IMPROVEMENTS IN KILNS FOR BURNING BRICKS, TILES, PIPES, LIME, OR OTHER ARTICLES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Lancaster, of New Wortley, in the County of York,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN KILNS FOR BURNING BRICKS, TILES,
PIPES, LIME, OR OTHER ARTICLES."
Sealed the 4th January 1878, and dated the 6th July 1877;
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Lancaster, at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 6th July 1877.
ROBERT LANCASTER, of New Wortley, in the County of York.
"IMPROVEMENTS
IN KILNS FOR BURNING BRICKS, TILES, PIPES, LIME, OR OTHER ARTICLES."
My Invention relates to improvements in that form of kiln known as continuous
kilns, and used for the purpose of drying and burning bricks, tiles, pipes, lime, or
other articles.
It consists, first, of an improved method of arranging and constructing the
various chambers or sets of kilns which constitute the continuous kiln, in such
manner that the openings through which the articles to be burnt or dried are
placed for that purpose into the said chambers or sets of kilns, are entirely
separated and distinct from the openings through which the articles are removed
when sufficiently dried or burnt. For this purpose I form the continuous kiln of
two series or sets of chambers or kilns arranged in two lines parallel to each other,
the two lines communicating at one end by a curved line of such chambers or
kilns, whilst the space between their other ends is open, and thus affords ample
means of access from one end into the space between the two rows or lines, of
kilns, or chambers. I make the openings or wickets, through which the articles to
be burned or dried are supplied into the several chambers, communicate with the
space between the two rows, which space is made sufficiently large to allow the
work of so filling the chambers or kilns to be done without inconvenience; and I
make the openings or wickets, through which the articles when dried or burnt are
removed from the several chambers or kilns, upon the outside of the two rows or
lines of chambers and of the curved line which connects the lines at one end, as
above described. By this method of construction and arrangement great facilities
[Price GI

page_text: for the supply and removal of the articles are afforded without the persons engaged
in the two operations interfering with each other.
Another part of my Invention consists of throwing arches of brick, masonry, iron,
"or other material across the space between the two rows of kilns, arranged as above
described, and at a sufficient height, to allow the persons engaged in supplying to
the kiln the articles which are to be burnt, to work conveniently. In the arches
thus thrown across I leave a sufficient number of openings for the purpose of
admitting light and allowing ventilation to the space below.
The improved continuous kiln, constructed and arranged as described, is provided
with flues by which the heat of the fuel is conveyed in the requisite direction
through the several chambers, and eventually through a flue below the level of the
ground to a chimney arranged in a convenient position, preferably near the end of
one of the lines of kilns or chambers described; and another part of my Invention
consists in making the internal passage or flue of the chimney, so used in connection
with the kiln, wider at the top than at the bottom, so as to taper gradually down,
and thus have its sectional area reduced at its lower end, the strength of the draught
being thus increased.
I arrange branch flues within the several chambers or kilns which constitute the
continuous kiln, as described, on the outer side of a central continuous flue under the
chambers communicating with the chimney, as well as upon its inner side, so as
better and more completely to steam or burn the articles in the various chambers;
and I arrange dampers to the several flues, by means of which dampers the passage
of the heat and hot air through them can be shut off and regulated as desired; and
I make these dampers capable of being raised and lowered, as required, by the
attendant, whose station is upon the top of the continuous kiln formed by the
several chambers or kilns described, and the arches thrown across the space between
the two lines of kilns or chambers.'
The whole kiln may be roofed in by a roof supported by walls resting upon the
outer walls of the kiln; and another part of my Invention, in such kilns so roofed
in, consists in connecting the dampers, fitted to the branch flues of the chambers
(which dampers are situated, in plan, outside the walls supporting the roof), to
axles or shafts provided with handles and bevelled or other cog wheels, the axles
passing through bearings supported by the walls which carry the roof, so that these
dampers, as well as those of the flues in the inner side of the kiln, can be operated
by the attendant without his having to leave his post.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Robert Lancaster in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 5th
January 1878.
ROBERT LANCASTER, of New Wortley, in the County.of York.
"IMPROVEMENTS
IN KILNS FOR BURNING BRICKS, TILES, PIPES, LIME, OR OTHER ARTICLES."
This Invention relates to improvements in the form of kiln known as continuous
kilns, and used for the purpose of drying and burning bricks, tiles, pipes, lime, or
other articles.
It consists, first, of an improved method of arranging and constructing the
various chambers or sets of kilns which constitute the continuous kiln, in such
manner that the openings through which the articles to be burnt or dried are
placed for that purpose, are entirely separated and distinct from the openings
through which the articles are removed when so dried or burnt. For this purpose
I form the continuous kiln of two series, or sets of chambers or kilns arranged in
two parallel lines, the two lines communicating at one end by a curved line of
similar chambers or kilns, whilst the space between their other ends is open, so that
ample means of access is afforded from one end into the space between the two rows
or lines of kilns or chambers. I make the openings or wickets, through which the
articles to be burned or dried are supplied into the several chambers, communicate
with the space between the two rows, which space is made sufficiently large to
allow the work of so filling the chambers or kilns to be done without inconvenience;
and I make the openings or wickets, through which the articles when dried or
burnt are removed from the several chambers or kilns, upon the outside of the two
rows or lines of chambers and of the curved line which connects together the two
lines at one end, as above described. By this method of construction and arrange-
ment great facilities are afforded for the supply and removal of the articles to and
from the kiln without the persons engaged in the two operations interfering with
each other.
Another part of my Invention consists of throwing arches of brick, masonry, iron,
or other material over the space between the two rows of kilns, arranged as above
described, and at a sufficient height to allow the persons engaged in supplying to
the kiln the articles to be burnt or dried, to work conveniently; and in the arches
thus thrown across I leave a sufficient number of openings for the purpose of admitting
light and allowing ventilation to the space below.
My improved kiln, constructed and arranged as described, is provided with flues
by which the heat is conveyed in the requisite directions through and between the
several chambers, and into a chimney arranged in a convenient position (preferably.
near the end of one of the lines of kilns described), and I prefer to inake the internal
passage or flue of the chimney, so used in connection with the kiln, wider at the top
than at the bottom, so as to taper downward, and thus have its sectional area.
reduced at its lower end, the strength of the draught being thus increased.
I make a central flue under the chambers which constitute the continuous kiln,,
as described, this flue communicating at one end with the chimney. Into this'
central flue I make branch flues, communicating with passages into the several
chambers through the outer walls, as well as through the inner walls, of the several
chambers which constitute the continuous kiln, and I arrange dampers to the.
several flues, these dampers being capable of being opened and closed, as required,
by an attendant stationed upon the top of the kiln and on the arches thrown across.
the space below, as already described. I also make openings, fitted with dainpers,.
from the last opening (nearest to the chimney), which openings descend into a
transverse flue below the level of the ground, whence other openings rise into the
first chamber at the end of the other parallel line of chambers. In this first
chamber I also provide one or more fire-places by which the chamber can be heated

page_text: for the purpose of starting the action of the continuous kiln; and in the roof of
every chamber I provide a sufficient number of small openings having covers, which
can be made air-tight, through which fuel can be supplied to the chambers in the
usual way.
The separate chambers, into which the continuous kiln is divided, are formed by
building or making divisions across the latter of fire-brick, or other sufficiently
durable material, across the openings from the flues; and these divisions may them-
selves have a series of openings at their lower edges, which can be closed or opened
by doors or shutters introduced or withdrawn through the openings or wickets first
described.
I prefer to roof the kiln in, and I open and close the dampers (in the branch
flues outside the walls which support the roof) by means of axles or shafts passing
through the walls, and having handles at their inner ends, so that these dampers,
as well as those which regulate the branch flues on the inner sides of the kiln, can be
worked by an attendant within the roof.
The accompanying Drawings are in illustration of my Invention.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section; Figure 2, a side view; and Figure 3, a
sectional plan of a continuous kiln constructed according to my Invention; Figures
4 and 5 are transverse sections (through the lines C, D, and A, B, respectively on
the plan); and Figure 6 is an end view.
a and b are the two parallel straight lines of chambers connected by the curved
line c and forming the continuous kiln; d is the space between them, to which
access is gained at e, the articles to be burned being supplied through openings
fff, and removed through openings g, g, g, (these openings being built up or
otherwise closed when the chambers, with which they communicate, are working);
h is a central flue communicating at one end with the chimney i, and having branch
flues h, k, l, k, from it to openings 1, 1, 1, 1, into the inner sides of the kiln, and
branch flues m, m, m, m, to openings n, n, m, n, into the outer sides of the kiln.
Each of these openings is provided with a damper o, o, o, worked from the top of
the kiln (as shewn in Figures 2, 4, and 5), those on the outer sides being worked by
handles upon axles passing through walls which support the roof 2 upon the
outer ends of these axles, toothed wheels being arranged which operate the dampers.
Arches r, r, are thrown across the space between the rows of kilns. 8 is a flue
passing from openings t, t, t, in the last chamber and communicating with openings
u, u, u, into the first chamber. This first chamber can be heated by fires at v;
and w, w, w, are openings through which fuel can be supplied to the several
chambers, into which the kiln is divided by divisions (not shewn in the Drawing)
built across it at x, x, x, x. These divisions may be provided with openings, opened
or closed by iron shutters, which can be drawn out at the openings g, g, g, without
disturbing the articles to be burnt.
The action of the kiln is as follows:- -The first chamber is heated by means of
fires at v, and the several chambers are afterwards heated and cooled in succession,
as required, by the heat kept up in them by means of fuel introduced through the
openings w, w, w, w, the heat being regulated through the several chambers by the
dampers.
The heat from the last chamber can be made to pass to the first chamber through'
the openings and flue s, t, u, instead of to the chimney i.
Having now described my Invention and the manner in which it is to bo
performed, I claim,—
The arrangement of the kiln in two parallel lines of chambers connected at one
end by a curved line, and having arches thrown across between them, so that access
can readily be obtained to opeuings on the inner side, as well as on the outer side
of the chainbers, substantially as and for the purposes described, and shewn in the
Drawings.
Also, the arrangement of branch flues and dampers upon the outer side, as
well as upon the inner side of the chambers for the purpose of more completely

page_text: burning or drying the articles in the kiln, substantially as described, and shewn in
the Drawings.
Also, the method of working the dampers of such outer branch flues from the top
of the kiln, substantially as described, and shewn in the Drawings.
Also, the general arrangement of the several parts of the kiln, all substantially as
and for the purposes described, and shewn in the Drawings.
In witness whercof, I, the said Robert Lancaster, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Second day of January, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-eight.
ROBERT LANCASTER. (L.S.)