IMPROVEMENTS IN FOUNDRY CUPOLAS
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Summerson, of the Hope Town Foundry,
Darlington, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FOUNDRY CUPOLAS."
Sealed the 14th November 1865, and dated the 31st May 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Summerson at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition; on the
31st May 1865.
I, THOMAS SUMMERSON, of the Hope Town Foundry, Darlington, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FOUNDRY
CUPOLAS," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object the saving of fuel used in foundry cupolas
by utilizing the heat at the top of the cupola to heat the blast of air before it
enters the cupola. For this purpose I place in the interior of a foundry
cupola, and near its top, three or more concentric tiers of cast-iron chambers,
through which the air is passed before being forced into the cupola. Each
chamber is rectangular in section, and passes around all sides of the furnace,
a small space being left between the back of the chambers and the sides of
the cupola, so that the flames and heat may act on the backs of the chambers.

page_text: The chambers are placed one above the other, an interval of a few inches being
left between them, so that the flames may also circulate freely beneath them.
The bottom tier, which supports the others, rests on the fire-brick lining of
the cupola, level with the feeding door. The current of cold air produced by
the fan or other means enters the bottom tier by one inlet, and after passing
around the chamber it ascends to this chamber above through suitable passages
formed for the purpose. The air is thus caused to pass through and around
each of the chambers, and is so brought in contact with the whole heating
surface. In the top tiers are two or more outlets' for discharging the heated
air, which is conveyed by pipes to the tuyeres; or the current of cold air
may communicate with the top tier, and be forced down to the bottom tier,
where two or more outlets may be placed to convey the heated air to the
tuyeres.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Summerson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
30th November 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
SUMMERSON, of the Hope Town Foundry, Darlington, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirty-first day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-eighth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Thomas Summerson, Her special licence that I, the said Thomas
Summerson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Thomas Summerson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN FOUNDRY CUPOLAS," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Thomas Summerson, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and. seals,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to
be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.

page_text: Figure 1 shows a side elevation of a cupola furnace constructed with air-
heating apparatus according to my Invention; Figure 2 is a vertical section,
and Figures 3 and 4 are horizontal sections, taken at the points indicated in
Figure 2. The Invention consists in placing or applying two or more
concentric tiers of cast-iron pipes or air chambers (by preference of rectangular
section, 30 inches deep by 4 inches wide internally), the bottom tier being
placed level with the feeding door, or lower, according to the blast used; the
pipes or chambers are placed one above another, with a suitable interval, say
of 5 inches; between them to allow the flame to circulate underneath and
behind them. The bottom tier, which supports the others, rests on cast-iron
brackets bolted to the wrought-iron shell of the cupola. The current of cold
air produced by the fan blast or otherwise enters, in the arrangement shown,

page_text: at the top tiers by one inlet, and in descending from the top to the bottom.
tiers is brought in contact with the whole of the heating surface of the air
chambers. In the bottom tier are two or more outlets for discharging the
heated air, which is conveyed by pipes to the tuyeres. In place of the cold
Fair entering the top tier the apparatus may, if desired, be arranged for the air
to enter the bottom tier and pass off from the top tier.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention and the manner of
performing the same, I claim the mode herein described of applying air-heating
apparatus to the upper parts of a cupola furnace.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Summerson, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of November, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
THOMAS SUMMERSON.
(44.8.)