IMPROVEMENTS IN CALCINING LIMESTONE OR OTHER MATERIALS AND IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF EMPLOYED FOR SUCH PURPOSE
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Brocklehurst, of High Lane, near Stockport in
the County of Chester, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CALCINING
LIMESTONE OR OTHER MATERIALS AND IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
EMPLOYED FOR SUCH PURPOSE"
KILNS
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Brocklehurst at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 10th January 1883.
JOHN BROCKLEHURST of High Lane near Stockport in the County of Chester
"IMPROVEMENTS IN CALCINING LIMESTONE OR OTHER MATERIALS AND IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF KILNS EMPLOYED FOR SUCH PURPOSE
"
This invention is designed principally for the purpose of economizing both time
and fuel in the process of calcination or conversion of limestone into lime, but
it is also applicable to the calcination of cement, metallic ores, and other like
substances.
The ordinary process of converting limestone into lime consists in driving off the
carbonic acid gas by the application of heat and this is performed by burning the
lime and fuel together in a kiln.
My invention consists principally in the introduction into the kiln, during the
burning or calcining operation, of jets of steam which, acting upon the red-hot
limestone will greatly facilitate the driving off of the said gas, and thus both
shorten the time, and diminish the amount of fuel required to effect the complete
calcination of the material.
In applying my invention to an upright kiln of the ordinary construction I erect
on the centre of the floor of the furnace a hollow column of cast iron, about one
foot in diameter, the upper end of which terminates at about the widest part of
the furnace where it is protected by a cap or bonnet of larger diameter, and is
bars fixed the walls of the kiln
supported by rior of d in column I pass a steam pipe or pipes provided at or near
the top with jets passing out through holes made in the hollow column just
underneath the projecting cap or bonnet.

page_text: The steam for these pipes may be obtained from an ordinary boiler or other
source, or the waste heat from the kiln itself may be utilized to produce this steam.
Or if preferred, water may be injected in the form of spray and the heat of the
limestone will immediately convert it into steam.
"
In some cases instead of having a central column I propose to have two or more
jets of steam or water spray introduced at the sides of the kiln at about the same
height and it will be evident that other different arrangements of the jets may be
made to suit various forms of kilns, and that the fuel employed may be either solid
or in the gaseous form without departing from the main feature of my invention
which consists in the introduction into the hottest part of the kiln of a jet or jets
of steam, or spray of water to facilitate the calcining operation and economize the
fuel employed.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Brocklehurst in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
10th July 1883.
JOHN BROCKLEHURST of High Lane near Stockport in the County of Chester
IMPROVEMENTS IN CALCINING LIMESTONE OR OTHER MATERIALS AND IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF KILNS EMPLOYED FOR SUCH PURPOSE
This invention is designed principally for the purpose of economizing both time
and fuel in the process of calcination or conversion of limestone into lime, but
it is also applicable to the calcination of cement, metallic ores and other like
substances.
The ordinary process of converting limestone into lime consists in driving off the
carbonic acid gas by the application of heat and this is performed by burning the
lime and fuel together in a kiln.
My invention consists principally in the introduction into the kiln, during the
burning or calcining operation of jets of steam, which acting upon the rod hot
limestone will greatly facilitate the driving off of the said gas, and thus both
shorten the time, and diminish the amount of fuel required to effect the complete
calcination of the material.
Such being the nature and object of my said invention I will now proceed to ⚫
describe in detail the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or
carried into practical effect, and in order that the same may be clearly understood
I have annexed hereunto a sheet of drawings illustrative theroof and have marked
the same with figures and letters of reference corresponding with those in tho
following explanation thereof.
Fig. 1. in the annexed drawing represents a vertical section of an upright kiln of
the ordinary construction with my invention shown as applied thereto; and Fig. 2.
is a similar section taken in a direction transverse or at right angles to Fig. 1.
In applying my invention to an upright kiln of the ordinary construction I crect
on the centre of the floor of the kiln a hollow column a, a of cast iron about one
foot in diameter, the upper end of which terminates at about the widest part of the
kiln, where it is protected by a cap or bonnet b, b of larger diameter, and is
supported by bars c, o fixed in the walls d, d of the kiln; the whole being encased
in a protecting wall or midfeather c, e of fire brick or stone.
Up the interior of this column I pass a steam pipe or pipes f, provided at or
near the top with jets passing out through holes made in the hollow column a, a
just underneath the projecting cap or bonnet.
The steam for theso pipes may be obtained from an ordinary boiler or other
source or the waste heat from the kiln itself may be utilized to produce this
steam. Or if preferred water may be injected in the form of a spray and the
heat of the limestone will immediately convert it into steam.
In some cases instead of having a central column I propose to have two or more
jets of steam or water spray introduced at the sides of the kiln at about the same
height; and it will be evident that other different arrangements of the jets may be
made to suit various forms of kilns, and that the fuel employed may be either solid
or in the gaseous form; it will also be evident that the exact method of applying
my invention may be varied to a considerable extent according to the particular
form of kiln employed without departing from the main feature of my invention
which consists in the introduction into the hottest part of the kiln of a jet or jets
of steam or spray of water to facilitate the calcining operation and economize the
fuel employed.

page_text: Having now described the nature and object of my said invention together with
the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or carried into
practical effect I wish it to be understood that I claim as my invention
The introduction into the hottest part of a calcining kiln of a jet or jets of steam
or a spray or sprays of water substantially in the manner and for the purposes
hereinbefore more particularly set forth.
In witness whereof I the said John Brocklehurst have hereunto set my hand
and seal this ninth day of July in the year of our Lord one thousand eight
hundred and eighty three
JNO. BROCKLEHURST (L.S.)