Improvements in Apparatus for Moistening Air.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Jan., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 27th Oct., 1893-Accepted, 2nd Dec., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Moistening Air.
I, ALEXANDER SHIELS, of 190 Bath Street, Glasgow, M.B., C.M., B.Sc., do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to apparatus for moistening air and it is designed to be
used along with steam or hot water heating appliances.
In carrying out my invention in the case of a steam heating system, I fit on the
steam pipes, which are, or may be, arched or bent upwards, or in other situation,
one or more devices, which automatically supply moisture to the air, without the
use of water troughs or the like.
It is well-known that, as atmospheric air is cooled, its power of retaining moisture
is diminished, so that cold air, when heated in a restricted area, becomes dry
of a necessity, unless moisture is supplied to it, that is to say, the same air,
when cool, may not feel dry, but, when heated, it does. This arises from the
well-known fact that dry air causes more rapid evaporation of moisture from
surfaces it comes in contact with.
The apparatus is so constructed as to condense the steam into water, and
allow it to drip slowly on to a special evaporator or on to the steam heating
pipes for re-evaporation.
In carrying out my invention, I construct a steam escape tube of such bore
and length, that the steam, on passing through it, is gradually condensed, and
escapes in the form of water. This tube may be straight, and of the same bore
throughout, or it may have "loculi," i.e. enlargements or spaces in its course.
this case, the tube may or may not be built up of separate parts.
In
Or the escape tube may be bent, in the form of a spiral, so as to obtain the
necessary length of tube or it may be of any other suitable form. A cock or valve
may be supplied to regulate or shut off the steam supply to the condensing device.
The re-evaporation of fluid may be effected by the steam pipe itself, namely,
by simply allowing the water to trickle down from the condenser on to the pipe,
which is, or may be, provided with suitable flanges, gutters or cavities to collect
and retain the water.
In another form of the apparatus, the condenser may be combined with the
re-evaporator. In this case, the re-evaporator is made of any suitable metal, and
has preferably a steam cavity or space, which is in direct communication with the
steam heating pipe, for purpose of heating it. This evaporator may be cone-shaped,
with the condenser, so arranged as to drip the water on to it, and said cone may be
constructed with a flange or gutter round the bottom for collecting water, or, if
so desired, the evaporator may be made in the form of a flanged trough which is
heated by steam. At the bottom or other suitable part, the condenser is so
arranged as to keep up a continuous supply of water.
As an alternative arrangement, the re-evaporator may be constructed of a piece
of tubing of any suitable bore, and made either straight or bent into spiral or other
suitable shape. The condenser is fitted at the top, and thus, when drops of water
fall from it, they trickle down the re-evaporator and are vaporized.
The simple tube form of condenser may be combined with a cribriform plate, or
asbestos, pumice or any other forms of porous packing may be used in conjunction
with the tube for the purpose of finely dividing the steam and facilitating the
condensation.
The condensing pipe may be replaced by a tube which is enclosed concentrically
within a tube of larger diameter, the steam being led into the annular space
between the two tubes.

page_text: The same form of re-evaporation apparatus may be used for a water heating
system, but, in this case, the condensing tube may be replaced by a simple drip pipe
with cock.
The moistened air from the device may be conducted away by a pipe or
equivalent, to any place where it is to be used.
The device can be modified in its construction without departing from the
principle of the invention..
The supply of moisture is steadily maintained without any hissing' noise.
The condenser tubes may be made telescopic, if so desired.
These small tubes also subserve another purpose besides supplying moisture, as
they prevent the formation of a vacuum in the pipes, whenever steam is shut off,
also, when the steam is turned on, they allow of the collected air escaping, as they
are at the highest point of the system.
Dated this 31st day of December 1892.
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
70, Wellington Street, Glasgow, Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Moistening Air.
I, ALEXANDER SHIELS, of 190 Bath Street, Glasgow, M.B., C.M., B.Sc, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
This invention relates to apparatus for moistening air and it is designed to be used
along with steam or hot water heating appliances.
In carrying out my invention in the case of a steam heating system, I fit on the
steam pipes, which are, or may be, arched or bent upwards, or in other situation,
one or more devices, which automatically supply moisture to the air without the use
of water troughs or the like.
It is well known that, as atmospheric air is cooled, its power of retaining moisture
is diminished, so that cold air, when heated in a restricted area, becomes dry of a
necessity, unless moisture is supplied to it, that is to say, the same air, when cool,
may not feel dry, but, when heated, it does. This arises from the well-known fact
that dry air causes more rapid evaporation of moisture from surfaces it comes in
contact with.
The apparatus is so constructed as to condeuse the steam into water, and allow
it to drip slowly on to a special evaporator or on to the steam heating pipes for
re-evaporation.
In carrying out my invention, I construct a steam escape tube of such bore
and length, that the steam, on passing through it, is gradually condensed and
escapes in the form of water. This tube may be straight, and of the same bore
throughout, or it may have "loculi," i.e. enlargements or spaces, in its course.
this case, the tube may or may not be built up of separate parts.
In
Or the escape tube may be bent in the form of a spiral so as to obtain the
necessary length of tube, or it may be of any other suitable form. A cock or
valve may be supplied to regulate or shut off the steam supply to the condensing
device.
The re-evaporation of fluid may be effected by the steam pipe itself, namely, by
simply allowing the water to trickle down from the condenser on to the pipe, which
is, or may be, provided with suitable flanges, gutters, or cavities, to collect and
retain the water.
In another form of the apparatus, the condenser may be combined with the
re-evaporator. In this case, the re-evaporator is made of any suitable metal,
and has, preferably, a steam cavity or space which is in direct communication
with the steam heating pipe, for purpose of heating it.

page_text: This evaporator may be cone-shaped, with the condenser so arranged as to drip
the water on to it, and said cone may be constructed with a flange or gutter round
the bottom for collecting water, or, if so desired, the evaporator may be made
in the form of a flanged trough which is heated by steam at the bottom or other
suitable part.
The condenser is so arranged as to keep up a continuous supply of
water.
As an alternative arrangement, the re-evaporator may be constructed of a
piece of tubing of any suitable bore, and made either straight or bent into
a spiral volute or other suitable shape. The condenser is fitted at the top, and,
thus, when drops of water fall from it, they trickle down the re-evaporator and are
vaporized.
The simple tube form of condenser may be combined with a cribriform plate,
or asbestos, pumice, or any other forms of porous packing may be used in
conjunction with the tube for the purpose of finely dividing the steam and
facilitating the condensation.
The condensing pipe may be replaced by a tube which is enclosed concentrically
within a tube of larger diameter, the steam being led into the annular space between
the two tubes.
The same form of re-evaporating apparatus may be used for a water heating
system, but, in this case, the condensing tube may be replaced by a simple drip
pipe or cock.
The moistened air from the device may be conducted away by a pipe, or
equivalent, to any place where it is to be used.
The device can be modified in its construction without departing from the
principle of the invention.
The supply of moisture is steadily maintained without any hissing noise.
The condenser tubes may be made telescopic, if so desired.
These small condenser tubes also subserve another purpose besides supplying
moisture, as they prevent the formation of a vacuum in the pipes, whenever
steam is shut off, also when the steam is turned on, they allow of the collected air
escaping as they are fitted at the highest points of the system.
And in order that my said invention may be properly understood I have here-
unto appended an explanatory sheet of drawings, whereon, Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
and 7 show, in section, different constructions of the air moistening apparatus, the
same letters wherever repeated indicate similar or like parts.
In Fig. 1 the air moistener consists of a simple steam escape tube a, which is
screwed into the socket b, inserted in the arched pipe c of the steam heating system.
d is a small nipple fitted on top of the tube. The steam escapes up the channel c
and is condensed in its passage finally issuing at the nipple d in the form of water
which trickles down the outside of the tube and on to the hot steam pipe c where it
is re-evaporated.
In Fig. 2 the escape tube a is of larger diameter and is bent into a C shape.
The tube is filled with asbestos or other porous packing f. The water, as it issues
from the nipple d, trickles down into the circular trough g, which is fitted on the
pipe c. Sufficient heat is communicated from the pipe c to heat up the trough and
gradually re-evaporate the condensed water in it. is a plug with a central hole
in it for the passage of steam.
In Fig. 3, the pipe a is bent into a volute or spiral form and is secured in the
upper branch of a stop cock . The cock, in its turn, is fitted in the socket b. The
outlet end of the tube has a long plug ; screwed or inserted in it. The plug has a
central channel in it for the escape of water. The tube a may be packed with
porous inaterial as shown.
In Fig. 4 the condenser is shown as fitted on top of the re-evaporating trough g.
The trough is, or may be, as shown, made in one with the barrel of the stop cock i,
which, in this case, is screwed into the steam pipe c. The upper end a' of the con-
densing tube a is made of cup shape and has a hollow domed cover a fitted on it.
k are small outlet tubes. The tube a has a projecting nipple part a³ at its upper end.

page_text: With this arrangement the steam passes into the hollow chamber at the top of
the tube a and condenses therein. The condensed water passes out through the
outlets into the re-evaporating trough g.
The device shown at Fig. 5 is similar in all respects to that at Fig. 4 except
that the trough g is made with a hollow bottom g¹ into which the steam passes and
heats up the trough to a high temperature thereby increasing the evaporation.
In Fig. 6 the re-evaporating trough 9, which is fitted on the highest part of the
pipe c, is made with a central hollow cone on the apex of which is fitted the con-
densing tube a.
This tube has plugs m, which are each bored with a central
channel, so inserted in it, as shown, that "loculi" or enlargements n are formed at
intervals. The plugs m may be kept at the proper distances apart by means of
tubular distance pieces n¹. o are passages for the steam.
In Fig. 7 the trough g is mounted on top of the cock i and there is a bent tube p
fitted in it. The tube has its passage way in line with the passage way of the
cock. Fitted on the bent upper end of the tube p is an annular condensing
chamber 9 which is formed of two concentric tubes q¹ 92 joined together at top and
bottom by trough shaped ends, 93, 94. The tube 92 is screwed externally and the
tube q is screwed internally, at both ends, so as to fit into the trough end
pieces q³ qr are drip channels made in the end piece q. In this case the steam
passes up the tube p and into the annular chamber q where it is condensed. The
condensed water drips into the re-evaporating trough g, through the outlets r.
It is to be understood that although I have shown several constructions of my
apparatus I do not confine myself thereto as it is evident the device may be further
altered or modified without departing from the spirit of the invention.
In some cases parts of the constructions shown in the different figures of the
drawings may be interchanged, thus, for instance, the simple condensing tube a
Fig. 1 may be replaced by the "loculi" tube Fig. 6 or the spherical condensor
Figs. 4 and 5 and vice versa. The parts of the other figures can in like manner
be interchanged.
Although I have only shown on the drawings constructions of the device
suitable for steam heating pipes, the apparatus can with equal facility be adapted
to water heating pipes. In this case the re-evaporating trough may be similar
to those shown but the condensing tube is replaced by a drip cock or by a simple
water escape tube.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
'claim is :--
1. An apparatus for moistening air consisting of a tubular or equivalent
condensing device which is fitted on and is in communication with the steam
heating pipe, substantially as hereinbefore described.
2. An apparatus for moistening air consisting of a tubular or equivalent
condensing device which is combined with a re-evaporating trough or receptacle,
substantially as hereinbefore described.
3. In an apparatus for moistening air, a moisture collecting and re-evaporating
trough or its equivalent which is fitted on and heated by the heating pipe,
substantially as hereinbefore set forth.
4. The several constructions of the air moistening device substantially as
herein before described and shown at Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 of the
drawings annexed.
Dated this 23rd day of October 1902
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
70, Wellington Street, Glasgow, Agent.