IMPROVE- MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CONDENSING THE STEAM OF HIGH-PRESSURE STEAM ENGINES
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Shirt, of Tamworth, in the County of
Stafford, Paper Maker, and Charles Briggs, of Alder's Mill, Tamworth
aforesaid, Paper Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Shirt and Charles
Briggs at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their Petition,
on the 4th November 1862.
We, JOSEPH SHIRT, of Tamworth, in the County of Stafford, Paper
Maker, and CHARLES BRIGGS, of Alder's Mill, Tamworth aforesaid, Paper
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CONDENSING THE STEAM OF HIGH-PRESSURE STEAM
ENGINES," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for condensing
the steam of high-pressure steam engines. For these purposes an air-tight
chest or vessel is applied to the exhaust pipe of a high-pressure steam engine.
Above the point where the exhaust pipe is applied to the chest or vessel
there is a perforated partition, or other provision is made for dividing the
condensing water into numerous streams. The condensing water is introduced
by a pipe at the upper part of the chest or vessel from a cistern or otherwise,
so as to keep up a constant supply, which may be regulated by a cock or
valve. From the lower part of the chest or vessel a waste water pipe
descends, and the lower end of such pipe is constantly covered with water in
a well or cistern or other vessel. The exhaust steam flows from the steam

page_text: engine into the air-tight chest or vessel, and is there condensed, whilst the
steam in the engine acts on the piston, which on the other side is subject to a
partial vacuum.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Joseph Shirt and Charles Briggs in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 4th May 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JOSEPH
SHIRT, of Tamworth, in the County of Stafford, Paper Maker, and CHARLES
BRIGGS, of Alder's Mill, Tamworth aforesaid, Paper Manufacturer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us,
the said Joseph Shirt and Charles Briggs, Her special licence that we, the
said Joseph Shirt and Charles Briggs, our executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as we, the said Joseph Shirt and Charles Briggs,
our 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 THE STEAM OF HIGH-PRESSURE STEAM ENGINES,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said Joseph Shirt and
Charles Briggs, 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 Charles Briggs, on behalf of myself
and the said Joseph Shirt, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion, 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:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for condensing

page_text: the steam of high-pressure steam engines. For these purposes an air-tight
chest or vessel is appled to the exhaust pipe of a high-pressure steam engine.
Above the point where the exhaust pipe is applied to the chest or vessel there
is a perforated partition, or other provision is made for dividing the condensing
water into numerous streams. The condensing water is introduced by a pipe
at the upper part of the chest or vessel from a cistern or otherwise, so as to
keep up a constant supply, which may be regulated by a cock or valve. From
the lower part of the chest or vessel a waste water pipe descends, and the
lower end of such pipe is constantly covered with water in a well or cistern
or other vessel. The exhaust steam flows from the steam engine into the
air-tight chest or vessel, and is there condensed, whilst the steam in the engine
acts on the piston, which on the other side is subject to a partial vacuum.
Having thus stated the nature of our said Invention, we will proceed
more fully to describe the manner of performing the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
The Drawing represents a vertical section of apparatus arranged in a suit-
able manner for carrying out our Invention. A is the air-tight chest or
vessel; B, eduction pipe from a steam engine; C is the water supply pipe,
having a regulating cock D thereon; E is a perforated plate, by which the
water is divided into numerous streams; F, F, is the waste pipe or hydraulic
column communicating with the hot well G, having an outlet H. The
length of this waste pipe or hydraulic column F will vary, depending on the
situation of the steam engine, the supply of water, and the extent of vacuum
desired. It is preferred that this column should be about thirty feet in height,
but we have derived considerable advantage when using a pipe of much less
height.
We would remark that we make no claim to the mechanical parts sepa-
rately; but what we claim is, the combination of condensing apparatus, such
as herein explained, with steam engines, as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Briggs, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
CHARLES BRIGGS. (L.S.)