Improvements in Kilns and Apparatus for Drying and Burning Bricks and Pottery.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Aug., 1890-Accepted, 18th Oct., 1890
Improvements in Kilns and Apparatus for Drying and Burning
Bricks and Pottery.
We, JOHN JAMES BARCLAY, of 55 Millburn Street, Sunderland, in the County of
Durham, Gas Engineer and JouN MEIKLE, of 3 Claremont Terrace, Sunderland
aforesaid, Veterinary Surgeon, 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 has for its object improvements in kilns and apparatus for drying
and burning bricks and relates more especially to such kilns and apparatus as are
described in the Specification of a Patent granted to me John James Barclay and
others No. 13,380 in the year 1884. As is set forth in the said Specification the
kilns are heated by the combustion of gas made in gas producers and led into the
kilns by flues. The products of combustion are conducted out from the kiln in
which the gases are burnt into another kiln in which are goods to be heated
preparatory to burning and finally the products of combustion are conducted by
flues in the floor of a drying shed to a chimney.
The kilns are oblong in plan and have arched or vaulted roofs. Each kiln is divided
into three sections by partitions in which are arch ways by which the sections communi-
cate the one with the other. Over the arches are cavities into which gas is led and
other cavities into which air enters. The gas and the air pass from the cavities into
the kiln chamber by apertures in the partition walls above the archway and on both
sides of the partition.
In the Specification above referred to gas chambers are described into which the gas
brought from the producers by underground flues enters and from these gas chambers
rising flues ascend to the vaulted roof of the kiln; they pass over the top of the roof
and supply the gas into passages which descend through the vaulted roof into the gas
cavity in the partition. The gas issues from the cavity in the manner already
described and is ignited and burnt by the aid of the air which also is supplied to the
kiln.
According to the present invention these gas chambers are dispensed with and so also
are the gas flues over the vaulted roof; whereby the roof is relieved of much weight
and the construction of the kiln is simplified. The gas is admitted to the
gas cavities
in the partitions by rising flues in the thickness of the kiln walls which flues ascend
direct from the underground gas flues to the top of the side walls of the kiln; they
enter the gas cavities near the springing of the vaulted roof. At the back of the rising
gas flues on the outside there are air flues also rising from underground channels and
these are in like manner connected with the air cavities in the partitions.
The gas producers have ash pits closed in front by an iron door which may be luted
to render it gas tight. Steam is admitted to the ash pit by pipes and by means of a
steam jet air also is forced into the ash pit of the producer. The fuel rests upon fire
bars which can from time to time be cleared of ash, the ash pit door being opened for
the purpose.
These gas producers are square within but the lining of the upper part is pyramidal
and terminates at the top in a mouth and hopper by which the fuel is introduced.
The mouth is closed by a valve consisting of a suspended cone or bell which is
lowered to allow the fuel to fall down from the hopper into the interior of the
producer.
The pyramidal lining is perforated with numerous holes by which the gas generated
passes to the exterior of the lining and between 'it and the outer wall or casing. This
space is connected with the gas flue.
In order that the said invention may be fully understood and readily carried into
effect we will proceed to describe the drawings hereunto annexed.
i Price 8d.i

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a plan showing the general arrangement of the gas producers, kilns
drying shed and chimney.
Figure 2 is a section on the line 2, 2, in Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a longitudinal vertical section of one of the kilns to a larger scale.
Figure 4 is a transverse section of the same on the line 4, 4, in Figure 3 but with
the side flues and the cavities above the archway opened out.
Figure 5 is a section of the gas producers on the line 5, 5, in Figure 1.
Figure 6 is a section of one of the gas producers on the line 6, 6, in Figure 5.
a, a, b, b, c, c, are flues beneath the floor of the kilns; by the flues a the
gas from the producers enters; by the flues 6 air is admitted to the kilns and
by the flues e air and products of combustion pass out from the kilns. d d are the side
and end walls of the kilns. ee are the vaulted roofs. ff are the partitions with the
archways ff through them. Over the arch way in each case there are two
hollows or cavities g and h. The cavity g is connected the rising flue i with the
gas flue a and the cavity h is connected by a rising flue with the air flue b. g¹ and
are holes in the side walls of the cavities by which gas and the air issue in
horizontal streams beneath the vaulted roof of the kiln. care holes in the floor
of the kiln opening into the flue c beneath. k is an air flue on the roof of the
by
the
kilns and passing from end to end of the series, which usually consists of fire
kilns. is the drying shed and are flues beneath its floor upon which the
goods to be dried are stacked before they go into the kilns to be burnt. m is
the chimney in connection with the flues, valves or dampers are provided
in connection with the several flues which serve the following purposes viz.
to shut off the gas coming from the producers and prevent it from entering
the flue a when the kiln is not to be fired; to control the entrance of air into
the flue ; to connect the air flue b of one kiln with outlet flue c of another
kiln when it is desired to pass the hot products of combustion from the latter into
the former; to connect the flue c with the flues of the drying shed when
required. The overhead flue k is connected by passages with the several flues c
and with the several air cavities h and in these passages there are valves by which
they are closed when not required. The routine in working these kilns is similar
to that of other continuous kilns, the products of combustion from one kiln are
conveyed through the next to heat up the goods previous to the burning before
the gases are allowed to pass beneath the drying shed to the chimney.
burning also air is caused to pass through the kiln to cool it and the hot air so
obtained is taken into another kiln where it is used for maintaining the combus-
tion of the gas.
The kilns go out of use in succession for a period whilst they
are being emptied and refilled; and where intermediate kilns of the series are out
of use the overhead flue is required to maintain the circulation in the manner
described.
After
In respect to the gas producers n n are the outer walls or casing which is
ectangular in plan. n is the pyramidal lining. o is a top covering enclosing a
flue space between the walls and lining which space the gas enters by holes in
the lining. The flue space communicates with the gas flues a. p is the bell valve
and hopper by which the producer is fed. qq are the fire bars. 1r are pipes by
which steam and air is forced in beneath the fire bars. s is a door by which the
ash pit is closed air tight in front; it is preferred when closing it to apply a
luting of clay so that a small pressure such as may be found necessary may be
maintained in the ash pit.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is: :―
1. The arrangements herein described for conveying the gas from the producers

page_text: into the kiln and into the gas spaces in the arched partitions within the kiln,
whereby the employment of gas passages over the vaulted roof of the kiln is
avoided.
2. Gas producers with fire bars on which the fuel rests and an ash pit beneath
the fire bars and a tightly closing door to the ash pit and means for injecting
steam and air into the closed ash pit substantially as described.
3. Gas producers having a pyramidal lining with a feeding mouth at the top
and valve for closing the mouth and a gas space between the lining and the
casing of the producer which space the gas enters by perforations in the lining
and whence it passes by a gas flue substantially as described.
Dated this 20th day of August 1890.
J. J. BARCLAY..
JNO. MEIKLE.