Improved Means and Appliances for Diminishing Condensation in the Cylinders or other Equivalent Parts of Steam and other Fluid Pressure Engines and thereby Increasing their Efficiency.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Jan., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Oct., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 23rd Nov., 1888
Improved Means and Appliances for Diminishing Condensation in
the Cylinders or other Equivalent Parts of Steam and other
Fluid Pressure Engines and thereby Increasing their Efficiency.
1 BRYAN DONKIN the younger of the Firm of Bryan Donkin & Company
Mechanical Engineer of 55 Southwark Park Road Bermondsey Surrey do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to an improved system of increasing the efficiency of engines
or motors worked by fluid pressure-such for example as steam engines, and to
appliances for carrying the same into practical effect.
According to this invention I beat the cylinder or cylindors or other part or parts
at which the fluid pressure is converted into motion in such a manner as to diminish
as much as possible the condensation of vapour which usually takes place in steam
cylinders constructed in the ordinary manner, and this I do by applying to them the
heat derived directly from combustion. By this means also I diminish the moisturo
or vapour in the cylinder.
i
According to one manner of carrying out this invention, as applied to a steam
engine, I cause ignited jets of gas or mixed gases and air (such for example. as what
are known as Bunsen Flames) to impinge against the exterior of the cylinder or
cylinders so that the flames may be in actual contact with the metal of the cylinder
or cylinders, or with suitable projections in metallic contact therewith. By this means
I am able to raise the temperature of the cylinders considerably above that of the steam
supplied to them from the steam generator.
arrange such gas jets in any convenient manner and apply them to the cylinder
covers valve chests or other parts as may seem expedient. Outside the gas flames, to
avoid loss of heat, I place covers or screens which may have any suitable form
and size.
In some cases I heat the piston or pistons and piston rod or rods by causing a flame
or flames to turn therein during the working of the engine, the necessary gas and air
for this purpose may be supplied in any suitable manner.

page_text: ÷
Improved Means and Appliances for Diminishing Condensation in
the Cylinders or other Equivalent Parts of Steam and other
Fluid Pressure Engines and thereby Increasing their Efficiency.
I, BRYAN DONKIN the younger of the Firm of Bryan Donkin and Company
Mechanical Engineers of 55 Southwark Park Road in the county of Surrey,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to
he performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This invention relates to an improved system of increasing the efficiency of engines
or motors worked by fluid pressure; such for example as steam engines and to
appliances for carrying the same into practical effect.
According to this invention I heat the cylinder or cylinders of condensing or
non condensing Engines or other part or paris at which the fluid pressure is con-
verted into motion in such a manner as to diminish as much as possible the
condensation of vapour which usually takes place in steam cylinders constructed in
the ordinary manner & thereby economise steam and this I do by applying to them
the heat derived directly from combustion. By this means also I diminish the
moisture or vapour in the cylinder. According to one manner of carrying out this
invention, as appied to a Steam Engine, I cause ignited jets of gas or mixed gases
and air (such for example as what are known as "Bunsen Flames") to impinge
against the exterior of the cylinder or cylinders so that the flames may be in contact
with the metal of the cylinder or cylinders.
By this means I am able to raise the temperature of the cylinders considerably
above that usually obtained.
In the accompanying sheet of Illustrative Drawing I have shown by way of an
example an application of this invention to a horizontal steam cylinder.
Fig. 1 is an elevation of the cylinder shewing the general arrangement of burners
used for heating the same.
Fig. 2 is an end view of one of the covers of such cylinder, and
Fig. 3 is a cross section taken through the line, A. B.
The same letters of reference apply to like parts in all the drawings.
a, is a pipe for the supply of gas.
b, c, d, e, f, g, h, & are tubes for supplying the burners with a mixture of gas and
air which I call "burner tubes." These burner tubes are bent so as to follow the
form of the cylinder (as seen in fig. 3) and they are so arranged that the flames which
issue from the burners impinge directly upon the metal of the cylinder. hk fig. 2
show the burner tubes for the cylinder covers. l, m, n, o, p, q, r, Fig. 1 are,mixing
chambers each connected both with the gas supply and its corresponding burner tube
and each provided with a suitable air opening or openings (s fig. 3) arranged in the
well known manner so that the air may enter by these openings and form with the
gas a proper mixture for combustion. The burners P1, P2, P3 &c. Figs. 1, 2, 3,
may be simply holes of suitable dimensions in the burner tubes.

page_text: The size and number of the burners and number of burner tubes and their distances
apart may vary according to circumstances. I have found excellent results produced
by each burner consuming about 2 cubic feet of London illuminating gas per hour
placed about 3" inches apart in the burner tubes the distance between these burner
tubes being about 3 to 4 inches, arranged in the manner indicated above; about
16 burners may be conveniently applied to the cylinder of a 6 Horse power Engine.
I also arrange similarly constructed burners to heat any other parts as may seem
expedient. wxxy, Figs. 1 and 3 are covers or screens which may be conveniently
made of sheet iron plates lined with asbestos or other suitable material, their object
being to avoid loss of heat by radiation and thus keep the cylinder as hot as
possible.
It is obvious that similar arrangements may be may to heat any cylinder in a
vertical or inclined position, also that the invention may be variously modified without
departure from the essential features.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and the manner of carrying it into practical effect I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. My improved means of increasing the efficiency of engines or other motors,
worked by fluid pressure, by applying the heat derived directly from combustion to
the cylinders or other part or parts at which the fluid pressure is converted into
motion of such motors.
2. The use of gas or other flames in contact with the metal of cylinders (in any
position), & cylinder covers of steam or other fluid pressure engines substantially in
the manner described and for the purpose specified.
3. My improved appliances for heating the cylinders and cylinder covers of any
kind of steam engine with one or more cylinders substantially as described and
illustrated.
1
1 11. 13 1:
1
1000