Improvements in Mechanical Stokers.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Nov., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 21st Aug., 1893-Accepted, 23rd Sept., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Mechanical Stokers.
I JOHN ERNEST LEIGH TATHAM of 22 Redcross Street, Rochdale, in the
County of Lancaster, Cotton Spinner, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
My invention relates to mechanical stokers for automatically feeding fuel to
furnaces.
Hitherto it has been customary to employ hoppers or other receptacles at a
higher level than the furnaces to which it is desired to feed the fuel, and the said
fuel has been supplied to the said hoppers by means of Archimedean screws or
otherwise from the stock or heap of fuel, after which, the fuel has been transferred
from the hoppers or receptacles to the furnaces.
My invention consists essentially in so constructing mechanical stokers, as to
dispense with the use of the hoppers or receptacles and the mechanism for supplying
them with fuel.
A mechanical stoker under my invention consists essentially of a travelling
creeper or apron with or without projections or blades or other suitable devices for
holding the fuel on the travelling creeper or apron, mounted or carried upon a
frame work one end of which is fixed to or near the furnace, whilst the other end
reaches to the stock or heap of fuel. The fuel is deposited on the creeper in the
necessary quantities by the person in charge. The said creeper or apron is operated
from some convenient driving shaft, and it carries the fuel from the stock or heap
to the furnaces, tipples or deposits its burden on to the bars or grates. Under a
modification, a receptacle inside the furnace doors receives the fuel as it is tippled
off the creeper and there is a lever, brush, pusher, or screw, to force the fuel from
the receptacle on to the fire bars.
Under a further modification, instead of a creeper or apron, I employ a carrying
arrangement composed of sets of bars or staves of any suitable material and shape
which are so worked, that each of the bars alternately move upward and then
forward, so that the forward movement carries forward the fuel and leaves it or
desposits it ready for the next bar or stave to take it, and so on.
The fuel is thus carried up to the furnace and is deposited or dropped on to the
bars or grate, or into the receptacle as before described.
The amount of coal or fuel which is deposited on the creeper or carriers from
the coal heap or other fuel, is regulated in any suitable manner so that a necessary
supply of same will be carried up to the furnaces.
Dated the 18th day of November 1802
Per pro J. T. KING,
J. Johnson,
Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Mechanical Stokers.
I JOHN ERNEST LEIGH TATHAM of 22 Redcross Street, Rochdale, in the
County of Lancaster, Cotton Spinner, 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 relates to mechanical stokers for automatically feeding fuel to

page_text: nigher level than the furnaces to which it is desired to feed the fuel and the said
fuel has been supplied to the said hoppers by means of Archimedean screws or
otherwise from the stock or heap of fuel, after which the fuel has been transferred
from the hoppers or receptacles to the furnaces.
My invention consists essentially in so constructing mechanical stokers as to
dispense with the use of the hoppers or receptacles and the mechanism for supplying
them with fuel.
A mechanical stoker under my invention consists essentially of a travelling
creeper or apron with or without projections or blades or other suitable devices for
holding the fuel on the travelling creeper or apron mounted or carried upon a frame
work one end of which is fixed to or near the furnace, whilst the other end reaches
to the stock or heap of fuel. The fuel is deposited on the creeper in the necessary
quantities by the person in charge. The said creeper or apron is operated from
some convenient driving shaft and it carries the fuel from the stock or heap to the
furnaces, tipples or deposits its burden on to the bars or grates. Under a modifica-
tion, a receptacle inside the furnace doors receives the fuel as it is tippled off the
creeper, and there is a lever, brush, pusher, or screw to force the fuel from the
receptacle on to the fire bars."
Under a further modification, instead of a creeper or apron I employ a carrying
arrangement composed of sets of bars or staves of any suitable material and shape
which are so worked, that, each set of bars or staves alternately moves upward and
then forward, so that the forward movement carries forward the fuel and leaves it
or deposits it ready for the next set of bars or staves to take it, and so on. The
fuel is thus carried up to the furnace and is deposited or dropped on to the bars or
grate, or into the receptacle as before described.
The amount of coal or fuel which is deposited on the creeper or carriers from
the coal heap or other fuel is regulated in any suitable manner so that a necessary
supply of same will be carried up to the furnaces.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a vertical section illustrative of a stoker under my invention. a represents
the mouth of a furnace. fire bars. The said bars may have a reciprocating or
other movement in any well know manner so as to carry fuel deposited thereon
through the furnace. The travelling creeper consists of metallic chains c provided
with cross bars or blades d. The chains c pass around pulleys e on a frame fone
end of which enters the mouth of the furnace a whilst the other end is carried
beneath the hopper.g below the level of the cart or wagon track h. The fuel is
tipped direct into the hopper g from the cart or wagon. The said hopper may
have a reciprocating or rocking motion imparted to it so as to ensure regular
deposition of fuel on the creeper, or other well known means may be employed for
that purpose. is a plate or table carried by the frame f. The fuel rests on the
said plate or table and is moved along its surface to the furnace by means of the
bars or blades d. Instead of chains, hinged plates or a flexible apron, say of woven
wire may be used extending from side to side of the frame, in this case the plate or
table i will not be required. Motion is given to the creeper by any suitable gear
acting on one of the shafts of the pulleys e.
Fig. 2 is a sectional view illustrative of a modification of apparatus in which the
fuel is deposited by the creeper in a receptacle j at the mouth of the furnace and is
lifted thence on to the bars by means of a worm k. Motion may be given to the
creeper and screw by diagonal gear or in any other convenient manner.
Fig. 3 is a sectional view illustrative of a further modification of apparatus in
which there are two series or sets of bars, staves, or carriers m m', carried by
arms n n', hinged at o o', and connected by links p p. Each set of carriers is caused
to rise and move forward alternately as shown so as to deposit the fuel on the other
set and deposit it in the furnace. It will be evident that many well known step by
step conveyors may be used for the above purpose.

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
Mechanical stokers in which fuel is fed to furnaces from hoppers beneath the
furnace mouth by means of creepers, step by step mechanism, or a combination
thereof with screw feed mechanism substantially as set forth.
D: 10th day of Auct 1892
Per pro J. T. KING,
J. Johnson,
Agent.