AN IMPROVED SMOKE- CONSUMING APPARATUS
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Constant Joseph Guffroy, Merchant, of Lille,
Town in the French Empire, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED SMOKE-
CONSUMING APPARATUS."
Sealed the 16th November 1855, and dated the 7th June 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said. Charles Constant Joseph
Guffroy at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on, the 7th June 1855.
I, CHARLES CONSTANT JOSEPH GUFFROY, Merchant, of Lille, Town in the
French Empire, do, hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN
IMPROVED SMOKE-CONSUMING APPARATUS" to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in the construction of a smoke-consuming apparatus,
wherein, after the fuel has been once lighted, the fresh fuel is placed upon the
incandescent mass, and the gaseous products from such fresh supply are caused
to pass through this mass; jets of air are introduced through lateral apertures
or pipes into the mass of incandescent fuel, in order to support combustion and
make it as perfect as may be. I dispense, with grate or fire bars, and provide
an aperture at the tail or bottom of the apparatus, from whence to remove
cinders, clinkers, &c., as may be required; a division or partition plate in the
upper part of the apparatus prevents the smoke and gases as they are emitted

page_text: from the fresh fuel passing off into the heat flue without first traversing the
incandescent mass.
As an exemplification, I proceed to shew by the following description and
annexed Drawing, the manner in which my Invention may be carried into
effect, and in my final Specification I shall shew the apparatus adapted to
various boilers and furnaces for melting, heating, &c.
Figure 1 is a vertical section, and Figure 2 a horizontal section, on the line
x, x, of Figure 1. The fuel is introduced at a, and soon commences to give
off its gaseous products from contact with the incandescent fuel upon which it
rests, the great mass-of-incandescent fuel, as at a', at which part numerous
jets of air are introduced through nozzles c, c'. a¹ is the caloric or heat flue
for conveying the heat where it may be required. The tail of the fire-place is
at a", and through the door e cinders and clinkers are removed when necessary.
d is a partition, which in the case of boilers may be a water space. This
partition prevents the products from the fresh fuel passing away except
through the red hot mass of fuel. The bottom part of the apparatus is
shewn in three different forms at Figure 1, with and without a door. care
lateral air passages.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Charles Constant Joseph Guffroy in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 21st: November. 1855..
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I CHARLES
CONSTANT JOSEPH GUFFROY, Merchant, of Lille, Town in the French Empire,
send greeting.
"WHEREAS Her most. Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the eighteenth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Charles Constant Joseph Guffroy, Her special licence that I, the said Charles'
Constant Joseph Guffroy, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Charles. Constant Joseph Guffroy, my executors, adminis-
trators, 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

page_text: Invention for "AN IMPROVED, SMOKE-CONSUMING APPARATUS," upon the condition.
(amongst others) that I, the said Charles Constant: Joseph Guffroy, by an
instrument in writing under my, hand and seal; 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 .Charles Constant Joseph Guffroy; do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what' inanner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed,
that is to say:-
My Invention:consists in the construction of: a smoke-consuming apparatus,
in which, after, the fuel. has been once lighted, the fresh fuel is placed on
the incandescent mass, and the gaseous products from such fresh supply are
made to pass through the burning mass. The combustion is supported and
assisted by jets of: air introduced through apertures or nozzles, as herein-after
explained: Grate or fire bars are dispensed with, and an aperture is provided
in the tailor bottom. of tlie apparatus, from whence cinders, clinkers, &;
may. be removed. A partition plate is added in the upper part of the apparatus
to prevent the stoke and gases emitted froin the fresh fuel passing off into the
heat flue without first traversing the incandescent mass.
This partition may
in certain cases be provided with apertures for the admission of air: to support
coinbustion:
Figure Iris a vertical section of a simoke-consuniing apparatus constructed
according to my Invention; Figure 2, a horizontal section of the same through
the line a, a, oft Figure 1; and Figure 3, a front view.....
a is the mouth of the apparatus through which the fuel is introduced; a¹,
the part where the great mass of incandescent fuel rests; a, passage for the
escape of products of combustion and incombustible gases; all; the "tail"
or bottom of the. apparatus, into which the cinders; clinkers, &, fall, and
whence, they may be removed through a door when necessary; b, b', 61, are
the sides of the apparatus, in which are the apertures or nozzles c, 'c, c', c¹,
through which jets of air penetrate into the burning mass:
or nozzles:are constructed in the peculiar: manner shewn in
and are arranged in pairs (on opposite sides of the apparatus). The sides of each
nozzle-shaped aperture form alternately projecting and receding angles, as
shewn in Figure 2. d is a partition, which forces the gases given off by the
fuel to pass through the red-hot mass before escaping into the flue, or, passage
These apertures
section, Figure 2,

page_text: ,
al; c, c, are narrow openings in the under part of the tail a", through.
which ashes fall, and a small quantity of air is admitted. Air is also
allowed to enter at the further end of the "tail" to assist the combustion of
the cinders which may fall there. The quantity of air admitted through the
apertures or nozzles c, c, c', c', and the depth to which it is allowed to
penetrate, are regulated according to the quantity of the gases given off by
the burning fuel. e is a door for closing the tail a", which the stoker can'
lift up or open when he wishes to clear that part of the furnace; it may be
made to open at three parts for greater convenience; e', e', are doors or registers
for closing the mouth of the apparatus or part through which the fuel is fed in,
and for regulating or shutting off any supply of air which it may occasionally
be found desirable to admit through that part.
The apparatus is worked in the following manner-Fuel having been
introduced and lighted, fresh fuel is admitted through the mouth a, which,
coming in contact with the incandescent or burning mass, commences to give
off gaseous products, &c. The hydro-carburetted gases thus evolved, together
with the oxide of carbon formed in the masses of fuel at the sides and
below, and the currents of air penetrating through the apertures or nozzles
c, c, cl, c', pass through the mass of incandescent fuel at a', there become mixed
and ignited. The products of combustion are then conducted where they are
required through the hot air flue a¹¹, the cinders, &c. falling into the tail a".
In this improved apparatus, the fuel burns slowly and regularly without
giving off any black smoke. The cinders, &c. may be easily removed without
stopping the furnace or interfering with the operation going forward; so that
inferior descriptions of fuel may be used. The cinders do not clog the openings
through which the air is admitted or penetrates; the air may, therefore, be
introduced in regular quantities, and the number of openings need not be so
considerable as in other furnaces. The air being more regularly distributed, a
less amount is required, and the temperature may be kept at a higher point.
The feeding in of the fuel and removal of the cinders are effected without
admitting cold air into the burning mass. The apparatus, from its peculiar
construction and arrangement, may be made of clay or other suitable material
capable of checking the radiation of heat...
:
Figure 4 is a vertical section of my improved smoke-consuming apparatus
applied as a domestic fire-place:. a is the mouth through which the fuel is
introduced; c, row of air holes or nozzles (shewn by dotted lines) in the side
of the fire-place (there is here only one such row). a", the tail of the apparatus,
opening behind; o, tube for conveying the products of combustion to the
chimney; g, register for closing the mouth a when necessary. This, register

page_text: may be made in three or more pieces, or 'so; as to open in three or more
places; in order to regulate the admission of, air. h, sliding ash tray or
receiver. ;
.
Figure 5 is a sectional view of my apparatus applied to a reverberatory
furnace. a, mouth for feeding in the fuel; a', part to which the gases given
off, by the fuel are drawn; c, c, c', c', four or more rows of air holes or nozzles
similar to those represented in Figure 2; d, partition.; c, aperture in par-
tition for admission of air; g, register, divided into compartments, or opening
in two or three places for closing the mouth of the furnace, wholly or partially;
a", tail of the furnace, into which the cinders fall and where they are sifted.
They, may be removed therefrom from time to time. h is the ash-pit; a¹¹¹,
passage for conveying the heated air, vapours, &c. into the parts m.and n; o,
chimney. The whole of this furnace except the doors e-and g may be made of
somė material which is, a, non-conductor of heat. The arrangement repre-
sented in Figures 1 and 3 may be applied with advantage. to, tubular boilers;
but as, many, engineers consider: direct heating requisite for such boilers, I
now proceed to specify a modification of the previous arrangement adapted for
heating tubular boilers by direct heat..
Figure 6 is a vertical, section of a tubular boiler with my improved apparatus
applied thereto; Figure 7, a section through the line, a, a, of Fig. 6, shewing
the position of the top row of air: holes; Fig. 8, transverse section through
the lower row; Fig. 9, plan of the same; Fig. 10, plan of the longitudinal
openings in the lower side of the tail. a, mouth of the apparatus; a", "tail";
a, passage for heated vapours; a, part where the incandescent. mass of fuel
rests; b, that part of the apparatus in which are the air holes or nozzles c, c,
c', c', and which formed one of the sides of the apparatus shewn at Figure 1.
The difference between this arrangement and that represented in Figure 1 con-
sists. in the extended length and, inclination given to the part 6 (containing the
air holes),, whereby the heat from the burning mass of fuel is made to radiate,
and thus give off direct heat, and also in the inclination of the partition d.
This, partition is provided, with two, rows, of horizontal air holes or nozzles
c, c, from which currents of air are allowed to penetrate to the layers of
fuel at different depths for the purpose of assisting combustion. The partition
is made in three pieces, mounted in an iron frame g¹ (Figures 6 and 7), but in
5 such manner as to move freely thereon; the edges of the frame lap over, so as
to hold the pieces in the frame..
.)
The partition may be made of any suitable substance which is a non-
,conductor of heat. b' is a part of the "tail" in which there are no air holes;
c", c", are openings near the bottom of the "tail" for the passage and-sifting of

page_text: the cinders;'s, s¹; are blocks or beds for supporting the ends of the part b. The
blocks which is at the lower end is in a piece with the upper side of the
"tail." The part b is made in five pieces (Figures 8 and 9), one part of each
being-flat, as-at-a, so that when fitted together they form, as it were, a bed or
table extending the whole breadth of the furuace on which the fuel rests. The
shape given to the air passages c, c, c¹;'c, is clearly shewn in the plan and section
(Figures 8 and 9) 2,2, are wedges or partitions inserted so as to divide the air
entering through c, c, into numerous streams: The sides of the passages c, c,
are kept apart by pins or stays, one at each end and one in the centre. t is
a bar or rest for the stoking 'tools; f; door in the "tail"; k, seat for the
stoker, screen to be used when the apparatus is employed in locomotive
engines.for. directing the air into the air holes c; c, c, cl, when the locomotive is
in motion; z, hinge for lowering the tail when it is desired to empty it. The
jolting of a locomotive is generally sufficient to work the fuel gradually down
as it burns, but in fixed engines the stoker may from time to time work. the
fuel. down by means of-a-flat-ended iron rod; introduced through the bottom of
the triangular spaces formed by the air holes c, c, c', c. The state of the fuel
may be inspected from time to time through the apertures cc, as also the
color of the flame (especially at the part a). If the flame is: blueish, it would
indicate.the.presence of oxide of carbon, and an insufficient supply of air, in
which case the stoker- should thin the. layer of fuel "over, the holes.c¹, c', or he
may slightly raise-up the mass of fresh fuel at a, so as to admit more air. If
the flame is yellowish, it would indicate that there was too much air, in which
case the fuel at the mouth of the furnace must be heaped tupi to shut the air
öff; and if this should not be sufficient, the top hole c might first be plugged
up; and then the lower of these holes, if necessary.c
マ
Figure 11 is a vertical section of a stationary boiler with my apparatus
applied thereto. The arrangement of the furnace is similar to the foregoing,
except that the fire bridge p is hung from the top. The heated products of
combustion, instead of passing over the fire bridge and between it and the
boiler, are driven under the fire bridge, and nearer the layer of fuel on-the
bottom of the furnace. Figure 12 is a transverse section of the same.
And having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim as of my said
Invention,
First, the peculiar construction of smoke-consuming apparatus, in which
fresh fuel is received upon an incandescent mass after the, fire has been lighted,
and in which the products given off from such fresh fuel are caused to pass
through the incandescent mass, as herein-before described

page_text: Second, the admitting of air into fire-places or furnaces through apertures
or nozzles constructed and placed as herein-before described.
Third, the general arrangement and construction of smoke-consuming appa-
ratus shewn at Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, and at Figures 6 and 11.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Constant Joseph Guffroy, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Tenth day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
Witness,
CH. ARMENGAUD, Ing* Civil,
6, Rue Filles du Calvaire, à Paris.
C. C. J. GUFFROY. (L.S.)

page_text: LONDON: Printed by GEORGE EDWARD EYRE and WILLIAM SPOTTISWOODE.
Printers to the Queen's most Excellent Majesty. 1855.