EXPLANATION OF THE PLATES.
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“My invention does not consist in the novelty of any one of the five apparatus
hereinafter mentioned, but in the combination of the whole five, or at least three out of
the five, within proper proportions, (as hereinafter described,) as regards the first three,
which I have found by experience to be beneficial, and from the want of knowing
and observing which I have reason to believe that all persons who have made
former attempts of the same nature have failed. I now proceed to describe the
above mentioned five apparatus, consisting of—
“ First, a sufficient quantity of metallic surfaces in the form of vessels, channels,
passages, or pipes of any convenient form, arrangement, or construction. The extent of
such metallic surfaces should be about 2800 square inches for the condensation of 60,000
cubic inches of steam per minute.
“ Secondly, a pump or any other proper apparatus for the passing of a sufficient
quantity of cold water amongst such above mentioned pipes, not only to condense all
the steam of steam engines, but also to cool the water resulting from the condensation
thereof, to as low a temperature as (or even lower than) that of the mixture of the
condensed steam and injection water, which is discharged from the air pumps of
injection engines, in order to produce by such application of cold water, when used
in combination with the metallic surfaces, as above stated, and with the air-pump
hereinafter mentioned, as good a vacuum as is obtained and well known in such
injection engines, if not indeed a still more perfect vacuum. The quantity of cold
water which I employ is ten gallons for such condensation of such 60,000 cubic inches
per minute.
“ Thirdly, the ordinary air-pump of the capacity hereafter stated to produce, when
in conjunction with the before mentioned two apparatus, a sufficiently perfect vacuum,
as above defined.
“ Fourthly, an apparatus for distilling water to replace the waste of water that may
take place in the working of the engine, in order to avoid, as above mentioned, the
introduction of any water into the boilers containing saline or other extraneous
matters.
“ Fifthly, an apparatus, which I call the steam saver, for saving the steam that
usually escapes into the atmosphere from the safety valves, when it becomes of too
high pressure during the working of the engine, the apparatus causing such steam to
pass into the condensers to be converted into water and return to the boiler.
It may be proper here to remark, that within certain limits which experience will
readily suggest, the above mentioned proportions of metallic surfaces of cold water
and capacity of the air-pump may be varied in a certain inverse order, that is to say,
if the cold water be diminished, the extent of metallic surfaces or the capacity of the
air-pump, or both, should be increased; and on the other hand, if the extent of