Improved Furnaces for Treating Materials Infected with Disease and other Refuse.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Aug., 1886.
Complete Left, 18th May, 1887.
Complete Accepted, 21st June, 1887.
RESERV
Improved Furnaces for Treating Materials Infected with Disease
and other Refuse.
I, EDWARD SERGEANT of 75 Park Road, Bolton, in the County of Lancaster
Member of the Royal College of Surgeons England and Licentiate of the Royal
College of Physicians, London, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention consists of an improvement in the construction of furnaces for burning
or destroying by the action of fire or heat or by that means converting into ash and
volatile gasses the excreta, infected matter and other refuse from or collected at
Hospitals, Public and other buildings or Scavenging Corporations bodies or persons.
My invention is that I construct the incinerating or destroying furnace in such
form and position as to apply to the same a hopper in proportion to the size of such
furnace, which hopper is to be placed at the top of such furnace and at the end nearest
to the chimney of the reverberatory arch of such furnace next mentioned.
The destroying furnace is furnished with a reverberatory arch, underneath which
but not actually co-incident with same, is a receptacle of firebrick or other material
constructed along with such reverberatory arch as a continuation of the fireplace, in
length constituting an invert to such reverberatory arch but extending to the back or
chimney end beyond the same, in form a section of a cylinder with its axis parallel
with the front and back lines of the first fire place and consequently with the diameter
of such cylinder at right angles to the plane of the front of such fireplace.
The hopper is placed towards the chimney end of such reverberatory arch, but over
such extension of the receptacle, so that the entire contents of such hopper would fall
into the receptacle.
At the bottom of the hopper, close to where the same opens into the furnace over
the receptacle, I place a horizontal sliding door or damper plate to allow the contents
of the hopper to be therein retained, or allowed to descend in regulated quantities to
the receptacle without much manipulation. This receptacle forms a cavity to retain
the infected contents of beds, mattresses, excretal matter and other refuse during
treatment by fire.

page_text: At the front of the building, or further end from the chimney, I have my first fire
fed with coke, or selected cinders from refuse or other fuel, and at the back of the
fire the receptacle above described, and partly over the fire and partly over the
receptacle the reverberatory arch, also consisting of a section of a cylinder with its
axis parallel with the front line of the first fireplace.
Such reverberatory arch and receptacle therefore are co-extensive, measuring along
the axis of the cylinder with the width of the first fireplace, and the reverberatory
arch springs directly over the first fire place, whereas in other refuse furnaces, the
axis of the cylinder is at right angles to the front of the fire place.
.
I thus get the arch nearer to its work without reducing the space for refuse in the
furnace and the heat and flame from the first fire is reflected, radiated, and directed
upon the refuse in the receptacle, by the construction of the reverberatory arch which
is partially over the fire and partly over the receptacle.
The products of combustion from the first fire and also from the refuse, pass through
openings at the chimney end of the reverberatory arch into the flue, after having been
rendered innocuous by passing over the heat and flames of a small coke furnace
constructed at the back or chimney end of the receptacle and hopper and fired from
the side of the structure, and the gasses and volatile products are then carried through
a perforated firebrick wall up the chimney, or, I may. use a regenerative furnace for
the complete combustion of the gasses instead of, or in addition to, the small furnace
before described.
The first fire and such small side furnace are fed, and the slag withdrawn through
ordinary fire doors. Openings and doors may be inserted in the side of the structure
near the bottom of the receptacle for the withdrawal of the ash or residue from
consumed material, or, the residual matter may be taken out through the furnace
doors of my front fire.
Where no excreta or fluid refuse is ever intended to be burnt, I prefer to place a
few fire bars close together at the bottom of the receptacle, to allow the burning of
refuse when sufficiently combustible either with, or without my first fire, and to effect
a communication with the underside of such receptacle when firebars are used as
above, I should extend the ashpit of my first fire to the underside of the receptacle and
cause same to communicate with the underside of such fire bars in the bottom of the
receptacle.
When more than one furnace is required, I prefer to build them back to back, and
to arrange the flues so that they will both converge into one central flue which will
contain the small side furnace above referred to, so that excreta and other liquid
offensive refuse may be consumed in the furnace opposite to the one which is
destroying refuse of a more combustible nature thus dead animals such as dogs, cats,
and diseased or unsound meat, fish, fruit or vegetables, condemned as unfit for
human food.
I provide dampers to regulate the draught and suitable openings to clear out flue
dust.
I call my apparatus the "Incinerator."

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Furnaces for Treating Materials Infected with Disease
and other Refuse.
EDWARD SERGEANT of 75, Park Road, Bolton, Licentiate of the Royal College
of Physicians, London, and Member of the Royal College of Surgeons, England,
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 :-
My invention consists of an improvement in the construction of furnaces for burning
or destroying by the action of fire or heat, or by that means converting into ash and
volatile gases the excrota, infected matter and other refuse from, or collected at,
Hospitals, Public and other buildings, or Scavenging Corporations, bodies, or persons.
My invention is that I construct the incinerating or destroying furnace in such
form and position as to apply to the same a hopper in proportion to the size of
such furnace, which hopper is to be placed at the top of such furnace, and at
the end nearest to the chimney of the reverberatory arch of such furnace next
mentioned.
The destroying furnace is furnished with a reverberatory arch, underneath
which but not actually co-incident with same, is a receptacle of firebrick or other
material, constructed along with such reverberatory arch as a continuation of the
fireplace in length constituting an ivert to such reverberatory arch but extending
to the back or chimney end beyond the same; in form a section of a cylinder
with its axis parallel with the front and back lines of the first fireplace and
consequently with the diameter of such cylinder at right angles to the plane of
the front of such fireplace.
The hopper is placed towards the chimney end of such reverberatory arch, but
over such extension of the receptacle, so that the entire contents of such hopper
would fall into the receptacle.
At the bottom of the hopper, close to where the same opens into the furnace over
the receptacle, I place a horizontal sliding door or damper plate, to allow the contents
of the hopper to be therein retained, or allowed to descond in regulated quantities to
the receptacle without much manipulation. This receptacle forms a cavity to
retain the infected contents of beds, mattresses, excretal matter and other refuse
during treatment by fire.
At the front of the building, or further end from the chimney, I have my first
fire fed with coke or selected cinders from refuse or other fuel, and at the back
of the fire the receptacle above described, and partly over the fire and partly over
the receptacle the reverberatory arch, also consisting of a section of a cylinder
with its axis parallel with the front line of the first fireplace.
Such reverberatory arch and receptacle therefore are co-extensive, measuring along
the axis of the cylinder with the width of the first fireplace, and the reverberatory

page_text: arch springs directly over the first fire place, whereas in other refuse furnaces the
axis of the cylinder is at right angles to the front of the fireplace.
I thus get the arch nearer to its work without reducing the space for refuse
in the furnace and the heat and flame from the first fire is reflected, radiated.
and directed upon the refuse in the receptacle.
"
The products of combustion, from the first fire and also from the refuse, pass
through openings at the chimney end of the reverberatory arch into the flue, after
having been rendered innocuous, by passing over the heat and flame of a small
coke furnace, constructed at the back or chimney end of the receptacle and hopper
and fired from the side of the structure, and the gases and volatile products are
then carried through a perforated firebrick wall up the chimney-or, I may use a
regenerative furnace for the complete combustion of the gases, instead of, or in
addition to, the small furnace before described.
The first fire and such small side furnace are fed and the slag withdrawn through
ordinary fire doors. Openings and doors may be inserted in the side of the structure
near the bottom of the receptacle for the withdrawal of the ash or residue from
consumed material, or the residual matter may be taken out through the furnace
doors of my front fire.
Where no excretal matter or fluid refuse is ever intended to be burnt, I prefer to
place a few firebars close together at the bottom of the receptacle, to allow the
burning of refuse when sufficiently combustible either with or without my first fire;
and to effect a communication with the underside of such receptacle, when firebars
are used as above, I should extend the ashpit of my first fire to the underside of the
receptacle, and cause same to communicate with the underside of such firebars in the
bottom of the receptacle.
When more than one furnace is required, I prefer to build them back to back, and
to arrange the flues so that they will both converge into one central flue, which will
contain the small side furnace above referred to, so that excreta and other liquid
offensive refuse may be consumed in the furnace opposite to the one which is
destroying refuse of a more combustible nature, thus utilizing the heat from the more
combustible material to destroy any noxious fumes from the other furnace.
The furnaces are applicable to destroying dead animals such as dogs, and diseased
or unsound meat, fish, fruit or vegetables condemned as unfit for human food.
I provide dampers to regulate the draught and suitable openings to clean out
flue dust.
I call my apparatus the "Incinerator."
In order that my invention may be perfectly understood and readily carried into
practical operation, I have hereunto attached the accompanying three sheets of
drawings, reference being had to the figures marked thereon to denote the same or
similar parts.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of the Incinerator with a small coke fireplace on
line A. B. on figure 3.
Figure 2. is a front elevation with dotted lines shewing sectional finish.
Figure 3. is a plan of the Incinerator.
Figure 4. is a longitudinal section of the Incinerator as a Regenerative furnace on
line E. F. figure 5. with air inlets and passages.
Figure 5. is a sectional plan on line C. D. figure 4.
The refuse, contents of inattresses, or dead animal, or any matter to be consumed is
fed into the Hopper marked 1. from which it is passed in regulated quantities into the
receptacle 4. by moving the horizontal sliding door shewn at 2 in Figure 1.
The reverberatory arch 3. is constructed of firebrick and kept very hot by the heat
and flame from the first fire 5. and the continuous burning of the refuse in the
receptacle 4. The products of combustion front the refuse burning in receptacle 4.
and also from the fire 5. pass through the opening 6, and over the small coke fire 7.
and through the heat of the same, where they are rendered innocuous and are further
acted upon by the hot perforated firebrick wall 8. before reaching the chimney.
To secure the complete combustion of refuse containing dangerous germs and other

page_text: matters, and animal or offensive substances, and thereby avoid noxious fumes and
other unpleasant volatile gases, and also to destroy any fumes or gases, and thereby in
ordinary cases, to obviate the necessity of my additional Coke fire No. 7, I use a
regenerative furnace as shewn by figures 4 and 5. which is obtained by introducing
two chambers packed with firebrick 9. 9. supplied with dampers 10. 10. 10. 10., and
air inlet valves 11. 11. The aforesaid dampers and inlet valves are so worked by
alternate opening and shutting, by means of a lever or otherwise, as to effect the
changing of the current of the products of combustion and also the admission of
outside air alternately into the chambers 9. 9. so that the outside air will pass through
the chamber 9, already heated by the products of combustion, whilst the products of
combustion will pass through the chamber 9, previously occupied by the current of
outside air.
The products of combustion from the burning refuse are thus passed through one
chamber of firebrick network to which they communicate their surplus heat previous
to their passing away by the chimney, whilst air is led through the other chamber or
mass of firebrick which already has been highly heated by the products of combustion.
The air after having been thus raised to a high temperature is conducted through
passages 12. to the underside of the firebars 13, and if necessary through openings
into the midst of the burning refuse in receptacle 4. Thus the surplus heat from the
burning refuse is communicated to a mass of firebrick and utilized for heating the air
which is feeding the fire. When combustion in the receptacle 4. is very active the
firebrick network 9. 9. becomes sufficiently heated without changing the dampers to
destroy any noxious smell that may be given off during the process of combustion.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is,
1. The use of a furnace for burning refuse constructed with hopper and sliding
door, reverberatory arch, receptacle and small fire substantially as herein shewn and
described.
2. The use of a regenerative furnace for the complete combustion of contaminated
refuse and noxious fumes by alternately heating a chamber with the products of
combustion, and using saine chamber when heated, to heat the current of outside air
which supplies the combustion in furnace, substantially as herein shewn and
described.
DL: 17th
C
1007