AN IMPROVED AUTOMATIC SMOKE CONSUMER, AND FUEL ECONOMIZER "
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Butler, of the town and county of the town of
Nottingham for an Invention of "AN IMPROVED AUTOMATIC SMOKE CONSUMER,
AND FUEL ECONOMIZER
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Butler at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 11th September 1882.
JOHN BUTLER, of the town and county of the town of Nottingham.
IMPROVED AUTOMATIC SMOKE CONSUMER, AND FUEL ECONOMIZER."
" AN
My improvements consist in forming a vertical circular shaped perforation, in
each fire bar employed in a furnace, through that end nearest the fire bridge, the
upper end of the perforations are somewhat wider than the lower end, which forms
a seat for a short tube to rest upon, these tubes are surrounded with fire brick,
but each tube can be withdrawn independently; so that a fire bar may be taken
out and be replaced by another bar. The vertical perforations in the bar ends
allow of jets of air to pass through at the back of the bridge. In addition to the
above there is a self acting apparatus for opening valves for the admission of air,
during the time the smoke is being consumed, and for closing them when consumed.
The self acting apparatus consists of a cistern with a brass, or other suitable metal
cylinder inserted in it, the cylinder is provided with two valves, one an inlet valve
at the bottom, and an outlet valve at the side, beyond which is a regulating cock
and index. Inside the cylinder is a piston provided on its lower side with an
india-rubber diaphragm which as the piston is raised assumes a concave shape,
causing a vacuum, in the cylinder which raises the inlet valve and fills the cylinder
with water, the outlet valve closing at the same time prevents the admission of air
to the cylinder, the water thus admitted to the cylinder can only pass out through
the regulating cock before named as the piston gradually descends, the piston rod
is connected to a series of levers and connecting rods, which open the valves for the
admission of air while the smoke is being consumed, the piston in the cylinder is
raised by the levers and connecting rods being operated upon by an arm attached
to the front of one or each of the furnace doors.
The regulating cock may be adjusted so as to allow the piston to descend in any
given time, thereby closing the valves that admit the air under the boiler, through
the vertical tubes at the end of the fire bars. The air valves are placed in front of
the vertical tubes, but below the fire bars, and are capable of adjustment separately.
The water from the cylinder escapes into the cistern.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Butler in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 8th
March 1883.
JOHN BUTLER, of the town and county of the town of Nottingham
IMPROVED AUTOMATIC SMOKE CONSUMER AND FUEL ECONOMIZER"
<< AN
My improvements consist in forming a vertical circular shaped perforation in
each fire bar employed in a furnace, through that end nearest the fire bridge, the
upper end of the perforations are somewhat wider than the lower end, which forms
a seat for a short tube to rest upon, these tubes are surrounded with fire brick, but
each tube can be withdrawn independently so that a fire bar may be taken out
and be replaced by another bar. The vertical perforations in the bar ends allow of
jets of air to pass through at the back of the bridge. In addition to the above
there is a self acting apparatus for opening valves for the admission of air, during
the time, the smoke is being consumed, and for closing them when consumed. The
self-acting apparatus consists of a cistern with a brass or other suitable metal
cylinder inserted in it, the cylinder is provided with two valves, one an inlet valve
at the bottom, and an outlet valve at the side, beyond which is a regulating cock
and index
Inside the cylinder is a piston provided on its lower side with an india-rubber
diaphragm, which as the piston is raised assumes a concave shape causing a vacuum
in the cylinder, which raises the inlet valve and fills the cylinder with water, the
outlet valve closing at the same time prevents the admission of air to the cylinder,
the water thus admitted to the cylinder can only pass out through the regulating
cock before named, as the piston gradually descends, the piston rod is connected to
a series of levers and connecting rods which open the valves for the admission of
air while the smoke is being consumed, the piston in the cylinder is raised by the
levers, and connecting rods being operated upon by an arm attached to the front of
one or each of the furnace doors.
The regulating cock may be adjusted so as to allow the piston to descend in any
given time, thereby closing the valves that admit the air under the boiler, through
the vertical tubes at the end of the fire bars. The air valves are placed in front of
the vertical tubes, but below the fire bars, and are capable of adjustment, separately.
The water from the cylinder escapes into the cistern
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1, is a front view of my improved apparatus applied to two double flued
boilers, only the left half of the boiler to the right is shewn
Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the furnace end of one such boiler,
shewing a side view of my improved apparatus.
Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view of one of the flues, shewing the fire bridge
enclosing tubes, and the front ends of the fire bars, and
Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of a cistern and apparatus hereafter
referred to
The several corresponding parts in each Figure are lettered alike.
M
Figure 1, is a front view of my improved apparatus applied to two double flued
boilers, only the left half of the boiler to the right is shewn
Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the furnace end of one such boiler,
shewing a side view of my improved apparatus.
Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view of one of the flues, shewing the fire bridge
enclosing tubes, and the front ends of the fire bars, and
Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of a cistern and apparatus hereafter
referred to
The several corresponding parts in each Figure are lettered alike.
My improvements consist in forming a vertical circular shaped perforation A
(see Figure 2) in each fire bar employed in a furnace, through that end nearest the
fire bridge, the upper end of the perforations are somewhat wider, than the lower
end, which forms a seat for a short tube B to rest upon, the projecting upper ends
of these tubes are surrounded with fire brick C, but each tube can be withdrawn

page_text: independently of any other tube upon one such tube being raised clear of the end
of the fire bar, which supported it, the bar may then be taken out and be replaced
by another bar when necessary
The vertical perforations in the ends of the bars allow of jets of air to pass
through them, and the tubes to the back of the bridge. In addition to the above
there is a self-acting apparatus for opening valves for the admission of air, during
the time the smoke is being consumed, after replenishing the fire with fuel, and
for closing the valves when the smoke is consumed. The self-acting apparatus
consists of a cistern D shewn in Figure 1, as placed between the two boilers, the
cistern is provided with a brass or other suitable metal cylinder E, bolted to the
lid of the cistern, the lower portion of the cylinder projecting within the cistern,
the cylinder is provided with two valves, one an inlet valve F at the bottom
inside, and an outlet valve G at the side, this valve is provided with a regulating
cock H and index carrying a bent tube, the lower end of which terminates within
the cistern
Inside the cylinder is a piston I formed of two reversely bevelled discs, between
which are two leather or rubber washers one above, and the other below an india-
rubber diaphragm J, held firmly at its edge between the flanges of the upper and
lower parts of the cylinder E, when the piston is raised to the position shewn at
Figure 4, the diaphragm assumes a concave shape causing a vacuum in the cylinder,
which raises the inlet valve F and fills the cylinder with water, which passes in
the direction indicated by the arrows from the cistern, the outlet valve G closing at
the same time (it being provided with a coiled spring inside to ensure it closing)
prevents the admission of air to the cylinder, the water thus admitted to the
cylinder, can only pass out through the regulating cock before named, as the
piston gradually descends. The piston rod at its upper end is connected by a
link and knuckle joint to a lever K, the back end of which rocks upon an axle
carried by the upper end of a bracket L secured to the back of the cistern, the
front end of the lever K slides in a slotted bracket M, the outer end of the lever
being hinged to the upper end of a connecting link K¹, the lower end of which is
attached to a lever K, secured on a shaft K³ which rocks in bearings secured to
each furnace front, the shaft is in two lengths for each pair of boilers being con-
nected by a collar and set screws, when both boilers are at work together. The
shaft K³ has as many levers K* secured on it as there are furnaces to be operated
upon each lever being hinged to the front end of a connecting rod, having its back
end hinged to a valve plate K5³, each valve plate being held open as shewn at
Figures 1 and 2, when the piston in the cylinder is at its highest position, to
Above the shaft K³ to one or
which position it is raised by the following means.
each of the furnace fronts is bolted a bracket carrying an axle upon which a right
angled lever K rocks horizontally, the end of each lever nearest to the furnace
door provided with a small truck, which rolls upon the furnace door each time
the door is opened to supply fuel, the opposite end of the lever at such time strikes
a lever K7 secured on the shaft K³, thereby opening the whole of the valve doors,
and admitting a sufficient quantity of air, which passes in the direction indicated
by the arrows at Figure 2 into a chamber N, below the back fire bars (where two
or more lengths of bars are used) and in front of the lower portion of the bridge O,
thence up the tubes B and out at the top of the bridge, where it mixes with the
smoke produced by the fresh fuel, and bursts into flame. Immediately upon the
furnace door being closed the piston levers and rod commence to descend, gradually
continuing until in the position shewn by the dotted lines at Figure 2 thereby
closing the valve plates K³, and preventing the admission of air through the
chamber and tubes. The crutch handle of the regulating cock is provided with a
pointer at one end, which lies close to the index thus enabling the escape of the
water from beneath the piston, to be adjusted to the greatest nicety, the wider the
regulating cock is opened, the quicker will be the descent of the piston, and the
closing of the valve plate or plates, also the more the cock is closed, the slower
will be the descent of the piston, and the closing of the valve plate or plates.

page_text: After the cistern is once filled with water, the only attention the apparatus will
require, will be supplying the cistern with a quantity of water to equal that lost
by evaporation.
Thus by combined action of the parts of apparatus above described I am
enabled to save at least ten per cent of the amount of fuel heretofore employed.
Having thus described the nature of my said invention and the manner of
performing the same, I declare that I claim for the improved automatic smoke
consumer and fuel economizer, substantially as herein before described and illustrated
in the Drawings annexed.
In witness whereof I the said John Butler, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this third day of March in the year of our Lord, one thousand
eight hundred and eighty three
Witness
H. W. GOUGH C.E.
Nottingham
JOHN BUTLER (LS.)