this has been
proposed before the date of our said Patent, but would have it under-
stood that what we claim and desire to secure by the herein-before in
part recited Letters Patent is,
First. The use and application of the apparatus herein-before described
and shewn in the Drawings hereunto annexed, or any mere modification
thereof in connection with the blast pipe or exhaust ports and injector
for the purposes of catching and utilizing the exhaust steam or a part
thereof by returning it to the boiler with the feed water, either in the
form of steam or condensed and forming part of the feed water.
Second. The use and application of the apparatus herein-before
described and shewn in the Drawings hereunto annexed, or any mere
modification thereof, in connection with the blast pipe or exhaust ports
and injector for the purposes aforesaid without the use of the catch
valves.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Hamer, on behalf of
myself and the said James Metcalfe and Richard Metcalfe, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of
February, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and seventy-six.
Witness,
CHARLES BARLOW,
Patent Agent,
23, Southampton Buildings,
Chancery Lane,
London.
EDW. HAMER. (L.S.)