Improvements in Vacuum Pans and other Apparatus Heated by Steam Pipes
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Jan., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Oct., 1897-Accepted, 4th Dec., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
"Improvements in Vacuum Pans and other Apparatus Heated by
Steam Pipes."
I, WILLIAM MCONIE, of 7, Osborne Place, Govan, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this Invention to be
as follows, that is to say:-
My said Invention has for its object to improve the construction and action
of the heating apparatus of vacuum pans and other apparatus heated by means of
steam pipes.
It has been found in vacuum pans as hitherto constructed that the best effect
from the worm or coils of pipes heated by steam is only attained when the coils
are short in ratio to their diameter; and that owing to the conical form of the
coils the full effect cannot be got until the pan is very full of liquid. By my
Invention I shorten the coils and arrange them in such a way that the whole of
the coil at any particular level in the pan is fully effective whenever the charge
of liquid covers such coil and steam is turned on.
In a vacuum pan constructed with my improvements there are several outer and
inner concentric convolutions or coils of pipes heated by steam; and all the con-
centric coils at any one level receive the steam separately from a horizontal steam
box extending from the side of the pan towards the centre, and communicating
through the side with an external steam supply pipe. Similarly a horizontal
draining box receives separately from the coils water due to condensation in the
coils and leads it into a discharge pipe. The draining box may be a separate
piece, or the draining box of one horizontal set of coils may be made in one casting
or piece with the steam box of the next lower set. The lengths and numbers
of convolutions of the coils may be varied in different cases, but preferably, and in
a common form of vacuum pan, for example, having a conical bottom and an
upper cylindrical part, the coils in the upper part extend about twice round the pan
whilst of those in the bottom conical part the inner coils extend in order in more
convolutions and lower than the outward ones in a manner to occupy the conical
space.
With the construction herein before described the heating action will be more
efficient and uniform than in existing arrangements, owing to the parts of the
pipes receiving separate portions of steam, being of only moderate length. With
the separate horizontal steam boxes one above the other, the admission of steam
at the various heights can be separately controlled to suit the quantity of liquid
in the pan at any time, and both outer and inner coils at each level are equally
effective.
The pipes of the coils are preferably arranged so as to be vertically each directly
over the pipes of the next lower tier and with a wide space between each tier so
as to facilitate the ascension of the steam formed in the liquid to the surface, thus

page_text: causing a rapid circulation thereby increasing the transmission of heat to the
liquid to a considerable extent as well as facilitating cleaning operations.
Dated this twenty fifth day of January 1897
EDMUND HUNT.
Applicants Agent.
"Improvements in Vacuum Pans and other Apparatus Heated by
Steam Pipes."
I, WILLIAM MCONIE, of 7, Osborne Place, Govan, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-that is to say:--
My said Invention has for its object to improve the construction and action
of the heating apparatus of vacuum pans and other apparatus heated by means of
steam pipes.
It has been found in vacuum pans as hitherto constructed that the best effect
from the worm or coils of pipes heated by steam is only attained when the coils
are short in ratio to their diameter; and that owing to the conical form of the
coils the full effect cannot be got until the pan is very full of liquid. By my
Invention I shorten the coils and arrange them in such a way that the whole of
the coil at any particular level in the pan is fully effective whenever the charge
of liquid covers such coil and steam is turned on.
And, in order that my said Invention and the manner of performing the same
may be properly understood I hereunto append a sheet of explanatory drawings to
be hereinafter referred to and showing a common form of vacuum pan as made
with my improvements.
Figure, 1, on the accompanying sheet of drawings is a vertical section; and
figure, 2, is a horizontal half section showing one modification of my improvements
as applied to a vacuum pan having a conical bottom and an upper cylindrical
part. Figure, 3, is a partial horizontal section showing a second modification of
a detail to be hereinafter referred to. In these drawings the same reference letters
are used to mark the same or like parts wherever they are repeated.
In a vacuum pan constructed with my improvements as shown in figures 1,
and 2, there are several outer and inner concentric convolutions or coils of pipes, A,
heated by steam; the coils in the upper cylindrical part, B, of the vacuum pan
extending, each, about twice round the pan, whilst of those in the bottom conical
part, C, the inner coils extend in order in more convolutions and lower than the
outward ones in a manner to occupy the conical space. All the concentric coils, A,
at any one level receive the steam separately from a horizontal steam box, D,
extending from the side of the pan towards the centre, and communicating
through the side with an external steam supply pipe (not shown). Similarly a
horizontal draining box, E, for each of the two concentric coils of pipes, A, shown
in figure, 1, as being in the upper cylindrical part, B, of the pan, receives separately
from the coils water due to condensation in the coils and leads it into a discharge
pipe, F, or G. The draining box, E, for each of the two sets of concentric coils
referred to is in a separate piece from the steam box, D, and each of the two
boxes, E, is in the same Korizontal plane with the steam box of the next lower
set of coils. Or, as shown in figure, 3, the draining box, E, of one horizontal set
of coils, A, may be made in one casting or piece with the steam box, D, of the
next lower set. The drain box, H, figure 1, for those coils, A, which occupy the

page_text: conical space, C, as hereinbefore described, is a separate casting or piece extending
down one side of such space, the end of the inner coil entering such box, H,
at the lower part and the other convolutions in order having each one less coil
than the preceeding inner one enter the box at a correspondingly higher point.
The lengths and numbers of convolutions of the coils may be varied in different
cases to suit the particular construction of vacuum pan or other apparatus to
be heated.
With the construction hereinbefore described the heating action will be more
efficient and uniform than in existing arrangements, owing to the parts of the
pipes, A, receiving separate portions of steam being of only moderate length.
With the separate horizontal steam boxes, D, one above the other, the admission
of steam at the various heights can be separately controlled to suit the quantity
cf liquid in the pan at any time, and both outer and inner coils at each level are
equally effective.
The pipes of the coils are preferably arranged so as to be vertically each directly
over the pipes of the next lower tier and with a wide space between each tier so
as to facilitate the ascension of the steam formed in the liquid to the surface, thus
causing a rapid circulation thereby increasing the transmission of heat to the
liquid to a considerable extent as well as facilitating cleaning operations.
The steam pipes, A, are supported by frames or brackets in a usual manner
these supports being however omitted to simplify the drawings.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
In a vacuum pan or other apparatus heated by steam pipes arranging several
outer an dinner concentric convolutions or coils of steam pipes, all the concentric
coils at any one level receiving steam separately from a horizontal steam box and
draining into boxes placed to suit the lengths numbers and positions of the
convolutions substantially as and for the purposes herein before described, and as
shown in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this twenty first day of October. 1897.
EDMUND HUNT.
Applicant's Agent