Improvements in or connected with Puddling, Heating, and other Furnaces.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Dec., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 30th Sept., 1893-Accepted, 4th Nov., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Puddling, Heating, and other
Furnaces.
We, JAMES JONES MELDRUM, and THOMAS FREDERICK MELDRUM, Engineers,
both of Atlantic Works, City Road, Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference generally to puddling furnaces, heating furnaces,
and other analogous or equivalent furnaces, and has for its object to provide
improvements (the nature of which is hereinafter described) in connection with the
fire places, ashpits, and other parts thereof, and the combustion and manipulation
of the fuel, and fuel bearers.
Furnaces in connection with which our improvements are applied are worked
under forced draught; that is to say, the ashpit is closed, and is supplied with air
at a pressure greater than that of the atmosphere. The pressure of air in the
ashpit is, under our invention, obtained by the employment of steam or air jet
blowers, wherein a central jet of steam or air is discharged into a tube (having
preferably a coned inlet, a cylindrical mixing chamber, and a diverging outlet) and
forces atmospheric air into the ashpit. These blowers may be held by their heads
in a suitable plate, and project into and lie wholly or mainly in the ashpit into
which they discharge. In this plate (or in a separate plate) there is or are formed
one, two, or more doors, for gaining access to the ashpit, having a wedge or wedges
or an inclined plane or planes on or in connection with them; whilst on a seat or
seats on said plate (or on the plate) are suitable provisions so arranged that the
weight of such door or doors presses it or them against the seat and effects a self
closing practically air tight joint. In some cases these doors may be side by side
when two or more are used; and the air blowers may also be arranged on either
side of the ashpit when two or more are used.
Opposite the fire bars or bearers we provide a further door or doors, with wedge
or wedges or an inclined plane or planes adapted to engage with suitable provisions
on or in connection with a seat on the said front plate (or a separate plate), and so
arranged that the weight of the door presses it against the said seat. Through.
the aperture of this door, access can be had to the upper and under side, or either
side, of the grate bars for cleaning, clinkering, removing, or renewal, or other
purposes. In some cases this door may be lined with fire-brick or other suitable
material. Also in some cases it is adapted to be lifted up and down off and onto,
its face by a chain, and counterbalanced lever, or equivalent means.
In some cases we use a door or doors in connection with furnaces of the kind
above referred to, hinged at one end, and pressed onto a seat with a lever, or screw,
or the like.
In connection with the poking holes of furnaces of the kind herein referred to,
we may use, as a means of closing them, a plate, and door with inclined planes and
provisions such as above described, whereby the weight of the door presses them
onto the seat on the plate.
The blowers above specified may be supplied with the necessary steam or air,
through a hollow bridge bar, bridging the entrance, and to which the nozzle is
screwed or otherwise fastened; and a cleaning plug may also be provided opposite
the nozzle in the bridge.
In one form of fire bars we may use wrought iron bars, built up or connected
together in sete (say, for example, of three), the connection and spacing, being.
effected by rivets and distance pieces or collars, or equivalent means..

page_text: It is to be stated that the invention is not restricted or limited to the specific
form or arrangement of parts above more particularly specified, since mere
modifications of these or their equivalents may be employed without departing
from its legitimate scope.
Dated this 30th day of December 1892
CHEESBROUGH & ROYSTON, Fels. Chart. Inst. P.A.,
15, Water Street, Liverpool, Applicants' Patent Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Puddling, Heating, and other
Furnaces.
We, JAMES JONES MELDRUM, and THOMAS FREDERICK MELDRUM, Engineers,
both of Atlantic Works, City Road, Manchester, in the County of Lancaster,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to
be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
This invention has reference generally to puddling furnaces, heating furnaces,
and other analogous or equivalent furnaces, and has for its object to provide
improvements (the nature of which is hereinafter described) in connection with the
fire places, ashpits, and other parts thereof, and the combustion and manipulation
of the fuel and fuel bearers.
Furnaces in connection with which our improvements are applied are worked under
forced draught; that is to say, the ashpit is closed, and is supplied with air at a
pressure greater than that of the atmosphere. The pressure of air in the ashpit is,
under our invention, obtained by the employment of steam or air jet blowers
wherein a central jet of steam or air is discharged into a tube (having preferably a
coned inlet, a cylindrical mixing chamber, and a diverging outlet) and forces
atmospheric air into the ashpit. These blowers may be held by their heads in a
suitable plate, and project into and lie wholly or mainly in the ashpit into which
they discharge. In this plate (or in a separate plate) there is or are formed one,
two, or more doors, for gaining access to the ashpit, having a wedge or wedges or
an inclined plane or planes on or in connection with them; whilst on a seat or seats
on said plate (or on the plate) are suitable provisions so arranged that the weight of
such door or doors presses it or them against the seat and effects a self closing
practically air tight joint. In some cases these doors may be side by side when two
or more are used; and the air blowers may also be arranged on either side of the
ashpit when two or more are used.
Opposite the fire bars or bearers we provide a further door or doors, with a
wedge or wedges or an inclined plane or planes adapted to engage with suitable
provisions on or in connection with a seat on the said front plate (or a separate
plate), and so arranged that the weight of the door presses it against the said seat.
Through the aperture of this door, access can be had to the upper and under side,
or either side, of the grate bars for cleaning, clinkering, removing, or renewal, or
other purposes. In some cases this door may be lined with fire-brick or other
suitable material. Also in some cases it is adapted to be lifted up and down off
and onto its face by a chain, and counterbalanced lever or equivalent means.
In some cases we use a door or doors in connection with furnaces of the kind
above referred to, hinged at one end, and pressed onto a seat with a lever, or screw,
or the like.
In connection with the poking holes of furnaces of the kind herein referred to,
we may use, as a means of closing them, a plate, and door with inclined planes
and provisions such as above described, whereby the weight of the door presses
them onto the seat on the plate.
The blowers above specified may be supplied with the necessary steam or air,

page_text: through a hollow bridge bar, bridging the entrance, and to which the nozzle is
screwed or otherwise fastened; and a cleaning plug may also be provided opposite
the nozzle in the bridge.
In one form of fire-bars we may use wrought iron bars built up or connected
together in sets (say, for example, of three), the connection and spacing being
effected by rivets and distance pieces or collars or equivalent means.
Examples illustrative of the invention, the nature of which is above described,
are given in the accompanying drawings. These illustrate two modifications, one of
which shews the application of the invention to a puddling furnace, and the other
its application to a tinplate or like furnace; but the invention having reference
solely to the furnace portions of these, it will be understood that these portions, and
the improvements illustrated therein, may be applied to any metallurgical plant or
apparatus wherein furnaces for the combustion of the fuel used are of a like kind
or nature.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section, illustrating a furnace, provided with improve-
ments under this invention; and Figure 2 is a front view of the same.
Figure 3 is a cross section of multiple bar construction according to this
invention.
Figures 4, 5 and 6, are respectively a longitudinal sectional elevation, an end
view, and a sectional detail, shewing an arrangement of furnace according to this
invention, wherein the doors herein before referred to by which facilities for poking
are afforded, are provided under this invention.
Referring to the drawings, a are the fire-bars or fuel bearers, supported on cross
girders or supports built in the sides of the furnace. c is the ashpit. d is the
front plate of the furnace enclosing the ashpit, as well as a space or portion of the
furnace above the bars a. e are the steam jet blowers, one being arranged on each
of the upper corners of the ashpit. fare the ashpit doors covering apertures in
the plate, by which access is had to the ashpit for the usual purposes. is the
door, and the aperture in the plate d covered by said door, by means of which
access is had, when desired, to the upper and under sides of the fire-bearers D. jis
the front wall of the furnace against the lower outer edge of which the upper part
of the plate d fits.
The above constitute all the main parts of the arrangement of furnace shewn in
Figures 1 and 2; the further fittings and parts shewn in Figures 4, 5 and 6 are as
follows: In the front wall; above the aperture i, apertures k are provided for
poking the fuel on the bars, having doors of the kind herein described normally
covering same, and fitted on the front plate d, which is carried up in this case to a
point above the lower edge of the front wall j..
In these different arrangements shewn in the drawings, the portion ✗, where the
metallurgical operation is carried on, is in Figures 1 and 2 a puddling furnace
hearth; whilst in Figures 4 and 5 it is a tin plate furnace heating chamber;
whilst Y in all of the figures is the combustion chamber portion of the apparatus.
As regards the detail of the constructions and parts shewn in Figures 1 and 2,
and 4, 5 and 6, and their modes of use, the blowers e consist of a mixing chamber e¹
having a coned inlet, and a diverging or tapering outlet e, with a central steam jet
at, the steam to which is conveyed through the pipe by a hollow bridge
piece and the blowers are connected to and carried by their heads by the
plate d, and lie practically wholly within the ashpit c, there being two in each
furnace with one disposed in each of the upper corners of the ashpit under the
bars a.
The blowers introduce air into the ashpit in the well known way and
maintain the pressure therein above that of the atmosphere.
The ashpit doors fare provided with inclined planes or wedges fl tapered on
their outer side, and fitting in corresponding lugs f, by which when the door is
placed in position, cause it, through its weight, to bring its face against the seat f³
which is formed or provided on the face of the plate d. fare handles of the
doors by which they are lifted off the lugs f" and placed in position. This
construction and arrangement of door, and that of the blowers e, are of a known

page_text: type and construction, they being used commonly in furnaces known as "Meldrum
furnaces," and therefore do not per se constitute improvements under this
invention.
The aperture in the plate d is disposed vertically in such a position as to
afford means of introducing through it, suitable tools both above and below the bars
for pricking them, clinkering, or otherwise operating upon them, and upon the fuel
next their faces; and also to admit of bars being placed in position and taken out,
as and when required. The aperture i is carried for the full width of the furnace
so as to provide access to all the bars thereof. The plate d about the aperture i
is provided with a face i projecting from same, against which the fitting face at the
edge of the door comes. The door h is provided at each side with an inclined
plane or wedge h¹ which fit in corresponding lugs on the plate d, the wedges h¹
tending, through the weight of the door 4, to bring its bearing face onto the seat i'
round the aperture i. The door h is lifted and lowered by the chain h³ and lever h*,
mounted at ; and it is partially counterbalanced, that is to the desired extent,
through the counterbalance weight. The action is, that by pulling down the
end of the lever h' on which the counterbalance is supported, the door is lifted
off its supporting and closing lugs, and so uncovers the aperture i, and, vice versa,
when lowered into the lugs hit covers the aperture i, the wedges h' through its own
weight and the lugs / forcing its face up against the seat .
The door in Figures 1 and 2 is shewn hollow and is filled with refractory fire
brick or material; whilst in Figures 4 to 6, it is a plain cast iron door having a
fitting face all round the edge.
The doors covering the poking holes k, are of the same type as the doors f, and
are provided with inclined planes or wedges l', fitting into lugs of corresponding
form on the plate d, and having handles by which they are lifted on and off.
In action their weight, through the inclined planes 1, brings them up to the
seats on the plate d and make an air-tight joint therewith.
The construction of firebar or bearer shewn in Figure 3 consists of three bars a,
preferably of wrought iron or steel, connected together by a rivet a¹, the bars
being held apart by distance rings or collars a' fitted over the shanks of the rivet a¹.
The heads of the rivet a' form distance pieces or provisions with their neighbours
when placed in position in a grate, by which they are kept at the required distance
apart. The compound bars a are arranged closely together as shewn, and are more
economical, more readily placed in position in the furnace, and generally more
convenient for handling or working in use, than ordinary wrought bars; especially
where small fuel is used.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. In furnaces of puddling, heating, and other analogous plant or apparatus, the
combination with a closed ashpit, of a steam jet blower or blowers by which air is
introduced and maintained therein under pressure greater than that of the
atmosphere; and a door (h), and an aperture (i) covered by such door, disposed in
relation to the fire-bars as set forth, and having a wedge or wedges or inclined
plane or planes by which, through the weight of the door acting through same in
connection with suitable provisions connected with the door seat, the door is pressed
onto its seat; substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
2. The furnace having in combination, bars a; the blowers e disposed mainly
within the ashpit; the front plate d to which said blowers are fixed and enclosing
the ashpit; the door or doors f; and the door hand aperture i in front of the bars a ;
arranged and operating as set forth with reference to the drawings for the purposes
specified.
3. The furnace having in combination bars a, steam jet blowers e disposed
mainly within the ashpit; a plate d to which said blowers are fixed and enclosing
the ashpit; the door hand aperture i in front of the bars a; and the poking holes

page_text: with doors of the kind specified; arranged, combined, and operating as set forth
with reference to the drawings for the purposes specified.
4. The herein described furnace bar, consisting of a plurality of wrought iron or
steel bars connected together and kept apart as herein set forth with reference to
Figure 3 of the drawings.
Dated thin th 1
1002
CHEESBROUGH & ROYSTON, Fels. Chart. Inst. P.A.,
15, Water Street, Liverpool, Applicants' Patent Agents.