Improvements in Apparatus and Appliances for Obtaining More Perfect Combustion of Fuel in the Furnaces of Steam Generators.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Set., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 17th ec.. 1.90 Accepted, 17th Jin., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Improvements in Apparatus and Appliances for Obtaining More
Perfect Combustion of Fuel in the Furnaces of Steam Generators.
I, JOSEPH PLATT, of Highfield Villa, Pitsmoor, Sheffield, in the County of York,
Ironworks Manager, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS AND APPLIANCES FOR OBTAINING MORE PERFECT
COMBUSTION OF FUEL IN THE FURNACES OF STEAM GENERATORS," to be as follows:-
The object of my invention is to economise fuel and minimise the production of
smoke and I effect this by obtaining a more perfect combustion of fuel by means of
my improved apparatus and appliances.
Although my invention is applicable to various types of steam generators,
irrespective of the form of furnace, or methods of firing the same, a description of the
apparatus as applied to a "Cornish Steam Boiler" will suffice.
In the furnace of such a boiler 1 construct the dead plate or bearer at the front of
the fire bars and also the bearer or bridge plate at the back of the fire bars, with an
air chamber or chambers and the fire bars I construct hollow, with an air space
running through from end to end. These bars I place into suitable openings in both
the dead plate or front bearer and into the bridge plate or back bearer so that the air
chamber or chambers in the two may be connected by means of the hollow fire bars;
the air being introduced either under and into the back bearer or fire bridge and
passing thence through the fire bars to the front bearer or dead plate, from which it
emerges through holes or perforations on its upper surface and thence into and over
the fuel on the top of the fire bars in a heated and rarefied condition, and in which
state it amalgamates with the gases and other products generated in the fire place,
thereby contributing to more perfect combustion and increasing the amount of flame
and intensity of heat in the furuace. Or in some cases the air may be admitted under
the front dead plate and passing thence through the fire bars to the back bearer or
fire bridge, it may emerge through holes or orifices constructed in a hollow bridge
either at the front, top, or back of the same.
Or as a further modification the alternate bars may be made to communicate with
separate chambers and openings in the respective air chambers in the front and back
bearers so that currents of air may be induced in opposite directions, the first bar
conveying the air from the front to the back or bridge and the next bar conveying the
air from the back bearer or bridge to the front bearer or dead plate and so on
alternately.
I provide a sliding plate or cover by which I can regulate the area of the openings
in the front or dead plate and by means of which I can also close the orifices entirely
when it is necessary to damp down the fire or to open the fire door for stoking,
cleaning or drawing the fire.
I likewise in some cases provide a slide or valve by which I can regulate or close
the openings in the back bearer or bridge.
The fire bars herein described I place into position by first inserting them into the
openings of the front or the back bridge and by pushing them or drawing them far
enough into such openings, they may then be entered into the openings or orifices in
the opposite bearers and pushed forward or drawn back as the case may be.
The hollow fire bars are likewise placed or pitched so as to leave suitable air spaces
between each as in ordinary fire bars.
Dated this 26th day of September 1890.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus and Appliances for Obtaining More
Perfect Combustion of Fuel in the Furnaces of Steam Generators.
I, JOSEPH PLATT, of Highfield Villa, Pitsmoor, Sheffield, in the County of York,
Ironworks Manager, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS AND APPLIANCES FOR OBTAINING MORE PERFECT
COMBUSTION OF FUEL IN THE FURNACES OF STEAM GENERATORS and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement :-
32
The object of my invention is to economise fuel and minimise the production of
smoke and I effect this by obtaining a more perfect combustion of fuel by means of
my improved apparatus and appliances.
Although my invention is applicable to various types of steam generators, irre-
spective of the form of furnace, or methods of firing the same, a description of the
apparatus as applied to a "Cornish Steam Boiler" will suffice.
In the furnace of such a boiler I construct the dead plate or bearer at the front of
the fire bars and also the bearer or bridge plate at the back of the fire bars with an
air chamber or chambers and the fire bars 1 construct hollow with an air space
running through from end to end. These bars I place into suitable openings in both
the dead plate or front bearer and into the bridge plate or back bearer so that the
air chamber or chambers in the two may be connected by means of the hollow fire
bars; the air being introduced either under and into the back bearer or fire bridge
and passing thence through the fire bars to the front bearer or dead plate, from which
it emerges through holes or perforations on its upper surface and thence into and over
the fuel on the top of the fire bars in a heated and rarefied condition, and in which
state it amalgamates with the gases and other products generated in the fire place,
thereby contributing to more perfect combustion and increasing the amount of flame
and intensity of heat in the furnace. Or in some cases the air may be admitted
under the front dead plate and passing thence through the fire bars to the back bearer
or fire bridge, it may emerge through holes or orifices constructed in a hollow bridge
either at the front, top, or back of the same.
Or as a further modification the alternate bars may be made to communicate with
separate chambers and openings in the respective air chambers in the front and back
bearers so that currents of air may be induced in opposite directions, the first bar or
bars conveying the air from the front to the back or bridge and the next bar or bars
conveying the air from the back bearer or bridge to the front bearer or dead plate
and so on alternately.
I provide a sliding plate or cover by which I can regulate the area of the openings
in the front or dead plate and by means of which I can also close the orifices entirely
when it is necessary to damp down the fire or to open the fire door for stoking,
cleaning or drawing the fire.
I likewise in some cases provide a slide or valve by which I can regulate or close
the openings in the back bearer or bridge.
The fire bars herein described I place into position by first inserting them into the
openings of the front or the back bridge and by pushing them or drawing them far
enough into such openings, they may then be entered into the openings or orifices in
the opposite bearers and pushed forward or drawn back as the case may be.
The Follow fire bars are likewise placed or pitched so as to leave suitable air spaces
between each as in ordinary fire bars.
As another modification of the arrangements and appliances herein described I
sometimes augment the supply of heated air by placing a tube or tubes of metal or
fire-clay or other suitable refractory material, in the form of an arch over and above
the fire bridge of the furnace or near thereto; the ends of such tube or tubes I
convey to the underside of the fire grate with their open ends turned so as to receive
and conduct a current or currents of air which pass upwards through the same and

page_text: emerge through suitable holes or orifices formed in such arched tube or tubes above
the bridge or fireplace of the furnace; or in some cases the ends of the tube or tubes
are inserted into a hollow firebridge, or through the firebridge into the air chamber
formed in the back bearer or firebridge herein previously described.
The air thus conveyed into the furnace above the bridge becomes heated and
rarefied in its passage thereto and contributes to more perfect combustion and
prevention of smoke.
The nature of my invention will be better understood on
accompanying sheet of drawings in which
Fig. 1, is a longitudinal section of the furnace of a steam boiler.
Fig. 2, being a cross section of the same on the line A. B.
reference to the
Fig. 3, being a plan of the same shewing half the fire bars removed.
Fig. 4, illustrates a modified form of the front bearer or dead plate and back bearer
or bridge plate by which the air may be admitted under the front dead plate and
passing thence through the hollow fire bars to the back bearer or fire bridge, whence
it may emerge through holes or orifices constructed in a hollow bridge either at the
front top or back of the same or whereby the air conveyed from the front to the back
of the furnace may be discharged through the arched tube or tubes, the ends of which
are inserted into a hollow fire bridge or through the fire bridge into the air chamber
formed in the back bearer or fire bridge herein previously described. The air thus
conveyed being discharged through suitable holes or orifices formed in such arched
tube or tubes above the bridge or fire place of the furnace.
The arrangement shewn in the last Fig. 4, may be employed with a certain
number of bars in a furnace and the arrangement shewn in Figs. 1 & 2 may be
employed with certain other number of bars in a furnace whereby currents of air
may be induced in opposite directions.
The same letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.
a, is the plate of the furnace tube.
b, b, are the hollow fire bars.
is the fire bridge.
d, is the air box in the back bearer/under the fire bridge.
e, being an opening or openings for the admission of the fire bars and
ff, an opening or openings for the admission of air to the same.
g, is the dead plate or bearer and air chamber at the front of the furnace.
h, being the opening or openings for the admission of the front ends of the fire
bars.
i, is the air chamber or air chambers and,
j,j, the holes or perforations on the upper surface of the dead plate through which
the heated air emerges into the furnace.
k, is a door or shutter which can be opened for emptying any dust or ashes which
may find their way into the air chamber, i.
1, is a sliding plate, grid, or shutter by means of which the admission of air to
the furnace may be regulated or by means of which the orifices in the dead plate
may be entirely closed.
m, is a tube or tubes placed in the form of an arch above the fire bridge, and
n, n, are openings for the admission of air thereto.
o, o, being the openings above the bridge for the egress of the heated air from
the same.
p, is the opening for air in the front bridge or deadplate when the air is conveyed
from the front to the back of the furnace, Fig. 4.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is,
1. The arrangement and combination of parts and appliances constituting the
hollow fire bars, the hollow back bridge or bearer, with the air chamber or
chambers and orifices, the hollow dead plate or front bearer, with its air chamber or

page_text: air chambers and orifices, door or shutter, the sliding plate or grids by means of
which the air is conducted from the back bridge through the hollow fire bars to
the front bridge and thence into the front of the furnace, substantially as and for
the purposes herein described and illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 & 3 on the accompanying
sheet of drawings.
2. The arrangement and combination of parts and appliances constituting the
hollow fire bars, the hollow back bridge or bearer, with the air chamber or chambers
and orifices, the hollow dead plate or front bearer with its air chamber or air
chambers and orifices, by means of which with suitable modifications shewn in
Fig. 4, the air is conducted from the front bridge through the hollow fire bars to
the back bearer or fire bridge whence it may emerge through holes or orifices
constructed in a hollow bridge either at the front top or back of the same substantially
as and for the purposes herein described and illustrated.
3. The arrangement and combination of parts and appliances as described in
claims 1 and 2 respectively whereby the arrangement shewn in Fig. 4, may be
employed with a certain number of bars in a furnace and the arrangement shewn
in Figs. 1, 2 & 3 may be employed with certain other number of bars in the same
furnace whereby currents of air may be induced in opposite directions by the com-
bination of both the aforesaid arrangements in one furnace substantially as and for the
purposes herein described and illustrated.
4. The arrangement and combination of parts and appliances comprising the
arched tube or tubes placed above the fire bridge of the furnace or near thereto
such arrangement and combination of parts and appliances to be used either
separately or in conjunction or combination with, any or all of the arrangements and
combinations set forth in claims 1, 2 & 3 respectively, substantially as and for the
purposes herein described and illustrated.
5. "Improvements in apparatus and appliances for obtaining more perfect com-
bustion of fuel in the furnaces of steam generators" substantially as and for the
purposes herein described and illustrated.
Dated this 15th day of December 1890.
R. HEBER RADFORD,
Agent for the Applicant.