IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS FOR FEEDING FUEL INTO FURNACES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Charles Ford, of Brooklyn, in the State of
New York, United States of America, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MEANS FOR FEEDING FUEL INTO FURNACES."
Sealed the 22nd August 1876, and dated the 28th February 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Charles Ford at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th February 1876.
WILLIAM CHARLES FORD, of Brooklyn, in the State of New York, United States
of America. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS FOR FEEDING FUEL INTO FURNACES."
The fuel in a comminuted state is placed in a hopper at the front of the
furnace, and there is an opening through the front plate or wall of the furnace
below the said hopper, and preferably above the ordinary fire-door. There is a
slide at the base of the hopper that is to be opened the proper distance to let the
fuel run down out of the hopper when the same is to be fed to the furnace. The
fuel falls upon a spreader plate that preferably is movable, so that it can be
pushed through the opening slightly into the furnace. There is a blast of air or
a supply of steam under pressure, or both, to one or more nozzles that are placed
horizontally, or nearly so, and slightly above the deflector plate; and the fluid is
allowed to issue from these jets while the fuel is being supplied, and hence the
force of the issuing jet scatters such fuel over the surface of the fire in the furnace.
The parts are placed so that this can be done nearly uniformly, and hence with
soft coal the combustion will be perfect, or nearly so, because the supply will be
gradual into the combustion chamber, and the steam or air added with the fuel
promotes perfect combustion. A slide is provided at the opening to shut off heat
from the hopper and jet nozzles when fuel is not being supplied, and the jet nozzles
may be stationary or movable.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Charles Ford in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 24th
August 1876.
WILLIAM CHARLES FORD, of Brooklyn, in the State of New York, United States
of America. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS FOR FEEDING FUEL INTO FURNACES."
[Price AdJI

page_text: •
The fuel in a comminuted state is placed in a hopper at the front of the
furnace, and there is an opening through the front plate or wall of the furnace
below the said hopper, and preferably above the ordinary fire-door. There is a
slide at the base of the hopper that is to be opened the proper distance to let the
fuel run down out of the hopper when the same is to be fed to the furnace. The
fuel falls upon a spreader plate that preferably is movable, so that it can be
pushed through the opening slightly into the furnace. There is a blast of air or
a supply of steam under pressure, or both, to one or more nozzles that are placed
horizontally, or nearly so, and slightly above the deflector plate; and the fluid is
allowed to issue from these jets while the fuel is being supplied, and hence the
force of the issuing jet scatters such fuel over the surface of the fire in the furnace.
The parts are placed so that this can be done nearly uniformly, and hence with
soft coal the combustion will be perfect, or nearly so, because the supply will be
gradual into the combustion chamber, and the steam or air added with the fuel
promotes perfect combustion. A slide is provided at the opening to shut off heat
from the hopper and jet nozzles when fuel is not being supplied, and the jet
nozzles may be stationary or movable.
In the Drawing,
Fig. 1 is a vertical section of the apparatus as applied to the front of a boiler
furnace;
2 is an elevation of the said apparatus ; and
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3 is a sectional plan at the line a, x.
The hopper a is of suitable size and shape. It is shown as fastened to the front b
of the boiler, and with its lower ends terminating at an opening c that passes
through the plate b into the furnace at a convenient hight for the fine particles
of fuel to be scattered over the fire. A slide e is provided at the bottom of the
hopper to regulate the discharge of the whole or a portion of the contents of the
hopper periodically. The fine fuel falls upon the deflector plate f that is either
flat or convex, so as to scatter the fuel properly when projected therefrom by the
action of a jet of steam introduced through the pipe g.
There may be more than one jet of steam, and I remark that it is preferable to
employ a horizontal or nearly horizontal jet, and the scattering plate may be
stationary, but usually it will be movable, so as to be projected more or less into
the furnace, and thus deflect the dust with uniformity in different directions.
The slide is shown as adapted to closing the orifice into the furnace, so as to
shut off the heat from the hopper after the fuel has been fed in.
The deflector fis represented as a slide that is moved into the furnace after the
slide has been drawn back.
The nozzle for the jet of steam may be so applied as to draw in air, more or less,
to promote combustion and prevent the steam checking the fire; and this nozzle
may be united by a coupling to the steam pipe and provided with a lever, so that
it can be swung around horizontally to direct the fuel to any required place in the
furnace.
What I claim as my Invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,―
First. The combination with a fuel supply and slide to regulate the discharge
of a deflector plate and issuing jet to scatter the small particles or pieces of fuel
into the furnace, as set forth.
Second. The jet nozzle g, in combination with the deflector slide f, hopper a, and
slide e, for closing the opening from the hopper, substantially as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Charles Ford, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fourth day of August, A.D. 1876.
WILLIAM CHARLES FORD. (L.S.)
Witnesses,
CHA. H. SMITH, 76, Chambers St., New York.
GEO. T. PINCKNEY,
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