1819.] 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



371 



move in and out, to adapt itself to the unequal contraction and 

 expansion of the tubes and cylinder, by reason of the passajje of 

 the steam through the tubes, and the water, for the condensation, 

 throua:h the cylinder. A chamber fr, is formed at this end of the 

 cylinder by means of a head /, secured to the diaphragm by means 

 of a double-flanched rinff w), and screw-bolts, so that it may be re- 

 moved, when required, to give access to the tubes. The upper 

 chamber /; at the end of the cylinder first described, communicates 

 bv means of a pipe n, in any desired niiuiner, with the exhaust- 

 pipe of the engine, and, by another pipe «', also with the escape- 

 pipe of the boiler; and these connections should be governed by 

 appi-opriate cocks or valves, so that either can be closed or opened 

 at pleasure. Either of these connections being opened, the steam 

 passes into the chamber./; thence through the range of tubes above 

 the diaphragm or partition /i, to the chamber fr, at the other end, 

 and thence back, through tlie lower range of tubes, to the lower 

 chamber g, which communicates, by means of the pipe o, with the 

 air-pump and supply pumps of the engine, or (this connection 

 being closed) by means of a pipe o', with any desired recipient 

 with which the pipe o, may be connected. The direction of the 

 passage of the steam, and the water, produced by its condensation 

 through th? tubes, is indicated by the arrows. The steam, in pass- 

 ing through the tubes, is condensed by the cooling influence of a 

 constant current of cold water which passes outside of the tubes, 

 and which travels in a direction the reverse of the current of 

 steam; so that the steam as it parts with its caloric, is constantly 

 approaching a cooler medium. The water, for the condensation, is 

 forced into the cylinder a, near the dia])hragm c, through a pipe /), 

 and passes around the lower half of the series of tubes, until it 

 strikes the other diaphragm i; thence it passes up around the end 

 of a horizontal partition-plate 7, on the same plane as the partition- 

 plate li; which plate 7, extends from the diaphragm e, to within a 

 short distance of the other diaphragm ?'; and from this the water 

 passes around all the ujiper series of the tubes to the first, where 

 it escapes at the top through a pipe r, that discharges through the 

 side of the vessel above the water-line. 



The water, for the condensation, is impelled through the con- 

 denser by a rotating pump, the case .9, of which is provided with a 

 tangential pipe t, at the lower part, connected with the pipe /;, of 

 the condenser. This case is also provided with another pipe », 

 which extends from the centre thereof to and through the side of 

 the vessel, and so far down as to be always below the water-line, 

 that the water may flow through it to the inside of the pump-ease. 

 To the centre of this case a shaft v, is adapted, the journals of 

 which run in appropriate bearings «;, w, in the case, and are pro- 

 perly packed, to prevent the escape of water. On this shaft is a 

 hub ,r, with four arms or vanes y, accurately fitted to the case, but 

 rotating without touching it. By the rotation of these arms or 

 vanes, the water is drawn in near the centre, and, by centrifugal 

 force, carried out through the tangential pipe t, to and through 

 the condenser. The required rotation of the pump is given by an 

 engine »', secured to the casing of the rotary pump, through the 

 rod M, which is jointed to the cross-head c', and connects it with a 

 crank d^, on the shaft of the pump. This shaft is provided with 

 an eccentric e', for working the valves of the engine «'. The 

 water sujiply-pum]), which receives the water from the outside of 

 the vessel, and is, for that purpose, below the water-line, is pro- 

 lided with a valve /', the stem 3', of which passes through a 

 stuffing-box, and has a handle /;', by means of which the pipe can 

 be closed at pleasure, when it becomes necessary to obtain access 

 to the inside of the pump. 



From the foregoing it will be seen that, by means of the auxi- 

 liary engine, which actuates the pump, a constant current of cold 

 water is carried through the condenser, independently of the work- 

 ing of the pi-opelling-engine of the vessel; and, as a necessary con- 

 sequence, tlie more the propelling-engines labour, by reason of 

 head-winds, or rough water, the more perfect will be the condensa- 

 tion and the vacuum produced, — thus increasing the power of the 

 propelling-engine, when power is the most needed; whereas, if the 

 current of cold water were dependent on the working of tlie pro- 

 pelling-engine, the sum of the mass of water, passing through the 

 condenser, would be exactly in proportion to the motion of the 

 engine, and, therefore, the condensation and vacuum would be 

 decreased in the ratio of the decreased motion of the pi'opelling- 

 engine. It will also be seen that — by reason of the working of the 

 pump which impels the water for the condensation, by means of an 

 auxiliary engine, and the double connection of the condenser with 

 the waste-pipe of the boiler or boilers, and with the exhaust of the 

 propelling-engine — whenever the safety-valve is opened, the steam 

 issuing therefrom, instead of being wasted, will be carried through 

 the condenser and condensed, to be returned to the boiler, — thus 



avoiding the necessity of a separate supply of water to make up 

 for the waste by the escape of steam from the safety-valve. When 

 the propelling-engine is at rest, the condenser can be used for the 

 distillation and production of fresh water for any desired purpose 

 on board ship; for the condenser may, when desired, be rendered 

 entirely independent of the propelliiig-engine. 



By passing the current of steam in a direction the reverse of the 

 current of condensing water, the greatest amount of caloric is 

 extracted with the least amount of water. The condensing water, 

 in its passage through the condenser, never reaches the point of 

 evaporation, and thei'efore mineral and other matter held in solu- 

 tion, will not be deposited to incrust the apparatus; and, by in- 

 suring a constant and i-apid current of water, unequal expansion 

 and contraction is reduced to the smallest amount; so small, in 

 fact, that all injurious efl^ects may be prevented by the mode, above 

 described, of connecting one of the diaphragms, to which one end 

 of the tubes are attached, with the cylinder, by means of the coni- 

 cal or bent ring or flanch. 



Under this head of the invention the patentee claims. Firstly, — 

 the combination of the condenser of a steam-engine, used for the 

 propelling of a ship or other vessel, with a pump that receives the 

 condensing water from outside of the vessel, and causes it to pass 

 through the condenser when the said pump is operated by an auxi- 

 liary engine, independently of the propelling-engine. Secondly, — 

 the dou1)le connection of the condenser; that is, with the exhaust 

 of the propelling-engine, and with fhe boiler, when the said con- 

 denser is combined with a pump that receives the condensing water 

 from the outside of the vessel, and is impelled by an auxiliary 

 engine. And, Lastly, — the method of connecting the tubes with 

 the cylinder or external case of the condenser, by attaching the 

 diaphragm, to which one end of the tubes are connected, to the 

 cylinder or exteimal case, by means of the conical ring, or any 

 analogous means; by the bending of which allowance is made for 

 unequal contraction and expansion of the tubes and cylinder or 

 external case, as described. 



GUN CARRIAGES. 



Alfred Woollett, of Li\erpool, artist, for " improvements in 

 (jun ciirridges." — Granted Ajiril 3; Enrolled October 3, 1649. [Re- 

 ported in the Repertory of Patent Inventions.^ 



(^With Engravings, Plate XXII.) 



The invention relates to improvements in the construction of 

 gun carriages, whereby only the upper part of the carriage is 

 required to be moved when pointing the gun, and tlie recoil of the 

 gun is controlled, so as at all times to cause it to be run out at the 

 centre of the port or opening through which the gun is to be 

 fixed, with other details of arrangement, which are shown in the 

 engravings. 



fl, is an eight-inch gun (sixty-eight pounder) ; b, ft, ujjper and 

 lower cheeks of the carriage; c, section of a wrought-iron plate; 

 (/, cast-iron plate ; e, wrought-iron swivel bolt connecting the 

 upper part of the carriage to the lower part, on which the gun 

 can be moved round to the greatest nicety, and trained fore and 

 aft with facility ; ./', is a moveable wrought-iron shaft or bar to 

 secure the gun in the centre of the port, and serves to check the 

 recoil ; </, regulating-screw to adjust the upper part of the carri- 

 age ; A, plan of cast-iron plate fixed in the lower cheeks of the 

 carriage; ?, fore-axle fitted with four friction-rollers or sheaves, 

 the shaft f, passing through between them ; /, graduated arch for 

 supporting the rear of the upper part of the carriage, and measur- 

 ing the angles of training ; k, elevation of the fore-axle with 

 trucks ; /, /, friction-rollers, the wrought-iron shaft or bar f, pass- 

 ing through between them, as shown ; «, wrought-iron shaft for 

 bow or stern-gun or midship-gun; 0, fighting-bolt and socket; the 

 hinge p, being lifted up, the gun can be transported to the next 

 fighting-bolt ; from each bolt the cari'iage gives seventy degrees 

 training by moving round the top part of the carriage only ; 7, 7, 7, 

 fighting-bolts and sockets for a broadside-gun. 



The following advantages result from these improvements : — 

 First, momentary training of broadside guns, being able to point 

 the guns to the greatest nicety fore and aft, or concentrate the 

 fire in less time than with the common carrriage, and without the 

 aid of handspikes. Secondly, the gun can be worked with much 

 greater facility and precision, with less men to each heavy gun. 

 Thirdly, the gun is capable of being trained forty degrees each 

 side of the centre of the port, the gun can be elevated and de- 

 pressed the same as with the old carriage, not covering more space 

 on deck, and the gun recoils at right angles with the port ready 



48* 



