IMPROVE- MENTS IN INCINERATING FURNACES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Allan Carter, of Edinburgh, in the County of
Mid Lothian, North Britain, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN INCINERATING FURNACES."
Sealed the 7th April 1877, and dated the 20th October 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Allan Carter at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 20th October 1876.
WILLIAM ALLAN CARTER, of Edinburgh, in the County of Mid Lothian, North
Britain, Civil Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN INCINERATING FURNACES."
This Invention, which relates to improvements in incinerating furnaces, has for
its objects to effect economy in fuel, to prevent the formation of smoke, and to
provide a greater radiating surface of flue under the incinerating pans.
To effect the aforesaid economy in the fuel the requisite quantity of air is
supplied to the furnace by means of a perforated iron plate extending across the
end or side or sides of the grate and above the level of the bars, so causing the
division of the air into jets whereby it is more thoroughly mixed with the gases
arising from the fuel and effects their complete combustion and prevents the
formation of smoke.
Dampers of any approved form may or may not be used in conjunction with the
perforated plate to further regulate the admission of air which is also admitted
under the grate in the usual manner.
Instead of constructing the flues under the evaporating pans with plain bottoms,
they are under this Invention provided with a series of ridges which deflect the
flame and heated gases in a sinuous form, and a larger surface for radiation of heat
is secured. Baffle plates may also be used in conjunction with the ridge flues to
further assist in deflecting the flame underneath the evaporating pans.
The recovery of soda from lye, and similar processes, are more economically and
effectually conducted under this Invention than has hitherto been done.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Allan Carter in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 18th April
1877.
WILLIAM ALLAN CARTER, of Edinburgh, in the County of Mid Lothian, North
Britain, Civil Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN INCINERATING FURNACES."
My said Invention, which relates to improvements in incinerating furnaces, has
for its objects to effect economy in fuel, to prevent the formation of smoke, and to
provide a greater radiating surface of flue under the incinerating pans.
To effect the aforesaid economy in the fuel the requisite quantity of air is
supplied to the furnace by means of a perforated iron plate extending across the
end or side or sides of the grate and above the level of the bars, so causing the
division of the air into jets, whereby it is more thoroughly mixed with the gases
arising from the fuel, effects their complete combustion, and prevents the formation
of smoke.
Instead of constructing the flues under the evaporating pans with plain bottoms,
they are under my said Invention provided with a series of ridges which deflect the
flame and heated gases in a sinuous course, and a larger surface for radiation of
heat is thereby secured. Baffle plates may also be used in conjunction with the
ridged flues to further assist in deflecting the flame underneath the evaporating
pans.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood, I now proceed
more particularly to set forth the system, mode, or manner in or under which the
same is or may be used or practically carried into effect, reference being had to the
annexed Sheet of Drawings and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is
to say,
At Figure 1 on the accompanying Sheet of Drawings is represented a front
elevation of two incinerating furnaces constructed in accordance with my said
Invention, and communicating with the arrangement of flues and evaporating pans
for the recovery of soda from waste soda liquor or lye.
Figure 2 is a longitudinal section through the evaporating pans, and is represented
as fitted with a series of drums or barrels which in their revolution expose a large
evaporative surface to the lye contained in the pans.
Figure 3 is a longitudinal section through the hearth or bed of one of the
incinerating or roasting furnaces.
The waste soda liquor or lye resulting from the boiling of grass or other material
in the production of paper or other manufacture is conducted as usual to the upper
evaporating pans A, and thence into the lower evaporating pans B through the
passage I which is provided with a stop-cock, and it is finally delivered on to
the bed or hearth C of the incinerating furnaces, whence it is withdrawn from
the openings c in the form of soda ash in the ordinary manner after the resinuous
constituents have been burned out.
Instead of admitting the air necessary to the combustion of the fuel on the grate
of the incinerating furnaces bodily, it is under this Invention made to pass through
the holes or perforations formed in the plates D placed between the grates and the
binding plates E, as seen more particularly at Figure 3. By this means the air
passes into the furnace in the form of sinall jets or streams, and a more perfect
admixture of the oxygen of the air with the combustible gases evolved from the
fuel is effected and the complete combustion thereof obtained, while fuel is
economised and no smoke results.
The perforations in the plates D are so regulated that the quantity of air admitted
is that requisite only for combustion, and if desired a damper of any suitable form
may be fitted to work over the openings in the binding plates E to further assist
this.
The perforated plates may if desired be applied to the side or sides or top of the
furnace, or the binding plates E may be perforated, or perforated brick or other

page_text: material may be substituted for the plates D, or the sides or top of the furnace
itself, behind the plane of the grate or over the top of the same, may be perforated
in like manner to serve the same purpose. Air is also admitted to the furnace
below the grate in the usual manner.
To further assist the process of evaporation of the liquor in the evaporating pans,
these latter are fitted with hollow drums F which are caused to revolve therein by
means of any convenient arrangement of gear, and they may or may not be furnished
on their peripheries with a series of buckets or troughs for the purpose of agitation
and of exposing a large evaporative surface to the soda liquor or lye. The drums F
may or may not be fitted with scrapers to prevent the accumulation of residue
either on their outer or inner surfaces, and in the lower pairs are so arranged that
the heated air rising through the opening f from the incinerating bed or hearth c
passes over and through them. The lower flues or heating chambers G from which
the lower evaporating pans B are heated are formed at the bottom with a series of
ridges g which cause the heated air to assume a sinuous course in its passage there-
through, and exposing a large surface for radiation of heat to the underside of the
evaporating pans B. Baffle plates fixed in the walls of the flues immediately below
the bottom of the pans B serve the purpose of further deflecting the heated air passing
through the flues. The baffle plates may or may not be used in conjunction with
the ridged flues G accordingly as desired. By providing a large radiating surface
the process of evaporation of the soda liquor or lye is more rapidly effected and with
less waste of heat.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and the system, mode, or manner in or under which the same is or may be
used or practically carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion, that what I
consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to
me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
First. The use in incinerating and similar furnaces of a perforated plate or
other perforated material for the admission of air to the grate, substantially as
herein-before described and shown on the accompanying Sheet of Drawings.
Second. Constructing the flues of incinerating and similar furnaces with ridges or
projections either with or without the use of baffle plates, substantially as herein-
before described and shown on the accompanying Sheet of Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Allan Carter, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twelfth day of April, One thousand eight hundred and
seventy-seven.
WM. ALLAN CARTER. (L.S.)