IMPROVEMENTS IN THE FURNACES OF STEAM BOILERS
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Molden, John Newsome, and James Akeroyd,
all of Leeds, in the County of York, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE FURNACES OF STEAM BOILERS."
Sealed the 13th October 1865, and dated the 18th May 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Molden, John
Newsome, and James Akeroyd at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents, with their Petition, on the 18th May 1865.
We, THOMAS MOLDEN, JOHN NEWSOME, and JAMES AKEROYD, all of Leeds,
in the County of York, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE FURNACES OF STEAM BOILERS," to be as follows-
Our Invention has for its objects, firstly, such arrangements of the furnaces
of steam boilers as will enable the attendant to clear away clinkers and dross
without opening the fire doors, thus preventing the admission of a large body
of cold air; secondly, the more thorough combustion of fuel, and consequent
economy; and lastly, to supply heated feed water when desired.
Our first arrangement consists in the use of hollow perforated (by preference)
angular shaped fire-bars, resting on a convenient framework, in place of the
ordinary ones now in use. The spaces between the fire-bars are fitted with

page_text: perforated bars or plates, either end of the same being secured to the shafts
resting in the framework of the furnace, and capable of receiving a recipro-
cating or rotary motion externally by means of levers, rack motions, or other
mechanical equivalent placed at the front and outside of the furnace. By
the above-named arrangement on the attendant turning the perforated bars
or plates placed under and between the fire-bars at such times as the nature
of the fuel requires, the ashes are allowed to drop into the ash pit, the
angular form of the fire-bars facilitating such operation.
Our second arrangement consists in using perforated fire-bars similar to
those previously described, but the interstices between the fire-bars are
occupied by perforated tubes, extending from the front plate of the furnace to
the bridge plate, made by preference of iron, and having a flat perforated top.
Air passes through these perforated tubes and through the top of the bridge
mingling with the flame at that point. The tubes are also made to revolve
and thus answer the purpose of the adjustable bars or plates named in our
first arrangement. When it is desired to supply heated water to the boiler
the outer end of the tubes before named (in this case not perforated) may be
connected with the feed main, whilst the inner ends are connected with the
boiler in any convenient manner, such tubes being stationary.
Our third arrangement consists in making the fire-bars circular and per-
forated; also capable of having a continuous reciprocating or rotary motion by
means before named. The intermediate spaces are occupied by perforated
bars of a segmental section, by preference, which bars are actuated in a
similar manner as occasion requires.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Molden, John Newsome, and James Akeroyd in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 18th November 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, THOMAS
MOLDEN, JOHN NEWSOME, and JAMES AKEROYD, all of Leeds, in the County of
York, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-eighth year of Her
reigu, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the
said Thomas Molden, John Newsome, and James Akeroyd, Her special
licence that we, the said Thomas Molden, John Newsome, and James

page_text: Akeroyd, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the
said Thomas Molden, John Newsome, and James Akeroyd, our executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from
time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of
Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE FURNACES OF STEAM BOILERS,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said Thomas Molden, John
Newsome, and James Akeroyd, our executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under our or their hands and seals, or under the hand
and seal of one of us or them, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be
performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said John Newsome and James Akeroyd,
on behalf of ourselves and the said Thomas Molden, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say:-
Our Invention has for its objects, firstly, such arrangements of the furnaces
of steam boilers as will enable the attendant to clear away clinkers and dross
without opening the fire doors, thus preventing the admission of a large body
of cold air; secondly, the more thorough combustion of fuel and consequent
economy; and lastly, to supply heated feed water when desired.
Our first arrangement consists in the use of hollow perforated (by
preference) angular-shaped fire-bars, resting on a convenient framework in
place of the ordinary ones in use. The spaces between the fire-bars are
fitted with perforated bars or plates, either end of the same being secured
to the shafts resting in the framework of the furnace and capable of receiving
a reciprocating or rotary motion externally, by means of ordinary well-known
levers, rack motions, or other mechanical equivalent, placed at the front
and outside the furnace. By the above-named arrangement, on the attendant
turning the perforated bars or plates placed under and between the fire-bars
at such times as the nature of the fuel requires, the ashes are allowed to
drop into the ashpit, the angular form of the fire-bars facilitating such
operation.
Our second arrangement consists in using perforated fire-bars, similar to
hose previously described, but the interstices between the fire-bars are

page_text: occupied by perforated tubes extending from the front plate of the furnace to
'the bridge plate, the latter being made by preference of iron (cast or wrought)
and having a flat top. Air passes through these perforated tubes and through
the top of the bridge, mingling with the flame at that point. The tubes are
also made to revolve by the means before named, and thus answer the purpose
When it is
of the adjustable bars or plates named in our first arrangement.
desired to supply heated water to the boiler, the outer end of the tubes before
named (in this case not perforated) may be connected with the feed main,
whilst the inner ends are connected with boilers in any convenient manner,
such tubes being stationary.
Our third arrangement consists in making the fire-bars circular and per-
forated, also capable of having a continuous reciprocating or rotary motion by
means before named, the intermediate spaces being occupied by 'perforated
bars of a segmental section by preference, which bars are actuated in a
similar manner as occasion requires.
In order further to increase the evaporative powers we place a water
chamber in front of the "dead plate" within the flue, and communicating by
means of tubes with the hollow bridge.
But in order that our Invention may be the better understood, reference is
made to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings and to the letters and
figures marked thereon, similar letters indicating similar parts, that is to
say:
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 represents a side elevation, and Figure 2 a section of our angular
fire-bar; Figures 3 and 4, like views of our segmental cleaner; Figure 5
represents sections of the fire-bars and cleaners in position; Figure 6 is a
vertical section of a portion of a circular flue, shewing our improved arrange-
ment; Figure 7 is a horizontal section of the same; Figure 8 is a front
elevation of the bridge.
Referring to Figures 6 and 7, in which the various details of our arrangement
are shown in position in the flue, a is a perforated or slotted angular bar resting
upon the "dead plate" b and the slotted angle plate c in such a manner as to be
capable of expansion, the plate c being secured to the projection a' affixed to
the hollow bridge e. It will be seen that the bridge e communicates with the
boiler by means of the aperture e¹ and pipes e in the lower and upper portions
of the flue. Letters f represent the segmental cleaners, provided with aper-
tures, the position of which is better seen on reference to Figure 6 and the
upper part of Figure 7, the lower half of the latter showing one of our

page_text: alternative plans furnished with a stationary tube supplied by the feed main,
and united to the bridge c, the third plan not shewn being to substitute a per-
forated rotary tube as before explained. It will be seen that the perforated
cleaners fare provided with shafts; the inner ends rest in hollows provided in
the plate a, whilst the outer ends rest in framework of the door and have a
squared end to receive a lever or a ratchet for the purposes of motion, when
requisite; 9 is the water chamber, placed within the mouth of the flue and
communicating with the bridge e by means of pipes g¹. The door and "dead
plate" are of the ordinary and well-known construction. Two sets in length
of fire-bars are generally used; in practice it will, however, readily be seen
that the arrangement shown can be so applied.
Having now fully ascertained and described the nature of our Invention and
in what manner the same may be performed, we would have it understood
that what we claim as novel is, the arrangement of fire-bars and cleaners of
the kinds shown or described, either solely or in conjunction with the
evaporating chambers within the flue.
In witness whereof, we, the said John Newsome and James Akeroyd,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Fifteenth day of
November, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
sixty-five.
Witness,
PHILIP H. SHARP,
Patent Agent,
Leeds.
(L.S.)
JOHN NEWSOME.
JAMES AKEROYD. (L.S.)