Improvements in Furnaces, Retort Chambers, and the like.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Dec., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 28th Sept., 1892-Accepted, 29th Oct., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Furnaces, Retort Chambers, and the like.
I, DAN RYLANDS of Shepcote near Barnsley in the County of York Glass
Bottle Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My present invention has for its object such an improvement in furnaces used for
the purpose of melting glass or for any similar purpose as will ensure the most
economical use of fuel and will also secure from the use of such fuel a valuable bye-
product of coke. My invention is also applicable to retort chambers where the
retorts used are placed vertically, or such retorts may be placed horizontally where
a suitable position for such arrangement can be made. According to my present
invention I construct two rows of ovens built in the form and shape of coke ovens
and these ovens will extend to the full length that the furnace is required to be, or
in some cases they may be somewhat longer or shorter as may be found most
suitable. These coke ovens are placed in the manner known as "back-to-back,"
but between the backs of each of these coke ovens I arrange for a space large
enough to contain the furnace that I intend to heat; and I so arrange these coke
ovens that the flame which issues from them as the coke is burning issues over the
furnace at such a height as will secure the proper melting of the material which it
is desired to melt. I make proper arrangements for the gases and the flame from
the coke ovens passing direct out of each coke oven across the furnace, and there-
fore the flame from the coke ovens at opposite sides will meet at the centre or
middle of the furnace. I arrange at one end of the furnace a flue for carrying
away the incombustible gases from the furnace, but I arrange this flue in such a
way that over or in the hottest part of it boilers for raising steam and retorts for
either lime burning or for gas producing or for other purposes can be placed. I
also make arrangements so that the heat after it has passed from the furnace can be
utilised either for mixing with steam for driving an improved steam engine, or for
passing under or over drying rooms for drying purposes, or for other similar
purposes.
In some cases I apply a forced draught to the ovens composed of a mixture of
steam and hot air.
3001
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Furnaces, Retort Chambers, and the like.
I, DAN RYLANDS of Shepcote near Barnsley, in the County of York Glass
Bottle Manufacturer, 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 :-
My present invention bas for its object such an improvement in furnaces used
for the purpose of melting glass or for any similar purpose as will ensure the most
economical use of fuel and will also secure from the use of such fuel a valuable bye-
product of coke. My invention is also applicable to retort chambers where the
retorts used are placed vertically or such retorts may be placed horizontally where
a suitable position for such arrangement can be made. According to my present
invention I construct two rows of ovens built in the form and shape of coke ovens,

page_text: and these ovens will extend to the full length that the furnace is required to be, or
in some cases they may be somewhat longer or shorter as may be found most
Buitable. These coke ovens are placed in the manner known as "back to back,"
but between the backs of each of these coke ovens. I arrange for a space large
enough to contain the furnace that I intend to heat; and I so arrange these coke
ovens that the flame which issues from them as the coke is burning issues over the
furnace at such a height or in such a position as will secure the proper melting of
the material which it is desired to melt. I make proper arrangements for the gases
and the flame from the coke ovens passing direct out of each coke oven across the
furnace and therefore the flame from the coke ovens at opposite sides will meet at
the centre or middle of the furnace. I arrange at one end of the furnace a flue for
carrying away the incombustible gases from the furnace, but I arrange this flue in
such a way that over or in the hottest part of it boilers for raising steam, and
retorts for either lime burning or for gas producing, or for other purposes, can be
placed. I also make arrangements so that the heat after it has passed from the
furnace can be utilised either for mixing with steam for driving an improved steam
engine, or for passing under or over drying rooms for drying purposes, or for other
similar purposes. In some cases I apply a forced draught to the ovens composed
of a mixture of steam and hot air for the short time necessary for fully completing
the carbonisation of the coal.
In the drawings which accompany this Specification,
Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation taken on the dotted line 1, 1, shown by block plan
view Fig. 2.
In the drawings a is a glass or metal melting furnace of the usual description,
bb are coke ovens provided with the charging apertures c c, and discharge
openings dd; e e flues conveying the flame and products of combustion from the
coke ovens to the interior of the melting furnace; ƒ ƒ dampers controlling the rate
of combustion in the ovens, and also enabling each coke oven to be isolated from the
melting furnace during the charging with fuel of that oven; 9 the exit flue
conveying the products of combustion away from the furnace to the flues of the
boiler shown by Fig. 2, after traversing which flues the spent gases are conveyed
by flue to the chimney stack. It will be well understood that where necessary
suitable means may be adopted for introducing hot air with the gases and flame
evolved from the coke ovens.
It will be seen that by the above-described arrangement of coke ovens, melting
furnace, and steam boiler, the greater portion of the heat given off in the coking of
the raw fuel is utilised and turned to profitable account in the melting of the glass
or other metal and in the raising of steam; and also secures from the fuel a
valuable bye-product of coke without cost, as the labour involved in charging the
ovens with fuel and withdrawing the resultant coke will not exceed the labour in
feeding and attending to the gas producers which are usually employed.
In the arrangement of ovens illustrated, the chambers h h are rectangular in plan
view with arched roofs, but in some cases it might be preferable to employ double
ovens of the ordinary circular "back-to-back "description, in which case two ovens
would be connected to each of the flues e, thus securing a heavier amount of heating
power on each side of the furnace.
The products of combustion on leaving the melting furnace may be utilised for
other than steam raising purposes. By substituting retort benches for the boiler
shown, the spare heat can be profitably employed in the distillation. of coal and the
production of illuminating or heating gas, in the distillation of shale, in the roasting
of limestone, in the evaporation of brine, in the heating of drying floors, and for very
many useful purposes, as will readily be understood.
The setting of the retorts will vary with the different substances it may be
desired to calcine or distil. With coal a horizontal setting will be satisfactory, but
with limestone or similar substances it would be preferable for emptying purposes
to use retorts set diagonally or vertically.

page_text: 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. The utilisation of heat given off by coke ovens for the heating of glass or other
melting furnaces substantially as described.
2. The utilisation of heat originating from coke ovens first in beating glass or
other similar furnaces, and afterwards for the purpose of generating steam, heating
retorts, or for similar purposes, substantially as described.
Dated this 28th day of September 1892.
DAN KYLANDS.