IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE- BOYES AND OTHER DARMO
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Belpaire, Civil Engineer, of Brussels, in
the Kingdom of Belgium, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-
BOYES AND OTHER DARMO
F
Sealed the 14th August 1860, and dated the 17th February 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Belpaire at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 17th
February 1860.
I, ALFRED BELPAIRE, Civil Engineer, of Brussels, in the Kingdom of
Belgium, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN FIRE-BOXES AND OTHER PARTS OF LOCOMOTIVE AND MOVEABLE STEAM
ENGINES," to be as follows:-
The object of my Invention is to construct fire-boxes and fire-doors of loco-
motive and moveable steam engines so as to obtain a better combustion of small
coal or slack, anthracite, peat, or turf in the fire-box, and with that view I enlarge
as much as possible the grate or fire-bar surface in the fire-box, the said fire-
bars having a peculiar form and arrangement, and as such enlargement of the
grate surface cannot conveniently be made in fire-boxes of the ordinary width,
I increase the length of the fire-box in due proportion, provision being made
against any impediment to the running powers of the engine arising from
such extension of the fire-box, by a proper distribution of other parts of the

page_text: engine, and I would here observe, although not forming any part of my
Invention, that the change in the distribution of parts necessitated by the
extension of the fire-box, has the effect of better dividing the weight in four
and six wheeled coupled engines, and of equalizing it on the coupled axles. I
make the door of the fire-box in two parts, the bottom edges thereof being very
nearly on a level with the grate bars, thus giving the stoker who stands con-
siderably below that level, free access to and command over the fire. The
doorway is also sufficiently large to enable the fire to be fed with ease, and is
provided with suitable means of supplying or excluding air when required.
The fire is spread over the grate bars in a thin layer, and I have generally
found four inches in depth to be sufficient. The engine driver stands on a
plate, which extends across the front of the fire-box and along each side of the
depressed space reserved for the stoker, on the framework of which the said
plate rests. The upper surface of the grate bars is rather narrow, and they
are placed at small distances apart. They can be laid singly or be fastened
together side by side in groups of ten or twelve, so as to be kept constantly at
the same distance from each other. A portion of the grate is made to move
up and down to facilitate the removal of clinkers and other impediments to
the perfect combustion of the fuel, and for the purpose of drawing the fire.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Alfred Belpaire in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
17th August 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALFRED
BELPAIRE, Civil Engineer, of Brussels, in the Kingdom of Belgium, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-third year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Alfred Belpaire, Her special licence that I, the said Alfred
Belpaire, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said Alfred Belpaire, 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 "IMPROVE-

page_text: MENTS IN FIRE-BOXES AND OTHER PARTS OF LOCOMOTIVE AND MOVEABLE STEAM
ENGINES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Alfred Belpaire,
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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alfred Belpaire, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, and by reference to the Sheet of Drawings, and to the
figures and letters marked thereon, and which form part of this my Specifi-
cation (that is to say) :-
.-:
The object of my Invention is to construct fire-boxes and fire-loors of
locomotive and moveable steam engines, so as to obtain a better combustion
of small coal or slack, anthracite, pent, or turf, in the fire-box, and with that
view I enlarge as much as possible the grate or fire-bar surface in the fire-box,
the said fire-bars having a peculiar form and arrangement, and as such
enlargement of the grate surface cannot conveniently be made in fire-boxes of
the ordinary width I increase the length of the fire-box in duc proportion,
provision being made against any impediment to the running powers of the
engine arising from such extension of the fire-box by a proper distribution of
other parts of the engine, and I would here observe, although not forming any
part of my Invention, that the change in the distribution of parts necessitated
by the extension of the fire-box; has the effect of better dividing the weight in
four and six wheeled coupled engines, and of equalizing it on the coupled
axles.
The fire-doors are lined with fire-brick, and there are small holes pierced
through for the admission of air, which is regulated by a sliding plate; such
fire-doors are made in two parts, the bottom edges thereof being very nearly
on a level with the grate bars, thus giving the stoker who stands considerably
below that level, free access to and command over the fire. The doorway is
also sufficiently large to enable the fire to be fed with ease, and is provided
with suitable means of supplying or excluding air when required. The fire is
spread over the grate bars in a thin layer, and I have generally found four
inches in depth to be sufficient. The engine driver stands on a plate which
extends across the front of the fire-box and along each side of the depressed
space reserved for the stoker on the framework of which the said plate rests.

page_text: The upper surface of the grate bars is rather narrow, and they are placed at
small distances apart. They can be laid singly or be fastened together side by
side in groups of ten or twelve, so as to be kept constantly at the same
distance from each other. A portion of the grate is made to move up and
down to facilitate the removal of clinkers and other impediments to the
perfect combustion of the fuel, and for the purpose of drawing the fire. The
small depth of the fire-box allows of an axle, carrying the largest size wheels,
being placed under it, thereby distributing the weight of the engine more
equally on the wheels. The axle so placed may be protected from becoming
heated, owing to its proximity to the fire-box, by a saddle in single or double
iron, or other known means.
The Drawings shew my Invention applied to a six wheeled coupled engine;
A is a longitudinal section of the fire-box and platform for the stoker; B is a
half section of the platform, and a half front view of the fire-box; Fig. C is
a front view of the whole on a reduced scale; Figs. D and E are the grate
bars, which may be in wrought or in cast iron.
In the above Figures the parts a represent the platform of the stoker, the
parts the doors of fire-box, those marked c compose the grate, and d shews
the moveable part thereof; e are the sides of the fire-box; f is the platform
for the engine driver; k, the perforated fire bricks which line the fire doors;
h is the saddle or cover to protect the axle from becoming heated.
Having described the nature of my said Invention. and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I do not claim
any of the parts taken separately, but that what I claim as my Invention is,
the arrangement and combination of parts berein-before described, with the
right of varying the details thereof without departing from the nature of my
said Invention.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Belpaire, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of August, in the year of our Lord,
One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
ALFRED BELPAIRE. (L.S.)