Improvements in or connected with Gas Producers or other Furnaces.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Apr., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Nov., 1894-Accepted, 8th Dec., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Gas Producers or other
Furnaces.
I, CHARLES WILLIAM PINKNEY, of 77 Raglan Road, Smethwick, in the
County of Stafford, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
:-
My invention has more especial reference to gas producers, but is applicable
also to other furnaces to which it is desired that a regulated supply of fuel shall
be fed.
The ordinary method of supplying fuel to a fire inside a generator, or other
chamber wherein fuel is consumed, is very wasteful and in gas producers it seriously
interferes with the uniform making of gas, and it is the object of my invention to
remedy this, and to provide an efficient and reliable means whereby fuel can
be properly supplied, and also for indicating when a fresh supply of fuel is
required.
According to my invention I use a hopper capable of holding a supply of fuel
sufficient to last a considerable time without requiring recharging. The lower end
of the hopper is in direct communication with the inside of the generator, or furnace,
in which the fuel is burned. The sides of the hopper may be straight, but, for
large apparatus, I prefer to make it conical, or taper, with the smaller end down-
wards so as to relieve the fuel inside the generator, or furnace, from the weight of
the whole body of fuel in the hopper. The upper end of the hopper is closed by a
valve, or cover, which can be opened when required by means of a lever.
In order to indicate when the hopper requires replenishing with fresh fuel I
provide, inside the hopper, a plate, weight, or other device, which rests on the fuel
in the hopper and follows it down as it leaves the hopper and this plate, weight, or
the like, I connect with a spindle, or the like, passing to outside the hopper (most
conveniently through a hole in the valve, or cover.) so that this spindle, as it
moves, will indicate, or will operate a device which will indicate, the position of
the fuel in the hopper, or when the fuel therefrom has been consumed to a sufficient
amount to require the supply to be replenished. The device, for this purpose, may
consist of a plate inside the generator, or furnace, hopper, which is connected by a
chain with a spindle passing through the hopper valve, or cover, and terminating
in a head or indicator between which, and the top of the valve, or cover, is a spring
which keeps the spindle and indicator up, and a valve, on the lower end of the
When the hopper
spindle, closed against the opening through the valve, or cover.
has a sufficient supply of fuel in it the plate will rest the fuel and the chain will be
slack and the spring will maintain the spind' and its attachments in their normal,
or elevated, positions. When the fuel has been discharged from the hopper into
the generator, or furnace, to an extent t require replenishing the chain will
become taut and the plate, being then no lor supported by the fuel, the weight
of the said plate will overcome the spring
The movement of the spindle and ind.c
desired, such, for instance, as a bell, or
pressure of gas, or steam.
Or in place
d lower the spindle and indicator.
can operate an audible signal, if
histle operated, for instance, by the
chain being used the spindle can

page_text: itself be prolonged sufficiently to constitute the connection between the plate and
the indicator.
Dated this 3rd day of April 1894.
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.
Improvements in or connected with Gas Producers or other
Furnaces.
I CHARLES WILLIAM PINKNEY of 77 Raglan Road Smethwick in the
County of Stafford Engineer 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 :-
My invention has more especial reference to gas producers, but is applicable
also to other furnaces to which it is desired that a regulated supply of fuel shall
be fed.
The ordinary method of supplying fuel to a fire inside a generator or other
chamber wherein fuel is consumed, is very wasteful and in gas producers it
seriously interferes with the uniform making of gas and it is the object of my
invention to remedy this, and to provide an efficient and reliable means whereby
fuel can be properly supplied, and also for indicating when a fresh supply of fuel is
required.
According to my invention I use a hopper capable of holding a supply of fuel
sufficient to last a considerable time without requiring recharging. The lower end
of the hopper is in direct communication with the inside of the generator, or
furnace, in which the fuel is burned. The sides of the hopper may be straight but
for large apparatus I prefer to make it conical, or taper, with the smaller end
downwards so as to relieve the fuel inside the generator or furnace from the weight
of the whole body of fuel in the hopper. The upper end of the hopper is
closed by a valve, or cover, which can be opened when required by means of a
lever.
In order to indicate when the hopper requires replenishing with fresh fuel I
provide, inside the hopper, a plate, weight, or other device, which rests on the fuel
in the hopper and follows it down as it leaves the hopper and this plate, weight, or
the like, I connect with a spindle, or the like, passing to outside the hopper (most
conveniently through a hole in the valve or cover) so that this spindle as it moves
will indicate, or will operate a device which will indicate, the position of the fuel in
the hopper, or when the fuel therefrom has been consumed to a sufficient amount to
require the supply to be replenished. The device for this purpose may be arranged
as shewn in vertical section in Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawing. It
consists of a plate A, inside the generator or furnace hopper B, which is connected
by a chain C with a spindle D passing through the hopper valve or cover E, and
terminating in a head or indicator between which, and the top of the valve, or
cover, is a spring d' which keeps the spindle and indicator up and a valve d³ on the
lower end of the spindle closed against the opening through the valve or cover E.
When the bopper B has a sufficient supply of fuel in it the plate A will rest on the
fuel and the chain C will be slack and the spring d will maintain the spindle D
and its attachments in their normal or elevated positions as shewn in Figure 1.
When the fuel has been discharged from the hopper into the generator or furnace to
an extent to require replenishing the chain C will become taut and the plate A
being then no longer supported by the fuel the weight of the said plate A will
overcome the spring of and lower the spindle D and indicator d as shewn in
Figure 2. The movement of the spindle and indicator can operate an audible
signal, if desired, such for instance, as a bell, or a whistle operated for instance, by

page_text: the pressure of gas or steam. Or in place of a chain being used the spindle D can
itself be prolonged sufficiently to constitute the connection between the plate A
and the indicator d as shewn in Figure 3.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In combination with gas producers or other furnaces a hopper for holding a
supply of fuel the said hopper being provided with a valve or cover at top and at
bottom opening into the producer or furnace in combination with a plate weight or
equivalent device which rests on the fuel so as to follow it as it descends in the
hopper, the said plate weight or equivalent device being connected to an indicator
external to the hopper substantially as hereinbefore described.
2. In combination with gas producers or other furnaces a hopper for holding a
supply of fuel the said hopper having inclined sides and being larger at top than
at bottom and being provided with a valve or cover at top and at bottom opening
into the producer and having in combination with it a device for indicating the
level of fuel in the hopper or when the hopper requires replenishing with fuel
substantially as hereinbefore described.
3. The arrangement and combination of parts constituting an indicator for
supply hoppers for gas producers or other furnaces substantially as hereinbefore
described and illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 and in Figure 3 of the accompanying
drawings.
Dated this 1st day of November 1894.
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
Agents.