A NEW OR IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR HEATING WATER BY STEAM
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Sheppard and Walter Sheppard, both of Dudley,
in the County of Worcester, Engineers, for the Invention of "A NEW OR
IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR HEATING WATER BY STEAM."
Ondon of the Lord Chancellor and
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Sheppard and Walter
Sheppard at. the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 26th March
1877.
THOMAS SHEPPARD and WALTER SHEPPARD, both of Dudley, in the County of
Worcester, Engineers. "A NEW OR IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR HEATING WATER
BY STEAM."
For the purposes of this Invention we employ a chamber, divided longitudinally
by a partition into an upper and a lower part. In the cover of the upper part of
the said chamber the lower end of the required number of metallic tubes are fixed,
the upper ends of which said tubes are closed. The lower ends of a corresponding
number of smaller tubes are fixed in the before-mentioned partition, which tubes
are caused to pass a sufficient distance into the larger tubes, each into each, so as to
carry the steam, which may be led into the lower part of the before-mentioned
chamber through these smaller tubes, and then in contact with the inner surface of
the larger tubes through the annual space between the larger and smaller tubes
into the upper part of the above-mentioned chamber, from which it may freely
escape.
The larger tubes are surrounded with the water to be heated, and the heat is
intended to pass from the steam through the metal of the larger tubes into the
water. For it will be understood that the steam, being thus caused to pass through
the sd pipes as before described a large heating surface is obtained, and thus the
water within the said casing becomes speedily heated.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Thomas Sheppard and Walter Sheppard in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 9th October 1877.
THOMAS SHEPPARD and WALTER SHEPPARD, both of Dudley, in the County of
Worcester, Engineers. "A NEW OR IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR HEATING WATER
BY STEAM,"
Our Invention relates to an improved apparatus for utilizing exhaust steam from
engines in heating the supply of water to be used in steam generators.
In carrying out our Invention we employ a vertical cylinder, by preference, of
wrought iron, with closed top to contain the water to be heated, having a cold
water inlet near the bottom, but at a sufficient distance therefrom to allow impuri-
tics in the water to settle; and a hot water outlet near the top, but at a sufficient
distance therefrom to leave an air space in the upper part of the cylinder. This
outlet, instead of being in the side, may be in the top, if more convenient for con-
necting with the boiler; but in that caso the pipe should be carried down into the
cylinder a sufficient distance to form the required air chamber, in the same way as
is commonly done in the air chambers attached to force pumps. To the bottom of
the cylinder a joint ring is rivetted or otherwise securely fixed. A shallow cast-
iron chamber, with top and bottom outer flanges, and having a tube plate inside the
upper flange and an outlet for the passage of steam and condensed water, is bolted
to the joint ring above mentioned. In the tube plate vertical holes are cast and
subsequently bored to receive as many brass or copper tubes as can be conveniently
arranged therein. These tubes, which have closed tops and vary in length and dia-
meter in heaters of different size, have their lower ends which are open expanded
into the bored holes of the tube plate, which is of sufficient thickness to give a
firm support to the tubes standing erect therein and inside the vertical wrought-
iron cylinder first mentioned. To the lower flange of the above-named shallow
cast-iron chamber another cast-iron chamber of similar form is attached. This
chamber is made with closed bottom, and with a tube plate inside the flange round
the top, which tube plate closes the chamber first mentioned, and forms a second
tube plate, in which as many holes are drilled as there are holes in the upper
tube plate. Into these holes iron tubes are screwed or otherwise securely fixed.
These tubes have both ends open and extend inside the brass or copper tubes before
mentioned to a distance below the top thereof of about eight times the diameter of
the outer tubes employed.
It is important that the inside sectional area of these internal tubes should be
about the same as the sectional area of the annular spaces between them and the
external tubes. The lower chamber has an inlet for steam on one side, and an
outlet for steam placed immediately under the outlet of the upper chamber, con-
nected therewith by a junction pipe forming an outlet from both chambers. Into
the lower steam outlet above mentioned we place a U shaped self-acting steam
relief valve; and on the side of the upper chamber a mud cock connected by a
wrought-iron pipe to a hole through the upper tube plate. A casting fixed to the
bottom plate of the lower chamber forms the foot or base.
Having thus fully described the construction of the apparatus, which is known
as the 'Dudley feed-water heater,' we proceed to illustrate the description and
manner of working by reference to the annexed Drawings, the same letters being
used to indicate corresponding parts in each Drawing.
Fig. 1 is an elevation of the heater; Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same;
and Fig. 3 is a horizontal section through the line 4, 5.
The cold water pipe from a pump, injector, or waterworks' main (if the pressure
is sufficient to feed against the pressure in the boilers) being attached to the inlet B,
and the hot water outlet C being connected by a pipe to the steam generator, the
water in the casing A will maintain a slightly varying level above the hot water
outlet C, leaving the remaining space filled with compressed air which will serve as

page_text: an elastic cushion, and will relieve the apparatus of the vibration which would
otherwise ensue after each stroke of the pump. The water as it passes through this
casing is heated as described below by the exhaust steam, without coming in actual
contact with it, thus avoiding the evil effects of carrying the grease used in the
steam engine cylinder into the boiler. The steam inlet K being attached to the
exhaust pipe from the steam engine, the exhaust steam will pass into the chamber
N and up the internal tubes F, F, into the upper part of the external tubes E, E,
giving up the greater portion of its heat through the metal to the water surrounding
them, and thus increasing from time to time the temperature of the water in the
upper part of the water casing, where it is constantly the hottest, and from which
part the supply is carried to the steam generator; the steam then passing down the
annular spaces between the tubes transmits as it descends into the chamber o
nearly the whole of its remaining heat to the cooler water, and passes through the
steam outlet H, I. Should more exhaust steam pass into the chamber N than can
be freely conveyed through the internal tubes F, F, the self-acting relief valve J will
be partially opened and allow the surplus steam to pass through it into the steam
outlet I, thus preventing any unnecessary back pressure on the piston of the engine
cylinder. Impurities which may have settled in the comparatively undisturbed water
lying below the level of the cold water inlet B can be discharged through the
wrought-iron pipe Qby opening the mud cock R.
Having now described the said Invention and the manner in which the same is
or may be carried into effect, we proceed to stato what we consider to be novel and
original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to us by the herein-before in
part recited Letters Patent,-
1. The combination of internal tubes communicating with their lower chamber
with external tubes communicating with their upper chamber, substantially as
described, adapted for the reception, circulation, and discharge of exhaust stoam in
such a manner that the heat in the exhaust steam is first given out to the hottest
water, and by passing down the annular spaces the steam gives out to water of
lower and lower temperature the whole of its available heat.
2. The combination of a self-acting relief valve to an apparatus for heating water
by exhaust steam, and particularly in combination with the heater herein-before
described, adapted to allow of the exit of the surplus exhaust steam, and thereby
prevent unnecessary back pressure on the piston of the steam engine cylinder.
In witness whereof, we, the said Thomas Sheppard and Walter Sheppard,
have to this our Specification set our hands and seals, this Twenty-eighth
day of September, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
seventy-seven.
THOMAS SHEPPARD. (LS.)
WALTER SHEPPARD. (LS.)