Improvements in and connected with Steam Engines.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Apr., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 25th Jan., 1897-Accepted, 27th Mar., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Steam Engines.
I, PAUL GIFFARD, of 7, Rue, Delaborde, Paris, in the Republic of France, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to an installation comprising a steam engine, generator and
condenser in which all the parts are grouped in a very limited space without risk
of explosion and the consumption of coal is reduced to about th of what is in
ordinary engines.
According to my invention I instantaneously produce superheated and
desaturated steam weighing only about th of a gramme per litre by means of a
coil of pipe having a multiplicity of interior surfaces and water-dividing channels,
the said steam circulating in a closed passage or chamber and condensing on metal
surfaces and collecting in a reservoir also immersed in cold water and in which an
air pump the volume of which varies from both to rooth of that of the motor
cylinder causes a permanent and almost absolute vacuum.
The heat lost during the expansion of the steam is restored by the motor
cylinder which is directly heated by the hot gases from the furnace.
The water to be vaporised, drawn into the condenser by the feed-pump, is
forced by the latter into the generator-coil at each stroke of the motor piston and
each injection produces, exactly, the weight of superheated steam necessary for the
normal working of the engine."
This feed-pump effectually regulates the speed of the engine and also ensures
its immediate stoppage; it is only necessary either to more or less close the cock
applied to the said pump and through which the water returns to the condenser,
according to the speed it is desired to impart to the engine, or to completely open
it so as to cause the feed to cease and stop the engine.
A centrifugal governor can be applied to this feed-regulating cock.
The engine, which is single acting, is started by giving several turns to the
fly wheel, or by a special water injecting pump, actuated by hand for large
engines.
The frame which is of the form usual in a vertical engine comprises three
principal superposed parts; the cast iron base resting upon the ground and forming
a quadrangular truncated pyramid; the motor cylinder forming a rectangular
cold water tank resting on the base to which it is firmly bolted; and the upper
cold water tank in which is located the condenser, and which rests on four hollow
columns fixed on the upper part of the first named tank. The two tanks are in
direct communication through the hollow columns and thus form a veritable
hermosyphon.
Upon the upper plate of the first tank are bolted two brackets on which rests
the motor shalt which bas keyed to one of its ends a fly wheel and at the other
end the pulley which transmits the power to the machine or the like to be
Iriven.
The ash-pit placed beneath the grate occupies the lower part of the engine and
he furnace having its sides formed of a protecting casing has its door situated in
one of the sides of the base.
The flue for the escape of the gases from the furnace commences at the upper.
art of the base of the engine.
The generator-coil is placed directly in the furnace and rests upon the grate.
t consists of a thick jointless tube of wrought iron or steel wound into, a spiral.

page_text: form; in the interior of this tube are introduced small rods of drawn aluminium
bronze, which rods are pressed into contact with one another so that the injected
water is compelled to divide into as many streams as there are passages between
the rods. By this arrangement I obtain a multiplicity of internal surfaces giving
rise to a vaporisation at least ten times greater than with an ordinary coil; moreover,
all these small metal rods help to consolidate the coil and, by conductibility,
equalize all the temperatures created.
The lower part of the coil receives the feed water injected through a tube;
the upper part of the said coil is directly bolted to the casing of the valve which
admits steam to the cylinder.
The joint between the coil and the admissiou-valve casing is formed by a
washer of asbestos or india-rubber and asbestos fitted closely over the end of the
coil; the said washer is secured by a closing plate which is fixed by two strong
bolts to the valve casing.
The elastic washer embedded on all sides is thus rendered incompressible and
can besides expand under the effects of pressure. In all cases it ensures an
absolutely tight joint.
The motor cylinder forming the first cold water tank is of cast iron or steel;
this cylinder, perfectly smooth in the interior, is bolted on to another cylinder of
aluminium bronze of the same diameter. A washer of asbestos or india-rubber
and asbestos serves to prevent the heat from passing to the upper part of the
cylinder. The lower cylinder of aluminium bronze has a convex bottom which is
directly acted upon by the heat from the furnace; this cylinder is provided with
two chambers cast therewith and forming the casings of the distributing valves of
the superheated steam.
One chamber encloses the inlet valve directly mounted upon the end of a long
rod which is connected at its upper end to the rod of an eccentric upon the motor
shaft. The valve is kept to its seat, which must be perfectly ground, by a spiral
spring compressed between the upper face of the cylinder and a collar on the rod.
The eccentric causes the valve to open at the required moment. The rod of the
valve passes through a stuffing box secured by a metal plate screwed on to the
motor cylinder which prevents any loss of steam and entry of air.
A port allows the steam to pass to the lower part of the motor piston and on the
lowering of the valve receives the said steam from the generator coil.
The other chamber encloses the outlet valve which is operated by an eccentric
on the shaft and which, through the mediam of a passage and a pipe, causes
communication between the lower part of the motor cylinder and the coil of the
condenser.
The motor piston is formed of a hollow cylinder cast in bronze or steel, sliding
freely in the motor cylinder and provided at its upper part with a circumferential
groove in which are placed two rings of soft or semi-hard india-rubber. These
rings are placed one over the other concentrically and slightly compressed in the
cylinder; the result of this is that, under the pressure of the steam and vacuum,
the rings in being pressed one against the other form a hermetic joint. The
frictional surface is also as small as possible and the wear of the semi-hard ring
insignificant.
The piston is partitioned and filled at its lower part with powdered asbestos in
order to prevent conduction of heat. Similarly a metal plate bolted to the partition
and on which is jointed the motor connecting rod encloses an asbestos washer serving
to prevent the conduction of heat.
"The steam in escaping from the motor cylinder passes to the condenser which
consists of a cooling coil entirely immersed in the upper cold water tank. The
water condensed in the coil collects in a water vessel completely immersed in the
water of the tank.
Previous to working the said vessel is half filled with water, the filling being
effected through an aperture closed by a screw stopper which also allows of
ascertaining the level of the water during the working of the engine.

page_text: The water is drawn up into the said vessel by the feed-pump and injected in
suitable quantity and at each stroke of the piston into the generator-coil.
The feed-pump is placed on the upper face of the motor cylinder and directly
driven by an eccentric on the motor shaft. It consists of a metal piston freely
sliding in an inner cylinder and passing through a stuffing box. The lower end of
the pump body is closed by a valvo formed of a sphere of metal or of hard india-
rubber kept to its seat by a spiral spring.
The feed water coming from the condenser enters the pump body through a pipe
and can return to the condenser when the feed is stopped through a return pipe
opened and closed by a cock. While tho cock is closed the water is sent to the
generator-coil through the feed-pipe. As I have already explained this pump
absolutely regulates the speed of the engine and also ensures its immediate
stoppage. A centrifugal governor can be directly applied to the regulating cook.
The atmospheric vacuum pump or air pump applied to my engine is designed to
produce an almost perfect vacuum in the condenser; its dimensions are much
smaller than those of similar pumps as usually employed.
Its volume varies from both to roboth of the volume of the motor cylinder
instead of being th to th as in ordinary steam engines.
This vacuum pump is placed on the upper surface of the motor cylinder and
directly driven by an eccentric. It comprises a piston sliding freely in a
permanently fixed cylinder. The piston has a circular groove in which is loosely
placed a leather or india-rubber ring. Small holes form a communication between
the groove and the interior of the bollow piston and serve to allow the air to
escape. The action of the piston will be easily understood, the ring bearing
alternately on the two sides of the groove. A perfectly tight joint is thus provided.
The bottom of the cylinder is closed by a valvo through which the air is drawn
in, which valve is perfectly ground to its seat and retained by a nut which brings
it back by its own weight. A passage communicates with the water vessel of the
condenser.
A so called condensation valve can be placed either at the base of the generator-
coil or upon the chamber which admits steam to the cylinder; it is designed to
maintain an equal pressure in the motor cylinder at the moment steam is admitted
and water is injected into the coil. It comprises a cylindrical case of bronze
and an aluminium bronze disc kept constantly to its seat by a spiral spring guided
by suitable projections. The lower part of the casing is fixed over the coil or
the admission chamber; an indin-rubber washer makes a tight joint whilst the
upper part of the said chamber is closed by a cover forming a joint and carrying
a short tube serving to conduct the steam back into the condenser when the normal
pressure is exceeded. A vacuum gauge serves to indicate at any moment the
atmospheric vacuum obtained during the working of the engine and consequently
gives the exact value of the atmospheric pressure exerted on the motor piston
during its descent in its cylinder.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in and connected with Steam Engines.
I, PAUL GIFFARD, of 7, Rue Delaborde, Paris, in the Republic of France,
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 un installation comprising a steam engine, generator

page_text: th of
and condenser in which all the parts are grouped in a very limited space
without risk of explosion and the consumption of coal is reduced to about
what it is in ordinary engines.
According to my invention ] instantaneously produce superheated and desaturated
steam weighing only about th of a gramme per litre by means of a coil of pipe
having a large extent of heating surface and water-dividing channels, the said
steam circulating in a closed passage or chamber and condensing on metal surfaces
and collecting in a reservoir also immersed in cold water and in which an air
pump the volume of which varies from both to 1000th of that of the motor
cylinder causes a permanent and almost absolute vacuum.
The heat lost during the expausion of the steam is restored by the motor cylinder
which is directly heated by the hot gases from the furnace.
The water to be vapourized, drawn into the condenser by the feed-pump, is
forced by the latter into the generator-coil at each stroke of the motor piston and
each injection produces, exactly, the weight of superheated steam necessary for the
normal working of the engine.
This feed-pump effectually regulates the speed of the engine and also ensures its
immediate stoppage; it is only necessary either to more or less close the cock
applied to the said pump and through which the water returns to the condenser,
according to the speed it is desired to impart to the engine, or to completely open
it so as to cause the feed to cease and stop the engine.
A centrifugal governor can be applied to this feed-regulating cock.
The engine, which is single acting, is started by giving several turns to the fly
wheel, or by a special water injecting pump, actuated by hand for large engines.
In the accompanying drawing,-
Figure 1 an elevation of steam engine and parts connected therewith constructed
according to my invention:
Figure 2 is a vertical section on the line 1-2 of Figure 1:
Figure 3 is a sectional plan the section being taken on the line 3-4 of
Figure 2:
Figure 4 is a vertical section, drawn to a larger scale, of the feed pump :
Figure 5 is a section, also drawn to a larger scale, of the air or vacuum pump :
Figure 6 is a vertical section of the condensation valvo:
Figure 7 is a transverse section drawn to a larger scale of the generator coil..
The frame which is of the form usual in a vertical engine comprises three principal
superposed parts; the cast iron base A resting upon the ground and forming a
quadrangular truncated pyramid; the motor cylinder B forming a rectangular cold
water tank B resting on the base to which it is firmly bolted; and the upper cold
water tank C in which is located the condenser, and which rests on four hollow
columns a, a, a, a fixed on the upper part of the tauk B'. The two tanks C and B
are in direct communication through the hollow columns and thus form a
thermosyphon.
Upon the upper plate of the tank B' are bolted two brackets D, D in which
turns the driving shaft M which has keyed to one of its ends a fly wheel V and at
the other end the pulley which transmits the power to the machine or the like to
be driven.
The ash-pit F1 placed beneath the grate G occupies the lower part of the engine
and the furnace having its sides formed of a protecting casing c has its door
situated in one of the sides of the base A.
The flued for the escape of the gases from the furnace commences at the upper
part of the base A of the engine.
The generator-coil S is placed directly in the furnace F and rests upon the
grate G. It consists of a thick jointless tube of wrought iron or steel wound into
a spiral form; in the interior of this tube are introduced small rods e of drawn
aluminium bronze, which rods are pressed into contact with one another so that the
injected water is compelled to divide into as many streams as there are passages
between the rods as illustrated in Figure 7. By this arrangement I obtain a

page_text: multiplicity of internal surfaces giving rise to a vaporisation at least ten times
greater than with an ordinary coil; moreover, all these small metal rods help to
consolidate the coil and, by conductibility, equalize all the temperatures created.
The feed water is injected through a tnbe into the lower part of the coil; the
upper part of the said coil is directly bolted to the casing of the valve which
adinits steam to the cylinder.
The joint between the coil and the admission-valve casing is forined by n
washer of asbestos, or india-rubber and asbestos, fitted closely over the end of
the coil; the said washer is secured by a closing plate which is fixed by two
strong bolts to the valve casing.
The elastic washer i embedded on all sides is thus rendered incompressible and
can besides expand under the offects of pressure. In all cases it ensures an
absolutely tight joint.
The motor cylinder B forming the cold water tank B' is of cast iron or steel;
this cylinder, perfectly smooth in the interior, is bolted ou to another cylinder of
aluminium bronze of the same diameter. A washer B' of asbestos, or india-rubber
and asbestos, serves to prevent the heat from passing to the upper part of the
cylinder B. The lower cylinder B' of aluminium bronze has a convex bottom B
which is directly acted upon by the heat from the furnace; this cylinder B' is
provided with two chambers H and J cast therewith and forming the casings of the
superheated stenm distributing valves.
The chamber H encloses the inlet valve directly mounted upon the end of a
long rod which is connected at its upper end to the rod of an eccentric K upon
the driving shaft M. The valve his kept to its sent, which must be perfectly
ground, by a spiral spring & compressed between the upper face of the cylinder B
and a collar on the rod . The eccentric K causes the valve to open at the
required moment. The rod ' of the valve passes through a stuffing box secured
by a metal plate screwed on to the motor cylinder which prevents any loss of
steam and entry of air.
A port
allows the steam to pass to the lower part of the motor piston L and
on the lowering of the valve receives the said steam from the generator
coil S.
The other chamber J encloses the outlet valvej which is operated by an
eccentric K¹ on the shaft M and which, through the medium of a passage j' and a
pipe causes communication between the lower part of the motor cylinder and the
coil of the condenser.
The motor piston L is formed of a hollow cylinder cast in bronze or steel, sliding
freely in the motor cylinder B and provided at ite upper part with a circumferential
groove in which are placed two rings of soft or semi-hard india-rubber l'aud .
These rings are placed one over the other concentrically and slightly compressed in
the cylinder; the result of this is that, under the pressure of the steam and vacuum,
the rings in being pressed one against the other form a hermetic joint. The
frictional surface is also as small as possible and the wear of the semi-hard ring
insignificant.
The piston L is partitioned and filled at its lower part with powdered asbestos L¹
in order to prevent conduction of heat. Similarly a metal plate L' bolted to the
partition Land on which is jointed the connecting rod N encloses an asbestos
washer L serving to prevent the conduction of heat.
The steam iu escaping from the motor cylinder B passes to the condensor which
consists of the cooling coil T entirely immersed in the upper cold water tank C.
The water condeused in the coil collects in a water vessel T completely immersed
in the water of the tank.
Previous to working, the vessel T is balf filled with water, the filling being
effected through an aperture olosed by a screw stopper t which also allows of
ascertaining the level of the water during the working of the engine.
The water is drawn up into the vessel T by the feed-pump and injected 'in
suitable quantity aud at each stroke of the piston into the generator-coil S.

page_text: The feed-pump represented in detail at Figure 4, is placed on the upper face of
the motor cylinder B and directly driven by an eccentric Q on the driving
sbaft M. It consists of a metal piston R freely sliding in an inner cylinder R
and passing through a stuffing box R2. The lower end of the pump body is closed
by a valver formed of a sphere of metal or of hard india-rubber kept to its sent
by a spiral spring r¹.
The feed water coming from the condenser enters the pump body through a
pipe U and can return to the condenser when the feed is stopped through a return
pipe U opened and closed by a cock u. While the cock is closed the water is
sent to the generator-coil S through the feed-pipe f. As I have already explained
this pump absolutely regulates the speed of the engine and also ensures its
immediate stoppage. A centrifugal goveruor, not shewn in the drawing, can be
directly applied to the regulating cock u.
The atmospheric vacuum pump or air pump applied to my engine is designed to
produce an almost perfect vacuum in the condenser; its dimensions are much
smaller than those of similar pumps as usually employed.
Its volume varies from Thoth to Toogth of the volume of the motor cylinder instead
of being th to th as in ordinary steam engines.
This vacuum pump is placed on the upper surface of the motor cylinder B and
directly driven by an eccentric V. It comprises a piston X sliding freely in a
permanently fixed cylinder X. The piston X has a circular groover in which is
loosely placed a leather or india-rubber ring al (Figure 5). Small holes forin a
communication between the grooves and the interior of the hollow piston and
serve to allow the air to escape. The action of the piston will be easily under-
stood, the ring a bearing alternately on the two sides of the groove. A perfectly
tight joint is thus provided. The bottom of the cylinder a is closed by a valve
through which the air is drawn in, which valve is perfectly ground to its seat and
retained by a nut which brings it back by its own weight. A passage aud
pipe form communication with the water vessol T' of the condenser.
A so called condensation valve which is shewn in detail at Figure 6, can be
placed either at the base of the generator-coil or upon the chamber which admits
steam to the cylinder; it is designed to maintain an equal pressure in the motor
cylinder at the moment steam is admitted and water is injected into the coil. It
comprises a cylindrical case Y of bronze and an aluminium bronze disc y kept
constantly to its seat by a spiral spring y guided by suitable projections y³, y³.
The lower part of the casing Y is fixed over the coil or the admission chamber;
an india-rubber washer makes a tight joint whilst the upper part of the said
chamber is closed by a cover z forming a joint and carrying a short tube z¹ serving
to conduct the steam back into the condenser when the normal pressure is exceeded.
A vacuum gauge serves to indicate at any moment the atmospheric vacuum
obtained during the working of the engine and consequently gives the exact value
of the atmospheric pressure exerted on the motor piston during its descent in its
cylinder.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A vertical steam engine with its various parts superposed and grouped upon
one and the same frame, namely the boiler which is placed in the furnace and
formed of a coil of tube having a multiplicity of evaporating surfaces, the cylinder
in two parts placed above the boiler, tho horizontal driving shaft placed above the
cylinder and the condenser placed at the upper part of the apparatus, the wator
being introduced by the feed pump into the steam tight reservoir of the condenser
in which a permanent and almost complete vacuum is kept up by au air pump
having a capacity varying from one 100th to one 1000th of the motor cylinder, the
said water being then driven by the feed pump at each stroke of the motor piston

page_text: into the boiler where it instantly becomes vapourized and passes to the single
acting motor cylinder, substantially as herein before described.
2. In a steam engine such as is claimed in the preceding claiming clause a
generating coil formed of a thick metal tube filled with small aluminium bronze
rods forming a multiplicity of surfaces for the purpose of ensuring the instantaneous
vaporization of the water injected by the feed pump, substantially as herein before
described.
3. In a steam engine such as is claimed in the first claiming clause the single
acting cylinder in two parts connected together but having an asbestos washer
placed between them, the lower part which carries the inlet and outlet valves
being in direct contact with the gases of the furnace and the upper part being
surrounded by a large annular space which forms a cold water jacket, substantially
as bereinbefore described.
4. In a steam engine such as is claimed in the first claiming clause the hollow
piston filled with powdered asbestos and forming a joint by means of two bard
india-rubber rings concentrically juxtaposed in a groove in the said piston,
substantially as hereinbefore described.
5. In a steam engine such as is claimed in the first claiming clause the thermo-
syphon arrangement of cold water tank placed at the upper part of the apparatus
and in which the condenser is immersed in combination with the large annular
space forming a cold water jacket around the upper part of the motor cylinder,
substantially as herein before described.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, Loudon, Agents for the Applicant.