IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUATION OR STEAM-ENGINE BOLLER AND OTHER FURNACES
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Carter, of Mottingham, in the County
of Kent, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
CONSTRUATION OR STEAM-ENGINE BOLLER AND OTHER FURNACES."
Sealed the 16th May 1854, and dated the 17th November 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Carter at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 17th November 1853.
I, GEORGE CARTER, of Mottingham, in the County of Kent, Gen-
tleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF STEAM-ENGINE BOILER AND
OTHER FURNACES" to be as follows:-
My said improvements relate to a peculiar mode of adjusting the
aperture or throat of the flue at the bridge of a furnace by means of a
sliding damper, for increasing or diminishing the draught thereat, by
which arrangement, together with a central deflecting bridge and taper-
ing fire bars, I am enabled to effect the combustion of the gaseous

page_text: products of the fuel with economy and the prevention of smoke; and,
when required, I also provide for the admission of hot air to the bridge
damper.
For the better understanding of my said Invention I will now pro-
ceed to describe the particulars thereof, reference being had to the
Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the letters marked thereon.
Fig. 1, is a longitudinal section of a cornish or tubular boiler supplied
with my improved furnace arrangements. A, is the furnace within the
tube, as usual; B, the bridge; C, the flue leading to the chimney shaft;
D, a brick or metal pillar supporting the iron rod or tube E, F, of which
the end E carries a fire lump, the size, or thereabouts, of the aperture
above the bridge B; and at the end F this rod may pass out through
the back brick work of the furnace, whence it may be pushed forwards
or drawn back at pleasure. The remaining portions of the furnace con-
sist of my previously patented improvement of a double ashpit a, b, and
the ordinary deflecting brick bridges c, d, the one placed over about the
middle of the furnace grate, the other contracting the escape to the
flue over the bridge. I recommend, instead of the brick arch c, to form
a deflecting bridge or pocket out of the boiler plate, when being manu-
factured, and so made. that the water.will flow freely through it, which
has not hitherto been applied to the tubes of cornish or tubular boilers,
such as here represented. I also provide that the bars shall be formed
tapering from end to end, all but the nibs or square ends, placing the
smallest end of the bars directed towards the bridge, thereby obtaining
larger air spaces in that direction; and when front and back sets of bars,
as e, f, are used, I advise the tapering to commence at the dead plate g,
and end at the bridge B, so that the air spaces at the back end of the
grate shall be larger than those at the fore part. I would likewise
observe that the action of the rod or tube E, F, is by bringing the fire
lump h, close up to or within the aperture h'; to diminish, or, if
required, to entirely stop the draught, and also when tubular to afford
air through or round the damper h; but I find on withdrawing. the
lump h, by a handle at the end F, I can, regulate the draught of the
furnace more uniformly than by the ordinary flue damper, and with
the effect of a more perfect combustion, and consequent prevention of

page_text: smoke; I sometimes employ hot air, brought in through a tube running
along the crown of the furnace or other convenient place, and entering
the tube E, F, behind the bridge.
Having thus described my said Invention I would observe, that I do
not restrict myself to materials, dimensions, or the precise situation of
the several parts; but what I do claim as my Invention is, namely,-
The improvements in the central deflecting boiler bridge, the tapering
fire bars, and the adjustable sliding bridge damper, as described.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,'
filed by the said George Carter in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 17th, May 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I
GEORGE CARTER, of Mottingham, in the County of Kent, Gentleman,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the
seventeenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs, and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said George Carter, Her special
licence that I, the said George Carter, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said George Carter, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no

page_text: others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
upon
THE CONSTRUCTION OF STEAM-ENGINE BOILER AND OTHER FURNACES,"
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said George Carter, by an
instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed
in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Carter, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:
My said improvements relate to a peculiar mode of adjusting the
aperture or throat of the flue at the furnace bridge, by means of a
sliding damper, for increasing or diminishing the draught thereat; by
which arrangement, together with a central deflecting bridge, and
tapering fire bars, and certain modifications of the flues and ashpits of
furnaces, I am enabled to effect the combustion of the gaseous pro-
ducts of the fuel with economy and the prevention of smoke; and,
when required, I also introduce an arrangement of air passages for the
admission of hot air to the bridge damper or flaine bed.
And for the better understanding of my said Invention I will now
proceed to describe the particulars thereof, reference being had to the
Drawing hereunto annexed, and the letters marked thereon.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1, is a longitudinal section of a cornish or tubular boiler sup-
plied with my improved furnace arrangements. A, is the furnace within
the boiler tube or flue, as usually placed there; B, the bridge; C, the
flue leading to the chimney shaft; D, a brick or metal pillar supporting
the iron rod or tube E, F, of which the end E carries a fire lump,
made of fire clay, the size, or thereabouts, of the aperture above the

page_text: bridge B; and at the end F this rod may pass out through the back
brickwork of the furnace, whence it can be pushed forwards or drawn
back at pleasure. The remaining portions of the furnace consist of my
previously patented improvement of a double ashpit a, b, and likewise'
the ordinary deflecting bridges c, d, the one placed over about the
middle of the furnace grate, the other contracting the escape to the flue
over the bridge B. I recommend, instead of the brick arch c, to form
a deflecting bridge in the roof of the boiler tube, by a suitable arrange-
ment of the boiler plates, the water flowing freely through it, as in
marine boiler water bridges, but which has not hitherto been applied to
the tubes or flucs of boilers as here recommended. I also provide that
the bars shall be formed tapering from end to end, the nibs or square
ends excepted, placing their smallest end or widest opening at the bridge
end of the furnace, thereby obtaining larger air spaces in that direction
than usual. When using two or more sets of bars the tapering may
commence from the front to the back, or the front set may be close
and the back bars only tapered. I would also observe that the action
of the rod or tube E, F, is shown by bringing the fire lump h, close up
to or within the aperture ', to diminish, or, if required, to entirely stop
the draught; and when using a tubular rod or stem it can be used as
an air passage to direct air through or around the damper h, and by
means of a handle at the end F, the draught may be readily adjusted.
When E, F, is a solid rod, air pipes may be passed through the flues to
bring hot air from the ashpit diaphragm or plate opening into the
chamber immediately behind the bridge, and between or behind the
brick pillars, hereafter described. I sometimes employ hot air admitted
through a tube or tubes running along the crown of the furnace, or
below the furnace bars or other convenient place, and entering the
tube E, F, behind the bridge.
Having thus described my said improvements, I wish it to be under-
stood that I sometimes make the false bottom a, for the ashpit move-
able on pivots, or with a hinge joint; and it may also have pulleys and
weights for more readily raising or lowering it in front; it may likewise
be elongated to extend to the furnace bridge B, and be arranged to
convey the air direct through a slot in the bridge, when so desired;

page_text: the false bottom a, serves to heat the air, and may be supplied with
tubes to conduct the hot air by a natural or artificial draught to the
chamber behind the bridge, or other parts of the furnace. I also find
it advantageous to place one, two, or more rows of brick pillars in the
flue, behind and near the bridge, reaching from top to bottom, or with
bricks built from side to side, or formed of brick or tiles variously per-
forated; and it is sometimes adviseable to coat or line a portion of the
furnace flue of cornish boilers with fire tiles, clay, or bricks. The brich
pillars should be placed alternating when two or more rows are intro-
duced, and it is often desirable to have a deflecting arch against the
top of the flue, beyond the bridge. I do not, however, restrict myself to
materials, dimensions, or the precise situation of the several parts, which
may be considerably modified for different kinds of furnaces without
deviating from the principle of my Invention. And I do declare that
what I claim as my Invention is, namely,
The improvements in steam engine boiler furnaces and other fur-
naces, as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Carter, have. hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of May, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four..
GEO. CARTER. (L.S.)..