Improvements in and relating to Kilns for Burning Clay Goods, Furnaces and like Fires, and in Utilising the Heat from Gas Producers in connection therewith.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Nov., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 26th Aug., 1890-Accepted, 27th Sept, 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Kilns for Burning Clay Goods,
Furnaces and like Fires, and in Utilising the Heat from Gas
Producers in connection therewith.
I, WILLIAM JOHN HAGUE of Conisborough, in the County of York Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of my invention to be as follows:-
:-
This invention refers more particularly to the better application of heat produced
by the combustion of gas from gas producers, to kilns, furnaces, and the like, and to
the regulation of such heat; and also the heating of the air supply, which is used to
promote the combustion of the gas.
I will describe my invention as applied to a circular kiln for burning bricks,
sanitary pipes and like goods, to which purpose it is especially suited, and I wish it
to be understood that my invention can be applied to existing kilns which is one of
the advantages amongst others of my system.
I convey the gas from the producer or producers into passages or chambers built
closely round the base of the kiln, provided with mouths or combustion chambers,
opening upwards into short vertical shafts inside the kiln, the number of which may
be varied to suit different purposes, or according to the size of the kiln. I also build
a similar passage or chamber for air preferably running alongside the before
mentioned gas passage, and also having openings over the gas openings into the
combustion chamber aforesaid; both, the gas and the air passages are provided with
dampers or valves at or near the junction of the pasages with the combustion
chambers for the purpose of regulating the amount of heat and the proportions of
the gas and air.
And in order to heat the air supply before it is admitted into the combustion
chamber to mix with the gas, I propose to form a suitable air chamber, passage,
or conduit encircling or partly encircling the base of the gas producer having an
inlet for the air, which becomes heated before it passes into the first mentioned air
passage or chamber in connection with the kiln.
The object of my invention is to obtain the greatest efficiency in heating of kilns
and the like by producer gas with the utmost economy in outlay or first cost.
Dated the 19th day of November 1889.
ROBT. F. DRURY,
Bank Buildings, George Street, Sheffield, Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Kilns for Burning Clay Goods,
Furnaces and like Fires, and in Utilising the Heat from Gas
Producers in connection therewith.
I, WILLIAM JOHN HAGUE of Conisborough, 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 relates to improvements in the application of heat to the furnaces or
places in kilns where heat is to be applied, or to the firing places of boilers, puddling
furnaces, reheating furnaces and other places requiring heat, and to the method of
utilising the heat of the gas producer or producers used in the process.
As my improvements are of great value when adapted to the heating of brick kilns,
and similar kilns, I will describe my invention as it is carried out in its application to
D .

page_text: such a kiln of a circular form, and for this purpose shall refer to the annexed sheet of
drawings, in which similar letters of reference indicate similar parts in any of the
figures in which they occur.
Fig. 1, is a sectional elevation of a gas producer, illustrating the method of utilising
the heat to warm the air supply.
Fig. 2, is a horizontal section of same.
Fig. 3, is a section of the kiln wall, showing gas and air conduits, combustion
chamber, and other parts.
Fig. 4, sectional view of same.
I build a gas producer A Figs. 1 & 2 of ordinary construction, having feed
hopper A', fire bars A2, sight holes A³ and the like, and from which the gras is
conveyed by one or more passages or conduits B.
Round the walls of the said producer, or producers if more than one is required, I
build air passages C, provided with any desired number of mouths D, by which air
may enter, and preferably placed low down. These air passages are built with bricks
and so arranged as to formi "baffles". or twisted passages to retard the current of air
until it has become highly heated by contact with the hot brickwork; it then passes
into more open passages E, running alongside and in close contact with the gas
conduits B.
The air and gas conduits E and B, are carried direct to the kiln, but before any
subdivision takes place I provide each of the said conduits with a valve for the purpose
of regulating the supply of either gas or air.
I carry the gas conduit B, and air conduit E, closely round the base of the wall of
the kiln F, taking branches from them at intervals, terminating in mouths which
open into combustion chambers G, the said chambers communicating through
vertical shafts H, technically called "bags," with the interior of the kiln, (or in some
cases with flues).
There may be any number of these combustion chambers and bags, to suit the
different purposes, or construction, or size of the kiln.
I preferably build the air conduit E, in the inside, or nearest to the kiln, and carry
its mouth E¹, above that of the gas conduit marked B¹, and I provide each of the
said mouths with a draw valve E2, and B2, placed conveniently for the purpose of
regulating the heat, and the relative proportions of gas and air.
I also provide sight holes I, to enable the attendant to see into the combustion
chamber G, when regulating his valves, and also for the purpose of igniting
the gas.
By this arrangement of air chambers or passages C, built round, and in close
contiguity with the furnace of the producer, and closely adjoining the gas conduit
or conduits, the air becomes greatly heated before it enters the combustion chamber
and mixes with the producer gas, and I thus obtain the best result, with the
greatest economy, in outlay and in fuel, and also materially diminish the production of
smoke.
Where increased draught through the producer is desirable, I close the front of the
ash place J, or that part below the fire bars which is usually left open, by a metal
plate, or by other similar means, leaving an opening say for example of six inches
diameter or thereabouts, and I bring a small steam jet a short distance from the front
of said opening and blow the steam directly through the centre of the opening; this
carries a large amount of air through the opening which forces its way through the
fire bars and fuel.
It will be understood that in some cases instead of brick or metal underground
conduits, I may have to carry the gas and air overhead in metallic pipes, but this
does not interfere with my invention.
In its application to stationary boilers of steam engines, I prefer to line the flue of
the boiler for a short distance with firebrick, so that the plates may not be damaged
by the intense heat, but otherwise, with small modifications as a matter of course, the
arrangement would be carried out as before described in connection with a kiln.
One of the chief features of my invention is its adaptability to existing kilns or

page_text: furnaces at small cost, and without interfering with their constructional arrangement;
the second feature is the great saving in fuel.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1-In heating kilns, furnaces, or boilers by means of producer gas, the arrange-
ment of air passages flues or chambers built round, or in close contiguity with the
producer furnace, substantially as hereinbefore described, and illustrated.
2-In an arrangement for heating kilns, furnaces, or boilers by producer gas, the
general construction and arrangement of the mouths of the conduits of gas and air
opening into a combustion chamber in combination with regulating valves, for the
purpose specified, and substantially as herein before described and shown.
3-The arrangement of a gas producer with surrounding or partially surrounding,
air passages combined with the herein before specified mouths or outlets for gas and
air, one being located over the other and opening into a combustion chamber in
which the mixture is ignited, substantially as described and illustrated.
the 01 of August 1890
ROBT. F. DRURY, Fel. Inst. P.A.,
Bank Buildings, George-Street, Sheffield, Agent for Applicant.
ROBT. F. DRURY, Fel. Inst. P.A.,
Bank Buildings, George-Street, Sheffield, Agent for Applicant.