IMPROVE- MENTS IN PORTABLE STEAM ENGINES AND TRACTION ENGINES
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Tasker, of Waterloo Iron Works, near
Andover, in the County of Hants, for the Invention of “IMPROVE-
MENTS IN PORTABLE STEAM ENGINES AND TRACTION ENGINES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Tasker at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
21st November 1873.
I, HENRY TASKER, of Waterloo Iron Works, near Andover, in the
County of Hants, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PORTABLE STEAM ENGINES AND TRACTION ENGINES," to be
as follows:-.
This Invention has for its object the collecting or drawing off water
from the exhaust steam of steam engines, whereby economy in the
consumption of fuel and water is effected, and consists in forming a
chamber, into which the steam from the exhaust pipe of a steam engine
is conducted after it has been passed through a water heater or arrange-
ment for condensing the exhaust steam. Into and by preference towards

page_text: the centre of this chamber another pipe projects, so as to present one
side to the steam inlet orifice, such pipe forming an outlet for the
uncondensed steam into the chimney. The exhaust steam and water of
condensation on entering the said chamber impinge against the side of
the pipe projecting towards the centre or against a baffle plate or
equivalent, so that the water will fall down and the steam be allowed
to. pass up the pipe without carrying with it any appreciable quantity of
water.
The water-formed-from- the condensed steam may be taken from the
chamber by any suitable outlet placed. at or near its lower part, and
conveyed to the feed water tank to be again pumped back into the boiler.
As this water leaves the chamber and is pumped into the boiler at an
elevated temperature an economy of fuel is effected.
-SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Henry Tasker in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 20th May 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
TASKER, of Waterloo Iron Works, near Andover, in the County of Hants,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the
thirty-seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Henry Tasker, Her special
license that I, the said Henry Tasker, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Henry Tasker, my executors,'
administrators, or 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
PORTABLE STEAM ENGINES AND TRACTION ENGINES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Henry Tasker, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal,

page_text: 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
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Henry Tasker, 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, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to
say:
This Invention has for its object the collecting or drawing off water
from the exhaust steam of steam engines, whereby economy in the
consumption of fuel and water is effected, and consists in forming a
chamber, into which the steam from the exhaust pipe of a steam engine
is conducted after it. has been passed through a water heater or arrange-
ment for condensing the exhaust steam. Into and by preference towards
the centre of this chamber another pipe projects, so as to present one
side. to the steam inlet orifice, such pipe forming an outlet for the
uncondensed steam into the chimney. The exhaust steam and water of
condensation on entering the said chamber impinge against the side of
the pipe projecting towards the centre or against a baffle plate or
equivalent, so that the water will fall down and the steam be allowed to
pass up the pipe without carrying with it any appreciable quantity of
water.
The water formed from the condensed steam may be taken from the
chamber by any, suitable outlet placed at or near its lower part, and
conveyed to the feed water tank to be again pumped back into the boiler.
As this water leaves the chamber and is pumped into the boiler at an
elevated temperature an economy of fuel is effected.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood I shall
now proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that
purpose I shall refer to the several Figures on the annexed Sheet of
Drawings, the same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in
all the Figures.
Figure 1 represents a side section of one form of my Invention, and

page_text: A represents a chamber suitably placed on or near the engine.
Opening into its upper portion is the exhaust pipe B leading from the
engine and from a feed water heater or other condensing apparatus
placed between the engine and the said chamber. Through the top of
the chamber A passes a pipe or outlet C, the lower part of which
projects downwards by preference towards the middle portion of the
said chamber, and is opposite to and below the opening of the exhaust
pipe B, whilst its upper part projects above the top of the chamber A,
as shewn. D is a pipe or outlet leading by preference from the bottom
of the chamber A to the feed tub or other vessel, from which the boiler
is supplied with water.
The exhaust steam on leaving the engine first passes through the
feed water heater or other condensing apparatus before mentioned, and
being there condensed passes with its water of condensation through the
exhaust pipe B into the chamber A, where meeting or impinging against
the outer and lower surface of the pipe or outlet. C the water of con-
densation is thereby separated and falls to the bottom of the chamber A,
whence it is conducted by the pipe or outlet D to the feed water tank
to be again pumped into the boiler in a heated state; at the same time.
the uncondensed steam passes off through the pipe or outlet C into the
chimney or atmosphere.
1
It is obvious that a baffle plate or its equivalent may be used in
conjunction with the lower projecting part of the pipe or outlet C in the
chamber A. before described.
Two important features of this Invention are the saving of water and
fuel, the ormer being caused by the large amount of water collected
from the exhaust steam, and which is returned to be used over again,
and the latter being caused by the said water being returned to the
boiler at an elevated temperature.
This Invention is applicable to all classes of portable and traction
engines that are carried by and worked on, wheels.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my
said Invention and the manner in which the same is or may be used or
carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider
to be novel and original and therefore claim as the Invention secured to
me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
First. The combination and arrangement of a chamber and pipes,
P

page_text: substantially as and for the purpose herein-before described and illus-
trated by my Drawings.
Second. The combination or not with the chamber and pipes of a
baffle plate or its equivalent, substantially as and for the
before described.
purpose
herein-
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Tasker, have to this my
Specification set my hand and seal, the Eighteenth day of May
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four.
HENRY TASKER. (L.S.)