Improvements in and connected with Surface Condensers.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Jan., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 24th Oct., 1889-Accepted, 7th Dec., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Surface Condensers.
I, THOMAS COOPER, of Ryburgh, in the County of Norfolk, Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:
This invention relates to an improved construction of surface condenser in which
air is the cooling medium, the object of the improvements being to provide sufficient
surface to condense practically tlie whole of the exhaust steam from portable,
traction or tramway engines in such a compact form that the condenser can he
practically and usefully applied to the engines named; at the same time it will be
equally applicable to stationary or other engines.
In carrying ont my invention I construct or build up my improved surface
condenser of a number of thin sheets of metal of suitable size and shape; two of
such sheets are joined together at all edges so as to form an air tight shallow receptacle
or box hereinafter called a section. At suitable points connections (constructed as
hereinafter described) are provided for the inlet of steam to be condensed and for the
eduction of water.
A number of sections are placed in close proximity to each other, sufficient space
only being left between them for the passage of a current of air.
It will be obvious that the size, shape and number of sections will be determined
by the position the condenser has to occupy and the quantity of steam to be condensed.
The sections may be flat or curved or even a complete circle; in the latter case the
circular sections would be made of varying diameters so as to go one within the other,
air spaces being left the same as between the flat sections. In some cases the
sections are advantageously set vertically so that the spaces between forin flues and
cause a draught of air, but they can be placed in any convenient position and a
current of air passed through the spaces by an air propeller or fan. In portable,
traction or tramway engines the current of air is advantageously used to urge the
fire as practically all the exhaust steam being condensed there is no blast in the
chimney.
The thin sheets forming the sections are advantageously corrugated or stamped to
give them the necessary stiffness in themselves to withstand the required pressure or
may use flat sheets, the two sheets forming a section being kept at the proper
distance apart by pieces of metal of the thickness of the space being placed between
the sheets and a rivet put through the whole. The sheets may be any convenient
distance apart; in practice I have found about one eighth of an inch suitable for
condensers for engines of about eight horse power. To join the edges of flat sheets
1 flange and seam them together as is usual in metal working but when using
corrugated sheets I have found it advantageous to employ a strip of metal placed
between the sheets and passing all round, the whole being then rivetted together.
It will be obvious that the sections could be connected to a common source by
pipes joined to the edges but as these are very narrow the pipes would necessarily be
small and therefore proportionately larger in number, which in practice would be
objectionable.
I therefore provide a simple and efficient means of connecting the sections together
and to the sources of supply and delivery.
For this purpose I insert in a similar position in each section between the sheets,
a ring of suitable diameter and of T-section the leg of the T being outwards and
of the thickness of the space between the sheets; the projections on each side of the
part between the sheets pass through suitable holes in the sheets.
The part within the section is perforated with holes and through these holes (steam
or water as the ca may halo al nace

page_text: To connect a number of sections together and to the supply and delivery pipes I
place a ring of india rubber, metal or other suitable material between the sections and
opposite to the rings in the section; a bolt is passed through the centre of the whole
and also through suitable boxes at the ends for connecting steam or water pipes to.
The bolt is screwed up so that the india rubber rings make an air tight joint and thus
the rings in the sections and those between them form a tube with a large number of
small holes leading to each section.
Dated the 24th day of January 1889.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Surface Condensers.
I, THOMAS COOPER, of Ryburgh, in the county of Norfolk, Engineer, 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:-
This invention relates to an improved construction of surface condenser in which
air is the cooling medium, the object of the improvements being to provide sufficient
surface to condense practically the whole of the exhaust steam from portable, traction
or tramway engines in such a compact form that the condenser can be practically
and usefully applied to the engines named; at the same time it will be equally
applicable to stationary or other engines.
In the accompanying drawing,
Figures 1 and 2 are a side and end view respectively of one form of surface condenser
constructed according to my invention; and
Figure 3 is a section on the line a of figure 1.
Figure 4 is a view of a detail; and
Figure 5 is a modification of the same.
Figures 6 and 7 are a vertical section and plan respectively of a modified form of
surface condenser; and
Figures 8 to 11 are views of other details.
Similar reference letters indicate similar or corresponding parts throughout the
drawing.
I construct or build up my improved surface condenser of a number of thin sheots
of metal a, a (figures 1, 2 and 3) of rectangular shape as shown or of any other
suitable shape. These sheets are joined together at all edges in pairs, each pair
forming an air tight shallow receptacle or box hereinafter called a section." One
of the said "sections" is shown in section at figure 4.
Connections b, constructed as shown in plan and longitudinal section at figures 10
and 11 are provided at suitable points c, c¹ for the inlet of steam to be condensed and
for the eduction of water respectively.
"
A number of "sections
are placed in close proximity to each other, sufficient
spaces only being left between them for the passage of a current of air as shown
clearly in figures 2 and 3.
It will be obvious that the size, shape and number of "sections" will be determined
by the position the condenser has to occupy and the quantity of steam to be condensed.
"
The " sections may be flat as represented by figures 1 to 4 or curved or even a
33
"
are
complete circle as represented by figures 6 and 7; in the latter case the "sections
made of varying diameters as shown so as to go one within the other, air spaces d
being left the same as between the flat sections.
In some cases the " sections are advantageously set vertically as represented in
the drawing, so that the spaces & between, form flues and cause a draught of air,
but they can be placed in any convenient position and a current of air passed through
the spaces by an air propeller or fan. In portable, traction or tramway engines the

page_text: current of air is advantageously used to urge the fire, as practically all the exhaust
steam being condensed there is no blast in the chimney.
The thin sheets a, a forming the "sections" are advantageously corrugated or
stamped, as shown at figure 5, to give them the necessary stiffness in themselves to
withstand the required pressure or I may use flat sheets as shown at figures 1 to 3,
6 and 7, the two sheets forming a
" section" being kept at the proper distance apart
by metallic distance-pieces e of the thickness of the space being placed between the
sheets a, a and a rivet e put through the whole. The sheets may be any convenient
distance apart; in practice I have found about one eighth of an inch suitable for
condensers for engines of about eight horse power. To join the edges of flat sheets
I flange and seam them together as is usual in metal working but when using
corrugated sheets as shown at figure 5 I have found it advantageous to employ a
strip of metal placed between the sheets a, a and passing all round, the whole being
then rivetted together.
It will be obvious that the "sections" could be connected to a common source by
pipes joined to the edges, but as these are very narrow the pipes would necessarily
be small and therefore proportionately larger in number, which in practice would be
objectionable.
I therefore provide a simple and efficient means of connecting the " sections"
together and to the sources of supply and delivery.
For this purpose 1 insert in a similar position in each "section" between the
sheets a, a figures 1 to 3, 6 and 7 a ring 9 of suitable diameter and of T section the
leg of the T being outwards and of the thickness of the space between the said
sheets: the projections g¹ on each side of the part of the ring between the sheets
passing through suitable holes in the said sheets. Figures 8 and 9 represent a plan
and central section of one of the said rings.
The part within the "section" is perforated with holes g³ and through these holes
(steam or water, as the case may be) can freely pass.
To connect a number of "sections" together and to the supply and delivery pipes
I place one of the boxes or connections b at the point c and the other at the point c¹
either between any two of the " sections ร
as shown at figures 1 to 3, 6 and 7 or at
the outside of the series of the said ek sections." 61, b¹ are packing rings of asbestos
or other suitable material. I then place a ring of india-rubber, metal or other
suitable material between each of the remaining sections" and the rings g in the
said "sections"; a bolt i being passed through the centre of each box 6 and its
series of rings g and h and also through suitable plates or washers j at the ends for
connecting the "sections" and boxes & together. The bolt is screwed up by a nut k,
so that the india-rubber rings make an air-tight joint, and thus the rings g in the
"sections 23
and rings h between them form a tube with a large number of small
holes leading to each "section."
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-
The manufacture and use of surface condensers constructed and operating sub-
stantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.