The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-05-16
GENERAL NEWS OF INDUSTRIES.

The invention OF an automatic stoker
by Hon. Eclilcy b. Coke, of Drifton which
was mentioned in recent issue OF IHE
TRIBUNE, is destined to revolutionize the
anthracite coal trade IN enabling COnsum.
ers to utilize coal that has heretofore been
useless. The Ha2leton Plain Speaker gives
an interesting account Of an explanation
of the invention that was recently made
by Mr.. Coke before number OF promin-
ent railroad and coal men. The party
was composed OF L. c. Luther general
superintendent, aud John Il. Hoffman, di.
vision engineer Of the Philadelphia and
Reading Coal and Iron company, John
Wood, superintendent Of machine shops,
and superintendent of Motive Power Pax
son, Of the Philadelphia and Reading and
Heber Thompson, engineer the GiraId gs'
tate, all OF PoUsyille; James Archibald,
superintendent of the Albright Coal COM
pAuy, OF Scranton; George Riley and G. Y,
Smith, Of the Plain Speaker, OF llaleton.
The party examined two sterling boilers
that were ebIippel with the CRATES. The
furnace consists essentially Of q travelling
CRATE moving from the right toward the
left, The coal, which Is brought to- the
hopper by % drag, spout or any other con
v"ulent method, feeds down bv gravity
DIVER the fire brlrl. onto the travelling CRATE.
The coal is carried slowly at The rtlo Of
from three aud uuc-hRit 10 five feet per
hour toward the other end In the bc-i'-
ming ot the operation the coal on the right
haud side of the furnace 8 rultei, the
other part being covered with ashes az
partially consumed coal After tao fur
mace Is heated tie fire brick, which ls
called the ignition huCk' becomes no.
and the coal passing down under the reg
u,Usug Crate uycome' gradually heated,
and by the time 10 rracha, tho foot OF tie
iguItOn brick Is iuCnudyscgut.
Under the grato there are number Of
chambers made ot sheet iron, which are
closed on all sides except on top The
blast from the fan which is used 20 fur
uish the air Is blown into the large air
chamber which Is the second one from 'le
right These air chambers are open uu
top, but the partitions arc covered hy
plates These plates are Of such width
that no matter what may bc the position
OF the CRATE bars, there is always ono rest
ing ulun this plate, 80 that the ar
cannot pass from ono chamber O.
another except by leakage along the bar
lhe result OF tLH arrangement Ia that 10
about blowing into the large air chamber
win pressure ot about ! inch water
Euagr the pressure m the next air cham
he' 20 the JET would DC oab.U, Z. inch, tho
next TO that I. lnch and The next 20 that
. men. Ih' pressure iu IAe air chamUHr
10 Tie right Wo1il b' about . inch Toe
result ut TINS state o' ahnit' E that Oh"
Goa. Whr" u arrives AT tho FrAte "a sub
Jgcled 70 a pressure oi SlH.t rnu'cie,nt 90
ISuNe ~ uLt ho. 700 strong 10 Impede is-
As tue thoIouShiy lsu.tei coal passes
slowly over the second ''wUattm emf
where the orr pressure j. maximum. d.
burn, hrisk'y ana then slowly passes over
the thi[d phTiIuent where the ar prrs'
sure is less auI better suited 10 the com
ou''lgn oi the thinner LAYER oi partly COM
'uihei coal the btl continues % diminish
DO carbon, ana 10 be subjected 70 less
blast until hualy The Dot ashes are
cooled on before being dumped by o
very gehue current ot arr, which Is heated
80" 90 '"N '.' we" ~ '"'" ".''' bAt'e PI''
and converts 70 into carbouic acid. the OBJ
lect being 90 subject tho coal a. soon AS
Il arrives on the CRATE 10 n prcssure of
blast which ia .he uraper one On ignite ~.