Improvements in connection with Furnace Fire-bars.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 11th July, 1895
Complete Specification Left, 13th Apr., 1896-Accepted, 16th May, 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in connection with Furnace Fire-bars.
I, THOMAS WALKMAN, of Rawdon Foundry, Moira, Ashby-de-la-Zouch, in the
County of Leicester, Pattern Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to devise simple and efficient means for raising and
lowering furnace fire-bars so as to keep the fire thereon open.
According thereto the fire-bars are arranged transversely in the furnace, and are
carried, towards their ends,. by two sets of cams, which fit loosely in slots made
longitudinally in the bars and are secured on shafts suitably mounted in the front
of the furnace below the fire-door and in a suitable support below the bridge, these
shafts being connected by toothed gearing with an axle one end of which is
squared to receive a handle for rotating the shafts. Each cam is or may be
made with a flange on one side and the bars are fitted loosely between the
flanges of consecutive cams. The maximum radii of consecutive cams on each
shaft are on opposite sides thereof, so that on rotating the shafts by means of the
handle, the bars are moved up and down, alternate bars moving together in the same
direction and consecutive bars moving in opposite directions. The aforesaid slots in
the bars in which the cams engage are of such a length as to allow the cams to rotate
therein with the bars stationary in a longitudinal sense, in which condition they are
or may be kept by suitable guides. Each cam-shaft may be supported at a point,
between its ends by means of a roller fixed to it and working in a hole in a fixed
fire-bar, one side of the said roller being preferably flanged.
Or the fire-bars may be arranged longitudinally as usual, and the geared shafts
with cams be arranged transversely, the driving shaft being suitably arranged and
connected with one of the cam-shafts to suit the altered arrangement.
Improvements in connection with Furnace Fire-bars.
I, THOMAS WALKMAN, of Rawdon Foundry, Moira, Ashby-de-la-Zouch, in the
County of Leicester, Pattern Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The object of this invention is to devise simple and efficient means for raising and
lowering furnace fire-bars so as to keep the fire thereon open.
Fig. 1 of the accompanying illustrative drawings is a front elevation, Fig. 2 a part
horizontal section and part plan and Fig. 3 a longitudinal vertical section showing a
boiler furnace the bars of which are provided with raising and lowering means
according to this invention, the right-hand half of the last mentioned figure

page_text: en normal positions and the left-hand half showing alternate
bars raised and lowered.
Fig. 4 is a detail view showing a slotted portion of one of the fire bars with cam
therein.
The fire-bars 1 are arranged transversely in the furnace, and are carried, towards
their ends, by two sets of cams 2, which fit loosely in slots 3 made longitudinally in
the bars 1 and are secured on shafts 4 suitably mounted in the downward extensions 5"
of a dead plate 5 located at the front of the furnace below the fire-door 6 and also
in a suitable support such as a metal plate 7, arranged below the bridge 8, these
shafts being connected by toothed wheels 9 fixed on the shafts 4, and idle wheels 9*
fixed on intermediate shafts 9°, with a toothed wheel 9° fixed on a driving shaft 10
one end of which is squared to receive a handle 11 for rotating the shafts. Each
cam 2 is made with a flange 2ª on one side and the bars 1 are fitted loosely between
the flanges of consecutive cams. The maximum radii of consecutive cams on each
shaft are located at opposite sides of the axis thereof, so that on rotating the
shafts by means of the handle 11, the bars are moved up and down, alternate bars
moving together in the same direction and consecutive bars moving in opposite
directions. The slots 3 in the bars i in which the cams 2 engage are of such a length
as to allow the cams to rotate therein with the bars stationary in a longitudinal sense,
that is to say, in the direction of their length, in which condition they are kept
by suitable guides. In the example illustrated, the fire-bars are held in an end ways
direction by the axle 10, which extends to the support 7 and fits loosely in vertical
slots in the fire-bars. Each cam-shaft 4 may, as shown in Fig. 2, be supported
at a point between its ends by means of a roller 12 fixed to it and working in
a hole in a fixed fire-bar 13, one side of the said roller being preferably provided
with a flange 12ª.
Instead of arranging the fire-bars transversely as shown, they may be arranged
longitudinally as usual, and the geared shafts with cams be arranged transversely, the
driving shaft being suitably arranged and connected with one of the cam-shafts to
suit the altered arrangement. Fig. 5 shows diagrammatically in plan such a modified
arrangement, the driving shaft 10 being provided with a worm wheel 10 that is
connected to a wheel 9 in gear with the cam shafts 4 through toothed wheels 9, 9", 9".
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The combination with furnace fire-bars formed with slots, of two sets of cams
arranged to work in the slots in the fire-bars and fixed upon shafts with the maximum
radii of consecutive cams in each set located at opposite sides of the shaft and means
for operating said shafts, the arrangement being such that on, rotating the shaft the
fire-bars will be moved up and down, alternate bars moving together in the same
direction and consecutive bars moving in opposite directions substantially as
hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings.
2. Furnace fire-bars and means for raising and lowering the same, constructed,
arranged, and operating as herein before described with reference to and shown in
Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive of the drawings annexed, or modified according to Fig. 5.
Dated this 15th day of April 1896.
Dated this 15th day of April 1896.
For the Applicant,
W. LLOYD WISE,
46 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Chartered Patent Agent.