IMPROVEMENTS IN CONDENSING AND DISTILLING APPARATUS, SUCH IMPROVEMENTS BEING APPLICABLE TO REFRIGERATING PURPOSES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas James Rayner, of 123, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CONDENSING
AND DISTILLING APPARATUS, SUCH IMPROVEMENTS BEING APPLICABLE TO
REFRIGERATING PURPOSES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas James Rayner at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 15th January 1881.
THOMAS JAMES RAYNER, of 123, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN CONDENSING AND DISTILLING APPARATUS, SUCH IMPROVE-
MENTS BEING APPLICABLE TO REFRIGERATING PURPOSES."
My Invention relates to an improved combination or arrangement of apparatus
for condensing and distilling sea. or other water or liquids, and for cooling or
refrigerating the same.
It consists in the use of one or more series of flat coils forming a continuous
spiral chamber made of thin copper or other metal plating arranged vertically or
inclined, the several coils being placed at any suitable radial distances apart and
closed at the top and bottom. This continuous spiral chamber terminates at the
centre of its coils in a tube or pipe for the purpose hereafter described.
The above portion of my apparatus is mounted in a suitable condensing vessel, at
one end of which cold sea or other water or liquid is admitted by an inlet pipe,
valve cock, or nozzle, to which is attached an auxiliary pipe inside the vessel bent
downwards so as to direct the water against the bottom of the vessel, from which
it is deflected, and circulating through the condensing vessel and through the spaces
between the coils of the spiral chamber, keeps the flat surfaces of the latter cold,
finally passing away by an outlet or overflow pipe, valve, or cock at the other end
of the condensing vessel.
To the outer and upper end of the spiral coils or chamber is fitted a pipe, valve,
or nozzle through which the steam from the sea or other water or liquid to be
condensed or distilled enters the spiral coils or chamber, and circulating round it

page_text: becomes condensed or distilled by contact with its cold surfaces, and passes away as
cold fresh water or other liquid down the central pipe of the chamber and through
a pipe or other passage to the outside of the condensing vessel to waste, or for
use as required.
The advantages of this apparatus are that a larger relative condensing surface is
obtained than with condensers hitherto used, and being a continuous coil or
chamber the flow of the steam is more perfect and circulates more freely through
the apparatus.
The cold condensing water is thoroughly circulated through the condensing
vessel, and being first deflected from the bottom of the latter comes in contact with
every portion of the coil or condensing chamber instead of only partially as at
present.
This apparatus is simple in its construction, easily fitted together or disconnected,
and is admirably adapted for use on board sailing or other ships.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Thomas James Rayner in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
14th July 1881.
THOMAS JAMES RAYNER, of 123, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN CONDENSING AND DISTILLING APPARATUS, SUCH IMPROVE-
MENTS BEING APPLICABLE TO REFRIGERATING PURPOSES."
My Invention relates to an improved combination or arrangement of apparatus
for condensing and distilling sea or other water or liquids, and for cooling or
refrigerating the same.
It consists in the use of one or more series of flat coils forming a continuous
spiral chamber made of thin copper or other metal plating arranged vertically or
inclined, the several coils being placed at any suitable radial distances apart, and
closed at the top and bottom. This continuous spiral chamber terminates at the centre
of its coils in a tube or pipe for the purpose hereafter described.
The above portion of my apparatus is mounted in a suitable condensing vessel,
at one end of which cold sea or other water or liquid is admitted by an inlet pipe,
valve, cock, or nozzle, to which is attached an auxilliary pipe inside the vessel,
bent downwards so as to direct the water against the bottom of the vessel, from
which it is deflected, and circulating through the condensing vessel and through
the spaces between the coils of the spiral chamber, it keeps the flat surfaces of the
latter cold, finally passing away by an outlet or overflow pipe, valve, or cock at
the other end of the condensing vessel. To the outer and upper end of the spiral
coils or chamber is fitted a pipe, valve, or nozzle through which the steam from the
sea or other water or liquid to be condensed or distilled enters the spiral coils or
chamber, and circulating round it becomes condensed or distilled by contact with
its cold surfaces, and passes away as cold fresh water or other liquid down the
central pipe of the chamber, and through a pipe or other passage to the outside of
the condensing vessel to waste, or for use as required.
The advantages of this apparatus are that a larger relative condensing surface
is obtained than with condensers hitherto used, and being a continuous coil or
chamber the flow of the steam is more perfect and circulates more freely through
the apparatus.
The cold condensing water is thoroughly circulated through the condensing
vessel, and being first deflected from the bottom of the latter comes in contact
with every portion of the coil or condensing chamber instead of only partially as at
present; this apparatus is simple in its construction, easily fitted together or discon-
nected, and is admirably adapted for use on board sailing or other ships.
In the accompanying Drawings, Fig. 1 represents a vertical section, and Fig. 2
a sectional plan of a condenser according to my Invention suitable for condensing
steam, so as to obtain fresh distilled water or for condensing other vapour. Within
a vessel V is placed an upper condensing coil E and a lower cooling coil F. Each
of those coils consists of thin copper or other metal sheet wound round in volute
form in two thicknesses at a little distance apart, so as to constitute a continuous
volute inner space between the two thicknesses of each convolution, and a con-
tinuous volute outer space between each convolution and the next. The outer
space has in it upright bars G at intervals apart, these constituting stays to keep
the convolutions at the proper distance apart; each stay G may extend the whole
length of the coil, but I prefer them in short lengths, separated by intervals, so as
to allow more freedom of circulation between the convolutions. The inner volute
space of each coil is closed at top and bottom by a volute bar, to which the sheet
metal is brazed or soldered. The upper coil E receives in its interior space steam

page_text: conveyed to it by the pipe A, which steam becomes condensed within it, and the
water of condensation flows by a slit into a central pipe H, by which it descends
to the lower coil F. By another slit h¹ in the pipe H the water of condensation
enters the inner space of the lower coil F, and being cooled therein issues by the
pipe B. Cold water supplied to the lower part of the vessel V by a pipe C Hows
up the spaces between the convolutions of the coils, cooling them, and issues from
the top of the vessel by a pipe D. Although I have shewn two separate coils E
and F, the one for condensation and the other for cooling, a single coil will generally
suffice, particularly where condensation alone is required, as when the condenser is
used for a steam engine, or when cooling of liquid alone is required, as when the
apparatus is applied for refrigerating purposes, such as cooling wort, the liquid to
be cooled being in that case admitted at A, as described with reference to steam.
The apparatus may obviously be employed as a feed heater, the waste steam of an
engine or part of it being transmitted through the coil whilst the feed water is
made to pass upwards through the spaces between its convolutions.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I claim,-
The construction of a condenser or cooler by winding two thicknesses of sheet
metal in volute form so as to present a continuous inner volute space for steam or
vapour to be condensed or liquid to be cooled, and a continuous volute outer space
between the successive convolutions for the passage of the cooling liquid, sub-
stantially as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas James Rayner, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty-one.
T. J. RAYNER. (L.S.)