Improvements in the Construction of Condensers or Vessels for the Condensation of Steam and in the Application of Certain Apparatus Connected therewith for Obtaining Motive Power.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Oct., 1886.
Complete Left, 27th July, 1887.
Complete Accepted, 13th Sept., 1887.
Improvements in the Construction of Condensers or Vessels for the
Condensation of Steam and in the Application of Certain
Apparatus Connected therewith for Obtaining Motive Power.
I, WILLIAM WHITTLE, of 128 Cooper's Lane Smethwick, in the County of Stafford,
Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
I connect to the injection-pipe of the condenser of a steam engine, and place in
the interior of the said condenser, a hollow axle, capable of revolving in suitable
bearings, one of which being in the form of a cone, working in a seat on the end of
the injection-pipe, thus forming a water-tight joint between the injection-pipe and the
hollow axle, the other end of the axle passing through a stuffing-box in the opposite
side of the condenser, and projecting out sufficiently to carry a pulley, or wheel for
communicating motion for any useful purpose. From the said hollow axle I fix a
number of radial hollow arms, (forming what is known as Barker's Mill,) from the
extremity of each radial arm, the injection water issues with considerable force, for
the condensation of the steam, and owing to the reaction of the water in the arms, as
it is driven through the injection-pipe and apparatus into the vacuum, by the pressure
of the external atmosphere, a rapid rotary motion is thus obtained. I sometimes pass
the exhaust steam from the engine through a precisely similar arrangement, in con-
junction with the one above described, thereby increasing the power thereof. The
flow of the injection water into the condenser may also be made to act on the vanes
or floats, of a revolving wheel, or any similar apparatus.
Dated this 20th day of October 1986

page_text: Improvements in the Construction of Condensers or Vessels for the
Condensation of Steam and in the Application of Certain
Apparatus Connected therewith for Obtaining Motive Power.
I, WILLIAM WHITTLE, of 128 Coopers Lane Smethwick, in the County of Stafford,
Mechanical 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 :-
I connect to the injection pipe of the condenser of a steam engine, and place in
the interior of the said condenser, a hollow axle, capable of revolving in suitable
bearings, one of which, being in the form of a cone, working in a seat on the end
of the injection pipe, thus forming a water-tight joint between the injection-pipe
and the hollow axle. The other end of the axle passing through a stuffing box in
the opposite side of the condenser, and projecting out sufficiently to carry a pulley
or wheel, for communicating motion for any useful purpose. From the said hollow
axle, I fix a number of radial hollow arms, curved at the ends to a right angle
("forming what is known as Barker's Mill"). From the extremity of each radial
hollow arm, the injection water issues with considerable force, for the condensation
of the steam; and owing to the reaction of the water in the arms, as it is driven
through the injection pipe and apparatus into the vacuum by the pressure of the
external atmosphere, a rapid rotary motion is thus obtained. I sometimes pass the
exhaust steam from the engine through a precisely similar arrangement, in conjunction
with the one above described, thereby increasing the power thereof. The flow of
the injection water into the condenser may also be made to act on the vanes or floats
of a revolving wheel, or any similar apparatus.
I will now proceed to describe my invention more particularly by the aid of the
accompanying drawings: the letters referring to similar parts in each figure. Fig. 1,
is a section of a condenser, in which is placed a turbine to be actuated by the inflow
of the injection water. A is the injection pipe; the end of which is formed into a
concave seat; into which seat, the cone-shaped end of the hollow axle B, is made to
fit, forming a water-tight joint, the water passing through this hollow axle enters the
radial hollow arms C; escaping through the apertures I, I, at the extremities thereof,
thus producing a rapid rotary motion by the reaction of the water. D; is a solid
portion of the axle, continued through the stuffing box E; on the end of which axle
is fixed the pulley F; for transmitting motion, for any purpose for which it may be
required. Ĝ; is the exhaust pipe from engine, and H; is the pipe leading to air
pump. Fig. 2, is a cross section of condenser shewing end view of turbine. Fig. 3,
is a section of a condenser, showing an arrangement of a combined turbine placed
therein. The one part of the apparatus being actuated by the force of the injection
water in the manner above described, while the other part of the same is actuated by
the exhaust steam from the engine, as it enters the condenser. In this arrangement

page_text: the part of the axle marked D; is also hollow, and of a larger diameter than B;
for the purpose of giving a more free course for the delivery of the steam; as are also
the apertures, I*, at the extremities of the radial arms. A solid partition is made in
the central part of this hollow axle between the two sets of radial arms, so that the
steam, and water, are kept separate, and act independently of each other. The hollow
axle, or shaft, B, D; is kept in position by the collars K, K; while the ends work
each in a stuffing box, in the chambers R, R; T, T; are glands, for tightening the
packing, and are acted upon by the screws S, S; which pass through the chambers R, R;
The rotary motion is conveyed from the interior of the condenser, by the shaft, L,
and the mitre wheels, M; through the stuffing box, N:-Fig. 4 shows the principle
applied to an apparatus known as the "Vortex Turbine," Q; placed outside a
condenser. The water after passing through the turbine, falls upon a perforated
plate, as seen at 0, P ; fixed at the upper part of the interior of the condenser, thus
distributing the water in a shower, for the condensation of the steam.
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,
Firstly, the making use of the force contained in the flow of the injection water as
it enters a condenser for the condensation of steam; and the using such force for the
production of motive power, where a vacuum is formed.
Secondly, the arrangement of suitable apparatus to be actuated by the said force
contained in the flow of the said injection water into a vacuum, and,
Thirdly, in the arrangement of apparatus to be actuated by the flow of the
exhaust steam from an engine, as it enters a vacuum, in the condenser, for the obtaining
of motive power.
WILLIAM WHITTLE.