IMPROVEMENTS IN KILNS FOR BURNING BRICKS, TILES, AND OTHER EARTHENWARE OR CERAMIC ARTICLES, LIMESTONE, AND ORES
Year: 1864

page_text: County of Southampton, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN KILNS
FOR BURNING BRICKS, TILES, AND OTHER EARTHENWARE OR CERAMIC ARTICLES,
LIMESTONE, AND ORES."
Sealed the 4th November 1864, and dated the 11th May 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Matthew Gisborne
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition...
on the 11th May 1864.
I, THOMAS MATTHEW GISBORNE, of Lymington, in the County of South-
ampton, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN KILNS FOR BURNING BRICKS, TILES, AND OTHER EARTHENWARE OR CERAMIC
ARTICLES, LIMESTONE, AND ORES," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in so combining a number of kilns working on the
principle of the Newcastle kiln (in which the combustion of the fuel takes
place at the one end, whilst the chimney communicates at or near the floor
with the other end), that the back or chimney end of the one kiln can
communicate at pleasure with the front or combustion end of another kiln, or
with a separate chimney or flue, so that the kilns may either be used sepa-
rately, or they may be employed for continuous burning by causing the hot
products of combustion from the kiln that is being fired to pass among and
heat the contents of one or more kilns that are going to be fired, and by
causing the air for supporting the combustion in the kiln that is being fired to

page_text: pass through and take up heat from the contents of one or more kilos that
have been fired.
The arrangement which I prefer to employ is as follows:-I arrange any
number of kilns constructed by preference to taper from the front or combus-
tion end to the back or chimney end side by side, and alternately in reversed
positions, so that the chimney end of the one kiln is contiguous to and commu-
nicates with the combustion end of the next kiln in advance. The aperture
through which this communication takes place is provided with a suitable
damper, which when the kilns are burning on the continuous system is
removed, whilst the chimney or flue is then closed, whereas when the kilns are
required to burn separately, the communication between them is closed by
means of the before-mentioned damper, and the chimney is opened.
The continuous action of such kiln is insured either by providing a return
flue through which the two end kilns intercommunicate, or by arranging two
rows or sets of such kilns side by side, and establishing communications
between the end kilns of each row.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Matthew Gisborne in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 10th November 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
MATTHEW GISBORNE, of Lymington, in the County of Southampton, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-seventh year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,"
the said Thomas Matthew Gisborne, Her special licence that I, the said
Thomas Matthew Gisborne, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Thomas Matthew Gisborne, 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 KILNS FOR BURNING BRICKS, TILES, AND OTHER
EARTHENWARE OR CERAMIC ARTICLES, LIMESTONE, AND ORES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Thomas Matthew Gisborne, my executors

page_text: 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 per-
formed, 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 Thomas Matthew Gisborne, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement thereof, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawing, and to the figures and letters marked thereon, that is to say :-
My Invention consists in so combining a number of kilns working on the
principle of the "Newcastle kiln" (in which the combustion of the fuel takes
place at the one end, whilst the chimney communicates at or near the floor
with the other end), that the back or chimney end of one kiln can commu-
nicate at pleasure with the front or combustion end of another kiln, or with a
séparate chimney or flue, so that the kilns may either be used separately or
they may be employed for continuous burning by causing the hot products of
combustion from the kiln that is being fired to pass among and heat the
contents of one or more kilns that are going to be fired, and by causing the
air for supporting the combustion in the kiln that is being fired to pass
through and take up heat from the contents of one or more kilns that have
been fired.
"
The arrangement which I prefer to employ is as follows:-I arrange any
number of kilns constructed by preference to taper from the front or com-
bustion end to the back or chimney end side by side, and alternately in
reversed positions, so that the chimney end of the one kiln is contiguous to
and communicates with the combustion end of the next kiln in advance: The
aperture through which this communication takes place is provided with a
suitable damper, which, when the kilns are burning on the continuous system,
is removed; whilst the chimney or flue is then closed, whereas when the kilns
are required to burn separately the communication between them is closed by
means of the before-mentioned damper, and the chimney is opened. The
continuous action of such kilns is insured, either by providing a return flue,
through which the two end kilns intercommunicate, or by arranging two rows
or sets of such kilns side by side, and establishing communications between
the end kilns of each row.
:
On the accompanying Drawing are shown the arrangements of my improved
kilns which I prefer to employ.

page_text: Figures 1, 2, and 3. show respectively a sectional plan, a part sectiona
elevation, and a transverse section of a single row of kilns working on the
"continuous" principle by means of a return flue, and Figures 4 and 5 shew
respectively a sectional plan, and a transverse section to a smaller scale of an
arrangement where the continuous action is obtained by means of two rows
of kilns placed opposite each other, of which the opposite end kilns inter-
communicate by means of flues. The same letters of reference indicate
similar parts in each of the Figures.
j
Figure shows a sectional plan on line X, X; Figure 2; Figure, 2
shows a part front elevation, and part longitudinal section on line Y, Y,
Figure 1 and Figure 3 shows a transverse section on line Z, Z, Figure 1.
Each of the kilns A1, A2, A3, consist of a chamber, tapering both in its width
and its height from the front or combustion end B to the chimney end C, the
roof D of the kiln being thus, by preference, made to form the frustrum of a
cone resting upon walls E; these are made as thin as practicable in order to
facilitate the transmission of heat through the same from one kiln to another.
These kilns are arranged side by side alternately in reversed positions, as shown,
so that the front or combustion end of one kiln is contiguous to the chimney
end of the next, and the chimney end of the kiln A is made to communicate
with the combustion end of the kiln A2 by means of a passage F¹; the chimney
end of A2 communicates by means of the passage F with the combustion end
of the kiln As, and so on, the chimney end of the kiln A being made to com-
municate with the combustion end of the kiln A' by means of the passage F13,
and the underground flue G. H, H', are flues formed below the floor line on
either side of the kilns communicating with the chimney I, and with each of
the kilns respectively through apertures J¹, J2, J³, formed in the floor at the
chimney ends of the latter. These apertures are provided with dampers or
with flap valves K', K2, K³, so arranged and actuated by external weighted,
levers,,, that they may be made to close alternately the apertures J', J³,
or the apertures of the before-described passages F1, F2, F³, through which
the kilns intercommunicate by being turned either down or up. L', L'
L³, are the doorways of the kilns, which, when the kilns are in use, are
temporarily bricked up as indicated. M', M², M³, are apertures, through
which the fuel is introduced into the kilns when burning on the continuous
system, and which are, by preference, all temporarily bricked up, excepting
those in the kiln that is being fired; and N2, N3, N³, are chimnies only required
for use when the continuous action of the kilns is interrupted. When burning,
on the continuous system the chimnies N are closed by suitable dampers or
caps 0. 02. 08.

page_text: It will be seen from the before-described arrangement that the action of the
kilns is as follows:-Assuming that the kiln A2 is being charged with fresh
goods, and that the contents of As are being fired, then the goods contained
in all the kilns between A2 and A³ have been successively fired and are
required to cool, whilst all the remaining kilns in the circuit from A to A²
have been successively charged with fresh goods, and are required to dry
preparatory to firing. For this purpose the aperture J into the flues! H-I';
of all the kilns are closed by means of the dampers K, with the exception of
the aperture J of the kiln A', and in consequence all the passages F, through
which the kilns intercommunicate, are open, with the exception of F', which
is closed by the damper K. Thus the doorway L of the kiln A² being open;
the atmospheric air requisite for supporting the combustion of the fuel in
kiln A8
passes into the kiln As, and through the passage F2 into the kiln A³;
where, in traversing the ware set in the same on its way to the kiln A*, it
takes up a portion of the. heat, therefrom; in like manuer, in traversing the
kilns A, A, A7, the air takes up more and more heat from their contents and
arrives in a highly heated state in the front end of the kiln A³, where it conse-
quently effects the combustion of the fuel that is fed in through the openings M³,
a horizontal "bag" or passage with graduated openings being provided,
through which the hot gases are caused to pass in a uniform manner into the
kiln. In some cases, instead of introducing the fuel as described into the
kiln that is to be fired it is introduced into the narrow or chimney end. of
the preceding one; that is, the one that has just been fired. The goods con-
tained in the kiln, are fired or baked the more effectually on account of the
kiln being made to taper both in width and height towards the exit passage
for the gases. The highly heated gaseous products of combustion pass from
the kiln As into the kiln A, where they impart a portion of their beat to
the goods that are drying preparatory to being burnt, and in like manner
the hot gases pass consecutively through and in part heat to the kilns A¹º,
A", A, and thence through the passage. G into the kiln A', whence, after
traversing the contents of the same, they pass through the aperture J' into
the underground flue H¹, and thence into the chimney I. When the kiln-A³
has been charged or "set" with fresh goods, and the firing of the contents
of A has been completed, the doorway L² is bricked up in the ordinary
manner, the damper K2.is removed from the aperture J, and the passage F
is closed, the aperture J being also closed by the damper K, thus also
establishing the communication between the kilns A¹ and A. At the
same time the contents of the kiln A³ having been cooled down sufficiently,
by the passage of cold air, as before described, the doorway L³ is opened,

page_text: the goods are removed, and the kiln is charged with fresh goods; atmo-
spheric air now passes into this kiln, traverses the kilns A¹ to A³, and
arrives in a highly heated state in kiln A, into which fuel is now intro-
duced, and the contents of which are consequently fired; the products of
combustion are made to traverse the kilns A1 to A2, whence they pass
away to the chimney I. Thus it will be seen that each kiln is successively
charged or set, dried, fired, cooled, and discharged in rotation, the heat from
the products of combustion from the kiln that is fired being usefully employed
in drying the fresh goods, whilst the heat from the fired goods is taken up by the
air required for supporting combustion. Instead of having only one kiln open
in the above described arrangement for discharging and charging the goods,
twe, for instance, A2 and A³, may be open simultaneously, so that at the same
time that A2 is being set with fresh goods, A³ is being emptied preparatory to
being set, which simultaneous operation is greatly facilitated by the reversed
positions of the doorways, preventing the men employed in setting from being
in the way of those discharging. If, from any cause, the continuous action
of the series of kilns is interrupted, or it is desired to burn each kiln
separately in the ordinary manner, then either the whole of the passages F
through which they intercommunicate are closed by the dampers K, and thus
a direct separate communication with the chimney I is established for each
kiln through the apertures J and flues H, H'; or, if these flues and the
chimney I cannot be made use of, the caps 01, 0%, 0³, are removed from the
chimnies N1, N2, N3, and an iron or other flue is placed upon these, as
indicated by dotted lines in Figure 3, so as to cause the requisite draught
for the kiln to burn in the ordinary manner. And in order to cut off the
communication with the common chimney I, either horizontal dampers (not
shown in the Drawing) are inserted over the openings J, or vertical dampers
are placed across the flue H, H', at P2, P3, as shown, the fuel for burning
in the ordinary "Newcastle" manner being then introduced at openings S, S,
which, when the kilns are continuously burning may be bricked up. It
will be seen that by means of the just described extra dampérs, and by
forming additional openings into the flues H, H', as indicated by dotted lines
at T in kiln A, also provided with dampers, the continuous burning of the
kilns may proceed uninterrupted, whilst two, or any even number, may be
either partially or wholly thrown out of circuit for the purpose either of
preparatory drying, drawing, setting, or repairs. This is effected if, say A10
and A are to be disconnected by closing the openings J and J", F, F",
and F, and inserting the damper at P, when the apertures J and T being
open it will be evident that the draught from the kiln A will descend into II'

page_text: through J, and will enter A¹ through T. Although twelve kilns are shown
in this arrangement by way of example, it will be evident that any greater or
less number may be employed; and if an uneven number of kilns be used, in
which case the two end kilns will lie in the same direction, then the flue G
through which these kilns intercommunicate, will pass diagonally across from
the chimney end of the one kiln to the combustion end of the other, instead
of running parallel with the kilns as in the arrangement shown. The roofs
of the kilns are provided with suitable apertures (not shown) fitted with
dampers for letting the steam escape if requisite. For banding, wooden
beams Q, Q, are fixed against the end walls of the kilns, and are tied together
by means of iron tie rods R, R, so as to support the structure, and other
transverse ties and plates are added where necessary.
The arrangement shown in Figures 4 and 5 only differs from that above
described in there being two rows of kilns to form the circuit instead of one
row and a return flue; Figure 4 shows a sectional plan on line X, X;
Figure 5; and Figure 5 shows a transverse section on line Y, Y, Figure 4.
The various details are precisely the same, and are indicated by similar letters
of reference to those employed in the foregoing, arrangement. The two rows
are so arranged that the chimney end of the kiln A18 communicates with
the combustion end the kiln A through the flue G, and the chimney end of
the kiln A communicates with the combustion end of the kiln A¹ by means
of the flue G¹. The circuit being thus established, it will be seen that if A?
is charging and As is discharging in one row, and A2 is charging and A27
discharging in the other row, and assuming that the goods in the kilns A¹8 and
A are being fired, and that the dampers K of all the kilns have been closed
down upon the apertures J, with the exception of K and K, which are made
to close the passages F and F, then the air passing in through the kiln A to
support the combustion of fuel in A18, will traverse the contents of all the
kilns from A to A that have been fired, taking up the heat therefrom,
whilst the hot gaseous products of combustion after passing from A18 across
through the flue G, will traverse the kilns A1 to A2, whence they pass into
the flue H and to the chimney I. In like manner the air required to support
the combustion of fuel in A30 will pass into the kiln A", will traverse all the
intermediate kilns, taking up heat from the goods contained therein, whilst
the hot gaseous products of combustion will, after passing from A across
through the flue G¹, traverse all the kilns from A¹ to A, giving off the
greater portion of their beat, and pass thence to the chimney I through the
flue H..
Figure 6 shows a transverse section, and Figure 7 shows a part sectional

page_text: plan of another arrangement of which my Invention is susceptible. In this
arrangement a number of kilns A, made to taper from the combustion end to
the chimney end, are placed side by side, but not in reversed positions, so
that together they form a circle, as shewn; each kiln is made to communicate
through the apertures J with the central chimney I, the communication
between the chimney end of the one kiln and the combustion end of the next
being effected by the return flues F. In burning on the continuous system,
all apertures J are closed by dampers or valves at K, with the exception of
that of the kiln which is required to communicate with the chimney, whilst
all the flues F are open with the exception of that communicating with the
combustion end of the kiln that is being charged or discharged, which is
closed by means of a damper at K'. If each kiln is burning separately, then
all the dampers at K are open, and all those at K' are closed. Each kiln may
if necessary be further provided with a separate chimney, as in the other
arrangements.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the best means I
am acquainted with of performing the same, I wish it to be understood that I
do not limit myself to the precise form and arrangement of the kilns, as
herein-before described with reference to the accompanying Drawing, as these
may be variously modified without departing from the nature of my Inven-
tion, neither do I claim generally the arrangement of a number of kilns placed
side by side, and intercommunicating in such a manner that the air for
supporting combustion in the kiln that is being fired, first passes through one
or more kilns that have been fired, whilst the products of combustion pass
through the kilns that are going to be fired, as I am well aware that this has
already been done; but what I claim is,-
First, arranging a series of kilns burning on the principle of the Newcastle
kiln side by side, in such a manner that the front or combustion end of the
one kiln is contiguous to and can communicate with the back or chimney end
of the next kiln, whilst the chimney end of each kiln can furthermore com-
municate either with a chimney common to all or with a separate chimney..
Second, constructing a series of kilns burning on the principle of the
Newcastle kiln, placed side by side, and made to taper from the combustion
end to the chimney end, the chimney end of one kiln being made capable of
communicating either with the combustion end of the next kiln or with a
common or separate flue or chimney.
Third, constructing a series of kilns burning on the principle of the New,
castle kiln made to taper from the combustion end to the chimney end, and
arranged side by side alternately in reversed positions the chimney end of the

page_text: one kiln being made capable of communicating either with the combustion
end of the next kiln, or with a common or separate flue or chimney.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Matthew Gisborne, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Ninth day of November, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
T. M. GISBORNE. (L.S)