IMPROVEMENTS IN ANNEALING FURNACES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Lysaght, of the St. Vincent's Corrugated Iron Works,
in the City of Bristol, Corrugated Iron Manufacturer, and Christopher James,
of No. 4, Alexandra Road, Clifton, in the City of Bristol, Consulting Engineer,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ANNEALING FURNACES."
Sealed the 25th January 1878, and dated the 27th September 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Lysaght and Christopher
James at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th September,
1877.
JOHN LYSAGHT, of the St. Vincent's Corrugated Iron Works, in the City of
Bristol, Corrugated Iron Manufacturer, and CHRISTOPHER JAMES, of No. 4, Alexandra
Road, Clifton, in the City of Bristol, Consulting Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
ANNEALING FURNACES."
This Invention has for its object improvements in annealing furnaces. For this
purpose we construct an annealing furnace of a series of annealing chambers
ranged in two parallel rows with a longitudinal flue between the rows, and a trans-
verse flue at each end. Across each chamber are four or other number of boxes or
ovens to contain the sheets or other articles to be annealed; the boxes or ovens
rest on brickwork supports, with spaces between the supports to allow the heat to
act upon the bottom of the boxes. The boxes are also carried through the outer
walls of the chambers, and are there closed by moveable covers to allow of their
being charged and emptied. At the end of one of the rows of chambers is a furnace,
the heat from which can be led into the end transverse flue. When the boxes or
ovens in one or two of the chambers at the end of this row nearest to the furnace
have been charged, fire is started in the furnace, and the heat passes into the end
chamber, and through it into the next chamber. A temporary partition is at this
time placed across the end transverse flue to prevent the heat passing to the end
chamber of the other row of chambers. The heat is also for a time prevented from

page_text: passing from the end of the second chamber into the third chamber, the openings
between these chambers being for a time closed, but the heat is allowed to escape
from the end of the second chamber by openings at the bottom, and to pass by a
short transverse flue into the longitudinal flue, and thence to the chimney. There is
a similar transverse flue from the bottom of each chamber into the longitudinal
flue, and these transverse flues are all filled with dampers.
At the end of each annealing chamber, where the heated gases enter it, is a com-
bustion chamber separated from the body of the annealing chamber by a partition
wall, and the heat passes from the end of one annealing chamber by openings at
the bottom into the next combustion chamber and rising up passes into the body
of the annealing chamber, over the top of the partition wall. The heat therefore
enters at the top of one end of the annealing chambers, and passes away at the bottom
of their other end. When the boxes in the first chamber have been sufficiently heated,
the heat passing through the combustion chamber of the second annealing chamber
will be sufficient to ignite coal. Fuel is then admitted into this combustion chamber
through firing holes at the top, and the fire in the furnace is allowed to gradually
die away. The heat also is allowed to pass from the second annealing chamber into
the third annealing chamber, and from thence to the chimney. In the same way
the fire is made to advance from one annealing chamber to another. When the first
chamber has cooled down the openings between it and the furnace are closed, and
the temporary partition in the end transverse flue taken down. Afterwards the
process goes on continously from one chamber to another.
By constructing annealing furnaces in the manner above described a great saving
of time and fuel is effected, and the wear and tear of the boxes and furnaces is much
reduced owing to the rise and fall of their temperature taking place gradually, and
also to the heat being under perfect control.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent and of
an order of the Lord Chancellor filed by the said John Lysaght and Chris-
topher James in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 12th April 1878.
JOHN LYSAGHT, of the St. Vincent's Corrugated Iron Works, in the City of
Bristol, Corrugated Iron Manufacturer, and CHRISTOPHER JAMES, of No. 4, Alexandra
Road, Clifton, in the City of Bristol, Consulting Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
ANNEALING FURNACES."
11
This Invention has for its object improvements in annealing furnaces. For this
purpose we construct an annealing furnace of a series of annealing chambers, ranged
in two parallel rows, with a longitudinal flue between the rows and a transverse
flue at each end. Across cach chamber are four or other number of boxes or ovens
to contain the sheets or other articles to be annealed; the boxes or ovens rest on
brickwork supports, with spaces between the supports to allow the heat to act upon
the bottom of the boxes. The boxes are also carried through the outer walls of the
chambers, and are there closed by moveable covers to allow of their being charged
and emptied. At the end of one of the rows of chambers is a furnace, the heat from
which can be led into the end transverse flue. When the boxes or ovens in one or
two of the chambers at the end of this row nearest to the furnace have been charged,
fire is started in the furnace, and the heat passes into the end chamber and through
it into the next chamber. A temporary partition is at this time placed across the
end transverse flue to prevent the heat passing to the end chamber of the other row
of chambers. The heat is also for a time prevented from passing from the end of
the second chamber into the third chamber, the openings between these chambers
being for a time closed, but the heat is allowed to escape from the end of the second
chamber by openings at the bottom, and to pass by a short transverse flue into the
longitudinal fluo and thence to the chimney. There is a similar transverse flue from
the bottom of each chamber into the longitudinal flue, and these transverse flues are
all fitted with dampers.
At the end of each annealing chamber, where the heated gases enter it, is a com-
bustion chamber separated from the body of the annealing chamber by a partition
wall, and the heat passes from the end of one annealing chamber by openings at the
bottom into the next combustion chamber, and rising up passes into the body of
the annealing chamber over the top of the partition wall. The heat therefore enters
at the top of one end of the annealing chambers and passes away at the bottom of
their other end. When the boxes in the first chamber have been sufficiently heated
the heat passing through the combustion chamber of the second annealing chamber
will be sufficient to ignite coal. Fuel is then admitted into this combustion chamber
through firing holes at the top, and the fire in the furnace is allowed to gradually
die away. The heat also is allowed to pass from the second annealing chamber into
the third annealing chamber, and from thence through further annealing chambers
to the chimney. In the same way the fire is made to advance from one annealing
chamber to another. When the first chamber has cooled down the openings between
it and the furnace are closed and the temporary partition in the end transverse flue
taken down. Afterwards the process goes on continuously from one chamber to
another.
By constructing annealing furnaces in the manner above described a great saving
of time and fuel is effected, and the wear and tear of the boxes and furnaces is much
reduced owing to the rise and fall of their temperature taking place gradually, and
also to the heat being under perfect control.
Figures 1, 2, and 3 of the Drawings hereunto annexed, shew various views of an
annealing furnace constructed as above described.
Figure 1 is a plan view in section; Figure 2, a longitudinal vertical section on
the line C, D; and Figure 3, a transverse vertical section on the line A, B.
A, A', A, &c., are the annealing chambers ranged in two parallel rows; B, B, are

page_text: the boxes or ovens carried through the outer walls of the chambers. Each chamber
is shewn to contain four boxes or ovens; for most purposes it is however preferable
'to form them to contain a lesser number of boxes; C is the longitudinal flue between
the two rows of chambers; C', a chimney at the end of this flue; and D, D, the
transverse end flues; E. is the furnace used at starting; the heat from this furnace
passes through openings F, F, into the end flue D, and from thence into the first
chamber A, a temporary partition being placed across this end flue at the point D¹,
whilst the furnace E is being fired; G, G, are the transverse flues leading from the
bottom of the end of each chamber into the longitudinal flue C; G' are valves for
closing the ends of these flues where they enter the flue C; H, H, are the openings
at the bottom of the partition walls between the chambers to allow heat to pass
from one chamber to another; I, I, are the combustion chambers at the end of each
chamber; K, K, are firing holes through which fuel may be supplied to the com-
bustion chambers.
A modification of the above furnace is shown at Figures 4, 5, and 6. In this
modified form of the furnace the combustion chambers I at the end of each of the
chambers A, A', &c., in place of being supplied with powdered fuel through the firing
holes K, have a grating of fire-bars L, L, upon which fuel may be burnt; the fuel
is supplied on to the bars through openings L' in the outer walls. Each of the
chambers A, A', &c., of the furnace is in this kiln shewn to contain only one box or
oven B; in other respects the furnace is similar to the one shewn at Figures
1, 2, and 3.
Having thus described the nature of our Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, we would have it understood that we claim the construction of annealing
furnaces, substantially as herein-before described, and illustrated in the Drawings
annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Christopher James, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eleventh day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.