IMPROVEMENTS APPLICABLE TO THE HEATING OF FURNACES AND STEAM GENERATORS, AND TO THE APPARATUS USED IN CON- NECTION THERE WITH
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Edward Newton, of the Office for Patents,
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS APPLICABLE TO THE HEATING OF
FURNACES AND STEAM GENERATORS, AND TO THE APPARATUS USED IN CON-
NECTION THERE WITH.” A communication from abroad by Jean
Antoine François Verdié, of Paris, in the Republic of France.
-
Sealed the 28th December 1875, and dated the 29th October 1875.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Henry Edward Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and
Declaration, on the 29th October 1875, pursuant to the 9th
Section of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL SOME, I, HENRY
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
APPLICABLE TO THE HEATING OF FURNACES AND STEAM GENERATORS, AND TO THE

page_text: they arrive at the register or damper, the heating surfaces then expe-
rience the maximum of depression of temperature.
To effect the operation by propulsion I pass the air through a fan or
any other similar blowing apparatus. But as it is necessary that this
air should be at certain conditions of feeble pressure, instead of sending
the air directly into the furnace it is passed in through enlarged flues
which constitute a chamber for diminishing its velocity. The air then
penetrates into the furnace on the one side under the ash-pit which is
hermetically closed, and on the other side by the fire-bridge. But the
air then offers only a feeble pressure, varying according to the nature of
the fuel. This pressure besides is perfectly determined; it has in fact
for its object simply to overcome the succession of the different resist-
ances experienced by the gases in their transit, viz., the resistance to
the register is perfectly determined, and is regulated according to the
initial pressure; it is in fact intimately connected with this pressure in
this respect, that it furnishes the necessary indication for maintaining the
gases in equilibrium of pressure at any point whatever in the flues.
In the slow combustion which is attained, and which is the only
economical kind, an approach nearly to the theoretical conditions is
effected by only furnishing the quantity of air strictly necessary for
combustion.
The draught, by producing a rapid passage of the air across the fire-
bars, prevents a portion of the oxygenated molecules from being in
contact with the fuel. In this slow process the contact is, on the
contrary, perfect, and the oxygenated molecules are not removed by
the carbonized molecules; the volume of air can therefore be reduced,
and in fact almost the theoretical figures are obtained.
In addition to the slowness of the motion of the air the perfect
contact of the oxygenated and carbonized molecules is still further
facilitated by the adoption of an arrangement of fire-bars possessing an
area of spaces (for the passage of the air) equal to that of the solid
portions (occupied by the fuel). This fire-grate is constructed of
merchant bar iron.

page_text: In effect the combustion has need above all things to be slacked in
respect to the parts adhering to the fire-gratings, and the expansion of
the molecules of nitrogen resulting from a more elevated temperature
will better remove the molecules of oxygen from the first action of
combustion.
To perfect the slow combustion is therefore the object of the intimate
mixture of the air and of the burnt gases. To effect this mixture the
motion of the air itself is made use of as a means of suction or
exhaustion, and the velocity which is communicated to it by the
ventilator or fan is utilized, the current of air produced serves as an
injector, and causes, by means of a suction cone, the drawing in of the
quantity of burnt gases recognized as necessary for a desired amount of
heating and for producing a given mixture of gases.
The suction, cone is in immediate communication with a gas chamber
where the heated gases arrive of their own accord. In fact the
exhaustion of the gases is effected immediately in front of the register,
whilst these gases are still under the pressure which obtains throughout
the apparatus, it can however take place at any convenient point of the
flues. The gases under pressure, by experiencing a resistance at the
register, pass of their own accord through the flue which is ready to
receive them, and which leads them to the chamber above mentioned,
where they present themselves ready to be drawn onwards. By this
taking of the gases under pressure, which is effected in front of the
register, all loss of heat and all useless labour is avoided. In fact, if
the exhaustion of the gases were effected beyond the register the gases
would be expanded and therefore of lower temperature, and they would
have lost the pressure which it is necessary to give them.
The gases may if desired be drawn off at some point in front of the
fire-bridge, and in fact in the fire-place itself. The gases thus obtained
may perhaps have been imperfectly burnt. It will be seen on referring
to the description of the apparatus how these gases are still utilized in
view of a yet higher temperature.
The present improvements relate further not only to apparatus for
regulating the rapidity of injecting the air according to the pressure
of the boilers so as to regulate the combustion automatically, or at will,
but to other apparatus for preserving to the gases a normal pressure, and
preventing them from exceeding a determined maximum pressure.

page_text: In the accompanying Drawing Fig. 1 represents a sectional elevation
of an arrangement of five boilers, the fire-places of which are supplied
with a mixture of air and hot gases; Fig. 2 is a corresponding sectional
plan view looking from above; Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken in the
line A, B, of Fig. 1.
The furnaces communicate with a common flue B which leads the
products of combustion to the chimney D. The registers or dampers
R, R', cut off from the common flue when required the special flues
of each boiler A, A'. The supplies of hot gases C, C¹, obtained from the
front of the dampers R, R¹, is conducted to the common flue E through
openings furnished with valves or stoppers r, r². The flue E leads to
and terminates in the hot gas chamber F, which is traversed by the
tube g of the ventilator or fan G. The tube passes through the
suction cone H which is provided with a ring, the displacement of which
is effected by a hand lever so as to regulate the sectional area i of the
opening for the gases which are exhausted or drawn in. The mixture
of air and of gas forced into the flues I (which serve to moderate and
diminish their velocity) finds its way into the double air distributing
pipes J, J, J. A portion of this mixture is intercepted at ; in order
to be conducted by the pipe k, k³, to the hydraulic apparatus K. The
descending tube k³ penetrates into the hydraulic apparatus, and ter-
minates at from 4 to 6 centimeters below the surface of the water
contained in this vessel. We have thus an hydráulic valve which serves
as a regulator for the pressure of the mixture of air and gas. If the
pressure of the mixture increases, for example, by the momentary
suppression of the access of air under a fire-place, the surplus will
escape by way of the hydraulic apparatus, and will not interfere with
the operation of the adjoining fire-place. This escape of air is valuablo
as a regulator in case of necessity; but it would be of less value as a
normal means of regulating, for it would be a useless waste in the case,
therefore of one or more of the fire-places ceasing operation it would be
necessary to diminish the velocity of the fan, and to modify it, as will
be hereafter explained.
The distributing pipes J, J, J", (of which one only is seen in the
enlarged sectional view, Fig. 9) have each two orifices; the one L
conducts the mixture of air and gas under the fire-bars into the closed
ash-pit M, which constitutes a chamber of uniform pressure, the other!
is connected with the hollow fire-bridge m which is provided with

page_text: orifices through which the mixture of air and of gas is forced on to a
flat surface N, where it comes in contact with the incandescent fuel.
An active local combustion then takes place, the object being to com-
municate to the air in excess a very elevated temperature which will
permit of the combustion of the hydrocarbon gases (which may have;
escaped the first action of combustion) before their passage to the fire-
bridge.
In the case in which the interception of the heated gases has been
effected in the fire-place itself in consequence of their elevated temperature,
and in order to obtain a greater heating of the air supply gases will be 1
met with partly burnt, and partly in a combustible state. To elevate
still more the temperature of these gases their combustion, which is still
incomplete, will now be completed.
To this end a combustion chamber O, Fig. 2, is arranged in the
line of the passage of the gases drawn in by the current of air. In this 1
chamber there is a grating or fire-bars carrying incandescent fuel, which
will raise the temperature of the gases to the point necessary for their
complete combustion. These gases thus raised to a high temperature
will rapidly heat the air with which they are to be mixed.
In order constantly to maintain the mixture of air and gas in the 2
same conditions, whatever may be the number of fire-places in operation,
that is to say, in order that there should be no variation in the tempera-
ture of the fire-places, and in the production of steam, either one of the
arrangements, shown at Figures 4 and 5, or 6 and 7, is employed. Both
these arrangements have the same object, viz., to modify automatically 2
the velocity of the fan or ventilator, in order to proportion the flow of
the mixture of air and gas to the pressure of the steam, and to the
number of fire-places in use.
P, Figures 4 and 5, is a steam cylinder of small diameter, the piston
of which is mounted on a rod p, which carries at Q a forked piece a
embracing the driving belt q common to the two cones S, S¹. The course
of the piston of the cylinder P coincides with the amount of displace-
ment which it is desired to communicate to the driving belt.
The steam is supplied from the principal steam pipe of the boiler
through the pipe T, and acts on the facet of the piston. In the a
case in which the steam of the boilers is at its normal pressure the

page_text: piston is in the middle of its course at U, where it is held in equilibrium
by the counterbalance weight L. If in this position the pressure of the
steam becomes raised or lowered the equilibrium becomes broken, and
the piston advances towards u¹ or retires towards u, and thus forces the
rod P
to advance or draw back the driving belt q, and as the cone S
drives the cone S', which imparts motion to the fan or ventilator G by
means of pullies v, v', as shewn at Fig. ŏ, the result will be a dimi-
nution or an increase of the velocity of the fan or ventilator, which thus
admits of the diminution or increase of the pressure of the inward
current of air. The same result is obtained by the arrangement shewn
at Figures 6 and 7. The rod p carries a forked piece or double bracket Q,
which communicates motion to a friction wheel q by moving it nearer to
or further from the centre of the driving face plate S.
The variations of speed resulting from this movement of the wheel q
arc transmitted to the fan or ventilator G by the pullies v, v², as in the
preceding instance.
The length of the cones S, S¹, should be equal to so many times the
length of the cylinder P as there are fire-places, or at least groups of
fire-places, capable of operating independently. On the other hand, the
cylinder P is fixed on a plate of the length of the cones; it is keyed on
this plate in the various positions ≈, 2', z¹, ³, ≈³, ≈³, ≈³ ≈ª, ≈^, ~, Fig. 10,
according as there are 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 steam generators in operation, and
the normal positions of the driving belt q, Figures 4 and 5, or the
friction wheel q, Figures 6 and 7, will be x¹, x², x³, x, x², thereby
regulating the normal speed of the fan or ventilator for each of these
cases.
The position of the cylinder P can be still further regulated by moving
this cylinder by means of a screw, which will permit of its position being
regulated at will.
Lastly, for the automatic regulation of the supply valves of the pipes
or conduits J, J', J", a certain quantity of water is placed in a syphon on
the conduit I, and a float is made to rise or fall according to the pressure
of the mixture of air and gas. This float, by a very simple combination
of levers connected with a common rod, operates the valves of admission
as well as the levers of the dampers.
In Fig. 8 is shewn an arrangement, which permits of drying any
small and damp fuel before its introduction on to the fire-bars of the

page_text: furnace. This arrangement consists in the employment of two spaces
or chambers y, y', into which the fuel to be dried is charged, and is
retained at the lower extremity by the vertical bars y, y', which are
moved from in front of the furnace, in order to allow the desired
quantity of fuel to pass, which can then be spread out easily by the aid 5
of a stoking iron

page_text: Ninth. The method herein set forth of taking the imperfectly burned
gases for the same object in front of the fire-bridge, and at any con-
venient point of the fire-place.
Tenth. The method herein set forth of heating these gases by com-
pleting their combustion in a special chamber furnished with a small
fire-place.
Eleventh. Effecting the integral combustion of the hydrocarbons at
the time of charging by means of jets of air superheated by being forced
onto a surface of refractory materials forming a continuation of the
furnace bars or grating.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Edward Newton, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, the Twenty-ninth day of October,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
five.