IMPROVEMENTS IN GRATE BARS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Gill and Henry Northcott, both of Adwalton, in
the County of York, Engineers, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
GRATE BARS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Gill and Henry
Northcott at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st
September 1878.
CHARLES GILL and HENRY NORTHCOTT, both of Adwalton, in the County of
York, Engineers. "IMPROVEMENTS IN GRATE BARS."
The object of our Invention is to arrange furnace grate bars in such a manner
that the attendant can break up the fire and clean the same of the spent ashes and
small clinkers without having to open the furnace door.
We accomplish our object in the following manner:-To each side of the front
and back dead plates we fix side bars that are arranged with a number of recesses
that form the journal bearings for the grate bars; the grate bars are arranged with
a number of tongues or projections on one side of the bar, and when the bars are
fitted in respective positions in the furnace, the tongues or projections of one bar
fit into the spaces between the projections or tongues of the other bar, and leave a
space between the same to form air channels to supply air to the fuel in the
furnace; through each of the before-mentioned tongues we form air spaces which
also admit air to the furnace and assist in keeping the bars cool; at the other or
opposite side of the said bars we form slight projections which fit into corresponding
spaces or notches formed in the opposite bar, these spaces also admit air and assist
in cooling the grate bars; at the under side of each of the said bars and near to
each end of the same we form projecting pins that fit into rods that are placed
longitudinally with the furnace; these rods work in slides secured to the front and
back dead plates; the front end of these rods are secured to a lever by means of
links or pins, and the lever is centred on a stud fixed to the front dead plate. To

page_text: one of the before-mentioned rods we attach another lever, which when actuated
will cause the grate bars to partly revolve in the journals and tilt the fire and
break up the same, when the spent ashes and small clinkers will fall through the
spaces between the bars when tilted into the ash-pit.
The grate bars can be actuated by means of racks fitted to each side of the bars 5
in place of the rods before-mentioned, the racks are actuated by means of levers in
the same manner as the rods before described.
In order to prevent the fire falling through the spaces between the bars when
actuated, we form a stop on the under side of the bars opposite to each space
between the tongues which allows the spent ashes and small clinkers to fall 1
through, but keeps the body of the fire on the top side of the bars.
Through the bottom of the recesses in which the grate bars are mounted we
form a hole; this hole allows the small ashes that fall into the journals to pass
away, and also allows air to flow through and keep the grate bar ends cool.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Charles Gill and Henry Northcott in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 20th March 1879.
CHARLES GILL and HENRY NORTHCOTT, both of Adwalton, in the County of
York, Engineers. "IMPROVEMENTS IN GRATE BARS."
The object of our Invention is to arrange furnace grate bars in such a manner
that the attendant can break up the fire and clean the same of the spent ashes and
Ismall clinkers without having to open the furnace door.
We accomplish our object in the following manner :-To each side of the front
and back dead plates we fix side bars that are arranged with a number of recesses
that form the journal bearings for the grate bars; the grate bars are arranged with
a number of tongues or projections on one side of the bar, and when the bars are
fitted in their respective positions in the furnace, the tongues or projections of one
bar fit into the spaces between the tongues or projections of the other bar, and
leave a space between the same to form air channels for supplying air to the fuel
in the furnace; through each of the before-mentioned tongues we form air spaces
which also admit air to the furnace and assist in keeping the bars cool; at the
other or opposite side of the said bars we form slight projections which fit into
corresponding spaces or notches formed in the opposite bar, these spaces also admit
air and assist in cooling the grate bars; at the under side of each of the said bars
and near to each end of the same we form projecting pins that fit into sliding rods or
bars that are placed longitudinally with the furnace; the said rods or bars work in
slides secured to the front and back dead plates, and the front ends of the said rods
or bars are secured to a lever by means of links or pins; this lever is centred on a
stud fixed to the front dead plate.
To one of the before-mentioned rods we attach another lever which when
actuated will cause the grate bars to partly revolve in the journals and tilt the
fire and break up the same, when the spent ashes and small clinkers will fall
through the spaces between the bars when tilted into the ash-pit.
The grate bars can be actuated by means of racks fitted to each side of the bars
in place of the rods before-mentioned; the racks are actuated by means of levers in
the same manner as the rods before described.
In order to prevent the fire falling through the spaces between the bars when
actuated, we form a stop on the under side of the bars opposite to each space
between the tongues, which allows the spent ashes and small clinkers to fall
through, but keeps the body of the fire on the top side of the bars.
Through the bottom of the recesses in which the grate bars are mounted we form
a hole or channel; this hole or channel allows the small ashes that fall into the
journals to pass away, and also allows air to flow through and keep the grate bar
ends cool.
· Such being the nature and object of this our Invention we will now proceed to
describe the same in detail, and in order that the same may be fully understood we
have hereunto annexed one Sheet of Drawings, and have marked the same with
letters of reference.
Figure 1 represents the plan of a portion of a boiler fire-box with our improved
fire-bars shewn fitted transversly with the boiler, but they can be fitted longitu-
dinally if required. Figure 2 is a front view of the same, and Figure 3 is an end
view of one of our improved bars which shews the projection M. In all the Figures
similar letters represent similar parts.
The letter A indicates the front dead plate which is fitted to the boiler tube
plate B, B, in the usual manner; the side bars C, C, are secured to the front and
back dead plates, and serve as carriers for the fire-bars which rest in the recesses
D, which act as journals for the fire-bars E to rest in, at one side of each fire-bar
we form a number of tongues F, which number are regulated according to the
width of the fire; in each tongue we form an opening G which forms an air space

page_text: for admitting air to the portion of fire laying on the tongues. The tongues of one
bar fit into the spaces of the opposite bar which are sufficiently clear of each other
as to allow ample air space for admitting air to the fire; on the opposite side of the
grate bars to which the tongues are placed we form a number of projections H on
every alternate bar, which fit into corresponding recesses formed in the back of the
adjacent bar, leaving sufficient air space between the same for the air to pass to
the fire. At the under side of each fire-bar we form a projection J; these projections
pass through holes formed in the bars K, K, which rest in suitable brackets secured
to the dead plates or other convenient portion of the boiler flue. At the under side
of the front dead plate we attach by means of a stud which acts as fulcrum, the
lever L; this lever is connected by means of links to the before-mentioned bars
K, K, the lever L is also connected by means of links to a hand lever not shewn
in the Drawings; this last-named lever may be fitted to the front plate of the
furnace or to any other convenient portion of the boiler or fittings as best suited to
meet the requirements of the furnace to which our bars are applied.
It will be easily understood by practical engineers and stokers that when the
above-named hand lever is actuated the same will transmit motion through the
bars K, K, to the grate bars E, and cause the same to turn in the journals D so
that the tongues F will lift up as per sketch by which means, the
loose ashes and small clinkers will fall through the air spaces at the top of the bars and
at the bottom of the angles formed by the grate bars being tilted. The projections
M which are cast at the nose of each tongue prevent the body or live fire from
falling through the bars, and when tilting the bars assists to break or reduce the
size of the clinkers so that they will fall through the air spaces between the top of
the bars and at the bottom of the angles between the bars formed by the grate bars
being tilted.
In order to bring the top of the bars faceable or level after being
tilted we cast brackets N on the side bars C, in such a position that when the
projections M are brought down on to the top of the said brackets the top or fire
side of the grate bars will be faceable.
Having thus described our Invention and the manner the same may be carried
into effect we wish it to be distinctly understood that we make no claim as to the
means we employ to actuate the bars, as same arrangement are in use for actuating
the ordinary rocking bars, but what we believe to be novel and original, and
claim as the Invention secured to us by the herein-before in part recited Letters
Patent is,-
The formation of fire tilting grate bars with tongues cast on one side of the bar
and projections on each alternate bar, such tongues having projections cast on the
bottom or under side of the bars, substantially for the purposes herein-before des-
cribed, and illustrated by the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, we, the said Charles Gill and Henry Northcott, have here-
unto set our hands and seals, this Fifteenth day of March, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-nine.
JOHN WAUGH,
Engineering and Patent Offices,
Bradford,
Yorks.
CHARLES GILL.
(L.S.)
HENRY NORTHCOTT. (LS.)