The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-05-16
81 JntK BURNING SYSTEM.
TIM sUMTER. BRICK WORKS
uAvE INSTALLED UNDER
WOOD GAS PROCESS AT
1H 90 THEIR PLANT.
- and Ar System VIII Increase
Productsen and Save Money for I.o-
eal Coassrn-sonething Of Work.
hes ef New Method Which Was
Invsneetl by y. T. Underwood and
InD(elIed by Geo. +. Paxton.

81 0os - New Method Which Was
Invsneed b. .. r. Underwood and
Ins>elIsd by Geo. +. Paxton.
u keeping with the sumter spirit,
whjeh : always to be up-to-date and
~ Nave the best out the Sumter Brick
Works has recentaly installed a new
s}1tsm Of burning brick. which is ex-
\ pectsd to accomplish much for the
plnnt In the way of increased pro-
4 doctton and In saving expenses by
t ca@ting down the labor force. The
nov method 50 to burn the brick with
"a on plan which was recently put
into succsssful operation by Mr.. j. r.
Undsrwood. of Ohio. after many years
q experimenting. This is the first
nrjck plant south OF the Ohio river
which has installed such process for
'burnins and the plant will be used in
future for demonstration by the in
tentor for other brick manufacturers
J throughout the Southeast.
The Manufacturers Equipment Co..
- Dayton. Ohio. who control the pat
ent Of Mr. Underwood sent Mr.. Geo.
u Paxton. an experienced brick MAX
-. who has been associated with Mr.
Underwood In his work. to install
ome. He came here the first of the
3eAr IA, Install the new burning plant
opd u still busy extending its branch
@ at the sumter Brick Works al
thouEh the system has already been
eompleted and used successfully In
one Of the kilns. In fact the first
ntIn of brick burned by the gas sys-
(om has just been opened and appar-
4ntly all that was claimed for the in
vention has been accomplished. The
amount Of fuel was cut down in the
burning. less time was required, a
much smaller force Of hands was nee
eesary.. all this despite the fact that
the tunnels were green and damp and
part OF hte heat had to 60 to drying
them out. and the usual clouds of
smoke have not been In evidence.
The invention itself Is something
unlaue and interesting to one interest
Cd IN. or who knows anything of. ma
chinery The gas Is generated In two
large steel producers. inlaid each
with more than a carload OF firebrick.
Coal y used for generating the gas.
vbeink dumped into the furnaces from
revoivihe>- containers. which hold a
certain amount. so that the coal is
measured az II drops into the fur
naces and an accurate account is
kept Of the amount used in burning
= kiln, Of brick. The tops of the
hoppers are closed as the coal Is
dumped. the bottoms being opened to
allow the coal to drop. This prevents
the gas from the producers escaping
and permits the fireman to work with
eat great amount OF discomfort. The
nrc ID kept burning fiercely by means
q blast OF air shot into the furnace
and from time to time the coal is stir
red by means of a long steel rod
which is dropped down into the fur
mace from above through small open
ines In the top Of the furnace. These
openings are kept closed at other
times with small steel balls.
From the furnaces the gas passes
through brick tunnels to the kilns,
where II unites with a blast of air sent
through metal ,pipes by means of an
e1ectric motor. The use Of gas for
burning brick is not new thing. but
lhe using Of this current OF air to
minslc with the gas ut the opening
INTO the Kiln ID new process pat
ented by Mr.. Underwood. and the sue
ce@ OF his system lies in this fact.
The air supplies the needed oxygen
and the gas burns with an intensity
which furnishes heat to burn the
bricks In tho kiln I'm less time than
required by the former methods cm-
p1oyed by the Sumter Brick Works
when coal and wood were used for the
Burning. Half n kiln Is burned at
one time. the burners being placed
over tho gas and air pipes so as To
cause the desired combination of air
ind gas. When onc-half OF the kilr
burned. the burners are then NOV
ed up TO tho other half OF tho kiln and
the gas is there set on fire. Covers
are placed over the holes where the
burners had been resting. or course
when the burning OF kiln Is COM
pietcd. the fre In simply allowed to
40 out and the kiln II opened up.
when the brick are placed In the
MN Tor burning. the ends OF the kiln
1Vux a a. -. 4