IMPROVEMENTS IN FURNACES, FIRE-GRATES, AND FIRE-BARS
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Wright, of Dudley, in the County of Worcester,
Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FURNACES, FIRE-GRATES,
AND FIRE-BARS."
Sealed the 22nd April 1864, and dated the 9th December 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Wright at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 9th
December 1863.
I, JOSEPH WRIGHT, of Dudley, in the County of Worcester, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
FURNACES, FIRE-GRATES, AND FIRE-BARS," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates principally to furnaces in which the fire-bars are
moveable, and to fire-bars for the said furnaces, but is also in part applicable
to furnaces having stationary bars and to fire-grates.
My Invention consists, firstly, in constructing furnaces with moveable fire-
bars in the following manner :-I support the alternate bars of the furnace on
two similar rocking shafts fixed respectively across the front and the back of
the furnace. The said rocking shafts are fixed at the same angle, so that the
bars carried by them have the same motion at both ends, that is, during their
motion they are always parallel to the position they occupy when in their
lowest position. Motion is given to the front rocking shaft either by hand or
by means of a parallel shaft in front, having pinions gearing into pinions on
the said rocking shaft. The motion of the front rocking shaft is transmitted
by the bars to the back rocking shaft. The parallel shaft may be worked from
the steam engine when the furnace is in connection with or near to a steam
engine. I make the front end of each bar inclined on its under side, the said

page_text: inclined part occupying and filling a slot in the dead plate of the furnace when
the bars are in their lowest position, and thereby protecting the dead plate
from the action of the fire. As the bars rise their ends advance over the dead
plate by giving to the alternate bars the motion described. The cinders or
clinkers are brought to the front, and the bars may be made to cut through
the fire to any required depth by giving a corresponding length to the cranks
of the rocking shafts. The bars which alternate with those having the motion
described may either be stationary or have a horizontal or sliding motion. A
frame of iron capable of moving from back to front of the furnace may be
employed to scrape the bars and sides of the furnace and push the clinkers out
of the furnace mouth.
This portion of my Invention may be applied in part to ordinary stationary
fire-bars, that is to say, the back ends of ordinary fixed fire-bars may be
supported on a rocking shaft. The lengthening and shortening of the bars
consequent on change of temperature produces a slight motion in the sup-
porting rocking shaft, and a longitudinal strain upon the bars is prevented.
My Invention consists, secondly, in constructing furnaces with moveable
bars in the following manner :-I make the alternate bars of the furnace
capable of rising at their front ends, and at the same time advancing over
the dead plate, their back ends moving in a horizontal line; and I make the
other or intermediate bars capable of performing a contrary motion, that is,
the front ends move in a horizontal line from the dead plate while the back
ends of the bars rise as well as move horizontally. The motion of the bars
whose front ends rise is produced by the motion of a rocking shaft, on which
the front ends rest, and the motion of the other set is produced by a rocking
shaft pushing them from the front of the furnace, and causing the inclined
under sides of their back ends to traverse a cross bearer. The inclines on the
under sides of the bars give the rising motion. The cross bearer on which the
back ends of both sets of bars rest is capable of rising and falling vertically.
By the descent of the said cross bearer the back ends of all the fire-bars, may
be allowed to fall, and the fire to fall from the said bars. The bars are
capable of performing their respective motions when their back ends are
down. The motion of the cross bearer is effected by pinions on the ends of
an axis carried by the cross bearer engaging in vertical racks on either side of
the ash-pit; other means of raising and lowering the cross bearer may,
however, be adopted.
The improvements constituting the first part of my Invention are especially
applicable to the furnaces of marine boilers and puddling furnaces, and also to
other furnaces where great heat is required.

page_text: The improvements constituting the second part of my Invention are
especially adapted to the furnaces of locomotive engines.
Moveable bars of the kinds herein described may be applied to the fire-
grates of kitchen ranges and to ordinary fire-grates. In applying my
Invention to these purposes I arrange the fire-bars so that they extend from
side to side of the grate instead of from front to back, as in furnace grates,
and I give motions to the bars by a shaft on one side of the grate.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Joseph Wright in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
3rd June 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPH
WRIGHT, of Dudley, in the County of Worcester, Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-seventh year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said Joseph Wright, Her special licence that I, the said
Joseph Wright, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Joseph Wright, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time 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
"IMPROVEMENTS IN FURNACES, FIRE-GRATES, AND FIRE-BARS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Joseph Wright, my executors or admi-
nistrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their
hands and seals, 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 Joseph Wright, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say :-
My Invention relates principally to furnaces in which the fire-bars are

page_text: moveable, and to fire-bars for the said furnaces, but is also in part applicable
to furnaces having stationary bars and to fire-grates.
My Invention consists, firstly, in constructing furnaces with moveable fire-
bars in the following manner: I support the alternate bars of the furnace
on two similar rocking shafts, fixed respectively across the front and the back
of the furnace. The said rocking shafts are fixed at the same angle, so that
the bars carried by them have the same motion at both ends; that is, during
their motion they are always parallel to the position they occupy when in their
lowest position. Motion is given to the front rocking shaft either by hand or
by means of a parallel shaft in front, having pinions gearing into pinions on
the said rocking shaft. The motion of the front rocking shaft is transmitted
by the bars to the back rocking shaft. The parallel shaft may be worked
from the steam engine when the furnace is in connection with or near to a
steam engine. I make the front end of each bar inclined on its under side,
the said inclined part occupying and filling a slot in the dead plate of the
furnace when the bars are in their lowest position, and thereby protecting the
dead plate from the action of the fire. As the bars rise their ends advance over
the dead plate. By giving to the alternate bars the motion described, the
cinders or clinkers are brought to the front, and the bars may be made to cut
through the fire to any required depth by giving a corresponding length to the
cranks of the rocking shafts. The bars which alternate with those having
the motion described may either be stationary or have a horizontal or sliding
motion. A frame of iron capable of moving from back to front of the furnace
may be employed to scrape the bars and sides of the furnace and push the
clinkers out at the furnace mouth. This portion of my Invention may be
applied in part to ordinary stationary fire-bars, that is to say, the back ends of
ordinary fixed fire-bars may be supported on a rocking shaft. The lengthening
and shortening of the bars consequent on change of temperature produces a
slight motion in the supporting rocking shaft, and a longitudinal strain upon
the bars is prevented.
My Invention consists, secondly, in constructing furnaces with moveable
bars in the following manner :-I make the alternate bars of the furnace
capable of rising at their front ends and at the same time advancing over the
dead plate, their back ends moving in a horizontal line; and I make the other
or intermediate bars capable of performing a contrary motion, that is, the
front ends move in a nearly horizontal line from the dead plate, while the back
ends of the bars rise as well as move horizontally. The motion of the bars
whose front ends rise is produced by the motion of a rocking shaft on which
the front ends rest, and the motion of the other set is produced by a rocking

page_text: shaft pushing them from the front of the furnace and causing the inclined
under sides of their back ends to traverse a cross bearer. The inclines on the
under sides of the bars give the rising motion. The cross bearer on which the
back ends of both sets of bars rest is capable of rising and falling vertically...
By the descent of the said cross bearer the back ends of all the fire-bars may..
be allowed to fall, and the fire to fall from the said bars. The bars are capable
of performing their respective motions when their back ends are down. The
motion of the cross bearer is effected by pinions on the ends of an axis carried
by the cross bearer, engaging in vertical racks on either side of the ash-pit.
Other means of raising and lowering the cross bearer may, however, be
adopted.
The improvements constituting the first part of my Invention are especially
applicable to the furnaces of marine boilers and puddling furnaces, and also to.
other furnaces where great heat is required.
The improvements constituting the second part of my Invention are
especially adapted to the furnaces of locomotive engines.
Moveable bars of the kind herein described may be applied to the fire-
grates of kitchen ranges and to ordinary fire-grates. In applying my Inven-
tion to these purposes I arrange the fire-bars so that they extend from side to
side of the grate, instead of from front to back, as in furnace grates, and I
give motion to the bars by a shaft on one side of the grate.
Having explained the nature of my Invention, I will proceed to describe,..
with reference to the accompanying Drawings, the manner in which the same
is to be performed.
Figure 1 represents in plan, Figure 2 in front elevation, and Figures 3
and 4 in longitudinal vertical section, the furnace of a stationary steam
boiler constructed according to the first part of my Invention, the sections,
Figures 3 and 4, being taken through the line a of Figure 1. The same
letters of reference are used to indicate the same parts in Figures 1, 2, 3,
and 4. The alternate bars b, b, of the furnace are supported on two similar
rocking shafts e, c, fixed respectively across the front and back of the furnace.
The said rocking shafts c, c, are fixed at the same angle, so that the bars b, b,
carried by them are similarly moved at each end; that is, during their motion
they are always parallel to the position they occupy when in their lowest
position. Motion is communicated to the front rocking shaft by means of the
lever d, and the motion of the front rocking shaft is transmitted through the.
bars b to the back rocking shaft. Where convenient the motion of the front
roeking shaft may be effected by a steam engine. In this case I place a,
pinion at or near one or both ends of the front rocking shaft, which pinions,

page_text: are made to gear into other pinions on a shaft parallel to the front rocking
shaft. By means of the mechanism ordinarily employed for throwing shafts
into and out of gear with one another, the parallel shaft described when it is
driven by the steam engine may be thrown into and out of gear, when neces-
sary, with the front rocking shaft. Figure 5 represents in front elevation one
of the rocking shafts c, c.
Figure 6 represents in plan and side elevation one of the fire bars b. The
front end of each of the bars bis inclined at its under side. The inclined
part is marked 6' in Figures 4 and 6. The said inclined part b³ of each of
the bars occupies slots, some of which are marked e in Figure 1, in
the dead platef of the furnace when the bars 6 are in their lowest position.
By completely filling the slots e in the dead plate f the ends of the bars b pro-
tect the said dead plate from the injurious action of the fire. The bars 6 are
represented in their lowest position in Figure 3. By depressing the handle d
into the position represented in Figure 4, the bars 6 are raised, their front ends
advancing over the dead plate f, as represented in Figure 4. By working the.
handle d up and down, the cinders or clinkers are brought to the front of the
furnace. The bars 6 may be made to cut through the fire to any required
depth by giving a corresponding length to the cranks of the rocking shafts c, c..
The bars 9, which alternate with the bars b, may either be stationary or have
a horizontal or nearly horizontal motion on rocking shafts. I ordinarily make
the said bars g stationary, and have represented them so in the Drawing. The
said bars g are supported on two rocking shafts h, h, at the front and back of
the furnace.
The end bars have the form represented in plan and side elevation in
Figure 7, the said bars engaging at both ends with the rocking shafts h, h,
and also taking into slots, both in the dead plate f and back plate k. The end
bars thereby preserve the rocking shafts h, h, in the required positions.
.
The other bars 9 have the figure represented in plan and elevation in
Figure 8, and their back ends may engage underneath the back plate k, as
represented in Figure 1. The said bars g engage with the front rocking shaft,
only their back ends simply resting on the back rocking shaft. A frame of
iron capable of moving from back to front of the furnace may be employed to
scrape the bars and sides of the furnace, and push the clinkers out at the
furnace mouth, but as the said frame is already in use, I have not thought it
necessary to represent or describe it. This part of my Invention may.be
applied in part to ordinary stationary fire-bars, that is to say, the back ends of
ordinary fixed fire-bars may be supported on a rocking shaft instead of on a
fixed cross-bar. The lengthening and shortening of the fire-bars consequent

page_text: on change of temperature produces a slight motion in the supporting rocking,
shaft, and a longitudinal strain on the said bars is prevented.
Figures 9, 10, and 11 illustrate the manner of constructing furnaces with
moveable fire-bars, according to the second part of my Invention, Figure 9.
representing a plan of the furnace of a locomotive engine constructed accord-
ing to this part of my Invention, and Figures 10 and 11 representing vertical
longitudinal sections of the same. The same letters indicate the same parts.
in Figures 9, 10,.and 11. The bars a are supported at front on the rocking
shaft b, and at back on the cross bearer c. The said bars a have the form
represented in plan and elevation in Figure 12. As motion is given to the
rocking shaft b by means of a lever d, the bars a rise at their front ends and
advance over or into the dead plate e, while their back ends move in a nearly
horizontal line on the cross bearer c. The bars f, which alternate with the
bars a, perform a motion very nearly the reverse of that performed by the
bars a. The said bars f have the form represented in plan and elevation in
Figure 18, and are supported in front on the rocking shaft g and at back on
the cross bearer c. By giving motion to the rocking shaft g by means of the
lever h, the front ends of the bars fare made to move in a nearly horizontal
line from the dead plate e, while their back ends rise as well as move horizon-
tally, the rising motion of the said back ends being produced by the motion of
the incline on the cross bearer c. One of the rocking shafts b, g, is repre-
sented in front elevation in Figure 14. The cross bearer c, on which the back
ends of both sets of bars a, f, rest, is capable of rising and falling vertically.
The rising and falling of the cross bearer c is effected in the following
manner: Each end of the cross bearer c is made into an axis, and on the
said axes pinions k, k, work. The said pinions k take into the teeth of the
racks 1, 1, and by turning the winch m connected with one of the pinions k,
the pinions k, k, are made to ascend or descend the racks 1, 1, thus giving the
required rising and falling motion to the cross bearer c and the back ends of
the bars a, f. The slots in which the square ends of the cross bearer c work
are marked n in Figures 10 and 11.
In Figure 10 the cross bearer c is represented at its highest position, and
in Figure 11 the said cross bearer is represented at it lowest position. By
allowing the back ends of the bars to fall into the position represented in
3 Figure 11, the fire falls from the said bars into the ash-pit. The bars are
capable of being moved by the rocking shafts b, g, when the said bars are in
the position Figure 11, and the removal of the fire from the bars is facilitated
by the motion of the said bars. Figure 15 represents separately in plan, and
Figure 16 in elevation, the cross bearer c, together with the pinions k, k, and

page_text: winch m. Figures 17 and 18 represent vertical longitudinal sections of
another arrangement of the last described part of my Invention. In this
arrangement the alternate bars move nearly simultaneously in opposite direc-
tions, and the rocking shafts by which the bars are moved are geared together.
In this arrangement the alternate bars a and b are supported at front on
rocking shafts c, d, respectively, and at back on rocking shafts e, f, respectively.
On the rocking shaft o is a toothed wheel or a portion of a toothed wheel g,
and on the rocking shaft d is a toothed wheel or quadrant h. The teeth of g
and h gear with one another, as represented in the Drawing. The wheel g is.
fixed to the axis of the rocking shaft c, but the quadrant h works loosely upon
the axis of the rocking shaft d. i, k, are pins or projections carried by the
quadrant h, the said pins or projections being situated respectively on either
side of the crank of the rocking shaft. d. When the quadrant h, Figure 17,
rises, it moves without moving the rocking shaft d, until the pin or projection i
is brought against the crank of the rocking shaft d, when the subsequent
motion of the quadrant h effects the motion of the rocking shaft d; and when
the quadrant is brought into the position represented in Figure 18, the
rocking shaft d has been brought to its highest position. On the return of
the quadranth from the position Figure 18 to that Figure 17 the said
quadrant moves without moving the rocking shaft d, until the pin or projection
k comes against the cranked part of the rocking shaft d, when the said rocking
shaft d, being carried past the dead point, it suddenly falls into the position
represented in Figure 17. Motion is given to the toothed wheel g, by means
of a toothed quadrant 7 on the shaft m, which shaft m may be thrown into or
out of gear with the driving shaft n, by the clutch o, actuated by the handle p.
The said handle p turns upon an axis q fixed in front of the furnace. The
quadrant and clutch o are shown in plan separately in Figure 17. When
an alternating motion is given to the toothed quadrant 1, the several moving
parts take alternately the positions represented in Figures 17 and 18, the
bars a, b, moving nearly simultaneously in opposite directions. The effect of
the motion of the bars a and b is to move anything resting on them from the
back of the furnace to the front. The manner in which this is effected will
be understood by tracing the motion of the bars, which is as follows When
the toothed wheel 9 moves in the direction of the arrow Figure 17, the bars a
first rise, and at the same-time advance over the dead plate to the front of the
furnace, carrying with them the fire and clinkers resting on them. The bars
6 do not begin to rise so soon as the bars a; that is, the said bars 6 do not
begin to rise till the pin or projection has been brought against the cranked
part of the rocking shaft d. The bars b, in rising, move in an opposite direc-

page_text: tion to that in which the bars a move, and as the bars a are higher than the
bars 6, up to the time that the bars 6 attain their highest point, the fire and
clinkers are carried by the higher bars a. After the parts have assumed the
position represented in Figure 18, the toothed wheel g is moved in a direction
contrary to that indicated by the arrow in Figure 17, the bars a first begin to
move returning from the position Figure 18 to the position Figure 17; but
the bars a, on commencing to move, fall to a lower level than the bars b, which
have not yet commenced their motion, and the clinkers which were supported
on the bars a, are left on the bars b. The bars b do not begin to fall until
just before the bars a have reached their lowest position, when the pin or
projection k, coming in contact with the crank of the rocking shaft d, throws
the said rocking shaft beyond the dead point, when it, and the bars b, suddenly
fall into the position Figure 17. The clinkers are thus carried by the bars b
still nearer to the front of the furnace. By the arrangement described, the
two sets of bars move nearly simultaneously in opposite directions, but that set
which is moving from the back towards the front of the furnace, is higher than
the set which at nearly the same time is moving in the opposite direction, and
hence, anything upon the said bars is carried from the back to the front of the
furnace. This arrangement is particularly suited to the furnaces of marine
steam boilers, and the shaft n, may have an alternating motion communicated
to it from the marine engine. The shaft m may, however, be moved by hand
by means of a lever similar to that represented in Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4.
Figures 19, 20, 21, and 22 illustrate the application of metallic bars to the
fire-grates of kitchen ranges and to ordinary fire-grates, according to my
Invention. Figure 19 is a plan of the grate; Figure 20 is a front elevation
of Figure 19; Figures 21 and 22 represent portions of the same. The same
letters of reference indicate the same parts in Figures 19, 20, 21, and 22. I
make the bars a all in one piece, that is, the several bars forming the bottom of
the grate are cast together, constituting a grating as represented in Figure 19.
The under side of the grating a has the figure represented in Figure 21,
which represents a front elevation of the grating a, supported upon the rocking
shafts b, c, Figure 21. Figure 22 represents in elevation the rocking shaft c.
The rocking shaft b resembles the rocking shaft c, excepting that it has not
the part, the use of which part is to receive a bar or lever through which
to give a rocking motion to the said shaft c. In putting together the parts of
the grate, the rocking shafts b, c, are introduced into the framing d of the
grate, through two holes in the said framing, one of which holes is marked e
in Figure 20; the other hole, which is similar to the hole e, is concealed by
the part, Figure 20. The frame of bars a is placed upon the rocking

page_text: •
shafts b, c, in the manner represented in Figure 21. In order to give motion
to the grating of bars a, a rod or lever is introduced into the part c³, and a
to-and-fro motion given to the said rod or lever, so as to give a rocking motion
to the shafts 6 and c. By the improvements in furnaces and fire-bars herein-
before described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings, the breaking
up and removal of the clinkers or cinders formed in the said furnaces is much
facilitated, and the combustion of the fuel in the said furnaces promoted, and by
the improvements herein-before described and illustrated in the accompanying
Drawings. In the fire-grates of kitchen ranges and ordinary fire-grates, the
fire in the grates is more readily and more effectually stirred than by
the use of the ordinary poker, and the combustion of the fuel in the said
grates promoted.
Having now described the nature of my Invention and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I do
not limit myself to the precise details herein described and illustrated, as the
same may be varied without departing from the nature of my Invention;
but I claim as my Invention,-
Firstly, the improvements in furnaces having moveable fire-bars, herein-
before described and illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 of the accom-
panying Drawings, that is to say, the arrangement or combination of parts
described and represented for giving a parallel motion to the alternate bars of
the said furnaces..
Secondly, the improvements in furnaces having moveable fire-bars, herein-
before described and illustrated in Figures 9, 10, and 11 of the accompanying
Drawings, that is to say, the arrangement or combination of parts described
and represented for giving motion in opposite directions to the alternate fire-
bars of the said furnaces, the front ends of one set of bars rising as they
approach the front of the furnace, and the back ends of the other or alternating
set of bars rising as they approach the back of the furnace.
Thirdly, the improvements in furnaces having moveable fire-bars, herein-
before described and illustrated in Figures 17 and 18 of the accompanying
Drawings, that is to say, the arrangement or combination of parts described
and represented for giving a nearly simultaneous motion in opposite directions
to the alternate fire-bars of the said furnaces, the said motion being.so effected
that the bars, while advancing towards the front of the furnace, are for the
time being at a bigher level than the bars which are nearly simultaneously
moving from the front of the furnace.
Fourthly, the improvements in furnaces having moveable fire-bars, herein-
before described and illustrated in Figures 9, 10, and 11, of the accompanying

page_text: Drawings, that is to say, the arrangement or combination of parts described
and represented for permitting the back ends of the bars to be simultaneously
raised or lowered.
Fifthly, the improvement in furnaces having fixed fire-bars herein-before
described, that is to say, supporting the back ends of ordinary fixed fire-bars
on a rocking shaft so as to prevent longitudinal strain and pressure on the
bars by changes of temperature.
Sixthly, the improvement in fire-bars for furnaces having moveable fire-bars,
herein-before described and illustrated in Figures 1, 3, 4, and 6 of the accom-
panying Drawings, that is to say, making the front ends of the bars inclined
on their under sides, the said inclined parts filling slots in the dead plate of
the furnace when the bars are in their lowest position, and protecting the dead
plate from the action of the fire.
Seventhly, the improvement in fire-bars for furnaces having moveable
fire-bars, herein-before described and illustrated in Figures 9, 10, 11, and 13
of the accompanying Drawings, that is to say, making the back ends of
the said fire-bars inclined on their under sides, so that when the bars are made
to move from front to back of the furnace, the back end of the bar is made to
rise by the inclined part moving over a cross bearer.
Eighthly, the improvements in fire-grates herein-before described and
illustrated in Figures 19, 20, 21, and 22 of the accompanying Drawings, that
is to say, making the bottom bars or grating of bars of the fire-grates of
kitchen ranges and ordinary fire-grates moveable from side to side of the
fire-place.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Wright, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twentieth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
Witness,
W. GORDON COULTON,
Sol'.,
Dudley.
JOSEPH WRIGHT. (L.S.)