Improvements in Automatic Distilling Apparatus.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd May, 1893--Accepted, 2nd June, 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Automatic Distilling Apparatus.
I, EDWIN RUUD, Mechanical Engineer, residing at No. 148 Centre Avenue, in
he City of Pittsburgh, County of Allegheny, State of Pennsylvania, and United
States of America, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
n and by the following statement:-
The object of my invention is to provide an apparatus of simple and inexpensive
construction, by the employment of which a supply of pure distilled water for
drinking and of hot water for domestic purposes, may be furnished, the appliance
being automatic in operation, and enabling the ordinary water back or other
means ordinarily employed to be dispensed with. To this end, my invention,
generally stated, consists in the combination of a boiler, a condenser provided with
supply and discharge connections, a gas burner located in position to heat the
boiler, a distilled water receptacle, a boiler float controlling the supply of water
from the condenser to the boiler, and a distilled water receptacle float controlling
the supply of gas to the burner. The improvement claimed is hereinafter fully
set forth.
The accompanying drawing is a vertical, central section through an automatic
distilling apparatus illustrating an application of my invention.
In the practice of my invention I provide a condenser 1, having a lower supply
connection 2, and an upper discharge connection 3, which may be secured to a
removable cap 4, closing the top of the condenser. The supply connection is
adapted to be connected with a main or primary supply pipe 5 leading from the
house water service pipe, and the discharge connection with a pipe 6 leading to a
hot water receptacle, as, for example, an ordinary range boiler. A boiler 7, which
may be conveniently made in spherical form, and composed of two sections connected
by flanges, as shown, is supported at a convenient distance below the condenser,
being, in the instance shown, screwed to a tubular projection 8, cast on the bottom
of the condenser, and open at its lower end to the boiler. A boiler supply pipe 9,
leads from the upper portion of the condenser, being, in this instance, secured to
a nozzle on the cap, to a port 10, in the upper portion of the boiler 7, which port
is controlled by a downwardly opening water feed valve 11, on the end of a
stem 12, the lower end of which is connected to a curved lever 13, which is
journalled, with the capacity of a limited degree of vibration, on a pin 14, fitted in
lugs on the inside of the boiler 7. It will be obvious that there is a practical
advantage in leading the boiler supply pipe 9 from the condenser, as shown, for
the reason that, by such connection, warmer water will be supplied to the boiler
than if the pipe 9 was led directly from the main supply pipe to the boiler. I do
not, however, desire to limit my invention to a construction in which such indirect
or intermediate connection is employed, as the pipe 9 may, if preferred, be led
directly from the main supply pipe 5 to the boiler, without, in any wise, involving
a departure from the essential principle of operation of the apparatus. A ball or
float 15, which is preferably of light sheet metal, and is of sufficient buoyancy to
float in water, is placed in the boiler, its curved upper surface fitting under the
curved portion of the lever 13, against which it bears when the water in the boiler
rises above a determined level, and thereby raises the lever 13 and the connected
valve stem 12 and water feed valve 11, seating the valve 11 and cutting off the
supply of water from the condenser to the boiler. The downward traverse of the

page_text: $
float 15, after it has effected the full opening of the valve 11, is suitably limited
by a fixed stop 21.
A delivery pipe 16, leads outwardly from the upper portion of the boiler 7,
being, in this instance, connected to the open ended tubular projection 8 of the
condenser, and passing through a suitably packed stuffing box 17, in the cap of
the condenser, is led through the condenser in a helical coil, or in the manner of
the worm of a still, so as to present as large an amount of condensing surface as
practicable, after which it is passed out of the condenser and led downwardly to a
lower distilled water receptacle 18, which is provided with a cover 19, and a
delivery cock 20.
Heat is applied to the boiler 7, for the generation of steam from water contained
therein, by a gas burner 22, to which gas is supplied from a gas service pipe 23,
delivering gas into a mixer 24, from which, with air which enters at the bottom of
the mixer, the gas passes into the burner and is ignited at its upper openings.
The gas burner is enclosed within an open bottomed casing 25, which is closed at
top by the boiler and is provided with an upper discharge opening or flue
connection 26. The flow of gas to the burner 22 is controlled by a gas supply
valve 27, on the upper end of a stem 28, the lower end of which is connected to a
lever 29, journalled, by a pin 30, to a lug or lugs on the inside of the distilled water
receptacle 18. The lever 29 is moved upwardly, so as to seat the valve 27, and cut
off the supply of gas to the burner, when the distilled water in the receptacle 18
has risen to a determined level, by a float 31, which rises and falls with the level of
the water in the receptacle 18. An igniting jet 32, which is kept continuously.
lighted during the operation of the apparatus, is connected to the gas supply
pipe 23, on the supply side of the valve 27, the opening of the jet being located in
position to ignite a mixture of gas and air passing out of the burner 22, and being
of such diameter that only a small gas flame is maintained at its outlet.
In order to admit of the escape of any excess of water which may leak into the
boiler when the apparatus is not in service, and thereby to prevent the entry of
such excess of water into the distilled water receptacle, an overflow pipe 33 is led
out of the bottom of the boiler, and, after being carried upwardly to a level near its
top, is connected with a suitable discharge. A. cock 34 in the lower portion of the
overflow pipe 33, is provided to admit of the periodical withdrawal of all water from
the boiler 7, to effect the removal of sediment or for other purposes. The proper
distance between the boiler and the distilled water receptacle 18 is maintained
by a rod or stem 35, which is, in this case, shown as connected to the cover 19 of
the receptacle and to an elbow on the overflow pipe 33.
In the operation of the apparatus, water admitted through the supply pipe 5 fills
the condenser 1, and thence passes, through the pipe 9 and port 11 into the boiler 7.
When the water has risen to the determined normal level in the boiler, the float 15,
through the lever 13 and stem 12, closes the valve 11 and shuts off the further
supply of water to the boiler. The gas being ignited at the openings of the
burner 22, the heat of its flame is applied to the boiler 7, evaporating the water
therein, the vapor of which passes out through the delivery pipe 16, and is
condensed by the cold water in the condenser, in its passage through the coils of
the pipe 16 therein. The condensed water passes through the downward extension
of the pipe 16 into the receptacle 18, and the water in the condenser which is
heated by the steam which it has condensed, rises in the condenser and is collected
in the ordinary kitchen hot water tank and used for domestic purposes, thus further
utilizing the heat of the gas flame.
As soon as the water in the receptacle 18 has risen to the determined level, the
float 31, through the lever 29 and stem 28, closes the valve 27, and shuts off the
supply of gas to the burner 22. The small flame at the igniting jet 22 remains
lighted, and, when sufficient distilled water has been drawn from the receptacle 18
to lower the float 31 below the determined level at which it closes the gas supply
valve 27, said float will re-open the valve 27, and the gas thereby permitted to flow

page_text: out of the openings of the burner 22 will be again. ignited by the flame at the
jet 32, and the operation of evaporation and condensation will be resumed and
continued, as before, until the float 31 has been again raised to its determined level
in the receptacle 18 by the supply of distilled water thereto, when the gas supply
will be again shut off, and the operation discontinued. It will thus be seen that
the action of the apparatus is entirely automatic, and that it will perform its
functions, in accordance with the conditions of delivery, so long as water is
supplied through the pipe 5.
It is well recognized that a large proportion of the cases of instant.
and
death in many communities, is due to the use of impure drinking-water, and that
no effective purification of the water is attained by filtration. My invention
provides, within a compass, and under a construction suitably and conveniently
adapted for domestic use, an automatically acting appliance by which a constant.
supply of pure water is furnished, and which economically utilizes the heat required
for distillation, in likewise providing a supply of hot water for washing and other-
household purposes.
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 combination, substantially as set forth, of a boiler, a water supply
connection leading thereinto, a condenser provided with water supply and discharge
connections, a gas burner located in position to heat the boiler, a distilled water
receptacle, a connection leading, through the condenser, from the boiler to said
receptacle, a boiler float controlling the supply of water to the boiler, and a.
distilled water receptacle float controlling the supply of gas to the burner.
2. The combination, substantially as set forth, of a boiler, a water supply
connection leading thereinto, a condenser provided with water supply and discharge
connections, a gas burner located in position to heat the boiler, a distilled water-
receptacle, a connection leading, through the condenser, from the boiler to said
receptacle, a boiler float controlling the supply of water to the boiler, a distilled
water receptacle float controlling the supply of gas to the burner, and an overflow
pipe leading from the lower portion of the boiler to or near its top and then to a.
lower level.
3. The combination, substantially as set forth, of a condenser provided with
water supply and discharge connections, a boiler, a supply pipe leading from the
condenser to the boiler, a water feed valve controlling said supply pipe, a lever
journalled on the inside of the boiler and connected to the stem of said valve, a
float within the boiler bearing against said lever at a determined water level, a
delivery pipe leading from the boiler and through the condenser to a lower point
of discharge, a distilled water receptacle located in position to receive the discharge
from the delivery pipe, a gas burner located in position to heat the boiler, a gas.
supply valve controlling the flow of gas to the burner, a lever journalled inside
the distilled water receptacle and connected to the stem of said valve, and a float.
within said receptacle bearing against said lever at a determined water level.
4. The combination, substantially as set forth, of a boiler, a condenser provided
with water supply and discharge connections, a gas burner located in position to
heat the boiler, a distilled water receptacle, a boiler float controlling the supply of
water from the condenser to the boiler, a distilled water receptacle float controlling
the supply of gas to the burner, and an igniting jet located adjacent to the burner.
5. The combination, substantially as set forth, of a boiler, a water supply pipe.
leading thereinto, a gas burner located in position to heat the boiler, a delivery
pipe having condensing coils and leading from the boiler to a lower point of
discharge, a distilled water receptacle located in position to receive the discharge
from the delivery pipe, a boiler float controlling the supply of water to the

page_text: boiler, and a distilled water receptacle float controlling the supply of gas to the
burner.
Dated at Pittsburgh Pa. ILS A this First day of April A D 1893