Improvements in Furnaces.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Feb., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 4th Nov., 1893—Accepted, 16th Dec., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Furnaces.
I, EDWARD BROOK of 41 Spring Street, Huddersfield in the County of York
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention of improvements in furnaces, relates to the combustion of the gas,
in gas-fired reverberatory furnaces, it being immaterial as to whether the gas
producer forms part of the furnace, or is placed at some distance therefrom; the
object being to provide means whereby the air for the combustion of the gas may
be admitted into the furnace at various places, so as to localize the heat at any
desired part thereof.
According to this invention I prefer to admit the air under pressure through
perforations in the arch or roof of the furnace, such perforations leading from pipes
or channels which cross the said roof externally. These pipes, channels or passages
(which may be two or more in number according to the length or size of the
furnace) being situated so as to cause combustion of the gas to take place where it
is desired to generate the greatest heat. The flow of air to the said channels and
perforations, is controlled by suitable valves or dampers, whereby it may be
directed into any one of the said channels as may be desired, and thus enter into
combustion with the gas at that particular part of the furnace where the generation
of heat is required.
Dated this 6th day of February 1893.
EDWARD BROOK.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Furnaces.
I, EDWARD BROOK, of 41 Spring Street, Huddersfield, in the County of York,
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 invention has reference to improvements in gas-fired reverberatory furnaces,
the object being to provide means whereby the air for the combustion of the gas
from a gas producer may be admitted into the furnace at various places at will so
as to localize the heat at any desired part thereof.
For this purpose, according to this invention, I admit the air through perforations
that are formed through the arch or roof of the furnace, and lead from pipes,
channels or passages (hereinafter called channels) which cross the said roof
externally, these channels, which may be two or more in number according to the
length or size of the furnace, and the corresponding perforations, (hereinafter
called ports) being situated so as to cause combustion of the gas to take place where
it is desired to generate the greatest heat. The flow of air to the said channels
and ports is controlled by suitable valves or dampers, whereby it may be directed
into any one of the said channels and corresponding ports as may be desired, and
thus caused to enter into combustion with the gas at that particular part of the
furnace where the generation of heat is required.
In the accompanying illustrative drawings,
Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal section, and
Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section, of a gas-fired reverberatory furnace
constructed according to this invention.

page_text: 1, 2, 3 are air channels arranged to cross the roof of the furnace externally, and
44 are downwardly and forwardly inclined ports in the said roof by which the air
can pass from the said channels to the furnace chamber to cause combustion of the
gas therein. The air is admitted to and shut off from each channel as desired, by
a damper 5 which is opened and closed by means of a chain 6, lever 7, shaft 8 and
hand lever 9, each damper controlling the communication between the corresponding
channel and an air supply passage 10.
In the construction of furnace illustrated, the gas producer 11 is shown as forming
part of such furnace, but it is not necessary that this should be the case, as it may
be placed at a distance and the gas be brought to the furnace through the usual
brick culverts. The air for the combustion of the gas within the furnace, is, in the
example shown, led to the passages 10 and channels 1, 2, 3 from the chamber 12
located beneath the furnace hearth 13 and may be drawn into the furnace by the
chimney draught, or be forced in by mechanical means, such as a fan, or steam jet
apparatus. Or the air may be otherwise conveyed to the ports 4 as for example
by conveying it direct to the channels 1, 2, 3 through pipes from a blower in a
cold or heated state, a valve being interposed between the main pipe and cach
channel, to give the requisite control as to which channel the air shall be admitted.
In the example shown in Fig. 1, three channels and series of ports, constituting
three distinct air ways are provided, but it will be obvious that two only may be
used, or more than three, according to circumstances.
This invention is especially suitable for furnaces used for heating ingots, and
billets, and for other similar purposes, by reason of its enabling the attendant to
alter the zone of combustion to suit requirement. Thus for example, assuming
the furnace to be charged with ingots, then, when those nearest to the bridge 14
have been sufficiently heated by causing combustion of the gas passing from the
producer 11 to take place near the bridge 14 by admitting air to the first channel 1
and series of ports 4, and the said ingots have been withdrawn, the air is stopped
from passing through the said channel 1 and the corresponding ports 4, and is
admitted through the channel 2 and corresponding ports so as to cause combustion
of the gas at a point near the centre of the furnace to heat the ingots at this part
to the required temperature, after which the operation is repeated at the chimney
end so that the full heat may be obtained at this part of the furnace without its
being necessary to unduly force the fire, and with much less expenditure of fuel
than would otherwise be necessary, notwithstanding the length of the furnace is
greater than usual.
It will be evident that this invention is also specially suited for puddling
furnaces, and for furnaces for other purposes.
Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section of a puddling furnace constructed
according to this invention. This furnace is made longer than usual so that it
may have two, or even more, hearths 13 or puddling chambers, and is provided
with transverse channels 1, 2 ports 4, and controlling valves or the dampers as in
the previously described arrangement. In working this furnace, both hearths or
puddling chambers are charged with pig iron etc. in the usual way, the charge on
the hearth next the bridge 14 being melted and worked off first so that the flame
and hot gases escaping therefrom will pass over the charge on the second hearth
and be utilised in heating up such charge. When the charge on the first hearth
has been worked off and removed, the air supply from channel 1 is shut off, and
admitted to channel 2, so as to cause combustion of the gas and the generation of
the greatest heat to take place above the second hearth so as to melt the charge.
thereon.
Double chambered puddling furnaces have been used before, but to enable the
material in the second chamber to be brought to the full heat, provision has had
to be made for turning the furnace body round through half a circle, or for
reversing the direction of the flame, as in the Siemens system. Or the material
has had to be moved from the second chamber into the first one in order to undergo
the finishing process therein, whereas by this invention it is merely necessary to

page_text: alter the valves for admitting the air to the gas to cause combustion at the required
place.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A gas-fired reverberatory furnace constructed with air ways or channels and
controlling valves or dampers whereby the air for effecting the combustion of the
gascous fuel employed can be admitted to the furnace chamber at various points in
the direction of its length so as to localize the resulting heat at desired parts of
such chamber substantially as herein described.
2. A gas-fired reverberatory furnace constructed with two or more transverse
air channels situated upon or above the roof of the furnace, ports extending from
the said channels through the roof of the furnace and communicating with the
furnace chamber at different points thereof in the direction of its length, and
valves or dampers whereby the passage of air through each channel and corre-
sponding port or ports can be controlled at will substantially as herein before
described with reference to the annexed drawings for the purpose specified.
3. The improved construction of furnaces for heating and puddling purposes,
with transverse air channels 1, 2 ports 4 and valves or dampers 5, all arranged and
operating as herein before described with reference respectively to and shown in
Figs. 1 and 2 and in Fig. 3 of the annexed drawings.
Dated this 4th day of November 1893.
W. Lloyd Wise,
E. BROOK.
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.