Improvements relating to Gas-regenerative and other Furnaces.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Apr., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 21st Jan., 1897-Accepted, 3rd Apr., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to Gas-regenerative and other Furnaces.
I, RICHARD AEMILIUS LEWIS, Engineer, of Sugley House, Lemington-on-
Tyne, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The novelty of this invention consists in the application of a tube or box, open
at top and at bottom, affording communication between the space above this tube,
and with A, one of two flue-openings below.
This tube is watersealed near the top and also near the bottom end.
On raising this tubo till its bottom edge is clear above the top edge of the lower
watertrough, and then turning the tube round a vertical axis through an angle
of 180 degrees or more or loss, and then on lowering the tube into the watertrough
around the top of the other flue-opening B,-this due opening B has now been
put into communication with the space above the tube, while the previously
connected Hue-opening A is left uncovered.
By thus placing the tube over either one or other of these flue openings-A or B,
the direction of the current of air or of other volatile products flowing through the
tube either nscending, or desconding-and through the flues, is reversed at each
change of position.
The cross section of the tube may be circular, polygonal, or irregular. A
vertical pin on the centre of its notion may be used to ensure the tube fitting the
watertroughs, also stops to check its motion, and a counterbalance weight to keep
the tube in its correct position vertically.
For burning-out purposes the tube may be lifted out of its place.
The application of this system or reversing is not restricted to gas-regenerative
furnaces, but may be used for volatile products of other metallurgical or chemical
processes, wherever a fluid seal is sufficient to prevent leakage.
Dated this 23rd day of April 1896.
RICHARD A. LEWIS.
Improvements relating to Gas-regenerative and other Furnaces.
I, RICHARD AEMILIUS LEWIS, Engineer, of Sugley House, Lemington-on-
Tyne, 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:-
The novelty of this invention consists in the application of a tube or box open at
the top and at the bottom, which tube affords communication between the space
above it and one of two spaces below it, and which tube provided with a waterseal
near its top edge and another waterseal near its bottom edge prevents leakage of
gases, and thus can be adapted for the purpose of a reversing valve.

page_text: In order that my said invention may be readily understood and carried into
effert, I will proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying
explanatory drawing, where the same reference letters denote similar parts.
Figure 1 is an elevation showing section through centreline F, G in Figure 4.
Figure 2 is an elevation showing section through centreline at right angles
to F, G.
Figure 3 is a side elevation of a spring-stop to check the rotation.
Figure 4 is a plau, where the upper half shows section on a level through
RNNE of Figures 1 and 2, and where the lower half supposes the top cover
portion of casing K Figure 1 removed.
Figure 5 is a sectional plan showing an arrangement of flues in connection with
reversing valves.
The producer gas arriving through the flue E.rises out of F through the water-
sealed seat G of the gas-regulating valve H and fills the space I inside the
casing K K and above the disc L.
The water in the trough M-all around the underedge of casing K and the
circular rim projecting below the outer edge of L-forms a waterseal and prevents
the gas escaping into the space N below L; but through the tube O the gas
finds its way into the flue A at the top of which another waterseal P surrounding
the D shaped rim below the outer edge of O also prevents the gas escaping into
space N.
Through A and A, the gas passes towards the gas-fired furnace, and after
having been burnt there the products of combustion return through B, and B and
escape thence into space N.
This space N as shown in Figure 4 is through Qin open communication with R
the space around aud above the valve or damper S whereby the chimney draught
is regulated and which can close the opening T which is a branch on the chimney
⚫flue U.
This invention provides for the reversing of the directions of the currents
in A A, through the furnace and B, B by means of lifting up the disc L with the
tube O fastened thereto until the D shaped projecting rim below the underedge
of O is clear above the trough containing the lower waterseal P without however
lifting the circular rim projecting below the outer edge of L entirely out of its
upper waterseal in trough M, and rotating L and O around the vertical axis
through V W through an angle of about 180 degrees and then lowering till the
projecting rim below the outer edge of O is sunk into the watertrough P around
the top of the D shaped opening of B Alue.
The gas descending from 1 through now finds its way throngh B B₁ through
the gas-fired furnace, and its products of combustion return thence through A
and A the top whereof is now uncovered and thence these products escape through
NQR and T into the chimney flue U.
F
On reversing the operation and rotating back through about 180 degrees the
tube O leaves B and again restores the communication between I and A as originally
described.
To steady lower and lift the disc L and tube a steady-pin V projects upward
between A and B as shown in Figure 1, and the spindle W is guided at X and by
menus of a branched arm and tierods suspends L and also causes it to be swung
round. Z is a trough to hold ballast for balancing the onesided weight of O and
thus keeping L and O in their correct position.
To facilitate and regulate the lowering and lifting and swinging of L the spindle W
has a projecting collar which turns freely on balls carried on a sleeve which by
means of links is connected to a lever and counterbalance weight Y which latter
alightly overbalances the spindle W and all depending therefrom, thereby also
providing for the weight of accumulation of soot and the like on L and in O.
The slackening of a chain through a certain length lowers the balanceweight Y
aud lilts the valve L and O. the required height, whereas tightening this chain

page_text: lowers the valve; a spiral spring on steady-pin V checks any excessive speed of
descent and possible breakage.
The rotating of the valve L and O through an angle of about 180 degrees can
he effected by acting directly on the spindle projecting above guide X,-it can also.
be effected by moving a chain which passes around a sheave fastened on W which
sheave may carry an arm with a loose roller which at the end of the rotation
on striking against a hinged bar backed up by a spring causes the rotation to
cease gradually. Figure 3 indicates these details. When the valve is to be
lowered a guide bar on either side of this loose roller ensures that the position.
of the projection below O is right for the D shaped troughs of the waterseal P;
and inattention and carelessness and breakage resulting therefrom can thus be.
counteracted.
Suitable openings at C, E, F, H, are provided for keeping the watersupply in-
troughs at the right level and for occasionally removing, raking or sludging
out of the watertroughs any obstruction through soot or fluedust and the like,
without interfering with the valve when working.
Covered openings and handholes G, through the casing K and the valve H
allow_aconmulations of sont to be loosened; an opening J, for air to enter
into F when required helps the quick burning-out. To prevent unnecessary and
injurious overheating of the valve with its waterseals, as soon as the soot and. tho
like has all been burnt out, the valve S may be lowered upon its seat, and a special
damper at K, in Figure 5 may be opened to establish a direct communication between
gaeflue E and the continuation of chimneytlue U or C; this opening K₁ will also
be of use when removing Huedust out of U and C and E. The airreversing valve
stands above L₁ and its flues to the furnace are respectively M₁ and N₁ and its
chimney damper O, stands ncross the chinney flue C which latter in Figure 1-is
shown passing through below A and B.
The arrangement shown in Figures 1 to 4 would be equally applicable had
Figure 5 shown the gasvalves and flues between the furnace and the airvalve and
its flues. The application of this invention is not restricted to the circular and
D shaped form of troughs as in Figure 4, but instead of them may be substituted
polygonal oblong or irregular shape. Moreover instead of the gas descending
through the tube O under certain circumstances I may prefer it to ascend through
the tube O and thus modify the explanation accordingly. Also the tube O may
carry the troughs for the upper and lower waterseals instead of the projecting rims
which latter may be fixtures in that case.
The object of this invention is to provide an arrangement where by an upper and
a lower fluid seal of sufficient depth to efficiently withstand the pressure of the
gases without leakage, injury from overheating both in regular working and during
the occasional burning-out may be lessened or completely avoided.
The application of this system of a fluid sealed reversing valve is not restricted
to a gas-regenerative furnace, but it may be used for reversing the direction of the
flow of air steam or other volatile or gaseous products resulting from metallurgical
chemical or teobnical processes.
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 :
(1) The combination and application of two separate watertroughs one above the
other, with a tube furnished with appliances suitable to form an upper and a lower
waterseal, which tube by partial rotation round a vertical axis intermittently
connects a space at one end of this tube with one of two or more spaces at the
other end of this.tube.
(2) The general arrangement construction and combination of a gas reversing
valve comprising two separate watertroughs one above the other, and a tube so
furnished and suspended as to form with them two waterseals, substantially as and
for the purposes hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

page_text: (3) The general arrangement, construction and combination of a gas regulating
valve with a gas reversing valve with its lifting lowering suspending and rotating
arrangements with their respective spring checks, substantially as and for the
purposes hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
Dated this 20th day of January 1897
RICHARD A. LEWIS,
Applicant.