IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUC
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Josiah Hampton of Loughborough in the County of
Leicester Engineer for an Invention of " IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION
LETTERS PATENT to Josiah Hampton of Loughborough in the County of
Leicester Engineer for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION
OF ROCKING FURNACE BARS, AND
THE MODE UE OPERATING THE SAME
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Josiah Hampton at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th July 1883.
JOSIAH HAMPTON of Loughborough in the County of Leicester, Engineer
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF ROCKING FURNACE BARS, AND IN THE
MODE OF OPERATING THE SAME
"
The objects of this Invention are; economy of fuel; prevention of smoke
reduction of the formation of clinkers; and prolongation of the "life" of the
fire bars
I construct the fire bars for steam boiler and other furnaces with a considerable
camber, or rise, in the centre of their length in addition to the usual increase of
depth below. The two ends of the bars are also bevelled off to an angle of about
30 degrees or, instead of a fixed angle the bevels are sometimes curved. On end
of each bar has a provision, cast in one therewith, which forms a jaw to receive
the rocking bars hereinafter mentioned
The bearing bars at each end of the furnace are bevelled to receive the ends of
the furnace bars which rest upon such bearing bars.
The furnace bars are placed in the furnace with their jaw ends alternately next
to the dead plate and next to the bridge, so that one half or thereabouts of the
furnace bars have the jars next to the dead plate and the rest have the jaws next
to the bridge
The usual distance or space blocks are cast on the bars, sometimes being all cast
on one bar and the next bar without any, and sometimes otherwise divided in order
to provide and secure the necessary air spaces between the bars These blocks are
also utilised, in this invention, in assisting to keep tlie air spaces clear of clinkers
and cinders
Underneath the line of jars at each end of the furnace bars, I fit a transverse
rocking bar. These rocking bars are pivotted on centres at each end, and the

page_text: upper edge of the rocking bars enter the jaws of the bars and the rocking bars
being caused to vibrate forward and backward alternately, cause the bars to be
actuated with a to and fro' motion
· A suitable lever is attached to the front rocking bar, which lever receives a
reciprocating motion by means of any suitable machinery. This front rocking bar
also, by means of a connecting rod, causes the back rocking bar to oscillate in an
opposite direction to itself.
It has already been mentioned that the inclined ends of the bars rest on inclined
surfaces on the bearing bars. It will therefor be readily understood that the
rocking motions cause the alternate bars to rise and fall on such surfaces and also
to travel alternately nearer to and farther from the dead plate. One end of each
bar also rises at the same time that the other end falls.
The above description applies to furnaces in which single lengths of bar are fitted
In the case of double lengths of bars, the back rocking bar is fitted at the junction
of the bars, it being unnecessary to have a third rocking bar at the bridge end of
the furnace, although in some cases it may be so fitted if preferred
The upper and lower edges of the bars may be cambered or straight or otherwise
formed, as I do not contine myself to any particular form in this respect, and the
same may be said of the position of the bars, as my invention is equally applicable
to transverse furnace bars as well as longitudinal bars.
In a modified arrangement of my said invention, I arrange the inclined surfaces
in such a manner that the whole of the bar rises and falls simultaneously. This
is effected by reversing the foregoing arrangement of the incline at one end and
making the two inclines parallel or nearly so.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Josiah Hampton in the Patent Office on the 17th January 1884.
JOSIAH HAMPTON of Loughborough in the County of Leicester Engineer
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF ROCKING FURNACE BARS AND IN THE
MODE OF OPERATING THE SAME
"
The objects of this Invention are:-economy of fuel: prevention of smoke :
reduction in the formation of clinkers and prolongation of the "life" of the
fire bars
:
I construct the fire bars for steam boilers and other furnaces, with or without
camber or rise in the centre of their length, in addition to the usual increase of
depth below. The two ends of the bars are also bevelled off to an angle of about
thirty degrees; or instead of a fixed angle the bevels are sometimes curved-one
end of each bar has a provision, cast in one therewith which forms a jaw to
receive the rocking bars hereinafter mentioned.
The bearing bars at each end of the furnace are bevelled to receive the ends of
the furnace bars which rest upon such bearing bars
The furnace bars are placed in the furnace with their jaw ends alternately next
to the dead plate and next to the bridge, so that one half or thereabouts of the
furnace bars have the jaws next to the dead plate and the rest have the jaws next
to the bridge
The usual distance or space blocks are cast on the bars, sometimes being all cast
on one bar and the next bar without any and sometimes otherwise divided in order
to provide and secure the necessary air spaces between the bars. These blocks are
also utilized in this invention in assisting to keep the air spaces clear of clinkers
and cinders
Underneath the line of jaws at each end of the furnace bars I fit a transverse
rocking bar These rocking bars are pivotted on centres at each end and the upper
edge of the rocking bars enter the jaws of the bars and the rocking bars being
caused to vibrate forward and backward alternately, cause the bars to be actuated
with a to and fro' motion
A suitable lever is attached to the front rocking bar which lever receives a
reciprocating motion by means of any suitable machinery This front rocking bar
also by means of a connecting rod, causes the back rocking bar to oscillate in an
opposite direction to itself.
It has already been mentioned that the inclined ends of the bars rest on inclined
surfaces on the bearing bars It will therefore be readily understood that the
rocking motions cause the alternate-bars to rise and fall on such surfaces and also
to travel alternately nearer to and farther from the dead plate One end of each
bar also rises at the same time that the other end falls
The above description applies to furnaces in which single lengths of bar are fitted
In the case of double lengths of bars, the back rocking bar is fitted at the junction
of the bars, it being unnecessary to have a third rocking bar at the bridge end of.
the furnace although in some cases it may be so fitted. if preferred
The upper and lower of the bars may be cambered or straight saw toothed or
otherwise formed as do not confine myself to any particular form in this respect
and the same may be said of the position of the bars as my invention is equally
applicable to transverse furnace bars as well as longitudinal bars.
For a modified arrangement of my said invention, I arrange the inclined surfaces
in such a manner that the whole of each alternate bar rises and falls simultaneously,
the intermediate bars being fixed and stationary
This is effected by reversing the foregoing arrangement of the incline at one end
and making the two inclines parallel or nearly so

page_text: And in order that my said invention may be clearly understood, reference is
hereby made to the accompanying drawings, wherein similar letters of reference
indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.
Fig. 1 is an elevation (partly in section) shewing the bars at "half stroke"
Fig. 2 is a transverse section on the line a b of Fig. 1
Fig. 3 is an elevation (partly in section) shewing the bars at "full stroke"
Fig. 4 is a similar elevation of another arrangement in which one half or there-
abouts in number of the bars is made stationary and the remainder are caused to
rise and fall in parallel lines, the stationary and moveable bars being arranged
alternately. The moveable bars only are fitted with jaws such jaws being at the
front end, as shewn in Figs. 4 and 5
In Fig. 1. 2 and 3 c is the furnace, d the dead, plate, e the ash pit f the bridge.
g the front inclined bearing surface the back inclined bearing surface i i the two
rocking bars. o the jaws. kk the connecting rods the rocking lever.
The jaws o
are placed alternately at the front and back and the bars are parallel or thereabouts
only when they are at half stroke as shewn in Fig. 1. each end of the bars
alternately rises and falls as shewn in Fig. 3
The upper surfaces of the bars are sometimes cambered and sometimes straight
or with serrations or teeth which cause the fuel to slowly travel towards the
bridge. This latter form is shewn in Fig. 5.
The connecting rods kk cause the rocking bars and consequently also the
furnace bars to assume opposite angles of inclination, as well as a longitudinally
reciprocating motion alternately.
In the arrangement shewn in Figs 4 and 5 the inclined surfaces g. h are parallel,
or thereabouts, the ends of the bars being formed to correspond thereto one rocking
bar only is required, at the front end, which actuates each alternate bar only, as
before mentioned
The rocking lever is actuated by means of a connecting rod, attached to any
reciprocating portion of the machinery, or by a revolving crank or other suitable
ineans.
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I claim :-
1. The method of mounting fixing and operating furnace bars for the purposes and
in manner substantially as herein before described and shewn on the drawings
2. The manufacture and use of furnace bars and the appliances and fittings for
operating the same as hereinbefore described and shewn on the drawings or any
mere modification thereof.
3. The general combination and arrangement of parts respectively together forming
my improvements in the construction of rocking furnace, bars, and in the mode of
operating the same substantially as hereinbefore. described and shewn on the
drawings.
In witness whereof I the said Josiah Hampton have hereunto set my hand
and seal this fifteenth day of January in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and eighty four.