Improvements in Continuous Kilns suitable for Burning Bricks and the like.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Apr., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 20th Jan., 1899-Accepted, 25th Feb., 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Continuous Kilns suitable for Burning Bricks
and the like.
I, ARTHUR EDWARD BROWN, of 5, Kent Terrace, Regent's Park, in the County
of London, Bachelor of Science (Lond.), do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion to be as follows:-
My invention has reference to an improved construction of kilns of the con-
tinuous type adapted (inter alia) to be easily manipulated, to enable high tempera-
tures to be attained, and bricks or other articles to be rapidly and evenly burned
without excessive wear of the kiln and without damaging so large a proportion of
the articles as is usual with kilns of known constructions, as also to admit of either
large or small quantities of goods being advantageously dealt with at a time. For
this purpose my improved kiln. comprises two parallel rows of burning chambers
(as hereinafter defined) so connected at their respective ends the one row to the
other by tall narrow openings through the longitudinal division wall as to consti-
tute a continuous kiln without semi-circular ends such as obtain in some known
forms of kilns of the kind referred to. The rows of burning chambers above
mentioned may each comprise either a series of chambers separated one from
another by perforated transverse walls or partitions, or (as I prefer) a long
chamber provided at suitable intervals with fire-boxes and flués and adapted to serve
when worked as .hereinafter described after the manner of a series of burning
chambers in a continuous kiln. The smoke flues are (or may be) formed in or
partly by the longitudinal division wall.
When using two connected long chambers adapted each to serve as a series of
burning chambers, the articles to be burned may be so piled as to constitute a series
of blocks with intervening spaces. These spaces correspond in width and position
with the fire-boxes and are placed at distances apart corresponding or approximately
so to those at which the transverse walls would occur in a kiln wherein such were
provided between the several burning chambers of a row. Sometimes as when a
common class of goods is being burned an increased output may be obtained 'by
setting the articles in these spaces, leaving the latter only about three feet high
instead of up to the crown and providing holes therethrough for the passage of
fuel.
When setting goods in the kiln, in the outer end of each end chamber a space
is left corresponding in width or approximately so to the connecting passage in the
longitudinal wall so as to provide a passage of considerable height extending across
the full inside width of the two juxtaposed end chambers. To prevent the products
of combustion from being drawn diagonally across the last chamber in the direction
of the onnecting passage in the longitudinal wall, and so leaving articles at the
outer end corner insufficiently burned, the end articles of the block are so arranged
or set it the chamber that the spaces between theni near the connecting passage
are comparatively narrow and gradually increase in width towards the outer wall
of the kiln. The requisite variation in the spacing may be easily ascertained in
DQ77

page_text: practice. The front block of bricks in the first chamber of the other row (the next
chamber to be worked) need not be so arranged), as the impetus of the hot gases
carries them along the space at the end of the kiln so as to effect an equal dis-
tribution of heat.
Furthermore according to my invention I provide the burning chambers of
continuous kilns with what I call regenerative fire-boxes each comprising a hearth
with grating and regenerative air flues adapted to operate substantially as herein-
after described. The arrangement is such that the air supply on its way to the
hearth of each fire box is heated by passing through flues or passages beneath the
floor of the kiln which flues or passages themselves receive heat from the hot bricks
or other articles that are on the floor. Thus the air can be raised to a high tempera-
ture by heat that would be otherwise lost by conduction into the earth. The heated
air is conducted from the said flues or passages, (which should be as circuitous as
possible) into an air collecting space (hereinafter called the hot air chamber) ex-
tending across the width of but below the burning chamber and common to all
the said air heating flues or passages of the one chamber. From the hot air
chamber the heated air passes through the grating to the fire box. The grating
is constructed or composed of refractory material (the slits or openings being
vertical or horizontal) and is arranged vertically or approximately so, so as to
divide the hot air chamber, from the hearth or fire-box. The arrangement is
adapted to facilitate continuous efficient and smokeless combustion of fuel at the
hearth. In some cases I may use a perforated screen instead of a grating. The
hearth may be either horizontal or inclined but I consider it advantageous to slope
the hearth towards the bottom of the grating so that fuel supplied to the hearth
may more quickly fill up the space above it and thus cover the tops of the slits and
the more effectively utilize the heated air. Regenerative fire boxes so constructed
may be applied to existing continuous kilns.
Continuous kilns according to my invention may be built with any suitable
number of burning chambers and a small number may be arranged in a single
10W.
In one arrangement (in describing which I will allude to the burning of
bricks, although pottery, terracotta, cement, lime and various articles even of very
high quality may be burnt in such a kiln) the outer side walls of the rectangular
shaped kiln are provided with openings (hereinafter called loops) opposite each fire
box. These loops are or may be alternately large and small, the larger ones serving
for the introduction and withdrawal of the bricks to and from the burning cham-
bers (hereinafter called chambers) on each side of a larger loop, and the smaller
loops serving for the withdrawal of ash and clinkers from the fire boxes opposite
to them. In a kiln with very large chambers all the loops are made large. The
arches of the kiln are covered with dry rubbish filling which is paved over in a
usual manner and so as to form a flat roof. Above each fire-box there are formed
in the roof fuel-charging holes provided with suitable covers. Charging holes so
placed have the advantage of not admitting cold air when the covers are removed
but the charging may be also accomplished by means of temporary doors in the
loops, the latter being bricked up when in operation as will be described. Above
the spaces intended to be occupied by blocks of bricks in the kiln peep holes are
formed in the roof to enable the progress of the burning to be observed. The
openings which form connecting passages between the end chambers are provided
with dampers. The air flues under each chamber are supplied with air through an
inlet passage leading from the outer wall and provided with an adjustable damper
to regulate the supply of air thereto or to close it entirely.
The hot air passes from the air flues into the hot air chamber beside the grating,
and through the grating on its way to the fire box. This hot air chamber also
serves as an ashpit to collect such ashes as may fall through the slits in the grating.
The hot air chamber has openings also that lead into a transverse smoke flue, one
of which is provided for each chamber, and these openings are varied in size, the
openings nearest to the central wall having comparatively a small area gradually

page_text: increasing in extent towards the outer wall, for the purpose of obtaining a more
equally distributed withdrawal of smoke, but the smoke may also be withdrawn in
other convenient ways.
At the proper stage of the operation the smoke is directed from
above one of the fire boxes through the grating and hot air chamber into the corre-
sponding smoke flue, the passage of hot air through the hot air flues and chamber
being stopped at that stage. This may take place with more than one chamber at a
time. The smoke passes through the smoke flue into a damper chamber which is
capable of being opened or closed by a damper. These damper chambers may be
formed for convenience in the central longitudinal wall of the kiln and they com-
municate, when the dampers are opened, with a longitudinal kiln flue common to
all the said damper chambers and situated above them. By placing the kiln flue
in the inner wall it is kept dry and warm as well as being obtained of shorter
length. At a suitable point in the length of the kiln flue, about the middle by
preference so as to equalize the draft the smoke is conducted from the kiln flue
into the main flue through which the smoke passes on its way to the chimney. The
hearth and grating of each regenerative fire box extend from one side of the corre-
sponding chamber to the other and constitute as already indicated the "firebox"
(proper) into which the fuel is introduced through the supply holes in the roof.
The space above the fire box that serves to divide one chamber from another being
unfilled by articles enables the hot gases of combustion to be diffused therein before
being drawn forward by the draught induced by the chimney.
In some cases a transverse partition is or may be provided at the middle of each
side of the kiln, fitted with adjustable dampers to control vertical openings therein.
This partition is for the purpose of controlling the amount of cold air passing into
the chambers in front of it. It may also be used for the purpose of arresting
progress of the kiln for a time. The openings in the partition are made sufficiently
large and so placed that when the dampers are fully open they may permit the free
passage of the hot gases therethrough. It will be obvious that whereas in the
arrangement previously described either side of the kiln may be completely closed
by means of the dampers in the end connecting passages, by means of these trans-
verse partitions closing may also be effected at the chambers adjacent to them.
Should it be desired to arrest progress after having just finished burning those
chambers in the middle of a row, the dampers of the end connecting passages are
closed down. On the other hand should the chambers at one end of the double
row be the last burned, i.e. the last chambers of one row and the first in the next,
then the openings in the middle partitions are closed so as to arrest progress the
end connecting passage being left open, the whole of the chambers from the
middle of one row to the middle of the other being in various stages of heating,
burning, or cooling.
In order to give a more clear understanding of the operation of a continuous kiln
so constructed I will assume for the sake of convenience that there are eight cham-
bers in each of the two parallel rows and that these chambers are numbered 1 to 16,
No. 1 being the first in one row and No. 8 the last in the same row; while No. 9
(in the other row) is the end chamber in communication with No. 8 and the next in
order in the series. Thus No. 16 will be the end chamber of the second row ad-
jacent to No. 1 and communicating with it. The kiln is assumed to be provided
with alternate small and large loops.
Assuming that the burning operation is to be commenced at No. 1, the damper
of the connecting passage which connects it with No. 16 is closed. The chambers
are set in succession as required and in the ordinary way. The two first chambers
being set, a temporary partition is placed across the back of No. 2 and pugged up
so as to exclude air. The firebox of No. 1 is filled with coke up to the top of the
slits in the grating and the loops are bricked and pugged up, a small temporary
firedoor being left in the loop of No. 1. A small drying fire is then kindled on
the top of the coke in No. 1 firebox-the No. 1 damper being raised. Tanning
or drying of the bricks in No. 1 is thus commenced and the fire is gradually ex-

page_text: tended across the chamber along the firebox, to increase the heat. When con-
sidered necessary the air inlet of No. 16 may be opened to admit cold air to the
firebox of No. 1 thus aiding the combustion. When No. 1 is dry and ready for
burning the temporary partition is removed to the back of No. 4. No. 1 damper
is closed, No. 2 is opened full and No. 3 is partly opened thus enabling a moderate
heat to be carried forward for the successive tanning of Nos. 2 and 3. The
temporary firedoor in No. 1 loop is then closed and coal dropped into the fire box.
The heat produced may be regulated by varying the amount of fuel supplied and
the quantity of air admitted. When the bricks in No. 1 are red hot, coal is dropped
gradually into the fire box of No. 2 and the temporary partition is moved behind
a further chamber. No. 2 damper,is closed and Nos. 3, 4 and 5 are opened as
may be considered necessary.
Gradually the temperature in No. 1 will rise until the bricks are burned and by
that time the fire box No. 2 will be full of incandescent coal. Then the air inlet
to No. 1 is opened to admit air to the flues under No. 1 to be heated and conducted
to the firebox between No. 1 and No. 2 thus causing the fire therein to burn
intensely. The fire of No. 1 is maintained during the burning of No. 2 and in a
less degree during the burning of No. 3. After that it is allowed to cool down.
The firebox of No. 3 is gradually filled while No. 2 is burning and at the proper
moment hot air is admitted to it from the heated flues under No. 2. As the fire
advances more unburned chambers are added in front and the temporary partition
is erected at each of the large loops in turn. Up to this time air has been
admitted only through the air flues but when the fire has reached and burned
No. 5, the fire of No. 4 being still well kept up, and the fire of No. 3 being out, the
loop of No. 1 may be opened to admit cold air direct to that chamber. This cools
the burned bricks in No. 1 and, in a less degree, those in No. 2 and goes forward
through hot kilns gradually getting raised to a high temperature. The burning
of the successive chambers then advances at a more rapid rate.
When No. 6 or No. 7 is finished No. 2 loop may be taken down and the un-
loading of burned bricks and reloading with unburned bricks may be proceeded
with.
As fireboxes full of incandescent coal are required to be made active, so corre-
sponding air inlets are opened in greater or less degree as may be found suitable,
and as each fire is required to die down, so the corresponding air inlet is closed.
Supposing the first eight chambers to be now in operation the dampers of Nos. 7
and 8 are open at a time when no coal has been dropped into the firebox, the
corresponding air inlets are closed and thus the grating slits, hot air chamber, and
smoke flue are free to act in the withdrawal of smoke from the circuit and at its
furthest extremity. Also though the fireboxes Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 are full of
extinct or burning fuel, the smoke flue is not required to be in use and is closed
by the damper and therefore the air inlets to those chambers can be used as desired
without being interfered with by the smoke flue.
In practice the filling of the fire box with coal is done gradually in advance of the
burning operation and before the corresponding air inlet is opened. The hot
gases from the burning chamber in advancing towards the chimney ignite the coals
and by the time the necessity arises for obtaining full combustion, the fire box
is full of incandescent coal which bursts into intense combustion when air, is
admitted thereto.
In kilns where the fuel is thrown on horizontal firebars with an ashpit under
and cold air admitted direct to the boxes, it is obvious that stoking of the fires
is necessary to remove clinker and cause the dispersion of dust and small ash, but
with the fire bars herein before described the dust and ash accumulate on the dead
hearth and do not impede the entrance of fresh air to the fuel and consequently
no stoking is required.
In addition to the air drawn into the fire box through the air flues, air is also
brought forward through several successive back chambers which have been
burned, and in doing so it becomes highly heated, cooling down the burned cham-

page_text: bers in its passage. Notwithstanding this heating, it will be understood that it
never attains the temperature of full combustion necessary to burn the unburned
chambers. When therefore it arrives at a point where it meets with the intensely
hot gases of active combustion, it mingles with them and acts as a diluent thereto
thus preventing damage to the front face of bricks in the chamber being burned
and producing an equally distributed heat which can be regulated at will to suit
the class of goods in the kiln.
Owing to the rapidity of progress when in full work, a large output may be
obtained from a relatively small kiln. Furthermore owing to the facility and
effectiveness of control the progress of burning may be delayed or arrested with
very little loss of fuel and with prompt resumption of full activity when desired;
a further advantage is adaptability to small output in that a small number of cham-
bers can be filled and used with economical and good results. The contents of
the chambers may be burned with practically equal intensity from back to front
and thereby superior goods may be produced more uniform in quality than with
some known constructions of kiln, whilst very few goods are liable to injury
through excessive heating notwithstanding that very high temperatures can be
produced with an economical consumption of fuel.
A kiln so constructed can be well adapted for use with forced draught thereby
producing very high temperatures and enabling the use of very hard coals or fuels
of inferior quality.
Improvements in Continuous Kilns suitable for Burning Bricks
and the like.
I, ARTHUR EDWARD BROWN, of 5, Kent Terrace, Regent's Park, in the County
of London, Bachelor of Science (Lond.), do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My invention has reference to an improved construction of kilns of the con-
tinuous type adapted (inter alia) to be easily manipulated, to enable high tempera-
tures to be attained, and bricks or other articles to be rapidly and evenly burned
without excessive wear of the kiln and without damaging so large a proportion of
the articles as is usual with kilns of known constructions, as also to admit of either
large or small quantities of goods being advantageously dealt with at a time.
For this purpose my improved kiln comprises two parallel rows of burning
chambers (as hereinafter defined) so connected at their respective ends the one row to
the other by tall narrow openings through the longitudinal division wall as to consti-
tute a continuous kiln without semi-circular ends such as obtain in some known
forms of kilns of the kind referred to. The rows of burning chambers above
mentioned may each comprise either a series of chambers separated one from
another by perforated transverse walls or partitions, or (as I prefer) a long
chamber with a central transverse partition having openings therethrough con-
trolled by adjustable dampers, the series of chambers, or the long chamber, being
provided at suitable intervals with special fire-boxes and flues, and adapted to

page_text: serve, when worked as hereinafter described, after the manner of a series of burning.
chambers in a continuous kiln.
Furthermore according to my invention I provide the burning chambers of
continuous kilns with what I call regenerative fire-boxes each comprising a hearth
with grating and regenerative air passages adapted to operate substantially as herein-
after described. The arrangement is such that the air supply on its way to the
hearth of each fire-box is heated by passing through passages beneath the floor of
the kiln which passages themselves receive heat from the hot bricks or other
articles that are on the floor of the corresponding and newly burned chamber.
Similar passages may also be constructed, if desired, in the side walls of the cham-
bers, these passages in each case being connected at one end to an air inlet passage.
Thus the air can be raised to a high temperature by heat that would be otherwise
lost by conduction into the earth, or through the walls into the air. The heated.
air is conducted from the said passages, (which should be as circuitous as possible)
into an air collecting space (hereinafter called the hot air chamber) extending
across the width of but below the burning chamber and common to all the said
air heating passages of the one chamber. From the hot air chamber the heated air
passes through the grating to the fire-box. The grating is constructed or com-
posed of refractory material (the slits or openings being vertical or horizontal) and
is arranged vertically, or approximately so, so as to divide the hot air chamber
from the hearth or firebox. The arrangement is adapted to facilitate continuous
efficient and smokeless combustion of fuel at the hearth. In some cases I may
use a perforated screen instead of a grating. The hearth may be either horizontal
or inclined but I consider it advantageous to slope the hearth towards the bottom
of the grating so that fuel supplied to the hearth may more quickly fill up the
space above it and thus cover the tops of the slits and the more effectively utilize
the heated air. Regenerative fire boxes so constructed may be applied to existing
continuous kilns.
Continuous kilns according to my invention may be built with any suitable
number of burning chambers, and a small number of such, chambers may be
arranged in a single row forming a semi-continuous kiln. Such a kiln is herein
included in the term continuous kiln.
Although in this description I allude chiefly to the burning of bricks, it will be
understood that pottery, terracotta, glazed ware, cement, lime and various articles,
even of very high quality, may be burnt in such a kiln.
Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive of the accompanying drawings show a continuous kiln
according to this invention, Fig. 1 being a sectional plan, the section being taken
on the line A. A of Fig. 2; Figs. 2 and 3 part longitudinal sections taken respec-
tively on the lines B B and C C of Fig. 1; and Figs. 4, 5 and 6 transverse sections
of the kiln taken respectively on the lines D D, EE and F F of Fig. 1. Figs. T
and 8 show in sectional elevation and sectional plan respectively, regenerative fire-
boxes according to this invention, Fig. 7 being taken on the line G G of Fig. 8,
and Fig. 8 being taken on the line H H of Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a detail sectional
plan of the main flue. Fig. 10 is a part plan of the middle portion of the top of
the kiln. Fig. 11 shows a form of bracing for small kilns. Fig. 12 is a part
sectional plan on the line I I of Fig. 13, and Fig. 13 is a part vertical section on
the line JJ of Fig. 12, illustrating the use of a perforated screen in place of the
grating with vertical slits shown in the previous figures. Figs. 14 and 15 show
a part of the perforated screen separately.
The kiln shown comprises two long parallel rectangular shaped chambers
separated by a central longitudinal wall A, and each provided with a central trans-
verse partition A and with transverse fireboxes B arranged at intervals across
the chamber below the floor thereof, the arrangement being such as to form sixteen
burning chambers that are numbered respectively 1, 2, 3, 4 to 16 and each of
which is provided at its rear end with a fire box, the central wall A being formed
at its two ends with tall narrow openings 8 and 16* that connect the adjacent end
chambers 8 and 9, and 16 and 1 and are adapted to be controlled by dampers 8.

page_text: and 16 respectively, and the transverse partitions A' being formed with tall
vertical openings A2 adapted to be controlled by dampers A³. The outer side
walls C of the rectangular shaped kiln are provided with openings C (hereinafter
called loops) opposite each fire box B. These loops are or may be alternately large
and small as shown in Fig. 2, the larger one serving for the introduction and
withdrawal of the bricks to and from the burning chambers on each side of a
larger loop, and the smaller loops serving for the withdrawal of ash and clinkers
from the fireboxes B opposite to them. In a kiln with very large chambers all
the loops are made large. The arches of the kiln are covered with dry rubbish
filling which is paved over in a usual manner and so as to form a flat roof.
one or at each end of the kiln there is provided a loop C2 made sufficiently large
to facilitate ignition of fuel at starting. Above each firebox B there are formed
in the roof, fuel-charging holes D provided with suitable covers. Charging holes
so placed have the advantage of not admitting cold air when the covers are
removed; but the charging may be also accomplished by means of temporary doors
in the loops C1, C2, the latter being bricked up when the kiln is in operation as will
be hereinafter described. Above the spaces intended to be occupied by blocks of
bricks in the kiln, peep holes E are formed in the roof to enable the progress of the
burning to be observed.
At
a are circuitous, air passages arranged under the floor of each burning chamber
so as to be heated by the hot goods thereon and supplied with air through an inlet
passage that leads from an opening formed in the outer wall C and is provided
with an adjustable damper b¹ (Fig. 5) to regulate the supply of air thereto, or to
close it entirely, according to requirement. The air passages a communicate with
a transverse hot air chamber d arranged below the floor of the corresponding burner
chamber and along one side of the corresponding firebox B which is formed with
a vertical grating e of refractory material and a hearth f that preferably slopes
towards the grating as and for the purpose hereinbefore explained. The hearth
and grating of each regenerative fire box thus formed, extend from one side of the
corresponding chamber to the other and constitute as already indicated, the fire-
box proper into which the fuel is introduced through the charging holes D formed
in the roof of the kiln. The space above each fire box being unfilled by articles,
enables the hot gases of combustion to be diffused therein and mixed with the
heated air, which passes through the cooling chambers, before being drawn forward
by the draught induced by the chimney.
The hot air flows from the air passages a into the hot air chamber d and through
the grating e on its way to the corresponding fire box B and the grating being
composed of refractory material allows of the air being supplied at a very high
temperature which would be impossible with an iron grating. The hot air cham-
ber d also serves as an ashpit to collect such ashes as may fall through the slits in
the grating e
The hot air is conveyed from the hot air chambers d of the end
burning chambers 8 and 16 to the fire boxes B of the respective adjacent chambers 9
and 1 by means of hot air passages such as 8. Each hot air chamber may com-
municate by openings d' with a transverse smoke flue g, one of which is provided
for each burning chamber, except the burning chambers 4, 8, 12 and 16. Cham-
bers 8 and 16 have openings h³ in the floors of the connecting pas-
sages 8 and 16* leading directly into the kiln flue j such openings
being controlled by dampers h¹. The chambers 4 and 12 are provided,
at the rear of the transverse partitions A¹, with openings through which smoke
is conducted from the spaces left between the stacks of bricks, indicated by the
dotted lines at n in Fig. 1 and the partitions, to the main flue k, the said openings
being. controlled by dampers h*. At the proper stage of the operation smoke is
directed from above one of the fire boxes B through the grating
thereof and hot air chamber d into the corresponding smoke flue g
the flow of hot air through the hot air passages
chamber d
being then stopped at that stage by the corresponding damper bl.
place with more than one burning chamber at a time. The smoke
a and
e
This may take
passes through

page_text: the smoke flue into a damper chamber which is capable of being opened or closed
by a damper . These damper chambers may be formed for convenience in the
central longitudinal wall A of the kiln and they communicate, when the dampers h¹
are opened, with a longitudinal kiln flue j common to all the said damper chambers
and situated above them. By placing the kiln flue in the inner wall it is kept dry.
and warm as well as being obtained of shorter length. At a suitable point in the
length of the kiln flue j, about the middle by preference so as to equalize the
draft, the smoke is conducted from the said kiln flue into the main flue k through
which the smoke passes on its way to the chimney.
The transverse partitions A¹ with openings A² and dampers A³ and the end.
connecting passages 8, 16* with dampers 8 and 16 serve to enable the amount
of cold air passing into the chambers in front of each partition or connecting pas-
sage to be readily controlled to suit requirement or stopped entirely, the adjustment
of the dampers being effected in rear of the burning chambers that are in the
process of cooling, when the partition, or the brickwork around the connecting.
passage, as the case may be, is no longer at a sufficiently high temperature to injure
such dampers. The opening A² and passages 8 and 16* are made of ample height
and width to admit of practically unobstructed passage of hot gases therethrough
when opened. The connecting passage 8* and 16* with dampers S and 16 and the
transverse partitions A' with openings A2 and dampers A³ can also be used for the
purpose of arresting the progress of the kiln for a time. It will be obvious that
whereas either side of the kiln may be completely closed by means of the
dampers 8, 16, in the end connecting passages 8, 16, by means of the transverse
partitions A' closing may also be effected at the chambers adjacent to them.
Should it be desired to arrest progress after having just finished burning those
chambers in the middle of a row, the dampers of the end connecting passages are
closed down. On the other hand should the chambers at one end of the double
row be the last burned, i.e., the last chambers of one row and the first in the next,
then the openings in the middle partitions A' are closed so as to arrest progress,
the end connecting passage being left open, the whole of the chambers from the
middle of one row to the middle of the other being in various stages of heating,
burning, or cooling.
When using two connected long chambers adapted each to serve as a series of
burning chambers, as hereinbefore described, the articles to be burned may be so
piled as to constitute a series of blocks or stacks with intervening spaces. These
spaces correspond in width and position with the fireboxes and are placed at
distances apart corresponding, or approximately so, to those at which the trans-
verse walls would occur in a kiln wherein such were provided between the several
burning chambers of a row. Sometimes, as when a common class of goods is being
burned, an increased output may be obtained by setting the articles in these spaces
leaving the latter only about three feet high, instead of up to the crown, and pro-
viding holes therethrough for the passage of fuel.
When setting goods in the kiln, in the outer end of each end chamber a space is
left between the outer end of the stack of goods and the end wall of the kiln, as
indicated at n¹ in Fig. 1 corresponding in width, or approximately so, to the con-
necting passage 8 or 16* in the longitudinal wall A so as to provide a passage
of considerable height extending across the full inside width of the two juxtaposed
end chambers 8 and 9 or 16 and 1. To prevent the products of combustion from
being drawn diagonally across the last chamber in the direction of the connecting
passage in the longitudinal wall, and so leaving articles at the outer end corner
insufficiently burned, the end articles of the block are so arranged or set in the
chamber that the spaces between them near the connecting passage are compara-
tively narrow and gradually increase in width towards the outer wall of the kiln.
The requisite variation in the spacing may be easily ascertained in practice. The
front block of bricks in. the first chamber of the other row (the next chamber to be
worked) need not be so arranged, as the impetus of the hot gases carries them
along the space at the end of the kiln so as to effect an equal distribution of heat.

page_text: In order to give a clear understanding of the operation of a continuous kiln
constructed as hereinbefore described, I will assume that the burning operation, is
to be commenced at No. 1 chamber in which case the connecting passage 16 which
connects it with No. 16 chamber should be closed by a temporary brick partition.
The chambers are set in succession as required and in the ordinary way. The
articles can be dried in the kiln, if desired, the chambers for this purpose being set
in advance. The two first chambers being set, a temporary partition is placed
across the back or left hand end of chamber No. 2 and pugged up so as to exclude
air. Sometimes, instead of a temporary partition which is afterwards removed, I
apply a shield of suitable paper, such as wall paper, which is afterwards burnt up
by the hot products of combustion. The fire box of No. 1 chamber is filled with
coke up to the top of the slits in the grating thereof and the loops are bricked and
pugged up, a small temporary firedoor being left in the loop of chamber No. 1.
A small drying fire is then kindled on the top of the coke in No. 1 firebox-the No. 1
damper h, viz., that controlling the exit of smoke from the No. 2 firebox, being
raised. Tanning or drying of the bricks in chamber No. 1 is thus commenced and
the fire is gradually extended across the chamber along the firebox, to increase
the heat. When considered necessary the air inlet. b under chamber No. 16 may
be opened to admit cold air to the firebox of No. 1 to aid the combustion. When
chamber No. 1 is dry and ready for burning the temporary partition is removed
to the back of chamber No. 4, No. 1 damper is closed, No. 2 damper is opened full
and No. 3 damper is partly opened thus enabling a moderate heat to be carried
forward for the successive tanning of chambers Nos. 2 and 3. The temporary fire-
door in No. 1 loop is then closed and coal dropped through the feed holes D into
No. 1 fire box. The heat produced may be regulated by varying the amount of
fuel supplied and the quantity of air admitted. by the inlet b. When the bricks in
chamber No. 1 are red hot, coal is dropped through the feed holes gradually into
fire box No. 2 and the temporary partition is moved behind a further chamber.
No. 2 damper h is closed and Nos. 3, 4 and 5 are opened as may be considered
necessary. Gradually the temperature in chamber No. 1 will rise until the bricks
are burned and by that time the fire box No. 2 will be full of incandescent coal.
Then the air inlet b to firebox No. 2 is opened to admit air to the flues under
chamber No. 1 to be heated and conducted to the firebox No. 2
between chambers No. 1 and No. 2 thus causing the fire therein
to burn intensely. The fire of chamber No. 1 is maintained to such
extent as may be found desirable during the burning of chamber No. 2 and in a
less degree during the burning of chamber No. 3. After that the air inlet b to fire
box No. 1 is closed and the fire in such fire box allowed to cool down. The fire box
of chamber No. 3 is gradually filled with coal while chamber No. 2 is burning,
and at the proper moment hot air is admitted to it from the heated flues under
No. 2. As the fire advances, more unburned chambers are added in front and the
temporary partition is erected at each of the large loops in. turn. Up to this time
air has been admitted only through the air passages under the chambers but when
the fire has reached and burned chamber No. 5, the fire of chamber No. 4 being still
kept up, and the fire of No. 3 being out, a small opening may be made in the loop
of chamber No. 1 to admit cold air direct to that chamber. This air cools the
burned bricks in chamber No. 1 and, in a less degree, those in chamber No. 2 and
goes forward through hot chambers gradually getting raised to a high temperature.
The burning of the successive chambers then advances at a more rapid rate.
When the burning of chamber No. 8 or chamber No. 9 is finished the dampers A³
in the wall A between chambers 4 and 5 may be lowered to the required extent
and No. 2 loop may be taken down and the unloading of burned bricks and re-
loading with unburned bricks may be proceeded with.
Supposing the first eleven chambers to be now in circuit, the smoke dampers
of chambers Nos. 9 and 10 are open at a time when no coal has been dropped into
the fireboxes Nos, 10 and 11, the corresponding air inlets b are closed and thus
the corresponding firebox grating slits, hot air chambers d and smoke flues g are

page_text: free to act in the withdrawal of smoke from the circuit and at its furthest ex-
tremity. Also though the fireboxes Nos. 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7. are full of extinct or
burning fuel, the smoke flues g are not required to be in use and are closed by the
corresponding dampers and therefore, the air inlets b to those chambers can be
used as desired without being interfered with by the smoke flue.
In practice the filling of each fire box with coal is done gradually in advance
of the burning operation and before the corresponding air inlet. is opened. The hot
gases from the burning chamber in advancing towards the chimney ignite the coal
in the fire box and by the time the necessity arises for obtaining full combustion,
the fire box is full of incandescent coal which bursts into intense combustion when
air is admitted thereto.
In kilns where the fuel is thrown on horizontal fire bars with an ashpit under
and cold air admitted direct to the firebars, it is obvious that stoking of the fires
is necessary to remove clinker and cause the dispersion of dust and small ash, but
with the fire boxes hereinbefore described the dust and ash accumulate on the dead
hearth fand do not impede the entrance of fresh air to the fuel and consequently
no-stoking is required.
In addition to the air drawn into the fire box through the air, passages, air is
also. brought forward through several successive back chambers which, have been
burned, and in doing so it becomes highly heated, cooling down the burned cham-
bers in its passage. Notwithstanding this, heating, it will be understood that it
never attains the temperature of full combustion necessary to burn the unburned
chambers. When therefore it arrives at a point where it meets with the intensely
hot gases of active combustion from a fire-box, it mingles with them and acts
as a diluent thereto thus preventing damage to the front face of..bricks in the
chamber being burned and producing an. equally distributed heat which can be
regulated at will to suit the class of goods in the kiln.
Owing to the rapidity of progress when in full work, a large, output, can be
obtained from a relatively small kiln. Furthermore, owing to the facility and
effectiveness of control, the progress of burning can be delayed or arrested with
very little loss of fuel and with prompt resumption of full activity when desired;
a further advantage is adaptability to small output in that a small number of
chambers can be filled and used with economical and good results. The contents
of the chambers can be burned with practically equal intensity from back to front
and thereby superior goods can be produced more uniform in quality than with
some known constructions of kiln, whilst very few goods are liable to injury
through excessive heating, notwithstanding that very high temperatures can be
produced with an economical consumption of fuel.
A kiln constructed as described can be well adapted for use with forced draught
thereby producing very high temperatures and enabling the use of very hard
coals or fuels of inferior quality. It can also be worked by an induced draught set
up by a fan instead of a chimney.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. In a continuous kiln suitable for burning bricks and other articles, a fire box
comprising a fuel receptacle arranged transversely across the floor of the kiln and
below it and below fuel charging openings in the roof of the kiln and having a solid
hearth and a vertical or upwardly extending grating or perforated screen com-
posed of refractory material arranged to separate the fuel receptacle from a trans-
verse hot air supply chamber connected to an air heating arrangement and whence
hot air can flow longitudinally through the grating or screen into the fire box, the
arrangement being such that a high and uniform temperature can be readily
obtained across the entire width of the kiln chamber and that choking of the
grating by ash and clinker is automatically prevented, as set forth.
2. In a continuous kiln, a fire box of the kind referred to in the preceding claim

page_text: combined with air heating passages arranged to be heated to a very high tempera-
ture by heat from a previously burnt chamber of the kiln, and the supply of air
through which can be controlled or stopped to suit requirements, substantially as
described.
3. In a continuous kiln, regenerative fire-boxes constructed, arranged and
operating substantially as described and shown.
4. A continuous kiln comprising burning chambers arranged in parallel rows
and each of which is provided with a regenerative fire box extending across the
entire width thereof, the two rows of chambers being connected at their respective
ends the one row to the other by tall narrow openings formed in a longitudinal
division wall and each row of chambers being provided with a central partition also
formed with tall narrow openings, the openings in the said wall and partitions
being provided with dampers whereby the admission of cold air to the chambers
that have been burnt and are in process of cooling can be regulated or stopped to
suit requirement, substantially as hereinbefore described.
5. The improved continuous kiln constructed, arranged and operating substan-
tially as herein before described with reference to and shown in the drawings
annexed.
.
Dated this 20th day of January 1899.
For the Applicant,
W. LLOYD WISE,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C.,
Chartered Patent Agent.