Improvements in and relating to Refuse-consuming Furnaces.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 6th June, 1895
Complete Specification Left, 6th Sept., 1895-Accepted, 14th Mar., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Refuse-consuming Furnaces.
I, GUSTAVE DEFOSSE of 220 Rue Theodore Verhaegen Brussels, in the
Kingdom of Belgium, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
--
This invention relates to an improved refuse-consuming furnace and its operating
mechanism and is so constructed as to be erected very rapidly and cheaply at any
required spot.
The furnace is arranged in such a manner as not to require to be worked
continuously, so that its daily duration of working may be restricted.
The refuse to be consumed is received upon a rocking or vibrating grate which
is placed above the orifice of the breaker so as to allow of keeping back large
pieces of refuse such as pieces of pavement or paving stones, broken earthenware,
china, glass, bottles or the like. The breaker is provided with pinion-like teeth
which breaks up the refuse, which when broken falls into a suitable receptacle
whence it is withdrawn and raised to the charging passage by a suitable conveyor
working in a hermetically closed casing.
The inlet or charging passage for charging the broken refuse into the furnace is
provided with a valve or flap which is operated by means of a rod and which is so
regulated as to allow the entry of a charge of refuse equal to that which is already
consumed.
The interior of the furnace is provided with a triangular rod or bar which serves
to aid in distributing the refuse over the entire area of the furnace.
The walls of the inner shell are pierced over their entire surface above the
combustion zone with bevel-shaped holes which facilitate the escape of the smoke,
gases and other products of combustion. The outer shell or casing is bermetically
closed. Between the two shells there is a space which constitutes smoke flues
through which the gaseous products of combustion pass and escape by a pipe
communicating with a suitable condenser. The escape pipe for the smoke and
gases to the condenser is provided with a valve or damper for regulating the
combustion. The capacity of the condenser is equal to the quantity of water
required for absorbing-up to complete saturation-the soluble gaseous products
of the daily working of the furnace.
In communication with the condenser is a fan or air pump operated in any
suitable manner which is adapted to withdraw the unabsorbed products of
combustion and deliver them into a suitable chimney.
In operation the refuse is charged into the furnace, ignited through an opening
provided for the purpose which forms an auxiliary fire place, and by means of
which the combustion may, if desired, be quickened by adding any suitable
carbonaceous materials. At the same time, the fan or air-pump is started, a
vacuum is formed in the upper part of the condenser above the water. therein, and
the air, smoke and products combustion are drawn from the exit-flue of the furnace
into the water contained in the condenser where the soluble products are dissolved,
and from which the insoluble products escape towards the upper part to be
discharged by the action of the fan or air-pump into the chimney.
The combustion in the furnace is regulated by the speed of the fan or
air-pump.
The ashes resulting from the consuming process fall into a pit under the ash-pit

page_text: whence they are taken to-be crushed and mixed with other substances in such a
manner as to form a fertilizer. The grate bars of the furnace are of double-
bevelled shape and have a continuous motion in such a manner as to prevent the
formation of clinkers and slag.
The condenser is provided with cocks which allow of drawing off, when at rest,
the saturated water according to its different density. The condenser is also fitted
with a water gauge so that any excess of water accruing during and in consequence
of the working of the apparatus may be discharged.
´Dated this 6th day of June 1895.
ROBERT E. PHILLIPS, Assoc. M. Inst. C.E., M.I. Mech. E.,
Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent,
70, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Associate Agent.
I, GUSTAVE DEFOSSE, of 220, Rue Theodore Verhaegen Brussels, in the
Kingdom of Belgium, 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 :-
This invention relates to an improved refuse-consuming furnace and its operating
mechanism, and is so constructed as to be erected very rapidly and cheaply at any
required spot.
The furnace is arranged in such a manner as not to require to be worked
continuously, so that its daily duration of working may be restricted.
The refuse to be consumed is received upon a rocking or vibrating grate which
is placed above the orifice of a breaker so as to allow of keeping back large pieces
of refuse such as pieces of pavement or paving stones, broken earthenware, china,
glass, bottles or the like.
A breaker is provided with pinion-like teeth which breaks up the refuse, which
when broken falls into a suitable receptacle whence it is withdrawn and raised to.
the charging passage by a suitable conveyor working in a suitable hermetically
closed casing.
The inlet or charging passage A for delivering the broken refuse into the
furnace is provided with a valve or flap B which is operated by means of a rod,
and which is so regulated as to allow the entry of a charge of refuse equal to that
which is already consumed.
The interior of the furnace is provided with a triangular rod or bar C which.
serves to aid in distributing the refuse over the entire area of the furnace.
The walls of the inner shell are pierced over their entire surface above the
combustion zone with bevel-shaped holes D to facilitate the escape of the smoke
gases and other products of combustion. The outer shell or casing E is
hermetically closed.
Between the two shells there is a space F which forms a smoke flue through
which the gaseous products of combustion pass and escape by a pipe G communi-
cating with a suitable condenser H. The pipe G being provided with a valve or
damper for regulating the combustion.
The capacity of the condenser is equal to the quantity of water required for
absorbing up to complete saturation-the soluble gaseous products of the daily
working of the furnace.
In communication with the condenser is a fan K. or an air pump operated in any
suitable manner which is adapted to withdraw the unabsorbed products of
combustion and deliver them through a suitable pipe L into a suitable chimney.
In operation the refuse is charged into the furnace which is ignited through an

page_text: opening M provided for the purpose and by means of which the combustion may if
desired be quickened by adding any suitable carbonaceous materials. At the same
time, the fan or air-pump is started, which forms a vacuum in the upper part of the
condenser H above the water therein thus drawing the air, smoke and products of
combustion from the exit-flue G of the furnace into the water contained in the
condenser where the soluble products are dissolved, and from which the insoluble
products escape towards the upper part to be discharged by the exhausting action
of the fan or air-pump into the chimney.
The combustion in the furnace is regulated by the speed of the fan or air pump.
The ashes resulting from the consuming process fall into a pit O under the ash
pit N, (as indicated by arrows) whence they are taken to be crushed and mixed
with other substances in such a manner as to form a fertilizer. The grate is
formed of independant bars P see Fig. 2. of a diamond-shaped cross section,
terminating at their extremities in pivots so as to rest in semi-circular hollows of
bars of iron fixed on the interior walls of the furnace. To prevent the formation of
clinkers and slag the bars receive a trembling or rocking movement which is
produced automatically by the combustion of the materials resting thereon.
The condenser is provided with cocks a, b, c, and d which allow of drawing off,
when at rest, the saturated water according to its different density. The condenser
is also fitted with a water gauge so that any excess of water accruing during and in
consequence of the working of the apparatus may be discharged.
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
(1) The improved refuse-consuming furnace as herein before described and
illustrated by the accompanying drawing.
(2) A process of incinerating rubbish and refuse of all kinds, characterized by
the fact that the crushed rubbish and refuse are brought into a furnace where they
are burned, the ashes fall into a pit, and the gases, and all exhalations and
emanations are conveyed into a condensing reservoir containing a suitable quantity
of water, and in which a vacuum is produced above the layer of water by means of
a fan or of an air pump, the odorous gases becoming dissolved in the said water,
whilst the others are drawn off by the fan and escape into the atmosphere,
substantially as set forth.
(3) The apparatus and arrangement for carrying out the hereinbefore described
process, comprising:-an incinerating furnace with a double shell or casing the
outer casing E being hermetically fixed on the masonry and the inner casing being
formed with slanting apertures D to allow of the gases passing into the empty
space F which serves as a chimney flue, with an inlet passage A, with a valve or
flap B, with a triangular bar C for dispersing or breaking up the refuse, with a
rocking grate P with diamond-shaped pivotted bars, with an igniting opening M
also for use in accelerating the combustion, with an ash pan N and ash pit O.; a
pipe G for discharging the gases to the condenser into which it enters and extends
down to a certain distance from the bottom the said pipe being provided with a
valve I; a coudenser H containing a suitable amount of water and provided with
gauge cocks and cocks for indicating density; and a fan or air pump K adapted to
draw off the insoluble gases in order to force the same into the pipe L opening into
the chimney, substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by the accom-
panying drawing.
ted this 6th day of September 1895.
ROBERT E. PHILLIPS, Assoc. M. Inst. C.E., M.I. Mech. E.,
Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent,
70, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Associate Agent.