IMPROVEMENTS IN SMOKE CONSUMING APPARATUS
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George West. of New Lenton, in the County of
Nottingham, Engineer, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SMOKE
CONSUMING APPARATUS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George West at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 19th September 1881.
GEORGE WEST, of New Lenton, in the County of Nottingham, Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SMOKE CONSUMING APPARATUS."
I construct a fire bridge, the sides and bottom of which approach the shape of
the interior of the furnace in which it is to be used; the bridge consists of a back
plate having a horizontal slot either at the top or at the back; on this back plate
a front plate rests, having two vertical slots to receive two studs at the back of an
angular plate which forms a ledge or rest for the back end of the fire bars; access to
the space between the plates is obtained through an opening below the fire bars;
this opening can be closed by a door moved by a rod attached to it, and projecting
beyond the furnace doors; in addition to the above space between the plates there
is one or more orifices in the back plate below the fire bare, through which a pipe
is passed, having its outer end, which projects beyond the front of the furnace,
capable of being closed by a plug or valve plate. This pipe after passing through
the back plate is turned up vertically, and terminates in an elbow, having the
orifice towards the back of the furnace; by such means I am enabled to regulate
the passage of air through the bridge or through the pipes at will, either together
or separately. By such means I am enabled to burn the whole of the smoke
produced by the consumption of the fuel employed.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said George West in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 7th March
1882.
GEORGE WEST, of New Lenton, in the County of Nottingham, Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SMOKE-CONSUMING APPARATUS."
I construct a fire-bridge, the sides and bottom of which approach the shape of
the interior of the furnace in which it is to be used; the bridge consists of a back
plate having a horizontal slot either at the top or at the back; on this back plate
a front plate rests, having two vertical slots to receive two studs at the back of an
angular plate, which forms a ledge or rest for the back end of the fire bars; access
to the space between the plates is obtained through an opening below the fire bars;
this opening can be closed by a door moved by a rod attached to it, and projecting
beyond the furnace doors; in addition to the above space between the plates there is
one or more orifices in the back plate below the fire bars, through which a pipe is
passed, having its outer end which projects beyond the front of the furnace capable
of being closed by a plug or valve plate. This pipe after passing through the back
plate is turned up vertically and terminates in an elbow, having the orifice towards
the back of the furnace; by such means I am enabled to regulate the passage of
air through the bridge or through the pipes at will, either together or separately.
By such means I am enabled to burn the whole of the smoke produced by the
consumption of the fuel employed.
Figure 1 is a front view of my improved apparatus as seen with the front of the
furnace removed.
Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view, and
Figure 3,-a-view-at-the-back-looking towards the front-of-the-furnace.–
My improved apparatus consists of a fire bridge, the sides and bottom of which
approach the shape of the interior of the furnace in which it is to be used; the
bridge consists of a back plate A, having a horizontal slot B either at the top or at
the back on this plate a front plate C rests, having two vertical slots to receive
two studs at the back of an angular plate D, which forms a ledge on which the
back ends of the fire bars rest; access to the space between the plates is obtained.
through an opening at the back of the fire bars; this opening can be closed by a
door E, which may be opened or closed by a rod which is attached to it; the front
end of the rod may be bent towards either side, and projects beyond the furnace
doors, and is notched on the underside, and rests on either of the brackets H' which
forms a stop piece, thus enabling the fireman to regulate the opening of the door.
In addition to horizontal slot B there are two orifices in the back plate, through
each of which a pipe F is passed, having its outer end, which projects beyond the
front of the furnace, capable of being closed by a plug or valve plate; these pipes
can be unscrewed from the back plate for cleaning purposes; the pipes after
passing through the back plate turn up vertically and terminate horizontally in an
orifice G, opening towards the back of the flue. The pipes F beneath the fire bars
may be either of cast or wrought iron, and the whole apparatus is held in position
by two tie rods H, one end of each of which is secured in the back plate, and the
other end is passed through and secured in one of the brackets H¹ which carry the
outer ends of the pipes F.
By such means I am enabled to regulate the passage of air through the bridge or

page_text: through the pipes at will, either together or separately, and I am enabled to burn
the whole of the smoke produced by the consumption of the fuel employed.
In witness whereof, I, the said George West, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Fourth day of Marcb, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty two.
Witness,
H. W. GOUGH, C.E.,
Nottingham.
GEORGE WEST. (L.S.)