Improvements in Coking Stokers.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd May, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Feb., 1897-Accepted, 3rd Apr., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Coking Stokers.
I JAMES PROCTOR of Hammerton Street Iron Works, Burnley, in the County
of Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to that class of mechanical stokers for steam boiler
furnaces known as coking stokers, the object being to simplify the construction and
improve the action of such stokers. Instead of using two rams or pushers.one
below the other and having a scraper plate between them, for scraping the fuel,
from the top of the lower ram, I make use of two or more rams (varying with the
width of the furnace) moving in and out over the feed plate or ram box bottom.
The rams for pushing the coal from the box and upon the fire, are made thicker
at the outer end so that this end forms a step or shoulder which will push the fuel
upon the fire. The inner or smaller end of the ram being exposed to the fire and
most likely to burn is made detachable so that it can be easily changed.
When the rams have made the backwards stroke or have receded from out of
the fire, the ends are in a line with the end of the box bottom or feed plate, before
commencing their forward stroke; and being surrounded with coal, the rams in
their traverse will carry forward the fuel which is resting upon them, and the coal
which is displaced will be replaced by that which is above it, thus preventing the
coal that was upon the rams on their inward traverse from returning and such fuel
will be caused to fall off at the ends and side, so that the coal will become partially
coked before the next stroke. Thus the supply of fuel to the fire will be kept up
by placing a layer of fuel on the fire at one stroke and skimming it forward, after
it has coked, by the other stroke..
The ram may be actuated by any suitable means but I propose to use the
following mechanism which I have invented.for the purpose. I connect the ram
by a pin peg bolt or the like near the outer edge and at each side thereof to a
lever fixed upon a suitable shaft mounted horizontally across the front of the
furnace.
This shaft is caused to rock by a lever fixed thereon and oscillated by a crank
pin and a tappet upon a disc actuated by a worm and wheel, or by a wheel situated
and driven in a similar manner to the lantern wheel of my ordinary well known
stoker.
The above named tappet projects from the edge of the disc or wheel and comes
into contact with a projection from the oscillating lever above described and draws
the ram outwards, and the crank pin projects from the face of the disc or wheel
and is so situated that at the desired time it will come in contact with a projection
upon the lever and push it inwards and thus push or draw in the ram.
The projection on the oscillating lever actuated by the tappet is considerably
nearer to the shaft than the projection actuated by the crank pin, and thus the
outward motion of the ram is much more rapid than the inward motion and the
crank pin can be so set that there can be a long dwell in the motion of the ram
when it has been withdrawn.
Or the above arrangement may be made with the bowls in or on the oscillating
levers, and the tappets on the discs or face plates made to suit them.
Dated this 21st day of May 1896.
GEO. DAVIES & SON,
4, St. Ann's Square, Manchester, Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: I JAMES PROCTOR, of Hammerton Street Iron Works, Burnley, in the County
of Lancaster, Engineer, 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 relates to that class of mechanical stokers for steam boiler and
other furnaces known as coking stokers, the object being to simplify the construction
and improve the action of such stokers.
This invention will be readily understood on reference to the accompanying
drawings.
Fig. 1 is a front view of a coking stoker constructed according to my invention.
Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation thereof.
Fig. 3 shews a modification of the ram-box hereafter referred to.
Figs. 2 and 3 are detached views shewing the action of the rams and other
parts as hereinafter described.
Instead of using two rams or pushers one below the other and having a scraper
plate between them, for scraping the fuel from the top of the lower ram as in the
case of my stoker patented in Great Britain, No. 20853 dated November 3rd 1893,
I make use of two rams a a or more (varying with the width of the furnace)
moving in and out over the feed plate or ram box bottom b, arranged above the
grid g.
The rams for pushing the coal from the box and upon the fire may be made
thicker at the outer end or thinner at the inner end so that it forms a step or
shoulder (as seen by the dotted lines a+ Fig. 2) which will help to move or push
the fuel c forwards, or the rams may be left parallel as shewn and the coal will be
carried forwards on to the fire by resting on the top of the same, as they move
inwards.
The inner end a 1 of the ram a being exposed to the fire and most likely to burn
is made detachable (see Fig. 2) so that it can be easily changed.
When the rams a a have made the backward stroke or have receded from out of
the fire, the ends are in a line with the end of the box bottom or feed plate b before
commencing their forward stroke see detached view Fig. 3^; and being surrounded
or covered with coal, the rams a in their traverse will carry forward the fuel c
which is resting upon them, and the coal which is displaced will be replaced by
that which is above it, thus preventing the coal that was upon the rams on their
inward traverse from returning and such fuel will be caused to fall off at the ends
and sides of the rams so that the coal will become partially coked before the next
stroke. Thus the supply of fuel to the fire will be kept up by placing a layer of
fuel on the fire at one stroke and skimming it forward after it has coked by the
other stroke.
The ram may be actuated by any suitable means but I propose to use the
following mechanism, which I have invented for the purpose.
.I connect the rams a a of each flue together by the front plate d, at either end of
which is a pin d 1 engaging in the slot of a rocking lever d 2 or d 3, fixed upon a
suitable shaft d 4 mounted horizontally across the front of each hopper.
This shaft is caused to rock by the inner lever d2 fixed thereon and oscillated
by a crank pin e 1 and a tappet or came upon a shaft e 2 actuated by a worm and
wheel; or the shaft e 2 may be driven by bevel gear situated and driven in a
similar manner to the lantern wheel of my ordinary well known stoker.
The above named tappet or cam e is formed as shown at Figs. 1, 24, 34, and
comes into contact with a projection d+ from the oscillating lever d above

page_text: described, and draws the rams outwards, and the crank pin e 1 projects from the
face of the tappet or cam e and is so situated that at the desired time it will come
in contact with a projection d++ upon the lever d 2 and push it inwards and thus
push or draw in the rams.
The projection d* on the oscillating lever d2 actuated by the tappet or cam e is
considerably nearer to the shaft d 4 than the projection d++ actuated by the crank
pin e 1 and thus the outward motion of the rams is much more rapid than the
inward motion and the crank pin el can be so set as shewn, that there can be a
long dwell in the motion of the rams when withdrawn.
Or the above arrangement may be made with bowls in or on the oscillating
levers, and tappets or cams on the shaft e 2 made to suit them.
I propose to mount the feed box b 1 in such a manner that although it is rather
close to the dead plate 62 in its working position it can be raised (with the rams,
rocking shaft, and levers d 2 d 3) so as to vary the thickness of the fire to suit the
quality of the coal, also for hand firing when required. This may be done in
various ways but I have illustrated the following means on the drawings Figs. 3
and 34; in this modification as shewn the lugs 63 of the box b1 are slotted and
provided with sliding catches 64 which can support the feed box b1 in either
position as seen at Fig. 3 which shews one feed box 61 raised and one in working
position. I provide holes 5 in the stoker front for attaching a bracket 66, (shewn
dotted at Fig. 3) to form the fulcrum of a lever 67 by which the feed box may be
lifted. By this or a rack motion, or other equivalent means to those last above
described, the accumulation of fuel on the fire bars f is not so great at the mouth
of the furnace, as when the space for hand firing is permanent (as shewn at Figs. 1
and 2).
In this case the grid g may be dispensed with and a piece of metal 6* fitted
beneath the inner edge of the plate b to prevent the fire from burning it away, also
a similar piece fl of metal is fixed upon each bar (as shewn on Fig. 34) further
out than 6x to act as a fender to keep the fire from rolling off the end of
the bars..
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. A coking stoker consisting of rams working at the bottom a ram box and
carrying the fuel inwards upon their surfaces, the fuel so carried forward being
spread upon the fire by that part of the fuel in the ram box preventing the return
of the fuel already carried forward when the ram itself returns, the next inward
motion of the rams pushing orward the partly coked fuel and carrying a supply of
fuel forward to be spread on the fire at the return motion of the said rams.
2. The use of rams as above described with the inner ends removable.
3. The improved coking stoker constructed and operated substantially as herein-
before described and illustrated by Figs. 1 and 2, 24 and 34 on the drawings
annexed.
D
1907
GEO. DAVIES & SON,
4, St. Ann's Square, Manchester, Agents for the Applicant.