Furnace for the Combustion and Destruction of Town Refuse and other Matter, also the Utilization of the Resultant Waste Products.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Apr., 1886.
Complete Left, 3rd Jan., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 29th Mar., 1887.
Furnace for the Combustion and Destruction of Town Refuse and
other Matter, also the Utilization of the Resultant Waste Products.
THOMAS GIRDWOOD HARDIE, Civil Engineer 24 Holly Mount Burnley Lanc's do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Of a particular form and construction of Furnace, and a new application, mode, and
use of Forced Draught, to accelerate the combustion and Destruction of Town refuse,
and other matters, and utilizing the products given off during such combustion, and
also to utilize the residue, in combination with Lime, Alumina Iron Oxides, and other
matters, for the Composition of Cements & Mortars and also to condense and Extract
from the Gases, any Oil, Tar, Ammonia, or other products, they may contain, and by
the pressure of Forced Blast, to dispense with a Chimney, if thought proper, by forcing
the residual Gases into the Town Sewers, to purify them by their combining with the
noxious Gases therein-I also utilize the Heat by a Boiler to generate the Steam
required for the various Mechanical and other purposes in the process of Manufacture.
FORM AND CONSTRUCTION OF FURNACE.
The Furnace is of oblong shape say four times long as wide. Made externally
of Boiler plate, bound together by Tie-Bolts through Cast Iron Columns, whereon, the
transverse bearer of the bottom, rest, and are dovetailing into them thus, binding all
together. Internally lined with Fire Brick. The Bottom or Hearth are of Fire Brick or
Slabs, perforated with numerous tapered holes, largest on the underside, for Ashes to
drop through, and the Air more easily to pass into and through the material under
treatment, and to cause combustion over the whole hearth. Also a short Fireplace
with Close Iron Bars (at one end) on which Coal or other Substances may be occasionally
used to assist combustion, if required.
The Draught may be either natural or forced by Fan or other Blower. The Ashpit
Doors being closed when Forced Air is used (to prevent escape), and open for Natural
Draught. These doors also regulate the Combustion.

page_text: The Steam Boiler to supply the power required, to drive the Blower &c., may be
placed on the top and form the Roof of the Furnace; or the Furnace may be arched
over with Brick, and the Boiler placed at the end-but prefer the first named, as
more Steam can be produced by same heat.
The Furnace is fed through a Hopper, fixed on Side or Top, or may be fed by Hand
through Side or End Doors. If forced Blast is used; the rosidual Fumes are passed
through Cisterns, containing Water, &c. to act as Condensors, or through pipes if
required, so as to recover and utilize any of the products.

page_text: other Matter, also the Utilization of the Resultant Waste Products.
THOMAS GIRDWOOD HARDIE of 24 Holly Mount Burnley in the County of
Lancaster Civil Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my invention for FURNACES
BURNING OR OREMATING TOWN'S REFUSE, AND FOR UTILIZING SOME OF THE PRODUCTS
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
Firstly. The improvement consists of a Furnace of particular form and construction,
having a fire grate of Iron bars or of perforated fire brick extending the whole length
of the Furnace which may be varied in length, width or height. The Iron bars or
perforated fire brick composing the Hearth may be laid throughout horizontal,
or inclined, or partly horizontal or partly inclined, and the Hearth may be wholly of
Iron bars or perforated brick or partly of both. The Furnace is composed externally
of cast, or wrought Iron plates, and internally lined with best fire brick, and bound
together by tie bolts through cast Iron Columns whereon the cross bearers for the fire
bars or perforated brick bottom rest, and the Boiler composing the top of the Furnace
may also be fixed or suspended thereto, or it may be fixed or suspended from the side
plates of the Furnace.
Secondly. My improvement further consists of a Steam Boiler for the purpose of
generating steam by direct radiation from the Furnace for Engine power to be used
for various mechanical purposes, such as driving Rollers for grinding, and preparing
and mixing the Ashpit refuse if made into Manure, and for grinding and preparing
carbonaceous matter for deoderizing sewer gases, and for grinding and mixing
material for the manufacture of Cement and Mortar, or for breaking Stone for Macadam
purposes, or for pumping water, driving Dynamos for Electric lighting, and various
other purposes.
Thirdly. My improvement further consists in effecting the combustion of Town's
Refuse by forced draught by a Fan or by any other means, hence no Chimney need
be used, as the spent gases may be driven into the Town Sewers at any convenient
place or distance, and thereby purifying them by the carbonaceous matter mixing with
the Sewer gases.
Fourthly. My improvement further consists in drying the Refuse in closed vessels
or chambers in different ways, viz. by the heat of the Furnace being drawn by a Fan
or other mechanical means through the material in the feeding Hoppers fixed on the

page_text: side or top of the Furnace, or by preference in an air tight vessel or Chamber heated
by the spent flame or gases on their way to the Chimney or other exit, and the vapours
and noxious gases by each of these modes of drying is drawn off as made, by being
carried by pipes to the Fan or other Blower or Exhauster that supplies the Air to the
Furnace, and is forced as made into and through the incandescent mass of combustable
inatter on the Hearth of the Furnace, and thereby effectually burning and destroying
these noxious vapours without smell, whereas, had the drying been effected on an open
Hearth as in Furnaces hitherto constucted for the destruction of Town's Refuse, and
which is the cause of their offensive smell, for it is during the drying that the noxious
odours are driven off which contaminate and pollute the surrounding atinosphere.
Fifthly. My improvement further consists of driving the spent gases of combustion
on their exit to the Chimney or Sewer through a jet or spray of water, and over the
face of water contained in Tanks or Condensers, with the view of the water absorbing
or taking up and further destroying any smell or noxious matter the spent gases may
still contain but it is inferred that the drying in close vessels, and drawing off the
vapours as they arise, and burning them directly as made by forcing them into and
through the fire in the Furnace without their being in contact with the atmosphere,
will be sufficient to destroy all smell, and if so, these condensers need not be used,
unless the water in the condensers is found to have absorbed and taken up some matter
worth utilizing.
Sixthly. The Engine to drive the Fan or other Blowers or Exhausters, and for
giving motion to the machinery required in the various manufactures or purposes
mentioned, may be either of the horizontal or vertical type, and may be fixed in any
distance from the Furnace
Thomas Girdwood Hardie in the County of Lancaster. Improvements in the
construction of a Furnace for burning Town's Refuse, as described and shown in
accompanying Drawings.
First. My improvement consists in the form and construction of a Furnace for
burning Towns Refuse, as herein shown and described. Fig. 1 on Drawings represents
a side view or elevation of Furnace with partly inclined Hearth, composed externally
of cast or wrought Iron plates, and internally lined with Fire Brick, and bound
together by Tie Bolts through cast Iron Columns-A represents the Columns, B the
Steam Boiler, J the Tie Bolts, H the Hoppers wherein the Refuse is placed to dry
before being discharged into the Furnace by drawing the slide valve at the bottom of
the Hoppers, M represents the external plates of Furnace, G the side doors of Ashpit,
N the flue from Furnace, O the water spray, P Condensers, Q the Chimney (if one is
used) R flue leading from Condenser to the Sewer S.
Second. Fig. 2 represents a longitudinal section, A the Columns as previously
described, B Boiler, Hearth or flame-bed of Furnace, D Furnace Bars, and perforated
Fire Brick bottoms, E Ashpit, I Steam Chest or Dome of Boiler, N exit fluo or outlet
from Furnace previously described.
Third. Fig. 3 represents an end view of Furnace, A pillars, B Boiler J Tie Bolts
for binding Furnace, having a cupped washer or short strong spring between the
Columns and the nut to allow for expansion and contraction in the heating and
cooling of the Furnace, H Hoppers on the side of the Furnace in which the Refuse is
placed to dry, F end doors of Furnace by which it may be charged by hand, and for
regulating the fire when required, G end doors of Ashpit from which the Fire Bars may
be stirred when required, and the Iron Trams or sinall Waggons for receiving the
ashes and clinkers that may drop through the Hearth into them may be removed, as
also by the side doors G for the same purpose.
Fourth. Fig. 4 represents a section of the flame bed or Hearth of Furnace, and

page_text: showing the Hearth C partly of Iron Bars and perforated Fire Brick, A the pillars,
K the fire brick lining of the sides of Furnace.
Fifth. Fig. 5 represents a Birds Eye view or plan of Furnace, showing Columns A,
Steam Boiler B, Steam Dome I, Fire brick lining K, external plates M, and
Hoppers H.
Sixth. Fig. 6 represents the opposite side view to that of Fig. 1, and showing
pillars A, Steam Boiler B, Slag doors L through which it also may be charge by
hand, and through which and the end doors the charge from the Hopper or end drying
vessel is spread and levelled, I Steam Dome from which the Steam for the Engine is
taken, M outside plates of Furnace.
Seventh. Fig. 7 represents an end section, showing Columns A, Boiler B, Tie Bolts J,
Steam Dome I, end of flame bed or Hearth D, side lining K, and of Ashpit E.
Eight. Fig. 8 represents the Chimney Q that may be used instead of descharging
the spent gases into the Town Sewers.
Nineth. Fig. 9 represents a side view of Furnace with horizontal Hearth and drying
Chamber, heated with the spent flame and gases on their exit either up the Chimney
or into the Town Sewer, this drying Chamber is set at an angle that the dry material
therein when the slide valve X at the lower end of the Chamber is lifted by the
Winch W fixed on the pillars, the contents, or as much as required will immediately
run into the Furnace, and be spread and levelled to a convenient dipth by the man in
attendence through the side and end doors, as also in the case of the material dried in
the Hoppers as previously described-but if at any time some of the material should
still remain in the Chamber and not run into the Furnace by its own gravity, it can
be raked and pushed into the Furnace through the hinged door along the top of the
Chamber or Retort-This drying vessel T is charged through the Hopper H, fixed on
the top, by drawing a slide as in the case of the other Hoppers, and the material to be
dried is lifted from the ground and emptied into the Hoppers by mechanical means,
the Box V before this Hopper is for collecting the vapour that arises from the Refuse
in drying, and from which it is drawn as made by Fan or other means, and forced
along with the Air required to support combustion into and through the incandescent
mas of Refuse burning on the Hearth of the Furnace.
Tenth. Fig. 10 represents a longitudinal section of horizontal Furnace and drying
just described, and is also composed externally of cast or wrought Iron plates lined
with Fire Brick, and the Chamber for drying the Refuse is of strong Cast Iron, not
unlike a Gas Retort, but is supported or suspended by its broad flanges, and bedded
on the side lining and outer plates as in Fig. 13, it therefore makes a cover for the
outer Chamber and binds all together, and can be easily removed when required.
Eleven. Fig. 11 is an end view of horizontal Furnace and drying Chamber, the
same letters referring to the same parts previously discribed.
.
Twelve. Fig. 12 represents an end section of horizontal Furnace and drying
Chamber, showing Columns A, Ashpit E, Flamebed D, Boiler B, drying Chamber T,
with top removed, showing the Refuse therein.
Thirteen. Fig. 13 is an end section of drying Chamber T, showing the inner and
outer Chambers, and how connected with each other, and showing connection with
Chimney.
Having now described the nature of this my said Invention, and particularized the
the same by details that answer well in practice, I would have it understood, that I
do not confine myself to the exact details as set forth-What I do claim is.
First. Is a Furnace for burning Towns Refuse of a particular form and construction,
with the Fire Grate or Hearth extending the whole length and width of the Furnace.
Second. I claim as new the making of Furnace Hearths for any purpose, wholly, or
partly of perforated Fire Brick Slabs, instead of Iron Bars, as described and
substantially set forth.

page_text: Third. I claim as new the application and use of forced draught in the burning or
.cremating of Towns Refuse, and in tempering the blast in force and quantity to suit
the different sorts or classes of material to be burned, instead of natural draught by
Chimney as hetherto as shown and substantially as in and for the purposes set forth.
Fourth. I also claim as new, and as a principle the drying of Towns Refuse in closed
vessels, and in drawing off the noxious fumes as made and forcing them into the
burning material on the Hearth of the Furnace, for the object of preventing and
destroying all offensive smell, having found in practice that the bulk of the smell is
evolved and given off during the drying on open Hearths, and in drying in the flues
leading from the Furnace to the Chimney, the avoidance of which is herein described
and substantially set forth.
Fifth. I further claim as new and as a principle, the forcing of the spent gases of
combustion into the Town Sewers to purify them, by the mixing of the carbon of the
spent gases with the Sewer gases, and thereby deoderise and purify them, substantially
as set forth.
Sixth. I further claim as new the mode of purifying and condensing the spent gases
in their exit from the Furnace to the Chimney or Sewer, by passing them through
and over water condensers, as herein shown and substantially set forth.
In witness whereof the said Thomas Girdwood Hardie have hereinto set his hand
and seal, this the first day of January One thousand eight hundred and
eightyseven.