IMPROVEMENTS IN EXTERNAL SURFACE CONDENSERS
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edmund Alfred Pontifex, of the Firm of Pontifex
and Wood, of Shoe Lane, in the City of London, Engineers and Copper-
smiths, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN EXTERNAL SURFACE
CONDENSERS."
Sealed the 14th May 1859, and dated the 19th November 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edmund Alfred Pontifex
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
19th November 1858.
I, EDMUND ALFRED PONTIFEX, of the Firm of Pontifex and Wood, of Shoe
Lane, in the City of London, Engineers and Coppersmiths, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN EXTERNAL SURFace
CONDENSERS," to be as follows:-
My Invention refers to those particular condensers in which condensation
is effected by the conversion of liquid into vapor on the external surface
of pipes through which the vapor to be condensed is made to pass.
These condensers consist of tubes let into or connected with passages into
which the vapor to be condensed is admitted, and is caused to pass in a
zig-zag direction through the condenser; a perforated spreader allows liquid
to fall on the pipes, which becoming, vaporized, effects condensation of the
vapor in the pipes.

page_text: My present Invention consists in the means of forming the junctions between
the ends of the pipes and the steam passages as hereafter explained.
Hitherto these junctions have been rigid, and from the constant and unequal
expansion and contraction of the pipes leakage has taken place. Now, instead
of fitting the pipes to the chambers rigidly, I form yielding or expansible
joints, and tie or fix the pipes at one end only to the chamber, or otherwise
prevent their working or being forced out of the joints. For instance, I cast
or otherwise form sockets on the inner face of each steam chamber, insert
the ends of the pipes therein, and place a vulcanized rubber ring over the end
of each pipe and socket, and fix one end only to one of the steam chambers.
Various other forms of yielding, in contradistinction to rigid joints, may be
formed, and I have merely described, by way of illustration, one form of con-
struction which I consider simple and efficacious.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Edmund Alfred Pontifex in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 18th May 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDMUND
ALFRED PONTIFEX, "of the Firm of Pontifex and Wood, of Shoe Lane, in the
City of London, Engineers and Coppersmiths, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-second year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Edmund Alfred Pontifex, Her special licence that I, the said
Edmund Alfred Pontifex, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Edmund Alfred Pontifex, 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 King-
dom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man,
an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN EXTERNAL SURFACE CONDENSERS," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Edmund Alfred Pontifex, 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

page_text: Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the
said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Edmund Alfred Pontifex, 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 thereof, reference being had to the Drawings
hereunto annexed, that is to say :-
My Invention refers to those particular condensers in which condensation is
effected by the conversion of liquid into vapor on the external surface of pipes
through which the vapor to be condensed is made to pass.
These condensers consist of tubes let into or connected with passages, into
which the vapor to be condensed is admitted, and is caused to pass through the
condenser; liquid is caused to fall on the pipes, and becoming vaporized,
effects condensation of the vapor in the pipes.
My present Invention consists in the means of forming the junctions
between the ends of the pipes and the steam passages, as hereafter explained.
Hitherto these junctions have been rigid, and from the constant and unequal
expansion and contraction of the pipes leakage has taken place. Now, instead
of fitting the pipes to the steam passages or chambers rigidly, I form yielding
or expansible joints, and fix or stop the pipes at one end only to the chambers
by a pin, or otherwise to prevent their working or being forced out of the joints.
For instance, I cast or otherwise form sockets on the inner face of each steam
chamber, insert the ends of the pipes therein, and lash a vulcanized rubber
ring or stocking tightly over the ends of each pipe and socket. Various other
forms of yielding, in contradistinction to rigid joints, may be formed, and I have
merely described, by way of illustration, one form of construction which I
consider simple and efficacious.
Figure 1 is an elevation of so much of a condenser as is necessary to
explain my Invention. A, A, is the inlet for vapor; B, B, steam passages;
C, C, copper tubes.
Figure 2 is an enlarged view in section, showing part of the steam passage
and the method of uniting the tubes thereto. B is the steam passage;
C, copper tube; D, socket projecting from steam passage; E is a stocking of
india-rubber or other impervious material; F, F, lashing round the stocking;
G, stop for preventing displacement of the tube C. There is a similar joint at
the opposite end of the tube, but without any stop.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim, fixing the

page_text: transverse tubes in surface condensers at one end only, and uniting the
tubes to the steam passages or chambers by means of yielding or expansible
joints.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edmund Alfred Pontifex, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of May, One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-nine.
EDMUND A. PONTIFEX. (L.S.)