IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR FEEDING FUEL TO STEAM GENERATOR FURNACES, AND FOR ACTUATING MOVEABLE FIRE BARS
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Garner, of Salford, in the County of Lancaster,
Boiler Maker, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR
FEEDING FUEL TO STEAM GENERATOR FURNACES, AND FOR ACTUATING
MOVEABLE FIRE BARS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Garner at the Offico
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 7th April 1880.
WILLIAM GARNER, of Salford, in the County of Lancaster, Boiler Maker.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR FEEDING FUEL TO STEAM GENERATOR
FURNACES, AND FOR ACTUATING MOVEABLE FIRE BARS."
The said Invention relates, first, to apparatus for automatically feeding the
required amount of fuel to steam genorator furnaces, and has for its object to
provide apparatus for such purpose which shall be simple in construction, efficient in
action, and economical in maintenance; and, second, to steam generator furnaces in
which rotary fire grates with moveable bars are employed, the object being to give
motion to such bars by apparatus which shall be less liable to get out of order
and shall suffer less from the effects of heat than has hitherto been the caso.
First Part. I construct apparatus for governing the quantity of fuel fed to steam
generator furnaces by plunger, reciprocating, or like feeders, as follows:-I fit a
piston or plunger within a cylinder, one end of which is in communication with
the steam or water space within the generator, and 1 connect the said piston or
plunger by suitable rods and gear to wedge or equivalent mechanism. The piston
or plunger is held against the pressure in the cylinder by means of a weight or
weights, or a spring or springs, and the wedge or equivalent mechanisin acts
according to its position to vary the length of stroke of the reciprocating feeders.
Second Part. I give motion to reciprocating plunger or like mechanism for
ejecting fuel from a hopper direct on a fire grate, or on fans, shovels, or other
appliances for throwing such fuel into furnaces by means of a wheel or pulley
jointed to and driven by a rotating shaft. The said wheel or pulley is adjustable
obliquely on its shaft, and its periphery acts against adjustable or fixed stops on
the reciprocating feed mechanism.
Third Part. I actuate the fire bars of grates caused to revolve on a centre
pillar or from the circumference by means of a stationary cam which acts on
levers connected to the fire bars, and is secured centrally beneath the said grate.

page_text: cylinder beneath the piston communicates with the steam space of the generator 1
past the valve 19; 20, weighted lever attached by the rod 21 to the lever 15;
22, fulcrum pin of weighted lover 20 working through tho stuffing box 23, and
fitted with the excentric or cam projection 24; 25, damper connected to the
lever 15 by an arm and rod 26; 27, driving pulley. The action of the apparatus
is as follows:-Motion is given to the shaft 11 and can wheel 8 and pin wheel 5
from the driving wheel 27, and fuel is fed to the fire grate by the combined action
of the reciprocating plunger and the shovel. When the steam in the generator
attains a higher pressure than is considered desirable, the said steam raises the
piston 17, and by incans of the levers and rods connected thereto, lifts the wedge
or plate 12 into such a position that motion of the plunger 7 is prevented and fuel
ceases to be fed to the fire grate; as the steain pressure diminishes, the piston 17 is
caused to descend by means of the weighted lever 20, the wedgo or plate 12 is
lowered, and fuel is again fed to the fire grate. The motion of the weighted
lever 20 closes the valve 19 and shuts off steam from the cylinder when the
piston 17 has been raised the necessary height. The motion of the lever 15
when the piston 17 rises causes the damper 25 to close, but this arrangement
of mechanism is not a part of my Invention though it may be advantageously used
therewith.
Fig. 7 is a detail view of a cylinder and plunger in which the lifting valve 19 is
replaced by a screw valve 28.
Fig. 8 is a view in which a hollow curved spring 29 is substituted for the
piston 17 and cylinder 18. In this case the motion of the spring and wedge piece
or plate will be gradual and the feed will be uniformly decreased as the pressure of
steam rises. A similar result would be obtained with the piston and cylinder
arrangement by replacing the weight on the lever 20 by a spring.
Under the third part of my Invention, 2, Figs. 2, 4, and 9, is the fire grate caused
to rotate by the bevel wheel 29; 30 are the fire bars formed with arms 31 and
free to rock or vibrate on the pins 32; 33, levers working on the fulcrum pins 34
secured to the bridge 35 which forms part of the fire grate and rotates with it;
other bearings may be provided for the said fulcrum pins; 36, stationary cam;
37, guide pieces for levers; 38, packing piece surrounding grate.
It will be secn
that as the grate is caused to revolve the fire bars will receive a rocking motion by
the action of the cam and levers.
Fig. 9 is a sectional view of a generator grate in which 4 sets of rocking fire
bars are used, and in which bell crank levers and rods 39 are employed to give
motion to the fire bars; 36, stationary cam.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention in such manner that
others will be enabled to carry my improvements into effect, I claim,
First. Apparatus for governing the quantity of fuel fed to steam generator
furnaces, constructed and operating substantially as set forth.
Second. The combination of governing apparatus and feed apparatus, substan-
tially as set forth.
Third. The cam wheel 8 constructed and operating substantially in the manner
and for the purposes set forth.
Fourth. Actuating moveable fire bars substantially in the manner and by the
apparatus set forth.
In witness whereof, 1, the said William Garner, have hereunto set iny hand
and seal, this Fourth day of October, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.
WILLIAM GARNER. (L.S.)