Brick Kilns, Steam Boilers, and like Purposes. OR VALVE FOR REGULATING THE DRAUGHT IN FIRE PLACES,
Year: 1885

page_text: Brick Kilns, Steam Boilers, and like Purposes.
I WILLIAM HUNTER residing at number 1504 Jones Street in the city and county
of San Francisco, and state of California one of the United States of America
Contractor do hereby declare the nature of my invention for A DAMPER OR VALVE
FOR REGULATING THE DRAUGHT IN FIRE PLACES, BRICK KILNS, STEAM BOILERS AND
LIKE PURPOSES 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 a draft regulating device, which is especially useful in
fire-places and grates, but may also be used in other places where fuel is to be
consumed, and it is desirable to control the draft and direct the heat into the room,
or into the proper channel, or to preserve it from too rapid exhaustion.
It consists of a back or top plate, having slots or perforations with movable
slides or dampers by which the openings are controlled.
Referring to the accompanying drawings for a more complete explanation of my
invention
Figure 1 is a front view of the grate, showing the application of my device.
Figure 2 is a section of the same.
Figure 3 shows the device applied to a brick kiln.
Figure 4 shows it applied to a locomotive or tubular boiler.
In Figures 1 and 2, I have shown my invention as applied to the grate or fire-
place, in which A is the front of the basket B, the back wall with the grate bars
in the usual position at the bottom, as shown at C.
My invention consists of a plate D, having a number of vertical longitudinal
slots E, made in it, and openings flaring or diverging towards the front from
these slots, the plate being of considerable thickness, so that the slots are made
through the rear portion.
The plate is preferably set at an angle from the rear portion of the fire-place,
while its upper edge rests against the top front portion, so that when the openings E
are closed, there will be no access to the chimney.
The sliding plate F is made to move transversely across the back of the plate D,
and this sliding plate has slots G made in it, so that when it stands in one position,
it may entirely close the slotted openings E, and when moved back, it may open
either the whole or any desired proportion of the upper part of the slots.
When the fire is first made, this plate will be moved back so that all the slots E
will be open, and a complete draft through the grate and up the Chimney will be
established until the fuel is in thorough combustion, when this sliding plate F may
be moved so as to cut off one-quarter, one-half, or two-thirds, or more, of the draft
as may be desired, and when the fuel is burned to such a point that there is
[Prins Ad I

page_text: comparatively little or no smoke, the side may be moved so as to cut off all but
very small opening at the top, through which any small amount of smoke or gases
may escape.
The action of this device is to throw the heat outward into the room, to prevent
a strong draft which carries the great portion of the heated air up the chimney,
and more particularly to provide a certain circulation within the room, whereby
sufficient air is supplied to the bottom of the grate from the lower part of the room
to promote combustion, while the heat is thrown outward from this deflecting
plate D, and rises to the upper part of the room.
In becoming cold, this air will sink to the lower part to be again turned into the 1
grate, and thus a circulation will be established between the room and the grate, by
which the air of the room will be kept warm a much longer period than when the
Chimney connection is left open.
The small opening left in the exterior upper portion of this device will be
sufficient to allow the escape of any small quantity of unconsumed carbon and 1
gases which may be detrimental if allowed to escape into the room.
4
By the use of this plate, I am enabled to correct in a great measure, the defect
caused by gusts of wind blowing down the chimney, which causes the grate to
smoke very badly.
A projection or knob extending forward from the sliding plate F, through the
plate D, provides a suitable means for moving it to open or close the spaces.
When employed upon a brick kiln, or in other similar connection, the plates D
are placed horizontally upon the top of the kiln and above the fire-places P
in sets.
In the present case, I have shown iron rails Q laid transversely across the top of
the kiln so as to divide it into sections above the fire-places, and the plates D'are
laid upon the flanges which project from the bottoms of the rails.
The sliding plates F lie upon the upper surface of the plates D, and there may
be as many of them as it is desired to make sections across the kiln.
It will be seen that by this arrangement, the spaces may be left open until the
fires are well started, and they may then be closed to any desired extent, or certain
ones may be closed so as to confine the heat to parts in which the bricks may not
have been well burned, until the process is complete.
The same arrangement may be applied to the front tube sheet of a locomotive
boiler, as shown in Figure 4, and the beat thus confined within the tubes until its
work is more completely done.
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
In a fire-place or grate, the inclined plate fixed above and behind the fire within
the Chimney or flue opening, and having the vertical slots, as shown, in combination
with a secondary plate sliding transversely between guides upon the back of the
first plate, and having slots made of different widths or with offsets between the
top and bottom, said slots aligning themselves with those in the first plate, whereby
the position of the draft-opening may be regulated, substantially as herein
described.