IMPROVEMENTS IN OVENS
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Benjamin Joseph Barnard Mills, of 35, South-
ampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN OVENS.”. -A communication from
abroad by Hosea Ball, of the City, County, and State of New York,
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Benjamin Joseph Barnard
Mills at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition and Declaration, on the 20th July 1870, pursuant to the 9th
Section of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, BENJAMIN
JOSEPH BARNARD MILLS, of 35, Southampton Buildings, in the County
of Middlesex, Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for “IMPROVEMENTS IN
OVENS," and have petitioned Her Majesty to grant unto me, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, Her Royal Letters Patent for the same, and

page_text: have made solemn Declaration that it has been communicated to me
from abroad by Hosea Ball, of the City, County, and State of New York,
United States of America, Machinist.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Benjamin Joseph Barnard Mills, do
hereby declare that the following Complete Specification, under my hand
and seal, fully describes and ascertains the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say :-
The Invention relates to the class which are known as reel ovens, in
which the bread receivers are pivotted to the ends of the arms or end
plates of a revolving reel. Instead of suspending the bread trays or
receivers at some distance below the arms, by which means the diameter
of the reel which may be used within-an oven of given size is materially
reduced, the pan is placed above the horizontal bar of the reel and its
horizontal position is preserved by means of a pendulous weight
suspended beneath the axis of support. This suspended weight consists
of a basket, perforated plate, or receptacle to be filled with broken brick,
or other suitable material, which answers several purposes :—
1. When a given basket, as it may be termed, is at the bottom of its
revolution it absorbs considerable heat owing to its proximity to the arch.
This being carried off is utilized upon the bottom of the pan when the
latter is more remote from the heated arch.
2. The basket is to some extent interposed between the batches of
bread on adjacent trays, and prevents the direct transmission of steam
heat from the batch on a given pan to the bottom of the pan above.
Another and very important part of the Invention relates to the
manner of introducing the heated gases to the baking chamber. Instead
of carrying them directly through the arch, or promiscuously through the
walls of the chamber, a solid arch is employed which will retain and
equalize the heat in a more effective manner than a perforated arch, and
above the arch is a perforated floor beneath which the heated gases are
introduced, and through which they are distributed uniformly over the
lower part and entire area of the oven.
Another part of the Invention consists of a damper, opening in the
side or sides of the oven, at or below the highest level reached by the
bread pans, for the purpose of taking the steam off at and below that
point without materially disturbing the body of steam above that
point.

page_text: Figure 1 is a vertical transverse section at right angles to the axis of
the reel, the plane of section being shewn by the dotted line a, b,
Figure 2. Figure 2 is a vertical section on a plane at right angles to
the former, the plane of section being shewn by the dotted line c, d,
Figure 1.
A, A, are the outer walls of the oven which are usually made of brick,
as are also the inner walls B, B; C is the furnace, and C¹ the arch or
ceiling of the furnace chambers. Between the walls are flue spaces up
to the level of the perforated floor D, which distributes the air beneath
the oven chamber proper, and which will be described presently. Above
the level of the said perforated floor the walls are solid to a height even
with the line of greatest elevation of the bread pans or thereabout. At
this level are apertures d, d, in the side walls, through which the heat
may pass from the oven to the upper flues E, E, and to the chimney, or
these holes may be closed by dampers, and the heated gases and products
of combustion may pass out at the ceiling of the oven by apertures e,
which conduct the said gases to the flues E, E, and the chimney. The
apertures e are also provided with dampers. In the side and back inner
walls B, B, are openings b, b, which admit the heated air and gases to
the space or the passages beneath the perforated floor D, through whose
openings the said caloric current is distributed into the main chamber M
of the oven.
This floor is situated a distance above the arch C¹ and may,
like the latter, be of brick so laid as to afford intervals for the passage of
the air, or it may be a perforated plate. The object of the floor is to
distribute the heat in the oven and to avoid its striking upwardly
immediately from the holes b, b, and so leaving a portion of the interior
unequally heated. To secure a uniform supply at each part it may be
advisable to make the floor openings near the middle larger than those
in more immediate proximity to the holes b, b, in the side and back
walls. Mounted on a horizontal axis within the principal chamber M
of the oven and turned by outside means, to wit a wheel N, to which
motion is given by a pinion O and crank, or by other suitable means, is a
reel P consisting of heads p, p, and rods s; s. The latter are parallel

page_text: with the axis and form supports for the bread pans P¹, one to each rod.
The ends of each bread pan are fastened to cheek pieces R which are
journaled on the rod s, so as to swing freely thereon. A basket T of
wire gauze, stiffened with rods, is attached by its ends to the lower
portions of the cheek pieces R and forms a pendulous weight which
keeps the bread pan above it in an approximately horizontal position, so
as to receive the unbaked loaves and maintain the proper position while
the reel is transporting them around the oven from the place at which
they are first deposited on the pans, thence downward towards the arch
up at the rearward part of the oven, then by the ceiling, and eventually
at the door A¹ where they are removed, and other loaves of dough sub-
stituted to perform the same round. These pendulous receptacles T
may be termed baskets, as that fairly describes their preferable form. In
them are placed broken brick or other suitable material, which may
absorb heat at the hottest portions of the oven and impart it to the
bottoms of the pans when they have arrived at a cooler part of the oven.
They also act at times in another capacity, intervening between a loaf
and the bottom of the pan above it, so as to intercept to some extent
steam heat which may be passing from the bread.
While the basket form described and represented is preferred it is not
absolutely necessary, as the pendulous receptacle may be a mere platform.
Its foraminous or perforated surface however should be retained, as it
should not obstruct the passage of the heat to the bottom of the pan.
In baking crackers the bricks may be dispensed with so far as their
baking action is concerned, and the basket is merely used as a counter-
balance to keep the pans horizontal.
The number of bread pans on the reel and the proportions of the
reel relatively to the oven will vary with the required capacity for
work.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and the
mode in which the same may readily be carried into effect, I would have
it understood that what I claim is,-
Firstly. The bread pan arranged above its axis of support and provided
with a pendulous weight beneath by which its horizontal position is
sufficiently maintained.
Secondly. In combination with a bread pan arranged as described,
the basket plate or containing receptacle, which besides its functions as

page_text: a weight may be utilized to contain material capable of absorbing and
radiating heat, substantially as and for the purpose described.
Thirdly. A basket or plate suspended from a swinging bread pan or
platform, whether the pan be above or below the axis of support.
Fourthly. A basket or plate placed or suspended below the bread pan
for the purpose described, used or to be used in any oven in which the
pans or bottoms are mechanically moved during the baking process,
whether the motion be by a reel, a rotating platform, a chain, a band, or
otherwise.
Fifthly. An imperforate or solid arch or crown to the furnace and a
grating or perforated or reticulated floor plate or sheet placed between
the said arch or crown and the baking chamber, for the purpose of
distributing the heat, substantially as herein set forth, and this feature
in any oven whether it be furnished with moving pans or otherwise.
In witness whereof, I, the said Benjamin Joseph Barnard Mills,
have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of
July, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
seventy.