IMPROVEMENTS IN KILNS FOR BURNING BRICKS, TILES, PIPES, LIME, OR OTHER ARTICLES
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Jacob Pearson Cramp, of the Finedon Iron Works, in the
County of Northampton, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN KILNS FOR
BURNING BRICKS, TILES, PIPES, LIME, OR OTHER ARTICLES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Jacob Pearson Cramp at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 1st June 1880.
JACOB PEARSON CRAMP, of the Finedon Iron Works, in the County of
Northampton. "IMPROVEMENTS IN KILNS FOR BURNING BRICKS, TILES, PIPES,
LIME, OR OTHER ARTICLES."
My Invention relates to kilns used for burning bricks, pipes, lime, or other
articles, and it has for its objects improved methods of constructing and arranging
the several parts of such kilns, so that they are simple and cheap in their operation,
and the heat can be readily applied or removed, or its direction altered as desired,
and great economy is effected in the cost of burning bricks, tiles, or other articles
as compared with kilns for similar purposes of the kinds ordinarily heretofore
constructed and used.
I take kilns arranged in sets preferably of two or more, side by side, and of any
convenient shape, but preferably rectangular in plan, and having arched or semi-
circular tops. These kilns are constructed of firebrick or other material sufficiently
refractory to resist the necessary heat, and the front end of each kiln has an
opening left in it of sufficient size to introduce the bricks, tiles, pipes, or other
articles which are to be burned, these openings being closed or built up when the
kilns are so filled.
Under each kiln I arrange one or more fire places provided with a grate, upon
which coal or other suitable fuel is burned. Each such fireplace extends under the
floor of the kiln, and I provide through such floor a sufficient number of openings
through which the flame and heated air and gases from the fire pass and circulate
through the kiln, the bricks or other articles in which are thus dried and burned.
Above the arched roof of the kiln I arrange a corresponding flue or passage into
which I make a sufficient number of openings, preferably corresponding in number
and position with those in the floor below, through which the flame and hot air
and gas pass after leaving the kilu, and from the flue or passage, arranged as

page_text: described, I make an opening leading up into a transverse flue above which
traverses all the kilns.
From the inner ends of the fireplaces I make openings, provided with adjustable
dampers and communicating with a flue leading to a suitable chimney, and I prefer
to arrange adjustable dampers in the openings communicating from the passages
above the kilns to the transverse flue. The action of the apparatus is as follows:-
One or more of the kilns being filled with bricks, tiles, or other articles which are
to be burned, and the fire under such kiln or kilns being lighted, the heat passes
into the kiln through the apertures in the floor of the latter, and thence passes from
the kiln through the openings in the roof into the passage above and thence through
a regulating damper into the transverse flue.
When one
or more kilns are thoroughly heated and the articles in them
sufficiently burned cold air may be admitted into them, and after circulating
through them and becoming heated may be made by means of the dampers to pass
down through one or more of the other kilns in which the heat is thus utilized.
By means of the arrangement of flues and apparatus described each kiln may, if
desired, be worked perfectly independently of the other kilns; or they may be
worked in connection, the heated air and gases from one or more kilns being made
to pass through one or more of the other kilns, their passage being regulated exactly
as desired.
The flues, provided with adjustable dampers from each fireplace to the flue
communicating directly with the chimney, are arranged so that the hot air and
gases from the fireplaces or from the upper transverse flue, already described, may
be conducted to the chimney.
By arranging suitable flues and dampers the hot air and gases may be made after
leaving the kilns to pass through flues and passages in drying sheds or floors,
where the bricks or other articles may be dried before being burned, as above
described.
Openings may be left in the front of the kilns for the purpose of introducing
pyrometers to ascertain the temperature in the kiln, and air holes for the admission
of air may be provided where necessary.
Kilns constructed according to my Invention are very cheap in construction and
economical in use, and in them great facility is provided for the proper direction
and regulation of the heat by which the articles in them are burned.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Jacob Pearson Cramp in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 1st
December 1880.
JACOB PEARSON CRAMP, of the Finedon Iron Works, in the County of
Northampton. "IMPROVEMENTS IN KILNS FOR BURNING BRICKS, TILES, PIPES,
LIME, OR OTHER ARTICLES."
My Invention relates to kilns used for burning bricks, tiles, pipes, lime, or other
articles, and it has for its object improved methods of constructing and arranging
the several parts of such kilns so that they are simple, cheap, and effective in their
operation, and the heat can be readily applied or removed or its direction altered
as desired, and great economy is effected in the cost of burning bricks, tiles, or
other articles, as compared with kilns for similar purposes of the kinds ordinarily
heretofore constructed and used.
In order to put my Invention in operation I arrange the kilns in sets, preferably
of two or more, side by side, and of any convenient shape, but preferably rectangular
in plan, and baving arched or semi-circular roofs inside. I construct these kilns
or the parts of them which are exposed to the heat of firebricks or other material
sufficiently refractory to resist the necessary heat, and I make in the front and back
of each kiln an opening or doorway of sufficient size to introduce and withdraw
the bricks, tiles, pipes, or other articles which are to be burned, these openings or
doorways being built up or otherwise closed whilst the process of burning is going
on. Under each kiln I arrange one or more fireplaces, each provided with a grate
upon which coal or other suitable fuel can be burned.
I make each such fireplace extend under the floor of the kiln, and through the
floor I make a sufficient number of openings through which the flame and heated
air and gases from the fire pass and circulate through the kiln, and amongst the
bricks or other articles contained in it, which are thus properly burned. Above
the arched roof of the kiln I arrange a corresponding flue or passage, into which I
make a sufficient number of openings or passages, which may or may not, according
to circumstances, correspond with those in the floor below, as already described.
The flame and hot air after leaving the kiln pass through these openings or passages
into the flue, and from the latter through an opening into a transverse flue above
which traverses all the kilns.
From the inner end of the fireplaces I make openings provided with adjustable
dampers and communicating with a flue, which may pass directly to a suitable
chimney, or the hot air and gases may be made first to pass through flues or
passages underneath drying sheds or floors, in which the bricks or other articles
are dried before they are placed in the kilns.
From the inside of each fireplace, and the flue in continuation of it above the level
of the fire, I make upon each side a series of openings communicating with a
longitudinal flue or chamber in the wall of the fireplace, and each of these
longitudinal flues communicates by a descending passage provided with an
adjustable damper with a longitudinal chamber or flue below which runs across
all the kilns. Above the arched roofs of the kilns I make passages, through which
access can be got to moveable plates and to dampers or stopping plates, by which
the openings or passages from the arched roofs of the kilns to the flues or passages
can be opened or closed.
The accompanying Drawing is in illustration of my Invention. Figure 1 is a
longitudinal section of a kiln and of the flues and chambers in connection with it;
Figure 2 is a front view, partly in section, of a set of similar kilns, and Figure 3 is
a plan of the same, partly in section, and showing the position of the drying floors.
a is the body of the kiln, b and c being its front and back, provided with openings

page_text: or doorways, as shewn in Figure 2; d is the floor of the kiln, beneath which are
arranged two fireplaces e and f, transverse openings g, g, g, g, being made through
the floor d into the body of the kiln a. These openings are shewn in Figure 3,
varying in size. In the arched roof of the kiln openings are also made at i, i, i, i,
communicating through the passages k, k, with the longitudinal flue or chamber 1,
an opening at the top of which communicates at m with the transverse flue or
chamber m, which is in similar communication with all the other kilns in the set.
The front ends of the fireplaces, or the continuation of them under the floor,
communicates through the openings o with the transverse flue p, which is provided
with dampers between each kiln, and the flue p itself communicates through the
openings 8, also provided with dampers t, with the flue v. The latter flue vis
shewn communicating with a series of passages or channels w which pass under
the floor of the drying shed x, and they eventually lead into the flue y which
passes to the chimney z.
In the sides of the fireplaces openings or air passages 1, 1, 1, 1, are made passing
into longitudinal chambers 2, 2, 2, 2, the front ends of which communicate by the
descending passages 3, 3, 3, 3, provided with dampers at 4, with the transverse
lower connecting chamber or flue 5, which thus connects together all the chambers
or passages 2 at the sides of the fireplaces. Both the fireplaces themselves and the
ash pits below them can be closed when desired by doors, as shewn at A, B.
Openings or passages above the kilns are shewn at 6, 6, 6, by which access can
be had, when desired, to the moveable covers 7, 7, and moveable stops or plates 8, 8,
in the passages k, by which the communication between the kilns and the
longitudinal flues can be cut off and regulated. Pyrometers for ascertaining the
heat of the kiln may be introduced through the covers 7, as shewn at 9, or
through suitable openings in other parts of the kilns.
It will be seen that by means of the transverse flue n and the passages, and
plates and stops connected with it, the upper part of any one of the kilns can be
connected with or cut off from the upper part of any or all of the other kilns, as
desired, and by means of the lateral openings 1, 1, 1, flues 2, descending passages 3,
dampers 4, and lower transverse chamber 5, the interior of any one of the kilns
can be made to communicate through the fireplaces with the interior of any or all
of the remaining kilus. At the same time the communication with the flues P
and v, and ultimately (through the drying floor) with the chimneys, can be made
to pass through any or all of the fireplaces by means of the dampers r and t. The
action of the apparatus constructed and arranged as described is as follows:-One
or more of the kilns being filled with bricks, tiles, or other articles which are to be
burned, and the fire under such kiln being lighted, the heat passes into the kiln
through the apertures in its floor, and thence from the kiln through the apertures
in the roof into the passage above and into the transverse flue, from whence, by a
proper regulation and adjustment of the dampers, plates, and doors, it may be
made to descend through either of the other kilns into the fireplace below, and
thence into the flues leading to the drying floor and chimney.
When one or more kilns are thoroughly heated, and the bricks or other articles
contained in them sufficiently burned, cold air may be admitted to them from the
openings or passages 6 by removing the plates 7, and the air so admitted, after
circulating through the kiln and becoming thoroughly heated, may be made to
pass down through the openings in the floor of the kilns, and through the passages
1, 2, and 3, into the transverse flue 5, and thence up in the same way into one or
more of the other kilns, part of its heat being thus utilized before it is finally
allowed to pass to the drying floor and chimneys.
By means of the method of arrangement described and shewn, any one of the
kilns may be worked independently of the other kilns, or any two or more of the
kilns may be worked in connection, the several flues, passages, and dampers,
enabling the course through which the heated air and gases travel to be varied,
modified, and regulated, as desired, to suit conditions and circumstances varying
from time to time.

page_text: Having now described my Invention, and the manner in which it is to be
performed, I claim,―
The method of constructing and arranging kilns in sets of two or more, each kiln
having one or more fireplaces beneath the openings in the floor, in combination
with the openings in the roof, the passages leading to the longitudinal chamber,
and the transverse upper flue or chamber common to all the kilns in the set.
Also, in combination with such kilns so arranged, the openings and dampers or
stops by which the communication between the kilns may be stopped or modified,
as desired.
Also, the openings in the sides of the fireplaces communicating with corresponding
longitudinal passages in combination with the descending passages provided with
dampers, and the lower transverse flue or chamber common to all the fireplaces in
the set of kilns.
Also, in combination with the sets of kilns constructed and arranged as described,
the flues and adjustable dampers by which any one or more of the fireplaces may
be made to communicate with the flue leading to a chimney.
Also, in combination with the sets of kilns constructed and arranged as described,
the flues or passages passing under a drying floor between the kilns and the
chimney, all substantially as and for the purposes described and shewn in the
Drawings.
Also the general arrangement of the kilns constructed as described, substantially
as described and shewn in the Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Jacob Pearson Cramp, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this 29th day of November, in the year of our Lord
1880.
JACOB PEARSON CRAMP. (L.S.)