CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF GRATES, STOVES, AND FURNACES, APPLICABLE TO STEAM ENGINES AND MANY USEFUL PURPOSES
Year: 1834

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
GEORGE BODMER, of Bolton-le-Moors, in the County of Lancaster, Civil
Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS His present most Excellent Majesty King William the Fourth,
by His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Twenty-fourth day of May, in the fourth year of His reign,
did, for Himself, His heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
John George Bodmer, His especial license, full power, sole privilego and
authority, that I, the said John George Bodmer, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said John George Bodmer, my executors,
administrators, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from
time to time and at all times during the term of years therein expressed, should
and lawfully might make, use, exercise and vend, within England, Wales, and
the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF GRATES, STOVES, AND FURNACES, APPLICABLE TO STEAM
ENGINES AND MANY USEFUL PURPOSES;" in which said Letters Patent is con-
tained a proviso, that I, the said John George Bodmer, shall cause a particular
description of the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be inrolled in His said Majesty's High Court of
Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference
boing thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said John
George Bodmer, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention, and

page_text: in what manner the same is to be performed, are particularly described an
ascertained in and by the following description thereof, reference being had t
the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked thereo
(that is to say)—
My Invention of Certain Improvements in the Construction of Grates, Stoves
and Furnaces, applicable to Steam Engines and many useful Purposes, consist in
certain novel constructions and arrangements of the parts of such grates, stoves
furnaces, or fire-places, by means of which constructions or arrangements the
fuel is gradually conducted through the furnace, and the cinders, clinkers, or
unconsumed fuel ultimately discharged. These novel constructions or arrange
ments have for their object a more equal, regular, and constant supply of fuel
to the fire, and also a more perfect combustion of the coal. As my improve-
ments are applicable to various descriptions of furnaces for different purposes,
I have here shewn in the accompanying Drawings several applications of the
same, in order that my Invention may be better understood, although I do not
mean or intend to confine myself to the precise form or dimensions therein
shown, as under different circumstances they will require to be varied to suit
the nature of their application. I have particularly exhibited in the Drawing
three different novel arrangements or constructions of grates, stoves, or fur-
naces for effecting the abovo objects, and before I describe them shall briefly
state the design and operation of each, proceeding afterwards to explain their
construction more particularly.
The first plan on which I propose to, construct the grates of furnaces is
exhibited in the Drawings by the several Figures of Sheet I. In this
instance, the grate that supports the fuel in a state of combustion consists of
a series of circular bars formed as a hollow cylinder or drum mounted on an
axle, which turns in bearings. This cylindrical grating is made to revolve
upon its axis by means of gearing connected with it, and driven by any first
mover. The coal or other fuel is introduced into the furnace by a curved
passage, from whence it proceeds on to a clear and unoccupied part of the s
upper surface of the cylindrical grate, and as the grate revolves, the fuel is
carried forward and becomes ignited by its contact with the fuel previously in
a state of combustion; and when the fuel has passed slowly through the whole
extent of the furnace, its cinders, clinkers, and other refuse parts can be removed
from time to time, as required. Figure 1 is a vertical section taken lengthwise 3
brough part of the boiler, and its fire-place or furnace, shewing the feeding
channel, and the rotatory drum grate with the gearing for giving it motion,
and also the clearing grate with the parts or apparatus by which the refuse fuel
s removed when desired. Figure 2 is also a vertical section taken crosswise

page_text: rough the boiler, fire-place, and drum grate. A, A, 15 the bouer of the
ommon construction employed for low pressure engines; B, B, B, the brick-
ork in which the boiler is set, forming also the sides of the fire-place, flues,
nd ash pits. C is the feeding channel, for the passage of the coals or other fuel
n to the circular fire bars D, D, D, the bars being connected together so as
o form a cylinder or drum-shaped grate, the upper surface of which drum
onstitutes the bottom of the fire-place E, and upon this the combustion of the
uel takes place. F is the clearing grate, formed by a frame with straight fire
ars, upon which the ashes, cinders,, clinkers, or unconsumed fuel is delivered
s the cylindrical grate revolves, and from whence it can be removed, as occa-
ion may require. The feeding channel C is of a curved form, extending the
whole width of the series of fire bars or cylindrical grate, and is made of sheet
ron, to facilitate the descent of the fuel. It may be furnished with a hopper
to introduce the fuel, and a door to close tho top, if desired. The cylindrical
grate I propose to construct in the following manner, but do not intend to
confine myself precisely to the mode described, as a similar sort of cylindrical
grato may, perhaps, with equal advantage be constructed in several other ways.
a, a, is an axle or shaft, mounted upon and turning freely in bearings or
plummer boxes, fixed on brackets projecting from the side walls of tho ash pit.
Upon this axle are fixed two, three, or more wheels or sets of radial arms with
circular rims b, b, b, b, To these rims are attached by bolts and rebate blocks
the T shaped bars c, c, c, c, placed longitudinally in the direction of the axle.
The T shaped longitudinal bars c, c, c, support the ends of the series of
segments d, d, d, d, constituting the fire bars, one of which is shewn detached,
as it would appear in a side and end view at Figure 3. The segment bars are
notched at their ends, as shewn at e, e, c, Figure 3, for the purpose of fitting
on to the T shaped edges of the rails c', as shewn in Figure 1. The ends of
the fire bars are made wider than the other parts, in order to keep the bars
at proper distances apart when combined to form the grate, that is, leaving
openings between the bars for the discharge of dust, and the admission of air
to support combustion. When the longitudinal bars c have been fixed on to
the rebates of the arms or ribs b, the segment bars are severally introduced,
their notches e, e, at both ends fitting on to the flanges of the T shaped
longitudinal bars; the segment bars are then slidden along the longitudinal
bars, and when the proper number to form the cylindrical grate have been
thus placed, the whole are secured in their situations by keys or wedges f, f, f
driven into slots on the ends of the bars c, thereby forming when put together
a complete hollow drum or cylindrical grating, composed of circular bars, and
capable of receiving rotatory motion, which I propose to effect in the following

page_text: manner: To one end of the cylindrical grate or drum I attach a toothed rin
or wheel G, which gears into a pinion II, (shown by dots in Fig. 1.) Thi
pinion turns upon a stud fixed to the iron bracket supported by the side brick
work, and to which pinion is attached a toothed wheel I, which takes into
another pinion K on the end of an axle turning in bearings, supported also by
brackets from the brickwork. This axle has attached to its reverse end the fast
and loose pullies or riggers L, having a strap or band M passed over them
which receives motion from the engine or other first mover; by these means
a slow continuous rotatory motion is communicated through the train of wheels
and pinions to the drun or cylindrical grate in the direction of the arrow in
Figure 1, by which the surface of the fire bars in contact with the ignited fuel
is continually changing, and the coal or other material for combustion pro-
gressively carried forward from the lower end of the feeding channel througli
the furnace towards the clearing grate, and which in its progress becomes
ignited, and for the most part consumed. By these means a quantity of beated
fuel, cinders, clinkers, and ashes, will be accumulated upon the clearing grate F,
which may be allowed to remain there while the combustion continues, and
when it is desirable to remove the refuse ashes, cinlers, and cliukers, that can
be done by the following means:-The clearing grate I is suspended by pins
or short axles turning in bearings g, and it is kept up in its position by the
rods h, h, connected by joints to ears at the under part. The lower ends of these
rods are brought nearly together in order to form bearings for the axle of the
roller ; this roller runs upon the inclined plain rail , placed at the bottom of
the ash pit. is a rod jointed to the fore part of h, h, at one end, and the other
end is formed into a loop or handle, which is passed over a hook m fixed in the
floor of the ash pit. On raising the looped end of the rod 7 from the hook m
and pushing the rod back, the roller i will pass down the inclined plain k, the
clearing grate will fall into the position shewn by dots, when the ashes, cinders,
elinkers, &c. will descend into the pit; by again bringing the rod / forward,
and passing the end over the hook m, the grate will be brought up to its
proper position as before.
The second modification of my improvements in the construction of grates
or furnaces 1 denominate the propelling or travelling grate, to distinguish
it from the foregoing rotary grate; this is exhibited in the accompanying
Drawings by the several Figures of Sheet II. In this construction of grate
or furnace the fire bars are framed in sets or separate portions, each frame
of bars being furnished with small wheels or rollers, which are made to travel
upon horizontal rails or ledges along the fire-place or furnace under the
boiler from the front to the back. The frames of consecutivo grates or

page_text: ars receive their charges of fuel as they pass under the feeding
travelling along the furnace the fuel upon the grates becomes ignited and
carly consumed. When the grates or frames of bars respectively arrive at the
urther end of the furnace they are cleared from their cinders, clinkers, ashes,
nd unconsumed fuel, by passing under a bridge of fire bricks, which acts as a
craper, and having proceeded beyond the extremity of the furnace, each frame
r grate is brought on to a weighted lever trap, from whence by the falling of
he trap they severally descend on to an inclined plain formed by a railway
placed in the ash pit below. Upon this inclined plain railway the grates are
by their own gravity made to return to the front part of the furnace and to
ass on to a lifting stage. By means of this lifting stage, and the machinery
connected therewith, the grates are severally raised up into a situation where
they will stand ready to be passed through the furnace, as before, on the line of
horizontal rails first described. From this situation, the frame of grating which
has just been raised is propelled onward upon the horizontal railway under
the feeding channel, driving the whole line of grates through the furnace, as
before described; by these means the fuel is spread evenly over the whole
surface of the fire bars, and the grates are made to travel progressively through
the furnace, and thereby produce a more uniform and regular heat, and the fire
bars are by their change of situation greatly protected from the destructive
effects of a partial intensity of heat, which commonly occurs in ordinary con-
structions of furnaces. Figure 4 is an elevation of the front of the furnace,
with the machinery for working the travelling fire bars. Figure 5 is a vertical
section taken lengthwise through the boiler, fire-place, flucs, brickwork, and ash
pit, the travelling grates, forming the bottom of the furnace, being also shewn
in section upon the horizontal rails. Figure 6 is a vertical section taken cross-
wise through the boiler, furnace, flues, and brickwork near the back end, part
of the machinery being seen which is there situate, videlicet, the weighted lever
trap. Figure 7 is another section taken horizontally through the furnace above
the fire bars, showing the brickwork and flues. The boiler is removed in this
Figure, in order that the fire bars and the machinery for working them may
be shown. The same letters of reference are used to denote similar parts in the
several Figures of this Sheet. A is the boiler; B, the brickwork; C, feeding
channel: D, D, D, the several frames of fire bars or grates, one of which is
shewn detached in horizontal and front views at Figure 8. E, E, is the furnace;
F, the drop lever or trap for lowering the frames of grating, in order that they
may return to the front part of the ash pit. The horizontal railway G, G, is
formed by two parallel bars set edgewise, and fixed on to brackets project-
ing from the side walls of the ash pit. II, FI, is the inclined plain railway,

page_text: Similarly formed and supported, and descending toward the front of the ash pit
I, is the lifting stage for raising the grates severally from the lower or incline
plain to the upper or horizontal railway. Let it be supposed that one of the
frames of grating has been returned upon the inclined plain II and raised into
the situation of that at D, Figure 5, the lifting stage I will then be coincident
with the horizontal railway G, and the frame D" with the other frames D, D, D,
placed beforo in a consecutive range. The propelling machinery may now be
brought into operation by the following means:-a is a strap or band passed
from the engine or other first mover to the fast and loose pullies b, b, turning
upon an axle formed by a stud projecting from the standard K; to the working
pulley is attached the pinion c, which gears into the wheel d, fixed on the end
of the shaft e; this shaft has a swivel bearing at one end, and passes through
slots in the side standards. On the other end of the shaft e is mounted the
pinion f. which takes into the pins or teeth of what is called a mangel wheel g
fixed on the horizontal shaft h; this shaft also turns in bearings in the side
standards. On the shaft is fixed the dises i, i, each of those discs having a
toothed segment on its periphery, the teeth of which take into the horizontal
racks ; these racks on both sides of the railway are connected together
by the cross bar or brace m, see Figs. 4 and 7, which thereby constitutes a
carriage, and this carriage is furnished with wheels for the purpose of enabling it
to move along the auxilliary rails or brackets n, n, projecting in front of the ash
pit, and supported from the brickwork; when the pinion f works outside of the
pins or teeth of the mangle wheel g, that wheel will be made to revolve in the
direction of the black arrows in Fig. 5, (where a portion only of this wheel is
shewn in connection with the pinion, it being broken to expose the disc and
the segment of teeth behind.) On the end or tappeto of the teethel segments
coming against the projecting studs or teeth p, p, of the horizontal racks (as
shewn in Figure 5). the carriage will be made to move inwards, and as the
segments proceed in their rotatory movement, their teeth will be brought
into gear with those of the racks, and the cross bar or brace m will come
in contact with the frame or grate D. By the rotation of the segments as
indicated by the arrow, the rack carriage will be advanced, and the whole
line of grates D, D, D, be propelled, that is, made to travel onwards upon the
railway G, the grate D being thus made to take the place of the one before
it, and in passing under the feeding channel C it will receive its supply of fuel.
At the time that each grate or frame of fire bars is raised from the inclined
railway into the position shewn at D' in the front, the grate situate at
De at the back end of the furnace will have been passed on to the drop
lever or trap F, which is mounted on an axle turning in bearings fixed to the

page_text: ide walls of the ash pit. This drop lever or trap is kept in its horizontal
osition by a counter-balance weight q, suspended from an arm attached to
he back part of the lever, but when the grate D** comes on to the trap, its
reight would overbalance, and cause the trap to drop down into the position
hewn by dotted lines in Fig. 5, were it not for a catch or holdfast 1', which
onfines the tail piece s, and retains the trap or drop lover in its horizontal
osition; this catch is, however, released, and the grate allowed to run
down on to the inclined plain railway at the proper time, as will be described
creafter. As soon as the rack carriage in front has pushed the grate D*
off the stage I, and advanced it a sufficient distance into the furnace, the
pening or termination of the circle of teeth or pins in the mangel wheel g
will have arrived opposite to the pinion f, when the pinion will drop through
he opening, and immediately work in the inside of the teeth or pins of the
mangle wheel, and consequently cause it to revolve in the opposite direction, as
shewn by the red arrow in Fig. 5, by which means the rack carriage will be
returned into its former position, as shewn at l. At the inside of each of these
discs i, i, Fig. 5, there is a tappet & formed at one end of a semicircular rim
u, which will be best seen by reference to the detached Fig. 9, where one of
the discs is shewn in three different positions; the tappet t is intended to raise
the stage I, and the semicircular rim u to keep it elevated. Fig. 10 repre-
sents the stage I detached, shewing one of its sliding arms w with the piece v
at top. As the discs i, i, go round, the tappets t work under the pieces v, v,
of the sliding arms w, w, and lift the stage I with the empty grate, until the
peripheries of the semicircular rims u, u, come into operation, which hold up
the stage I and the empty grate in the elevated situation shewn in Figure 5
during the time that the rack carriage is propelling the grates forward
under the feeding channel, and through the furnace, by the means above
described. On the retrograde movement of the discs i, i, caused by the
pinion f acting at the inner part of the mangle wheel, the circular rim u slides
back. under the piece v, still supporting the stage I; but when the tappet t
comes into operation under the piece v as the discs i revolve, the stage is
allowed to descend until it arrives in the lower situation, shewn by dots, that is,
in a line coincident with the end of the inclined rails H; and as it descen<ls to
that position, the cross bar of the stage L comes into contact with the bent
lever a, and by depressing that lever will effect the liberation of the drop F in
the following manner-The bent lever a turns on a fulcrum pin fixed in the
brickwork, and its shorter arm is by a joint connected to the rod y, which rod
is attached at the reverse end to the tail of the catch lever r (also turning on
a pin projecting from the wall), and when the curved end of the lever a is

page_text: depressed by the descent of the stage I, the catch will be disengaged from
the arms of the trap F, and the weight of the empty grate will cause the trap
to drop into the position shewn by dots in Fig. 5, and the grate D** to be
launched on to the inclined plain rails H. The empty grate will now by its
own gravity travel along the inclined plain rails II, and pass on to the stage
(then in the situation shewn by dots), and will be stopped by the cross bar
of the standard. As soon as the grate has left the trap lever F, the
trap will
be again brought into the horizontal position by the counterbalance weight q
After the grate has arrived upon the stage I, the pinion changes gearing
from the inside of the teeth of the mangle wheel g on to the outside, when the
wheel 9. discs i, i, with their rims u, u, and toothed segments k, k, will again
move in the direction of the black arrow, by which means the tappets, t
will again raise the stage in the manner before described, bringing the empty
grate into a line with the horizontal rails G. that is, in the position shewn in
Fig. 5, ready to be again propelled into the furnace when required. On the
lifting stage ascending, the end of the lever a will rise, and the catch at the
reverse end of the rod y will then confine the trap as before. When it is
desired to remove any ashes, cinders, clinkers, &c., from the back end of the
fire-place, the last grate or frame of fire bars as at D may be drawn on to
the trap F by means of a hook; the cinders, clinkers, &c., accumulated at the
end of the furnace will then fall into the ash pit, and should it be found
necessary at any time to rake or stir the fire, that can be done through the
opening at M.
The fire may be lighted through this opening or from
underneath by drawing one or two of the grates apart. Should it be found
desirable to regulate the draft through the fire by impeding the admission of
air between the grate bars, plates may be placed as dampers across the ash
pit at N, in Figure 5, or in any other required situation. These plates rest
upon brackets bolted or rivetted to the horizontal rails, and can be shifted
when desired; and if it should be found desirable to place a line of lire brick
between the top of the frames of fire bars and the under side of the boiler, it
can be done as represented in the partial section at Figure 11.
I would here remark, that a propelling or travelling grate may be con-
structed by a series of fire bars attached to an endless chain passed over
conducting rollers, and actuated in any convenient manner; or the frames of
fire bars or grates above described may be connected by hooks or latches, one 3
to the other, and be drawn through the furnace, instead of being propelled in
the manner above described, which I have not thought it necessary to describe,
as they may be varied and modified in many ways.
The third plan on which I propose to construct my improved grates for

page_text: rnaces I have exhibited in Sheet 3 of the accompanying Drawings, and
hich I call the vibratory grate. In this construction of furnaces, the
rates or fire bars have a vibratory motion communicated to them for the
urpose of moving the coal on the bars, and causing the furnace to supply
self with fuel; it also allows of the ashes, clinkers, &c. being removed.
igure 19 is an elevation of the front part of the furnace, shewing the
achinery or apparatus for working the reverberating fire bars.
Figure 13
a vertical section taken longitudinally through the boiler and furnace.
A is the boiler; B, the
Figure 14 is a horizontal section of the same.
rickwork which incloses the furnace and ash pit; C, feeding channel,
y which the fuel is conducted into the furnace; D, D, the fire bars or
rates, placed in a rectangular frame E, supported by four upright rods or
ocking levers a, a, u, a. These upright rods are connected by joints at
heir upper ends to the frame E by pins or bolts passed through cars or lugs
at the under part of the frame; the lower ends of the upright rods are jointed
in a similar way to the bottom of the ash pit. F is a horizontal shaft, turning
in bearings on brackets projecting from a plate fixed to the front of the brick-
work. This shaft F has two arms or levers b, b, extending from it, the ends
of which levers having antifriction rollers, acted upon by the tappets c, c, c, on
a lower horizontal shaft G, revolving in bearings, as the former horizontal rods
d, d, connect the levers with the grate frame E by joints at their ends; a
weight e is suspended from an arm attached to the middle of the shaft F.
The action of this grate is as follows:-A slow rotatory motion being com-
municated in any convenient manner to the shaft G, so as to cause it to turn
in the direction of the black arrow, the tappets c, c, c, will be made succes-
sively to act against the rollers at the ends of the arins b, by which means the
arms & will by the action of each tappet be forced inwards, and thereby cause
the connecting rods d to move the frame E a short distance inward upon the
rocking levers a, a, a, a, the grate carrying the coal with it; but as soon as the
tappets respectively pass from under the rollers of the arms or levers b, those
arms and the rods d, frame E, and grates D, will be brought back with a sudden
jerk by the force of the weight e, the friction rollers stopping against the next
tappet. By these means a constant vibratory movement of the grate is kept
up, and the fuel is gradually conducted down the fire bars; but the inclination
given to the grate is not sufficient to cause the fuel to slide down by its own
gravity; it therefore only advances when the weight jerks the grate back into
its quiescent position, the fire bars by that means sliding back from under the
fuel, which is kept from returning with the grate, partly by its own weight and
partly by the resistance of the coal at the end of the feeding channel. When

page_text: It may be requisito to remove the ashes, cinders, clinkers, or other refus
material from this furnace, the person attending the engine and fire pulls th
levers or arms b, b, outward, or in the direction of the red arrow, at a tim
when the position of the tappets c, e, will allow the friction roller at the end
of the arms 6 to pass; he will then be enabled to draw the grate with it
frame away upon its rocking levers a, a, a, a, from the bridge II at the en
of the fire-place, and thereby allow the ashes or clinkers to drop through the
opening into the ash pit. When this has been done the grate may be
again replaced by bringing the arms b, b, into their previous position upon the
tappets e, e.
Having now particularly described the arrangements of three different novel
constructions of grates for furnaces, I would first remark, that as there is not
any fire door in the front part of these grates, cold air is prevented getting
into the interior of the furnace above the ignited fuel, all the cold air to support
combustion passing through the openings between the fire bars from below;
and further, that there never is any fresh fuel at any time thrown upon the
already ignited coal, for after the fire has been once lighted the fresh fuel con-
tinues to ignite from being in contact with that already burning, and not on
the top of it, as in common; and further, that the smoke arising from the
fresh fuel while igniting will be obliged to pass over the whole surface of that
already in a red-hot state, and consequently will be subjected to the flame and
heat arising therefrom, by which means the smoke will be completely consumed.
These points I consider essential to the perfect combustion of fuel, and pre-
venting in a great measure the emission of smoke from the chimney. I would
also remark, that the strap which communicates motion to these grates may
be connected by any suitable arrangement of apparatus or machinery to the
steam guage of the boiler, and as the steam rises beyond the required degree
of temperature the guage may be made to throw off the strap from the
working pully, when the motion of the fire bars will be stopped, and as the
steam lowers in temperature, the guage descending allows the strap and be
again passed over the working pulley, when the grate will resume its motion as
before. This I prefer to be adapted in the propelling or traveling grate, as it
will cause the fire to be supplied with fuel only at the times required. And I
would further remark that hot air may be conducted to these grates from pipes
laced in the chimney (or other situation, as is usually done,) through openings, 3
s at N, in Figure 1, Sheet 1, or into the fluos, shewn in the other Figures, to
assist in the consumption of the smoke.
I shall now proceed briefly to describe several other different applications of
hese novel descriptions of furnaces, and also some slight variations in their

page_text: construction, and in the parts of stoves, steam generators, &c., which I have
ound advantageous to use in conjunction with them.
Figures 18 and 19, Sheet 4, are vertical and horizontal sections, shewing one
arrangement for adapting the rotatory drum grate, first described, to the ordinary
brewers' copper or distillers' alembic. A is the boiler; B, the brickwork; C,
the feeding channel; D, the fire bars or revolving grate; E, the fire-place;
F, the flew; G, the clearing grate, which in this instance is furnished with
small rollers or wheels supporting it upon the rails H. To the clearing grate
is connected at one end the lever I, turning on a fixed pin as its fulcrum. The
other end is connected to the rod K, having a handle formed on its end, which
is passed over a hook in the floor. By means of this rod K the clearing grate
can be opened to allow of the discharge of the ashes or clinkers, and afterwards
closed by the same means.
Figures 15 and 16, Sheet 3, are sections shewing the adaptation of the
cylindrical grate to air or puddling furnaces. A is the arch of the fire-place;
B, the brickwork; C, the feeding channel; D, cylindrical grate; E, fire-place;
F, the bridge; G, clearing grate, the bars of which should be in this instance
made of wrought iron, as cast iron will notwithstanding long enough the high
degree of temperature required; II are the flues leading to the furnace.
Figures 20 and 21, Sheet 4, are transverse and longitudinal vertical sections,
shewing the arrangements of the parts for the adaptation of the propelling or
travelling grate to hot air stoves for heating buildings, &c. A represents the
cockle or heating chamber; B, B, the situation of the fire-place or ignited.
fuel; C, feeding channel; D, the longitudinal rails upon which the fire bars
travel; E, the trap or drop lever; F, the inclined plain rails; G, the situation
of a set of fire-bars upon the lifting stage; H, are the cold air flues; I, the
conducting or heating pipes, by which the air enters into contact with the
surface of the cockle or heating chamber; K is the division plate; L, the pipes
by which the heated air passes from the cockle into the hot air chamber M;
N is the fluc of the fire-place. It will be seen that the cockle or heating
chamber is of the usual construction, but by the adaptation of my travelling or
propelling grate it may be made very narrow and of any length required, by
which a much more extended heating surface can be obtained than by the
Figures 22 and 23 are similar sections
ordinary construction of grates.
5 shewing the adaptation of the same grate to a singeing stove of the ordinary
construction. A is the singeing plate or bridge over which the goods are passed
to be singed. The same letters of reference are used on all the other parts as
in the preceding Figures.

page_text: Figures 24, 25, and 26, in Sheet 5, are representations of one mode o
applying the propelling grate to a steam engine boiler composed of three cylin
drical vessels. Figure 24 is a partial end elevation and section; Figure 25 is
a longitudinal vertical section, and Figure 26 is a horizontal section of the
same. A, A, represents the situation of the cylindrical boilers; B, the brick-
work; C, the feeding channel; D, D, the horizontal rails upon which the
grates E travel; F is the fire-place; G, the trap or drop lever; H, the
inclined rails; 1, I, are the flues of the fire-place; K is the ash pit.
I would further remark, that from the fire being kept so regular in my novel
constructions of grates or furnaces, and from the circumstance of there not
being any fresh fuel thrown upon that already ignited, I am enabled to place
the surfaces of steam generators much nearer to the ignited fuel than in
furnaces of the common construction without the danger of their being burned
from the coal or ignited fuel surrounding them or from unequal firing. In
Figures 12, 13, and 14, in Sheet 3, I have shewn and applied to the furnace a
construction of generation which may be adapted for these grates with advan-
tage, and enlarged portions of the same. at Figure 17. I, I, are two water
chambers placed on each side of the fire-place, and connected together by
copper pipes J, J, J, and braced together by rods and screw nuts and plates.
K, K, are pipes communicating with different parts of the boiler, by which the
steam generated in the tubes is conducted to it, and a supply of water kept
up therein. When this generator is put together, these tubes J are passed
through openings in the outside of the water chambers I, I, and the holes
are covered by the plates of the screw nuts, as shewn in the enlarged
Figure 17.
It may be remarked, that as these furnaces have not any opening or door in
the front of the fire-places, there would be a difliculty in lighting the fire, but
this may easily be done by passing some already ignited coal through the opening
in the back of the fire-place; or it might be lighted through the clearing grate
with shavings, or a door may be made in the side of the brickwork opposite 3
the clearing grate of the rotatory cylindrical grate; but as the fire in furnaces
of steam boilers should not be extinguished but when required for repairs, I
refer the first trouble in the lighting without it.
In witness whereof, I, the said John George Bodmer, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of November, One thousand 3.
eight hundred and thirty-four.
JOHN GEORGE (L.B.) BODMER.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Twenty-fourth day of November,
in the fifth year of the reign of His Majesty King William the Fourth, the
said John George Bodmer came before our said Lord the King in His
Chancery, and acknowledged the instrument aforesaid, and all and everything
therein contained and specified, in form above written. And also the instru-
ment aforesaid was stamped according to the tenor of the Statute made in the
fifty-fifth year of the reign of His late Majesty King George the Third.
Inrolled the Twenty-fourth day of November, One thousand eight
hundred and thirty-four.