Improvements relating to Steam-boiler Furnaces and to Apparatus Connected therewith.
Year: 1887

page_text: Improvements relating to Steam-boiler Furnaces and to Apparatus
Connected therewith.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE of the firm of Haseltine Lake, and Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex 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 relates to improvements in apparatus for generating heat, and con-
sists essentially in a novel boiler furnace and connecting devices, all of which are
hereinafter described, whereby water gas may be constantly produced and consumed
at a great saving in fuel and the heat from the waste products of combustion utilized.
The functions of the different parts of the apparatus, together with the details of
construction, will appear in full hereinafter.
In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated two forms of boiler furnace
embodying the Invention, one form being shown in Figures 1 to 12 inclusive, and the
other forin in Figures 13 and 14.
Referring to Figures 1 to 12 illustrating the first embodiment of my Invention,
Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of the furnace adapted for a marine
engine on the line ---x, Figure 2, which is a front elevation of the furnace, the
doors to the fire box in this, as well as in Figure 1, being omitted.
Figure 3 is an enlarged central, vertical longitudinal section through one fire box
of the furnace, the section being taken on the line y---y, Figure 4, which is a corre-
spondingly enlarged view, partly in section, of the lower portion of the furnace, the
doors on one of the fire boxes being shown in position, and being omitted from the
other thereof.
Figures 5 and 6 are detached sectional views of the modified forms of dead plates
and hollow perforated grate bars.
. Figure 7 is a detached modified form of dead plate and grate bar and illustrates a
modified arrangement of pipes for supplying steam below the fire.
Figure 8 is a detached top view of the dead plate and grate bars, the said view
illustrating the apertures along the upper side of said bars, through which steam may.
be delivered into the fire.
Figure 9 is a detached view illustrating two different forms for securing the grate
bars to the dead plate.
Figures 10, 11, and 12, are detached transverse sectional views of different forms
Price Sd.1

page_text: of grate bars, which may be used in the furnace for the purpose of carrying the
Invention into effect.
Referring to Figures 13 and 14 illustrating the second embodiment of my Invention;
Figure 13 is a central vertical longitudinal section through the boiler and furnace of a
marine engine on the dotted line ---x of Figure 14, which is a front view of the
same, a portion of the front of the furnace being omitted for clearness of illustration.
Referring to Figures 1 to 12, A A² designate the fire boxes; B the bridge wall,
CC the grate bars; D D¹ the doors for the fire box; EE the up takes, and F F¹ the
flues through which the products of combustion pass to the stack G.
The up-takes E E' connect at their upper ends with the stack G, whence they pass
downward one at each end of the furnace, and communicate with the flues F F¹
respectively, as indicated in Figure 1. The upper and lower walls of the up-takes E E¹
are formed of two separated metal plates forming between them air spaces or
chambers II, connected by tubes J around which the products of combustion
circulate on their passage to the stack G. The chambers II', are provided with
partitions K, those on one chamber alternating in their position with relation to those
in the other, in order to cause the air to circulato from one chamber to the other
through the connecting tubes J. The chamber I' is extended below the chamber I,
as shown, and communicates with chambers leading to the upper and lower sides of
the grate bars, as hereinafter explained. The up-take E' is also constructed with air
chambers II, connected by tubes J and provided with alternating partitions K,
similar to the like named features in the up-take E, with the exception that a greater
number of the tubes J are employed and the chamber I is of increased length; the
chambers and tubes in each up-take are designed to accomplish similar functions
however, and connect with chambers, at each end of the furnace, which supply air
above and below the fire. The chambers are supplied with air from a suitable suction
blower, not shown, connected with the pipe L, which has branches leading directly
into the chambers I and I¹ respectively, as indicated in Figure 1.
It will be seen
upon reference to Figure 2, that the up-takes EE extend laterally at their lower
portions and terminate directly above the furnace doors, the parallel dotted lines
representing the passages M, for the air around the flues F FI, said passage being
also shown by dotted lines in Figure 1 and the purpose of which is to direct the air
from the chambers II of the up-takes to the short passages N connecting the
passages M with the chambers P, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, which encircle cach
fire box and terminate in discharge apertures Q at opposite sides of the entrance to
the ash pit, as indicated in full lines in Figure 3 and dotted lines in Figure 4. The
chambers P are formed between two plates RS constituting the ends of the fire boxes
and pass entirely around the openings T, R, for the introduction of the fuel and along
the top and sides of the openings V to the ash pits as more clearly indicated in
Figures 3 and 4. Between the plates R, S, above the openings T is provided a
damper W with which to close, to a greater or less degree, the apertures X formed
in the plate S above the grate bars, the damper being operated by means of the
handle-bar Y shown in Figure 4. At a point between the openings T, V, to the fire
box there is provided in the chamber P an additional damper Z having a handle
Ꮓ
extending beyond the chamber, the purpose of the damper being. to control the
passage of air through the discharge apertures Q to the ash pit below the grate bars.
The position of the damper Z shown in Figures 3 and 4 is such that the air above
the same may pass unrestricted to the discharge apertures Q, but it will appear
obvious that should the damper be turned so as to give it a more or less horizontal
position the space through which the air passes downward may be restricted or
entirely closed. The openings T, V, are provided with suitable doors D D¹, as shown
in Figures 3 and 4, adapted to be secured by the bars L' hung upon a pivot at one
end and provided with a hook upon the other to engage the stud M' a screw being
supplied at the centre of the bars to lock the same in position across the face of the
door.
Across the front end of each fire box and in close relation to the plate S between
the openings T, V, therein is secured the dead plate N¹ by means of rivets passing

page_text: through flanges O' shown in Figures 3, 5, 6, 7, the dead plate illustrated in Figure 3
being provided with a series of apertures P' in line and corresponding in number
with the hollow grate bars CC the adjoining ends of which rest over the inner ends
of said apertures upon the shoulder Q¹ formed on the dead plate. Each of the
apertures P is in communication with a steam pipe R', see Figure 4, by which steam
is supplied to the grate bars during the time the furnace is in use being permitted to
escape therefrom into the fire through the perforations along the upper surface of said
bars shown in Figures 5, 8 10, and 11. The object of having the hollow grate bars
perforated along their entire length is to cause the escaping steam to be finely
subdivided and evenly distributed. The dead plate N1 admits of various modifications
within the scope of the invention, some of which are illustrated in Figures 5, 6 and 7,
that in Figure 5 differing from the dead plate shown in Figure 3 in that in the
former the steam is admitted to the transverse chamber K³ formed therein through a
single port S whence it escapes through the apertures P¹ into the hollow grate bars,
the latter being secured by bolts passing through them and the dead plate, as clearly
indicated in Figure 5. In Figure 6 the dead plate is shown as being cast hollow
with a transverse steam pipe Ti introduced therein and connected by a series of short
pipes or nozzles V₁ with the hollow grate bars. If for any reason it should not be
desired to employ hollow grate bars the dead plate may be constructed as shown in
Figure 7, and the steam introduced below the bars through a transverse perforated
pipe Win connection with an ordinary supply pipe; although I prefer to employ the
hollow bars perforated along their upper portion either in line with their vertical
longitudinal centre, as shown in Figures 5, S, and 11, or along their sides as illustrated
in Figure 10. If desired the grate bars may be cast with a longitudinal groove along
their upper surface of sufficient depth to receive pipes X1, see Figure 12, perforated
along their upper surface and into which the steam could be directed instead of into
what is technically a hollow perforated bar. The modified forms of grate bar may be
readily understood from the drawings without a more detailed description.
In the use of the furnace the fuel will be placed upon the grate bars and ignited in
the customary manner, air being supplied through the pipe L and steam through the
pipe R, and the products of combustion being permitted to escape through the stack G
after heating the air on its passage downward through the chambers I and I¹ and
passages M, as indicated in Figures 1 and 2, to the chambers P encircling the doors
to the fire boxes, the chambers P for clearness of illustration being more particularly
shown in Figures 3 and 4. The air, as aforesaid, may escape into the fire box above
the grate bars through the apertures X and below the grate bars through the
apertures Q, the air at both points promoting combustion as well as serving other
important functions in connection with the steam. The steam issuing in jets through
the hollow grate bars becomes finely subdivided and evenly distributed, as above
mentioned. And, in addition, is superheated by the bars which, as will be understood,
obtain their heat from the fire. During the use of the furnace, a hot bed of coals
being on the grate bars, only sufficient air is allowed to enter under the grate bars
to form carbonic oxide. Steam is admitted through the grate bars and decomposed
by the ignited fuel into hydrogen gas and carbonic oxide, the oxygen of the steam
having united with a portion of carbon thus decomposing the steam and forming two
inflammable gases, hydrogen and carbonic oxide these, with the carbonic oxide
formed by the admission of air under the grate, are made to burn by the introduction
of air through the apertures X. Thus it will be plainly seen that my object in
introducing air below the grate is not for the purpose of producing perfect combustion,
but for the purpose of only partially consuming the carbon by the air, and thus
maintain the heat which is expended in the decomposition of the steam, perfect
combustion of the gases thus formed taking place only after they have reached the
top of the fuel and come in contact with the air above the same.
Referring to Figures 13 and 14, A designates the boiler having a vertical furnace B
at each end thereof, as shown in Figure 13, the lower part of each furnace being
provided with grate bars C, and with the perforated section or pipe D which is in
connection with a steam supply pipe E, as shown in Figure 13. The upright furnace B

page_text: shown in the right hand side of Figure 13 is similar to the like named element at
the left hand side of said Figure, the latter, however, in order not to complicate the
drawings, has been left without grate bars or steam pipes D. At the bottom of the
furnace B is provided the door F located below the ash pit G for the purpose
of dumping the latter when desired. At each end of the boiler A the furnaces are
provided with the doors H, I, respectively, the upper door being for the introduction
of coal to the fire, and the lower one leading to the ash pit.
The Invention involves the system of feeding air to the upper part of the fire and
air and steam to the lower part of the same; the steam is supplied through the pipe E
to the perforated pipe or section D, and the air is fed through the door-ways J, W,
from the up take K. The air is supplied to the up take through the pipe I, whonce
it passes between the walls M, N, of the up take to a point in near relation to
the stack O, where it turns downward through the tubes P, as indicated by the
arrows, into the space formed between the walls Q; R, which is sub-divided by
partitions S, whereby the current of air is caused to pass upward and downward in a
serpentine line through additional tubes P in the manner indicated by arrows, finally
entering the air space or flue V, which passes downward along the front of the
furnace, and opens into the doorway J, as shown in Figure 13, and also into the side
of the door way W. The air space or flue V corresponds in outline with the form of
the up-take above the coaling door H, and from thence a section of said flue passes
downward to the doorway W, the section being illustrated more fully in Figure 14, and
lettered Y. Above the doorway the air space V is provided with a damper Z by
which the amount of air entering the furnace above the fire may be regulated and the
section Y of said air space is also provided with a damper lettered a by which the
volume of air passing downward to the lower part of the furnace may be adjusted at
will. It will be observed from the following description that the air from the supply
pipe is heated on its passage through the tubes P by the products of combustion
which pass from the flues into the lower portion of the up take K. The steam
which enters the pipe E and is thence fed to the perforated pipe or section D is
supplied by a coil 7 located within the up take and being in connection with a steam
supply by means of the pipe e provided with a valve, as shown in Figure 14. Within
the boiler A, each of the furnaces B is in connection with a combustion chamber f
through the medium of the enlarged tube y and each of said combustion chambers is
connected with the inner ends of the tubes the outer ends of the tubes for each
furnace passing to the end of the boiler and opening into the up take K at its lower
portion. The arrangement of the flues may be readily seen upon reference to
Figure 14, where one section of the furnace front is omitted for the purpose of dis-
closing them. The form of the combustion chambers fis similar to the outline of the
furnace front illustrated in Figure 14, being substantially in the outline of a half
circle, this form permitting the arrangement of the tubes upon each side of the
furnace B. The lower end of the combustion chambers will be provided with a
suitable manhole, as shown. In Figure 13, by dotted lines, I have illustrated a
connnection between the air space of the up take formed by the walls Q, R, and the
enlarged tube a connecting the furnace with the combustion chamber, said connection
being denoted by dotted lines and lettered and its purpose being to admit an
additional supply of air to the upper part of the combustion chamber for the purpose
of ensuring the burning of all of the water gas.
I have omitted in Figure 13 the up take from the left hand end of the furnace A,
since this portion is an exact duplicate of the up take illustrated at the right hand
end thereof, where a single furnace B is made use of only one up take will be
employed.
In the operation of the Invention the fire is first started and the coals allowed to
become incandescent, air in the mean time being admitted through the doorways J, W
as above described. After the bed of coals has become incandescent, steam is
admitted through the pipe e into the coil d, whence it passes through the pipe E into
the pipe D, which permits its escape into the bed of coals. The air becomes heated
and the steam superheated by reason of the products of combustion ascending through

page_text: the up take, before they enter the furnace. The steam discharged into the furnace
through the pipe D becomes decomposed by the incandescent carbon, water gas being
thereby formed, which is burnt, owing to the introduction of hot air either from the
doorway J or from said doorway and the connection provided to admit an additional
supply of air, the combustion being completed in the chamber and through the
tubes which pass to the up take. "By this means the heat is thoroughly distributed
throughout the heating surfaces of the boiler, and not as heretofore, concentrated in
the furnace, the injurious effects of which have caused great loss and annoyance.
Another advantage in the construction presented is that any cold air entering the
furnace during the introduction of fuel, will become heated before coming in contact
with the flues and hence the latter will not be subject to the effect of the sudden
contraction created in the boilers now in use.
An important object gained by the present construction is that a very large heating
surface is obtained as compared with the grate surface, and that the heating surface
is brought down to the bottom of the boiler, thus affording a thorough circulation of
the water, at the same time leaving a large sicam room or evaporating surface in the
upper part of the boiler, whereby the usual priming and lifting of the water, by
sudden release of steam, are reduced to a minimum. There are many other
advantages gained by the construction presented, which will be appreciated without
specific mention, and among these it may be mentioned that the tubes bare so
arranged that they may be very readily cleaned, and that the parts are so arranged
as to readily admit a man within the boiler and allow abundant room for him to clean
the same.
In addition to what has been referred to above, it should be noted that the
constant current of air passing through chambers or jackets lining wholly or in part
the walls of the up take, abstract the heat from the products of combustion as they
ascend to the stack, thus reducing the temperature of the stoke hole and avoiding the
heating of the rooms of the vessel above the boiler. The general operation of the
furnace shown in Figures 13 and 14 is the same as that of the furnace shown in
Figures 1 to 4 inclusive, with respect to the continuous process of producing and
consuming water gas, and in each of said furnaces are resultant advantage therefrom
fully accomplished.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent I declare that what I claim is :-
and
First. The fire box having grate bars and an end composed of plates R, S, forming
between themselves the air chamber P, and provided with door openings T, V,
discharge apertures above and below the grate bars, combined with the up take
having chambers communicating with the chamber P and with an air supply;
substantially as set forth and shown in Figures 1 to 4 of the accompanying
drawings.
Second. The fire box having grate bars and the air chamber P at its end, said
chamber having discharge apertures above and below the bars, combined with the up
take having air chambers I, I connected by tubes and being in communication with
the chamber P and with an air supply; substantially as set forth, and shown in
Figures 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawings.
Third. The fire box having grate bars and an end composed of plates, forming
between themselves the air chamber P and provided with door openings T, V,
discharge apertures above and below the grate bars, and dampers W, Z, one of the
dampers being above, and the other below the opening T, combined with the up take
having air chambers communicating with the chamber P and with an air supply;
substantially as set forth and shown in Figures 1 to 4 of the accompanying
drawings.
Fourth. The fire box having the air chamber P at its end, said chamber having
discharge apertures above and below the bars, combined with the up take having air
chambers in communication with the chamber P and connected with an air supply,
the hollow perforated grate bars and a steam connection between said hollow bars and

page_text: a steam supply substantially as set forth and shown in Figures 1 to 4 of the
accompanying drawings.
Fifth. The fire box having an end composed of plates R, S, forming between
themselves the air chamber P, and provided with door openings and discharge
apertures above and below the grate bars, combined with a perforated steam delivery
below the fire, and a pipe connecting said delivery with a steam supply substantially
as and for the purposes set forth, and shown in Figures 1 to 4 of the accompanying
drawings.
Sixth. The fire box having the air chamber P at its end, said chamber having
discharge apertures above and below the grate bars, combined with the up take
having air chambers in communication with the chamber P and connected with an
air supply, a perforated steam delivery below the fire, and a pipe connecting said
delivery with a steam supply; substantially as and for the purposes set forth and
shown in Figures 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawings.
Seventh. The combination of the vertical fire box having suitable doors, the
combustion chamber connected at its upper end by a tube with the upper end of said
fire box, the boiler enclosing the vertical fire box, and the tubes passing from the
combustion chamber upon opposite sides and below the upper end of the fire box to
the up take; substantially as and for the purposes set forth and shown in Figures 13
and 14 of the accompanying drawings.
Eighth. The fire box having a steam delivery below the fuel, combined with the
boiler, the combustion chamber connected with the fire box by a tube above the fuel,
the up take containing air chambers, and leading to the fire box above and below the
grate bars, and tubes connecting the combustion chamber with the lower end of the
up take; substantially as and for the purposes set forth and shown in Figures 13 and 14
of the accompanying drawings.
Ninth. The vertical fire box provided with air inlets above and below the grate
bars and with a steam delivery at its lower portion, combined with the boiler, the
combustion chamber connected with the fire box by a tube and being wider than the
fire box, and tubes passing from the combustion chamber on each side of the fire box
to the up take; substantially as and for the purposes set forth and shown in Figures 13
to 14 of the accompanying drawings.
Tenth. The vertical fire box provided at its lower end with grate bars and with
the perforated section D which is in communication with a steam supply pipe,
combined with the up take having air chambers in connection with an air supply
pipe, one of said chambers being close to the front of the boiler and in connection
with the door ways J and W respectively, and being provided with regulating
dampers, the steam connection for the section D being located within the up take as
at d substantially as and for the purposes set forth see Figures 13 and 14 of the
accompanying drawings.
Eleventh. The boiler and the fire box provided with doors and grate bars,
combined with the up take having a double casing on its outer and inner portions
forming air chambers or conduits, tubes connecting these air chambers at their upper
portion, an air supply pipe leading into the outer chamber, and a delivery to the fire
box from the inner chamber; substantially as set forth and shown in Figures 13
and 14 of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 6th day of Novemb.
1007
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.