Improvements in Apparatus for Regenerating Exhaust Steam.
Year: 1898

page_text: [Communicated from abroad by HUGH JAMES BARRON of 145, West 117th Street,
in the City of New York, in the County and State of New York, United
States of America, Engineer.]
Improvements in Apparatus for Regenerating Exhaust Steam.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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:-
-
My invention relates to improvements in steam engines, and has for its object,
more particularly, to provide an apparatus adapted for use in connection with
stationary, marine or locomotive engines, whereby it becomes possible to re-
evaporate and re-utilize the exhaust steam and the heat thereof, which is now
wasted, and thus render the operation of the engine more perfect and economical
than has heretofore been possible.
These objects, above set forth, I am enabled to attain by means of my inven-
tion, which consists in the novel details of construction and in the combination,
connection and arrangement of parts as hereinafter more fully described.
In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification wherein like
letters of reference indicate like parts
Figure 1 is a side or front view of an apparatus constructed according to and
embodying my invention; one series of valves being shown partly in section and
open;
Figure 2 is a section taken on the line 2-2 thereof, looking in the direction of
the arrow;
Figure 3 is a side or front view of a modified structure; and
Figure 4 is an enlarged detail section of one of the valves used in the structure
illustrated at Figures and 1.
In said drawings A and B designate cylinders supported in a vertical position
upon a suitable base C. D, E, F, and G denote pipes arranged in the order named
beginning at the top of the cylinders A and B and communicating therewith,
and D, D, E, E², F₁, F and G1, G2 denote valves arranged in the pipes 1), E, F
and G near the ends thereof adjacent to the cylinders A and B, said valves having
forwardly projecting stems to the outer ends of which are respectively secured
levers d,,, e², f¹, f², g², g².
H denotes the main steam pipe leading from the boiler to the engine, and H₁
a pressure reducing valve arranged in said pipe H. From said main steam pipe H
intermediate the boiler and the reducing valve H¹ extends an inlet pipe H2 which
is connected between the cylinders A and B to the pipe E.

page_text: I denotes the outlet pipe which is connected at one end to the pipe F connecting
the cylinders A and B, and at its other end to the main steam pipe H intermediate
the pressure reducing valve H and the engine.
J denotes the exhaust steam pipe leading from the engine and connected between
the cylinders A and B to the pipe D, and K denotes the condensation or hot water
discharge pipe connected between the cylinders A and B to the pipe G and lead-
ing to the steam pump or other apparatus for feeding the boiler.
L, L' denote brackets, the ends of which are secured to the cylinders A and B.
The ends of the bracket L being secured between the sets of valves D', I²
and E, E³, and the ends of the bracket L' between the sets of valves F1, F2
and G1, G2. Upon the outer surfaces of the brackets L, L' about midway of the
distance between the ends are provided studs 1, upon which are mounted wrist
plates M, M', respectively, the wrist plate M being provided with a long depending
arm N, and the wrist plate M¹ provided with a shorter depending arm N¹, and
upon the rear sides said wrist plates M, M near their peripheries are provided
pins, h, respectively, and i, i denote links having their outer ends pivotally
secured to the ends of the valve stem levers, and their inner ends similarly secured
to the pins h, h¹ on the wrist plates M, M.
O denotes a duplex direct-acting steam pump provided with a bracket j, upon
which are pivotally supported the levers P, P₁, the lower ends of which are cou-
nected to the piston rods m, m² of the pump, and adjacent to one end of the
pump are provided bearings Q and Q₁ within which are supported rock
shafts R, R', having fixed thereon the ends of the levers S, S₁, the upper ends of
which are connected by links T, T' to the ends of the wrist plate arms N, N
respectively and U, U denote levers having their lower ends fixed upon rock
shafts R, R and their upper ends connected by links V, VI to the upper ends of
the levers P, P respectively supported upon and operated by the pump O.
From the pump 0 extends a pipe O which is connected to the valves E, E
in the pipe E, and 03 denotes a branch pipe which communicates with the boiler
and is provided with a valve 03. W denotes a cold water supply pipe which is
connected to the valves D1, D2 in the pipe D whereby cold water is admitted to the
cylinders A and B for the purpose of reducing the temperature of the steam
therein. Any suitable spraying device may be used for the purpose such as that
described with reference to Figure 3.
The operation of the apparatus shown at Figures 1 and 2 is as follows:-
If we assume the apparatus to be in the position indicated at Figure 1, and
the cylinder B to contain exhaust steam, the steam with a pressure, for example,
of 125 pounds will be conducted from the boiler through the main steam pipe H
and after passing through the reducing valve H₁ be fed to the engine with a
constant pressure of 100 pounds. However, a portion of the steam from the
boiler will be diverted before reaching the reducing valve H¹, and conducted to
the cylinder B by the pipe H2, pipe E and valve 12, absorb a charge of hot water
conducted to said valve 2 by the pipe O¹, and thence pass into the cylinder B
and unite with the exhaust steam contained therein and regenerate the same.
The regenerated exhaust steam will then pass out of the cylinder B by way of
the valve F, pipe F, pipe I and into the main steam pipe H and conducted to the
engine.
At the same time the exhaust steam from the engine will be returned to the
cylinder A through the exhaust steam pipe J, pipe D and valve D¹, and shortly
before or at least simultaneously with the admission of exhaust steam to said
cylinder A a charge of cold water will be admitted to said cylinder by the valve D
from the supply pipe W, and sufficiently reduce the temperature of the high
pressure steam which may have remained in said cylinder A from the previous
cycle of operation, and thereby overcome any back pressure and facilitate the
admission of the exhaust steam to said cylinder A upon reversal of the valves.
The condensation, if there by any, and the unevaporated hot and cold water

page_text: admitted to said cylinder A, being conducted therefrom by the valve G¹, pipe G
and the hot water discharge pipe K and fed to pump 0 and thereupon recirculated.
It will be observed that at this period or stage of operation steam under high
pressure will be admitted to the engine through the main pipe H, pipe H², cylin-
der B and pipe I, while exhaust steam will be conducted from the engine through
the main exhaust pipe J, pipe D and into the cylinder A, and the unevaporated
hot water, or condensation, if any, conducted from the apparatus by the pipes G,
and K.
As soon as the operation above described has taken place the wrist plates M, M¹
will be partially rotated by the action of the steam pump 0, and the mechanism
intermediate the same and said wrist plates and cause the valves E2 F2 of the
cylinders B, and the valves D', G¹ of the cylinder A to close, and open the
valves E, F of the cylinder A, and the valves D2, G2 of the cylinder B.
Hereupon the steam from the boiler will pass through the main steam pipe H,
pipe H, pipe E, valve E, and into the cylinder A, and in doing so receive at the
valve El a charge of hot water from the pipe O, absorb the same, and thereupon
unite with the exhaust steam contained in said cylinder A, regenerate the same
and thence pass out of said cylinder A, through the pipe F, valve F¹, pipe I and
through the main steam pipe H to the engine. The exhaust steam now being
returned from the engine to the cylinder B through the exhaust steam pipe J,
pipe D and valve D, and simultaneously with the admission of exhaust steam to
said cylinder B a charge of cold water will be admitted to said cylinder by the
valve D² from the supply pipe W to reduce the temperature of any steam which
may have remained in said cylinder B from the previous cycle of operation, and
thereby facilitate the admission of the exhaust steam to said receptacle.
The unevaporated water admitted to said cylinder B, and condensation, if any
being conducted from the apparatus by the pipe G, valve G² and pipe K and
recirculated.
Immediately thereupon the valve mechanism will he again shifted and assume
the initial position, and the operation first described be repeated, and so on.
In the modified structure illustrated at Figures 3 and 4, A¹ and B denote
cylinders supported in a vertical position upon a base C¹. D³, E³, F³ and G³ denote
pipes arranged in the order named. beginning at the top and connecting said
cylinders A, B, and D. E, F, G denote three-way valves arranged in said
pipes about midway of the distance between said cylinders A¹ and B'. H* denotes
the main steam pipe leading from the boiler to the valve D; I¹ the main steam
pipe leading from the valve E to the engine; J¹ the main exhaust pipe leading
from the engine to the valve F, and K¹ the condensation or hot water discharge
pipe leading from the valve G' to the steam pump or other apparatus for feeding
the boiler.
The steam of the valves D, E, F, G* are respectively provided with
levers d, e, f, g, and L, L³ denote long vertical operating levers, the upper
ends of which are pivotally supported by outwardly bent arms M2, M3 having their
other ends pivotally secured to the tops of the cylinders A', B¹, and the lower ends
of said levers L³, L³ pivotally secured to the piston rods 04, 05, respectively, of a
duplex directing-acting steam engine 06.
The ends of the valve stem levers d, o of the valves D4, E4 are connected to
the long lever L³ near its upper end by links hand, and the valves stem
levers of the valves F, G4 connected to the long lever L³ near its lower end
by links and k.
Above the evlinders A¹, B¹ is a cold water supply pipe Q having
branches Q3, Q, the ends of which are respectively connected to the tops of said
cylinders A, B1, and P2 denotes a three-way valve located in said pipe Q2 at the
junction of the branch sections Q3 Q4. To the end of the stem of the valve P2
is secured a lever R2, the outer end of which is connected to the top of the long
lever L2 by a link n.
To spray the feed water within the cylinders A', B', the same are provided with

page_text: discs T2, T3 which are suspended therein from the top thereof by means of
rods U2, U³ respectively.
The operation of the modified apparatus shown at Figure 3 is as follows:
If we assume the apparatus to be in the position indicated in full lines at
Figure 3 steam will be admitted to the cylinder A through the main steam
pipe H, valve 14, pipe D3, and thence pass through said cylinder A¹ into the
pipe E, valve E and into the main steam pipe I to the engine. The exhaust
steam being returned through the main exhaust pipe J¹, valve F4, pipe F3, and
into the cylinder B'. At about the same time the valve 12 of the feed water supply
pipe Q will be opened to admit water to the branch section Q4, and cause a small
quantity of water to enter the cylinder B₁ and fall upon the disc T3 and be sprayed
in said cylinder, and thereby sufficiently reduce the temperature of any live steam
remaining in said cylinder and thus facilitate the entrance of exhaust steam
therein.
The steam condensing, if there be any, will thence be conducted from said cylin-
der B by the pipe K, and again partly fed to the boiler and the apparatus by
means of a steam pump or other apparatus.
At this period or stage of operation steam under high pressure will be admitted
to the engine through the main steam pipe H+ and I, and the cylinder A¹, while
exhaust steam will be conducted from the engine through the main exhaust
pipe J, and into the cylinder B₁; the condensation, if any, being conducted from
the apparatus by the condensation pipe K¹.
As soon as the operation, above described, has taken place, the valves D and E4,
and the valves F, G and P2 will be reversed by the levers L2, L³ operated by the
piston rods 04, 05 of the engine 06, and assume the positions indicated by broken
lines at Figure 3; the valve D+ closing a trifle in advance of the valve E.
Hereupon steam will pass through the main steam pipe H+, valve D4, pipe D³
into the cylinder B¹ and there unite with and thereby regenerate the exhaust steam
therein, and thence pass out of said cylinder B' through the pipe E3, valve E,
and be conducted to the engine by the main steam pipe I'. The exhaust steam
now being returned from the engine through the exhaust pipe J, valve F4, pipe F³,
and into the cylinder A¹. The condensation, if any, being as heretofore conducted
from the apparatus by the pipe K' and recirculated.
Immediately hereupon the valves will be again shifted by the operating
levers L, L, and the operation above described be repeated, and so on.
It will be observed that by the use of two cylinders or receptacles, each of which
intermittently receives steam under high and low pressure, the same alternately
become the high or plus pressure, and the low or minus pressure receptacles, and
by means of the valve mechanism I am enabled to maintain steam under high
pressure intermediate the boiler and engine, and steam under lower pressure
(exhaust steam) intermediate the engine and boiler or apparatus.
It will be further observed that my apparatus is applicable to engines of every
character, whether used for stationary, marine or locomotive purposes, and that
the valve mechanism may be operated directly by the engine or by any suitable or
convenient independent mechanism.
I do not limit myself to the details of construction, or the precise arrangement
of parts, which may be varied to suit the conditions of use without departing from
the spirit of the invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed. as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is:-
1. The combination with a boiler and engine of an apparatus adapted to receive
steam interposed between said boiler and engine and communicating therewith,
and valve mechanism for intermittently supplying steam to a portion of said
apparatus prior to admitting the same to the engine, substantially as specified.
2. The combination with a boiler and engine of an apparatus adapted to receive

page_text: steam interposed between said boiler and engine and communicating therewith,
and valve mechanism for intermittently supplying steam to a portion of said
apparatus prior to its admission to the engine, and intermittently supplying
steam to a portion of said apparatus after its admission to, and discharge from the
engine, substantially as specified.
3. The combination with a boiler and engine of an interposed apparatus com-
municating therewith and adapted to receive steam under different pressures, and
valve mechanism for constantly supplying steam from the boiler to a portion of
said apparatus, substantially as specified.
4. The combination with a boiler and engine of an interposed apparatus com-
municating therewith, comprising a plurality of receptacles, adapted to receive
steam, and valve mechanism for intermittently supplying steam to a part of said
receptacles, substantially as specified.
5. The combination with a boiler and engine of an interposed apparatus com-
municating therewith comprising a plurality of receptacles adapted to receive
steam, and valve mechanism for alternately supplying steam to said receptacles,
substantially as specified..
6. The combination with a boiler and engine of an apparatus for the purposes
specified interposed between said boiler and engine and communicating there-
with comprising a plurality of receptacles adapted to receive steam under high
and relatively low pressures, valve mechanism for reversing the course of the fluid
through said receptacles, and means for reducing the temperature of steam which
may be confined in said receptacles prior to the admission of relatively low pres-
sure steam thereto, substantially as specified.
7. The combination with a boiler and engine of an apparatus for the purposes
specified communicating therewith comprising a receptacle for steam interposed
between the boiler and high pressure side of the engine, a receptacle for steam
interposed between the boiler and low pressure side of the engine, and valve
mechanism for reversing the course of the fluid through said receptacles, sub-
stantially as specified.
8. The combination with a boiler and engine of an interposed apparatus com-
municating therewith adapted to receive steam, comprising a high pressure recep-
tacle and a relatively low pressure receptacle, valve mechanism for converting the
said receptacle, substantially as specified.
9. The combination with a boiler and engine of an interposed apparatus com-
municating therewith comprising two receptacles adapted to alternately receive
steam under high and relatively low pressures, and valve mechanism for admitt-
ing steam under high pressure to the receptacle containing steam under relatively
low pressure, substantially as specified.
10. The combination with a boiler and engine of an apparatus for the purposes
specified communicating therewith comprising two receptacles adapted to alter-
nately receive steam under high and relatively low pressures, and valve mechanism
for intermittently admitting steam under high pressure to one of said receptacles,
and steam under relatively low pressure to the other of said receptacles, substan-
tially as specified.
11. The combination with a boiler and engine of an interposed apparatus com-
municating therewith, comprising two receptacles adapted to alternately receive
steam under high and relatively low pressures, and valve mechanism for simul-
taneously admitting steam under high pressure to the receptacle containing steam
under low pressure, and steam under low pressure to the other receptacle, sub-
stantially as specified.
12. The combination with a boiler and engine of an interposed apparatus com-
prising two receptacles- adapted to receive steam, a main live steam inlet pipe, a
main live steam outlet pipe, and an exhaust steam inlet pipe, all common to said
receptacles, valve mechanism for alternately admitting live steam to one of said
receptacles, and exhaust steam to the other of said receptacles, and means for
shifting said valve mechanism, substantially as specified.

page_text: 13. An apparatus for the purposes specified, comprising two receptacles, a live
steam inlet pipe common to said receptacles, a live steam outlet pipe common to
said receptacles, an exhaust steam inlet pipe common to said receptacles, valve
mechanism arranged in said pipes for alternately admitting live and exhaust
steam to said receptacles, and means for operating said valve mechanism, whereby
to simultaneously permit live steam to enter one of said receptacles, and exhaust
steam to enter the other of said receptacles, substantially as specified.
14. The combination of a boiler and engine and a main live steam pipe con-
necting said boiler and engine, with an apparatus for the purposes specified com-
prising two receptacles, a live steam inlet pipe connected to the main live steam
pipe and having branch sections each connected to one of said receptacles, a live
steam outlet pipe having branch sections likewise connected to said receptacles and
to the main live steam pipe, an exhaust steam pipe having branch sections each
connected to one of said receptacles, and an outlet pipe having branch sections
likewise connected to said receptacles, a cold water supply pipe having branch
sections and connected to the branch sections of the exhaust steam pipe, a hot
water supply pipe likewise having branch sections and connected to the branch
sections, aforesaid, valves located in the aforesaid pipes adjacent to the receptacles,
and means for shifting said valves, substantially as specified.
15. The combination of a boiler and engine, a main steam pipe connecting said
boiler and engine, and a pressure reducing valve located in said main steam pipe
with an apparatus for the purposes specified comprising two receptacles. a live
steam inlet pipe connected to the main steam pipe intermediate the boiler and
pressure reducing valve and having branch sections each connected to one of said
receptacles, two-way valves located in said branch sections adjacent to the recep-
tacles, a hot water supply pipe having branch section connected to said valves, a
live steam outlet pipe connected to the main live steam pipe intermediate the pres-
sure reducing valve and the engine and having branch sections connected to the
receptacles provided with valves arranged therein adjacent to said receptacles,
an exhaust steam inlet pipe having branch sections each connected to said recep-
tacles, two-way valves located therein adjacent to said receptacles, a cold water
supply pipe having branch sections connected to said valves, and a discharge pipe
having branch sections connected to said receptacles provided with valves
arranged therein adjacent to said receptacles, the aforesaid valves being provided
with levers, brackets arranged upon said receptacles intermediate the uppermost
and lowermost sets of valves, wrist plates mounted thereon having links connected
thereto and to the ends of the levers of the valves, and means for partially rotating
said wrist plates whereby to open valves in the live steam inlet and outlet pipes
communicating with one receptacle, open the valves in exhaust inlet, and dis-
charge pipe, and closing the remaining valves, of each receptacle, substantially
a specified.
16. The combination of a boiler and engine, a main live steam pipe H con-
necting said boiler and engine and a pressure reducing valve H¹ located in said
main steam pipe H with an apparatus for the purposes specified comprising two
receptacles, pipes D. E, F, G connecting said receptacles, and provided with
valves D1, D2, E¹, E, F¹. F2, G1 and G2 respectively, said valve being provided
with levers, d², e¹. e³, f¹, f³, g² and 2, a live steam inlet pipe H³ connected to
the pipe H intermediate the boiler and valve H¹, and the pipe E, a hot water
supply pipe O¹ connected with the pipe E at the valves E1, E2, a live steam outlet
pine I connected to the pipe H intermediate the valve H. and the engine, an
exhaust steam pipe J connected to the pipe D, a cold water supply pipe W con-
nected with the pipe D at the valves D¹ D³, and a discharge pipe K connected to
the pipe G. brackets L, L' secured to the receptacles A and B, wrist plates M, M¹
mounted thereon. having arms N, N. and links i having their inner ends pivotally
secured to the wrist plates M, M' and their outer ends to the ends of the valve stem
levers d¹, d, e, e², f¹, f², g² ², and means for operating the arms N N¹ whereby
to partially rotate the wrist plates M, M¹ to open the valves E, F of the recep-

page_text: tacle B and the valves D¹, G¹ of the receptacle a, and close the valves E', F¹ of
the receptacle A and the valves D, G³ of the receptacle B, and vice versa, substan-
tially as specified.
7
1
1000
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.