Improvements in Boiler-furnaces.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Apr., 1898-Accepted, 16th July, 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Boiler-furnaces.
We, AUGUST RAHNER, Florist, and PETER DANIEL MINICK, Loan Broker, both
of Villisca, County of Montgomery, State of Iowa, United States of America, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained, in and by the following
statement:
This invention has for its object the production of improved mechanism for auto-
matically feeding the coal to the grate thereof and to provide improved mechanism
for rotating the grate in order that the ashes and cinders thereon will be deposited
in the ash-pit and the coals on the grate kept in a live state.
To this end our invention consists in certain novel constructions, combinations,
and arrangements of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully decsribed, and speci-
fically set forth in the appended claims.
In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a boiler-
furnace constructed in accordance with our invention. Fig. 2 is a central vertical
sectional view thereof. Fig. 3 is an elevational view showing the-construction
of the feed mechanism for forcing the coal to the furnace grate. Fig. 4 shows a
plan and a side or edge view, respectively, of the boiler coffer-plate. Fig. 5 is
a cross-sectional view of the grate-support, and Fig. 6 a bottom plan view of the
grate.
Similar numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in the several
views.
Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates the boiler-furnace; 2, the
grate; 3, the ash-pit; 4, the water-space; 5, the flues, and 6 the smoke-stack
thereof.
7 designates the flow-pipes, and 8 a coal-magazine formed by the surrounding
walls at the center of the furnace. Above said magazine the interior walls of
the furnace flare outwardly and form a coffer or space for the circulation of the
heated gases and products of combustion before the same pass out of the smoke-
stack. The furnace is provided at the rear adjoining the said coffer-space with
the door 9 for supply of coal into the magazine and at the furnace with a door 10
for removal of the debris from the ash-pit.
The top of the furnace is closed by a flanged coffer-plate 11, provided with an
opening 12 and a pulley 13, journaled between two ears 14 thereon. A standard 15
extends alongside the boiler on the exterior and has cross-shaft 17 journaled therein
near its lower end, said shaft being provided at one end with a pulley 18 and at
the other end thereof with a gear-wheel 19. This latter end of the said shaft
projects through the ash-pit wall of the furnace, and the gear-wheel carried there-
by is adapted to rotate the grate as hereinafter described. A chain or cord 20
passes around the said pulley 18 on the cross-shaft and also around pulleys 21 22,
adjoining the upper end of the said standard, and one end 20 of said chain or
rope passes over the said pulley 13 on the coffer-plate 11, and through the open-
ing 12 therein into the coal-magazine of the furnace and has attached thereto a
weight 23, adapted to press down upon the bed of coal therein and press the

page_text: same down upon the grate 2. The opposite end 20 of the cord or chain carries
a counterbalancing-weight 20%, which holds said cord or rope in proper position
and prevents the weight 23 from contacting or crowding the coal down upon
the grate.
The grate 2 is cone-shaped and provided at its apex with an opening 25 and
with a broad base or rim 26. A series of parallel-faced grate-bars 27 connect the
said apex and rim, and the rim-is provided on the under side thereof with gear-
teeth 26" and a smooth space 26, adjoining said teeth. This rests upon a support
consisting of a standard 271, formed with a pivot projection 27" and a series of
downwardly-inclined arms 28, projecting therefrom and resting upon the side
walls of the ash-box, said arms being provided with bearing lugs or projections 29.
The grate 2 is pivotally mounted upon said support by means of its opening 25,
which fits upon the pivot projection 27" of said support, and the smooth face 26°
of the grate-rim 26 rests upon the bearing lugs or projections 29 of the support.
The gear-wheel 19 on the cross-shaft of the standard meshes with the teeth 26"
on the rim of the grate and is adapted to revolve the same on its axis or pivot 27".
In operation as the coal on the grate is gradually consumed the weight 23
descends and forces a fresh supply of coal from the magazine onto the grate,
thereby causing the cord or chain connected therewith to move correspondingly
and revolve the cross-shaft to which the gear-wheel 19 is connected, and thus
the revolution of the grate is effected by the descent of the weight, and the great
surface is always kept clear of clinkers and ashes and at the same time supplied
with fresh coal.
By this construction and arrangements of parts the fresh coal is supplied to
the grate as fast as the coal on the latter is consumed. When the coal in the
magazine is entirely used, the follower or weight 23 may be lifted out and the
magazine readily replenished.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said in-
vention, in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:
1
1. In boiler-furnaces, the combination of a furnace having a grate and a coal-
magazine above said grate, a follower to press the said coal down upon the grate,
and means actuated by the said follower for moving the grate and clearing the
same of clinkers and ashes, substantially as described.
2. In boiler-furnaces, the combination of a furnace having a grate, a coal-maga-
zine above the same and a door for supply of coal to said magazine, a follower
in the magazine to press the coal down upon the grate, and mechanism actuated
by the said follower to cause the rotation of the grate, substantially as described.
3. In boiler-furnaces, the combination of a furnace having a grate and a coal-
magazine above the same, a standard alongside the exterior wall of the furnace,
a follower within the coal-magazine and adapted to press the coal down upon
the grate, means for effecting the rotation of the grate, and a chain or rope
passing around pulleys on the said standard and having one end connected with
the said follower and the other end thereof adapted to operate the said grate-
rotating mechanism, substantially as described.
4. In boiler-furnaces, the combination of a furnace provided with a coal inaga-
zine and a grate below the same, a coffer closing the top of the furnace and
provided with an opening, a standard on the exterior side of the furnace, a
follower within the coal-magazine to press the coal down upon the grate, a con-
nection between the said standard and the grate for effecting the rotation of the
latter, and a chain or cord having one end passed through the said opening in
the coffer and connected with the said follower, and the other end thereof passing
around pulleys.on the said standard and provided with a counterbalancing-weight
adapted to effect the operation of the said grate-rotating mechanism, substantially
as described.
5. In boiler-furnaces, the combination of the furnace provided with a coal-

page_text: magazine and a door for replenishing the same, a coffer-plate closing the opening
to the furnace above said magazine and provided with an opening, a grate-support
in the ash-box provided with a pivot, a cone-shaped grate formed with an opening
at the apex thereof by which it is mounted on said pivot and having a base or
rim formed with gear-teeth, a standard extending alongside of the furnace and
provided with a cross-shaft projecting through the furnace-wall and having a
gear meshing with the teeth on the grate-rim, a weighted follower within the coal-
magazine and adapted to press the coal down upon the grate, and a cord or chain
passed through the said opening in the coffer-plate and having one end connected
with said follower and the other end thereof passed over pulleys on the said
standard and connected with the said cross-shaft whereby a given coal-forcing
movement on the part of the follower will effect a corresponding rotating movement
of the grate, substantially as described.
Dated this 7th day of April 1898.