Improvements in or relating to Apparatus for Collecting and Discharging Condensed Water.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd July, 1895
Complete Specification Left, 14th Jan., 1896-Accepted, 30th May, 1896.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Apparatus for Collecting and
Discharging Condensed Water.
A communication from ANTOINE MUSNICKI, of Brussels, in the Kingdom of
Belgium, Mechanical Engineer.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT, of 323, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex,
Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The essential feature of this invention is the utilisation of the weight of the
water, condensed from steam under greater or less pressure, to automatically open
a valve and effect its removal.
The special advantage gained is the visibility and consequent facility for
inspection of the chief parts of the apparatus, and especially during working-a
feature not hitherto attendant upon condensation apparatus as hitherto employed.
The construction of the device is as follows;-
To one arm of a balance-beam suitably pirotted in a standard or support a
receptacle or vessel in the form of a hollow cylinder, balloon, bell, or the like, is
attached; on the other arm of the beam is mounted a counterpoise.
The steam is admitted through a pipe in the standard, and proceeds thence
through a flexible pipe into the receptacle wherein the condensed water is formed
and deposited.
As soon
as a predetermined quantity and weight of condensed water has
accumulated in the receptacle, the latter sinks against the influence of the counter-
poise and operates a rod so as to open a valve to permit the escape of the
condensed water from the receptacle, through a second flexible pipe and outlet pipe
to the waste pipe.
The beam may be pivotted between centres on knife edges or in other
convenient manner and its swinging movement may be limited by set-screws.
The receptacle may be provided with a supplementary or subsidiary pipe
through which the air present in the receptacle, as well as any uncondensed steam
may escape.
The
The valve is preferably of the piston or plunger type the advantage of this over
a lifting-valve being in a not inconsiderable reduction of the flow of water.
before-mentioned rod carries the plunger-valve which opens and closes the outlet-
orifice, and establishes or interrupts the connection between the inlet and outlet of
the valve-casing. The outlet orifice also serves to keep the body of the plunger
counterbalanced, the pressure of the water acting on opposite sides of it.
It will be observed from the foregoing that the entry of steam into the receptacle
is facilitated by the air-relief pipe because the excess or uncondensed steam and
the displaced air ascend through the water.
The flexible tubes may be of any suitable material and construction.
In one construction of the apparatus the steam admission-pipes are vertically
arranged and the water-charged steam, entering at the upper opening, de posits the
condensed water on the bottom. of the receptacle and then ascends to the outlet
and passes off through a central-exhaust pipe, leaving the condensed water to

page_text: accumulate as before until the automatic discharge takes place at the bottom
outlet.
Dated this 22nd day of July 1895
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in or relating to Apparatus for Collecting and
Discharging Condensed Water.
A communication-from-ANTOINE=MUSNICKI, of Brussels, Kingdom of Belgium,
-Mechanical Engineer.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
Chartered Patent Agent, 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:—
The essential feature of this invention is the utilisation of the weight of the
water, condensed from steam under greater or less pressure, to secure its automatic
removal or being "drawn off."
The special advantage gained is the visibility and consequent facility for
inspection of the chief parts of the apparatus, and especially during working-a
feature not hitherto attendant upon condensation apparatus as hitherto employed.
The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings
in which:-
Figures 1 and 2 are elevations of the apparatus as seen from two different
points at right angles to each other, Figure 1 showing the apparatus complete and
Figure 2 with some of the parts removed, and
Figures 3 to 7 represent various details of the apparatus.
The construction of the device is as follows:-To one arm of a balance-beam h
is attached a receptacle or vessel C in the form of a hollow cylinder, balloon, bell
or the like, and on the other arm is mounted a counterpoise X. The pivot K
upon or by which the beam is pivotted is supported in a standard m.
The steam is admitted through a pipe A in the standard m and proceeds thence
through a flexible pipe E into the receptacle C wherein the condensed water is
formed and deposited.
As soon as a predetermined quantity and weight of condensed water has
accumulated in the receptacle, C, the latter sinks against the influence of the
counterpoise X and operates a rod c so as to open a valve d Figure 6 to permit the
escape of the condensed water from the receptacle C through a pipe M, a flexible
pipe N, an outlet pipe g and valve opening to the waste-pipe H.
Figure 3 represents a modification of the balance-beam in which the centre
knife edge or bearing is supported in an acute angled fork i.
In both arrange-
ments, Figures 1 and 3, the swinging movement of the beam may be limited by set
screws z. Instead of the arrangement shown in Figure 3 the pivot K of the
beam has shown in Figure 2 may be supported between centre bearings.
Figures 4 and 5 represent a plan and front elevation of the cover of the
receptacle C a and b showing the connections respectively with the flexible
steam-inlet pipe E, and with a supplementary or subsidiary pipe E' through
which the air present in the receptacle, as well as any uncondensed steam may
escape.
Figure 6 is a longitudinal section of the pistou or plunger-valve.
"The advantage of this form of valve over a lifting-valve is in there being a not
inconsiderable reduction of the flow of water. The before mentioned rod c'carries
the plunger-valve d which opens and closes the outlet-orifice f and thereby.

page_text: establishes or interrupts the connection between the pipes g and h. The outlet.
orifice falso serves to keep the body of the plunger counterbalanced, the pressure.
of the water acting on opposite sides of it as at f¹.
It will be observed from the foregoing that the entry of steam into the
receptacle is facilitated by the air-outlet pipe E¹ because the excess or uncondensed
steam and the displaced air ascend through the water entering through the pipe E..
The flexible tubes E and N may be of any suitable material and construction.
Figure 7 illustrates a special construction, in which the steam admission-pipes.
are vertical.
In this arrangement the water-charged steam, entering at the upper opening,.
deposits the condensed water on the bottom of the receptacle F and then ascends
to the outlet G and passes off through a central exhaust pipe H leaving the
condensed water to accumulate at the bottom.
The discharge or outlet-valve may be constructed in a different form from that
previously described, as shown for example in Figures 8 to 10. This form is.
distinguished from all such devices hitherto known by the valve being constructed
in the form of a hollow piston O' open at both ends; over the same, there is, in
the casing a space f³ communicating with the inside of the piston-valve by means
of openings f Beneath the piston-valve there is similarly a space f* which is in
free communication with the inside of the piston through the open end of the
latter.
The condensed water enters the piston-valve case at gl and passes through the
opening into the inside of the piston-valve; the mixed steam and water fills the
interior of the piston as well as the spaces ff and ƒ and passes out through ƒ³.
and to the discharge-outlet as shown in the Figure 8.
The openings (Figures 8 and 9) are so calculated and arranged, that in all
positions of the valve-piston, there may be always communication between g
and O'; while the opening creating a resistance to pressure, is so calculated and
arranged that, on the upstroke of the piston O₁ the communication by f³ is effected
so that it increases gradually, whereby all shock or concussion is avoided.
It is evident, that through this arrangement the side f³ of the piston is constantly
pressed against and makes water-tight contact against h¹ even when these contact
surfaces have become worn by continuous work.
This arrangement is consequently of material importance as the effective working
of the device for the removal or carrying away of condensed water, can only be
brought about, when it, to a certain extent, is in constant work, i.e., when the
valve-piston reciprocates constantly.
By these vibrations, which are extremely rapid, and attended by a high steam-
pressure exercised upon the rubbing surfaces, in all known apparatus of the kind
an extremely rapid wear is caused, resulting in very defective work.
The improved apparatus, herein before described, offers-in the arrangement of
the valve-case, separately considered as an independent organ or working part,
distinct from the pipes, levers and the reciprocating water-receptacle C and in the
special arrangement of the distributing or cut-off device inside the case itself, in
combination with the regulating device of the oscillation of the balance-beam -
such improvements as have been shown to be necessary by a more complete
knowledge of the defects of existing apparatus.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this said inven-
tion, as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In apparatus such as described a pivotted and counterpoised balance-beam h
and a piston-rod c and valve such as d in connection therewith outlet passages such
as ffg and ha condensed-water receptacle such as C with steam admission and
steam and air exhaust pipes such as E E¹ M and N all arranged and operating
5 substantially as and for the purpose described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.

page_text: 2. In apparatus such as described in Claim 1 the substitution for the separating
receptacle C of combined tubes and receptacle such as F G H substantially as
described and illustrated in Fig. 7 of the accompanying drawings.
3. The special form and construction of the discharge or outlet-valve sub-
stantially as described and illustrated-in Figures 8, 9 and 10 of the accompanying
drawings.
4. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting either of the complete
devices for collecting and discharging condensed water, substantially as herein before
described.
Dated this 4th day of December 1895.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.