An Improved Brick-kiln.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Dec., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 28th Sept., 1892-Accepted, 29th Oct., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Brick-kiln.
I, WILLIAM WILSON HORN of the firm of Horn and Son of 151 Strand in
the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent do hereby declare the nature of this
invention a communication to me from Walter P.Grath of St. Louis in the State of
Missouri United States of America Inventor to be as follows:-
The object of the present invention is to cause the heated gases to pass through
any desired part of the kiln.
The invention also has for its object to uniformly burn all the bricks in
the kiln.
In carrying my invention into practice I build the kiln in the ordinary manner
having an arched top or roof, against which the heated gases rising through the
main flues impinge, the said heated gases being deflected downward through the
mass of brick stacked up from the floor of the kiln.
I divide the kiln longitudinally, preferably, by a central partition-wall beneath
the floor thereof. The kiln is also divided transversely beneath the floor by a
wall which does not extend clear across the kiln but stops short of the walls thereof.
The floor of the kiln near the side walls is covered with bricks which fit closely
together and leave no perforations between them. The rest of the floor of the
kiln is covered with bricks having spaces between them making a perforated
floor.
The kiln is symmetrical (i.e. of the same construction) on each side of the
division-wall and the front part thereof beneath the floor between the division-wall
and another wall which divides the blank part of the kiln from the rest thereof, is
provided with longitudinal parallel walls which stop short of the transverse
partition. The kiln at the rear is divided beneath the floor into two sets or series
of independent flues by longitudinal parallel division-walls which run from the
central transverse partition to the rear of the kiln, the walls preferably passing
beyond the rear wall of the kiln into a chamber common to all of the flues, and
from which the gases pass via a connection. The space between the division walls
and the side walls form flues which pass beneath the imperforate floor at the
rear of the kiln to the common chamber; whence the gases are delivered to a šmoke
stack.
'
The flues are provided with dampers by which the flow of heated gases through
said flues and their communicating flues may be regulated.
The depth of the main flue is greater than the flues formed by the division walls,
in order to give the same cross-sectional area to the exit flues for the communicating
flues beneath the floor at the front of the kiln as to the exit-flues for the communi-
cating flues beneath the floor at the rear of the kiln.
It will be obvious from the foregoing that controlling the sets of dampers the
heated gases may be caused to pass through any of the desired sections of the kiln,
and thus when upon observation it is found that any part of the kiln is not
receiving sufficient heat and another part too much the gases may be excluded from
the latter part of the kiln and caused to pass to the former part.
In the present, invention I provide means whereby the force of the flame in
passing to, the part of the kiln referred to is broken and the flame cannot play
directly upon the bricks at such places. The bricks are therefore well burned at
the places mentioned and the whole mass of bricks throughout the kiln, are, of one
uniform color.
To carry out that part of my invention I arrange beneath the main flues

page_text: chambers, the outer wall of which near the bottom is provided with holes which
communicate with a passage way leading downward from the throat of each furnace.
The inner wall of the said chambers is furnished with holes at the middle or near
the top of said chambers, the object being to prevent the holes and from registering
with each other. The passage-ways are provided with dampers by which the
volume of the flame and heated gases through said passage-ways may be graduated.
The flues together with the passage-ways and chambers make the kiln a double-
down-draft one. By closing the dampers in passage-ways the kiln may be con-
verted into a single-downdraft kiln, inasmuch as the flow of gases through the
passage-ways and the chambers is prevented by the said dampers when closed..
1. am aware that kilns have heretofore been constructed having the ordinary up-
and-down draft in connection with a side draft, in which the flame plays directly
upon the bricks near the sides and lower part of the kiln; but in this construction
no provision is made whereby the kiln can be converted into a down-draft kiln
alone and the side draft cut off. Where an ordinary down-draft kiln is used alone
in burning bricks, the bricks in the upper part of the kiln are in effect burned
twice that is to say, during the first part of the burning the heat is consumed in
driving off the moisture from the bricks in the upper part of the kiln of bricks, and.
this moisture is driven through the bricks at the lower part of the stack. The
bricks at the upper part of the stack are therefore burned first, and after being
burned the process is continued in order to burn the bricks at the lower part of the
kiln which have not yet been burned to any extent.
It is thus evident that the bricks at the upper part of the kiln are in effect
burned twice, that is to say, are subjected to heat after they are burned and
during the whole time the bricks in the lower part of the kiln are being
burned.
My invention affords a double down draft kiln, whereby the bricks at the lower.
part of the kiln are subjected to a down draft independent of the down. draft to
which the bricks in the upper part of the kiln are treated with.
I am thus enabled to save time in burning bricks and also to burn the mass of
bricks more uniformly, in that it is not necessary to subject the bricks in the upper
part of the stack to heat after they have been burned for the reason that the
burning of the lower and upper portion of the bricks takes place at one and the
same time. In the present invention also the furnaces are arranged considerably
above the level of the floor of the kiln to better carry out the object of my
invention, and with this end in view the floor of the ash-pit is made to come about
level with the floor of the kiln.
Dated this 24th day of December 1891.
HORN & SON,
Applicant's Agents..
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Brick-kiln.
1, WILLIAM WILSON HORN, of the firm of Horn & Son, of 151 Strand, in
the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention, (a communication to me from Walter P. Grath, of St. Louis in the State:
of Missouri, United States of America, Inventor) and in what manner the same is
to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
This my invention relates to an improved brick kiln, and my said invention
consists in the details of construction and arrangement of the said details herein-
after described and set forth.
The object of the present invention is to cause the heated gases to pass through
any desired part of the kiln.
The invention also has for its object the uniform burning of all the bricks in the

page_text: .
kiln. To this end I construct the kiln in the manner illustrated in the accom-
panying drawings in which-
Figure 1 is a transverse vertical section of a brick-kiln made in accordance with
my invention taken on the plane of the line 1, 1 of Figure 2.
Figure 2, is a sectional plan thereof taken at different levels-that is broken
away at various places to illustrate the construction more clearly.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in both of the views.
In the construction shown in the drawings, 5 are the furnaces and 6 main flues
leading therefrom to the kiln 7, which is of the ordinary construction having an
arched top or roof against which the heated gases rising through the main flues
impinge, the said heated gases being reflected downward through the mass of brick
stacked up from the floor of the kiln. I divide the kiln longitudinally preferably
by a central partition wall 8 beneath the floor thereof. The kiln is also divided
transversely beneath the floor by a wall which does not extend clear across the
kiln but stops short of the walls thereof. The floor of the kiln near the side walls
is covered with bricks 10, which fit closely together and leave no perforations
between them. The rest of the floor of the kiln is covered with bricks 11, having
spaces between them making a perforated floor.
The kiln is symmetrical (i.e. of the same construction) on each side of the
division wall 8 and the front part thereof, is provided with longitudinal parallel
walls 13, 14, 15 and 16, which stop short of the transverse partition 9. The kiln at
the rear is divided beneath the floor into two sets or series of independent flues by
longitudinal parallel division walls 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, which run from the central
transverse partition 9 to the rear of the kiln, the walls 18 and 21 preferably passing
beyond the rear wall of the kiln into a chamber 22, common to all the flues and
from which the gases pass via a connection 23. The space between the walls 21
and the side walls 24 form flues 25, which pass beneath the imperforate floor 10 at
the rear of the kiln to the common chamber 22, whence the gases are delivered to
a smoke-stack (not shown) through the connection 23. The flues formed by
walls 8, 13, 14, 15, 16, and 12 all empty into the flues 25, which in the present
instance pass to each side of the flues at the rear of the kiln.
The flues 25 are provided with dampers 26, by which the flow of heated gases
through said flues and their communicating flues may be regulated. So also, the
flues formed by the walls 21 and 18 are provided with dampers 27 whereby the flow
of heated gases through the flues formed by the walls 18, 19, 20 and 21 at the rear
of the kiln may be controlled. In like manner the flues 8 and 18 are provided with
dampers 28, whereby the flow of heated gases through the flues formed by the
walls 8, 17, and 18, may be graduated. It will be noted that the depth of the
flue 25 is greater than the flues formed by the walls 8, 17, 18, 19, 20 and 21 as will
be seen by reference to Figure 1 in order to give the same cross-sectional area to
the exit-flues for the communicating flues beneath the floor at the front of the kiln
as to the exit flues for the communicating flues beneath the floor at the rear of the
kiln.
It will be obvious from the foregoing that by suitably controlling the two sets of
dampers 26, 27, 28 the heated gases may be caused to pass through any of the
desired sections of the kiln and thus when upon observation it is found that any
part of the kiln is not receiving sufficient heat and another part too much the gases
may be excluded from the latter part of the kiln and caused to pass through the
former part. It will be noticed, further, that the dampers 26 when opened or
closed do not in any way interfere with the flues formed by the walls 8 and 18,
and 18 and 21, respectively.
I also provide means so that the flame cannot play directly upon the bricks within
the kiln, the bricks are therefore well burned and the whole of the bricks throughout
the kiln are of one uniform colour.
To carry out that part of my invention I arrange beneath the main flues 6
chambers 29, the outer wall of which near the bottom is provided with holes 30
which communicate with the passage way 31 leading downward from the throat 32

page_text: of each furnace. The inner wall of chambers 29 is furnished with holes 33 at the
middle or near the top of said chambers, the object being to prevent the holes 30
and 33 from registering with each other. The passage-ways 31 are provided with
dampers 34, by which the volume of the flame and heated gases through said
passage-ways may be graduated. The flues 6 together with the passage-ways 31
and chambers 29, make the kiln a double-down-draught one. By closing the
dampers in passage-ways 31 the kiln may be converted into a single down-draught
kiln, inasmuch as the flow of gases through the passage-ways 31 and the chambers 29
is prevented by the said dampers when closed. I am aware that kilns have hereto-
fore been constructed having the ordinary up-and-down draught in connection with
a side draught, in which the flame plays directly upon the bricks near the sides and
lower part of the kiln; but in this construction no provision is made whereby the
kiln can be converted into a down-draught kiln alone and the side draught cut off.
Where an ordinary down-draught kiln is used alone in burning bricks, the bricks
in the upper part of the kiln are in effect burned twice that is to say-during the
first part of the burning the heat is consumed in driving off the moisture from the
bricks in the upper part of the kiln of bricks, and this moisture is driven through
the bricks at the lower part of the stack. The bricks at the upper part of the
stack are therefore burned first, and after being burned the process is continued in
order to burn the bricks at the lower part of the kiln which have not yet been
burned to any extent. It is thus evident that the bricks at the upper part of the
kiln are in effect burned twice, that is to say, are subjected to heat after they are
burned and during the whole time the bricks in the lower part of the kiln are being
burned.
My invention affords a double-down-draught kiln, whereby the bricks at the
lower part of the kiln are subjected to a down-draught independent of the down-
draught to which the bricks in the upper part of the kiln are treated with. I am
thus enabled to save time in burning bricks and also to burn the mass of bricks
more uniformly, in that it is not necessary to subject the bricks in the upper part of
the stack to heat after they are burned, for the reason that the burning of the lower
and upper portions of the bricks takes place at one and the same time. At the
lower end of the passage-ways 31 is a passage-way 35, communicating with each
ash-pit 36, by which cold air from the outside of the kiln may be admitted into the
chambers 29 and to those bricks near the sides and bottom of the kiln. The flame
passes from the furnaces 5 downward through the passage-ways 31 to the holes 30 into
the chambers 29 and here the flame is broken and prevented from playing directly
upon the bricks at the sides and lower part of the kiln. The heated gases rising
from the flame are emitted from the chambers 29 to the bricks near by through the
holes 33. In some kilns now in use the flame from the furnace may play directly
upon the bricks at the sides and bottom of the kiln, thus has a deleterious effect
upon the bricks and is obviated by the present invention. In my invention also,
the furnaces are. arranged considerably above the level of the floor of the kiln to
better carry out the object of my invention, and with this end in view the floor of
the ash-pit is made to come about level with the floor of the kiln.
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 :-
1. A down-draught brick kiln having ordinary main flues and sub-divided
beneath the floor at the front and rear of the kiln into independent sections, flues
leading from the sections beneath the floor at the rear of the kiln emptying into a
common chamber or passage way, other flues leading from the independent sections
at the front of the kiln and passing to each side of the independent sections at the
rear of the kiln and emptying into said common passage-way, and dampers in the
rear of the kiln for controlling the said flués substantially as described.
2. The combination, to form a down-draught brick kiln, of the ordinary main
flues 6 and the floor composed of a perforated central part 11 and an imperforated

page_text: part 10 near the sides of the kiln, a longitudinal dividing-wall 8 and transverse
partition 9 beneath the perforated part of said floor, the walls 13, 14, 15, 16 and 12
at the front of the kiln beneath the floor forming flues, as described, and
walls 17, 18, 19, 20 and 21 at the rear of the kiln beneath the perforated floor also
forming flues as described, passage-ways 25 to each side of the flue at the rear of
the kiln and beneath the imperforated part 10 of the floor into which flues the flues
at the front part of the kiin empty, a common passage-way or chamber 22, into
which all of said flues empty, and dampers between said passage-way or chamber
and said flues, substantially as and for the purpose described.
3. A down-draught brick kiln provided with ordinary main flutes disposed along
the sides thereof and having a passage-way leading from the throat of the furnace
to the bricks at the sides and lower part of the kiln, with an interposed chamber in
said passage-way, substantially as and for the purpose described.
4. A down-draught brick kiln having a chamber 29 beneath the ordinary main
flues 6 thereof and a passage-way 31 leading from the furnace to said chamber
through holes 30 in the lower part of said chamber, the said chamber communicating,
on the other hand, with the lower part of the kiln through holes 33 above the per-
forations 30, substantially as and for the purpose described.
5. The combination, in a down-draught brick kiln of furnaces arranged along
the sides thereof, main flues extending upward therefrom, a passage-way also
extending from each of said furnaces to a chamber adjacent to the sides and lower
part of the kiln, and dampers in said passage-way between the furnace and said
chamber substantially as and for the purpose described.
Dated this 28th day of September 1892.
HORN & SON,
Applicant's Agents.