CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN KILNS FOR BURNING BRICKS, LIME, OR OTHER SIMILAR MATERIALS
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Ryder, of Manchester, in the County
of Lancaster, for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN
KILNS FOR BURNING BRICKS, LIME, OR OTHER SIMILAR MATERIALS."
Sealed the 16th April 1869, and dated the 22nd October 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Ryder at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
22nd October 1868.
I, JOHN RYDER, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVE-
MENTS IN KILNS' FOR BURNING BRICKS, LIME, OR OTHER SIMILAR MATERIALS,'
to be as follows:-
"
My Invention is designed for the purpose of constructing a "kiln " in
which "green bricks," lime, or other similar material are placed and
subjected to the process of burning in such a manner that the heat may
be equally distributed throughout the interior, or it may be concentrated
in any one particular part.

page_text: Further, the improvements relate to a novel method of consuming
the smoke evolved from the coal or other fuel employed for burning the
bricks or other material.
The first part of the improvements consists in placing above each fire
inside the kilu a "baffler " plate or ledge formed of bricks or a slab,
which projects some few inches over the fire-bars. Beyond the grates
or termination of each fire-place a chamber or space is left in which the
hot air accumulates, and from whence it riscs through the green
bricks to the crown or roof of the kiln, which is arched in from this
point; the hot air and heated gases are caused through the green bricks
to descend by a downward draught which is caused by reason of a
number of flues radiating from one main flue or shaft outside the kiln
into apertures or openings situated longitudinally midway between the
two outer walls of the kiln. These radial flues are cach provided with
a damper, which if any one of the same be closed the heat is directed
into that quarter of the kiln, thereby enabling the "
green bricks" or
those not sufficiently burnt to receive an increase of heat over those that
are finished.
In order to carry out the second part of my Invention relating to the
burning of smoke I place on the surface of the third and last layer of
green bricks a coating of coal slack, so that when the first firing up
takes place with coke the bricks becoming gradually heated cause the
gases evolved from the slack to be consumed with the surrounding hot
brick, thereby facilitating and expediting the difusion of heat so soon
as the whole kiln is thoroughly heated; the firing is then kept up with
coal, the gases from which as they mix with the hot bricks become
thoroughly ignited and consumed.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Ryder in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 22nd April 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
RYDER, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of October, in the

page_text: year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in
the thirty-second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said John Ryder, Her
special license that I, the said John Ryder, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Ryder,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any timo agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times. thereafter.
during the term. therein expressed, should and. lawfully might make,.
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN KILNS' FOR BURNING BRICKS, LIME, OR OTHER
SIMILAR MATERIALS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said John Ryder, my executors or administrators, by, an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and scals,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Ryder, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement and accompanying Drawings, that is to.
say:
My Invention relates to a novel and peculiar arrangement and cou-
struction of kiln for the purpose of burning bricks or other substances
requiring to undergo a similar process, and is designed for the purpose
of generating one even and uniform heat throughout the interior of
such kiln, or of being able to regulate the heat to certain portions
thereof, thereby enabling the green bricks or other substances placed
within the kiln to become whilst burning (during which also the smoke.
or gas is thoroughly consumed) uniformly and evenly hardened through-
out.
The improvements consist, first, in placing above the fire-bars of the
different furnaces a projection or shelving ledge, above which an open space
is provided for feeding the fire with fuel. This ledge prevents the fuel
falling upon the front of the bars, thereby preventing the fire becoming
stifled or choked; this arrangement of ledge also allows a clear current

page_text: of air constantly to pass into the fire, effecting thereby a uniform com-
bustion and even temperature. A space or bag beyond the fire-bars is
left when filling the kiln with bricks, which extends upwards to the
arched covering of the kiln, the said space under the roof or arch of the
kiin, and also along the interior sides of the kiln not immediately above
the fires, being somewhat contracted on the base or floor of the kiln; and
centrally situated parallel with the outer longitudinal walls thereof are
thoroughfares or openings forming flues, one flue being provided for an
even number of fires on each side of the kiln, say one flue for every two
or three fires on each side makes a total of four or six fires for cach fluc,
which passes transversely under the kiln from the centre thereof to a
chimney outside that is provided on the top with a damper to be
employed for closing or opening the flues. By this means the fires of
cach respective flue belonging to any one of the chimneys may by the
closing of the damper of such chimney be directed into any one or more
of the flues having a clear thoroughfare. Uprights of wood or metal
are supplied at intermediate places between the chimney stacks on
either side of the kiln, which are connected together over the arch
thereof with rods by which they become tied or secured for the purpose
of forming supports or bearings.
In order that the Invention may be better understood and explained
in detail I have hereunto attached a Sheet of Drawings made upon a
scale of about half inch to one foot, similar letters of reference being
marked upon corresponding parts thereof.
"
Figure 1 represents a transverse section of the kiln taken vertically
through the fire-places, and in which is shewn the arrangement of
bags" or air spaces and the direction or current of the draught
indicated by arrows; Figure 2 represents a similar section taken through
the flues and chimney; Figure 3 represents a plan section of the kiln
in which sixteen fires are shewn, together with the peculiar arrangement
of flues or thoroughfares, one of which is provided for cach four of the
said fires, two on either side; and Figure 4 represents an enlarged
sectional view of one of the fire-places.
In Figures 1, 2, and 3 a, a, is the outer wall of the kiln in which
openings or spaces are left forming fire holes; the roof or top of the
kiln is covered in with the arch b, and its base is provided with openings,
one for each four of the fires of the kiln; these openings communicate
with the flues a leading into the chimney d', the top of which is pro-

page_text: I
vided with the damper or lid e. The fire-places are formed with two
openings or inlets fand g leading into one up-draught chamber or bag h,
which forms an air space up to the arched roof of the kiln, such air
chamber and space being formed by the green bricks and the interior
permanent walls of the kiln, at which point, and also at all points not
immediately over the fires, the air spaces are considerably reduced,
allowing thereby the green bricks in no one place to be in contact with
the walls of the kiln. The lower inlet or opening of the fire-place
contains the fire-bars c which extend some way into the air chamber or
bag h, where they are supported on bricks a little above the fire-bars.
At the front of the kiln a division is formed that separates the fire-
place containing the bars c from the space y above, through which the
fire is fed with fuel; this division is constructed so as to form a shelf
or projecting ledge that projects somewhat over the front of the fire-
bars, thus preventing the fire when replenished with fuel becoming
stifled or choked as the ledge will not allow the coal to drop and fill
up the lower fire-place; by this arrangement also a clear current of air
is allowed free access to the fire, keeping the same clear and bright. In
filling the kiln with green bricks preparatory to burning they are
allowed in no case to lie in contact with the outer walls of the kiln,
but are arranged so as to leave a space of from two to three inches at
such points not immediately over the fire-places. The "
"bags " or air
chambers are formed by bricks set flat that allow openings or interstices
between them for the admission of heat into the kiln; also between the
various layers or end blades of green bricks, at the edges next to the
outer walls of the kiln, small quantities of slack coal is placed that
when burning creates an intensity of heat that counteracts the cold of
the outer walls. The green bricks are built five over two, and when
ready the fires are ignited and the heat first got up with coke, but so
soon as the bricks are heated coal slack is used, which is fed in through
the top fire holes g, g, which falls upon the fire-bars in the lower space f
beyond the ledge ; the heat ascends from these fires up the bags or
upright chambers into the space under the crown of the roof, from
whence it is drawn in a downward direction, as indicated by the arrows,
to the flues d, each four fires in the kiln having a draught in direction
towards their respective flues, the heated gasses in their course to the
flue being thoroughly consumed by their contact with the hot bricks,
thus preventing smoke. If any one portion of the kiln when burning
should require a higher temperature than the rest the dampers or

page_text: covers e, e, of the chimney at that portion of the kiln not requiring the
heat are closed, thereby causing the heat that would in the ordinary
course be carried through those flues to be diverted to any one or more
of the flues having their chimneys open and free for the passage of the
draught; by this means any portion of the kiln in which the bricks
require more hardening or burning the heat by the afore-mentioned
means can be readily conveyed as required.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, together with
the method of carrying the same into practical effect, I wish it to be
clearly understood in conclusion that I claim the novel and peculiar
arrangement and construction of kiln to be employed for burning bricks
or other similar substances as herein-before described, set forth, and
fully illustrated in the Drawings attached.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Ryder, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of April, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.
Witness to the signature of John
Ryder,
THOMAS WRIGLEY, C.E.,
Cross Street,
Manchester.
JOHN RIDER.
(L.S.)