Improvements in Furnaces for the Destruction of Town Refuse.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 24th July, 1893-Accepted, 2nd Sept., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Furnaces for the Destruction of Town Refuse.
I, WILLIAM HORSFALL, of Camp Road Mills, Leeds, in the County of York,
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 :-
This invention relates to certain improvements in furnaces for the destruction of
town refuse and the like, and has for its object, the provision of a supply of heated
air for the purpose of combustion, and at the same time afford protection to the
sides of the furnace which, as hitherto constructed-entirely of brickwork-are
subject to rapid deterioration in consequence of a tendency of clinkers to adhere to
the sides of the furnace immediately above the grate bars: the necessary removal
of such clinkers has the effect of destroying the construction of the furnace and the
involving of constant repairs.
I carry my improvements into effect by constructing a furnace as set out in
Specification of Letters Patent granted to me on the 13th day of October 1888,
and numbered 14,709, or any well known design of furnace. For this purpose, the
sides of the furnace according to my invention are composed of air chambers the
length of the furnace and of the section shown in the drawings herewith, in which
Fig. 1 is a sectional front elevation, and
Fig. 2 a transverse section.
The arch A. A. of the furnace is composed of brickwork springing from the air
chambers C. C. with openings O. O. over the grate bars in the front portion of the
arch, the said air chambers forming part of the sides of the furnace.
To the sides of the air chambers C. C. is secured the dead plate D. for carrying
the grate bars G. G. and below the level of the grate bars G. G. are apertures E. E.
from the air chambers to the underside of the grate bars G. G.
In carrying out my object all the ordinary inlets of air, such as the furnace and
ashes doors are closed, and the air required for combustion passed through the air
chambers C. C. only, wherein the air becomes heated and is carried to the under-
side of the grate bars G. G. through the apertures E. E. thus beneficially utilizing
the heat which is a detriment to the sides of the furnace, by carrying the same to
the position for the more effectual destruction of the refuse and noxious gases.
There are four or more modes by which the above object may be accomplished.
First, the ordinary draught of the chimney will draw the air through the
opening in the front of the air chambers C. C and apertures E. E.
Second, the air may be forced in by an ordinary fan or blower, the pipes from
which are coupled to the opening in front of the air chambers C. C.
Third, the air may be induced by a fan or blower introduced behind the furnace
and thus pull the air through the opening in front of the air chambers C. C.
Fourth, the air may be forced by steam jet S. J. regulated with an ordinary
valve T into pipe P as shown in the drawing.
I find the last mentioned mode not only the least costly to apply, but the most
efficient for the following reason, that is to say, the decomposition of the steam,
used as a forcer of the air-as water gas-causes more rapid combustion, a higher
temperature, more flame and the complete destruction not only of the refuse, but
the noxious gases evolved.
By the second, third and fourth modes of inducing or causing the air to pass
through the air chambers C. C. to the furnace, a tall chimney stack is not required
for creating a draught sufficient for effecting the consumption of the refuse.
The towns refuse is deposited and carried forwards to the inclined grate
bars G. G. as hitherto. The necessary amount of air required for combustion

page_text: of the refuse deposited on the said bars is supplied through apertures E to the
underside of the grate bars G. G. from the air chambers C. C. into which air is by
preference injected by steam jets S. J. the products of combustion passing away
through openings O. O. in the front portion of the heated arch A. to the space K.
then into main flue leading to the chimney.
By placing an air chamber C at each side of the furnace grate bars G. G. the
furnace is supplied with air heated by abstracting the heat from the sides of the
furnace, which are thus rendered comparatively cool, and thereby preventing
the clinkers adhering to and deteriorating the sides of the furnace immediately
above the grate bars G. G..
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 :-
:-
In furnaces for the destruction of town's refuse, the construction and application
of air chambers C. C. open at the outer end to the atmosphere and provided with
outlet apertures E to the underside of the grate bars G. G. for the purpose as
hereinbefore set forth.
JOHN WAUGH,
Agent.