IMPROVE- MENTS IN FURNACES FOR STEAM BOILERS
Year: 1864

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Arthur Thomas Becks at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 11th
April 1864.
I, ARTHUR THOMAS BECKS, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Ironmaster, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN FURNACES FOR STEAM BOILERS," to be as follows :-
My Invention relates to such furnaces for steam boilers as burn gaseous
fuel generated in a gas-producer detached from the steam boiler, and consists
in the following improvements in constructing and arranging the parts of the
furnace-I introduce a blast of air into the gas-producer by means of a pipe
having a horizontal, slit in it, by means of which a horizontal sheet of air is
introduced into the gas-producer immediately over the upper ends of the
inclined fire-bars of the said gas-producer. The ash-pit of the gas producer is
closed; or instead of a blast of air and closed ash-pit the ash-pit may be open,
and air admitted direct from the atmosphere. The gas produced by the
partial combustion of the coal in the gas producer passes by a helical channel
from the bottom to the top of the gas producer, and so far warms the fuel in
the upper part that when the coal descends to the bars it contains little or no
water, and readily enters into combustion. The gas after leaving the producer
passes through a series of condensing pipes, the lower bends of which open
into water. Any condensable matter in the gas is condensed in passing
through the said pipes and runs into the water. The condenser pipes are
connected with one or more flues passing horizontally through the whole

page_text: length of the boiler. At the end of the boiler opposite that at which the
condenser pipes enter the said flue or flues a pipe or pipes are fixed opening
into the said flue or flues, and descending to the channel under the boiler
where they deliver the gas for burning. Besides the flue or flues described a
similar flue or flues pass through the boiler for conveying atmospheric air
which is delivered underneath the boiler by a pipe or pipes similar to those
which deliver the gas. The mixture of gas and air is ignited under the boiler,
and the products of combustion pass to the chimney; the said products of
combustion pass on their way to the chimney through a chamber at that end
of the boiler at which the gas and air enter the flues in the boiler; the pipes
by which the gas and air are delivered to the flues are thereby heated. At
the other end of the boiler is a chamber through which the pipes conveying
the gas and air from the boiler flues to the channel under the boiler pass... A
fire may be lighted in this chamber when the furnace is first lighted, and
before the water in the boiler is hot for the purpose of heating the gas and air.
At the side of the channel under the boiler, and near the point where the gas
and air are delivered, is an opening at which a trough or open box containing
paraffin or other volatile oil may be introduced for lighting the gas when the
furnace is first put to work; both the air and gas pipes are provided with
valves for regulating the amount of gas and air introduced into the furnace.
The action of the furnace is as follows:-The gas from the gas-producer
passing through the condenser pipes is purified from condensable matter, and
passed through the flue or flues in the boiler, having been previously heated
by the waste heat. In passing through the boiler the gas is further heated.
The air which is supplied to the furnace is heated in a similar manner, and
gas and air are ignited under the boiler and heat the said boiler. In
starting the furnace, the gas and air are heated by the small furnace
described, and the gaseous mixture ignited by volatile oil introduced in the
manner already explained.
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