NEW OR IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR FEEDING FUEL TO FURNACES OR FIRE-PLACES."
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James MoMillan, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, for an Invention of "NEW OR IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR
FEEDING FUEL TO FURNACES OR FIRE-PLACES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James McMillan at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 1st October 1881.
JAMES MOMILLAN, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain.
"NEW OR IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR FEEDING FUEL TO FURNACES OR
FIRE PLACES."
This Invention, which relates to new or improved apparatus for the intermittent
feeding of fuel to furnaces or fire places, is for the purpose of feeding green fuel
up through the bottom of such furnaces or fire places and underneath the live fuel.
In the case of apparatus constructed according to this Invention for feeding fuel
into the furnace or fire grate of a steam boiler or other analogous furnace or fire
grate, it consists of a fuel box preferably of rectangular form which slides on
horizontal rails, or guides, parallel with the plane of the furnace bottom. In the
furnace bottom or fire grate an opening is formed of about the same shape
and dimensions as the shape and dimensions taken horizontally of the interior of
the box herein before mentioned. A "dead plate" is also provided of rather
larger dimensions than the hole or opening in the furnace bottom and which like
the box hereinbefore mentioned is moveable horizontally upon the mails or guides.
The dead plate is provided with a hook, which when the fuel box carrying the
green fuel to be charged into the furnace or fire grate is pushed inwards, catches
upon a projection at the inner end of the fuel-box and as the inward motion of
the fuel-box is continued, that pushes away the "dead plate" from beneath the
hole or opening in the fire-grate or chamber in proportion as it, that is to say, the
box containing the fuel, advances underneath the said opening, so that when the
said box is completely under the said opening the "dead plate" is pushed into its
furthest rearward position. The fuel-box has a bottom in it capable of being
moved upwards and downwards, and when it is beneath the opening in the

page_text: fire-grate the bottom is moved upwards thereby forcing the green fuel into the
furnace beneath the live fuel. So soon as this is effected the fuel-box may then
be withdrawn and the moveable "dead plate" being still coupled to it by the
hook herein before mentioned is drawn forward with the box until the " dead
plate" closes the said opening, at which position the hook which couples it to the
fuel-box becomes raised or depressed and therefore detached from the fuel-box, so
that it is not carried further forward with the fuel-box. The bottom of the fuel-box
is raised and lowered by means of crossed levers, moved upon their axes by a right
and left handed screw acting upon nuts carried in the lower arms of the said
levers, or the said levers may be coupled to pairs of eccentrics carried upon a
horizontal shaft, which being rotated through half of a revolution raises or lowers
the bottom of the fuel box.
The apparatus as applied for feeding fuel to domestic fire-places, kitchen ranges,
or stoves, or other comparatively small forms of furnaces consists of a fuel
chamber which moves radially upon pivots or in sockets formed in the opening
below the fire grate. This fuel chamber is provided with a moveable bottom
capable of being raised and lowered by means of eccentrics on a horizontal shaft
acting upon crossed levers in the manner hereinbefore described with reference
to the first head of the Invention. The radially moving box has attached to its
back part a curved "dead plate" which closes the opening in the fire bars or
bottom of the grate when the fuel-box or chamber is drawn forward. Cams and
screws or their equivalents may also be applied for raising and lowering the bottom
of the fuel-box.
_In_constructing a fire place with this apparatus it is preferred that the fuel-box
or chamber should not occupy the whole length or width of the fire grate but that
space for one or more fire-bars should be left on either-side-and-front-of-the-said
opening; and as in the act of drawing the said fuel-box or chamber outwards
there is a tendency to scatter the loose ashes about the hearth, it is preferred to
apply a bar or plate projecting out and around the fuel-box for directing such ashes
in their act of falling into an ash pan placed below.
With reference to the apparatus hereinbefore described, it is to be understood
that both forms thereof may be applied to furnaces or fireplaces of both larger and
smaller dimensions than the classes of such furnaces or fire places in connection
with which they are herein particularly described.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said James McMillan in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
81st March 1882.
JAMES MCMILLAN, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain.
"NEW OR IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR FEEDING FUEL TO FURNACES OR
FIRE PLACES."
My said Invention relates to new or improved apparatus for the intermittent
feeding of fuel to furnaces or fire places, and has for its object the prevention of
smoke by the feeding of green fuel up through the bottom of such furnaces or
fire places and underneath the live fuel.
The main features of this Invention are the fuel feeder for grates for domestic
purposes, and for furnaces, the construction of the box for carrying the fuel, and
the dead plate independent of one another, also the bar ƒ for actuating the
mechanism for the raising and lowering of the plate within the box working in
bearings e, e, at each end, in contradistinction to that shewn in the Specification of
my previous Patent, No. 3945, A.D. 1878.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood, I now
proceed more particularly to set forth the system, inode, or manner in or under
which the same is or may be used or practically carried into effect, reference
being had to the accompanying 3 Sheets of Drawings and to the Letters and
Figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
Figure 1, Sheet 1, of the accompanying Drawings represents a front elevation
of two boiler furnaces fitted with the improvements constituting part of my
Invention. Figure 2, Sheet 2, represents a plan of the same. Figure 3, drawn
to a smaller scale, represents a longitudinal section through a boiler furnace fitted
according to my Invention. Figure 4, Sheet 3, represents a section through a fuel
box fitted according to my Invention for domestic purposes. Figures 5 and 6
represent respectively part front elevation and transverse section of the same.
Figure 7 represents a section through a fuel box as fitted for boiler furnaces.
Figures 8 and 9 represent respectively part front elevation and transverse
section of a cooking range fitted according to my Invention for domestic
purposes.
In Figure 3, Sheet 2, the fuel box A is shewn apart from the dead-plate B.
When a backward motion is imparted to the said box in order to bring it beneath
the opening C, the coupling loop a of the box A is brought into contact with tho
coupling hook 6 of the dead-plate B, the latter being formed with its front part
bevelled on the underside so as to admit of its passing up freely over the coupling
loop a of the box A, and thereby hooking automatically itself to the box A. The
coupling bar of the dead-plate B extends the whole length beneath the same, and
is pivoted at any convenient point in its length. At its rear end the coupling bar
is bent upwards, as shewn at c, for a purpose to be hereinafter specified. When
this motion has been imparted to the fuel box A, and when coupled to the dead-
plate B, it still continues to move backwards, and at the same time pushes
backwards the dead-plate until it (the box A) coines beneath the opening C, when
after discharging its contents upwards into the furnace motion is again imparted
to it, but in the reverse direction, and it draws with it the dead-plate B held to it
by the couplings a and b. When the dead-plate B arrives at its normal position,
viz., beneath the opening C, so that it carries the charge of fuel discharged up from
the box A, the coupling hook b becomes disengaged with the coupling loop a by
the upturned end c of the said coupling hook 6 coming into contact with a pro-
jection E, which causes the bar to be depressed at that end, and therefore lifting

page_text: its opposite end out of connection with the box A, which is then left free to travel
to the position necessary to receive its next charge.
The square bar f passes through a passage formed in the right and left handed
screw g, Figure 7, which is free to slide along the said bar. This screw is formed
with a shoulder at each end, and is supported thero in pockets h, h, formed on the
sides of the box A, as shewn in Figure 7.
For domestic purposes I have found the construction of fuel box and feeder, as
shewn in Figures 4, 5, 6, 8, and 9, to be very efficient. A box D is pivoted at i, i,
beneath the grate, which is provided with an opening at the bottom. At the
back of the box and fixed to the same is the dead-plate k, as shown in Figure 9,
which, when the box is canted over to the front, closes the opening j. Upon the
Bide of the box D is fitted a socket E for the admission of a lever to cant the
box D into one or the other of its two positions. For raising and lowering the
feeding plate at the box D is fitted with a series of levers F, which receive their
motion from the eccentrics G, G, carried on the shaft H in bearings at the lower
part of the box D. On the end of the shaft H protruding from the front of the
box is fitted a ratchet and pawl device A' acting in the direction necessary to
check the feeding arrangement from lowering by its weight, whilst beneath the
opening in the grate also a suitably shaped head B' secured to the shaft H to
allow of a lever being applied for imparting the required motion to the shaft H
and eccentrics G. There is also fitted at any convenient position an adjustable
screw C' and stop D' to regulate the charge to be supplied to the grato, and to
prevent too great a range of motion being given to the shaft H by preventing the
--turning-of-the-eccentrics-over-their-centres-of-greatest-radius. The levers-F-are-
pivoted crosswise,_as_is_well understood, iu_order_to_produce_the_requisite rise_and_
fall of the plate a. At the front top edge of the box is fitted a trough b' for
catching the dust and ashes from the grate as the box is moved from beneath the
same.
In operation the box, when in its normal position, viz., that as shewn in
Figure 9, with the feeding arrangement lowered, is charged with the fuel, and
when it is desired to feed the same to the grate the box D) is canted over into the
position immediately beneath the opening; by inserting a hand lever into the
socket E, and then by pulling the same in an upward direction. The shaft H is
then turned, so that through the combined action of the eccentrics G and the
levers the plate a¹ is raised, and with it the charge of fuel, up through the
opening into the bottom of the grate. The box D is then, by pressing down-
wards on the lever, canted back again to the front position, and the plate a¹
lowered ready to receive the next charge. It is to be understood that the fuel box
and feeding mechanism herein last described is not necessarily limited in its
application and use to domestic fire places, as it may be used for other small
furnaces.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the system, mode, or manner for carrying the same into practical
effect, I desire to observe that although I have shewn at Sheets 1 and 2 of the
Drawings certain apparatus which I use for operating my improved fuel feeding
box for steam boilers and other furnaces of a large size, yet I have not herein
described the same, as such apparatus forms no part of my present Invention; I
also desire to observe that I do not restrict myself to the precise forms of each of
the several parts constituting my present Invention, as their mechanical equivalents
may be substituted, but what I do consider to be novel and original, and therefore
claim as the Invention secured to me by the hereinbefore in part recited Letters
Patent is,―
First. The construction of the fuel box A and dead-plate B in two parts in
combination with the coupling device a and b, as hereinbefore described and shewn
upon the annexed Sheets of Drawings.
Second. The construction of the right and left-handed screws g for actuating
the raising and lowering mechanism for the discharge of the fuel with a hollow

page_text: formed through it, leaving it free to travel along the square harf for actuating
the same, as herein before described and shown upon the annexed Sheets of
Drawings.
Third. The construction of the box D for domestic and other fire grates, and
provided with the shaft H, eccentrics G, G, levers F, ratchet and pawl device A',
adjustable screw C¹ and stop D¹ for the proper working of the same, as herein-
before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said James McMillan, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty ninth day of March, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty-two.
JAMES MCMILLAN. (L.S.)