IMPROVEMENTS IN FURNACES AND FLUES, AND IN KILNS AND DRYING CHAMBERS
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Collins, of Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
FURNACES AND FLUES, AND IN KILNS AND DRYING CHAMBERS.":"
Sealed the 27th October 1857, and dated the 30th April 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION, left by the said John Collins at the Office.
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 30th April,
1857.
I, JOHN COLLINS, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Civil
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for " "IMPROVE
MENTS IN FURNACES AND FLUES, AND IN KILNS AND DRYING CHAMBERS," to be as
follows:
My improvements in furnaces consist in making the bars of the said
furnaces of fire-clay, supported upon a foundation or support of iron or of slabs
of fire-clay, perforated with slots, and supported upon a foundation of iron.
I make the upper edge of the furnace. bridge of a toothed or jagged form. By
this construction the air admitted at the bridge is more effectually mixed with
the gaseous matter from the furnace than is the case with the ordinary bridge.
This construction of bridge is applicable to the flues of steam boilers and other
flues.
My improvements in kilns and drying chambers consist in the application

page_text: thereto of my improvements in furnaces, and in the following arrangements:-
I heat the kiln by means of two furnaces, a smaller and a larger one. The
smaller one is situated on a lower level than the larger one, and is employed
to beat the kiln to a low degree, and more particularly to heat the lower part
of the kiln. The fuel employed is coal, and the products of combustion pass
away by a flue or flues. The large furnace is employed for raising the tem-
perature of the kiln to a higher temperature than that to which it can be
raised by the small furnace. Coke is employed in 'the large furnace, and the
products of combustion pass into a cokel when they are mixed with air and
pass into the interior of the kiln. I sometimes use the larger furnace without
the smaller one. The floor of the kiln is made of perforated zinc, supported
upon bars. of iron or wood.
By. Kilns, in the foregoing description, I mean kilns or drying ovens, or
chambers or receptacles, which may be used for heating, and drying.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Collins in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 29th
"October 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS. SHALL COME, I, JOHN
COLLINS, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Civil Engineer, send.
greeting,
T
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by, Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twentieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Jolin Collins, Her special licence that I, the said John. Collins, my
executors,, administrators, and assigns," or such others as I, the said John
Collins, my 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 FURNACES
AND FLUES, AND IN KILNS AND DRYING CHAMBERS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said "John Collins, my executors or administrators, by, an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one-of-their hands-and-seals,
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

page_text: bes 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 I, the said Jolin Collins; do, hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is, to say :- ? *
**My improvements in furnaces" consist in making the bars of the said
furnaces of fire-brick, or other earthy matter, and also in perforating slabs of
fire-brick or other earthy, material, and constructing the bottoms of furnaces
of the said perforated slabs, supported on iron bars or plates. *
My improvements in flues consist in, placing toothed or serrated bridges in
the flues of steam boilers, salt pans, and other vessels and chambers requiring
to be heated; also in the use of diaphragms to be placed in flues or tubes, for
the purpose of inducing a more perfect combustion of the volatile products
evolved from the furnace. The said bridges and diaphragms may be made
cither of earthen or metallic substances.
My improvements in kilns and drying chambers consist in constructing the
heating apparatus of the forms illustrated in the accompanying, Drawings, by
which construction a very perfect combustion of the fuel is induced, and
economy, in the said fuel effected. I apply the. said heating apparatus to the
heating of the exterior or interior of a series of tubes or channels, whereby I
am enabled, to distribute currents of atmospheric air. over, and through the
said heated,tubes or, channels. The air thus heated may be discharged alone
or in combination, with the products of combustion into the kilns or drying
chambers: Lemploy perforated zinc plates, placed on wood or metal bearings,
to receive the matters to be dried..
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings represents a plan and section
furnace bars.or tiles, of fire-clay or other earthen body, constructed, according
to my Invention, and having slits or perforations, and supported by iron bars
or plates a, a, and b, b.
'
i.
Figure 2. represents, in transverse section, a steam boiler, in which is shown
the mode of setting the fire-clay bridges c, c, likewise the diaphragms d, d, in
the flue
7.2
*****
The fire-clay: bridges may be placed within the flue in place of the
diaphragms d, d, when the furnace is fixed inside the said flue.
Figure 3 represents. a longitudinal section of the boiler, Figure 2, the said
Figure showing the positions of the toothed or serrated. bridges c, c, likewise
the bridges or diaphragms d, d, in the flue or tube:
Figure 4-represents the mode of applying the toothed or serrated bridges

page_text: to the flues of salt pans, or other vessels or chambers requiring to be heated,
which bridges are placed at distances from each other (as shewn in Figure 3),
and placed beyond the furnace.
Figure 5 represents a transverse section of a heating apparatus to be
placed over or on the sides of the furnace for heating kilns or drying
chamers. f is the furnace; g, the ash-pit; h, h, tubes or channels, vertical
or inclined, over the furnace for heating the air; i, i, are passages for
delivering the heated air into the body of the 'kiln or drying chamber; k, l,
'outer casing of apparatus; 1, 7, slides or regulators to discharge the produëts
of combustion into the said kilnės; m is the exit flue, by which the smoke
is conducted into flues or pipes, through which it circulates, and passes
thence to the chimney shaft; n, n; are channels, by which cold air is sup
plied to the heating tubes or channels h, h. This apparatus may be so used
that the products of combustion may or may not be discharged into the body
of-the kilns or drying chambers.
Figure 6 represents a longitudinal section of the apparatus-Figure 5, the
said section, Figure 6, showing the arrangement of the tubes or channels
extending from front to back of the furnaces from o to p. The hot air gene
rating tubes or channels are seen in section at 7.
1
Figure 7 represents, in transverse vertical section, a-heating-apparatus, in
which the pipes or channels are inclined or curved, and placed across the
top of the furnace, at slight distances apart. The said channels extend froin
front to back of the furnace, as will be understood by reference to the
section Figure 6. This apparatus may be used with or without the products
of combustion issuing from the same into the kilns or drying chambers:
Figure 8 represents, in vertical transverse section, an apparatus to be placed
over and at the sides of furnaces for beating kilns-and-drying chambers. is
the furnace; s, the asli-pit; t,.t, hot air generating tubes or channels over
the fire; u, u, are pipes or channels-through-which-pass-the-products.of.com
bustion from the furnace, and become discharged into the drying chamber, or
carried by pipes or flues to the exterior of the building; v'is a slide regulator
to discharge the products of combustion into the kilns inore forcibly; w, w,
cold air service channel; a, a, external casing of iron or brick to enclose the
cold and hot air chamber or air current over the tubes or channels u; u.
Figure 9 represents a longitudinal section of the pipes or channels; showing
the cold air chambers and tortuous direction of the current of air over tlic-said
tubes or channels u, u..
Figure 10 represents a longitudinal section of the tubes. or channels for
heating air, marked 7 in Figure S

page_text: .
Figure 11 represents, in transverse and longitudinal section, tubes or
channels applicable to Figures 8, 9, 12, and 13, the said tubes or channels
for heating air having projections or deflectors on the outside of the same.
is the longitudinal, and 1 the transverse section.
Figure 12 represents in transverse section, and Figure 13 in longitudinal
section, a heating apparatus constructed with plates of iron and tubes
2, 2, placed in air passages by the sides and over, the furnace, in such a
position that the current of the products of combustion is caused to divide at
the back of the furnace 3; and pass through tubes 2 to 4, then ascend on each
side of and pass over the furnace through the tubes 2, 2, to exit pipe or flue 5.
The atmospheric air, passing up by the sides of the furnace and over the said
tubes, becomes heated and passes into the kiln or drying chamber at 6. The
products of combustion may pass into ilie kiln or drying chamber at.7, if
required:
Figure 14 represents a transverse section of an apparatus for heating
air, to be placed over the furnace of kilus or drying chambers, and dis-.
charging the heated air into the said kilns or drying chambers at or beyond
the bridge of the said furnace. 8 is the furnace; 9 is the ash-pit; 10, a
moveable bridge, of iron or bricks, to be removed when required; 11, 11, are
tubes or channels, with or without internal deficctors, to give a tortuous course
to the air passing through the passages provided to carry the same to interior of
kilns, or drying-chambers, such tubes or channels to be occasionally removed
from the furnace.
Figure 15 represents a longitudinal section of Figure 14, showing the
direction of the air in its passage through the channels or tubes to be heated..
Figure 16 represents a number of tubes or channels to be placed verti-
cally or obliquely on a plate of iron, the products of combustion passing
through the same, and the air passing from the front to the back of the
furnace, over the exterior of the said tubes or channels, and be discharged
into the kiln or drying chamber. 12 is the furnace for coke or smokeless
coal; 13, the ash-pit; 14 is a moveable bridge; 15, 15, are tubes, through
which pass the products of combustion to the chamber 16; 17 is a furnace in
which I burn common slack, the products from which pass oll through flues or
pipes of iron, or brick, or brick and iron combined, marked 18, the said
pipes of iron.having external ribs round the same to give greater surface for
heating air: The said pipes or tubes circulate around, or in any portion of
the kilns or chambers.
:
Figure 17 represents a longituilinal section of Figure 16, showing the
direction or passage of the air to the body of the kilns or drying eliambers

page_text: 1
over the exterior of the tubes and channels, likewise the direction of the
products of combustion through the circulating pipe or flue 18.
T
Figure 18 represents a section of a pipe having a number of ribs on the
same to give surface for heating air.
I
Figure 19-represents a transverse section of a brick flue for generating
warm air, the said flue having pipes or channels of brick or iron internally
placed across or along the flues, likewise deflecting plates or bricks, at
convenient distances, to cause the products of combustion to either impinge
on the brick walls 19, or give to the same a tortuous course. 19, 19, are
the brick walls; 20, cross tube; 21, longitudinal tube; 22, 22, the deflecting
plates or bricks.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of
carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that I do not limit
myself to the precise details herein described and represented, as the same
may be varied without departing from the nature of my said Invention; but
I claim as my Invention,―
Firstly, the application of bars or perforated tiles of fire-clay or other earthy
material, when placed on plates, or bars of metal for furnace bottoms, in place
of iron furnace bars, as herein-before described and illustrated in Figure 1 of
the accompanying Drawings.
Secondly, the application of toothed or serrated bridges of fire-clay or other
earthy material; when placed in flues or tubes of steam boilers, salt pans,
evaporating and boiling vessels, and other chambers; also the use of toothed
or serrated diaphragms when placed in flues, as herein-before described and
represented in Figures 2 and 3 of the accompanying Drawings.
Thirdly, the application of tubes or channels when placed in a curved or
inclined position over and at the sides of the furnace, for the purpose of lieat-
ing the atmospheric air admitted to the body of kilns or drying chambers,
the said curved or inclined tubes having a number of deflectors in the air
passages; also the admission of the products of combustion, into the said kilns
and drying, chambers in combination with the said tubes or channels for heat-
ing the atmospheric air, as herein-before described and illustrated in Figures
5, 6, and 7 of the accompanying Drawings.
'
Fourthly, the application of tubes or channels placed in apparatus over the
furnace to heat the atmospheric air, as illustrated in Figure 10; also tubes or
channels placed in air passages at the sides of the furnace when such air pas-
sages are enclosed by brick, or iron walls, or plates, to cause the cold air to
pass tortuously over the said tubes or channels, as herein-before described and
illustrated in Figures 8 and 9 of the accompanying Drawings.,

page_text: Fifthly, the application or arrangement of tubes or channels placed horizon-
tally in the air passages by the sides of the furnace and over the same, or at
the end of the furnace, when the products of combustion are caused to make a
number of circuits, as herein-before described and illustrated in Figures 12
and 13 of the accompanying Drawings.
Sixthly, the method, lierein described and represented in Figure 11, of
making deflectors or ribs on the exterior of tubes for heating air, as applicable
to the apparatus represented in Figures 8, 9, 12, and 13 of the accompanying
Drawings.
Seventhly, the several arrangements of horizontal, vertical, or oblique tubes
or channels placed over furnaces for heating air and admitting the same to
kilns and drying chambers, as illustrated in Figures 14, 15, 16 and 17; also
the application of a furnace for common coal, and circulating pipes or flues
placed underneath the coke furnace, as illustrated in Figure 16, with ribs to
the heating tubes, as illustrated in Figure 18, such tubes to pass round or
about the interior of kilns or drying chambers.
Eighthly, the application of pipes or channels of brick or iron placed across
or along brick flues or internal deflecting plates to the same, as represented in
Figure 19, such brick flues being used in kilns and drying chambers.
Ninthly, the application of perforated zinc plates for floors or trays, on which
to place the substances to be dried in kilns and drying chambers, the said zinc
plates being placed on bars or frames of wood or metal.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Collins, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
Witness,
RICHARD SKERRETT,
Clerk to George Shaw.
JOHN COLLINS. (L.S.)