Manufacturer: C.H. Wheeler Manufacturing Company Headquarters: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Founded: Early twentieth century (founding year not conclusively documented) Documented Asbestos Use: Mid-twentieth century (allegations in litigation records) Product Categories: Main surface condensers; steam-jet air ejectors; anchor windlasses; vacuum and centrifugal pumps Legal Status: Tier 2 — Active and historical litigation; no bankruptcy trust established

Note on identity: C.H. Wheeler Manufacturing Company of Philadelphia is a separate and distinct company from Foster Wheeler Corporation, a boiler and power-equipment manufacturer. The two firms should not be conflated. This page concerns only C.H. Wheeler Manufacturing Company.

Company History

C.H. Wheeler Manufacturing Company was a Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, manufacturer of steam condensing and heat-transfer equipment. Records indicate the company operated in Philadelphia by the early twentieth century; a conclusive founding year is not established in readily available public sources. The company designed and built main surface condensers, steam-jet air ejectors, vacuum and centrifugal pumps, cooling towers, heat exchangers, and related steam-cycle auxiliaries, and published technical literature on condensers and its Radojet air pump during the early decades of the twentieth century.

C.H. Wheeler condensing equipment was used in power generation, industrial steam plants, and marine propulsion installations, where the main condenser is a central component of the steam cycle — receiving turbine exhaust steam and condensing it back to feedwater under vacuum maintained by air ejectors. The company was active as a significant manufacturer in the condenser field through the mid-twentieth century.

According to U.S. Navy machinery and equipment records, C.H. Wheeler equipment — including main condensers and associated auxiliaries — was documented as installed original equipment (OEM) aboard U.S. Navy vessels, including aircraft carriers such as USS Nimitz (CVN-68) and USS Forrestal (CVA-59). In shipboard service, condensers, air ejectors, and deck machinery were installed in engineering and machinery spaces alongside insulated steam and piping systems.

During the decades when steam condensing equipment of this type was manufactured — roughly the 1940s through the early 1980s — asbestos was a standard material in high-temperature gaskets, sealing, and thermal insulation across the industry. According to asbestos litigation records, workers who installed or maintained C.H. Wheeler equipment during this era have alleged exposure to asbestos-containing components associated with those products.

Asbestos-Containing Products

C.H. Wheeler did not manufacture asbestos as a raw material. However, according to asbestos litigation records, condensers, air ejectors, and deck machinery associated with the company were alleged to have been furnished, installed, and maintained with asbestos-containing components during the period of their manufacture and use.

Gaskets were among the components most commonly identified in litigation involving condensing equipment of this type. Compressed asbestos fiber gaskets were an industry standard for sealing condenser waterboxes, tube-sheet joints, access covers, and flanged connections during the mid-twentieth century. Plaintiffs have alleged that surface condensers and air ejectors were furnished and serviced with asbestos-containing gaskets, and that breaking, scraping, or replacing these gaskets could release fibers.

Steam-jet air ejectors operated on high-pressure steam to maintain condenser vacuum. Court filings in cases involving comparable steam-cycle equipment allege that gaskets, packing, and insulation associated with air ejectors and their inter- and after-condensers contained asbestos.

External insulation and lagging applied to condenser shells, air-ejector assemblies, and connected steam piping is documented in litigation records involving steam machinery as an alleged source of asbestos fiber, particularly during installation, removal, and reinsulation work.

Anchor windlasses and deck machinery furnished for marine service are alleged in litigation involving comparable equipment to have incorporated asbestos-containing brake linings, friction components, gaskets, and packing.

Whether a specific C.H. Wheeler unit incorporated asbestos-containing components, and the extent of any such use, varies across individual cases and jurisdictions. Individuals seeking to confirm the composition of a particular unit are encouraged to consult product documentation from the relevant era or an attorney with access to product identification records.

Occupational Exposure

According to asbestos litigation records, exposure associated with condensing and steam-cycle equipment of this type has been alleged across a range of industrial and marine occupations. The following worker categories appear with regularity in claims involving condensers, air ejectors, and deck machinery:

Boilermakers and Power-Plant Workers — Workers who installed and maintained condensers and steam-cycle auxiliaries handled gaskets, packing, and insulation associated with this equipment.

Pipefitters and Steamfitters — Trades who connected condensers, air ejectors, and pumps into steam and condensate piping systems, and who broke and remade flanged joints, have alleged exposure to asbestos-containing gaskets.

Machinists and Millwrights — Maintenance personnel who opened waterboxes, retubed condensers, and rebuilt pumps and ejectors were among those who could disturb asbestos-containing sealing materials, according to plaintiffs’ allegations.

Insulators — Workers who applied or removed thermal lagging on condenser shells, ejectors, and connected piping have alleged exposure to asbestos-containing insulation.

Navy Personnel and Shipyard Workers — Machinist’s mates, boiler technicians, and shipyard trades who operated and maintained condensing equipment and deck machinery aboard naval vessels worked in enclosed machinery spaces where insulated steam systems and equipment were in close proximity.

Bystander and Secondary Exposure — Litigation records also reflect claims by workers who were not directly servicing this equipment but worked nearby while others disturbed asbestos-containing gaskets or insulation, as well as family members exposed through take-home contamination on work clothing.

The period of heaviest alleged exposure corresponds approximately to the 1940s through the early 1980s, consistent with the broader industrial use of asbestos-containing materials before regulatory action by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) prompted a significant reduction in asbestos use across American industry.

It should be noted that the latency period for asbestos-related diseases — including mesothelioma, asbestosis, and asbestos-related lung cancer — is typically between 20 and 50 years following initial exposure.

Trust Fund / Legal Status

C.H. Wheeler Manufacturing Company is classified as a Tier 2 manufacturer for purposes of this reference site. This designation means that the company has been named as a defendant in asbestos-related litigation, but no dedicated asbestos bankruptcy trust fund has been established in its name. Accordingly, claims involving C.H. Wheeler equipment are not resolved through a trust fund claims process in the same manner as claims against companies that reorganized under Chapter 11 specifically due to asbestos liability.

Plaintiffs have alleged in asbestos cases that asbestos-containing components were associated with C.H. Wheeler condensers, air ejectors, and deck machinery. Because the company operated over a long period and its corporate interests may have passed through successor relationships, individuals pursuing legal claims may need to account for corporate succession when identifying appropriate defendants. An experienced asbestos attorney can assist in tracing corporate histories and identifying responsible parties.

For individuals who worked with C.H. Wheeler equipment and were also exposed to asbestos-containing products from other manufacturers — a common circumstance in power plants and shipyards — separate trust fund claims may be available through those manufacturers’ established asbestos trusts.

If you or a family member worked with or around C.H. Wheeler condensers, air ejectors, or deck machinery during the 1940s through the early 1980s and has since been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, or asbestos-related lung cancer, legal options may be available.

Key points to understand:

  • C.H. Wheeler Manufacturing Company (Philadelphia) is distinct from Foster Wheeler Corporation; identifying the correct company is important when researching exposure history.
  • C.H. Wheeler has been named in asbestos litigation, but does not operate a dedicated asbestos bankruptcy trust fund. Claims would be pursued through direct civil litigation rather than a trust claims process.
  • Workers exposed to multiple asbestos-containing products — as was common in power plants, shipyards, and other industrial settings — may be eligible to file claims against multiple responsible parties, including manufacturers with established trust funds.
  • The long latency period for asbestos-related disease means that exposure from decades ago can give rise to claims today.
  • An attorney specializing in asbestos litigation can review your work history, identify relevant products and manufacturers, and advise on available legal remedies.

Documentation of your work history — including employers, job sites, job titles, and any product names or model numbers you can recall — is valuable when consulting with an attorney and should be preserved.

This reference article is provided for informational purposes to workers, families, and legal professionals researching asbestos exposure history. It does not constitute legal advice. Product identification and litigation history are drawn from publicly available court records and regulatory documentation.