Improvements in Furnaces suitable for Use in the Manufacture of Glass.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date o Application, 4th Mar., 1596
Complete Specification Left, 4th Dec.. 1893-Accepted, 13th Feb., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Furnaces suitable for Use in the Manufacture
of Glass.
I, FRANCIS RADCLIFFE, of 223 Burrage Road, Plumstead in the County of
Kent, Chief Foreman of Forges, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
My invention has reference to furnaces of the kind comprising a melting chamber
and a working chamber as in furnaces used for the manufacture of glass and the
object of my invention is to utilise as effectually as possible in the working chamber
the heat of the gases flowing into it from the melting chamber by causing these
gases to travel as completely as practicable over the surface of the molten metal in
the working chamber before escaping therefrom. After being utilized in the working
chamber the hot gases may be further utilised in an air heater. When the air
heater is arranged above I so construct a chamber or chambers or passage or
passages leading from the working chamber to the air heater that the escaping
hot gases are caused to enter the air heater at its lower part. Between the melting
chamber and the working chamber there is a partition wall that extends from the
bottom to the crown of the melting chamber and has through it one or more of
the usual passages or dog holes on a level with the bottom of the melting chamber.
To conduct the hot gases from the melting chamber to the working chamber the
partition wall has formed in it holes or passages at a height or heights that will
be sufficiently above the level of the melted material. At the working chamber side
of the partition there is a chamber (or chambers) so constructed that the working
chamber surrounds or partly surrounds it (or them). This chamber (which is
bereinafter referred to as the exit Hue) forms a flue or passage through which the
hot gases escaping from the working chamber are conducted either to an air heater
or otherwise as may he required. The arrangement is such that the hot gases from
the melting chamber enter the working chamber at each side of the exit flue and
passing over the molten metal to that part of the working chamber which is
furthest from the melting chamber the streams from the respective sides meet and
escape together through an opening or openings formed in the corresponding part of
the wall of the exit flue and thence away as aforesaid. The exit flue may conveniently
be of circular or approximately circular form in plan and concentric with the outer
wall of the working chamber through which the working holes are formed these
holes being as I prefer equidistantly arranged. The exit flue serves to support or
aid in supporting the superstructure. By my invention which may be carried out in
various forms I am enabled to simplify and cheapen the construction of furnaces of
the kind referred to which as to other portions thereof may be variously constructed.
Although I have described a partition with holes through it as separating the melting
chamber from the working chamber it might in some cases be found convenient to
substitute a bridge but I prefer the kind of partition I have described. My invention
may be embodied in the construction of furnaces more or less in accordance with
another invention for which I have applied for Letters Patent No. 21577 of 1895.
When adopting such a construction in order to prevent air passing between the fire
bars near their front ends thus causing combustion beneath the hearth below the
proper zone of the producer and resulting injury to its walls as well as ignition of

page_text: the gases within the producer I provide in conjunction with a plate adapted to slide
in grooves in the walls of the producer over the fire bars bricks or blocks of
refractory material mounted on rods or bars with heads or plates let into the refractory
bricks or blocks so that by means of the said bars which project beyond the bricks or
blocks the latter can be placed in position for use and removed.
Improvements in Furnaces suitable for Use in the Manufacture
of Glass.
I, FRANCIS RADCLIFFE, of 223 Burrage Road, Plumstead in the County of Kent,
Chief Foreman of Forges, 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:-
My invention has reference to furnaces of the kind comprising a melting chamber
and a working chamber as in furnaces used for the manufacture of glass, and the
object of my invention is to utilise as effectually as possible in the working chamber,
the heat of the gases flowing into it from the melting chamber by causing these
gases to travel as completely as practicable over the surface of the molten metal in
the working chamber before escaping therefrom. After being utilized in the working
chamber, the hot gases may be further utilized in an air heater. When the air heater
is arranged above, I so construct a chamber or chambers or passage or passages leading
from the working chamber to the air heater that the escaping hot gases are caused
to enter the air heater at its lower part. Between the melting chamber and the
working chamber there is a partition wall that extends from the bottom to the
crown of the melting chamber and has through it one or more of the usual passages
or dog holes on a level with the bottom of the melting chamber. To conduct the
hot gases from the melting chamber to the working chamber the partition wall has
formed in it holes or passages at a height or heights that will be sufficiently above
the level of the melted material. At the working chamber side of the partition
there is a chamber (or chambers) so constructed that the working chamber surrounds
or partly surrounds it (or them). This chamber (which is hereinafter referred to as
the exit flue) forms a flue or passage through which the hot gases escaping from the
working chamber are conducted either to an air heater or otherwise as may be
required. The arrangement is such that the hot gases from the melting chamber
enter the working chamber at each side of the exit flue and passing over the
molten metal to that part of the working chamber which is furthest from the
melting chamber, the streams from the respective sides meet and escape together
through an opening or openings formed in the corresponding part of the wall of
the exit flue and thence away as aforesaid. The exit flue may conveniently be of
circular or approximately circular form in plan and concentric with the outer wall
of the working chamber through which the working holes are formed, these holes
being as I prefer equi-distantly arranged. The exit flue serves to support or aid in
supporting the superstructure.
By my invention, which may be carried out in various forms, I am enabled to
simplify and cheapen the construction of furnaces of the kind referred to which as
to other portions thereof may be variously constructed.

page_text: My invention may be embodied in the construction of furnaces more or less in
accordance with another invention for which I have applied for Letters Patent
No. 21577 of 1895.
Figs. 1 to 7 of the accompanying drawings show a furnace of the kind referred
to embodying my improvements and suitable for the manufacture of glass, Fig. 1
being a front elevation and Fig. 2 a longitudinal vertical section of the furnace;
Figs. 3 and 4 horizontal sections on the lines A A and B B respectively of Fig. 2; and
Figs. 5 and 6 cross sections on the lines C C and D D respectively of the same figure.
Figs. 7, 8 and 9 are detail views to a larger scale.
The furnace comprises a melting chamber 1 and a working chamber 2 separated
by a partition wall 3 that extends from the bottom to the top of the melting chamber
and through which are formed at suitable heights, as hereinbefore explained, the
holes or passages 4 and 5 through which molten glass and hot gases can respectively
pass from the melting chamber to the working chamber. 6 is a chamber so
arranged at the working chamber side of the partition wall 3 as to be nearly
surrounded by the working chamber 2 with which it communicates by an opening 6ª.
This chamber 6 (herein called the exit flue) serves to conduct the hot gases escaping
from the working chamber to an air heater or otherwise as may be desired.
The exit flue 6 is shown of circular shape in plan, and concentric with the
outer wall 7 of the working chamber through which the working holes 7 are
formed, so that such holes shall be practically equally distant from the exit flue 6 in
order that the distribution of heat around each working hole may be as nearly
uniform as possible. The working holes are preferably equi-distantly arranged
from each other.
As will be seen the arrangement is such that the hot gases from the melting
chamber 1 enter the working chamber 2 at each side of the exit flue 6 and passing
over the molten metal to that part of the working chamber which is furthest from
the melting chamber, the streams of hot gas from the respective sides meet and
escape together through the opening 6 to the exit flue and thence to the air
heater.
Although I have described a partition 3 with holes 4 and 5 through it as
separating the melting chamber 1 from the working chamber 2, it might in some
cases be found convenient to substitute a bridge for the partition but I prefer. the
kind of partition I have described.
The furnace is preferably provided, as in the construction of furnace described in
the Specification of my said other Application for Letters Patent No. 21577 of 1895,
with two gas producers 8, 8ª each constructed of firebrick with fuel feeding arrange-
ment at the top, closed ash-pit 9, and air-supply passage 10 thereto, the arrangement
being, of course, such that the producer gas and air, entering the melting chamber
by the ports 11 and 12 respectively, as also the hot gases escaping from the melting
chamber, constantly pass in their respective initial directions, thus obviating the
necessity of arrangements for reversing.
The apparatus for beating steam to be used in the producers and in the melting
chamber is constructed and arranged in a similar manner to the heating apparatus
described in my said former Specification No. 21577 of 1895-corresponding parts
in the two arrangements being marked with similar reference characters-but the
working chamber 2 instead of communicating with the top of the heating chambers 13
in which the air heating tubes 14 14" are located as in my former construction,
communicates by the flue 6 with the bottom of such chambers and at the lower
right hand end thereof, as shown at 13* in Figs. 2 and 6, so that the gases in passing
to the upper left band end of the said heating chambers have to pass in a diagonal
direction through such chambers, whereby a more effective heating of the tubes 14 14°
located therein is obtained.
When adopting gas producers of the kind described in my said other Specification
No. 21577 of 1895, in order the better to prevent air passing between the fire bars
near their front ends, thus causing combustion beneath the hearth below the proper
zone of the producer and resulting injury to its walls, as well as ignition of the

page_text: gases within the producer, I provide in conjunction with a plate 22 adapted to slide in
grooves 23 in the walls of each producer over the fire bars 21, as described in my
said other specification bricks or blocks 24 of refractory material which as shown in
Figs. 7 8 and 9 filed herewith, are mounted on rods or bars 24" having heads or
plates 24 let into the refractory bricks or blocks so that by means of the said bars,
which project beyond the said bricks or blocks, the latter can be readily placed in
position for closing the space between the plate and the arch or opening through
which the fire bars are inserted and withdrawn. 25 is a frame carrying separate
doors 26 26 for gaining access to the fire bars 21 and ash pit 9 respectively of each
gas producer as in the construction of furnace described in my said other
-specification.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A furnace of the kind herein referred to wherein there is arranged at the
working chamber side of the partition wall between the melting and working
chambers, an additional chamber (or chambers) adapted to serve as an exit flue (or
flues) from the working chamber and so constructed as to be surrounded or partly
surrounded by the working chamber, the arrangement being such that the hot gases
in passing from the melting chamber to the exit flue and thence to an air heater
or other place, travel practically over the whole surface of the molten metal in the
working chamber before escaping therefrom, whereby such metal is uniformly heated,
substantially as described.
2. A furnace suitable for the manufacture of glass in which a melting chamber 1
working chamber 2, partition 3 and exit flue 6 G are constructed and arranged
substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings annexed for the
purposes specified.
3. A furnace of the kind herein referred to constructed with an air heater
arranged above it and with a chamber or chambers or passage or passages leading
from the working chamber to the air heater in such a manner that the hot gases are
caused to enter the air heater at its lowest part, substantially as described for the
purpose specified.
4. My improved furnace constructed substantially as described and shown and
suitable for the manufacture of glass as set forth.
Dated this 4th day of December 1896
W. LLOYD WISE,
46 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Chartered Patent Agent.