Improvements in Furnaces for Destroying the Refuse and Dealing with the Sewage, Sludge, and other Öffensive Material of Towns.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Dec., 1891-Accepted, 12th Mar., 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Furnaces for Destroying the Refuse and Dealing
with the Sewage, Sludge, and other Öffensive Material of Towns.
I WILLIAM HORSFALL of Camp Road Mills, Leeds in the County of Yorks.,
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
My invention relates to certain improvements in furnaces for burning the refuse
of towns, and for dealing with the sewage, sludge, or other offensive material thereof,
the object being to efficiently destroy the refuse of towns without creating any
nuisance to the district in which the furnaces are situated, and to deal with the
residuum, and also with the sewage, sludge and other offensive material not capable
of being burned, so that the resultant material is of some value.
. I attain this end in the manner shewn by the accompanying drawings in which
Figures 1 Sheet No. 1, and 3, Sheet No. 3 are broken views in elevation-partly
in section and Figures 2 Sheet No. 2, and 4, Sheet No. 3 are broken views in
sectional plan shewing the construction of my improved furnaces.
Figure 5 Sheet No. 4 is a view in transverse sectional elevation through one
of the furnaces.
Figure 6 Sheet No. 4 is a view in elevation showing the precipitating tank and
elevating gear.
Figure 7 Sheet No. 3 is a view shewing the ends of two of the furnaces with
the feeding arrangements, and
Figures 8, 9 and 10 Sheet No. 5 are views in broken sectional plan, in transverse
section, and in end elevation of a furnace fitted with my improved air-blast.
Throughout the several views similar parts are marked with like letters of
reference.
The furnaces A. of which there may be any desired number are arranged side by
side and are each provided with grate bars a and a drying floor a' both so sloped
that the material to be burned is carried by gravity to the front end of the furnace.
At the front end of each furnace is a suitable door a² and at the back end thereof
a feeding hopper a³ and a charging hole a*. Under the grate bars of each furnace
is the usual ash pit B fitted with a door b of the usual construction. The furnaces
are made arched or dome-shaped in cross section and each arch at the front end of
the furnace is provided with a series of perforations a³, aº, etc. putting the chamber
into communication with the flues C, C, which are connected with the main flue C¹
which runs transversely under the drying floors of the furnaces by the side
flues C, C etc. The flues C are each provided with a suitable door c to admit of
their being cleaned. The side flues C2 are each provided with suitable dampers c¹
to enable any one of the furnaces to be shut off at any time.
The main flue C' is provided with a suitable door c³ at one end and is connected
with a chimney or shaft at the other end.
At one end of the series of furnaces is a combustion chamber D in communication
with the main flue C₁ by perforations d, d, etc. in the party wall. Next to the
combustion chamber is a second or supplementary furnace E in communication with
the combustion chamber D by perforations d, d, etc. in the party wall, and in con-
munication with the main flue C₁ by perforations e, e, etc. in the party wall between
the said furnace and flue. This second or supplementary furnace is used to keep
up steam in the boiler when the furnaces A, A, etc. are not at work, and also to
act as a further check on the escape of any noxious gases from the said furnaces
when very bad material is being destroyed.
·Beyond the second or supplementary furnace E is a steam boiler F preferably

page_text: of the multitubular type, so set that the heat from the furnaces passes through and
circulates around it by means of a suitable flue F¹ and passes out into the main
flue C¹, the exit to which is controlled by a suitable damper f. A suitable
damper is also placed between the second furnace E and the flue F' so that in
case of accident to the boiler it can be cut off. Dampers and c² are also fitted
in the main flue C₁ in such positions that the products of combustion from the
furnaces may be directed through the combustion chamber D, the furnace E and
the boiler flue F, or through the combustion chamber D and the furnace E only,
or direct through the main flue, as necessity or expediency demands. The com-
bustion chamber D and the furnace E are each provided with suitable openings
with covers or doors d² and e, the former for the introduction of matter to be
burned or destroyed, and the latter for the introduction of fuel.
Under the entire series of furnaces A, A, etc. and extending beyond them at the
opposite end to the combustion chamber D is formed a precipitating tank G divided
into two parts immediately at the end of the series of furnaces by a sliding or sluice
door G¹ operated by suitable mechanism g, the part of the tank under the furnaces
having an inclined floor sloping towards the sliding or sluice door. A shoot H
from the top platform or stage of the furnaces runs into the upper end of the
tank G to provide for the introduction of the sewage sludge etc. into the said tank,
and from the lower floor of the furnaces small shoots H'H' etc. are made to the
tank for the introduction of the small ashes etc. from the furnaces.
In the outer part of the tank an elevator J with a shoot J is fixed to lift the
material from the tank to the top stage or platform, the elevator being operated by
any suitable mechanism.
The material so delivered can be either passed into the furnaces to be destroyed,
or it can be carted away for use as manure according to the composition and quality
of it. By passing sludge through the precipitating tank a large amount of the
moisture contained in it is driven off by the heat of the furnaces and some of it is
absorbed by the ashes etc. from the furnaces introduced into the tank. If sewage
is passed into the tank it is treated in the same manner and by having its excessive
moisture so disposed of makes good manure in a form in which it can readily be
handled.
Extending under the whole series of furnaces, and between the main flue and
the ash pit is an air passage I open to the tank and having a door i at one end.
In each of the ash pits B is placed an air injector K operated by a steam jet K¹
as set forth in my prior Patent No. 8999 of 1887. In this case I arrange this
injector as shown by Figures 2 Sheet No. 2 and 5 Sheet No. 4 of the accom-
panying drawings so that while it acts as an air injector to force combustion in the
furnaces it also acts as an exhauster to exhaust the effluvia from the tank. I some-
times obtain the requisite forced draught in the furnaces by means of a tuyere
placed on the drying floor of the furnace as illustrated by Figures 8, 9 and 10 of
the accompanying drawings, in which K, K, etc. designate the tuyeres and the
pipe through which the air is forced into the tuyeres either from a fan or from an
air injector operated by a steam jet. By using the tuyere on the drying floor the
air blast has at all times free access to the fire which is not always the case when
the blast is delivered under the fire grate as the bars unless frequently attended to
get clinkered up. I sometimes use both the tuyere and the air-injector together,
or I connect the air passage I with the fan or air-injector operating the tuyere so
that the fan or air-injector acts as an exhauster to the said air passage.
It will be seen that in a destructor constructed as herein before described the
gases arising from the drying and burning of the refuse pass to the front of the
furnace and over the hottest part of the fire before they escape to the flues, and
that they may then he passed over a second fire if necessary. It will also be
apparent that a considerable saving of time arises from the ability to feed the
furnaces from the lower floor owing to the particular arrangement of the feeding
hoppers and charging holes.
The steam jets are supplied with steam from the boiler F through suitable

page_text: pipes K, any excess of steam power over and above that required for the jets may
be used for any other purpose.
I wish it to be particularly understood that I do not limit myself to the precise
details of construction and arrangement hereinbefore set forth and shown by the
accompanying drawing, but that I hold myself at liberty to make such changes
of my invention.
and alterations as fairly fall within the spirit and scope
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1st. The improvements in furnaces for destroying and dealing with the refuse of
towns, as herein before described and illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
2nd. In a refuse destructor the combination of a group of furnaces arch shape
in cross section and having perforations through the arch-shaped roofs at their front
ends, arranged side by side, sloped from back to front, and having drying plates
with hoppers and charging holes at their back ends, and grate bars and furnace doors
at their front ends; of flues arranged above and at the sides of each furnace; and
of a main flue running longitudinally under the said furnaces and receiving the
flues from each furnace, all combined, arranged and operating as and for the purpose
set forth.
3rd. In a refuse destructor, the combination of a group of furnaces arch-shaped
in cross section and arranged side by side; of a main flue running longitudinally
under the said furnaces and connected therewith by side and top flues; of a pre-
cipitating tank partly under the said furnaces; and of an air passage running
transversely under the series of furnaces and open to the precipitating tank, all
combined, arranged and operating, as and for the purpose set forth.
4th. In a refuse destructor, the combination of a group of furnaces arch-shaped
in cross section, and arranged side by side; of a main flue running longitudinally
under the said furnaces and connected therewith by side and top flues; of a
precipitating tank partly under the said furnaces; of an air passage running
transversely under the series of furnaces, open to the precipitating tank and con-
nected with the ash pits of the furnaces by air injectors operated by steam jets or
their equivalents and adapted to act as exhaustors to the precipitating tank and as
injectors to the furnaces, all combined arranged and operating as and for the
purpose set forth.
5th. The combination with refuse destroying furnaces, of a precipitating tank,
arranged under the said furnaces, as and for the purpose hereinbefore described and
illustrated by the accompanying drawing.
6th. The combination with refuse destroying furnaces, of a precipitating tank
arranged under the said furnaces, and of an air passage between the said furnaces
and the said tank and in open communication with the latter, as and for the purpose
set forth.
7th. The combination with refuse destroying furnaces, of a precipitating tank
arranged under the said furnaces; of an air passage between the said furnaces
and the said tank and in communication with the latter; of a combustion
5 chamber in connection with the main flue; and of a second or supplementary
furnace in connection with the said combustion chamber and with the main
flue, all combined arranged and operating as and for the purpose set forth.
8th. The combination with refuse destroying furnaces, of a precipitating tank
arranged under the said furnaces; of an air passage between the said furnaces and
the said tank, and in communication with the latter of a combustion chamber in
connection with the main flue; of a second or supplementary furnace in connection
with the said combustion chamber and with the main flue; of a steam boiler or
boilers in connection with the main flue and also with the second or supplementary
furnace ;
and of air injectors or blasts to force combustion in the destroying
5 furnaces, operated by steam jets from the said boiler or by a fan or blower, adapted

page_text: to blow either above or below the fire grates, all combined arranged and operating
as and for the purpose set forth.
9th. The combination of the furnaces A, A, etc. having dome or arch-shaped
roofs with perforations a, a, etc.; of the flues C, C etc.; of the side down
flues C2, C3, etc.; and of the main flue C₁, all combined, arranged, and operating
as and for the purpose set forth.
10th. The combination of the furnaces A, A, elc.; of the flue C, C, etc.; of the
side or down flues C2, C2, etc. of the main flue C¹; of the ash pits B, B, etc.; and
of the air passage I, all combined arranged and operating as and for the purpose
set forth.
11th. The combination of the furnaces A, A, etc.; of the ash pits B, B, etc. ; of
the flues C, C etc.; C2, (2 etc.; of the main flue C¹; of the air passage I ; and of
the precipitating tank G, all combined, arranged, and operating, as and for the
purpose set forth.
12th. The combination of the furnaces A, A etc.; of the ash pits B, B, etc.; of
the flues C, C etc., and C2, C² etc.; of the main flue C'; of the air passage 1; of
the precipitating tank G; and of the combustion chamber D, all combined,
arranged, and operating, as and for the purpose set forth.
13th. The combination of the furnaces A, A. etc.; of the ash pits B, B etc.; of
the flues C, C etc., and C2, C² etc.; of the main flue C', of the air passage I ; of
the precipitating tank G; of the combustion chamber D; and of the second or
supplementary furnace E, all combined, arranged, and operating, as and for the
purpose set forth.
14th. The combination of the furnaces A, A, etc.; of the ash pits B, B, etc.; of
the flues C, C, etc., and C2, C2 etc.; of the main flue C₁; of the air passage I ; of
the precipitating tank G; of the combustion chamber D; of the second or sup-
plementary furnace E; of the boiler F with flues F¹; all combined arranged and
operating as and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 24th day of December 1891.
ROBT. ED. PHILLIPS, M.I.M.E.,
Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent,
70, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.