IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM CONDENSERS
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Matthew Sault, of Newhaven, in the State of
Connecticut, United States of America, but at present of the Town
and County of Leicester, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
STEAM CONDENSERS."—A communication from abroad by the Ransom
Syphon Condenser Company, of Buffalo, in the United States of
America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Matthew Sault at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
12th October 1875.
I, MATTHEW SAULT, of Newhaven, in the State of Connecticut,
United States of America, but at present of the Town and County of
Leicester, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM CONDENSERS," (a communication to me from
abroad by the Ransom Syphon Condenser Company, of Buffalo, in the
United States of America,) to be as follows:-
The condenser to which this Invention is applied consists of a
cylindrical or otherwise suitably shaped vessel or chamber placed

page_text: vertically, and having its upper and lower ends closed, so as to be air
and steam tight, by means of ends or covers either forming part of the
chamber itself, or bolted thereto through a flange or flanges formed
thereon.
The vessel or chamber is divided into two preferably unequal compart-
ments by means of a perforated diaphragm or plate, and into the lower
and greater of the said compartments the steam pipe projects upwards
and through the bottom cover or end of the chamber until within a
short distance of the perforated plate or diaphragm. The injection
water pipe is led in a similar direction, but so as to communicate with
the upper compartment of the chamber or vessel, so that the water
forced or drawn through the pipe enters the said upper compartment,
and is by means of the perforated plate caused to fall into the lower
compartment in the form of a shower, whereby the steam introduced
into the lower compartment by the exhaust steam pipe is condensed into:
water, and falls to the bottom of the chamber or vessel.
There are by preference no perforations in the part of the plate facing
the mouth or outlet of the exhaust pipe, in order that the exhaust steam
may be evenly distributed over the perforated plate or diaphragm, or
instead of the said unperforated part a cap or plate may be placed 1
between the diaphragm and the mouth of the exhaust pipe, the steam
being similarly caused to spread thereby.
An overflow or outlet pipe is also provided for conducting the water
from the condenser to a tank or other suitable vessel, into the contents
of which the lower end of the outlet pipe dips, so as to be water sealed,
and so prevent the ingress of air to the condenser.
To provide for the removal of any air which may be introduced into
the condenser, and whereby the formation of a perfect vacuum is pre-
vented, I arrange within the aforesaid outlet or overflow pipe three or
any greater or less number of air pipes of different length which project
upward into the lower compartment of the condenser. The lower parts
however of these air pipes are placed in communication with the water
in the condenser by means of short branches arranged at relatively
different levels, and projecting through the circumference of the overflow
pipe into the water surrounding the same. The water entering the air
pipes by the said branches, and falling downwards, causes a current or
draught whereby the air in the condenser is drawn into the air pipes at

page_text: the upper and unsubmerged orifices, and is carried downward by the
flow of water to the reservoir beneath. The lower ends of the air pipes
being water sealed prevent all return of air to the condenser.
The injection water whereby this Invention is operated may be
supplied either by a pump or from a head of water, but it is preferred
that the injection pipe should constitute the leg of a syphon supplying
the water continuously from an adjacent cistern or reservoir.
filed by the said Matthew Sault in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 6th April 1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, MATTHEW
SAULT, of Newhaven, in the State of Connecticut, United States of
America, but at present of the Town and County of Leicester, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of October, 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 me, the said Matthew Sault, Her special
licence that I, the said Matthew Sault, my executors, admini-
strators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Matthew Sault,
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 Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
" IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM CONDENSERS," (a communication to me from
abroad by the Ransom Syphon Condenser Company, of Buffalo, in the
United States of America,) upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said Matthew Sault, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment 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 Office within six

page_text: placed at a sufficient distance (say 34 feet) beneath the condenser, and
into the contents of which the lower end of the outlet pipe G dips, so as
to be water sealed, and so prevent the ingress of air to the condenser.
To provide for the removal of any air which may be introduced into
the condenser, and whereby the formation of a perfect vacuum is pre-
vented, I prefer to arrange within, or it might be independently of the
aforesaid outlet or overflow pipe three or any greater or less number of
air pipes g of the same or different length, which project upwards into
the lower compartment of the condenser, and somewhat above the mouth
of the overflow pipe, so that at all times their upper ends are above
water level. The said air pipe or pipes are placed in communication
with the water in the condenser by means of short branches ½ preferably
arranged at relatively different levels from the bottom of the condenser,
and projecting through the circumference of the overflow pipe sur-
rounding the same. The water entering the air pipe or pipes g by the
said branches h, and falling downwards, causes a current or draught,
whereby the air in the condenser A is drawn into the air pipes at the
upper and unsubmerged orifices, and is carried downward by the flow of
water to the reservoir beneath. The lower ends of the air pipes being
water scaled prevent all return of air to the condenser.
Instead however of the herein-before described arrangement of separate
air tubes or tube the same object may be gained by carrying the overflow
pipe above the level of the water in the condenser, and forming in or on
the said overflow pipe and below water level one or more branches or
perforations relatively arranged from the bottom of the condenser, so as
to admit the surrounding water to the overflow pipe, which water in
falling downwards causes a current or draught, whereby the air in the
condenser is drawn into the overflow pipe at its upper end and carried
away.
the water continuously from an adjacent cistern or reservoir.

page_text: Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and particularly
ascertained the mode or manner of carrying the same into practical
effect, what I claim is,―
First. The construction and employment of steam condensers, sub-
stantially as herein-before described and illustrated in the accompanying
Drawings.
Second. In conjunction or in combination with said condenser the
employment of an air tube or tubes constructed and arranged substan-
tially in manner and for the purposes shewn and described.
Third. The employment and utilization of the overflow pipe so as in
itself to constitute a means for the removal of air from the condenser,
substantially as herein-before described.
Fourth. The employment of a cap or spreader so as to distribute the
exhaust steam equally over the face of the perforated diaphragm through
which the injection water falls in a shower, substantially as hercin-before
described and shown.
In witness whereof, I, the said Matthew Sault, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of March, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.