Improvements in or connected with Regenerative Furnaces for Heating Gas Retorts or for analogous purposes, and in the Special Construc- tion of Bricks to be Employed therein.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, on Apr., 1899
+
Complete Specification Left 22nd Dec 1899 Accented 3rd Feb.
1900
Date of Application, oth Apr., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Dec. 1899-Accepted 3rd Feb 1900
Improvements in or connected with Regenerative Furnaces for Heating
Gas Retorts or for analogous purposes, and in the Special Construc-
tion of Bricks to be Employed therein.
I, JOHN HENRY BREARLEY, of Longwood Gas Works, Longwood, near
Huddersfield, in the County of York, Gas Engineer, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention refers to regenerative furnaces either for heating gas retorts
or for other analogous purposes.
My improvements therein comprise principally a new or improved construction
of brick for building the dividing walls between flues or passages in the setting
running contiguous to each other on each side of the furnace, one set of passages
or flues (in the case of regenerative gas furnaces) being for the admission of air
to the combustion chamber of the furnace for admixture with the
furnace or producer gases to secure complete combustion thereof, and
the other series of openings or flues being for the discharge of the
products of combustion, after circulation around the retorts, to the
main flue passages, the air entering and passing upward through the first set
of passages being heated by the hot gases descending through the second set of
passages which are contiguous thereto. The special construction of brick for
building the walls which divide the aforesaid passages or flues is for the purpose
of effectually preventing the contamination of the air and gases or other elements
passing through contiguous passages, by leakage, whether resulting from cracks
in the bricks, from defective joints between them, or from contraction or other
causes, and consists in forming near each longitudinal edge of each brick a
groove or recess of half circular or other suitable shape which extends com-
pletely around the brick, while intermediate of said grooves is formed on one
face of the brick a V or other shaped longitudinal rib or projection and on the
opposite face a corresponding countersunk recess or opening. When the bricks
are built one upon another the V or other shaped rib on the face of one brick
will enter and register in the corresponding recess or opening on the opposing
face of the brick laid thereon, or on which it is laid, thus forming between each
layer of bricks and centrally thereof a
baffle"
or dovetailed joint which will
prevent the passage of air or gases from one side thereof to the other but, in
addition to this, fire clay or other like fire resisting cement is applied to the
surfaces of the bricks and to the ends of same to fill in the half circular grooves
in each adjacent brick, thereby forming circular heads of fire clay or cement
completely around each brick on both sides of the centre thereof and presenting
two additional sealed joints or "baffles" to resist the passage of air or gases
through the joints of the bricks. The opposite halves or sections of each end
of the aforesaid bricks overlap or are extended so as to form overlapping or
rebated joints with the ends of adjacent bricks, thus providing "baffling"
surfaces to the ends of the bricks. By the above construction of brick I obtain

page_text: a triple "baffle" at top and bottom and at each end of the bricks which, whether
there be contraction or cracking, will minimise the liability of leakage through
the dividing walls and thereby prevent contamination of the air and gases. These
said bricks also give a substantial and rigid support or bearing to the setting
above.
The air after passing alternately from front to back and back to front of the
air inlet passages of the furnace is finally conducted to the combustion chamber
of the furnace through channeled or U shaped bricks which are arched or curved
to the radius required, one end of said bricks being preferably contracted to
check or retard the air sufficiently to admit of its being heated to the desired
temperature in the air inlet passages or flues. I also divide the combustion
chamber for a part of its height with a central wall or bridge which ensures a
more thorough mixing of the air and gases in the crown of the chamber and
gives better equalisation of heat throughout the setting.
Dated 5th day of April 1899.
TASKER & CROSSLEY,
Huddersfield, Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in or connected with Regenerative Furnaces for Heating
Gas Retorts or for analogous purposes, and in the Special Construc-
tion of Bricks to be Employed therein.
I, JOHN HENRY BREARLEY, of Longwood Gas Works, Longwood, near
Huddersfield, in the County of York, Gas Engineer, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particu-
"larly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention refers to regenerative furnaces either for heating gas retorts,
ovens, or kilns, or for other analogous purposes. My improvements therein
comprise principally a new or improved construction of brick for building the
dividing walls or partitions between contiguous flues or passages in the setting
on each side of the furnace, one set of passages or flues being for the admission
of secondary air to the combustion chamber of the furnace for admixture with
the furnace or producer gases to secure complete combustion thereof, and the
other set of passages or flues being for the discharge of the products of combus-
tion, after circulation around the retorts, muffles, or kilns, to the main flue
outlet; the secondary air entering and passing upward through the first set of
passages being heated by the hot gases descending through the second set of
passages. The special construction of brick for building the walls which divide
the aforesaid passages or flues is for the purpose of effectually preventing the
contamination of the air and gases, or other elements or fluids passing through
adjacent or contiguous passages by leakage from one to the other, whether
resulting from cracks in the bricks, from defective joints beteween them, or from
contraction or other causes, and consists in forming near each longitudinal edge
of each brick a groove or recess of half circular or other suitable shape, which
extends completely around the brick, while intermediate of said groove is formed
on one face of the brick a V or other shaped longitudinal rib or projection and
on the opposite face a corresponding countersunk recess or opening. When the
bricks are built one upon the another the V or other shaped rib on the face of
one brick will enter and register itself in the corresponding recess or opening

page_text: on the opposing face of the brick laid thereon, or on which it is laid, thus forming
between each layer of bricks and centrally thereof a "baffle " or dovetailed joint
which will prevent the passage of air or gases between the bricks; but in addition
to this, fire clay or other like fire resisting cement is applied between the faces
and ends of the bricks to fill in the half circular grooves in each adjacent brick,
thereby forming circular beads or ropes of fire clay or cement completely around
each brick on both sides of the centre thereof, and presenting two additional
sealed joints or baffles"
to resist the passage of air or gases through the joints
of the walls.
66
The ends of the aforesaid bricks are cut out or recessed on opposing sides to
form overlapping or rebated joints with the ends of adjacent bricks thus pro-
viding a third baffle to each end of the brick.
"
"
The heated secondary air is conducted from the secondary air passages to the
combustion chamber of the furnace through channels or U shaped bricks which
are arched or curved to the radius required to fit the producer arch, one end of
said bricks or channels being preferably contracted to check or retard the air
sufficiently to admit if its being heated to the desired temperature in the air
inlet passages or flues. I also divide the combustion chamber for a portion of
its height with a central wall or bridge which ensures a more thorough mixing of
the air and gases in the crown of the chamber and gives better equalisation of
heat throughout the setting.
:-
In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification :-
Fig. 1 is transverse sectional elevation of so much of a regenerator furnace
as is essential to shew the application of my improvements;
Fig. 2 is part longitudinal section taken on line A, B, of Fig. 1;
Fig. 3 is enlarged elevation of my improved construction of bricks illustrating
the manner of building them one upon the other;
Fig. 4 is end elevation of Fig. 3;
Fig. 5 is plan view of the upper face of the bricks shewn at Fig. 3 illustrating
how the bricks are laid and joined end to end;
Fig. 6 is plan view of the opposite or under face of the brick;
Fig. 7 is elevation of the channel or U shaped brick communicating between
the secondary air passages and the combustion chamber; and
Fig. 8 is cross section of same taken on line C, D.
Referring to the drawings, letter a represents the furnace or producer from
which the producer gases pass through outlets 6 placed at regulated distances
apart in the producer arch, to the combustion chamber c above said arch. On
each side of the furnace a (one side only being shewn at Fig. 1) are two sets of
passages or flues d and e, the former being for the admission of secondary air
to the combustion chamber c for admixture with the furnace or producer gases
to secure complete combustion thereof; and the latter being for the discharge
into the main outlet flue f (Fig. 2) of the products of combustion after circulating
around the retorts, muffles, or ovens: the said passages or flues d and e being
separated from each other by a wall or brick partition g built up of the specially
constructed bricks forming the principal feature of my invention, and hereafter
fully described.
The secondary air enters the lowermost passage d from the front of the furnace
or regenerator and travels upward from front to back and back to front alter-
nately through the several passages d and finally passes from the upper passage
into the combustion chamber c through specially constructed U shaped bricks or
channels h arranged at equal distances apart in the setting and arched or curved
to the same radius as the producer arch so as to coincide with and rest thereon.
The said channels h are slightly contracted either in width, as shewn at Fig. 2,
or in depth, preferably at their inlet ends, to retard the secondary air sufficiently
to admit of its absorbing a maximum amount of heat in its passage through the
flues to raise it to the required temperature for admission to the combustion
chamber c. At the outlets of the channels h the heated secondary air is brought

page_text: into contact and mixes with the furnace or producer gases, local heating being
prevented, and better equalisation of heat obtained throughout the setting by a
division or baffle wall or bridge i rising up from the crown of the producer arch
into the combustion chamber for a suitable distance and extending from end to
end of said chamber.
The products of combustion after doing their work in heating the retorts,
ovens, or kilns, escape into the upper passage or flue of the set of passages or
flués e and travel in a downward direction from back to front and front to back
alternately, through the several flues e, finally escaping from the lowermost flue
into the main outlet flue f. The secondary air in passing up through the set of
passages d is gradually heated by the hot waste gases escaping down through the
passages e, as ordinarily. For the purpose of distributing the supplies of
secondary air more to one part of the combustion chamber than another, or
otherwise regulating such distribution or equalising it, I form, say, three
openings (see Fig. 2) leading into the top passage d, through either or all of
which said openings the secondary air supplies may be allowed to pass by regu-
lating the position of tiles or dampers over same, or withdrawing them from
the openings j. The said tiles or dampers are slid along the floor of the upper
passage d by means of rods or other ordinary devices actuated from the front of
the setting through the opening or passage 1, and are adjusted to close or partially
or fully open, such of the openings j to more equally distribute the air supplies
or localise them, as may be found necessary from time to time.
My improved construction of brick or slab for building the dividing walls
between such adjacent or contiguous passages or flues as d and e for effectively
preventing or minimising the liability of leakage through said walls resulting
from cracks, defective joints, contraction, or other like causes, will be fully
understood by reference to Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6, wherein m represents the brick or
slab which may be of the ordinary size or of any other size suited for the particular
purpose in view.
Centrally of the brick m on one face thereof is formed a V or other suitably
shaped longitudinal rib m¹ and on the opposite face is formed a corresponding
longitudinal countersunk recess or groove m², while on each side of said rib and
recess and extending completely around the brick, that is to say, longitudinally
on each face and down each end of the brick, are half circular or other suitably
shaped grooves m³. The opposing halves of each end of the brick are extended
at m for a suitable length to form recesses for receiving the corresponding
projecting halves of adjacent bricks laid end to end of same as illustrated in
Fig. 5.
"
The bricks are built up one above the other in courses in the ordinary manner
of building a brick wall, the ribs m¹ on the bricks in one course entering and
registering with the recesses m² in the bricks in the next course, and thereby
forming a baffle" or dovetailed joint between each course of bricks and centrally
thereof. In laying the bricks; fire-clay, or other suitable fire resisting cement
or packing is applied to the surfaces and ends of same to fill in the half circular
grooves m³ in each adjacent brick, thereby forming, when completed, solid ropes
or cylindrical beads n of fire clay or cement completely around each brick on
both sides of the V shaped rib ml and recess m² and giving two additional sealed
joints or baffles between each brick to resist the passage of gases or air through
the joints. The opposing extremities m* of each brick when placed end to end
enter and nicely fit the corresponding recesses at the ends of adjacent bricks and
form overlapping or rebated joints which give a third "baffle" or sealed joint
to the ends of the bricks.
By the above construction of brick I obtain a triple "baffle" at top and bottom
and at each end of the bricks, which, whether there is contraction or cracking,
will effectually prevent or minimise the liability of leakage through the dividing
walls and thereby prevent contamination of the air or gases. These said bricks
also give a substantial and rigid support or bearing to the setting above. The

page_text: same form of joints or "baffles" may be applied to the tiles or slabs at the top
and bottom of the two sets of passages as indicated at Fig. 1.
It will be understood that I may vary the arrangement and shape of the
ribs m¹, recesses m³, and continuous grooves m³, and that two longitudinal ribs
and corresponding recesses and one continuous groove or one rib and corre-
sponding recess and one continuous groove may be substituted for the arrange-
ment shewn without departing from my invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
(1) In regenerative furnaces the herein described construction of brick or
slab for use in building or forming the dividing walls or partitions separating
contiguous or adjacent passages or flues arranged for the conveyance of gases
and air or other like elements or fluids, for effectively preventing, or minimising,
liability of leakage through said dividing wall from one passage to the other
substantially as herein set forth and as shewn on the drawings.
(2) The improved construction of brick having a longitudinal V or other
suitably shaped rib or ribs on one face thereof, a correspondingly shaped recess
or recesses on the opposite face, a half circular or other suitably shaped groove
or grooves extending completely around the brick and adapted to be filled with
fire clay or other suitable fire resisting cement, and opposing recesses at each end
of the brick to form overlapping or rebated joints with the ends of adjacent
bricks, substantially as herein shewn and described and for purposes specified.
(3) The combination with regenerators as set forth of U shaped channels for
conveying secondary air supplies from the secondary air passages to the combus-
tion chamber, said channels being arched or curved to the radius of the producer
arch to fit thereon and having one end of same slightly contracted, substantially
as herein shewn and described.
(4) In regenerative furnaces, the combination of bricks m forming the dividing
walls between the sets of passages d, e, U shaped channels h, longitudinal baffle
wall or bridge i on the crown of the producer arch, and the method of controlling
the distribution of secondary air supplies to the channels h, substantially as herein
shewn and described.
Dated this 20th day of December 1899
TASKER & CROSSLEY,
Patent Agents, Huddersfield, Agents for Applicant.