Improvements in or connected with Destructor Furnaces for the Treatment of Town Refuse.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Oct., 1894
Complete Specification Left; 27th July, 1895-Accepted, 31st Aug.. 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Destructor Furnaces for the
Treatment of Town Refuse.
1, SAMUEL WILLOUGHBY, of Devon House, St. Mary's Grove, Chiswick, in
the County of Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in or connected with destructor furnaces
for the treatment of town refuse.
It has before been proposed by me to employ a rotating cylinder or combustion
chamber through which the material to be destroyed. is caused to pass in an opposite
direction to the flames and products of combustion from a furnace arranged at the
delivery end of the combustion chamber, but I have found in practice that in
consequence of the distance between the supply end of the combustion chamber
into which the material is fed and the other end thereof from which it is delivered.
when a full charge is in the combustion chamber, in some cases, the heat does not
reach the portion last fed into the combustion chamber with sufficient intensity to
destroy it until it has passed some distance along the combustion chamber and
furthermore in consequence of the draught being in opposition to the direction of
travel of the material under treatment some of the smoke and fumes from the
material would escape at the feed opening.
Now, the primary object of the present invention is to obviate this defect but the
invention also relates to other novel features as hereinafter described.
In carrying the present invention into effect, a furnace of suitable construction is
employed above the crown of which is arranged a feed chamber, as hereinafter
more fully described.
Extending from the furnace at the rear thereof and preferably descending at a
suitable angle is an inclined flue or combustion chamber which may be generally of
cylindrical, octagonal, hexagonal or other suitable section and composed of a case
of iron lined with fire-clay or fire-brick or other suitable material such as asbestos
and provided around its interior with spirally or otherwise arranged ribs, projections
or lifters formed of fire-clay, fire-brick or other suitable material.
The combustion chamber is mounted with capability of revolution upon wheels
or rollers and has a rotary motion imparted thereto by means of a worm wheel and
worm or other suitable means or it may be otherwise mounted and driven.
The crown of the furnace occupies a position about midway of the diameter of
the combustion chamber and the flames and products of combustion from the
furnace pass between the bridge and the crown into the lower part of that end of.
the combustion chamber.
The floor of the feed chamber is formed by the crown of the furnace so that the
feed chamber opens into the combustion chamber at the upper part thereof, but
the feed chamber is formed to project slightly into the combustion chamber by
means of a tube or shoot of metal or other suitable material.
The feed chamber is formed with a hopper into which the refuse to be destroyed
is deposited and within the feed chamber is arranged to reciprocate through a
suitable stuffing box a ram or plunger and this ram or plunger is furnished with a
lever or other means by the aid of which it may be forced forward, and a charge
of refuse thereby fed into the combustion chamber.
By this arrangement of parts, the refuse immediately that it enters the

page_text: combustion chamber is 'exposed to the extreme heat of the flames and products of
combustion from the furnace and of the lining of the combustion chamber and is
thereby destroyed, or practically so, whilst in the revolution of the combustion
chamber the refuse is carried towards the delivery end thereof and during the whole
time of which it is constantly raised and turned over by the lifters and thus exposed
to the products of combustion from the furnace, which pass through the combustion
chamber and is thus upon arriving at the lower or delivery end of the combustion
chamber reduced to ashes which fall into a truck and may be conveyed away to a
desired destination.
The products of combustion issuing from the combustion chamber pass through
a disinfecting chamber on their way to the chimney and in their passage meet a
shower of water issuing from a sprinkler located at a suitable elevation by which
any light particles of matter, which would otherwise be carried through the
chimney by the draught, and other impurities will be thrown down with the water
into a tank, from which the water is removed from time to time by the aid of a
syphon, and as a further precaution, the volatile products of combustion may
be passed through or over a small auxiliary furnace before passing into the
chimney.
The products of combustion may be utilised for heating a steam generator or for
any other desired purpose before passing away to the outer air.
In order to provide for the destruction of condemned meat a separate inclined
shoot is provided which enters directly into the furnace beneath the ordinary feed
hopper and through which the meat can be introduced so that it comes into direct
contact with the incandescent fuel and not only becomes at once consumed but also
serves as fuel to the fire.
By these means, all kinds of refuse matter, even condemned meat, may be so
speedily and effectually destroyed that neither smoke nor smell issues from the
chimney.
Dated this 30th day of October 1894.
VAUGHAN & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.
DOMI DIE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Destructor Furnaces for the
Treatment of Town Refuse.
I, SAMUEL WILLOUGHBY, of Devon House, St. Mary's Grove, Chiswick, in
the County of Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the sanie is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:--
This invention relates to improvements in or connected with destructor furnaces
for the treatment of town refuse.
It has before been proposed by me to employ a rotating cylinder or combustion
chamber through which the material to be destroyed is caused to pass in an
opposite direction to the flames and products of combustion from a furnace
arranged at the delivery end of the combustion chamber, but I have found in
practice that in consequence of the distance between the supply end of the com-
bustion chamber into which the material is fed and the other end thereof from
which it is delivered when a full charge is in the combustion chamber, in some
cases, the heat does not reach the portion last fed into the combustion chamber
with sufficient intensity to destroy it until it has passed some distance along the
combustion chamber and furthermore in consequence of the draught being in
opposition to the direction of travel of the material under treatment, some of the
smoke and fumes from the material would escape at the feed opening.

page_text: Now, the primary object of the present invention is to obviate this defect, but'
the invention also relates to other novel features a hereinafter described.
In carrying the present invention into effect, a furnace of suitable construction
is employed above the crown of which is arranged a feed chamber as hereinafter
more fully described.
Extending from the furnace at the rear thereof and preferably descending at a
suitable angle is an inclined flue or combustion chamber which may be generally
of cylindrical, octagonal, hexagonal or other suitable section and composed of
a case of iron lined with fire-clay or fire-brick or other suitable material such
as asbestos and provided around its interior with spirally or otherwise arranged
ribs, projections or lifters formed of fire clay, fire-brick or other suitable
material.
The combustion chamber is mounted with capability of revolution upon wheels
or rollers and has a rotary motion imparted thereto by means of a toothed wheel,
worm wheel and worm or other suitable means or it may be otherwise mounted
and driven.
The crown of the furnace occupies a position about midway of the diameter of
the combustion chamber and the flames and products of combustion from the
furnace pass between the bridge and the crown into the lower part of that end of
the combustion chamber.
The floor of the feed chamber is formed by the crown of the furnace so that the
feed chamber opens into the combustion chamber at the upper part thereof, but
the feed chamber is formed to project slightly into the combustion chamber by
means of a tube or shoot of metal or other suitable material.
The feed chamber is formed with a hopper into which the refuse to be
destroyed is deposited and within the feed chamber is arranged to reciprocate
through a suitable stuffing box a ram or plunger and this ram or plunger is
furnished with a lever or other means by the aid of which it may be forced forward,
and a charge of refuse thereby fed into the combustion chamber.
By this arrangement of parts, the refuse immediately that it enters the com-
bustion chamber is exposed to the extreme heat of the flames and products of
combustion from the furnace and of the lining of the combustion chamber and is
thereby destroyed or practically so, whilst in the revolution of the combustion
chamber the refuse is carried towards the delivery end thereof and during the
whole time of which it is constantly raised and turned over by the lifters and
thus exposed to the products of combustion from the furnace, which pass through
the combustion chamber and also to the incandescent fire-brick lining and is
thus upon arriving at the lower or delivery end of the combustion chamber
reduced to ashes which fall into a truck and may be conveyed away to a desired
destination.
".
The products of combustion issuing from the combustion chamber pass through
a disinfecting chamber on their way to the chimney and in their passage meet
a shower of water issuing from a sprinkler located at a suitable elevation by which
any light particles of matter which would otherwise be carried through the
chimney by the draught and other impurities will be thrown down with the water
into a tank, from which the water is removed from time to time by the aid of
a syphon and as a further precaution the volatile products of combustion may be
passed through or over a sinall auxiliary furnace before passing into the chimney
and which at the same time improves the draught of the furnace.
The products of combustion may be utilised for heating a steam generator or for
any other desired purpose before passing away to the outer air.
In order to provide for the destruction of condemned meat, a separate inclined
shoot is provided which enters directly into the furnace beneath the ordinary feed
hopper and through which the meat can be introduced so that it comes into direct
contact with the incandescent fuel and not only becomes at once consumed but also
serves as fuel to the fire.
I
By these means all kinds of refuse matter, even condemned meat may be so

page_text: commey
And, in order that the said invention may be more clearly understood and readily
carried into effect, I will proceed aided by the accompanying drawings more fully
to describe the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1. is a sectional plan representing a destructor,constructed according to
the present invention.
Figure 2. is an end view thereof with parts removed.
Figure 3. is a vertical longitudinal section thereof taken on the line 1-1 of
Figure 1.
Figure 4. is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1,
and,
Figure 5. is a vertical section of part representing a slight modification.
In the several figures in which like parts are indicated by similar letters of
reference Figure 2. is drawn to a slightly increased scale with regard to
Figures 1., 3., 4. and 5. and Figure 5 is drawn to a reduced scale as compared with
the other figures of the drawings.
Referring to Figures 1 to 4. a. represents the furnace which may be of any
suitable construction and is furnished with an air inlet a' regulated by a damper a
and above the crown of the furnace is arranged a feed chamber c¹ for the refuse
material supplied by a hopper c., as hereinafter more fully described.
Extending from the furnace a. at the rear thereof and preferably descending at
a suitable angle is an inclined flue or combustion chamber b. which may be
generally of cylindrical, octagonal, hexagonal, or other suitable section and
composed of a case of iron 61 lined with fire-clay or fire-brick 6 or other suitable
material such as asbestos and provided around its interior with several straight or
they might be spirally or otherwise arranged ribs, projections, or lifters &³ formed
of fire-clay, fire-brick or other suitable refractory material.
The iron casing of the tubular.combustion chamber b. has fixed therewith by
brackets so as to be more or less insulated therefrom, two wrought iron or steel
rings or tyres which rest upon adjustable bearing wheels or rollers & so that the
combustion chamber b. is thus mounted with capability of revolution whilst steadying
rollers are employed to run in contact with the edges of the rings or tyres 6³
in order to prevent end way movement of the combustion chamber b.
Kotary motion is imparted to the tubular combustion chamber b. by means of a
toothed wheel &* carried by brackets and engaging a toothed pinion fixed
upon a shaft or axis 68 mounted with capability of revolution in suitable bearings,
and also having fixed therewith a worm wheel 6 engaging a worm 610 fixed upon
the driven shaft or other suitable means might be employed to give the necessary
rotary motion to the combustion chamber b.
The crown a of the furnace a. occupies a position about midway of the
diameter of the combustion chamber b. and the flames and products of combustion
from the furnace a. pass between the bridge at and the crown a* into the lower part
of the combustion chamber b.
The floor of the feed chamber c¹ is formed by the crown a* of the furnace a. so
that the feed chamber c¹ opens into the combustion chamber b. at the upper part
thereof, but the feed chamber c¹ is formed to project slightly into the combustion
chamber b. by means of a tube or shoot c* of metal or other suitable material.
The feed chamber c' is formed with a hopper c. into which the refuse matter to
be destroyed is deposited; and within the feed chamber c' is arranged to reciprocate
through suitable guides c or it might be a stuffing box, a.ram or plunger cand
this ram or plunger is at its outer end pivotally connected with a lever c
mounted on an axis of motion or other suitable means might be employed, by
the aid of which the plunger c³ may be forced forward and a charge or quantity of
refuse thereby fed into the combustion chamber b.

page_text: In an apparatus of large capacity the ram or plunger c² would be so connecte.
with the power employed to rotate the combustion chamber b. as to be coustantiy
reciprocated thereby, and thus the refuse to be destroyed would thereby he
continuously fed into the combustion chamber b.
By this arrangement of parts, immediately that it enters the combustion
chamber b. the refuse is exposed to the extreme heat of the flames and products of
combustion from the furnace a., and to the heat of the more or less incandescent
lining of the combustion chainber . and is thereby destroyed or practically so,
whilst in the revolution of the combustion chamber b. the refuse is carried toward
the delivery end thereof, and during the whole time of which it is constantly raised
and turned over by the lifters and is thereby exposed to the products of com-
bustion from the furnace a. which pass through the combustion chamber, and is
thus upon arriving at the delivery end of the combustion chamber. reduced to
ashes which fall into a track j. by which they may be conveyed away to any
desired destination.
In order to provide for the destruction of condemned meat, a separate inclined
shoot a is employed closed by a cover a and the shoot a enters directly into the
furnace a. beneath the feed chamber e' so that the refuse meat comes into immediate
contact with the incandescent fuel in the furnace a, and thus not only becomes at
once consumed, but serves as fuel to the fire.
The products of combustion issuing from the combustion chamber b. pass through
a disinfecting chamber d. on their way to the chimney d¹ and in their passage meet
a shower of water issuing from a sprinkler e. located at a suitable elevation by
which any light particles of matter, which would otherwise be carried through the
chimney by the draught, and other impurities will be thrown down with the
water into a tank f. from which the water is removed from time to time by any
suitable means and such for example as a syphon, and as a further precaution the
volatile products of combustion are passed through or over a small auxiliary
furnace J. before passing into the chimney d¹.
In the example given at Figure 5, the products of combustion before reaching
the sprinkler e. are utilised for heating a steam generator . which is in the
first instance heated by a small furnace. the products of combustion from the
combustion chamber afterwards being sufficient to maintain the pressure required.
Or, the hot products of combustion may be employed for any other useful
purpose before passing away to the outer air.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inveu-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
In a destructor, the combination of a rotative tubular combustion chamber open.
at its ends and lined with fire-brick through which the material to be destroyed is
passed, a furnace communicating with the lower part of one end of the combustion
chamber, a feed hopper or opening arranged above the crown of the furnace and
communicating with the upper part of such end of the combustion chamber, a
plunger arranged within the feed chamber for forcing the refuse into the furnace
in regulated quantities, and an inclined shoot closed by a removeable cover and
communicating with the furnace beneath the hopper so as to conduct refuse meat
or the like directly into the furnace, substantially as herein shown and described.
Dated this 27th day of July 1895
VAUGHAN & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.