IMPROVEMENT IN APPARATUS FOR THE COMBUSTION OF LIQUID FUEL
Year: 1885

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
I JOHN DAMON BODWELL of No 323 Valencia Street in the City and County
of San Francisco, state of California, one of the United States of America,
Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENT IN
APPARATUS FOR THE COMBUSTION OF LIQUID FUEL" and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:―
My invention relates to an apparatus in which the combustion of liquid fuel may
be carried on.
It is especially applicable to the burning of petroleum or any of its products,
or combination of it with other substances, and it may be applied to the furnaces
of stoves and ranges or steam boilers, or used in other places where it may be
desirable to promote the combustion of petroleum or similar substances, or to
produce a high degree of heat with great rapidity.
.
It consists of a chamber of suitable size closed at the sides, top, and bottom,
and having an opening near the top of one side through which the products
of combustion may escape, and suitable draft openings to supply air for the
combustion.
Within the chamber are a series of inclined plates or shelves, over which the
liquid to be burned is allowed to flow, falling from one to the other until it reaches
the bottom or is consumed.
In connection with this chamber, I employ for ranges or stoves, or where it is
desirable to heat water, passages through which the water is allowed to pass and
be heated during its transmission.
In some cases the inclined shelves may be omitted, and the lower part of the
chamber may be shallow and of considerable thickness with sides of lighter
material, having openings for the entrance of air, and central openings may also be
made for the same purpose.
Referring to the accompanying drawings for a more complete explanation of
my invention :—
Fig 1. is a perspective view, shewing one form of my chamber, the top being
broken away to show the inclined shelves in the interior.
Fig 2. is an end view of the chamber, showing the air inlet passages, and the
openings for the connection of water pipes.

page_text: Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section, showing shelves in the interior of the
chamber, and the water passages.
Fig. 4 shows the modification of the apparatus in which the lower part of the
chamber is made of heavier material with openings for the admission of air, and
sides extending upwardly from the bottom.
In the present case I'have shewn my apparatus as formed so as to be applied for
the burning of fuel within stoves or ranges, but it will be manifest that it may be
made in any desired shape, and any suitable size while preserving the peculiar
features which enable it to burn liquid fuel successfully.
A is an exterior casing or chamber which in the present case is shown with the
top and bottom horizontal and parallel, and one vertical side while the other is
somewhat inclined, the chamber being narrow at the bottom than at the top.
Above the inclined side B of this chamber is a passage O through which the
products of combustion may escape from the chamber, and this passage will direct
them to whatever point may be desired.
.
As here constructed the apparatus is suitable for use in a cooking stove or range,
and the products of combustion and unconsumed carbon, etc, will pass out over the
tops of the ovens between them and the top of the range, and may thence be
directed by the usual passages through different parts of the range.
Within this chamber or fire-box A are shelves D, D', which extend from the sides
of the chamber as follows. The upper shelf extends from the vertical side of the
chamber toward the opposite side B incliuing downward and extending two-thirds
or three quarters, or any suitable distance across the chamber, where it may be
terminated in a small upturned flange E.
The shelf or plate below extends across the chamber with a small downward
inclination from the inclined side B, and has a similar upturned flange or ledge E as
has been described for the upper shelf.
In some cases it might be desirable to multiply the number of these shelves, but
I have found that for the purpose herein described, two will be sufficient.
These shelves do not extend the full length of the chamber, but have considerable
open space at each end, through which air may be admitted to pass around and
over them freely.
F F are openings made in the ends of the chamber through which air enters and
passes freely around over the shelves or plates D, thus providing sufficient oxygen
for the combustion of the material which flows over the shelves and is there
ignited.
G is a pipe or passage through which the oil or other liquid fuel is admitted into
the chamber A. This pipe may enter directly into the centre of one side of the
chamber above the upper plate D, or it may have branches or suitable distributors
Bo as to deliver it over the length of the plate in case the chamber A is made of
considerable length.
For ordinary purposes a single pipe will be sufficient, as the material will
seperate and spread over the plates as much as is necessary after it falls upon
them.
When the liquid flows from the pipe G upon the upper plate D, it commences to
flow downward toward the upturned bead or ledge E and is ignited, so as to form
a broad sheet of flame all over the surface of this plate.
Any surplus which is not consumed at this point, flows over the ledge E and
falls upon the next plate below D¹ near its upper edge and flows thence downward
beneath the upper plate D until it reaches the bead or ledge E at its lower edge
when it falls over, and either falls upon the bottom of the chamber A, or if the
chamber be made deeper, upon another inclined plate, which will again carry it
across the chamber in the opposite direction.
The supply of liquid which enters pipe G may be regulated by stop-cock, so that
nearly or quite all will be consumed upon the upper plate, or upon the upper and
second plate, or a portion may be allowed to fall upon the bottom or any platęs

page_text: below, it being easy to regulate the amount of combustion by controlling the
supply of material. The amount of unconsumed material and carbon will be
practically nothing, and the whole apparatus is easily kept clean and is easily
controlled.
In some cases I have found that very good results can be obtained by the
employment of a shallow receiver or pan, as shewn in Figure 4 at H.
This pan has upturned sides and ends, and may also have walls extending
through the center, as shown at I, with a long narrow slot J, through which air
may be admitted.
Upon the sides of this receiver are walls K extending upward as high as
may be desired, and similar walls K¹ extending upward from the central
projections I.
These walls K may have narrow horizontal slots or openings L, made either
at the sides or ends, provided with doors or gates M, by which the admission
of air may be controlled, these gates being opened or closed as desired,
and secured by means of rods or levers extending to the exterior of the
furnace.
The interior or central walls K¹ may also have openings for the admission
of air through them into the interior of the chamber, this air passing up through
the opening J before described.
In order to provide means for heating water which will be especially necessary
when the apparatus is used for stove or range, the chamber A, Figures 1, 2 and 3,
has formed with it passages N extending horizontally along in front of the inclined
wall B.
One of these passages lying just beneath the outlet opening C, and the other
near the bottom of the chamber. These two passages have pipes opening into
them at one end, through the lower of which water is admitted to them, and
through the upper one of which water is discharged.
At the opposite end from this pipe connection the two passages N are united by
a vertical transverse passage O, so that the water which is received into the lower
passage N passes up through the vertical passage O, thence along the upper
passage, N and out through the pipe.
If connected with an ordinary hot water boiler, the circulation will be kept up
until the water is as hot as may be desired If necessary, the amount of heating
surface may be increased by extending the passages across one or both ends, or
along the opposite side.
Openings F made at the ends of the chamber for the admission of air for the
combustion of the material within, may have suitable valves or gates by which the
supply of air through them may be regulated.
The fuel which I employ in this apparatus may be preferably inflammable liquid,
like petroleum, or a combination of it or its products with other substances, by
which it may be rendered more or less inexplosive, or caused to burn with greater
regularity.
Having now particularly. described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. An apparatus for the combustion of liquid fuel, consisting of a chamber with
a series of inclined shelves, over which the liquid may be allowed to flow and fall
from one shelf to another, a supply pipe or passage discharging from the upper
shelf, air supply openings, and a passage through which the products of combustion
may escape, as herein described.
2. An apparatus for the combustion of liquid fuel, consisting of a chamber having
within it one or more inclined shelves, over which the liquid may flow, a supply
pipe or passage and discharge opening, together with a water pipe or passage
arranged horizontally across one or more sides of the chamber, and having exterior
connecting pipes, as herein described.

page_text: 3. An apparatus for the combustion of liquid fuel, consisting of a base having
interior continuous channels with a vertical central opening, exterior surrounding
walls extending upward from the central channels, together with horizontal
openings through the walls and controlling valves or gates as herein described.
Dated this Thanth