IMPROVEMENTS IN FURNACES FOR MELTING BRASS AND OTHER METALS, APPLICABLE ALSO TO APPARATUS FOR GENERATING STEAM
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Fletcher, of Ashton-under-Lyne, in the County of
Lancaster, Brassfounder, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FURNACES
FOR MELTING BRASS AND OTHER METALS, APPLICABLE ALSO TO APPARATUS
FOR GENERATING STEAM"
Sealed the 6th April 1877, and dated the 2nd February 1877
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Fletcher at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 2nd February 1877.
66
JOHN FLETCHER, of Ashton-under-Lyne, in the County of Lancaster, Brass-
founder. IMPROVEMENTS IN FURNACES FOR MELTING BRASS AND OTHER METALS,
APPLICABLE ALSO TO APPARATUS FOR GENERATING STEAM"
My Invention relates to the furnaces employed in the melting of brass, gun metal,
and other metals and alloys, and is also applicable in the construction of the furnaces
of stationary, portable, and locomotive boilers
The
In the construction of such furnaces I employ an inner shell, which is surrounded
by an outer casing The said inner shell is lined internally with fire-bricks or with
fie-clay blocks, o lumps, or is otherwise lined with a refractory material
outer casing is formed in two parts, the upper part surrounding the said inner shell
The lower pait is hinged to the upper part, and is provided with a filling or lining
of refractory material which forms the bottom of the interior of the furnace. The
inner casing is supported by an inwardly projecting flanch on the top of the outer
casing, or is otherwise so suspended within the said casing as to leave an annular space
or passage for the flow of air between the furnace bottom and the lower end of the
inner shell and lining The air to supply the furnace is forced into a space between
the shell and casing at one or more places at or near the upper end of the said
space, and flowing downwards enters the furnace through the aforesaid annular
passage
In cases wherein a forced diaught is not employed air is admitted through open-
ings at or near the upper end of the outer casing, the diaught being induced by a
chimney as usual A suitable cover may be adapted to the furnace in cases wherein
the use of a cover is advisable. The hinged lowçi part of the outer casing is secured
[Price 6d]

page_text: by suitable fastenings, and when the furnace is to be cleared out the said part is un-
fastened so that it can tuin on its hinges to discharge the ashes and cinders or
scorre
In some cases the outer casing may be dispensed with, a bottom being fitted or
erected below the furnace at a suitable listance to form an inlet passage for air, oi
the au may be supplied through perforations in the bottom or sides, or in both, and
the air may be forced into a conduit formed in or surrounding the wall of the
fun nace
When employed in the generation of steam the flames and heated gases from the
furnace arc duected into contact with the heating surfaces in the usual or in a
suitable manneı
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Fletcher in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 1st August
1877
"
JOHN FLETCHER, of Ashton-under-Lync, in the County of Lancaster, Brass-
founder. IMPROVEMENTS IN FURNACES FOR MELTING BRASS AND OTHER METALS,
APPLICABLE ALSO TO APPARATUS FOR GENERATING-STEAM."
My Invention iclates to the furnaces employed in the melting of brass, gun metal,
and other metals and alloys, and is also applicable in the consti uction of the furnaces
of stationary, portable, and locomotive boilers
The
In the construction of such furnaces I employ an inner shell, which is surrounded
by an outer casing The said inner shell is lined internally with fine-bricks, or with
file-clay blocks, oi lumps, or is otherwise lined with a lefiactory material The
outer casing is formed in two parts, the upper pait surrounding the said inner shell
The lower part is hanged to the upper part, and is provided with a filling or lining
of refractory material which forms the bottom of the interior of the furnace
innei casing is supported by an inwardly projecting flanch on the top of the outer
casing, or is otherwise suspended within the said casing as to leave an annulai spaco
or passage for the flow of an between the furnace bottom and the lower end of the
inner shell and lining The an to supply the furnace is forced into a space between
the shell and casing at one or more places at or near the upper end of the said
space, and flowing downwards enters the furnace through the aforesaid annulai
passage
In cases wherein a forced draught is not employed air is admitted at or near the
upper end of the outer casing, the diaught being induced by a chimney, as is usual
A suitable cover may be adapted to the furnace in cases wherein the use of a cover
15 advisable The hinged lower part of the outer casing is secured by suitable
fastenings, and when the furnace is to be cleared out the said part is unfastened, so
that it can tuin on its hinges to discharge the ashes and cinders or scolla
And in order that my Invention may be well understood, I have attached hereunto
a Sheet of Diawings made to a scale of about two inches to the foot, and maiked
with letters of reference, to which Diawings I will now refei.
Fig 1 represents a plan of my improved furnace, one-half of the Figure being a
plan showing a portion of the furnace top and cover, the other half being a
section on the line A, in Fig 2, which latter Figure represents a vertical section
taken at the centre of the furnace
In the said Figures a is an outer casing which in the example is formed of
cast on, but may be wholly or partially of wrought non or other suitable
material. The said casing is mounted upon or formed with three or more feet, only
two feet b, b, being represented in the Drawing In lieu of these feet the casing
may be supported upon buck pillars or other wise so sustained as that there shall
be a clear space below the said casing To the lower part of the said casing is

page_text: hinged a metal door c which is lined with a fine-clay concave disc d, or is coated or
lined with a icfiactory material, the said concave disc forming the bottom of the
furnace The said dooi is lunged at c, and is secured when shut by means of a
cotta which is passed through a slot in a bolt which is hinged to the casing
which is
The method of scening the door may be varied, as considered to be most suit-
able, also, in place of hinging the door it may be arranged to be raised and lowered
or withdrawn horizontally Ar inner shell is placed within the outer casing and
19 sustained by a flanch which rests upon the top of the casing This shell may be
formed of wrought non or of cast iron, or other suitable metal In the example it
is supposed to be made of wrought on The lower edge of this shell is flanched
waids, and this flanch sustains the lining of the furnace
This linin g,by pic-
ference, consists of a cylinder of fine-clay or refractory material, but it may be
built up of fine-clay bucks or lumps, or of bucks, blocks, oi segments of refiactory
material Upon the top of the outer casing a cap a is fitted to iest, or is bolted or
secured to the said casing This cap is provided with a 'hd oi door
hinged to the cap, and is arranged to be opened and closed by means of a hand
level which is fastened to the joint pin of the hinge The said cap is also formed
with a branch oi outlet m which is suitably formed to connect with a flue or passage
leading to a chimney or outlet for the smoke and gases Around the outer casing
is formed an annular passage n, which is formed with an inlet opening o, which 19
alanged to be connected with a pipe through which a blast of an can be conveyed
from a fan or blower It prefered for any icason the said blast or supply of air
may be admitted at more than one point in the cucumference of the furnace The
an forced into the passage is permitted to flow through openings p, p, formed in
the bottom of the said passage into the annulai space between the outer casing
and the inner shell, which said space entirely surrounds the inner shell
In some
cases the fan or blower may be dispensed with and the natural diaught produced
by a chimney be depended upon to supply the furnace with an.
The fic is con-
tained within the lining h, within which is placed the crucible holding the metal to
be melted as indicated in Fig 2 The au forced into the passage n flows through
the space and through the space between the bottom of the inner shell and the
furnace bottom into the fuel at the lower part of the fire In its passago the au
becomes heated by contact with the shell and casing, and the cooling of the crucible
and fire is prevented, and at the same time overheating of the lining shell and outer
casing is also prevented An opening 8 is formed in the upper part of the lining h,
and the products of combustion and the fumes from the melted metal flow through
this opening to the outlet m In cases wherein the furnace is not connected with a
chimney and the escaping gases and smoke will not be objectionable the gases and
fumes may be permitted to escape through the top of the furnace The lid or door k
may be lined with a refiactory material, and if prefered may be manged to be
raised and lowered instead of being hinged to the cap
When a forced diaught is
not used the passage n may be dispensed with and the air be admitted through pei-
forations in the outci casing Also the shell g may be dispensed with and the
lining / be sustained upon pillars or feet, or may be formed with a flanch to rest
on the top of the outer casing, but the aangement illustrated is considered to be
the most suitable
When it is necessary to clear away the ashes and dross from the furnace the
door or bottom c may be opened or lowered and the ashes and dioss be discharged
or raked out.
Having now fully set forth and indicated the nature of my said Invention, and
the manner in which the same may be carried into effect, I would have it to bo
understood that I claim,-
Fust The furnace substantially as and for the purposes described and indicated
herein-before and by the accompanying Diawings
Secondly The furnace for the indicated uses formed with a close bottom of re-
fractory material arranged a little below the lining containing the fire, and formed
and aranged as a door, to be opened for the discharge of ashes and matters.

page_text: And, lastly The furnace formed with an inner lining of refractory material, an
outer casing, a close bottom, and an annulai au passage, substantially as and for the
purposes described and indicated.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Fletcher, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Thutieth day of July, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundied and seventy-seven.