Improvements in the Construction of Destructors or Furnaces for th Combustion and Cremation of Town and other Refuse, Garbage, or Offal, and in the Methods of Disposing of and Utilizing the Products of Combustion therefrom.
Year: 1889

page_text: '
Date of Application, 15th Nov., 1889
Complete Specification Left. 15th Aug., 1890-Accepted, 8th Nov., 1890
PROVISIONAL
Improvements in the Construction of Destructors or Furnaces for
th Combustion and Cremation of Town and other Refuse,
Garbage, or Offal, and in the Methods of Disposing of and
Utilizing the Products of Combustion therefrom.
T; FREDERICK WILLIAM BROOKMAN, 107, City Road, Derby, Engineer and Sanitary
Foreman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object, firstly, improvements in the construction of
destructors or furnaces for consuming or destroying town refuse, whether screened
or unscreened, and consisting of street sweepings in a dry or partly dried condition,
house refuse consisting of collections from dust-bins and focal matter, either alone
or mixed with ashes or earth, from earth or pail closets and the like, and other
refuse, garbage and offal from various sources. By this construction of furnace I
am also enabled to utilize the same for crematory purposes, that is to say for the
destruction of infected articles, bad provisions, or food of every description human
consumption, and the bodies of animals which have died from infectious diseases
such as glanders, pneumonia or swine fever, etc.
This invention has for its object, secondly, improvements in the methods of disposing
of and utilizing the products of combustion resulting from the destruction of the
refuse in the said furnace or destructor.
According to my invention I construct the destructor of a vertical form and in a
manner similar to "that in which blast furnaces or gas-producers proper are ordinarily
constructed; that is to say the destructor is charged at or near the top or upper
part, and the lower part of the body of the same is of a narrowed or contracted.
diameter relatively to the upper part, and the destructor is provided at the said
contracted part with a blast to ensure the destruction of the refuse contained
within it.
:
I prefer to construct the body of a cast iron or wrought iron or steel casing, which
may be built up in sections or of separate plates rivetted or bolted together. The
said casing is lined or covered to a suitable thickness with blocks of fire-brick or
other heat-resisting material. The fire-brick or the like is covered or lined with a
I may dispense with the layer
layer of ganister or other highly refractory material.
of ganister or the like and line the casing with fire-bricks alone.
The blast may consist of cold air or air heated to promote combustion, and may be
supplied by one or more rows of tuyeres passing through the body of the destructor
at the above referred to contracted part the requisite pressure and amount of the
blast depending upon the capacity of the destructor and the nature of the refuse to
be consumed. The blast can be supplied and maintained by means of a fan, a Roots
or other blower or air forcing or driving apparatus.
The nozzles of the tuyeres where they open into the destructor may be contracted
or conical or flared, and may at such parts and also throughout their length be
provided with any suitable device for the circulation of water, in order to keep them
cool and add to their durability.
In place of using a simple air blast I may cause the blast to be mixed with
aqueous vapour or steam, which vapour or steam may be supplied at a high or other
pressure by any suitable apparatus controllable as regards the said supply. The
said steam or the steam and air mixed may be forced or compelled to pass through
a cone having its smallest opening at the inner end of the same, and the said opening
may be connected with the tuyeres.
Instead of using a forced draught I may employ a natural draught, but I prefer
to utilize the former as it attains my object and promotes combustion better, as
hereinafter described.

page_text: The charge of the destructor consisting of the hereinbefore mentioned refuse and
also a certain proportion of lime, limestone or other material to serve as a flux, is
introduced at the top of the furnace, and is raised thereto by means of an elevator,
worked by an engine and placed alongside the destructor; or, is conveyed to the
mouth of the furnace by means of trucks or waggons or other vehicles moved up an
inclined road or slope, their contents being tipped or thrown into the open mouth
of the furnace. Where I use an open-mouthed destructor, I find it preferable in
the majority of cases to charge the furnace at a point somewhat below the mouth of
the same.
In most cases it is desirable or necessary for sanitary reasons that the products of
combustion should not escape into the atmosphere in the condition in which they
emanate from the refuse, and to prevent this taking place and also to allow of the
burning of the smoke and the products of combustion and also their utilization,
(which is an important feature of my invention, as will be fully described hereafter).
I close the mouth of the destructor and introduce the charge by means of balanced
doors or other devices which allow of the free entrance of the said charge, but
prevent the escape of the products of combustion; whereupon the charge settles down,
and its downward course is checked by the said contracted part of the destructor in
the well known manner, and the charge is ignited or set on fire at or about the
contracted part. Owing to the blast, the lower portion of the charge will be main-
tained at a very high temperature which will cause a rapid and efficient combustion
of that portion of the charge to take place. The hot products of combustion, mainly
consisting of carbonic acid gas, are by reason of the blast, forced through the upper
portions of the charge parting with some of their heat and drying the same. Above
the zone of fierce combustion, or that portion of the refuse at or near the said
contracted part of the destructor, is a zone or portion in which the refuse though less
heated is of a good red heat, and the carbonic acid gas in its passage through this
portion of the charge combines with a considerable amount of carbon of the same,
becoming thereby converted into carbonic oxide.
The carbonic oxide is very inflammable and I utilize this property by employing
it to burn, and thus render innocuous andodourless, the smoke and deleterious products
of combustion with which the oxide is mixed. This I effect either by setting fire to
it at the top of the destructor or by leading it and the other products of combustion
through pipes to a steam-boiler in or under which it is set fire to and the heat due
to its ignition is utilized to produce steam for supplying the engines used for driving
the fan or other blast producing arrangement, the herein before mentioned elevator,
electric generators, pumps or the like.
The steam so produced could also be used for supplying the steam for injection
purposes, and the products of combustion themselves could be employed for treating
sewage.
In those cases in which I utilize the products of combustion resulting from the
destruction of refuse in a series or set of furnaces for steam-raising purposes, I may
either connect each destructor separately to one or more boilers, or the pipes or flues
used for conducting away the said products may lead into a common pipe or flue
opening into a main from which the boilers would be supplied; or the pipes or flues
connected to the destructors may separately lead or open into a main or into a
receiver, from either of which the boilers would be supplied.
The amount of heat obtained from the combustion of the carbonic oxide may be
supplemented by an auxiliary furnace or heat producer, when a great demand comes
upon any of the machinery or apparatus herein before mentioned."
The carbonic oxide and other products of combustion may be stored in suitable
receivers, and may be supplied to the owners of gas-engines and utilized by them for
driving the same.
In those cases in which I employ steam injection, the products resulting from the
combustion of the refuse and the injection consist largely of what is known as water
gas and producer gas, mixed with impurities, and these products are especially
useful on account of their high calorific or heat producing properties.

page_text: Another use to which the said products of combustion may be put is that of burning
limestone and obtaining lime therefrom.
The construction or form of furnace in which the limestone would be burned
would approximate to the hereinbefore described construction of open mouthed
destructor. The products of combustion from the refuse destructor either alone or
mixed with a quantity of air sufficient for combustion would be led into the furnace
for burning the limestone at or near the commencement of the contracted part, and
there ignited, and the lime resulting from the burning would sink down and be
periodically removed through a suitable drawing hole at the bottom of the furnace.
A part or the whole of the air necessary for combustion might be admitted through
the drawing hole. The gases resulting from the burning pass into the atmosphere
through the open mouth of the furnace.
At the
A still further use to which the products of combustion may be put is the con-
version of light iron and steel scrap such as old beef, salmon and preserve tins into
red oxide pigment. In this case the tin surface and the solder would be first removed,
and the scrap then introduced into a modified form or construction of furnace, in
which preferably a powerful steam blast, but in other cases an air blast, is introduced
at or near the bottom of the contracted part or an extension of the same.
bottom of the furnace, and below the tuyeres through which the blast enters, two or
more openings pipes or tuyeres are provided for the admission of the products of
combustion proceeding from the refuse destructor, which products are mixed with a
sufficient quantity of air for combustion in those cases in which a steam blast is
employed. The air mixes with the products of combustion and the mixture is ignited,
the iron of the scrap is oxidized, and the resulting magnetic oxide of iron falls upon
a hearth at the bottom of the furnace, from which it is periodically removed. This
oxide is burned in another furnace to further oxidize it and convert it into red oxide
pigment.
In order to promote, in the closed mouth form of destructor, a good draught, and
thus cause the flow of the products of combustion from the upper part of the
furnace, I may provide a blast at such upper part which may be a cold or heated air
blast or may consist of a mixture of air and steam, the said blast being delivered
by tuyeres passing through the body of the destructor, or otherwise. Or, in place of
the last described arrangement I may provide one or more steam nozzles, which are
caused to blow up a contracted chimney communicating with the upper part of the
destructor, thus producing a vacuum and causing air to rush through one or more
rows or tiers of tuyeres placed below the steam nozzles at the said upper part of the
destructor.
Thus it will be seen that I utilize the heat due to the burning or combustion of the
carbonic oxide for steam-raising and the like purposes, instead of employing the heat
of the products of combustion alone therefore.
In all the herein before described methods of utilizing the said products of com-
bustion, a sufficient quantity of air must be supplied to allow of the complete
combustion of the carbonic oxide.
If it is not desired either to utilize the products of combustion or to allow them to
pass into the atmosphere in the condition in which they pass from the refuse, they
may be burned by any suitable means or contrivance placed at the top of the
destructor, and this burning may be effected in both the closed and open mouthed
destructors.
The production of the carbonic oxide is augmented or encouraged by increasing the
height of the destructor, which causes the products of combustion to come in contact
with a greater quantity of refuse.
Below the tuyeres at the herein before referred to contracted portion of the body
of the refuse destructor I provide a cell or chamber for the accumulation of the
liquid slag resulting from the combustion of the charge. I employ any suitable flux
in order to liquify the slag, which may consist of lime or limestone or other material
or materials.
In those cases in which lime or limestone is employed I use the said lime or
i

page_text: limestone in such quantity that when the slag after having become solid is ground up,
the proportion of lime contained in the same shall be sufficient to enable the powdered
slag to be utilized as cement, or, when mixed with sand, as mortar.
The slag may also be used to make concrete, and when the slag is cut into slabs
or blocks it may be used for paving purposes, as tiles, or for constructing conduits
to be used in electric lighting.
In connection with the last named part of my invention I provide holes for
tapping and also testing the slag, as occasion may require. The destructors may
however be worked, if desired, with a continual discharge of slag.
A drawing or raking out hole is provided at the bottom of the refuse destructor
in addition to the said slag tapping and testing holes, and the said raking out hole,
which is closed by a door or other device, may be of such a size as to admit of a
person getting inside the destructor in order to effect repairs.
Before charging the destructor it is necessary that a fire should be lighted in it
in order that the refuse may be properly ignited, and the destruction thus commenced,
and the destructor heated for the reception of the charge. The way in which I
prefer to effect this is as follows. A. small fire is made and lighted at the bottom of
the hereinbefore described slag-cell, and it is well covered with coke. The raking out
hole is now built up with large pieces of coke in such a way as to leave a space
between the outer part of the coke and the raking out door about equal to the
thickness of the furnace lining. The raking out door is removed for a time and
more coke is thrown into the mouth of the same, until the herein before mentioned
contracted portion of the body of the destructor and the slag cell is full of coke.
desired the raking out hole instead of being built up with coke may be left open, as
also may the slag tapping and testing holes. When the interior of the destructor has
been sufficiently heated the raking out hole is stopped with loam, the door of the
same put in its place, the blast turned on, and the furnace charged in the herein-
before described manner, the charging being continued day and night.
Dated this 15th day of November. 1889.
If
JAMES
STEVENSON,
Gray's Inn Chambers, 20, High Holborn, London, W.C., Agent for Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of Destructors or Furnaces for
the Combustion and Cremation of Town and other Refuse,
Garbage, or Offal, and in the Methods of Disposing of and
Utilizing the Products of Combustion therefrom.
1, FREDERICK WILLIAM BROOKMAN, 107, City Road, Derby, Engineer and Sanitary
Foreman, 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 has for its object, firstly, improvements in the construction of
destructors or furnaces for consuming or destroying town refuse, whether screened
or unscreened, and consisting of street sweepings in a dry or partly dried condition,
house refuse consisting of collections from dust bins and foecal matter, either alone or
mixed with ashes or earth, from earth or pail closets and the like, and other refuse,
garbage and offal from various sources. By this construction of furnace I am also
enabled to utilize the same for crematory purposes that is to say for the destruction
of infected articles, bad provisions, or food of every description unfit for human
consumption and the bodies of animals which have died from infectious diseases, such
as glanders, pneumonia or swine fever, etc.
This invention has for its object, secondly, improvements in the method of disposing
of and utilizing the products of combustion resulting from the destruction of the
refuse in the said furnace or destructor.
According to my invention I construct the destructor of a vertical form and in a

page_text: manner similar to that in which blast furnaces or gas producers proper are ordinarily
constructed; that is to say the destructor is charged at or near the top or upper part,
and the lower part of the body of the same is of a narrow or contracted diameter
relatively to the upper part, and the destructor is provided at the said contracted
part with a blast to ensure the destruction of the refuse contained within it.
I prefer to construct the body of a cast iron or wrought iron or steel casing, which
may be built up in sections or of separate plates rivetted or bolted together. The
said casing is lined or covered to a suitable thickness with blocks of fire brick or
other heat resisting material. The fire brick or the like is covered or lined with a
layer of ganister or other highly refractory material. I may dispense with the layer
of ganister or the like and line the casing with fire bricks alone.
The blast may consist of cold air or air heated to promote combustion, and may be
supplied by one or more rows of tuyeres passing through the body of the destructor
at the above referred to contracted part, the requisite pressure and the amount of the
blast depending upon the capacity of the destructor and the nature of the refuse to be
consumed. The blast can be supplied and maintained by means of a fan, a Roots
or other blower, or air forcing or driving apparatus.
The nozzles of the tuyeres where they open into the destructor may be contracted
or conical or flared, and may as such parts and also throughout their length be
provided with any suitable device for the circulation of water, in order to keep them
cool and add to their durability.
In place of using a simple air blast I may cause the blast to be mixed with aqueous
vapour or steam, which vapour or steam may be supplied at a high or other pressure
by any suitable apparatus, controllable as regards the said supply. The said steam or
the steam and air mixed may be forced or compelled to pass through a cone having
its smallest opening at the inner end of the same, and the said opening may be
connected with the tuyeres.
Instead of using a forced draught I may employ a natural draught but I prefer to
utilize the former as it attains my object and promotes combustion better, as herein-
after described.
The charge of the destructor consisting of the herein before mentioned refuse and
also a certain proportion of lime, limestone or other material to serve as a flux is
introduced at the top of the furnace, and is raised thereto by means of an elevator,
worked by an engine and placed alongside the destructor, or is conveyed to the mouth
of the furnace by means of trucks or waggons or other vehicles moved up an inclined
road or slope, their contents being tipped or thrown into the open mouth of the
furnace. Where I use an open mouthed destructor, I find it preferable in the
majority of cases to charge the furnace at a point somewhere below the mouth of
the same.
In most cases it is desirable or necessary for sanitary reasons that the products of
combustion should not escape in the atmosphere in the condition in which they
emanate from the refuse, and to prevent this taking place and also to allow of the
burning of the smoke and the products of combustion and also their utilization,
(which is an important feature of my invention, as will be fully described hereafter)
I close the mouth of the destructor and introduce the charge by means of balanced
doors or other devices which allow of the free entrance of the said charge, but prevent
to any extent the escape of the products of combustion. When the charge is
introduced into either the open mouthed or closed mouthed form of destructor or
furnace it settles down, and its downward course is checked by the said contracted
part of the destructor in the well known manner.and the charge is ignited or set on fire
at or about the contracted part. Owing to the blast, the lower portion of the charge will
be maintained at a very high temperaturewhich will cause a rapid and efficient combus-
tion of that portion of the charge to take place. The hot products of combustion, mainly
consisting of carbonic acid gas are by reason of the blast forced through the upper
portion of the charge parting with some of their heat to the charge and drying the
same. Above the zone of fierce combustion, or that portion of the refuse at or near
the said contracted part of the destructor, is a zone or portion in which the refuse

page_text: though less heated is of a good red heat and the carbonic acid gas in its passage
through this portion of the charge combines with a considerable amount of the carbon
of the same, becoming thereby converted into carbonic oxide.
The
The carbonic oxide is very inflammable and I utilize this property by employing it
it to burn, and thus render innocuous and odourless, the smoke and deleterious
products of combustion with which the oxide is mixed. This I effect either by
setting fire to it at the top of the destructor or by leading it and the other
products of combustion through pipes or flues to a steam-boiler in or under which
it is set fire to and the heat due to its ignition is utilized to produce steam for
supplying the engines used for driving the fan or other blast producing arrangement,
the herein before mentioned elevator, electric generators, pumps, or the like.
steam so produced could also be used for supplying the steam for injection purposes,
and the products of combustion themselves could be employed for treating sewage.
In those cases in which I utilize the products of combustion resulting from the
destruction of refuse in a series or set of furnaces for steam raising purposes, I may
either connect each destructor separately to one or more boilers, or the pipes or flues
used for conducting away the said products may lead into a common pipe or flue
opening into a main from which the boilers would be supplied; or the pipes or
fines connected to the destructors may separately lead or open into a main or into
a receiver from either of which the boiler would be supplied.
The amount of heat obtained from the combustion of the carbonic oxide may be
supplemented by an auxiliary furnace or heat producer, when a great demand comes
upon any of the machinery or apparatus herein before mentioned.
The carbonic oxide and other products of combustion may be stored in suitable
receivers, and may be supplied to the owners of gas engines and utilized by them for
driving the same.
In those cases in which I employ steam injection the products resulting from the
combustion of the refuse and the injection consists largely of what is known as water
gas and producer gas, mixed with impurities and these products are especially useful
on account of their high calorific or heat producing properties.
Another use to which the said products of combustion may be put is that of burning
limestone and obtaining lime therefrom.
The construction or form of furnace in which the limestone would be burned
would approximate to the herein before described construction of open mouthed
destructor. The products of combustion from the refuse destructor either alone or
mixed with a quantity of air sufficient for combustion would be led into the furnace
for burning the limestone at or near the commencement of the contracted part, and
there ignited, and the lime resulting from the burning would sink down and be
periodically removed through a suitable drawing hole at the bottom of the furnace.
A part-or the whole of the air necessary for combustion might be admitted through
the drawing hole. The gases resulting from the burning pass into the atmosphere
through the open mouth of the furnace.
A still further use to which the products of combustion may be put is the conversion
of light iron and steel scrap such as old beef, salmon and preserve tins into red oxide
pigment. In this case the tin surface and the solder would be first removed, and the
serap then introduced into a modified form or construction of furnace, in which
preferably a powerful steam blast, but in other cases an air blast is introduced at or
near the bottom of the contracted part or an extension of the same. At the botiom
of the furnace and below the tuyeres through which the blast enters, two or more
openings,pipes or tuyeres are provided for the admission of the products of combustion
proceeding from the refuse destructor, which products are mixed with a sufficient
quantity of air for combustion in those cases in which a steam blast is employed.
The air mixes with the products of combustion and the mixture is ignited, the iron
of the scrap is oxidized, and the resulting magnetic oxide of iron falls upon a hearth
at the bottom of the furnace, from which it is periodically removed. This oxide is
burned in another furnace to further oxidize it and convert it into red oxide
pigment.

page_text: In order to promote, in the closed mouth form of destructor, a good draught, and
thus cause the flow of the products of combustion from the,upper part of the furnace,
I may provide a blast at such upper part which may be a cold or heated air blast or
may consist of a mixture of air and steam, the said blast being delivered by tuyeres
passing through the body of the destructor or otherwise. Or, in place of the last
described arrangement I may provide one or more steam nozzles, which are caused
to blow up a contracted chimney communicating with the upper part of the destructor,
thus producing a partial vacuum and causing air to rush through one or more rows
or tiers of tuyeres placed below the steam nozzles at the said upper part of the
destructor.
Thus it will be seen that I utilize the heat due to the burning or combustion of
the carbonic oxide for steam raising and the like purposes, instead of employing the
heat of the products of combustion alone therefor.
In all the hereinbefore described methods of utilizing the said products of com-
bustion a sufficient quantityof air must be supplied to allowof the complete combustion
of the carbonic oxides.
If it is not desired either to utilize the products of combustion or to allow them to
pass into the atmosphere in the condition in which they pass from the refuse they
may be burned by any suitable means or contrivance placed at the top of the
destructor, and this burning may be effected in both the closed and open mouthed
destructors.
The production of the carbonic oxide is augmented or encouraged by increasing the
height of the destructor, which causes the products of combustion to come in contact
with a greater quantity of hoi refuse converting it more completely to carbonic
oxide.
Below the tuyeres at the hereinbefore referred to contracted portion of the body of
the refuse destructor I provide a cell or chamber for the accumulation of the liquid
slag resulting from the combustion of the charge. I employ any suitable flux in
order to liquify the slag, which may consist of lime or limestone or other material or
materials.
In those cases in which lime or limestone is employed I use the said lime or lime-
stone in such quantity that when the slag after having become solid is ground up the
proportion of lime contained in the same shall be sufficient to enable the powdered
slag to be utilized as cement, or when mixed with sand, as mortar.
The slag may also be used to make concrete and after the slag is either cut into
slabs or blocks or moulded into form when in a liquid state or after it has been ground
and mixed with water it may be used for paving purposes, as tiles or for constructing
conduits to be used in electric lighting.
In connection with the last named part of my invention I provide holes for tapping
and also testing the slag as occasion may require. The destructors may however be
worked if desired with a continual discharge of slag.
A drawing or raking out hole is provided at the bottom of the refuse destructor in
addition to the said slag tapping and testing holes, and the said raking out hole, which
is closed by a door or other device may be of such size as to admit of a person getting
inside the destructor in order to effect repairs.
Before charging the destructor it is necessary that a fire should be lighted in it in
order that the refuse may be properly ignited and the destruction thus commenced,
and the destructor heated for the reception of the charge. The way in which I prefer
to effect this is as follows. A small fire is made and lighted at the bottom of the
hereinbefore described slag cell and it is well covered with coke. The raking out hole
is now built up with large pieces of coke in such a way as to leave a space between
the outer part of the coke and the raking out door, about equal to the thickness of
the furnace lining. The raking out door is removed for a time and more coke is
thrown into the mouth of the same, until the herein before mentioned contracted
portion of the body of the destructor and the slag cell is full of coke. If desired, the
raking out hole instead of being built up with coke may be left open, as also may
When the interior of the destructor has been
the slag tapping and testing holes.

page_text: sufficiently heated the raking out hole is stopped with loam the door of the same put in
its place, the blast turned on, and the furnace charged in the herein before described
manner, the charging being continued day and night.
In order that my invention may be fully understood I have appended the accom-
panying drawings.
In these drawings:-
Figure 1 is a vertical section of an open mouthed furnace or destructor constructed
in accordance with my invention.
Figure 2 is a vertical section of a closed mouthed furnace or destructor constructed
in accordance with my invention.
Figures 3, 4 and 5 are horizontal sections of the open mouthed furnace or
destructor illustrated by Figure 1 taken along such lines as A-B, CD,
and E-F.
Figure 6 is a vertical section of the upper part of an open mouthed furnace or
destructor which is slightly different from that shown by Figure 1.
Figure 7 is a vertical section showing the arrangements of drawing or raking out
hole, and slag testing and slag tapping holes, which obtain in both forms of my
furnace or destructor.
Figures 8 and 9 are horizontal sections of the closed mouthed furnace or destructor
illustrated by Figure 2, taken along such lines as G-H and I-J.
Figure 10 is a vertical section showing a modified form of tuyere which I
may adopt.
Figure 11 is a vertical section of part of the upper portion of a closed mouthed
furnace or destructor, showing one form of an arrangement, hereinafter referred to,
which may be necessary in certain cases.
Figure 12 is a vertical section showing the modified form of furnace which I employ
for converting limestone into lime.
Figure 13 is a vertical section showing the modified form of furnace which I employ
for burning or oxidizing light scrap iron or steel.
According to my invention the furnaces or destructors employed for burning refuse,
garbage or the like are constructed of an internal shape resembling that of ordinary
blast furnaces or gas producers proper, that is to say the lower part is of a narrow or
contracted diameter relatively to the upper part. The said furnaces or destructors
are provided below the contracted part with a blast arrangement which not only
promotes combustion but which also forces the products resulting from the combustion
of the lower part of the refuse, garbage or the like through the upper part of the
latter.
Figure 1 illustrates the furnace or destructor which would be employed when the
products resulting from the combustion of the refuse, garbage or the like are allowed
to pass into the air.
In Figure 1, A is the narrow or contracted part of the interior of the furnace or
destructor and A.' is the upper part of the same.
I prefer to construct the body of the furnace or destructor of a cast-iron or
wrought-iron casing B, which may be built up in sections or of separate plates
rivetted or bolted together. The casing B is lined or covered to a suitable thickness
with blocks of fire brick or other heat resisting material C. The blocks of fire-brick
or the like may be covered or lined with a layer of ganister or other highly refractory
material.
Dare tuyeres which open into the furnace or destructor below the narrow or
contracted part A. The outer ends of the tuyeres open into short castings E which
are bolted to the casting B. The upper ends of the castings E open into a blast
chamber which runs entirely round the furnace or destructor in the form of a ring.
The blast chamber may be supported at intervals by brackets or angle pieces. The
blast chamber may be constructed in any suitable manner and may be of any size and
shape, such as rectangular as in Figure 1 or circular as in Figure 2. The castings E
are provided with slides e,or dise valves, which regulate the amount of the blast passing
through the tuyeres D into the furnace or destructor, and also with sliding doors el

page_text: which turn on pivots and permit of access being obtained to the tuyeres D) for
cleaning purposes.
In Figure 1 I have shown only one set or row of tuyeres, but two or more sets or
rows may be employed if necessary. I have shown only four tuyeres, but any other
number may be used, in each row or set. In those cases in which I use more than
one row or set of tuyeres I prefer to so arrange the tuyeres of each row or set that
they are not directly under those constituting the row or set above them.
The blast may be supplied and maintained, as herein before mentioned, by any
suitable means such as a fan, a Roots blower or other air forcing or driving apparatus,
and it may be either cold or heated, to promote combustion. The nature of the blast
and also the pressure of the air constituting the same would depend upon the nature
and amount of the refuse, garbage or the like to be destroyed. In some cases it
would be desirable that the blast should consist not merely of air but of air mixed
with aqueous vapour or steam.
Another arrangement for forcing or causingair to pass into the furnace or destructor
would be as follows:
The end of a pipe conducting compressed air is inserted in a contracted tube or
tuyere. When the jet of compressed air enters into the contracted tube or tuyere it
will draw air into the latter.
The above described arrangement would be especially applicable where a service of
compressed air is available, and several such arrangements might be used instead of
the arrangement of blast and tuyeres described with reference to Figure 1, or a large
jet and contracted tube might be applied to the blast chamber or ring already
described.
In place of employing plain tuyeres as shewn in Figure 1, I may, in order to add
to the durability of the tuyeres and to prevent them from being injured by the heat
of combustion, surround them with water circulating or other cooling devices.
Figure 10 shews a tuyere provided with a water circulating device. It consists in
making the tuyere of two cones 1. D' which are joined together at their inner ends.
The space between the cones D and D', which is filled with water, is closed at its outer
end as shewn, or in any other suitable manner. In the space between the cones D¸D',
I place a perforated pipe or coil d by which the said space is supplied with cold
water. I insert into the upper part of the water space an open ended pipe by
which the hot water is led away from the top of the water space. The pipes & and
are secured by lock nuts at the places where they enter the water space.
I lay no special claim to this arrangement of water cooled tuyere.
In my open mouthed furnace or destructor the refuse, garbage or the like, after it
has been mixed with a suitable amount of lime, limestone or other mattrial to serve as
a flux, is tipped or thrown into the furnace or destructor at the upper part thereof.
G, Figure 1 indicates one of the charging holes, through which the refuse, garbage
or the like is introduced into the furnace or destructor. The charging holes G may
be closed by doors which can be raised and lowered by the means described with
reference to Figure 6. Access to the charging holes G is obtained by means of a
platform or platforms H, which may be flat as shewn in the accompanying drawings
or may be sloping. The construction of the platform or platforms H and also the
means whereby the refuse garbage or the like is conveyed to the same will depend
upon circumstances, and upon the situation of the furnace or destructor, but the
construction of the platform or platforms, both in the case of the open and closed
mouthed furnaces or destructors and in the case of the modified furnaces described
with reference to Figures 12 and 13. must be such as to allow of ready access being
obtained to the lower part of the furnaces.
Sometimes it is desirable, for sanitary reasons that the smoke and other deleterious
products resulting from the combustion of the refuse, garbage or the like should not
escape into the air in the condition in which they emanate from the refuse garbage or
the like. In these cases I ignite or burn, and thus render innocuous, the products
resulting from the combustion near the mouth of the furnace or destructor.

page_text: Figure 6 shews one means of ignition and also the arrangement of charging holes
I prefer to adopt when the said products are ignited as aforesaid.
G, Figure 6, are the charging holes, on either side of which I provide two other
openings I. The openings 1, one only of which is shewn in Figure 6, are closed by
doors which move in guides i. The doors are each raised by means of a chain
which passes over guide pulleys and is provided with a counterweight 3. The
charging holes G are similarly provided with doors G'which are suspended by chains
passing over pulleys gl.
The means of ignition shewn in Figure 6 consists of a small grate which contains
a coke or coal fire. The grate J is suspended from the opening I by means of hooks
or clips. Instead of a grate, one or more gas jets may be employed. The means of
ignition is placed at each side of the furnace or destructor near the openings I. The
charging holes G and the openings I serve as adjustable inlets for the air necessary for
the ignition or burning of the smoke or other deleterious products resulting from the
combustion of the refuse, garbage or the like, and, by the employment of four such
inlets a complete or intimate mixture of the air and the said products takes place
which allows of the entire destruction or combustion of the latter.
The shape of the upper part of the body of the destructor or furnace shewn by
Figure 6 is slightly different from that shewn by Figure 1.
A2 Figures 1, 2, 5, and 7 is the slag chamber. K. is the drawing or raking out
hole which is provided for extracting and repairing purposes. The hole K is closed
by means of a door k, a cross bar supported by hooks and wedges which are
driven between the cross bar and the hooks 2. The hole K which would be filled
with rammed loam or clay, when not in use, must be of such a size as to permit of the
entrance of a person into the bottom of the furnace or destructor.
Lis the slag
tapping hole which is provided with a spout . M is the slag testing hole, which is
provided with a spout m. The use of the slag testing hole is as follows:
furnace has been working for some time the slag will rise and on the hole M being
slightly opened the slag will ultimately trickle out of the spout m. The latter is then
closed and the slag is tapped from the slag chamber A by means of the slag tapping
hole L and its spout 1.
When the
Both the open mouthed and closed mouth furnaces or destructors may be worked
with a continuous discharge of slag instead of an intermittent discharge, as just
described. The slag according to its nature may be utilized for various purposes as
herein before described.
It is feasible, in some cases, as herein before described to utilize the products
resulting from the combustion of the refuse, garbage or the like on account of their
high calorific properties. In such cases I close the mouth of the furnace or destructor
and provide the upper part of the same with an arrangement for conveying away the
said products.
Such an arrangement is illustrated by Figures 2, 8, and 9.
The arrangement and construction of the lower parts of the furnace or destructor
illustrated by Figures 2, 8 and 9 are the same as the corresponding parts of the
furnace or destructor just described and they are similarly lettered and the same
description applies to them.
In Figures 2, 8 and 9, the upper part A¹ of the furnace or destructor is provided
with a number of passages A³, through which the products resulting from the com-
bustion of the refuse, garbage or the like pass into a circular chamber A. The latter
opens into a vertical chamber A which is placed parallel to the furnace or destructor
and is connected, as shewn in dotted lines or in any suitable manner, to the furnaces
of steam boilers or to the hereinbefore mentioned receivers.
The circular chamber A' may be supported at intervals by brackets as shewn in
dotted lines in Figure 2, and both it and the vertical chamber A³ are constructed of
blocks of fire brick or other heat resisting material, surrounded by an iron or steel
casing similar to body of the furnace or destructor itself.
In the closed mouth form of furnace or destructor, the refuse, garbage, or the like

page_text: must be introduced by means or devices, which will readily allow of the entrance of
the same, but will prevent the escape of the products resulting from the combustion of
refuse, garbage or the like.
Such devices are shewn by Figure 2 and consist of charging boxes G which are
closed by loose lids G. The bottom of charging boxes G consist of a slide or slides G²
which is or are drawn away or aside when the refuse garbage or the like has been
introduced into the charging boxes G and the loose lids G have been replaced.
The loose lids, G₁ may, if desired be replaced by balanced doors or lids, or any other
convenient arrangement. H is the platform by which access is obtained to the
charging boxes G.
The form of closed mouthed furnace or destructor illustrated by Figures 2 and 8
is adapted for use with steam boilers or the like in which a draught would be caused
which would tend to draw the products resulting from the combustion of the refuse,
garbage or the like from the vertical chamber A.
But in those cases in which the said products are intended to be stored in receivers
as herein before described, it will be necessary to provide a circulating or draught
producing arrangement which will cause the said products to pass into the receivers.
Such an arrangement is shewn by Figure 11.
It consists of a series of super-imposed cones I which are placed above the vertical
chamber A, and are so arranged that the small end of each projects or points into the
larger end of the cone immediately below it. A jet of steam J, passes down the
centre of these cones and causes the said products to be drawn or sucked through the
annular spaces, obtaining between the cones, as shewn by the arrows, and to be forced
along the vertical chamber. The jet of steam J is supported by means of a
which is provided with a cock or valve k for regulating the supply.
pipe K
From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that the details of construction
and the arrangements of my open mouthed and closed mouthed furnaces or destructors
may be considerably altered without departing from the essence of my invention.
The modified furnace or kiln Figure 12 in which limestone is burnt or converted
into lime is of the same internal shape as the furnaces or destructors herein before
described, that is to say, it consists of a lower part A which is of a narrow or contracted
diameter relatively to the upper part A. The bodyof the furnace or kiln is constructed
of blocks of fire brick or other heat resisting material C but as the furnace or kiln has
not to withstand a very high temperature the iron or steel casing with which the
furnaces or destructors are provided may be dispensed with.
The products resulting from the combustion of the refuse, garbage, or the like, either
alone or mixed with air are either directly or indirectly led into the furnace or kiln at
the narrow or contracted part and there ignited. This ignition causes the limestone to
be burned and converted into lime.
As shewn in Figure 12 the products resulting from the combustion of the refuse,
garbage or the like, either alone or mixed with air, are led into a box or chamber F
which runs entirely round the furnace or kiln and takes the form of a ring.
The box or chamber F is partly supported by the furnace or kiln and partly by
castings D which open into tuyeres E. The castings are provided with disc valves d
which regulate the amount of the said products passing into the tuyeres and with
sliding doors d' which turn upon pivots or bolts and allowof access to the tuyeres E
being obtained for cleaning purposes. G is a drawing or raking out hole through
which the lime is periodically raked out when it has accumulated to a sufficient extent.
The hole G is left open and serves as an inlet for the whole or a part of the air
necessary for the combustion of the said products.
The tuyeres instead of being plain as shown, may be provided with water circulating
or other cooling devices.
The furnace or kiln is first started by means of a fire, as in the case of the refuse
furnaces or destructors.
The limestone is then thrown or tipped into the open mouth of the furnace or kiln,
access to which is obtained by means of a platform or platforms H.
The furnace in which light iron or steel scrap is oxidized and converted into red

page_text: oxide pigment is illustrated by Figure 13, and in its internal shape it resembles the
furnaces or destructors and the kiln already described, that is to say, it consists of a
lower part A which is of a narrow or contracted diameter relatively to the upper
part A. The body of the furnace is constructed of blocks of fire brick or other heat
resisting material C which may be lined with a layer of ganister. The fire brick or
like material C is surrounded by an iron or steel casing B.
A supply of air or a powerful air or steam blast as circumstances may require and
also the products resulting from the combustion of the refuse, garbage or the like are
introduced below the narrow or contracted part A and are there mixed and ignited.
In the arrangement shewn by Figure 13, D is a flue through which the said
products pass into the furnace after mixing with a supply of air which is conveyed
into the furnace by means of the flue E. The amount of the products passing into the
furnace is regulated by means of a dise valve d, and the supply of air is regulated by
means of two sliding doors e which move in guides e¹.
The furnace is first started by means of a fire as in the case of the refuse furnaces or
destructors and the lime kiln.
The light iron or steel scrap is then introduced at the upper part of the furnace
through one or more charging holes F access to which is obtained by means of a
platform or platforms G.
The oxide as it forms is periodically removed through a drawing or raking out
hole H into a truck or other receptacle 1. The oxide is then burnt or further oxidised
in another furnace of similar construction.
I provide the furnace with a hole J, for inspection and repairing purposes which
must be of such a size as to permit of the entrance of a person into the furnace.
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,
First. A furnace or destructor for the combustion or burning of town refuse of
every kind, including-offal, diseased meat, fish, etc., and the bodies of dead animals
which have suffered from infectious diseases, such as glanders, pneumonia, swine
fever etc., consisting of a vertical body which is formed at the lower part of its interior
of a narrow or contracted diameter relatively to the upper part of the interior and
which is provided below the narrow or contracted part with a blast arrangement
which not only promotes the combustion of the lower part of the refuse but also
forces the products resulting from the burning of the lower part of the refuse through
the upper part of the refuse thereby partly drying the latter substantially as and for
the purposes described herein.
Second. The open mouthed form of furnace or destructor for the combustion or
burning of town refuse of every kind in which the products resulting from the burning
of the refuse pass into the atmosphere in the condition in which they emanate from
the refuse, substantially as described herein with reference to the
drawings.
accompanying
Third. The open mouthed form of furnace or destructor for the combustion or
burning of town refuse of every kind in which the products resulting from the burning
of the refuse after being mixed with a suitable quantity of air for combustion purposes
are burnt at the upper part of the furnace or destructor, substantially as described
herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Fourth. The closed mouth form of furnace or destructor for the combustion of
burning of town refuse of very kind in which the products resulting from the burning
of the refuse are led or conducted away from the upper part of the furnace or
destructor for the purposes of utilization, substantially as described herein with
reference to the accompanying drawings.
Fifth. The draught producing or circulating arrangement for use in certain cases
with the closed mouth form of my furnace or destructor, substantially as described
herein and illustrated by Figure 11 of the accompanying drawings.
Sixth. The arrangement of charging boxes for use with the closed mouth form of

page_text: my furnace or destructor, as described herein and illustrated by Figure 2 of the
accompanying drawings.
Seventh. The utilization of the products resulting from the combustion or burning
of town refuse in the closed mouth form of my furnace or destructor for combustion
in steam and gas engines, sewage treatment, limestone burning and the oxidizing of
light refuse iron and steel scrap so as to form a pigment therefrom substantially as
described herein.
Eighth. The arrangements of cold or hot air or combined air and aqueous vapour or
steam blast and blast boxes and plain or cooled tuyeres, substantially as described
herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Ninth. Adding to the refuse to be burnt or consumed in either form of my furnace
or destructor a suitable quantity of lime, limestone, or other material to serve as a flux
to produce a fluid slag with the incombustible portions of the refuse and the utilization
of the said slag in the manner and for the purposes herein described.
Tenth. The arrangements of slag chamber, drawing or raking out hole, slag drawing
and slag testing holes, described herein and illustrated by the accompanying
drawings.
Eleventh. The furnace or kiln for burning or converting limestone into lime sub-
stantially as described herein and illustrated by Figure 12 of the accompanying
drawings.
Twelfth. The furnace for oxidizing light refuse iron or steel scrap so as to produce
a pigment therefrom, substantially as described herein and illustrated by Figure 13 of
the accompanying drawings.
Thirteenth. The utilization in those cases in which a steam or aqueous vapour blast
or a combined steam or aqueous vapour and air blast is used of the closed mouth form
of my furnace or destructor for the production of water gas substantially as described
herein.
JAMES STEVENSON,
Gray's Inn Chambers, 20, High Holborn, W.C.. Agent for Applicant.