IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN THE BURNING OF SULPTUR OR OF MATERIALS CONTAINING SULPHUR, AND IN THE APPLICATION AND USE OF THE HEAT GENERATED
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Glover, of Silvertown, Victoria Docks, in the
County of Essex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
EMPLOYED IN THE BURNING OF SULPTUR OR OF MATERIALS CONTAINING
SULPHUR, AND IN THE APPLICATION AND USE OF THE HEAT GENERATED."
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Glover at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 19th September 1879.
"
HENRY GLOVER, of Silvertown, Victoria Docks, in the County of Essex.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN THE BURNING OF SULPHUR OR OF
MATERIALS CONTAINING SULPHUR, AND IN THE APPLICATION AND USE OF THE HEAT
GENERATED."
In burning sulphur or materials containing sulphur, capable of being employed
in the manufacture of sulphuric acid, a certain portion of sulphur is volatilized.
Now this Invention relates to effecting the entire combustion of the volatilized
sulphur and at the same time utilizing the heat that is produced, and it consists
in the employment of a mass of fire brick work, set pigeon-hole wise between the
burning plate of furnace and the chambers, in which any sublimed sulphur after
admixture with the proper proportion of air is burnt. The air previous to admission
can, if necessary, be heated by the waste heat of the burning sulphur, and the
quantity of air admitted can be measured by an anemoneter or other means, and
thus secure the proper admixture of gases for the chamber process. By the above
mentioned arrangements I obtain a very high temperature, and at any convenient
portion in the apparatus I propose to place platinum or other vessels, in which I
concentrate sulphuric acid or other liquids; this can either be effected by placing
the vessels inside the apparatus and allowing the products of evaporation to pass
into the chambers; or the heat obtained may be applied either to the upper, lower,
or lateral portion of the evaporating or concentrating apparatus.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Henry Glover in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 19th March
1880.
HENRY GLOVER, of Silvertown, Victoria Docks, in the County of Essex.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN THE BURNING OF SULPHUR OR OF
MATERIALS CONTAINING SULPHUR, AND IN THE APPLICATION AND USE OF THE HEAT
GENERATED.".
According to certain methods of burning sulphur or materials containing sulphur,
capable of being employed in the manufacture of sulphuric acid, a certain portion
of sulphur is very liable to be volatilized.
Now my said Invention relates to effecting the entire combustion of the vola-
tilized sulphur and at the same time utilizing the heat that is produced from the
entire combustion of the whole of the sulphur, and it consists in the employment
of a mass of fire brick work or, other suitable material, set pigeon, hole-wise or in
any other convenient manner between the burning plate of the furnace and the
sulphuric acid chambers or other apparatus so as to form a reservoir of heat, in
which heat may be conserved and any sublimed sulphur after admixture with the
proper proportion of air be burnt. The air previous to admission may if necessary
be heated by the waste heat of the burning snlphur or by any other suitable means,
and the quantity of air admitted may be measured by an anemometer, so as to
secure the proper admixture of gases for any subsequent process. By the above
mentioned arrangements I obtain a very high temperature, and at any convenient
portion of the apparatus I place platinum or other vessels, in which I concentrate
sulphuric acid or other liquids..
The accompanying Drawing illustrates one mode of carrying out my said Inven-
tion, Figure 1 being a longitudinal section, and Figure 2 a sectional plan of an
apparatus constructed in accordance with the same; A is the burning plate or
hearth of the furnace in which the sulphur or material containing sulphur is burnt,
the same being supplied thereto through a hopper B.in.the.usual manner; C is the
passage leading to the sulphuric acid chambers (for example), into which the gases
evolved from the combustion of the sulphur are conducted.
1/
According to my said Invention I interpose between the burning plate A and
the sulphuric acid chambers or other apparatus a mass of fire brickwork or other
suitable material, set pigeon hole wise or in any other convenient manner; an
example of this is indicated at D, the same forming a reservoir of heat, and in'
which any sublimed sulphur may be burnt after admixture with the proper pro-
portion of air admitted by the pipes E or other suitable apparatus situated in any
convenient position. If found desirable the air previous to admission may be
heated by the waste heat of the burning sulphur (or by any other convenient
means), and with the view to facilitate the process which is carried on in the sul-
phuric acid chambers or other apparatus the quantity of air admitted may be
measured by an anemometer, so as to secure the proper admixture of gases for the
process. By the arrangements hereinbefore. described I obtain a very high
temperature, and in order to utilize the heat. thus produced I employ platinum or
other vessels, one of which is shown at F, in which I concentrate sulphuric acid or
other liquids, such vessels being, arranged at any suitable part of 'the apparatus, as,
for example, at the part indicated to receive and be subjected to the action of the
heat generated in the manner hereinbefore described. When the vessel F is used
for concentrating sulphuric acid I prefer to construct the vessel with a surrounding
trough into which the weak acid is first conducted, and thence overflows in a
partially concentrated condition into the body of the vessel, by which means the
wear of the vessel is reduced to a minimum. Pans or vessels containing sulphuric
acid may also be arranged at any convenient parts to be acted upon by the heat,

page_text: as,
for example, at G, H, the weak acid from the chambers may be first introduced
into the pan G, and when partially concentrated conducted into the pan H, to be
thence conducted into the vessel F, where it is finally concentrated to the strength
of oil of vitriol or such other density, as may be required, whilst fresh acid is
introduced into the pan G and thence conducted into the pan H, to be in its turn
subsequently passed into the vessel F for final concentration to the required
strength, so that the operation proceeds in a continuous manner and much of the
available heat is utilized.
It is obvious that details of arrangement of the apparatus may be greatly
varied in practise without departing from the principle of my Invention, as, for
example, two or more of the heat reservoirs D may be employed either in super-
position, or side by side, or otherwise, or any combination of these may be used,
and the concentrating vessels or pans may be placed in any convenient position
either so as to be heated by the gases before the latter enter the reservoir, or in
any position in or beyond the same; the concentrating vessels or pans may also
if desired be provided with covers, so as to admit of the products of evaporation
evolved being drawn off independently of the products from the combustion of the
sulphur; or when a number of vessels or pans are used one or more of them may
be covered whilst the other or others are left open, so that the products of evapo-
ration from such of them as it may be desired to maintain separate are drawn
off direct, whilst the products of evaporation from the others are allowed to pass
with the products from the combustion of the sulphur to the sulphuric acid chambers
or other apparatus; I therefore wish it to be understood that although I have
given as an example a mode of carrying out my said Invention which will be
found convenient in practise, I do not confine myself to the details herein before
described and illustrated on the accompanying Drawings; but what I consider to.
be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the
herein before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
First. The employment in apparatus for burning sulphur, or materials containing
sulphur, of reservoirs of heat, substantially as and for the purpose herein before
described.
Second. In apparatus for burning sulphur, or materials containing sulphur, the
combination with reservoirs of heat, arranged as herein set forth, of vessels or
pans for concentrating sulphuric acid or other liquids, substantially as herein before
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Glover, have to this my Specification
set my hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of March, One thousand eight