A CERTAIN IMPROVE MENT OR CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF FURNACES
Year: 1840

page_text: KURTZ'S SPECIFICATION.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ANDREW
KURTZ, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Manufacturing Chemist,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West-
minster, the Fifth day of November, One thousand eight hundred and forty; and
in the fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Andrew Kürtz, Her especial licence, full power,
sole privilege, and authority, that I, the said Andrew Kurtz, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, and such others as I; the said. Andrew Kurtz, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, should agree with, and no other, from
time to time and at all times during the term of years therein expressed, should
and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England and Wales,
and the Town of Berwick upon Tweed, my Invention of "A CERTAIN IMPROVE
MENT OR CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF FURNACES;" in which
Letters Patent is contained a proviso, that I, the said Andrew Kurtz, shall
cause a particular description of the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be enrolled in Her Majesty's High
Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference
being thereunto thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso,' I, the said
Andrew Kurtz, do hereby declare that my said Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, 'is particularly described and ascertained in
and by the Drawings hereto annexed, and the following explanation thereof
(that is to say):-

page_text: My improvements in the construction of furnaces consist in a certain novel
and peculiar arrangement of the fire bars upon which the fuel is to be placed,
and also in an improved arrangement or application of certain air passages,
chambers, or flues to be used in combination with the improved grate, and
together composing the furnace. The principal object of my improvements is
designed to effect the consumption of smoke, and consequent economy of fuel,
by preventing the smoke and other gaseous products of combustion ascending
the flue or chimney. This is effected partly by means of the peculiar positions
of the grate bars in the furnace, and also by the particular arrangement and
construction of the air chambers or passages by which I am enabled to convey
heated air into the furnace, and to introduce the air at the required tempera-
ture at different parts of the furnace, causing it to impinge immediately upon
the smoke or unconsumed combustible matter all over the fire bed upon the
grate by means of an unlimited number of apertures on each side of the fur-
nace, and in front of. the fire bridge of the furnace, which occasions the whole
of the smoke or gaseous product to be burnt so effectually, as while it greatly
increases the amount of heat usually evolved, prevents at the same time the
annoyances which unburned combustible matter must ever occasion. But in
order that my improvements may be more fully explained, I have attached to
these Presents a Sheet of Drawings representing several views of my improved
furnace, and shewn by way of illustration, as they may be practicably applied
to boilers of steam engines, &c. The principle of my improvements will be
readily understood by reference thereto, and for the sake of more perfect illustra-
tion I have represented two distinct constructions of furnaces, the one as applied
to the ordinary waggon boiler, and the other as applied to the tubular boiler of
a stationary steam engine. Fig. 1 represents an external end elevation of the
boiler and furnace; Fig. 2, a transverse sectional view of the same; Fig. 3, a
plan or horizontal view of the walls of the furnace and air passages, with the
boiler and upper courses of brickwork removed; and Fig. 4 is a view taken
in isometrical perspective through the same, one of the outer walls being
removed. This construction of furnace consists of two separate fire chambers
or compartments formed by the side walls a, b, c, and the grate or fire bars
d, e, f. It will be seen in Fig. 4 that each grate or fire-place consists of three
distinct and separate sets or series of fire bars, those marked d inclining
obliquely downwards from the entrance or fire door towards the bridge; those
markede lying perfectly horizontal, and those marked f inclining obliquely
upwards from thence towards the bridge, thus forming a hollow fire bed or
grate, having a sufficient depth or substance in the middle for the ordinary
heating purposes of the furnace (which may be suitably accommodated by

page_text: modifying the length of the bars 1, 1) and also having a thinner layer of heated.
coal, gradually diminishing towards the bridge, and approaching towards the
bottom of the boiler, to assist the combustion of the smoke by means of the
air passing between the fire bars and charred coals at that point just below
the bridge.. The series of fire bars d, e, f, are all supported by transverse
hollow bearers g, 9, g; let into the side and middle walls of the furnace a, b, c,
and communicating with the air passages or chambers h, h, h, h, formed in the
brick work or walls of the furnace; these hollow bearers 9, 9, 9, 9, and the
chambers or passages h, h, h, h, are all in continuous connection with cach
other, opening into the furnace or fire-places at the apertures i, i, i, i. 'The
hollow bearers g. 9, 9, 9, are open to the ash pit by having an aperture formed
underneath at j, and by being in connection with the passages h, h, also com-
uunicate with the apertures i, i, i, i, in the furnace. It will be observed that
the passages h, h, must be closed from the external atmosphere by shutting
the doors *, *, which are only opened occasionally to clean the flues. Now
the fire doors k, k, being closed, and the ash pit 1, 7, being partially closed
(having only a slight opening left at the bottom for the requisite supply of air),
the air will rush into the hollow bearers 9, 9, and also into the passages h, h,
in the furnace walls; and being greatly heated by the action of the fire, will
dissipate itself through the passages or chambers g and h, and rushing into the
furnace through the several apertures i, i, i, i, will immediately impinge upon
the unconsumed combustible matter above the fire bed, and in an unlimited
number of streams or currents, so that the smoke and other gaseous products
will be effectually consumed, instead of passing away to the flue or chimney.
I would here also remark, that should it be found any portion of smoke yet
unconsumed passes off, a further extension of the hot air passages may be made
by connecting the hollow bearers 9, 9, with side passages leading to a further
air chamber or passage constructed in the bridge of the furnace, and opening
the whole width of the bridge at the top into the furnace, so as further to act
upon that portion of the smoke (if any) as it passes over the bridge, but this I
hardly consider necessary in furnaces constructed as above explained. Another
construction of furnace is represented at Figs. 5, 6, and 7; Fig. 5 being a trans-
verse section; Fig. 6, a longitudinal section; and Fig. 7, a horizontal or plan
view of an improved furnace, as adapted to a tubular boiler. In these Figures
the principle feature of my improvements is also similarly applied, as in the
furnace just described, and has all the same parts marked with corresponding
letters of reference, as in the former Figures, excepting only that in these Figures
I have represented the bridge m, m, as divided, having a passage n for the heated
air constructed in it, and opening into the furnace the whole width of the

page_text: fire-place, and supplied with air by. side branches or passages o, o, connected
with two of the hollow bearers or air passages 9, 9, and opening into the said
passage in the bridge, so that any smoke which may be escaping towards the
chimney will thus be effectually consumed..
Having now fully and particularly explained my improvements in the con-
struction. of furnaces, I would here remark, in conclusion, that the dimensions
of the furnace in all particulars, and the length of the fire bars, must of course
be dependant upon the length of the boiler,. and the steam power. required;
and I.have merely shewn such a proportion of furnace in the Drawings as
will be sufficient to illustrate my improvements, and also that they are equally
applicable to boilers for marine as well as stationary steam engines. But I
claim as my Invention the peculiar positions of the fire bars, particularly their
rising obliquely from the fire door towards the bridge of the furnace, together
with the hollow bearers underneath them, by which I obtain the heated air to be
distributed through the various air passages in the furnace, which is caused to
impinge upon the smoke over the-fire-bed in an unlimited number of currents
passing through suitable apertures constructed in the furnace or fire-place in
front of the bridge; and also the auxiliary air passage formed in the bridge
behind the fire bed, if necessary; in furnaces constructed for marine purposes,
or in such situations. where a sufficient quantity of heated air cannot be
introduced over the fire bed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Andrew Kurtz, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Fourth day of May, in the year of our Lord One thousand