Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 10th July, 1886
Complete Left, 7th Apr., 1887
Complete Accepted, 10th May, 1887.
I, AMBROSE MYALL of 21 Cockspur Street in the county of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this Invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates principally to further improvements upon the invention for
which I made application for Letters Patent No. 2651, bearing date 23 February
1886, and for which said invention Provisional Protection has been granted to me;
also to improvements upon the invention for which I made application for Letters
Patent No. 8523 bearing date 29 June 1886.
My present invention refers mainly to surface condensers of a horizontal cylindrical
form, and the manner in which I preferably put my said invention in practice is
substantially as follows:-I surround the whole of the tubes by a tubular plate,
leaving a sufficient annular space between the said plate and the condenser wall for
the steam which enters at a pipe on the upper side of the condenser to circulate all
around in such space. The ends of the said tubular plate enter annular grooves in
the tube plates to retain it in position.
The said plate has slots, holes, or other suitably formed openings or perforations
formed over its whole surface, through which the exhaust steam passes to the tubes.
To regulate the size of such openings to suit the amount of steam requiring to be
condensed, I surround the plate by a second tubular plate provided with similar
openings or perforations, and by means of worin teeth affixed to the plate and a worm
carried on a spindle capable of rotation through a winch handle or other suitable
device outside the condenser, I partially rotate this outer plate upon the fixed plate,
and so vary the size of the openings as required.
The condensed steam passes to the air pump through a pipe at the bottom of the
condenser, the said pipe being provided with any suitable form of regulating valve,
so that the condensed water inay be kept sufficiently high on the bottom of the

page_text: condenser to be reheaded by the entering and surrounding exhaust steam, and thus
to act as a cooling surface by extracting heat from the surrounding exhaust steam
before it enters the aforesaid apertures in the tubular plate leading to the condenser
tubes. A gauge glass for indicating the level of such water may be provided on the
condenser at any convenient part.
The uncondensed vapours are removed from the condenser by the air pump through
a separate opening in the following manner.
I place no tubes in the central part of the condenser, but I
with
occupy such space
a large tube fitted into annular grooves in the tube plates and provided with slots or
openings after the manner of the tubular plate surrounding the tubes, so that the said
tubes are all contained in the annular space between the outer perforated tubular
plate and the inner perforated tube.
The said inner tube is connected at one end with the air pump by a pipe passing
through the condenser head and tube plate.
The area of the openings in this inner tube are regulated as follows :-
A second similarly perforated tube is fitted within it and a sliding motion is given
to such second tube by means of a screw passing through the tube plate and condenser
head and fitted with a winch handle or other suitable device.
It will be obvious that if desired the course of the steam in this arrangement may
be reversed, i.e. the exhaust steam may enter at the centre and the uncondensed
vapours be drawn off through the outside perforated plate and the pipe on top of
condenser, the water of condensation being drawn off from the bottom as before.
In place of supporting the encompassing perforated plate by fitting its ends into
annular grooves in the tube plate as above described, I may affix it to the condenser
wall by means of bolts or rivets and distance pieces, and such distance pieces may
serve as stops to limit the amount of movement permitted to the valve surrounding
the said plate.
In place of drawing off the uncondensed vapours from the central valve through an
opening in the tube plate and condenser head. I may if preferred provide a port or
passage connecting the centre valve with a chamber formed at the bottom of the
condenser in the annular space between the condenser wall and the encompassing
plate. Such chamber is connected by a pipe with the air pump. The water or
condensed steam passes through a small port from the bottom of the condenser into
such chamber, the area of the said port being regulated by a sliding valve having a
spindle passing through a stuffing box in the tube plate and condenser head, such
spindle being fitted with a handle or other suitable device for actuating it.
It will be noted in this modified arrangement, that the condensed steam or water
and the uncondensed vapours pass to the air pump through the same pipe and that by
reason of the aforesaid chamber the exhaust steam does not wholly encompass the
cooling tubes as in the first described arrangement.
It will readily be seen that my present invention is not necessarily confined to a
condenser of a cylindrical form, as by certain obvious modifications it could be
equally well applied to one of an oblong or rectangular pattern.
I prefer to insert a division plate in the condenser head, so that the condensing
water, entering at one end of the condenser, passes through one half of the set of
tubes and then returning through the other half passes away through another orifice
in the same end.
The principal advantages which I consider to be obtained by the use of my present
invention are; that by wholly encompassing the condenser tubes with a perforated
plate and regulating valve, or even with a perforated plate alone as I do not
necessarily confine myself to combining the said valve therewith-I augment to a
maximum in a given space the immediate cooling surface offered to the entering
exhaust steam and I enable a greater and more equal distribution of the steam to be
made over the whole cooling surface than in my aforesaid invention No. 2651 of
1886 and still more so than in my aforesaid invention No. 8523 of 1886.
Again, that by the employment of a central perforated plate and regulating valve
or even of a central perforated plate alone, I enable the air pump to draw the

page_text: uncondensed vapours equally from the whole length of the surrounding cooling tubes
and thus prevent the formation of air pockets. The advantage of maintaining a head
of water or condensed steam at the bottom of the condenser by means of a regulating
valve I have already described.
The cooling effect which I obtain by the use of my present invention is more
instantaneous, the temperature of the cooling parts is more equal and the feed or
condensed water is much hotter, with the same measure of vacuum, than in my
aforesaid invention No. 8523 of 1886, in which although the steam is sub-divided
before entering among the cooling tubes, and the air-pump power is also sub-divided
in withdrawing the uncondensed vapour, yet the steam can only enter at one face or
side of the tubes and the vapour be withdrawn only from one face or side thereof.
In my aforesaid invention No. 2651 of 1886 the steam is not divided nor does it take
a direct course, but instead it takes a zig-zag course and requires a longer time to
effect the same condensation, it also somewhat chills the feed water by keeping it for
a longer time in contact with the cooling pipes.
Dated this 10th day of July 1884

page_text: Improvements in Surface Condensers.
I, AMBROSE MYALL of 21 Cockspur Street, in the county of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention which invention has been
communicated to me from abroad by John McIntyre of 29 West Street, New York,
United States of America, Engineer, 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 principally to further improvements upon the invention for
which I made application for Letters Patent No. 2651 bearing date 23rd February
1886, of which said application the complete specification has been accepted ; also to
improvements upon the invention for which I made application for Letters Patent
No. 8523 bearing date 29 June 1886 and on which said application the complete
specification has been filed.
My present invention refers mainly to surface condensers of a horizontal cylindrical
form, and the manner in which I preferably put my said invention in practice is
illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal
sectional elevation, and Figure 2 is a cross-sectional elevation through the line X X
on Figure 1 of a horizontal cylindrical surface condenser constructed according to
my invention, and Figures 3 and 4 are respectively similar views of a horizontal
cylindrical surface condenser, constructed according to my invention in a modified
form.
Similar letters of reference denote similar parts throughout the drawings.
Referring first to the condenser shewn in Figures 1 and 2, A A is the cylindrical
shell or case, B B are the tube plates, B' B' the condenser heads and CC the tubes.
The whole of the said tubes are surrounded by a tubular plate D, leaving a sufficient
annular space D¹ between the said plate and the condenser wall A for the steam,
which enters at a pipe A¹ on the upper side of the condenser, to circulate all round in
such space. The ends of the tubular plate D enter annular grooves in the tube
plates B B to retain the said plate in position.
Slots, holes, or other suitably formed openings or perforations D2 are formed over
the whole surface of the plate D, through which the exhaust steam passes to the
tubes CC. To regulate the size of the openings D2 to suit the amount of steam
requiring to be condensed, I surround the plate D by a second tubular plate E,
provided with similar openings or perforations, and by means of worm teeth E¹
affixed to the plate E and a worm E2 carried on a spindle capable of rotation through
a winch handle E³, or other suitable device, outside the condenser, I can partially
rotate the plate E upon the fixed plate D and so vary the size of the openings as
required.
The condensed steam passes to the air pump through a pipe F at the bottom of the
condenser, the said pipe being provided with any suitable form of regulating valve H,
so that the condensed water may be kept sufficiently high on the bottom of the
condenser to be reheated by the entering and surrounding exhaust steam and thus
act as a cooling surface by extracting heat from the surrounding exhaust steam before

page_text: A gauge
it enters the apertures D2 in the plate D leading to the condenser tubes.
glass for indicating the level of such water may be provided on the condenser
at any convenient part.
The uncondensed vapours are removed from the condenser by the air-pump,
through a separate opening in the following manner:
with
I place no tubes in the central part of the condenser, but I
occupy such space
a large tube J fitted into annular grooves in the tube plates B B and provided with
slots or openings, after the manner of the tubular plate D surrounding the tubes C, so
that the said tubes are all contained in the annular space between the outer perforated
tubular plate D and the inner perforated tube J. The said tube J is connected at one
end with the air-pump by a pipe A² passing through the condensor head B¹ and tube
plate B.
The area of the openings in this inner tube J are regulated as follows:-a second
similarly perforated tube K is fitted within it and a sliding motion can be given to
such tube K by means of a screw K₁ passing through the tube plate B and condenser
head B' and fitted with a winch handle K2, or other suitable device.
It will be obvious that if desired the course of the steam in this arrangement may
be reversed, i.e. the exhaust steam may enter at the centre at A2 and the uncondensed
vapours be drawn off through the outside perforated plate D and the pipe A¹ on top
of the condenser, the water of condensation being drawn off from the bottom at F as
before, or the pipe A¹ can be dispensed with and uncondensed vapour and water be
drawn off through pipe F at botton in the usual way.
In the modified form of my invention shewn in Figures 3 and 4, in place of
supporting the encompassing perforated plate D by fitting its ends into annular
grooves in the tube plates B, B, as shown in Figure 1, I may affix the said plate to
the condenser shell A by means of bolts or rivets L and distance pieces M, and such
distance pieces may serve as stops to limit the amount of movement permitted to the
valve E surrounding the said plate. Also in place of drawing off the uncondensed
vapours from the central valve K through an opening A2 in the tube plate and
condenser head, as shewn in Figure 1, I may provide a port or passage N connecting
the central valve K with a chamber O formed at the bottom of the condenser in the
annular space between the condenser wall A and the plate D, such chamber being
connected by a pipe A³ with the air-pump.
The water or condensed steain passes through a small port P. from the bottom of
the condenser into the chamber O, the area of the said port being regulated by a
sliding valve Q having a spindle passing through a stuffing box in the tube plate and
condenser head, such spindle being fitted with a handle, or other suitable device for
actuating it.
It will be noted, in this modified arrangement, that the condensed steam or water
and the uncondensed vapours pass to the air-pump through the same pipe A³, and
that by reason of the chamber Û, the exhaust steam does not wholly encompass the
cooling tubes as in the arrangement shewn in Figures 1 and 2.
It will readily be seen that my present invention is not necessarily confined to a
condenser of a cylindrical form, as by certain obvious modifications it could be equally
well applied to one of an oblong or rectangular pattern.
I prefer to insert a division plate R in the condenser head, so that the condensing
water entering at S, at one end of the condenser, passes through one half of the set
of tubes and then returning through the other half, passes out through another
orifice T in the same end.
The principal advantages which I consider to be obtained by the use of my present
invention are; that by wholly encompassing the condenser tubes C with a perforated
plate D and regulating valve E, or even with a perforated plate D alone (as I do not
necessarily confine myself to combining the said valve therewith) I augment to a
maximum, in a given space, the immediate cooling surface offered to the entering
exhaust steam and I enable a greater and more equal distribution of the steam to be
made over the whole cooling surface than in my aforesaid invention No. 8523 of 1886,
and still more so than in my aforesaid invention No. 2651 of 1886.

page_text: Again, that by the employment of a central perforated tube J and regulating
valve K, or even of a central perforated tube J alone, I enable the air pump to draw
the uncondensed vapours equally from the whole length of the surrounding cooling
tubes and thus prevent the formation of air pockets. The advantage of maintaining
a large water or condensed steam surface at the bottom of the condenser, by means of
the pipe and regulating valve, or other suitable device, I have already described.
The cooling effect which I obtain by the use of my present invention is more
instantaneous, the temperature of the cooling parts is more equal and the feed or
condensed water is much hotter, with the same measure of vacuum than in my afore
said invention No. 8523 of 1886, in which, although the steam is sub-divided before
entering among the cooling tubes, and the air-pump power is also sub-divided in
withdrawing the uncondensed vapour, yet the steam can only enter at one face or
side of the tubes and the vapour to be withdrawn only from one face or side
thereof. In my aforesaid invention No. 2651 of 1886 the steam is not sub-divided
nor does it take a direct course, but instead it takes a zig-zag course and requires a
longer time to effect the same condensation, it also somewhat chills the feed-water by
keeping it for a longer time in contact with the cooling pipes.
In conclusion, I wish it to be understood that in carrying out my invention in
practice, I do not necessarily confine myself to the precise detals of form and con-
struction which I have set forth, but having now particularly described and ascer-
tained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, I declare that what I claim is :
(1.) The improved surface condenser constructed substantially as herein described
and shewn with reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.
(2.) The improved surface condenser constructed substantially as herein described
and shewn with reference to Figures 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings.
(3.) In a surface condenser, the combination therewith of a perforated plate D
encompassing the tubes C in the manner and for the purposes substantially as herein
described and shewn.
(4.) In a surface condenser, the combination therewith of a perforated plate D and
regulating valve E encompassing the tubes C in the manner and for the purposes
substantially as herein described and shewn.
(5.) In a surface condenser, the combination therewith of a central perforated
tube J in the manner and for the purposes substantially as herein described and
shewn.
(6.) In a surface condenser the combination therewith of a central perforated
tube J and regulating valve K in the manner and for the purposes substantially as
herein described and shewn.
(7.) In a surface condenser the combination therewith of a pipe F and regulating
valve H connecting the bottom of the condenser with the air-pump in the manner
and for the purposes substantially as herein described and shewn.
(8.) In a surface condenser, the combination therewith of a regulating valve Q
connecting the bottom of the condenser with the air-pump, in the manner and for
the purposes substantially as herein described and shewn.
1008
AMBROSE MYALL,
21, Cockspur Street, S.W.