Year: 1898

page_text: GEORGE IEVERS CREE, 40, Upper Mount Street, Dublin, Ireland, Mechanical
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
:-
This furnace is designed in the form of a tunnel, with the fire-grate and com-
bustion chamber at the side of one end of the said tunnel, the fire passing into
the tunnel over a suitably formed bridge through a longitudinal aperture in the
side, and out through a similar opening in the side, at the other end of the tunnel,
and thence up a chimney.
The said tunnel is so designed that small trucks on a line of rails, can con-
veniently pass through it. The tops of the trucks to be composed of fire-clay
slabs, on which are placed crucibles carrying the substance to be charged.
The line of rails is fixed on a raised path, formed on the bottom of the tunnel,
to be of such a height that the fire and heat from the combustion chamber shall
come into complete contact with the crucibles, and leaving ample air spaces
between the sides of the said path carrying the rails, and the sides of the tunnel,
so that the wheels and bottom parts of the trucks shall not get unduly heated;
and in furtherance of this object, there is let into each side of the tunnel (imme-
diately above the level of the tops of the trucks, when in the tunnel,) a line of
fire-clay tiles forming a projecting ledge throughout the length of the tunnel,
so as to overlap the tops of the trucks, thus preventing the flame and heat from
coming in contact with the lower parts of the said trucks.
The ends of the tunnel are closed by doors, hung so that they can be raised by
suitable mechanism, for the passing in and out of the trucks with the crucibles.
The bottoms of the said doors to be so arranged, that the air shall have free
passage along the space at the bottom of the tunnel, aforesaid.
The length of tunnel is determined by the number of crucibles it is desired to
operate on at one time, the area of fire-grate and combustion chamber being
made to suit the size of tunnel.
The working of the furnace is as follows:-
The trucks with the crucibles containing the substance to be charred, are run
into the tunnel, and the doors closed, then as soon as the crucible at the end next
the combustion chamber has attained the necessary temperature the door at that
end is raised and the truck with the crucible run out and the door closed, then the
remaining trucks and crucibles are moved forward, leaving room for a fresh
truck and crucible to be run in at the end furthest from the combustion chamber,
and so on, each succeeding crucible being gradually moved forward to the
combustion chamber & hottest end of the tunnel and thus getting gradually heated
to the required temperature.
Dated this 11th day of December 1898

page_text: Unarring Furnace.
GEORGE IEVERS CREE, 40, Upper Mount Street, Dublin, Ireland, Mechanical
Engineer, 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 charring furnace is designed in the form of a tunnel, with the fire-grate
and combustion chamber at the side of one end of the said tunnel, the fire and heat
passing into the tunnel over a suitably formed bridge, through a longitudinal
aperture ("A" Figs. I & II.) in the side of the tunnel and thence along the length
of the tunnel and out through a similar opening ("B" Fig. II.) at the other end
and thence up a chimney.
The said tunnel is so designed that small trucks on a line of rails, can
conveniently pass through it.
The tops of the trucks to be composed of fire-clay slabs, on which are placed
crucibles or other receptacles carrying the substance to be charred.
The line of rails is fixed upon a raised path ("C" Figs. I. III. & IV.), formed
on the bottom of the tunnel, the said path to be made of such a height that the fire
and heat from the combustion chamber shall come into complete contact with the
crucibles or other receptacles, and the said path is to be of such a breadth as to
leave ample air spaces ("D)" Figs. I. III. & IV.) between the said path carrying
the rails, and the sides of the tunnel, so that the wheels and bottoni parts of the
trucks shall not get unduly heated; and in furtherance of this object, there is let
into each side of the tunnel (immediately above the level of the tops of the trucks,
when in the tunnel), a line of fire-clay tiles ("E" Figs. I. & II.) forming a
projecting ledge throughout the length of the tunnel, so as to overlap the tops of
the trucks as shown in the accompanying drawings, thus preventing the flame
and heat from coming in contact with the wheels and working parts of the said
trucks.
The ends of the said tunnel are closed by doors, hung so that they can be raised
by suitable mechanism, for the passing in and out of the trucks with the crucibles
or other receptacles.
When the doors at the ends of the tunnel are shut, the bottoms of them rest upon
the top of the truck nearest the door, at each end, or upon a truck used for the
purpose; and thus the part of the tunnel below the tops of the trucks, (throughout
the whole length of the tunnel) is completely shut off from the fire and heat.
When the tunnel is full of trucks, there is free passage of air through the part
of the said tunnel, which is below the fire-clay slabs which form the tops of the
trucks.
The length of the tunnel is determined by the number of crucibles or receptacles
it is desired to operate upon at one time, and the breadth may be made of such
a size as to enable more than one row of crucibles or other receptacles to be
operated upon at the same time, the trucks used being made correspondingly
larger, the area of the fire-grate and combustion chamber being made to suit the
size of the tunnel.
In working the furnace a greater heating effect is obtained, by luting on the
covers of the crucibles or other receptacles used, and perforating the bottoms of
the said crucibles or receptacles and conveying the products of distillation through
a pipe ("F" Figs. I. II. III. & IV.) in the centre of each of the trucks, (as shown
in the drawings accompanying this specification) to a hydraulic main running the
whole length of the tunnel ("G" Fig. 1), the gases being caught and conveyed

page_text: to the fire-box for their most economical combustion, instead of burning whilst
streaming out from under the lids of the crucibles or other receptacles.
The said hydraulic main is a tank extending the whole length of the tunnel,
and projecting a certain distance beyond each end of the said tunnel, one half of
which hydraulic main or tank is closed by a top ("H" Fig. I.), the side of the
said top or covering which runs along the centre of the tank, is made so as to
dip down about half way into the tank, and the aforesaid pipes from the crucibles
or receptacles are curved so as to pass beneath this side of the top of the said tank,
the said pipes being provided with a suitable joint to permit of their being
lifted out from under the said side of the top of the tank, when the truck is opposite
either end of the said tank.
When the main or tank is half filled with tar or other liquid, the gas from the
crucibles or other receptables, passes down through the pipes and is caught in
the upper covered half of the said tank or main, and thence conveyed from
it at the end next the combustion chamber, through pipes to the said combustion
chamber or fire-box, where it is burnt, the arrangement being substantially as
shown in the accompanying drawings.
The working of the furnace is as follows:-
The trucks with the crucibles or other receptacles containing the substance to be
charred, are run into the tunnel, completely filling it, then the doors at the ends
of the tunnel are closed; when the crucible or receptacle at the end next the
combustion chamber has attained the necessary temperature, the door at that end
is raised and the truck carrying the crucible or receptacle is run out and the door
closed, then the remaining trucks are moved forward leaving room for a fresh
truck and crucible to be run in at the end furthest from the combustion chamber,
and so on, each succeeding crucible or receptacle being gradually moved forward
to the combustion chamber and hottest end of the tunnel, and thus getting
gradually heated to the required temperature.
If it is desired to burn the distilled gases (if any) in the combustion chamber, as
described in the foregoing specification, the pipe fitted to each crucible or
other receptacle, has to be lowered into the tank when opposite the end of it
when being run into the tunnel, and raised out of it when opposite the other end
when being run out.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I wish it to be
understood that I make no claim to the means hereinbefore described for collecting
the products of distillation, nor for utilizing the same as fuel in the combustion
chamber; but, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. The construction and use of a furnace for charring or calcining bones in
closed crucibles or other receptacles, such that these crucibles or other receptacles
can be continuously moved from the cold to the hot end of the said furnace, or in
the reverse direction if so desired, on trucks or carriages; the construction being
such that the wheels and working parts of the said trucks or carriages are protected
from the heat of the furnace, substantially as shown in the drawings accom-
panying this specification.
2. The use of the said furnace for fusion, calcination, or heating of any
chemicals or other substances, in which the said chemicals or other substances,
are carried either in receptacles or exposed upon the tops of the said trucks or
carriages, for any chemical or other manufacturing purpose.
100A
UIT SIm naiRST
day of
August 1859.
G. I. CREE,
40, Upper Mount Street, Dublin, Ireland.