Improvements in Fuel Gas Producers.
Year: 1897

page_text: Improvements in Fuel Gas Producers.
I, ARTHUR KITSON, of Drexel Building, Philadelphia, Pa., United States of
America, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to fuel gas producers and consists of certain improvements
in: the hearths of such fuel gas producers, and in means for automatically
charging the fuel, and keeping the same in a continuous and uniform state of
agitation.
In the first form of my invention, designed for use with anthracite or semi-
bituminous coal, a rotating inclined hearth is employed, through which the blast
is introduced at the centre, and at various other points of distribution, and an
important point of the invention consists in a special arrangement for producing
a tight but yielding fit of the rotating hearth to the walls of the combustion
chamber, so that any tendency of the ash to "spill" or grind down between the
moving surfaces of hearth and surrounding walls shall be prevented as far as
possible, and the ash gotten rid of by forcing the same through openings in the
body of the hearth.
Experience has shown me that with producers of large diameter, where the ash
spill is confined to the periphery of the hearth and ground through between the
moving surfaces, as has been the case in certain forms of gas producer which L
have heretofore operated, not only does the ash spill too rapidly, but the fuel
adjacent to the walls of the furnace rapidly follows the ash in its descent and is
frequently spilled into the ash pit while it is yet incandescent, the ash over the
centre of the hearth and in the middle of the fuel bed being piled up in a cone shape,
and not properly ejected into the ash pit.
My present invention is specifically designed to prevent this disadvantageous
feature of operation.
Where the first form of my invention is employed I also use in connection
therewith, an improved automatic charging apparatus for charging predeter-
mined amounts of fuel to the gas producer at regular intervals. Such a charging
apparatus must be quick in its action, and positive in its graduation of the amounts
fed. It must not permit any of the gases to escape during the operation, and
must not be liable to clog or become jammed so that it will fail to operate.
This portion of my invention secures all of these necessary qualifications by.
means of a special construction of charging valve operated in connection with a
charging bell beneath it, by means of a loose revolving weight which is auto-
matically lifted to its highest position by an apparatus driven at a regulated
speed and allowed to drop at regular intervals, thus furnishing the power to
quickly operate the before described combination of valve and bell.
Another form of my invention is specifically designed to produce an apparatus
in which very soft coal may be gasified without resulting in caking formations

page_text: and clinker. This form of my invention also converts all of the volatile matter,
which in other producers condenses in pipes and elsewhere, forming tar, into a
fixed gas.
In the use of the softer qualities of coal there is a tendency for the upper mass
to cake over, especially where the fuel bed is very deep, say six or seven feet,
the rotating hearth agitating only the lower bed for a distance of three or four
feet from said hearth. To enable the use of any kind of coal, no matter how
soft, and any type of fuel bed. I use in this form of my invention, in addition
to the rotary hearth before referred to, a fuel stirrer on top of the fuel, which I
revolve from the same mechanism as that which revolves the hearth. I also
preferably use a down draft in order to carry the tarry vapors through the hot
fuel where they are converted into fixed gases.
To the same pipe which carries the air and steam to the top of the fuel, I attach
two plows or stirrers, which I locate from one to three feet below the top surface
of the fuel.
This pipe is attached to a worm wheel and supported upon ball bearings on top
of the producer. A worm shaft conveys motion by means of a chain and sprocket
connection to the worm wheel and hence to the pipe and stirrers. The pipe there-
fore, revolves slowly first in one direction and then in the other, being reversed
each time with the hearth mechanism by means of the belt shifter, which is
attached to the hearth mechanism. The gas is drawn away by means of an
exhauster through openings in the brick work located a little above the top side
of the hearth. The producer is fed automatically through a series of pipes which
are connected to a hopper, whilst a revolving disc having an opening corresponding.
to one of these pipes is caused to revolve and alternately opens and closes each
of the feed pipes. These pipes are tapered, being larger at the bottom than the
top, in order to prevent their choking with coal. Whenever it is desirable, the
direction of blast may be changed for a short time and the air shut off from above
and admitted below, whilst the gas outlet below is closed and the upper one opened.
This producer admits therefore of both an up and down blast.
In this producer I insert brick work from the bed plate of ashpit to the top of
the furnace, and I taper this lining the entire length, making it considerably
larger below than it is above. It will be seen therefore that the hearth has a
different shape from those described in former patents, and revolving between
parallel walls, since the present one revolves between inclined walls. This gives
a somewhat greater agitation to the fuel than former designs, since. the space
between the plane running horizontally through the centre of the hearth is con-
siderably greater than that contained between the same plane and the upper half
of the hearth. When therefore, the hearth makes half a turn, the fuel that was
formerly. on the lower side is squeezed up higher than the space occupied by that
portion of the hearth, whilst on the other side considerably more of the fuel
descends upon the lower half of the hearth than is represented by the displace-
ment of the upper half of the hearth. This tends to give the fuel a to and fro,
as well as an up and down motion, and increases the degree of agitation thereof.
Yet another form of my invention is designed to secure the same result, to wit:
the utilization of soft coal, by means of screw conveyors feeding said fuel at the
side of the furnace by forcing it through the furnace walls and directly into the
zone of fiercest combustion. Employing the same form of rotating inclined hearth,
I also employ two or more screw conveyors which are automatically rotated by
the same mechanism as that which rotates the hearth, and I preferably cause the
conveyors diametrically opposite one another, to rotate alternately. The fuel
being thus forced directly into the zone of fiercest combustion, all the volatile
constituents of the soft coal are immediately transformed into fixed gases and
forced up through the bed of unconsumed and partially consumed fuel above.
The alternate action of the conveyors tends to keep the bed of fuel well broken, by
forcing it first to one side and then to the other, and so preventing any caking or
tendency of the charge to "chimney." This action is of course assisted by the

page_text: rotating inclined hearth, and by the inclined walls of the combustion chamber
which tend to produce a continual movement of the fuel on itself as it is raised
and lowered and rotated by the combined action of the conveyors and the hearth.
Another portion of my invention relates to the automatic apparatus for periodi-
cally reversing the direction of rotation of the hearth.
The preferred forms of the various portions of my invention are illustrated
in the accompanying eight sheets of drawings, in which,
Fig. 1 (Sheet 1) is a vertical central section of my improved form of rotating
hearth, with air passages in the surrounding walls.
and
Fig. 2 (Sheet 2) is a plan view and section of the same.
Fig. 3 (Sheet 2) is a detailed section showing the form of the air passages.
Fig. 4 is a side view in partial section of the automatic charging apparatus,
Figs. 5, 6, 7, 8, are details of the same and connected mechanism.
Fig. 9 (Sheet 4) is a side view of Fig. 4.
Fig. 10 is a side view of Fig. 7.
Fig. 11 is a detail illustrating the attachment of the loose cam.
Fig. 12 (Sheet 5) is a central section of the second form of my invention which
is designed for burning soft coal.
Fig. 13 is a detail of the air inlet for the same.
Fig. 14 (Sheet 6) is a side elevation of the third form of my invention which
employs screw conveyors and is designed to burn soft coal.
Fig. 15 (Sheet 7) is a central section of the same.
Fig. 16 (Sheet 8) is a horizontal section of the same on the line 16--16 of
Fig. 15, and
Fig. 17 is a detail of the belt shifting gear.
Throughout the drawings like reference figures refer to like parts.
1 is the wall of the conical combustion chamber 2, which rests on the circular
plate 3, and has the cylindrical depending walls 4 which, as shown in Fig. I
have air passages therein formed by the partitions 5 (see Fig. 3) and the con-
nections 6 (see Figs. 2 and 3).
The air enters through one of the connections 7, and after being heated passes
out through another connection 8. These depending walls rest on the ashpit
bottom 9, supported by the I beams 10-10 on any suitable brick foundation 11-11
(see Figs. 12, 14, 15).
The rotating hearth 12 is inclined to the horizontal plane and composed of the
plates 13, resting on a frame or spider 14, and having openings 15, in said
plates. The edge of said rotating hearth is close to the surrounding depending walls
of the combustion chamber, and is made to tightly fit the same by means of the
arc shaped adjustable pieces 16, which have slots 17, therein, through which
bolts 18, pass. These are pressed up against the surrounding walls by means of
the levers 19, each of which has a toe 20, pressing against the rear of one of the
circular plates by reason of the downward pull of the weight 21, on the long
arm of said lever.
The hearth is mounted on a central pillar 22 which rotates on ball bearings 23,
and carries the blast pipe 24, and the worm wheel 25, with which the worm
gear 26 meshes.
Over the central opening of the grate is the cap 27, and over that the protecting
cap 28, both of which are symmetrical to a fine perpendicular to the hearth
but eccentric to the axis of rotation of the same.
29 represents a series of holes in the pillar 22, through which a portion of the
blast passes to the ashpit 30 under the hearth and thence up through openings 15
to the combustion chamber.
When the form of hearth above described is employed in an ordinary cupola
furnace to burn anthracite or semi-bituminous coal, I charge said furnace by
means of a charging bell, and preferably employ the automatic apparatus illus-

page_text: trated in Sheets 3 and 4, to cause the automatic charging of predetermined
amounts of fuel at regular intervals.
31 (Fig. 4 Sheet 3). represents such a charging bell mounted in the throat 32
of the furnace, and suspended on the rod 33, which hangs from the bell crank 34,
on the shaft 35. On this shaft 35 is the weighted lever 36 having an adjustable
weight 37. The chain 38 is connected to said lever and passes around the pulley
wheel 39 being pinned to the same at 40. This chain passes on around the
pulley 41, down to the operating apparatus illustrated in Figs. 7, 8, 10 and 11.
The pulley wheel 39 is mounted on the axis 42 of the valve 43 (see Fig. 6)
mounted in the throat of the furnace between the charging bell and the feed
hopper 44. This valve shaft 42 has a weighted lever 45 fastened thereon. The
valve 43 has a peculiar construction, as its casing 46 is cored out so as to leave a
space 47 on either side, the casing touching the valve only at the points 48 and 49.
At 48 a full-faced portion is left the entire width of the valve, and at 49 the same
is vertically scored so as to form passage ways through which the fuel which
lodges in the spaces 47, may run down into the charging space below.
The lower end of the chain 38 is connected to the lever 50 (see Figs. 7, 8,
and 10) and has an elastic connection therewith by means of the spring 51.
Lever 50 is freely mounted on a shaft 52, which is a constantly rotating shaft,
usually the same on which worm gear 26 is mounted. The cam 53, is freely
mounted on the stud shaft 54, which is supported from the under side of the
I beams 10, which support the furnace.
The cam 53 is loosely mounted on said shaft and is driven by means of the
projection 55 on the cam which is engaged by the projection 56 on the rotating
weight 57. This weight is rotated by means of the ratchet wheel 58 which is
rigidly attached to the weight and is slowly driven by the pawl 59 carried by the
lever 60, which is oscillated by the eccentric rod 61, from the eccentric 62 mounted
on the slowly rotating shaft 52.
63 is a checking pawl preventing the ratchet wheel from turning backward.
In the second form of my invention, illustrated in Fig. 12 Sheet 5, which is
designed to burn soft coal, the same form of rotating hearth is employed, but
the charging is done from the hopper 64, in the bottom of which is a rotating
perforated plate 65, mounted on the rotating steam pipe 66, which is driven by
the worm wheel 67, with which the worm 68 meshes. This worm is on a shaft 69,
on which is the sprocket wheel 70, operated by the sprocket chain 71, to which
motion is given by the sprocket wheel 72 on the main shaft 52. Two or more
flaring pipes 73, lead from the bottom of the hopper 64, and when the openings 74
in the plate 65 register with said pipes, permit a portion of the fuel in the hopper
to drop through the pipes into the combustion chamber 2.
Rigidly connected with the worm wheel 67 is the rotating pipe 75, which
extends down into the combustion chamber and below the normal fuel line, and
has a number of curved projections or plows, 76, which as the pipe 75 rotates tend
to stir up the upper portion of the fuel bed. Air for the blast is admitted through
the openings 77 of the plate 78, which are adjustable as shown in Fig. 13, and
admit air to the revolving blast pipe and stirrer 75. The air is drawn in by the
steam jet from the steam pipe 66, which is controlled by the valve 66*.
The worm wheel and revolving blast pipe are supported on ball bearings 83
as shown. The passage ways 79, in the walls of the combustion chamber, which
open from said combustion chamber just above the level of the hearth, take off
the gases formed in the producer, and are collected by the surrounding passage
way 80, and discharged through the gas take-off 81, controlled by the valve 82.
At times it is desirable to reverse the action of the producer, in which case the
valves 66 and 82 are closed, as are also the openings 77, and the blast is admitted
at the bottom through the pipe 84, controlled. by the valve 85, and the gases
then pass upward and are taken off by the pipe 86 controlled by the valve 87.
In the third form of my invention, which, is illustrated in Sheets 6, 7 and 8,

page_text: is also designed to burn soft coal. The same form of rotating hearth is employed,
but the fuel is charged from a hopper not shown, through the downwardly flaring
pipes 88-89. At the bottom of these pipes are located screw conveyors 90 and 91
which operate to force the fuel up through passageways in the combustion
chamber walls, into said combustion chamber 2. These screw conveyors may be
driven simultaneously by any desired form of mechanism, but I prefer to operate
them alternately by means of the mechanism illustrated, which consists of the
worm wheels 100 and 101 mounted on the axes of said screw conveyors, and
meshing with worms 98 and 99 on the shafts 96 and 97. These shafts are driven
by the ratchet wheels 92 and 93, with which the pawls 94 and 95 engage. These
pawls are mounted on the sprocket wheels 102-103, and the latter are driven by
the sprocket chains 104-105 running over sprocket wheels 106-107 mounted on
the main shaft 52.
As the pawls 94-95 point in opposite directions it is evident that the screw
conveyor 91 will be rotated when the shaft 52 turns in one direction, and the
other screw conveyor 90 will be rotated when the shaft 52 turns in the opposite
direction. These opposite directions of rotation are given to the shaft by any
desired form of reversing mechanism, but prefer to employ that illustrated in
Figures 14, 16, and 17, in which 108 represents a pulley shaft having the fast
pulley 109 mounted thereon, and the loose pulleys 110-111.
The belt shifter 112 shifts the belts 113 and 114" alternately on and off of
the fast pulleys so that the shaft 108 is rotated first in one direction and then
in the other. The rotation thus given is transmitted through the worm 113 on
said shaft to the worm wheel 114, which is fastened on shaft 52. The belt
shifter 112 is operated by means of the slotted lever 115, pivoted to the supporting
frame at 123, and carrying the triangular stirrup 116. The weight 117 is pivoted
on the same stud 123, as the lever 115, and is oscillated from one side to the other
by the pinion 118, which is given intermittent rotation in opposite directions by
the toothed-sector 119, operated by the link 120, pivoted to the reversing lever 121,
the short end of which is struck alternately on opposite sides by the stud 122
on the main worm wheel 25.
124 (Fig. 15) is a discharge pipe for the ashes into the pan 125, which is pre-
ferably filled with water so as to form a water seal. 126 is the gas take-off and
127 127 represent small discharge openings through which the quality of the
gas may be tested.
128 128 represent man-holes in the feed pipes 88 and 89.
The main portion of the furnace walls is supported on the uprights 129, and
the portion of the walls 130 surrounding the ash-pit and the lower portion of the
combustion chamber, may consequently be removed for the purpose of giving
access to the hearth. The removable door 131, held in position by the set
screws 132 (see Fig. 15), forms still more convenient means of access to the
combustion chamber and ash-pit. The action of the weighted levers 19, may be
assisted by springs 133, as shown in Figs. 12 and 15.
It will be noted that in the construction shown in Fig. 1, the depending walls
surrounding the hearth are cylindrical, whereas in Figs. 12 and 15, the ashpit
walls are flaring, being continued in line with the walls of the combustion chamber
proper. By this latter construction an additional agitation is given to the charge
of fuel by reason of the action heretofore described in this specification.
Briefly stated, the operation of my invention is as follows:-
The belt shifting apparatus illustrated and described, automatically reverses
the direction of rotation of the inclined hearth at each revolution, and the entire
body of fuel is thereby kept in a constant state of agitation both by vertical and
lateral displacement.
When anthracite or semi-bituminous coal is used, the automatic charging
apparatus illustrated in Sheets 3 and 4, operates at regular intervals by the
falling of the weight 57 in the direction of the arrow, which carries the cam 53

page_text: with it, (as illustrated in Figs. 8 and 11), to depress the lever 50, pull the chain 38,
rotate the valve 43 so as to close the throat of the furnace. After the slack
portion of the chain 38 extending to the lever 36, becomes stretched, further
rotation of the valve lifts said lever 36 and depresses the charging bell 31, thus
admitting to the combustion chamber the amount of fuel between the valve 43 and
said charging bell.
As soon as the weight 57 has fallen to its lowest position, the loose cam 53 is
forced up by the lever 50, which is drawn up by the weights 37-45, acting
through the chain 38. The fall of these weights lifts the charging bell and opens
valve 43 for another charge.
The constant rotation of the shaft 52, operates the pawl 59 (at a rate of speed
determined by the point at which the eccentric rod 61, is pivoted to the pawl
lever 60), and slowly turns the ratchet wheel 58, and at the end of a given period
of time lifts the weight 57 into its highest position, from which it falls to repeat
the charging operation.
The cored-out portions 47 of the charging valve enables said valve to remain
always tight against the full-faced portion 48, without jamming or cutting.
When the construction shown in Sheet 5 Fig. 12, is employed, the shaft 52
conveys motion through the chain 71 to the charging apparatus before described,
and also to the stirrer 76, and a down draft forces the gases out through the
passageways 79.
In the third form of the invention illustrated in Sheets 6, 7 and 8, the rotation
of shaft 52 toward the right (see Fig. 15) conveys motion to the screw conveyor 91,
while the, motion of said shaft toward the left leaves screw conveyor 91 idle, and
motion is given to the opposite screw conveyor 90. Thus the fuel is forced into
the combustion chamber first on one side and then on the other, and constant
agitation is the result. The rotation of the grate distributes the fuel charge
around the combustion chamber and also contributes to the agitation of the fuel.
The belt shifting apparatus operates at each revolution of the hearth, by the
swinging of the reversing lever 121, to rotate the pinion 118 and throw the
weight 117 first to the right and then to the left. This weight carries with it
during the last portion of its motion in either direction, the pivoted stirrup 116,
which, through the slotted lever 115, works the belt shifter 112. The blast pipe
can 28, being eccentric to the axis of rotation of the rotating hearth, serves to
produce a disturbance in the body of fuel as said hearth rotates, and contributes
to the agitation of the charge of fuel.
The weighted levers 19 force the adjustable plates 16, against the surrounding
walls, and prevent the too rapid grinding out of the ash. A bed of ashes forms
over the hearth to the depth of one foot or so, and preserves the same from
destructive heat.
When the walls surrounding the rotating hearth are of iron as shown in Fig. 1,
they are alternately exposed to the heat of the charge and withdrawn therefrom,
as the hearth rotates, and it is accordingly necessary to preserve them, as nearly
as possible, at an even temperature, by passing a current of air through passage-
ways formed therein as shown. The air thus heated can be economically used
to supply the blast for the producer itself. When the form illustrated in
Figures 12 and 15, is employed, the walls may be formed of fire brick through
their entire length, and the necessity for keeping the same cool is not present.
It is evident that various changes could be made in the details of construction
of my apparatus without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention,
so long as the relative arrangement of parts illustrated in the drawings, and the
mode of operation described in the specification, are preserved.
In all of the forms of my invention I employ a combustion chamber, having
inwardly inclined walls as shown. These have an important function in assisting
to produce a continual shifting of the particles of fuel upon one another as it
drops lower and lower in the combustion chamber. Furthermore, they tend to

page_text: prevent a caking or arching-over of the coal as the supports for any such arch
are withdrawn farther and farther apart as the fuel is forced down.
Dated this 16th day of September 1897.
I, ARTHUR KITSON, of Drexel Building, Philadelphia, Pa., United States of
America, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manuer the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to fuel gas producers and consists of certain improvements
in the hearths of such fuel gas producers, and in means for automatically
charging the fuel, and keeping the same in a continuous and uniform state of
agitation.
In the first form of my invention, designed for use with anthracite or semi-.
bituminous coal, a rotating inclined hearth is employed, through which the blast
is introduced at the centre, and at various other points of distribution, and an
important point of the invention consists in a special arrangement for producing
a tight but yielding fit of the rotating hearth to the walls of the combustion
chamber, so that any tendency of the ash to "spill" or grind down between the
moving surfaces of hearth and surrounding walls shall be prevented as far as
possible, and the ash got rid of by forcing the same through openings in the
body of the hearth.
Experience has shown me that with producers of large diameter, where the ash
spill is confined to the periphery of the hearth and ground through between the
moving surfaces, as has been the case in certain forms of gas producer which I
have heretofore operated, not only does the ash spill too rapidly, but the fuel
adjacent to the walls of the furnace rapidly follows the ash in its descent and is
frequently spilled into the ash pit while it is yet incandescent, the ash over the
centre of the hearth and in the middle of the fuel bed being piled up in a cone shape,
and not properly ejected into the ash pit.
My present invention is specifically designed to prevent this disadvantageous
feature of operation.
Where the first form of my invention is employed I also use in connection
therewith, an improved automatic charging apparatus for charging predeter-
mined amounts of fuel to the gas producer at regular intervals. Such a charging
apparatus must be quick in its action, and positive in its graduation of the amounts
fed. It must not permit any of the gases to escape during the operation, and
must not be liable to clog or become jammed so that it will fail to operate.
This portion of my invention secures all of these necessary qualifications by
means of a special construction of charging valve operated in connection with a
charging bell beneath it, by means of a loose revolving weight which is auto-
matically lifted to its highest position by an apparatus driven at a regulated
speed and allowed to drop at regular intervals, thus furnishing the power to
quickly operate the before described combination of valve and bell.

page_text: Another form of my invention is specifically designed to produce an apparatus
in which very soft coal may be gasified without resulting in caking formations
and clinker. This form of my invention also converts all the volatile matter,
which in other producers condenses in pipes and elsewhere, forming tar, into a
fixed gas.
In the use of the softer qualities of coal there is a tendency for the upper mass
to cake over, especially where the fuel bed is very deep, say six or seven feet,
the rotating hearth agitating only the lower bed for a distance of three or four
feet from said hearth. To enable the use of any kind of coal, no matter how
soft, and any type of fuel bed, I use in this form of my invention, in addition
to the rotary hearth before referred to, a fuel stirrer on top of the fuel, which I
revolve from the same mechanism as that which revolves the hearth. I also
preferably use a down draught in order to carry the tarry vapors through the hot
fuel where they are converted into fixed gases.
To the same pipe which carries the air and steam to the top of the fuel, I attach
two plows or stirrers, which I locate from one to three feet below the top surface
of the fuel.
This pipe is attached to a worm wheel and supported upon ball bearings on top
of the producer. A worm shaft conveys motion by means of a chain and sprocket
connection to the worm wheel and hence to the pipe and stirrers. The pipe
revolves slowly first in one direction and then in the other, being reversed
each time with the hearth mechanism by means of the belt shifter, which is
attached to the hearth mechanism. The gas is drawn away by means of an
exhauster through openings in the brick work located a little above the top side
of the hearth. The producer is fed automatically through a series of pipes which
are connected to a hopper, whilst a revolving disc having an opening corresponding
to one of these pipes is caused to revolve and alternately opens and closes each
of the feed pipes. These pipes are tapered, being larger at the bottom than the
top, in order to prevent their choking with coal. Whenever it is desirable, the
direction of blast may be changed for a short time and the air shut off from above
and admitted below, whilst the gas outlet below is closed and the upper one opened.
This producer admits therefore of both an up and down blast.
In this producer I insert brick work from the bed plate of ashpit to the top of
the furnace, and I taper this lining the entire length, making it considerably
larger below than it is above. It will be seen therefore that the hearth has a
different shape from those described in former patents, and revolving between
parallel walls, since the present one revolves between inclined walls. This gives
a somewhat greater agitation to the fuel than former designs, since the space
between the plane running horizontally through the centre of the hearth is con-
siderably greater than that contained between the same plane and the upper half
of the hearth. When therefore, the hearth makes half a turn, the fuel that was
formerly on the lower side is squeezed up higher than the space occupied by that
portion of the hearth, whilst on the other side considerably more of the fuel
descends upon the lower half of the hearth than is represented by the displace-
ment of the upper half of the hearth. This tends to give the fuel a to and fro,
as well as an up and down motion, and increases the degree of agitation thereof.
Yet another form of my invention is designed to secure the same result, to wit:
the utilization of soft coal, by means of screw conveyors feeding said fuel at the
side of the furnace by forcing it through the furnace walls and directly into the
zone of fiercest combustion. Employing the same form of rotating inclined hearth,
I also employ two or more screw conveyors which are automatically rotated from
the same mechanism as that which rotates the hearth, and I preferably cause the
conveyors, diametrically opposite one another, to rotate alternately. The fuel
being thus forced directly into the zone of fiercest combustion, all the volatile
constituents of the soft coal are immediately transformed into fixed gases and
forced up through the bed of unconsumed and partially consumed fuel above.

page_text: The alternate action of the conveyors tends to keep the bed of fuel well broken, by
forcing it first to one side and then to the other, and so preventing any caking or
tendency of the charge to "chimney." This action is of course assisted by the
rotating inclined hearth, and by the inclined walls of the combustion chamber
which tend to produce a continual movement of the fuel on itself as it is raised
and lowered and rotated by the combined action of the conveyors and the hearth.
Another portion of my invention relates to the automatic apparatus for periodi-
cally reversing the direction of rotation of the hearth.
The preferred forms of the various portions of my invention are illustrated
in the eight sheets of drawings, which accompany my Provisional Specification
and in which,
Fig. 1 (Sheet 1) is a vertical central section of my improved form of rotating
hearth, with air passages in the surrounding walls.
Fig. 2 (Sheet 2) is a plan view and section of the same.
Fig. 3 (Sheet 2) is a detailed section showing the form of the air passages.
Fig. 4 is a side view in partial section of the automatic charging apparatus,
and
Figs. 5, 6, 7, 8, are details of the same and connected mechanism.
Fig. 9 (Sheet 4) is a side view of Fig. 4.
Fig. 10 is a side view of Fig. 7.
Fig. 11 is a detail illustrating the attachment of the loose cam..
Fig. 12 (Sheet 5) is a central section of the second form of my invention which
is designed for burning soft coal.
Fig. 13 is a detail of the air inlet for the same.
Fig. 14 (Sheet 6) is a side elevation of the third form of my invention which
employs screw conveyors and is designed to burn soft coal.
Fig. 15 (Sheet 7) is a central section of the same.
Fig. 16 (Sheet 8) is a horizontal section of the same on the line 16-16 of
Fig. 15, and
Fig. 17 is a detail of the belt shifting gear.
Throughout the drawings like reference figures refer to like parts.
1 is the wall of the conical combustion chamber 2, which rests on the circular
plate 3, and has the cylindrical depending walls 4 which, as shown in Fig. 1,
have air passages therein formed by the partitions 5 (see Fig. 3) and the con-
nections 6 (see Figs. 2 and 3).
The air enters through one of the connections 7, and after being heated passes
out through another connection 8. These depending walls rest on the ashpit
bottom 9, supported by the I beams 10-10, on any suitable brick foundation 11-11
(see Figs. 12, 14, 15).
The rotating hearth 12 is inclined to the horizontal plane and composed of the
plates 13, resting on a frame or spider 14, and having openings 15, in said
plates. The edge of said rotating hearth is close to the surrounding depending walls
of the combustion chamber, and is made to tightly fit the same by means of the
are shaped adjustable pieces 16, which have slots 17, therein, through which
bolts 18, pass. These are pressed up against the surrounding walls by means of
the levers 19, each of which has a toe, 20, pressing against the rear of one of the
circular plates by reason of the downward pull of the weight 21, on the long
arm of said lever.
The hearth is mounted on a central pillar 22 which rotates on ball bearings 23,
and carries the blast pipe 24, and the worm wheel 25, with which the worm
gear 26, meshes.
Over the central opening of the grate is the cap 27, and over that the protecting
cap 28, both of which are symmetrical to a line perpendicular to the hearth
but eccentric to the axis of rotation of the same.
29 represents a series of holes in the pillar 22, through which a portion of the
blast passes to the ashpit 30 under the hearth and thence up through the openings 15
to the combustion chamber.

page_text: When the form of hearth above described is employed in an ordinary cupola
furnace to burn anthracite or semi-bituminous coal, I charge said furnaces by
means of a charging bell, and preferably employ the automatic apparatus illus-
trated in Sheets 3 and 4, to cause the automatic charging of predetermined
amounts of fuel at regular intervals.
31 (Fig. 4 Sheet 3) represents such a charging bell mounted in the throat 32
of the furnace, and suspended on the rod 33, which hangs from the bell crank 34,
on the shaft 35. On this shaft 35 is the weighted lever 36 having an adjustable
weight 37. The chain 38 is connected to said lever and passes around the pulley
wheel 39 being pinned to the same at 40. This chain passes on around the
pulley 41, down to the operating apparatus illustrated in Figs. 7, 8, 10, and 11.
The pulley wheel 39 is mounted on the axis 42 of the valve 43 (see Fig. 6)
mounted in the throat of the furnace between the charging bell and the feed
hopper 44. This valve shaft 42 has a weighted lever 45 fastened thereon. The
valve 43 has a peculiar construction, as its casing 46 is cored out so as to leave a
space 47 on either side, the casing touching the valve only at the points 48 and 49.
At 48 a full-faced portion is left the entire width of the valve, and at 49 the same
is vertically scored so as to form passageways through which the fuel which
lodges in the spaces 47 may run down into the charging space below.
The lower end of the chain 38 is connected to the lever 50 (see Figs. 7, 8
and 10) and has an elastic connection therewith by means of the spring 51.
Lever 50 is freely mounted on a shaft 52, which is a constantly rotating shaft,
usually the same on which worm gear 26 is mounted. The cam 53, is freely
mounted on the stud shaft 54, which is supported from the under side of the
I beams 10, which support the furnace.
The cam 53 is loosely mounted on said shaft and is driven by means of the
projection 55 on the cam which is engaged by the projection 56 on the rotating
weight 57. This weight is rotated by means of the ratchet wheel 58 which is
rigidly attached to the weight and is slowly driven by the pawl 59 carried by the
lever 60, which is oscillated by the eccentric rod 61, from the eccentric 62 mounted
on the slowly rotating shaft 52.
63 is a checking pawl preventing the ratchet wheel from turning backward.
In the second form of my invention, illustrated in Fig. 12 Sheet 5, which is
designed to burn soft coal, the same form of rotating hearth is employed, but
the charging is done from the hopper 64, in the bottom of which is a rotating
perforated plate 65 mounted on the rotating steam pipe 66, which is driven by
the worm wheel 67, with which the worm 68 meshes. This worm is on a shaft 69,
on which is the sprocket wheel 70, operated by the sprocket chain 71, to which
motion is given by the sprocket wheel 72 on the main shaft 52. Two or more
flaring pipes 73, lead from the bottom of the hopper 64, and when the openings 74
in the plate 65 register with said pipes, permit a portion of the fuel in the hopper
to drop through the pipes into the combustion chamber 2.
Rigidly connected with the worm wheel 67 is the rotating pipe 75, which
extends down into the combustion chamber and below the normal fuel line, and
has a number of curved projections or plows, 76, which, as the pipe 75 rotates, tend
to stir up the upper portion of the fuel bed. Air for the blast is admitted through
the openings 77 of the plate 78, which are adjustable as shown in Fig. 13, and
admit air to the revolving blast pipe and stirrer 75. The air is drawn in by the
steam jet from the steam pipe 66, which is controlled by the valve 66.
The worm wheel and revolving blast pipe are supported on ball bearings 83,
as shown. The passageways 79, in the walls of the combustion chamber, which
open from said combustion chamber just above the level of the hearth, take off
the gases formed in the producer, and are collected by the surrounding passage-
way 80, and discharged through the gas take-off 81, controlled by the valve 82.
At times it is desirable to reverse the action of the producer, in which case the
valves 66 and 82 are closed, as are also the openings 77, and the blast is admitted

page_text: at the bottom through the pipe 84, controlled by the valve 85, and the gases
then pass upward and are taken off by the pipe 86 controlled by the valve 87.
The third form of my invention, which, is illustrated in Sheets 6, 7, and 8,
is also designed to burn soft coal. The same form of rotating hearth is employed,
but the fuel is charged from a hopper not shown, through the downwardly flaring
pipes 88-89. At the bottom of these pipes are located screw conveyors 90 and 91
which operate to force the fuel up through passageways in the combustion
chamber walls, into said combustion chamber 2. These screw conveyors may be
driven simultaneously by any desired form of mechanism, but I prefer to operate
them alternately by means of the mechanism illustrated, which consists of the
worm wheels 100 and 101 mounted on the axes of said screw conveyors, and
meshing with worms 98 and 99 on the shafts 96 and 97. These shafts are driven
by the ratchet wheels 92 and 93, with which the pawls 94 and 95 engage. These
pawls are mounted on the sprocket wheels 102-103, and the latter are driven by
the sprocket chains 104-105 running over sprocket wheels 106-107 mounted on
the main shaft 52.
As the pawls 94-95 point in opposite directions it is evident that the screw
conveyor 91 will be rotated when the shaft 52 turns in one direction, and the
other screw conveyor 90 will be rotated when the shaft. 52 turns in the opposite
direction. These opposite directions of rotation are given to the shaft by any
desired form of reversing mechanism, but prefer to employ that illustrated in
Figures 14, 16, and 17, in which 108 represents a pulley shaft having the fast
pulley 109 mounted thereon, and the loose pulleys 110-111.
The belt shifter 112 shifts the belts 113 and 114 alternately on and off of
the fast pulleys so that the shaft 108 is rotated first in one direction and then
in the other. The rotation thus given is transmitted through the worm 113 on
said shaft to the worm wheel 114, which is fastened on shaft 52. The belt
shifter 112 is operated by means of the slotted lever 115 pivoted to the supporting
frame at 123, and carrying the triangular stirrup 116. The weight 117 is pivoted
on the same stud 123, as the lever 115, and is oscillated from one side to the other
by the pinion 118, which is given intermittent rotation in opposite directions by
the toothed sector 119, operated by the link 120, pivoted to the reversing lever 121,
the short end of which is struck alternately on opposite sides by the stud 122
on the main worm wheel 25.
124 (Fig. 15) is a discharge pipe for the ashes into the pan 125, which is pre-
ferably filled with water so as to form a water seal. 126 is the gas take-off and
127-127 represent small discharge openings through which the quality of the
gas may be tested.
128 128 represent man-holes in the feed pipes 88 and 89.
The main portion of the furnace walls is supported on the uprights 129, and
the portion of the walls 130 surrounding the ash-pit and the lower portion of the
combustion chamber, may consequently be removed for the purpose of giving
access to the hearth. The removable door 131, held in position by the set
screws 132 (see Fig. 15) forms still more convenient means of access to the
combustion chamber and ash-pit. The action of the weighted levers 19, may be
assisted by springs 133, as shown in Figs. 12 and 15.
It will be noted that in the construction shown in Fig. 1, the depending walls
surrounding the hearth are cylindrical, whereas in Figs. 12 and 15, the ashpit
walls are flaring, being continued in line with the walls of the combustion chamber
proper. By this latter construction an additional agitation is given to the charge
of fuel by reason of the action heretofore described in this specification.
Briefly stated, the operation of my invention is as follows:
The belt shifting apparatus illustrated and described, automatically reverses
the direction of rotation of the inclined hearth at each revolution, and the entire
body of fuel is thereby kept in a constant state of agitation both by vertical and
lateral displacement.

page_text: When anthracite or semi-bituminous coal is used, the automatic charging
apparatus illustrated in Sheets 3 and 4, operates at regular intervals by tho
falling of the weight 57 in the direction of the arrow, which carries the canı 53
with it, (as illustrated in Figs. 8 and 11), to depress the lever 50, pull the chain 38,
rotate the valve 43 so as to close the throat of the furnace, after the slack
portion of the chain 38 extending to the lever 36, becomes stretched, further
rotation of the valve lifts said lever 36 and depresses the charging bell 31, thus
admitting to the combustion chamber the amount of fuel between the valve 43 and
said charging bell.
As soon as the weight 57 has fallen to its lowest position, the loose cam 53 is
forced up by the lever 50, which is drawn up by the weights 37-45, acting
through the chain 38. The fall of these weights lifts the charging bell and opens
valve 43 for another charge.
The constant rotation of the shaft 52, operates the pawl 59 (at a rate of speed
determined by the point at which the eccentric rod 61, is pivoted to the pawl
lever 60) and slowly turns the ratchet wheel 58, and at the end of a given period
of time lifts the weight 57 into its highest position, from which it falls to repeat
the charging operation.
The cored-out portions 47 of the charging valve enables said valve to remain
always tight against the full-faced portion 48, without jamming or cutting.
When the construction shown in Sheet 5 Fig. 12, is employed, the shaft 52
conveys motion through the chain 71 to the charging apparatus before described,
and also to the stirrer 76, and a down draft forces the gases out through the
passageways 79.
In the third form of the invention illustrated in Sheets 6, 7, and 8, the rotation
of shaft 52 toward the right (see Fig. 15) conveys motion to the screw conveyor 91
while the motion of said shaft toward the left leaves screw conveyor 91 idle, and
motion is given to the opposite screw conveyor 90. Thus the fuel is forced into
the combustion chamber first on one side and then on the other, and constant
agitation is the result. The rotation of the grate distributes the fuel charge
around the combustion chamber and also contributes to the agitation of the fuel.
The belt shifting apparatus operates at each revolution of the hearth, by the
swinging of the reversing lever 121, to rotate the pinion 118 and throw the
weight 117 first to the right and then to the left. This weight carries with it
during the last portion of its motion in either direction, the pivoted stirrup 116,
which, through the slotted lever 115, works the belt shifter 112. The blast pipe
cap 28, being eccentric to the axis of rotation of the rotating hearth, serves to
produce a disturbance in the body of fuel as said hearth rotates, and contributes
to the agitation of the charge of fuel.
The weighted levers 19 force the adjustable plates 16, against the surrounding
walls, and prevent the too rapid grinding out of the ash. A bed of ashes forms
over the hearth to the depth of one foot or so, and preserves the same from
destructive heat.
When the walls surrounding the rotating hearth are of iron as shown in Fig. 1,
they are alternately exposed to the heat of the charge and withdrawn therefrom,
as the hearth rotates, and it is accordingly necessary to preserve them, as nearly
as possible, at an even temperature, by passing a current of air through passage-
ways formed therein as shown. The air thus heated can be economically used
to supply the blast for the producer itself. When the form illustrated in
Figures 12 and 15, is employed, the walls may be formed of fire brick through
their entire length, and the necessity for keeping the same cool is not present.
It is evident that various changes could be made in the details of construction
of my apparatus without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention,
so long as the relative arrangement of parts illustrated in the drawings, and the
mode of operation described in the specification, are preserved.
In all of the forms of my invention I employ a combustion chamber, having

page_text: inwardly inclined walls as shown. These have an important function in assisting
to produce a continual shifting of the particles of fuel upon one another as it
drops lower and lower in the combustion chamber. Furthermore, they tend to
prevent a caking or arching-over of the coal as the supports for any such arch
are withdrawn farther and farther apart as the fuel is forced down.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:
1. The combination of the cylindrical depending walls of the combustion
chamber, the rotating hearth within the same, the adjustable plates attached to
said hearth, and conforming to the curvature of said walls, and means for forcing
said plates against said walls with yielding pressure, substantially as described.
2. The combination of the cylindrical depending walls of the combustion
chamber, the rotating hearth within the same, the adjustable plates attached to
said hearth by bolt and slot connection, conforming to the curvature of the walls,
and weighted levers which press said plates outwardly, substantially as described.
3. The combination of the closed ashpit walls and bottom, the rotating hearth
having openings therethrough and the adjustable plates at the circumference
of the hearth, with means for holding said plates against the ashpit walls with
yielding pressure, substantially as described."
4. In a furnace, the hearth inclined to the horizontal plane but rotating on a
vertical axis, the depending enclosing walls which surround said hearth, and air
conduits extending along said walls for heating the air forced through said conduits,
substantially as described.
5. In a furnace the combination of the hearth inclined to the horizontal plane
but rotating on a vertical axis, the central main blast opening through said
hearth, and the raised cap for said blast opening, which is formed symmetrically
to an axis perpendicular to the plane of the hearth, substantially as described.
6. In a furnace the combination of the inclined walls of the combustion
chamber, the perforated hearth, inclined to the horizontal plane but rotating on
a vertical axis, the depending perpendicular walls which surround said hearth,
and adjustable means for making a tight joint between the hearth and the walls,
substantially as described.
7. In a furnace the combination of the rotating perforated hearth, the surround-
ing depending walls, the adjustable plates on the underside of the hearth at the
circumference thereof, which conform to the curvature of the walls and means for
pressing said plates against said walls with yielding pressure, substantially as
described.
8. In a furnace, the combination of the hearth inclined to the horizontal plane
but rotating on a vertical axis, the central main blast opening through said
hearth, and the raised cap over said blast opening, which cap is formed eccen-
trically to the vertical axis of the hearth, substantially as described.
9. In a gas product the combination of the combustion chamber with take-off
ports near the bottom thereof, one or more fuel charging ports in the upper
portion thereof, and a rotary, combined blast pipe and stirrer which extends
downward below the normal fuel line, substantially as described.
10. In a gas producer the combination of the combustion chamber, with take-
off ports near the bottom thereof, one or more fuel charging ports in the upper
portion thereof, and a rotary combined blast pipe and stirrer which extends
downward below the normal fuel line, the lower end thereof being provided
with curved extensions projecting into the charge of fuel, substantially as
described.
11. In a gas producer the combination of the combustion chamber, with take-
off ports near the bottom thereof, one or more fuel charging ports in the upper
portion thereof, and a rotary, combined blast pipe and stirrer which extends

page_text: downward below the normal fuel line, together with a steam pipe which discharges
into said blast pipe, and adjustable air inlet ports for said blast pipe, substantially
as described.
12. In a gas producer the combination of the combustion chamber, with take-
off ports near the bottom thereof, one or more fuel charging ports in the upper
portion thereof and a rotary, combined blast pipe and stirrer which extends
downward below the normal fuel line, together with a rotating hearth and
mechanism for causing simultaneous rotation of the hearth and stirrer,
substantially as described.
13. In a gas producer the combination of the combustion chamber with take-
off ports near the bottom thereof, one or more fuel charging ports in the upper
portion thereof, and a rotary, combined blast pipe and stirrer, which extends
downward below the normal fuel line, together with a rotating hearth and
mechanism for causing simultaneous rotation of the hearth and stirrer, a blast
pipe connection to the ashpit beneath said hearth and a take-off port above the
normal fuel line, with means for controlling all said take-offs and blastpipes,
substantially as described.
14. In a fuel gas producer the combination with the inwardly inclined walls of
the combustion chamber and ashpit, of the hearth located between said inclined
walls, said hearth being inclined to the horizontal plane, but rotating on a vertical
axis, substantially as described.
.
15. In a fuel gas producer, the combination with the inwardly inclined walls of
the combustion chamber and ashpit, of the hearth located between said inclined
walls, and provided with rubbing surfaces in contact therewith, said hearth
being inclined to the horizontal plane, but rotating on a vertical axis, and means
for adjustment of one of the rubbing surfaces thus opposed to one another, radially
to the hearth, substantially as described.
16. In a fuel charging device, the combination of the hopper, the combustion
chamber below, one or more flaring conduits leading from said hopper to said
combustion chamber, and the rotating disc which has one or more openings which
register at intervals with the upper ends of said conduit or conduits, substantially
as described.
17. In a fuel charging device the combination of the hopper, the combustion
chamber below, one or more flaring conduits leading from said hopper to said
combustion chamber, and the rotating disc which has one or more openings which
register at intervals with the upper ends of said conduit or conduits, said conduits
being inclined to discharge against the walls of the combustion chamber,
substantially as described.
18. In a gas producer the combination of the combustion chamber with take-
off ports near the bottom thereof, one or more fuel charging ports in the upper
portion thereof, and a rotary combined blast pipe and stirrer which extends down-
ward below the normal fuel line, together with the fuel hopper, one or more
flaring conduits leading from the hopper to the fuel charging ports and the
rotating perforated disc rotating with said stirrer to alternately open and close
the conduits, substantially as described.
19. The combination of the combustion chamber, the hearth inclined to the
plane of the horizon, but rotating on a vertical axis, and one or more screw
conveyors, passing through the walls of said combustion chamber and terminating
at the surface of said walls, which discharge fuel into the combustion chamber,
substantially as described.
20. The combination of the combustion chamber, the hearth inclined to the
plane of the horizon but rotating on a vertical axis, and one or more screw
conveyors, passing through the walls of said combustion chamber and terminating
at the surface of said walls, which discharge fuel into the combustion chamber
below the normal fuel line, substantially as described.
21. The combination of the combustion chamber the hearth inclined to the

page_text: plane of the horizon but rotating on a vertical axis, and one or more screw
conveyors, passing through the walls of said combustion chamber and terminating
at the surface of said walls, which are inclined upwardly and discharge fuel into
the combustion chamber below the normal fuel line, substantially as described.
22. The combination of the combustion chamber, having inwardly inclined
walls, the hearth inclined to the plane of the horizon, but rotating on a vertical
axis and one or more screw conveyors, passing through the walls of said combustion
chamber, and terminating at the surface of said walls, which discharge fuel
into the combustion chamber below the normal fuel line, substantially as
described.
23. The combination of the combustion chamber, the constantly rotating hearth
and one or more screw conveyors, passing through the walls of said combustion
chamber, and terminating at the surface of said walls, which discharge fuel
through the walls of the combustion chamber, substantially as described.
24. The combination of the combustion chamber, the constantly rotating hearth,
and one or more screw conveyors, passing through the walls of said combustion
chamber, and terminating at the surface of said walls, which discharge fuel
through the walls of the combustion chamber below the normal fuel line, sub-
stantially as described.
25. The combination of the combustion chamber the constantly rotating hearth
and one or more screw conveyors, passing through the walls of said combustion
chamber, and terminating at the surface of said walls, which are inclined upwardly
and discharge fuel through the walls of the combustion chamber below the normal
fuel line, substantially as described.
26. The combination of the combustion chamber the constantly rotating hearth,
the screw conveyors, passing through the walls of said combustion chamber, and
terminating at the surface of said walls, which discharge fuel into said com-
bustion chamber, the driving shaft, and mechanism whereby said driving shaft
rotates both the hearth and the screw conveyors, substantially as described.
27. The combination of the combustion chamber, the rotating hearth, the
driving shaft, which is geared to the hearth, mechanism for automatically and
periodically reversing the direction of rotation of said shaft, one or more pairs,
of screw conveyors which discharge fuel into said combustion chamber, and
ratchet mechanism which conveys the opposite rotations of said shaft to opposite
members of said pairs of conveyors, substantially as described.
28. The combination of the combustion chamber, one or more pairs of screw
conveyors, which pass through the walls of said combustion chamber and ter-
minate at the surface thereof, connections whereby fuel is fed to said screw
conveyors, and mechanism for alternately operating the opposite members of each
of said pairs of screw conveyors, substantially as described.
29. In a belt shifting apparatus the combination of the reversing lever, the
oscillating weight thrown to the one side or the other of its centre of gravity
by mechanism connected with said reversing lever, the pivoted stirrup operated
by said shifting weight and the belt shifter controlled by said pivoted stirrup,
substantially as described.
30. The combination of the rotating hearth, the reversing lever operated by a
stud moving coincidently with said rotating hearth, the system of fast and loose
pulleys and the oppositely running driving belts co-operating therewith, together
with mechanism whereby the reversing lever shifts said belts on and off the fast
pulleys, substantially as described.
31. In an automatic fuel charging apparatus the combination of the hopper,
the intermittently oscillating valve, the charging bell, and counterweight there-
for, with connecting mechanism which transmits a portion of the motion of the
valve to the charging bell, substantially as described.
32. In an automatic fuel charging apparatus the combination of the hopper, the
intermittently oscillating valve, the charging bell and counterweight therefor

page_text: with the chain which transmits motion to the valve and to the counterweight,
that portion of the chain between valve and counterweight being normally slack,
substantially as described.
33. In a fuel charging apparatus the combination of the hopper and the valve
located in the throat of said hopper, the casing of said valve being cored out so
as to leave bearing surfaces for the valve only adjacent to the intersection of the
throat and the valve casing, substantially as described.
34. In a fuel charging apparatus the combination of the hopper and the valve
located in the throat of said hopper, the casing of said valve being cored out so
as to leave bearing surfaces for the valve only adjacent to the intersection of the
throat and the valve casing and the lower pair of said bearings being scored
vertically to discharge the material collected in said cored out portions, sub-
stantially as described.
35. In an automatic fuel charging apparatus the combination with the hopper
and controlling apparatus located in the throat thereof, of the revolving weight,
means for communicating the falling motion of said weight to said controlling
apparatus, and means for revolving the weight in a vertical plane, substantially
as described.
36. In an automatic fuel charging apparatus the combination with the hopper
and controlling apparatus located in the throat thereof, of the revolving weight
mounted on a horizontal shaft, the ratchet wheel mounted on said shaft, driving
and checking pawls for said ratchet wheel, and means for communicating the
falling motion of the weight to the controlling apparatus, substantially, as
described.
37. In an automatic charging apparatus the combination with the hopper and
controlling apparatus located in the throat thereof, of a revolving weight mounted
on a horizontal shaft, the ratchet wheel mounted on said shaft, driving and
checking pawls for said ratchet wheel and means for communicating the falling
motion of the weight to the controlling apparatus, together with a variable speed
gear for the driving pawl, substantially as described.
38. An apparatus for producing intermittent motion,, which consists of the
actuating lever, connecting mechanism which normally lifts said lever, the con-
tinuously rotated horizontal shaft, and the weight mounted thereon, the loose
cam mounted on said shaft and bearing on the lever, and the connection between
weight and cam, which permits one to make a partial rotation independent of the
other, substantially as described.
39. An apparatus for producing intermittent motion, which consists of the
actuating lever, elastic connecting mechanism which normally lifts said lever,
the continuously rotated horizontal shaft, and the weight mounted thereon, the
loose cam mounted on said shaft, and bearing on the lever, and the connection
between weight and cam, which permits one to make a partial rotation independent
of the other, substantially as described.
40. The several arrangements of fuel gas producers shewn in and described
with reference to the drawings.