IMPROVE- MENTS IN MECHANISM OR APPARATUS FOR FEEDING FUEL INTO FURNACES, FIRE- BOXES, AND FIRE-GRATES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Milward Holmes, of Birmingham, in the County
of Warwick, Secretary of the International Agency, and Henry Lea, of
Birmingham aforesaid, Consulting Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MECHANISM OR APPARATUS FOR FEEDING FUEL INTO FURNACES, FIRE-
BOXES, AND FIRE-GRATES."
Sealed the 29th December 1876, and dated the 14th July 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Milward Holmes and
Henry Lea at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 14th July 1876.
JAMES MILWARD HOLMES, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Secretary
of the International Agency, and HENRY LEA of Birmingham aforesaid, Consulting
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MECHANISM OR APPARATUS FOR FEEDING FUEL
INTO FURNACES, FIRE-BOXES, AND FIRE-GRATES."
Our Invention has reference to the mechanism or apparatus for feeding fuel into
furnaces, fire-boxes, and fire-grates, for which Letters Patent, dated January 3rd,
1868, No. 27, were granted to Myron John Frisbic.
Our said Invention consists of the improvements herein-after described, by which
improvements the action of the apparatus is improved and rendered more certain,
its construction facilitated, and the removal of the working parts for repair or for
other purpose rendered easy.
In order that our said improvements may be the more readily understood, we
remark that the patented Invention referred to consists of mechanism or apparatus
by the action of which the fuel supplied to a furnace, fire-box, or fire-grate is
introduced at the bottom thereof, that is directly underneath and in the middle of
the mass of burning fuel.
Our improvements consist, first, in so arranging the lever by which the required
motions of the moveable cylinder or hopper containing the fuel to be introduced
into the furnace are effected that the said cylinder shall be brought to rest precisely
underneath the central aperture or well of the fire-grato, through which well the
fuel enters the furnace before the piston on which the fuel rests and by which it is
raised into the furnace begins to ascend. This we effect in the following manner:-
We counterbalance the link by means of which the motion of the hopper is effected,
so as to give the said link a tendency to rise. This link is operated on by the short
arm of the hand lever by which the mechanism is put into action. The said short
[Price Sd.]

page_text: arm of the hand lever is not jointed to the said link but acts thereon by means of
a pin carried by the said short arm taking into a notch on the upper side of the said
link. When by the action of the hand lever the said link and with it the said
bopper are allowed to rise, they are arrested in the required position by a fixed stop,
while by the further motion of the hand lever the pin on its short arm rises from
out of the slot in the said link, which is now wholly disconnected with the hand
lever excepting that a curved portion of the said short arm of the hand lever is
presented to and touches or nearly touches the end of the link, thus preventing any
longitudinal motion in the said link, and securing the entrance of the pin on the
said short arm into the notch on the top of the link on the descent of the said short
arm. For the better securing of the engagement of the pin in the notch the said
notch is undercut at each end. The mechanism by which the piston and fuel resting
upon it are raised resembles generally that described and represented in the
Specification of the Patent referred to, but the piston is not allowed to rise until the
hopper coincides with the well and the hopper is kept in its position during the
whole of the upward motion of the piston.
Our improvements consist, secondly, in the following arrangement of the parts of
the apparatus whereby it is made more substantial in construction and more accurate
in working and is less likely to become disarranged by the settlement of the
furnace.
Our arrangement also facilitates the removal of the apparatus for repairs. We
cast the walls of the well in one piece with the frame which spans the ash-pit
and rests upon plates embedded in the side walls of the said ash pit. The fire-
grate, which may consist of a ring containing segmental fire-bars, rests upon the
said frame. Underneath the said frame are bolted two vertical hangers to the
lower ends of which are secured pivots upon which the rocking supports of the
moveable hopper turn. Other arms of the said hangers carry the fulcrum of the
hand lever. The moveable hopper is cast in one piece with two horizontal arms
which span the space between the two hangers and which are firmly bolted upon
the rocking supports described. The whole of the working parts being thus
supported from one strong frame, great facility is afforded for properly fitting and
firmly attaching one part to another, and in case of repairs being necessary the
said frame and its attachments can be drawn out upon the wall plates, the circular
fire-grate having first been raised clear of the said frame.
Our improvements consist, thirdly, in making the upper surface of the circular
fire-grate slightly conical in form, that is, inclining downwards from the central
opening towards the circumference. This construction facilitates the movement of
the burning fuel towards the circumference of the grate when the fire is disturbed
by the introduction of fresh fuel from below through the central opening. The
front plate of the fire-place may be made with a sliding or detachable part imme-
diately in front of the door for the purpose of removing the grate bars or renewing
the plate if burnt.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said James Milward Holmes in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 12th
January 1877.
JAMES MILWARD HOLMES, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Secretary
of the International Agency, and HENRY LEA, of Birmingham aforesaid, Consulting
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MECHANISM OR APPARATUS FOR FEEDING FUEL
INTO FURNACES, FIRE-BOXES, AND FIRE-GRATES."
Our Invention has reference to the mechanism or apparatus for feeding fuel into
furnaces, fire-boxes, and fire-grates, for which Letters Patent, dated January 3rd,
1868, No. 27, were granted to Myron John Frisbie.

page_text: Our said Invention consists of the improvements herein after described, by which
improvements the action of the apparatus is improved and rendered more certain,
its construction facilitated and the removal of the working parts for repair or for
other purpose rendered easy.
In order that our said improvements may be the more readily understood, we
remark that the patented Invention referred to consists of mechanism or apparatus
by the action of which the fuel supplied to a furnace, fire-box, or fire-grate is intro-
duced at the bottom thereof, that is, directly underneath and in the middle of the
mass of burning fuel.
Our improvements consist, first, in so arranging the lever by which the required
motions of the moveable cylinder or hopper containing the fuel to be introduced
into the furnace are effected that the said cylinder shall be brought to rest pre-
cisely underneath the central aperture or well of the fire-grate, through which well
the fuel enters the furnace before the piston on which the fuel rests and by which
it is raised into the furnace begins to ascend. This we effect in the following
manner We counterbalance the link by means of which the motion of the
hopper is effected so as to give the said link a tendency to rise. This link is
operated on by the short arm of the hand lever by which the mechanisin is put
into action. The said short arm of the hand lever is not jointed to the said link,
but acts thereon by means of a pin carried by the said short arm taking into a
notch on the upper side of the said link. When by the action of the hand lever
the said link is allowed to rise it is arrested in the required position by a fixed
stop, while by the further motion of the hand lever the pin on its short armi rises
from out of the slot in the said link, which is now wholly disconnected with the
hand lever, excepting that a curved portion of the said short arm of the hand lever
is presented to and touches or nearly touches the end of the link, thus preventing
any longitudinal motion in the said link and securing the entrance of the pin on
the said short arm into the notch on the top of the link on the descent of the said
short arm.
For the better securing of the engagement of the pin in the notch, the
said notch is under cut at each end. The mechanism by which the piston and
fuel resting upon it are raised resembles generally that described and represented
in the Specification of the Patent referred to, but the piston is not allowed to rise
until the hopper coincides with the well, and the hopper is kept in its position
during the whole of the upward motion of the piston.
Our improvements consist, secondly, in the following arrangement of the parts
of the apparatus whereby, it is made more substantial in construction and more
accurate in working, and is less likely to become disarranged by the settlement of
the furnace.
Our arrangement also facilitates the removal of the apparatus for repairs, we
cast the walls of the well in one piece with the frame which spans the ash-pit and
The fire-
rests upon plates embedded in the side walls of the said ash-pit.
grate which may consist of a ring containing segmental fire-bars rests upon the said
frame. Underneath the said frame are bolted two vertical hangers to the lower
ends of which are secured pivots upon which the rocking supports of the moveable
hopper turn. Other arms of the said hangers carry the fulcrum of the band lever.
The moveable hopper is cast in one piece with two horizontal arms which span
the space between the two hangers, and which are firmly bolted upon the rocking
supports described. The whole of the working parts being thus supported from
one strong frame great facility is afforded for properly fitting and firmly attaching
one part to another, and in case of repairs being necessary the said frame and its
attachments can be drawn out upon the wall plates, the circular fire grate having
first been raised clear of the said frame.
Our improvements consist, thirdly, in making the upper surface of the circular
fire grate slightly conical in form, that is inclining downwards from the central
opening towards the circumference. This construction facilitates the movement of
the burning fuel towards the circumference of the grate when the fire is disturbed
by the introduction of fresh fuel from below through the central opening. The

page_text: front plate of the fire-place may be made with a sliding or detachable part imine-
diately in front of the door for the purpose of removing the grate bars or renewing
the plate if burnt.
Having explained the nature of our Invention we will proceed to describe with
reference to the accompanying Drawings the manner in which the same is to be
performed.
Figure 1 is a vertical section from front to back of a furnace having feeding
mechanism constructed according to our Invention, the said Figure 1 showing the
hopper brought forward ready to be filled with a fresh charge of coal.
Figure 2 is a similar vertical section showing the hopper brought underneath
the centre of the fire-grate and the piston of the hopper raised so as to lift the
fresh charge of coal from the said hopper into the furnace.
Figure 3 is a half front elevation and half transverse section on the centre line of
the hopper of Figure 4, that portion of the said Figure 4 marked Figure 4a being a
plan of part of the upper surface of the fire-grate and dead plate, the portion marked
Figure 4b being a plan of part of the fire-grate frame (the fire-grate and dead plate
having been removed), and the portion marked Figure 4 being a plan of half of
the main frame exposed to view by the removal of the fire-grate, the fire-grate
frame, and the dead plate.
Figure 5 is a sectional clevation of a modification of the first part of our
Invention.
Figure 6 is a plan of part of the dead plate. Similar letters of reference denote
similar parts in all the Figures.
As the improvements constituting the first part of our Invention are intimately
connected with the general action of the apparatus, we will proceed to describe the
said improvements in connection with the apparatus generally.
A, Figure 2, is the fire-door, A' the bridge, and A2 the dead plate, the latter
being made square in plan externally and having a circular aperture in the centre
large enough to admit the circular fire-grate B with considerable freedom, as best
scen in Figure 4. The fire-grate is formed in several seginents, as seen in Figure 1a,
each of which segments rests upon the circular fire-grate frame B', the latter in
its turn resting upon three anti-frictional rollers B supported upon axles which
turn in notches formed in the main frame C. The circular fire-grate frame B¹ has
slots C (see Figure 3) formed in its rim at equal distances apart around its circum-
ference. By means of a crowbar inserted into whichever of the said slots happen
to present itself towards the front of the furnace the fire-grate frame B¹ and the
seginental fire-grate B can be worked round so that each portion of the grate can
be cleansed in succession without disturbing the central portion of the fuel. The
said circular fire-grate B, the circular fire-grate frame B', and the main frame C,
have each a central circular aperture marked respectively C, the sides D of the
aperture in the main frame constituting what is called the "well" of the feeding
apparatus. The said three apertures coincide with each other vertically and form
one continuous cylindrical entrance to the centre of the furnace, the said entrances
gradually widening from the bottom upwards so as to render the ascent of the fuck
as easy as possible (see Figure 1).
Supported upon two rocking arms D¹ which turn upon two trunnions D is the
central circular hopper E which is open at top and bottom. Within the hopper E
is a loose piston E¹ moved vertically by means of the lever E² to which it is jointed
by means of the pin F. The said lever E is hinged by the pin F1 to the end of
the curved apron F, which is made in one piece with the hopper E. The weight
of the lever E and of the piston E¹ is partly counterbalanced by means of a
chain G passing over a chain pulley G¹ connected to a balance weight G², which
weight has an arm H and boss H', by which the said balance weight G2 is com-
pelled to move in a curved direction only, turning upon the bar H2 as a centre.
The bar H extends across the ash-pit from one rocking arm D' to the other, and
is fixed to the said rocking arms D₁. By this means the balance weight G² and
the second balance weight O herein-after described, are prevented from swinging

page_text: about at the end of their respective chains, and the apparatus occupies less space
than if the balance weights were placed directly upon extensions of their respective
levers beyond the back of the apron F. A front stop I and a back stop I¹ limit the
motion of the hopper E by coming into contact alternately with the front and
back of the well D. The upper face of the piston E¹ and of the apron F² being
curved when viewed from the side, as in Figures 1 and 2, and being concentric
with the trunnions D2, and the lower edge of the well D being also similarly shaped,
it follows that when the piston E' is raised, as in Figure 2, the bottom of the
well D must be closed either by the said piston or by the apron, or in part by one
and in part by the other. When the piston E¹ is at the bottom of the hopper E
and the hopper E is filled with fresh fuel, the upper surface of the said fresh fuel
when the hopper E advances under the well D acts the part just described of
the piston E in supporting the fuel already contained within the well D. In
order to cause the pistop to rise and fall and the hopper to rock the following
mechanism is employed :-A rocking shaft K turns upon a bar K¹, each end of
which is supported by a fixed side frame K². The said rocking shaft K has three
arms formed upon it (see Figure 4b), one of which L consists of a roller arın moving
in the are 1, 2, 3, 4, (see Figures and 2,) and raising or lowering the lever E²
which then rests upon the roller L¹. When the piston has been fully raised the
lever E is supported by means of the hinged catch L³, the weighted arm L³ of
which keeps the said catch L engaged with the lever E When the piston E¹
has been fully lowered the lever E2 rests upon the boss H¹ of the weighted lever H.
A short arm M upon the catch L engages underneath the stop M¹ and prevents
the said catch from moving too far in one direction when disengaged from the
lever E2 while the upper end of the weighted arm L strikes the point Mª of the
hopper and prevents the said catch from being forced too far in the opposite
direction. The second arm of the rocking shaft K consists of a link arm N shorter
than the roller arm L and having a pin N1 at its outer end but no roller. In
Figure 1 the pin N¹ is shown engaged in an open notch N2 in the upper surface
of the liuk O, which said link is hinged to the apron F2 at the point Fl
side by side with the lever E². The said notch N is slightly undercut at each end
in order to engage the more securely with the pin N¹. The said link O would
naturally fall away from the pin N¹ were it not for the counterbalance O¹ which
by means of the chain 02 passing over the chain pulley 03 not only counteracts
the tendency of the link O to fall, but causes it to ascend until arrested either by
the pin N as in Figure 1 or by the stop P, as in Figure 2. The said counter-
balance O is hinged upon the bar H2 side by side with the counterbalance G².
We sometimes modify the link O in the manner represented in Figure 5, where
the said link O turns upon a pin P¹ which is attached to one of the rocking
arms D. The link O thus becomes so much shortened that the balance weight O
may be conveniently placed upon a prolongation of the said link O. The chain O²
and chain pulley 03 herein-before described are thus dispensed with, but inas-
much as the link O is now placed close to the rocking arm D₁, and is therefore
removed considerably from the centre line of the hopper, it becomes advisable to
employ two links, one to each rocking arm D¹, and to form two link arms N upon
the rocking shaft K.
The third arm of the rocking shaft K consists of a socket P2 in which is secured
a long handle Q by means of which the attendant operates the entire apparatus.
The said handle Q is bent, as seen in Figure 2, in order that when the portion Q¹
assumes its vertical position it may stand clear of the front of the furnace, as shown
in Figure 5, in which Figure the two extreme positions of the said handle Q are
clearly shown, the front of the furnace being shown by the vertical line A³.
The action of the apparatus is as follows-Referring to Figure 1, and supposing
the hopper E to have been filled with fresh fuel, the attendant to have grasped the
upper end of the handle Q (now in its vertical position), and the said handle to be
moved in a downward direction the movements of the various parts will be as
follows: The pin N¹ moves along its arc of motion, and pushes the link O before

page_text: it until it arrives somewhere about the point 2, by which time the hopper will have
been moved backwards until the pin F has arrived at the point 2 upon its are of
motion. Here or hereabouts the centre of gravity of the hopper and its appur-
tenances passes the vertical centre line of the trunnions D, and the hopper now
tends to continue its motion by its own weight, thereby causing the link O to pull
at the pin N instead of being pushed by it, as at first. When the pin N¹ has
passed on to the point 3 the hopper has moved as far back as it will go; the stop I
has come to rest against the well D, as in Figure 2; and the roller L¹ has just
begun to touch the under side of the lever E². The pin N¹ passing on from the
point 3 allows the link O to rise a little farther until it is arrested by the stop P
by which time the mouth of the notch N2 allows the pin N¹ to pass out of it. The
pin N¹ having passed out leaves the link O stationary, and arrives at its highest
position at the point 4. During the movement of the pin N¹ from the point 3 to
the point 4 the roller L' has been lifting the lever E together with the piston E¹,
and the charge of fresh fuel being thereby driven upwards out of the hopper E
into the well D displaces an equal bulk of fuel already lying in the furnace, and
causes the ignited fuel generally to spread sideways in all directions, and to re-
plenish the burning sides of the mound of fuel in the furnace. The said mound of
fuel is indicated by the line R in Figure 2, the inner line R¹ being supposed to
represent approximately the mass of unignited fuel.
When the pin N₁ has arrived at the point 4 the roller L¹ will have raise. the
piston E¹ to the top of its stroke, and the lever E will have become engaged with
the catch L, as seen in Figure 2, and will remain supported thereby during the
return of the roller L' to its lowest position. The return is effected by raising the
handle to its former vertical position, and during this operation the following
movements occur:-The pin N¹ re-enters the open notch N2, depresses the link O to
the point 3, and then draws forward the hopper, the charge of fuel above the
piston El being supported at first by the said piston E¹, and afterwards by the
apron F which succeeds it. Just before the back stop I¹ touches the well D the
weighted arm L³ of the catch L2 comes into contact with the rocking shaft K, and
is thereby arrested, but the hopper continues its forward movement until arrested
by the stop I, by which time the catch L will have been forced to release the
lever E, which immediately falls together with the piston E¹ to its lowest position
as in Figure 1, and thereby prepares the hopper to receive the next charge of fuel,
after which the series of operations described is repeated.
We
The second part of our Invention consists in the following improvements in the
construction of the apparatus with a view to its greater stability, accuracy in
working, and non-liability to derangement by settlement of the brickwork.
cast the weil D in one piece with the frame C, the various arms of which are best
seen in Figure 4°. The said frame C spans the ash-pit, and rests upon castings R³
embedded in the side walls of the said ash-pit. In Figure 3 the sectional form of
the castings R2 is such that while their bottom flanges support the frame C their
top flanges support the dead plate A³. The said frame C carries above it the fire-
grate frame B and below it the two side frames or hangers K, which latter
support the trunnions D² before referred to and the rocking shaft K from which all
the movements of the apparatus are derived.
The whole of the machinery is thus mounted upon one frame, namely, the frame C,
and if the fire-grate segments and the two bolts S be withdrawn the whole appa-
ratus can be drawn out at the front of the ash-pit sliding along upon the fixed cast-
ings R. The hopper E is also cast in one piece with two horizontal arms S¹ (see
Figures 2, 4, and 5), which are bolted upon the flat tops of the two rocking arms D¹.
The meeting surfaces of the various parts are thus so disposed that they can be
planed or otherwise rendered true by machine tools and removal for repairs can be
easily effected. Sinking or settlement of the brickwork may throw the machine
out of level, but cannot alter the relative position of its working parts.
The third part of our Invention consists in making the upper surface of the fire-
grate B slightly conical in form, as seen in Figures 1, 2, and 3, where the said

page_text: upper surface is shown to incline downwards from the nose S2 to the circumference.
This construction facilitates the movement of the burning fuel towards the circum-
ference of the grate when the fire is disturbed by the introduction of fresh fuel
through the central opening C. In Figure 6, T is a loose part of the dead plate A²
which can be easily removed for repairs when burnt or for taking out the fire-grate
segments.
Having now described the nature of our Invention and the manner in which the
same is to be performed, we wish it to be understood that we do not limit ourselves
to the precise details herein described and illustrated as the same may be varied
without departing from the nature of our Invention; but we claim as our Inven-
tion of improvements in mechanism or apparatus for feeding fuel into furnaces, fire-
boxes, and fire-grates→
First. The link O over-balanced so as to have a tendency to rise, and provided
with an open notch N2 in combination with the pin N¹ on the arm of the actuating
lever of the apparatus, the said parts and their adjuncts being constructed, com-
bined, and working substantially as and for the purpose herein-before described and
illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
Secondly. The general construction of the framing and of the parts attached
thereto, substantially as and for the purpose herein-before described and illustrated
in the accompanying Drawings.
Thirdly. Inclining the upper surface of the fire-grate downwards from the central
to the marginal parts, substantially as and for the purpose herein-before described
and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whercof, we, the said James Milward Holmes and Henry Lea, have
hereunto set our hands and seals,. this Eighth day of January, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
Witness,
RICHARD SKERRETT,
Clerk to George Shaw,
Birmingham.
JAMES MILWARD HOLMES. (L.S.)
HENRY LEA.
(L.S.)