Improvements in Furnaces for Consuming Household Refuse and similar Materials.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Furnaces for Consuming Household Refuse and
similar Materials.
I, CARL WEGENER, of 14/15, Gitschiner Strasse, Berlin, in the German
Empire, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:
This invention consists of a furnace in which household refuse and similar
materials can be consumed, by being charged from above into the furnace which
is highly heated by direct heating, as for instance by coal-dust firing apparatus.
The incombustible portion of the refuse will as a rule fall upon the sole of
the furnace in the melted state, whilst the combustible portion if a sufficient
supply of air be admitted will also be burned during its descent. The melted
slag and the heated gases produced both from the fuel and the combustible part
of the refuse, are preferably allowed to escape through one and the same open-
ing close to the sole of the furnace, in order to guard against too sudden a cooling
and hardening of the slag by keeping it in contact with the combustible gases
as long as possible.
A practically important development is given to the invention by the device
for the delivery of the refuse into the furnace, consisting of a hollow cylinder
or cone placed at an angle and revolving slowly upon its axle, the inner surface
of which serving for the transport of the refuse to the furnace may be provided
with ribs, paddles or other similar carrying devices. By this means the refuse
fed through a hopper into the cylinder is mixed and the contents of the refuse
in ashes more opened up. These ashes are thus delivered into the furnace in
the form of dust and are consequently more quickly brought to fusion.
The furnace is heated by an apparatus which delivers a mixture of coal dust
and air into the furnace. From the outlet opening the combustion gases pass
for instance to a steam boiler which is heated therewith, whilst the slag falis
through the same opening and can be formed into a block or be collected in
vessels. The combustion gases leaving the boiler are further utilized for heating
the air supplied to the coal dust firing apparatus which by this apparatus is
delivered mixed with coal dust into the furnace, and also for drying the refuse to
be burned. To this end the flue through which the combustion gases pass is pro-
vided with a jacket into which atmospheric air enters, and this air is conducted
by a pipe connected therewith to the said firing apparatus. The flue delivers
into a chamber surrounding the above mentioned rotating cylinder or cone or
the like, so that this also is heated by the combustion gases which are from
there conducted into the flue. The conduit of the combustion gases from the
chamber to the flue is also throughout a portion of its length provided with a
jacket in the hollow space whereof atmospheric air enters through a throttle
valve in order to pass, after its temperature has been raised, to the rotating
cylinder into which the refuse is charged. The delivery of the previously heated
air into the cylinder not only assists the drying and dry distillation taking
place within the latter, but conveys the gases and vapours escaping during this

page_text: operation back into the furnace where they take part in the combustion, whereby
noxious smells are avoided.
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
322, High Holborn, London, W.C.,
Patent Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Furnaces for Consuming Household Refuse and
similar Materials.
I, CARL WEGENER, of 14/15, Gitschinerstrasse, Berlin, German Empire, 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:-
This invention consists of a furnace in which household refuse and similar
materials can be consumed, by being charged from above into the furnace which
is highly heated by direct heating, as for instance by coal-dust firing apparatus.
The incombustible portion of the refuse will as a rule fall upon the sole of
the furnace in the melted state, whilst the combustible portion if a sufficient
supply of air be admitted will also be burned during its descent. The melted
slag and the heated gases produced both from the fuel and the combustible part
of the refuse, are preferably allowed to escape through one and the same open-
ing close to the sole of the furnace, in order to guard against too sudden a cooling
and hardening of the slag by keeping it in contact with the combustible gases
as long as possible.
A practically important development is given to the invention by the device
for the delivery of the refuse into the furnace, consisting of a hollow cylinder
or cone placed at an angle and revolving slowly upon its axle, the inner surface
of which serving for the transport of the refuse to the furnace may be provided
with ribs, paddles or other similar carrying devices. By this means the refuse
fed through a hopper into the cylinder is mixed and the combustible contents of
the refuse more evenly distributed. These ashes are thus delivered into the
furnace in the form of dust and are consequently more quickly brought to
fusion.
The furnace is heated by an apparatus which delivers a mixture of coal dust
and air into the furnace. From the outlet opening the combustion gases pass
for instance to a steam boiler which is heated therewith, whilst the slag falls
through the same opening and can be formed into a block or be collected in
vessels. The combustion gases leaving the boiler are further utilized for heating
the air supplied to the coal dust firing apparatus which by this apparatus is
delivered mixed with coal dust into the furnace, and also for drying the refuse to
be burned. To this end the flue through which the combustion gases pass is pro-
vided with a jacket into which atmospheric air enters, and this air is conducted
by a pipe connected therewith to the said firing apparatus. The flue delivers
into a chamber surrounding the above mentioned rotating cylinder or cone or
the like, so that this also is heated by the combustion gases which are from
there conducted into the flue. The conduit of the combustion gases from the
chamber to the flue is also throughout a portion of its length provided with a
jacket in the hollow space whereof atmospheric air enters through a throttle
valve in order to pass, after its temperature has been raised, to the rotating
cylinder into which the refuse is charged. The delivery of the previously heated
air into the cylinder not only assists the drying and dry distillation taking

page_text: place within the latter, but conveys the gases and vapours escaping during this
operation back into the furnace where they take part in the combustion, whereby
noxious smells are avoided.
The accompanying drawing illustrates in two vertical sections the improved
refuse furnace with the above described distributing mechanism. The rubbish
placed in the hopper a passes from this into the rotating cylinder b, which is
provided with longitudinal ribs 6º. The revolution of the cylinder is effected
by the worm wheel c and worm d, to which latter a quicker or a slower motion
may be imparted according to the condition of the furnace. From the lower
end of the cylinder b, the refuse is delivered into the furnace e.
This is pro-
vided at the floor level with small openings eº, so that when requisite the masses
of material collected on the floor of the furnace may be stirred up.
For the direct heating of the furnace is provided an apparatus f, which
delivers a mixture of coal-dust and air through the opening el into the furnace.
From the outlet opening 9, the combustion gases pass to the boiler h, whilst
the slag runs off through the opening i and falls down in it, there to be formed
into a block or be collected in vessels, which for the purpose of increasing their
durability and for the quicker cooling of the slag may be provided with a water
jacket. The combustion gases leaving the boiler are further utilized in the
Hue k, which is provided with a surrounding cover in which from below atnio-
spheric air enters through the ports 70, in order to flow in a heated condition
through the upper supports, and the tube connected thereto to the delivery
apparatus f of the coal-dust firing apparatus. The flue k delivers into a drum m
which surrounds the rotating cylinder so that also this cylinder is heated by
the combustion gases. To the drum m the flue is attached, which flue is also
provided throughout a portion of its length with a cylindrical cover o in the
hollow space whereof also atmospheric air enters through a throttle valve o", in
order after its temperature has been raised to flow through the tube P to the
hopper a, and moreover to a chamber a formed in the latter and opening towards
the rotating cylinder b. The delivery of the previously heated air into the
cylinders not only supports the drying and dry distillation taking place within
the latter, but conveys the gases and vapours escaping during this operation
with certainty back into the furnace, where they take part in the combustion
owing to the extraordinary high temperature prevailing there, so that the causing
of noxious smells may with certainty be avoided.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is;-
1. In a furnace for consuming household refuse and similar materials the
combination with the furnace of a feeding cylinder rotating within a drum,
through which drum the combustion gases are conducted into the exit flue and
pipes for admitting air into a jacket around this exit flue and for leading it into
the feeding cylinder, essentially as and for the purpose described.
as
2. In a furnace for consuming household refuse and similar material
described in the first claiming clause, an arrangement for heating the air
supplied to the coal dust firing apparatus, consisting in a jacket around the flue
which conducts the combustion gases into the aforesaid drum, a port for admit-
ting atmospheric air into this jacket and pipe leading the air from the jacket
to the firing apparatus, essentially as and for the purpose described.
Dated the 17th day of May 1899.
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of London, Liverpool, Manchester and Birmingham.