Improvements in or connected with Steam Boiler Furnaces.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Dec., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 6th Sept., 1893-Accepted, 7th Oct., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Steam Boiler Furnaces.
We SAMUEL HERBERT BROOKS Machine Maker, RICHARD ALEXANDER
DOXEY Machine Maker, of The Union Ironworks, West Gorton, in the County
of Lancaster and ALFRED DAVY of Wilkinson Street, Sheffield, in the County
of York, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The object of this invention is to cause the more complete combustion of the fuel
in the furnace and prevent the formation therein or issuing of dense smoke
therefrom.
It consists essentially in the application to the internal flue immediately behind
the furnace of a series of cross plates or half discs to form a storage for the heat set
at intervals therein with holes or openings through which the products of com-
bustion pass and to the bridge and furnace door of perforated diaphragms through
which air is admitted to the front and end of the furnace.
In carrying out the invention the cross plates or discs which are placed in the
flue are preferably semi-circular and are fitted in the upper part of the flue with a
space between them and the crown of the flue and a space or interval between each.
A number of holes or apertures are formed in each of these plates and they are
strengthened by ribs or feathers at the back. These plates or discs are made of
fire clay iron or other suitable material and are mounted upon longitudinal supports
or girders made in lengths and placed upon the bottom of the flue between the cross
tubes and are preferably bedded upon ganister or other fire resisting material.
The supporting girder preferably runs longitudinally of the flue and is con-
structed in lengths equivalent to the distance between the bridge and the first cross
tube and to fit in between the subsequent tubes. Instead of a longitudinal
supporting girder, however, each of the cross plates may be fitted with lugs or
other supports to hold it in its position. The supporting girders are preferably
made with a number of holes in the centre web to allow of a free passage of the air
from one side to the other.
The heated gases and products of combustion as they escape from the furnace
over the bridge impinge upon the semicircular dises and thence either pass through
the holes provided in these discs or are by the discs deflected down and pass under
their bottom edges. Any desired number of these cross plates or discs may be
used but at present we place about five between the bridge and the first cross tube
and subsequently one between each of the subsequent cross tubes.
The bridge will be constructed hollow of semicircular or other form with a
number of air holes through which air can be admitted into the furnace at the back
of the fire. The support for the bridge which extends below the fire bars will at
the side towards the front of the boiler be supplied with a number of small holes
or perforations and in front of this support will be placed a diaphragm or plate of
sheet metal also perforated with a number of holes about half inch diameter. The
holes in the plate or diaphragm will not be directly opposite those in the supporting
piece so that the air entering through cannot pass in a direct line through the two.
This plate or diaphragm attached in front of the support with a space of about a
quarter of an inch between may be attached thereto by bolts, rivets a hinged joint
or other device. The air entering through these perforations passes up through
the holes in the bridge.
The perforated diaphragm or plate is best suspended from a hinge or flexible

page_text: joint so that the tip or lower edge will stand a little distance away from the face of
the bridge support. On this diaphragm the draught of a hot fire will create a
considerable pressure say of 30 to 40 lbs. causing the diaphragm to fit close against
the face of the perforated bridge support thereby closing the holes as at this time
the fire requires less air to promote combustion.
When the fire becomes low pressure on the diaphragm will be reduced and it will
again hang clear and admit a greater quantity of air.
A similar perforated plate or diaphragin is placed on the outside of the furnace
door though the perforations are preferably smaller and the plate is placed closer
to the door with a smaller space between.
Dated this 24th day of December 1892.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
6, Bank Street, Manchester, Patent Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Steam Boiler Furnaces.
We, SAMUEL HERBERT BROOKS, Machine Maker, RICHARD ALEXANDER
DOXEY, Machine Maker, of The Union Ironworks, West Gorton, in the County
of Lancaster, and ALFRED DAVY, of Wilkinson Street, Sheffield, in the County
of York, 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 :-
The object of this invention is to cause the more complete combustion of the fuel
in the furnace and prevent the formation therein or issuing therefrom of dense
smoke.
It consists essentially in the application to the internal flue immediately behind
the furnace of a series of cross plates or half discs provided with holes or openings
through which the products of combustion pass set at intervals therein to form a
storage for the heat and to the bridge and furnace door of perforated diaphragms
through which air is admitted to the front and back of the furnace.
It will be fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which
as an example a single furnace flue is shown with the invention applied thereto.
Fig. 1. Longitudinal section of flue,
Fig. 2. Front elevation,
Fig. 3. Transverse section on line A. B. Fig. 1.
Fig. 4. Transverse section on line C. D.
The flue E and furnace F with the bars G are constructed in any ordinary
manner.
In the flue E we place a number of cross plates or half discs H which fit into
and project across the upper part of the flue a space being preferably left between
each of these and the walls of the flue. In each of the plates H a number of holes
or apertures h are found and strengthening ribs or feathers are applied at the
back to give strength and rigidity.
The cross plates or discs H may be made of fire clay, iron or other suitable
material and are mounted upon longitudinal supports or girders I made in lengths
and placed upon the bottom of the flue between the cross tubes J and are preferably
bedded upon ganister or other fire resisting material.
The supporting girder I preferably runs longitudinally of the flue and is
constructed in lengths equivalent to the distance between the bridge and the first
cross tube J and to fit in between the subsequent tubes. Instead of a longitudinal
supporting girder (such as 1), however, each of the cross plates H may be fitted
with lugs or other supports to hold it in its position. The supporting girders I are

page_text: preferably made with a number of holes in the centre web to allow of a free passage
of the air from one side to the other.
Any desired number of the cross plates or discs H may be used, but at present
we place about six between the bridge K and the first cross tube J and subsequently
one between each of the subsequent cross tubes.
The heated gases and products of combustion as they escape from the furnace
over the bridge impinge upon the semicircular discs and thence either pass through
the holes provided in these discs or are by the discs deflected down and pass under
their bottom edges.
The bridge K is constructed hollow of semicircular or other form with a number
of air holes k at the top through which air can be admitted into the furnace at the
back of the fire. The support L for the bridge K which extends below the fire
bars is at the side towards the front of the boiler formed with a number of
small holes or perforations and in front of this support we place a diaphragm
or plate M of sheet metal, also perforated with a number of holes m of about
half inch diameter. The holes m in the plate or diaphragm M will not be
directly opposite the holes in the supporting piece L so that the air entering
through cannot pass in a direct line through the two.
The perforated plate or diaphragm M is preferably attached to the support L by
a hinge m', a space being provided between the two or so hung that the perforated
plate M stands off from the perforated structure L. Instead of a hinge any other
form of a flexible joint may be used to connect the two together. The air entering
and passing through the perforations m and 1 passes. through the interior of the
hollow bridge K up into the flue at the back of the fire through the perforations k.
On the plate M the draught of a hot fire will create a considerable pressure of
say from 30 to 40 lbs., causing it to be pressed close against the face of the.
perforated support L, thereby closing the passage through the holes m and I as at
this time the fire requires less air to promote combustion. When the fire becomes
low or the furnace door is opened, the pressure on the perforated plate M is reduced
and it again falls away from the support L allowing air to pass up therethrough to
the back of the fire.
The furnace door N is also perforated with holes n and a perforated plate O,
similar to the plate L, hinged or fitted on the outside of it. When the pressure.on
the door caused by the draught in the furnace is great the perforated plate O is
drawn close against the door N and the passage of air stopped and when the
pressure is reduced the perforated plate falls back from the door and allows a
supply of air through it.
The division plates or discs H may be employed either alone or in conjunction
with the perforated plates L and O, and these plates may be applied without the
cross plates H.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. A steam boiler furnace provided with a number of cross plates (such as H)
placed at intervals in the flue behind the fire to deflect the products of combustion
and form a storage for the heat substantially as described.
2. In a steam boiler furnace the combination with the flue of the cross plates H
provided with holes through which the products of combustion pass, to form .a
storage for heat and the longitudinal supporting girders I arranged substantially
as described and shown.
3. In a steam boiler furnace the combination with a hollow perforated bridge K,
provided with a perforated support L of a perforated plate L hinged or flexibly
attached thereto to admit air to the back of the furnace when the fire is low and
the pressure of draught reduced substantially as described.
4. The combination with the door N of a steam boiler furnace provided with

page_text: perforations, of a perforated plate O hinged or flexibly attached thereto to admit
air to the furnace when the force or pressure of the draught is reduced substantially
as described.
Dated this 30th day of August 1893.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Manchester, Liverpool, and London, Patent Agents: