IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPLICABLE TO STEAM GENERATOR AND FURNACES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Vicars, the elder, John Vicars, the elder, Thomas
Vicars, the younger, John Vicars, the younger, Engineers, and James Smith,
Baker, all of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPLICABLE TO STEAM GENERATOR AND
FURNACES."
OTHER
Sealed the 18th July 1879, and dated the 30th January 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Vicars, John Vicars,
Thomas Vicars, John Vicars, and James Smith at the Office of the Com-
missioners of Patents on the 30th January 1879.
THOMAS VICARS, the elder, JOHN VICARS, the elder, THOMAS VICARS, the younger,
JOHN VICARS, the younger, Engineers, and JAMES SMITH, Baker, all of Liverpool,
in the County of Lancaster. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPLICABLE TO STEAM
GENERATOR AND OTHER FURNACES."
This Invention relates principally to improvements in and on our well known
self stoking furnaces, in which the fire bars are carried forward in a body from the
front towards the rear end of the grate, and are moved back again in detachments
or one at a time, and has for its object to so construct and arrange the parts that
the combustion of the fuel may be regulated in the best manner, that hand firing
may be available should any accident happen to the machinery, that the fire bars
may be easily removed and replaced, if necessary, whilst combustion is taking
place, and that the durability and efficiency of action of the working parts may be
increased.
In carrying our Invention into practice we proceed as follows:—
We employ a revolving shaft beneath the level of the fire bars to give motion to
the whole of the self stoking machinery, so as to allow the opening to the furnace
above the said fire bars to be as free from obstruction by machinery as possible.
From the said revolving shaft motion is given by means of eccentrics, levers, or like
means to feeding plungers constructed and arranged on our or in any well known
way; or the said shaft may give motion to any other well known or desired fuel
feeding apparatus. The said revolving shaft, by means of a cam or cams, tappet or
tappets, eccentric or eccentrics, or like means, gives a forward and backward motion
to two bars or carrying pieces placed across the furnace, and on which the front
ends of the fire bars rest. The said cam, or cams, or their equivalents move each

page_text: transverse bar or carrying-piece separately towards the front of the furnace so as to
-draw-back-one-after-the-other-the-series-of bars which rest thereon. The said
transverse bars or carrying pieces both move forward together and carry the whole
of the bars with them towards the rear end of the furnace. The connecting piece
-or-pieces-between-the-cam--or cains, or their equivalents, and the transverse bars or
carrying pieces are so connected to or acted upon by the cam, or cams, or their
equivalents, through the intervention of racks and pawls, or like adjusting
mechanism, that the length of travel of each series of fire bars may be adjusted at
pleasure. The fire bars which rest at one end on the cross bars or carrying pieces
are so constructed or provided with a recess and clip wedge or key piece, that when
placed in position the said clip wedge or key holds or retains the said bars firmly
attached to the cross bars or carrying pieces, although by raising the said clip
wedge or key the said bars may be easily removed when necessary. The bearer
upon which the back ends of the bars rest is constructed with slots or openings so
as to form a small grate, and is fitted with a projecting box or flanges at its rear
end, within or between which is placed a fire brick or fire bricks, perforated or
solid, projecting beyond the end of the said bearer into the flue. The said box or
flanges is or are made in several separate pieces or in one piece, having niches or
slots cut or formed therein so as to allow for unequal expansion and contraction.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Thomas Vicars, John Vicars, Thomas Vicars, John Vicars, and
James Smith in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 30th July 1879.
THOMAS VICARS, the elder, JOHN VICARS, the elder, THOMAS VICARS, the younger,
and JOHN VICARS, the younger, Engineers, and JAMES SMITH, Baker, all of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPLICABLE TO
Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster.
STEAM GENERATOR AND OTHER FURNACES."
This Invention relates principally to improvements in and on our well known
self stoking furnaces, in which the fire bars are carried forward in a body from the
front towards the rear end of the grate, and are moved back again in detachments,
or one at a time, and has for its object to so construct and arrange the parts that
the combustion of the fuel may be regulated in the best manner, that hand firing
may be available should any accident happen to the machinery, that the fire bars
may be easily removed and replaced, if necessary, whilst combustion is taking
place, and that the durability and efficiency of action of the working parts may be
increased.
In carrying our Invention into practice we proceed as follows: We employ a
revolving shaft beneath the level of the fire bars to give motion to the whole of the
self stoking machinery, so as to allow the opening to the furnace above the said firė
bars to be as free from obstruction by machinery as possible. From the said
revolving shaft motion is given by means of eccentrics, levers, or like means to
feeding plungers constructed and arranged on our or in any well known way; or
the said shaft may give motion to any other well known or desired fuel feeding
apparatus. The said revolving shaft by means of a cam or cams, tappet or tappets,
eccentric or eccentrics, or like means gives a forward and backward motion to two
bars or carrying pieces placed across the furnace, and on which the front ends of
the fire bars rest. The said cam, or cams, or their equivalents move each trans-
verse bar or carrying piece separately towards the front of the furnace so as to
draw back one after the other the series of bars which rest thereon.
The said transverse bars or carrying pieces both move forward together and carry
the whole of the bars with them towards the rear end of the furnace. The connecting
piece or pieces-between the cam or cams, or their equivalents, and the transverse bars
or carrying pieces are so connected to or acted upon by the cam or cams, or their
equivalents, through the intervention of racks and pawls or like adjusting mechanism,
that the length of travel of each series of fire bars may be adjusted at pleasure.
The fire bars which rest at one end on the cross bars or carrying pieces are so
constructed or provided with a recess and clip, wedge, or key piece, that when
placed in position the said clip, wedge, or key holds or retains the said bars firmly
attached to the cross bars or carrying pieces, although by raising the said clip,
wedge, or key, the said bars may be easily removed when necessary. The bearer
upon which the back ends of the bars rest is constructed with slots or openings so
as to form a small grate, and is fitted with a projecting box or flanges at its rear
end, within or between which is placed a fire brick or fire bricks, perforated or
solid, projecting beyond the end of the said bearer into the flue. The said box or
flanges is or are made in several separate pieces or in one piece, having nicks or
slots cut or formed therein so as to allow for unequal expansion and contraction.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation and Fig. 2 a detailed view illustrative of our said
oloom anaraton. 2 Ane 3 revolving shaft placed beneath the

page_text: trics and levers receiving motion from the shaft 3, and operating the feeding
plungers 6 contained_in_the_hopper-7,-from which fuel is fed to the furnace.
8, tappet secured to the shaft 3, and adapted so as to give a backward and forward
motion to the yokes 9. The yokes 9 are attached to each end of a bar or carrying
piece-10 which extends across the fire-place-and is supported at each end in bearings
or-guides-11.-To-the-said-bar or carrying piece 10 one half of the fire bars 12 are
attached-so-as-to-move-therewith. 13 is a second bar or carrying piece having the
other half of the fire bars attached thereto. The said bar or carrying piece receives
its backward motion at a different time to the bar or carrying piece 10 by means
of the tappet 8 acting on the yokes 14. The forward motion which is imparted by
the tappet 8 to the bar or carrying piece 10 is communicated to the bar or carrying
piece 13 through the said bar or carrying piece 10 striking against the fire bars 15;
by that means the fire bars 12 and 15 move forward together so as to carry the
fuel towards the rear of the furnace. The yokes 9 and 14 are connected to
their respective bars or carrying pieces by the rack and pawl mechanism 16, 17, 50
that the length of stroke of each set of fire bars may be adjusted at pleasure. The
fire bars 12 and 15 are constructed or fitted with key pieces 18 so that when they
are placed in position they shall be securely retained in connection with their
respective bars or carrying pieces 10, 13, and shall be capable of easy removal when
desired. The bearer 19, which carries the rear ends of the fire bars, is formed with
slots or openings 20, and carries the fire brick 21 which projects into the fluc.
22 are slots or nicks to allow free expansion and contraction.
Having now described and illustrated the nature of the said Invention in such
manner that others will be enabled to carry our improvements into effect, we
claim,―
First. Constructing and arranging self stoking mechanism, operated substantially
in the manner and for the purposes set forth.
Second. Constructing and arranging fire bars, substantially in the manner and
for the purpose set forth.
Third. Constructing the bridge or bearer for the rear ends of the fire bars,
substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Vicars, the younger, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty ninth day of July, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.
TATT
T7
JOHN VICARS, YOUNGER. (L.S.)