Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-10-20
OIL BURNER FOR
FURNACE HEAT IS
NEW INVENTION
Test of Scheme to Eliminate
Coal Shovels Made at
Penn-HarriS

Just when the coal miners are
threatening nationwide tieup
with results filed with disaster to
the nations industries. Harrisburg is
! invited to become the home of a new
heating device with which it is pro-
posed to substitute cheap oil for
coal, and do away with the coal
shovel. The project centers around
the inventions of William NJ. Hoff-
man, a mechanical and mining en-
gineer, who has devised and pat
ented a compact water and oil gas
burner which is on demonstration
in the engineroom of the Penn
Harris hotel.
The burner is not much larger
than two-gallon oil can, being
about Is inches high, and eight
inches in diameter. 1t is composed
of four parts, which are ingeniously
designed. AT the bottom is the fuel
pan. into which the oil flows with
! out forced feed. There, when it has
seeped up through a mat of ashes
tos fibers, the oil is lighted. With
no other burner is this simple
handling of this grade of oil possible.
Other devices for burning fuel oil
require forced feed, and mechanic
ally-operated pressure tanks, noz-
zles, etc.
AutOH1dtlC OOHJrOlS
Above this fire pan is a mixer,
into which the oil flame is lifted by
jet of steam, this steam being
provided by cleverly-placed water
pockets in the burners several parts,
the water being fed under control
from tank Rushing upward
through the mixer this mass of
blended steam and flame draws in
the surrounding air, thus introduc-
ing the needed Oxygen to bring the
complete combustion utilizing the en-
tire heat possibilities of the fuel
The flame then comes into contact
with the generator, as that part of
the burner next above, is named,
and there the water, having been
warmed in the mixer turns rapidly
INTO steam. Above the generator is
the supeIheater in which the steam
having again been passed upward
from the generator, is highly vapor-
iZed. and put into service most in
geniously. Most of it goes to an in
tensifying chamber, thence flows to
the fire pan, and upward, maintain
ing the wonderful flame; part of
1t is diverted to perfectly control the
iced of water, and also to control
the feed of oil, automatically. The
oil will stop flowing altogether,
should the water tank go dry.
The burner has not one mechan-
ical operating part, and there are
none about the operation except the
automatic controls of the flow of
water, steam and OIL 1t is simple
enough for any inexperienced person
to operate without trouble. Its
controls are the most interesting fea-
lures. One prevents excess flow of
water. and gives regularity in wa
fer 1nntlnp &c
lively the flow of any water to the
fuel pan; another enables the fire
20 be turned high or low according
to the weather; while the most in
teresting and clever one of them all
VII shut off the oil completely, when
{ should not be allowed to continue
drip. With these devices prac-
'rdlly all fire risk is done away with
Observers of winter fires in dwell
Jgs know that most of them are
eaused by overheated furnaces.
iih the Three Element Burner
these will all be prevented.
The most unique thing about this ]
burner is its simplicity, which was
remarked by many who observed it.
1t is SO simple, and can be produced
so cheaply that it's convenience can
be enjoyed by the masses. Kerosene
oil can be used as fuel whenever
that is preferred.
The burner is adapted to either
heating or power plants. Mr.. Hoff-
man has one "harnessed" as he ex-
pressed it, to a specially-designed
small steam boiler. which is only
sixteen inches in diameter and six
feet high, yet is guaranteed to fur
nish steam or hot water for any or
dinary eight or ten-room house He
pointed out that with such q COM
pact boiler such perfect combustion
conditions for economizing fuel, and
such convenience of operation. due
to the absence of dust and ashes, /
unparalleled advantages and econ
omies in heating were at hand.
While there is a market in existing
furnaces and boilers for thousands
of the mere burners alone, there is
a far greater field in the manufac
ture and sale of complete heating
installations.