US90542A - Improvement in steam-engine condensers - Google Patents

Description

flthited gratte stent 691mm.

JOHN HOUPT, OF SPRINGTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA.

Letters Patent No. 90,542, dated May 25, 1869.

IMPROVEMENT 1N STEAM-ENGINE .coNDENsERs The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making of the same.

a full, clear, and exactdescription of the same.

My invention consists of certain improvements, fully described hereafter, in condensers and valves, to be used in connection with the steam-engine for which Letters Patent were allowed to me on the 19th day i of February, A. D. 1869.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will now proceed to describe its construction and operation, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, which forms a part of this specification, and in whichy Figure l is a vertical sectional view of sufdcient of a steam-engine to illustrate my improvements;

Figure 2, a sectional plan view of the same, on the line 1-2, fig. 1; and

Figure 3, a section on the line 3 4, tig. 1.

The condensing-apparatus represented in the drawing consists of a casing of thin metal, the interior of which is divided by a partition, b, into two compartments, A and A', the former of which is merely4 a 'steam-reservoir, while the latter and largest compartment forms the condenser proper.l v

Exhaust steam from the engine is admitted into the compartment A through a pipe, B, provided with a valve, G, which forms an important part of my invention, and will be fully described hereafter; vand at the top of the compartment A is a safetyvalve, b', of ordinary construction, for permitting the escape of steam from the said compartment, should it at any time become overcharged.

A number of horizontal tapering tubes, D, contained entirely within the compartment A of the condenser, is secured to the partition b, in such a manner that they shall communicate with the interior of the compartment A,- and each of the said tubes is perforated with small holes throughout the entire length, and is provided, at its outer cud, with a perforated bulb or rose c. v

FF F are rows of vertical tubes secured to thtl top ofthe condenser, and projecting downward into the compartment A' of the same, between and on each side of the rows of horizontal tubes,V D. These tubes F are open at their upper ends, but should be wholly or in part closed at the bottom, and all of them are perforated with small holes throughout their entire length, in the same manner as'the tubes D.

h It* h2 are vertical plates, so arranged within the compartment A that they shall direct currents of air and steam through the same in a circuitous course, as hereafter described; and extending between the plate hl and partition b, at a point beneath the pipes D, is

l an inclined partition, fi, provided with anopening, cov- `ered by a valve or damper, j, operated from without the apparatus by arod,'j. (See iig. 1.)

At the top, and at one end of the compartment A', is arranged an exhausting-fan, G, and' at the bottom of the said compartment are pipes, m, ml, and m2, for

carrying off the water of condensation, &c., as hereafter explained.

The operation of the condenserjs as follows:

Motion being communicated to the fan G, a partial vacuum is produced within the apparatus, causing air to enter at the upper ends of the tubes F, and to pass 4through the perforations of the same, in'numerous` small jets, the whole forming acurrent, which is direct'ed, by the plates h, h1, and h2, in the course of the arrows,"1ig. l, towards the fan. 4

The exhaust steam drst enters the compartment or receiver A, where its pressure is somewhat equalized, and passes thence into the compartment A', through the horizontal tubes D, it issuing-from the perforations of the latter, and from the roses or bulbs c of the same, in numerous small jets, and becoming thoroughly commingled with the jets of cold air from the tube F, by which it is rapidly condensed.

The partitions 'or deflecting-plates h, h, and h, cause the combined air and steam to take the circuitous course before described, so that the greater portion of the steam may become condensed, and fall to the bottom of the apparatus, before the currents reach the fan, and are expelled by the same through the discharge-pipe g.

The object of the partition t, beneath thepipes D,

is to prevent the hot steam, as it emerges from the latter, fromcoming in contact with and vaporizing the condensedsteam water at the bottom of the appa'- ratus; and the valve j, which can remain partially open, permits the escape of any water which may accumulate upon the said partition.

The condensed-steam water is drawn o, from time to time, through the pipe m, and may be used as feedwater for the boiler, and the overflow-pipe m prevents more than a certain quantity of water to accumulate in the apparatus, if it should not be drawn oi through the pipe m.

In the steam-engine forv which Letters Patent were allowed to me on the 19th day of February, 18,69, a method was described for eiectually condensing highpressure exhaust steam, by passing it into two condensers instead dof one, as heretofore.

The first condenser was to receive all of the exhaust steam above a certain pressure, when a valve was closed, and a second condenser permitted'to exhaustthe remainder of the steam, and to produce the required vacuum in the steam-cylinder.

My present invention is intended principally to be used in connection with the above arrangement, for

receiving and condensing the first portion of the exhaust steam, the valve O in the supply-pipe forming,-

nected to the slotted end of a rod, o, which receives i its motion from an eccentric on the main shaft of the engine, and a spring, t, bearing against the lower arm of the lever n, has a constant tendency to retain the valve upon its seat.I

The valve is operated by means of the rod lr, atthe moment exhaust steam is to be passed into the con denser, and when the pressure of the steam has been sufficiently reduced, the valve is closed by means of, the spring t, (the end of the eccentric rod being s lotted, as above mentioned, to permit this independent action of the spring.)

My object in thus operating it being closed before the pressure cf the steamis sul ciently reduced, which might occur if the valve was operatedby the rod alone.

I claim as my Letters Patentinvention, and desire to secure by the Valve is to prevent through which steam is discharged, and perforated pipes F, communicating with the external air, substantially as described. I

2. The arrangement of the compartments A and A', perforated tubes D and Fa'nd fan G, thewhole being constructed substantially as set forth.

witnesses.

- JOHN HOUPT.

Witnesses:

E. H. BAILEY, LOUIS BoswELL.

1. A casing, into which project perforated tubes D, y

3. The combination ofthe compartmentsA and A',

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