IMPROVEMENTS IN KILNS FOR BURNING LIME AND BRICKS AND FOR OTHER LIKE PURPOSES"
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Samuel De la Grange Williams of Birmingham in the
County of Warwick Lime Merchant for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
KILNS FOR BURNING LIME AND BRICKS AND FOR OTHER LIKE PURPOSES"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Samuel De la Grange
Williams at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th October
1882.
SAMUEL DE LA GRANGE WILLIAMS of Birmingham in the County of Warwick:
Lime Merchant' "IMPROVEMENTS IN KILNS FOR BURNING LIME AND BRICKS AND-
FOR OTHER LIKE PURPOSES
My invention consists in constructing and arranging the parts of the said kilns
in the manner hereinafter described whereby great economy in fuel is effected and
great uniformity in the action of the kiln secured.
Kilns constructed according to my invention are especially fitted for burning
lime but are also suited for the burning of bricks and other materials and articles.
I will describe my invention in connection with a lime kiln.
I construct of brick work a series of chambers arranged side by side and
preferably arched at top. These chambers I prefer to make oblong the longer sides
of the said chambers being presented to each other.
Underneath the floor of each chamber are two horizontal flues running under-
neath the longer sides of the chamber one of these flues I will call the gas flue and
the other the air flue. Each of these longitudinal flues has transverse horizontal
Blues at short intervals and from these transverse horizontal flues vertical flues
ascend and terminate in openings in the Boor of the chamber. These openings are
in pairs that is an opening connected with the gas flue is in close proximity to an
opening connected with the air flue. Each chair ber has an opening at top which
can be closed by a damper or valve From the top of each chamber a series of
flues descends to the air flue at the bottom of the next chamber so that by the
manipulation of the valves or dampers with which the flues are provided the

page_text: heated air from the first chamber may be directed to the bottom of the second
chamber from the second to the third and so on. The last chamber is connected
with a chimney stack by means of which the required draught is obtained.
The gas which is burned in the chambers is obtained by the imperfect com-
bustion of coal or coke as is well understood and consists essentially of a mixture
of carbonic oxide and nitrogen. The generator by which this gas is produced is
preferably situated near the middle of the series of chambers.
In using the kiln the limestone is so arranged that large lumps form arch like
spaces over the openings in the floor of the chamber so as to permit of the free
entrance of the gas and air the chamber being afterwards filled to its top with the
smaller lumps. On the admission of the gas and atmospheric air and their ignition
an intense heat is produced which ascends from the bottom to the top of the
chamber. The products of combustion are conducted through the next and
succeeding chambers which are thereby considerably heated. After the contents of
the first chamber have been sufficiently operated upon the gas is shut off and a
current of atmospheric air drawn through the chamber.
This air in cooling the contents of the chamber becomes itself highly heated and
is supplied to the air flue of the next chamber. This-heating of the air by which
combustion is supported in the several chambers effects great economy in fuel.
In order that when desired one or all the chambers may be used independently
a small regenerator for collecting and storing the waste heat of the chamber may
be constructed at the end of the chamber and inade to beat the air supplied for
combustion.
"
The flue from the top of the last chamber is connected to the bottom of the first
chamber so that the contents of the first chamber may be heated by the products
of combustion from the last chamber and the current of air which.cools.the last
chamber and becomes thereby heated may be utilized to support combustion in the
first chamber. Or where a long series of chambers is employed the air supporting
the combustion in the first chamber may be heated by a small furnace.
The-process_as_conducted by my invention is continuous that is the several
chambers are in succession charged the contents first heated-and-then-burned.
After the burning the contents are cooled and removed and the chamber charged
afresh all the chambers are in succession thus used. .
The application of my invention to the burning of bricks and other materials
and articles differs in no essential respect from its application to the burning of
limestone as herein described.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Samuel De la Grange Williams in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 24th April 1883.
SAMUEL DE LA GRANGE WILLIAMS of Birmingham in the County of Warwick
Lime Merchant. "IMPROVEMENTS IN KILNS FOR BURNING LIME AND BRICKS AND
FOR OTHER LIKE PURPOSES.'
"
My invention consists in constructing and arranging the parts of the said kilns
in the manner hereinafter described, whereby great economy in fuel is effected and
great uniformity in the action of the kiln secured.
Kilns constructed according to my invention are especially fitted for burning
lime but are also suited for the burning of bricks and other materials and articles.
I will describe my invention in connection with a lime kiln.
I construct of brick 'work a series of chambers arranged side by side and
preferably arched at top. These chambers I prefer to make oblong the longer sides
of the said chambers being presented to each other. Underneath the floor of cach
chamber are two horizontal flues running underneath the longer sides of the
chamber; one of these flues I will call the gas flue and the other the air flue. Eachi
of these longitudinal flues has transverse horizontal flues at short intervals and
from these transverse horizontal flues, short vertical flues ascend and terminate in
openings in the floor of the chamber. These openings are in pairs, that is, an
opening connected with the gas flue is in close proximity to an opening connected
with the air flue; or one opening from the gas flue may be situated between two
openings from the air flue. Each chamber has an opening at top which can be
closed by a damper or valve. From the top of each chamber, a series of flues
descends to the air flue at the bottom of the next chamber so that by the
manipulation of the valves or dampers with which the flues are provided the
heated air from the first chamber may be directed to the bottom of the second
chamber, from the second to the third and so on. The last chamber is connected
with a chimney stack by means of which the required draught is obtained.
The gas which is burned in the chambers is obtained by the imperfect com-
bustion of coal or coke as is well understood and consists essentially of a mixture
of carbonic oxide and nitrogen. The generator by which this gas is produced is
preferably situated near the middle of the series of chambers.
In using the kiln the limestone is so arranged that large lumps form arch like
spaces over the openings in the floor of the chamber so as to permit of the free
entrance of the gas and air, the chamber being afterwards filled to its top with the
smaller lumps. On the admission of the gas and atmospheric air and their ignition
an intense heat is produced which ascends from the bottom to the top of the
chamber. The products of combustion are conducted through the next and
succeeding chambers which are thereby considerably heated. After the contents of
the first chamber have been sufficiently operated upon the gas is shut off and a
current of atmospheric air drawn through the chamber. This air in cooling the
contents of the chamber becomes itself highly heated and is supplied to the air flue
of the next chamber. This heating of the air by which combustion is supported in
the several chambers effects great economy in fuel. In order that when desired
one or all the chambers may be used independently, a small regenerator for
collecting and storing the waste heat of the chamber may be constructed at the
end of the chamber and made to heat the air supplied for combustion.
The flue from the top of the last chamber is connected to the bottom of the first
chamber so that the contents of the first chamber may be heated by the products

page_text: of combustion from the last chamber and the current of air which cools the last
chamber and becomes thereby heated may be utilized to support combustion in the
first chamber. Or where a long series of chambers is employed the air supporting
the combustion in the first chamber inay be heated by a small furnace.
The process as conducted by my invention is continuous that is the several
chambers are in succession charged, the contents first heated and then burned.
After the burning the contents are cooled and removed and the chamber charged
afresh; all the chambers are in succession thus used.
I will now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying Drawings the
manner in which my invention is to be performed.
Figure 1 represents in plan a series of six kilns for burning limestone constructed
according to my invention, a set of three kilns being arranged side by side and on
each side of a flue passing to the chimney stack; Figure 2 represents in horizontal
section; Figure 3 in cross section and Figure 4 in longitudinal section, two of the
said kilns drawn to a larger scale, a portion of the chimney stack being represented
in Figure 4.
The horizontal section Figure 2 is taken on the line A B Figure 4; the transverse
vertical section Figure 3 is taken on the line C. D Figure 2 and the longitudinal
vertical section Figure 4 is taken on the line E F Figure 2.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several Figures of
the Drawings.
a, a are the chambers of the kilns arranged side by side and made by preference
oblong and arched at top as represented. Underneath the floor of each chamber at
the longer sides thereof are two horizontal flues b and c, b being the gas flue and c
tlie air flue: Opening into the gas-flue-b-is a series-of-horizontal cross flues d, d
From these
and opening into the air flue c is a similar series of cross flues c, e.
cross gas and air flues d, e short vertical flues f,f ascend (see Figure 3) and
terminate in narrow openings or slits g, hh in the floor of the chamber, a single
opening g connected with the gas flue being situated between two openings h, h
connected with the air flue. The arrangement-of-side-and-cross-gas-and-air_flues
under the floor of the chamber is indicated in dotted lines in Figure 2 and the said
flues are also shown in the cross section Figure 3. Air is supplied to the side air
flue c in the first chamber of the series by the air inlet passage i at the base of the
said chamber (see Figures 2 and 3) and gaseous fuel of the kind herein before
described is supplied from the producers by the external main gas flues k, k
(indicated in dotted lines in Figures 1 and 2) to the side gas flues underneath the
floors of the chambers. Between the external main gas Blues k, k and each of the
gas flues g under the floors of the chambers is a valve by which the supply
side
of gas can be regulated to or cut off from the chambers. Other valves 13, 1 (see
Figure 1) permit the gas being cut off from one or other of the two series of
chambers. By means of the series of openings g and h h in the floors of the
chambers, the gaseous fuel and air are admitted to the chambers and the gaseous
fuel being ignited the combustion of the gaseous mixture produces an intense heat
in the raid chambers.
In the top of each chamber a is a series of three flues m, m, m which are in
communication by means of the horizontal flues n, n, n with the long cross flue p
which opens into the vertical flue 22 the latter passing to the air flue c in the next
chamber (see Figure 4) The flues in communication with the top of the
chamber are provided with dampers n², n², n² and the flue in connection with the
vertical flue p is also provided with a damper p³. The ends of the long cross
flue p are also provided with dampers p' and p³.
The heated air and products of combustion from the first chamber of the series
are conducted by the arrangement of flues last described to the air flue cat the
bottom of the next chamber and by the manipulation of the dampers the heated
air from the first chamber may be directed to the bottom of the second chamber,
from the second chamber to the third chamber and so on through the series.
The lust chamber is connected by means of the middle flue g, on each side of

page_text: which the two series of chambers are arranged, with the chimney stack r by means
of which the required draught is obtained. Each chamber of the series may also
be put into communication with the chimney stack or cut off from the 'said stack
by opening the damper p³ at one end of the cross flue p of the chamber and
closing the damper p³ in connection with the flue passing to the next chamber.
B
The last chamber of one series may be put into communication with the first
chamber of the other series by means of the cross flue & at the top of the first and
last chambers and its dampers 2 by opening which dampers the heated air from
the last chamber is permitted to descend the vertical air flue p³ in the first
chamber.
8
By means of the side fluo t opening into the cross flues & and pand furnished with
the dampers and p the heated air may be conducted to or shut off from any of
the chambers of the series.
The limestone having been arranged in the chambers a, a in the manner before
explained its burning is started in the first chamber by the ignition of the gaseous
fuel introduced at the openings g, g the combustion being supported by the air
introduced at the openings h, h. By this combustion of the gaseous mixture the
chamber becomes intensely heated and the products of combustion from the first
chamber are conducted to the next and succeeding chambers which are thereby
considerably heated. After the contents of the first chamber have been sufficiently.
operated upon the gas is shut off from that chamber and a current of atmospheric
air is drawn through the chamber to be mixed with the gaseous fuel which is now
supplied to the second chamber. As the air becomes highly heated by being drawn
through the heated contents of the first chamber great economy in the combustion
of the fuel is effected. After the contents of the second chamber have been
sufficiently operated upon, the gas is shut off from that chamber, atmospheric air is
drawn through it thereby becoming heated and cooling the contents of that
chamber. This heated atmospheric air is conducted to the third chamber to
support the combustion of the gaseous fuel in that chamber and so on through the
series.
Any one of the chambers of the kiln may be put into communication with the
flue passing to the chimney stack or the last chamber of one series put into
communication with the first chamber of the other series so as to make the process a
continuous one by the arrangement of flues and dampers hereinbefore described and
illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
Each chamber of the kiln is furnished with fire holes or fire grates (see Figure 2)
for the purpose of starting, when required, the burning of the limestone in any of the
chambers or for supplementing the heat of the gaseous fuel and for igniting when
required the gaseous fuel.
The application of my invention to the burning of bricks and other materials and
articles differs in no essential respect from its application to the burning of limestone
as herein before described and illustrated.
Having now described the nature of my invention and the manner in which
the same is to be performed I wish it to be understood that I do not limit myself
to the precise details herein described and illustrated as the same may be varied
without departing from the nature of my invention.
But I claim as my invention of "Improvements in kilns for burning lime and
bricks and for other like purposes :”-
First The construction and arrangement of the gas and air flues underneath the
floors of the chambers of the kiln and their combination with the openings in the
floors of the chambers for supplying gaseous fuel and air to be burned in the
said chambers substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
Secondly The construction and arrangement of flues and dampers for putting
the chambers in communication with one another and in communication with the
chimney stack for the purpose of cooling the contents of one chamber after the said
contents have been sufficiently operated upon and heating the air supplied to the

page_text: next and succeeding chambers substantially as herein before described and illustrated
in the accompanying Drawings.
Thirdly-The general arrangement or combination of the parts of the kilns
herein before described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof I the said Samuel De la Grange Williams have hereunto
set my hand and seal this Eighteenth day of April in the year of our
Lord one thousand eight hundred and eighty three.
Witness,
MARY ANN CRAIDLEY
SAMUEL DE LA GRANGE WILLIAMS (L.S.)
Woodgate Malvern.