American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1866-12-26

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the fire, and for dragging out the lime
after it is burned.
Lime kilns may be built either ot
stone or brick but the latter are
considered preferable, particularly for
the inside lining, as they are better
adapted to stand high degree of
heat. They should always be situa-.
ted at, or near, the quarry, and if
possible, in the side Of a cliff, or bank;
or they m,y be furnished with a
tramp, or inclined plane of earth OF
stone, for carting up the fuel and
limestone to their tops.
AS the improvement of kilns is a
matter of great national Importance,
especially since the use of lime as a
manure has become so general, and
more particularly so as the price of
it is every day increasing, owing to
the increased and increasing demand
for fuel, | would offer one that was
invented by our distinguish ! coun-
tryman Benjamin Thomas, Count
Rumford,) and erected at Dublin, in
Ireland. which, as far as is known,
answered the Counts expectations,
with a view of suggesting such i'm
provements or alterations as may
tend to bring it, or something resem-
bling it, into general use. In order
that the inv entor's ideas of what he
calls perpetual" kiln may be clear
ly understood, | will give descrip-
ton of it. The objects which he had
in view were, first, to cause the fuel
to burn in such manner as to con-
sumo the smoke, which was effected
by obliging it to descend and pass
through the fire, in order that as
much heat as possible might be gen
Grated. Secondly, to cause the flame
and hot vapor, which rise from the
fire, IT, come in contact with the lime
stone by very large surface, in or
der to economize the heat, and pre-
vent its going off into the atmosphere,
which was done by making the body
of the kiln in the form of hollow.
trunca ed cone, and very high in pro-
portion to its diameter md by fill
ing it up quite to the top with lime
stone, the fire being male to enter
near the bottom of the cone. Thirdly,
to make the process Of burning lime
perpetual, in order to prevent the
waste of heat, which unavodably at
tends the cooling of the kiln in emp
tying and filling it, when to perform
that operation it is necessary to pu;
out the fire. And foarthly, to con-
triye matters so that the lime in which
the process of burning is just finish.
ed, and which, of course, is still in.
tensely hot, may, in cooling, be made
to give off its caloric in such a man
ner as to assist in beating the fresh
quantity of limestone, with which the
kiln is replenished, as often as a por
ton of lime is taken out of it.
To effect those purposes, the fue
is not mixed with the limestone, bu
is burned in close fire place, which
opens into one side Of the kiln, some
distance above the bottom Of it. Fol
large kilns, on these principles, there
may be several fire places, all opening
into the same cone, and situated OF
different sides of it, which fire. places
may be constructed and regulated
Ike those of the furnaces used fol
burning porcelain or eorthen-ware.
At the bottom of the kiln, there i,
a dooF, which is occasionally opened
to take out the lime. When, in con
sequence of portion of lime being
drawn out of the kiln, its content.
settle down, or subside, the empty
space in the upper part of the kiln
which is occasioned by the removal o.
the burned lime, is Immediately filed
up with fresh stone, As soon as a
portion of lime is taken away, the
door by which it is removed, must be
Immediately shut, and the joinings
well closed with moist ay, to pre-
vent draft of cold air through the
kiln. A small opening, however,
should be left for reasons presently to