IMPROVEMENTS IN FURNACES FOR EVAPORATING BRINE AND FOR OTHER HEATING PURPOSES
Year: 1867

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by George Cross and Richard Evanis
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their Petition, on the
22nd March 1867.
: March
We, GEORGE CROSS and RICHARD EVANS, both of Winsford, in the County of
Cheshire, Salt Manufacturers, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FURNACES FOR EVAPORATING BRINE AND FOR
OTHER HEATING PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
This Invention has reference more particularly to furnaces intended for
beating the evaporating pans employed in salt works, although they may be
applied to other heating purposes, the chief objects to be attained being the
economising of fuel, the prevention of smoke, and the power of distributing
the heat uniformly over either the whole or any desired portion of the bottoms
of the evaporating pans according to the quality of the salt required. The
essential feature of novelty which constitutes our said Invention consists in
the employment of several furnaces or fire-places for each pan, and in passing
the smoke and products of combustion from one furnace over the burning fuel
in the adjoining furnace, and in bringing the flames of one furnace or set of
furnaces against each other, or causing them to meet in company with blasts
or currents of air underneath the evaporating pan bottom.
According to one mode of carrying out our Invention we construct, say, 4
furnaces underneath the pan bottom, one pair of furnaces being disposed on
one side of a central flue or passage and the other pair on the opposite side
thereof, from both of which furnaces the products of combustion meet and

page_text: mingle together in the central flue or passage, whence they are carried
forward by the currents of air admitted by air pipes in the brickwork against
a "dash wall" or distributor built immediately opposite the end of the said
flue; this "dash wall" has the effect of dividing or dispersing the flame and
gases through a number of flues disposed in any convenient manner under-
neath the bottom of the evaporating pan. By having dampers in these flues
the flame may obviously be either allowed to circulate through the whole or
through any portion of them as required on its way to the chimney.
According to another modification the products of combustion from the two
inner furnaces pass over the ignited fuel in the outer furnaces, whence they
issue through openings in the ends into a metal or other conduit which is
highly heated by the direct action of the furnaces, of which it forms the backs.
In the centre of this beated flue the air and products of combustion from the
opposite pair of furnaces meet together, and are burned by coming in contact
with a perforated air chamber, suitable communications being formed with the
two inner furnaces for enabling a portion of the flame therefrom to impinge
upon the air chamber, and thereby cause the immediate ignition of the gases
at that part. The flame thus produced is then carried forward against a "dash
wall" as before, which disperses it under the pan.
According to another modification an intermediate flue is formed between
the two furnaces of each pair, wherein the products of combustion unite, and
thence pass over the exterior of a brick or metal flue or conduit, which
becomes highly heated thereby. After passing over this conduit the products
of combustion pass along flues underneath the evaporating pan, returning by
other flues through the interior of the before-mentioned highly heated conduits,
and are brought in contact with a perforated air chamber, which effects their
complete combustion. A main flue passing along the centre of the bottom
of the evaporating pan finally conducts the products of combustion to the
chimney.