Improvements in or relating to Boiler and other Furnaces.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Boiler and other Furnaces.
I, GEORGE BEESLEY, of 60, Chester Lane, Sutton, near St. Helens, in the County
of Lancaster, Brick Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object a method of increasing the economy of fuel
with the boiler and also an improved fire bar which will wear much longer than
those at present in use. In most manufacturing boilers the gases from the
furnace go three times the length of the boiler. Now I have found that during
this long passage they appear to stratify themselves to a considerable degree
and that if from the lower portion of the front end of the return flue a quantity
of the gases are withdrawn and passed into the furnace they very greatly increase
the economy of fuel. Accordingly bring a pipe round from the lower portion
of the front of the return tube into the ash-pit and introduce the gases through
this pipe which may be from six to nine inches in diameter into the ash-pit
under the bars thus bringing them a second time through the fire. Where the
return flue is immediately under the boiler I may take the gases very slightly
to one side as they are turning round to return to the smoke stack.
This pipe which is suitably perforated extends the whole length of the furnace
and after passing through the front portion of the bridge is turned upwards
and reduced in size to form a nozzle. The bridge is preferably formed of two
vertical walls having a space between made up of open brickwork work, and
into this space the aforementioned nozzle enters. Between these two pipes I
place a broad foot-plate on the surface of the ground and cut out a portion from
the centre of this plate and place two removable plates in the space of the cut
The foot-
out portion which can be lifted up to get to the blow off cock etc.
plate extends under the front of the boiler for about a foot and is about six
inches below the bottom of the boiler and then turns upwards to the boiler and
is cut out with a circular curve so as to meet the boiler. This plate performs
two objects, first, it is a support to the side tubes bringing the hot gases from
the return tube, and secondly it prevents the accumulation of wet cinders and
ashes immediately under the front of the boiler as the stoker can get his shovel
underneath the angle iron front and consequently can keep all accumulation
of wet cinders and ashes from coming in contact with the end of the boiler.
Where forced draught is used the pipes for the hot gases above described are
brought through the casing into the furnace and in all instances I prefer to
bring the gases back from the flue to the ashpit by means of a steam jet in the
pipe which forms an induced current. In order to still further increase the
draught and assist the boiler to use up these return gases I place a tube round
the door hole immediately below the crown of the flue. This tube extends in a
semi-circle or thereabouts round the door and is supplied with perforations
pointing into the furnace. On the outside it is attached by a pipe to the forced
draught or to other source of compressed air or air under pressure or in place

page_text: of compressed air the air can be forced into this pipe by means of a steam jet
or it may be simply a pipe open to the atmosphere.
Furthermore at the back of the boiler and preferably behind the flue wall,
I arrange a pipe one end of which terminates in a bell mouth or conical chamber
open to the atmosphere, such pipe after extending downwards a considerable
distance passes through the flue wall into the flue preferably the flue under-
neath the boiler and is then given a bend and passed back again through the
flue wall or it may be kept inside the flue if desired in either case it is then
turned in an upward direction until it is opposite the furnace flue when it is
given another bend at right angles so as to point in the direction of the furnace
flue and terminates in a nozzle. The object of passing this pipe into the flues
is to heat the atmospheric air drawn into the pipe before it meets the gases from
the furnace. In order to regulate the amount of air drawn through this pipe
a plug may be inserted in the conical or bell shaped mouth such plug having
a cord attached which passes over a pulley to the front of the boiler, or it may
be operated in any other suitable manner. I may also insert a plug in a conical
hole in the front wall of the bridge such hole making a passage from the ash
pit to the open brickwork space aforementioned. A rod secured to the plug
passes along to the front of the boiler being supported preferably by brackets
attached to the large perforated pipe aforementioned, by means of which rod the
amount of air passing through the hole in the bridge can be regulated. Another
feature of this invention is the fire bars which are constructed as follows. The
top of the bar on which the fuel rests is of the usual width but in cross section
it has a slight taper inwards to about half its depth, the remainder of the bar
being reduced to about 5/16 inches in thickness. The upper or thick portion
of the bar is provided with slightly tapering vertical grooves or recesses at about
2 inches apart lengthwise of the bar. These grooves are on both sides of the-bar
but not opposite each other and are of such a depth as to make the metal flush
top to bottom where the grooves occur thus forming unobstructed passages at
intervals for the air to get to the top of the bar consequently bars constructed
according to this invention are kept cooler than those at present in use and last
much longer.
Dated this 9th day of August 1897
d other Furnaces.
I, GEORGE BEESLEY, of 60, Chester Lane, Sutton, near St. Helens, in the County
of Lancaster, Brick Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
-
This invention has for its object a method of increasing the economy of fuel
in a boiler, and also an improved fire bar which will wear much longer than
those at present in use.
The invention will be understood from the following description, reference
being had to the accompanying drawings, in which,
Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section of the front portion of a boiler
showing some of my improvements;
Figure 2, a front elevation thereof;

page_text: Figure 3, an enlarged cross section of a pipe to be hereinafter described;
Figure 4, a plan view of Figure 1;
Figure 5, a side elevation partly in section of the back end of a boiler showing
other improvements;
Figures 6, 7 and 8 show a side elevation, plan and cross section of an improved
fire bar.
Referring first to Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4, A is the boiler, B the furnace flue, and C
the return flue arranged in the usual manner. I have found that during the
passing of the gases from the furnace through the flues they appear to stratify
themselves to a considerable extent, and that if from the lower portion of the
front end of the return flue a quantity of the gases is withdrawn and passed into
the furnace it very greatly increases the economy of fuel. Accordingly I bring
a pipe D round from the return flue Cinto the ash pit and introduce the gases
through this pipe which may be from 3 inches in diameter upwards and per-
forated as shown at d, Figures 1 and 3, into the ash pit under the fire bars, thus
bringing them again through the fire. This portion of the pipe extends the
whole length of the furnace, as shown in Figure 1, and after passing through
the front portion E of the bridge it terminates in an upwardly turned nozzle F.
The bridge is formed of two vertical walls E and E having a space e between
made up of open brickwork, that is bricks placed irregularly and leaving spaces
between in order to spread out or separate the gases. A loose brick may be
placed at G to admit of access to the centre portion for repairs or other purposes.
A steam jet g may be inserted in the pipe D, see Figure 2, which forms an
induced current and assists in the withdrawal of the gases from the flues, and
further a regulator H is arranged on the end h of the pipe D to admit air therein,
the admission of air being essential to the proper working of the system.
The nozzle of the steam jet g may be made of suitable dimensions from 1/16
upwards according to the size of the boiler to which it is applied. In order
further to increase the combustion in the furnace and assist the boiler to use up
these return gases I place a tube I round the door hole immediately below the
crown of the flue. This tube extends in a semi-circle or thereabouts round
the door and is provided with perforations pointing into the furnace. On the
outside it may be attached by a pipe to the forced draught or to other source
of compressed air or air under pressure, or in place of compressed air, the air
may be forced into the pipe by means of a steam jet or it may be simply a pipe
open to the atmosphere, as shown in the drawings, and be provided with a
regulator. J is a passage from the ash pit to the space e between the vertical
walls of the bridge, which passage or hole is preferably conical, and K is a conical
plug fitting the hole and regulating the amount of air passing therethrough,
such regulation being performed by means of a handle and rod L carried by
brackets attached to the large pipe D. The other arrangement which, as shown
in Figure 5, is at the back end of the boiler consists of a pipe M having a bell
mouth or conical chamber N open to the atmosphere, such pipe after extending
downwards behind the flue wall for a considerable distance is turned into the
flue as shown and afterwards taken up either inside or outside the flue wall
(shown on the drawing on the outside) until it is opposite the furnace flue B
when it is turned to point in the direction of such flue and is provided with a
nozzle O. In order to regulate the amount of air drawn in through this pipe M
a plug m is inserted in the conical or bell shaped mouth, such plug having a
cord n attached which may pass over a pulley to be operated from the front of
the boiler.
There may of course be two pipes D, one leading from the smoke flue C
into the ashpit and the other leading from the smoke flue on the other side into
the ashpit of the other furnace flue (in cases where there are two furnace flues)
or where there is only one furnace flue then into the same ashpit. Furthermore
in the case of boilers in which the gases first pass through a return flue at the
bottom below the boiler, the pipes C in that case are formed to bend inwards

page_text: so as to meet the gases from the bottom flue instead of the side flues. Between
the two pipes I place a broad foot-plate P on the surface of the ground and cut
out a portion p from the centre of this plate, and place two removable plates or
covers in the space of the cut out portion p which can be lifted up to get to the
blow off cock Q, etcetera. The foot-plate extends under the front of the boiler
a short distance and is about six inches below the bottom of the boiler and then
turns upwards to the boiler and is cut out with a circular curve so as to meet
the boiler. This plate performs two objects, first, it is a support to the side flues
bringing the hot gases from the return flue, and secondly it prevents the
accumulation of wet cinders and ashes immediately under the front of the boiler
as the stoker can get his shovel underneath the angle iron front and conse-
quently can keep all accumulation of wet cinders and ashes from coming in
contact with the end of the boiler.
Another feature of this invention is the firebars which are constructed as
shown in Figures 6, 7 and 8.
The top of the bar R on which the fuel rests is of the usual width but in cross
section it has a slight taper downwards, as shown in Figure 8, to about half its
depth, the remaining portion S of the bar being reduced in thickness to about
5/16 of an inch. The upper or thick portion T has slightly tapering vertical
grooves or recesses t at about 2 inches apart lengthwise of the bar. These grooves
which may be made on the angle to form squares or round as shown on Figure 7
are on both sides of the bar but not opposite each other and are of such a depth
as to make the metal flush from top to bottom where the grooves occur, thus
forming unobstructed passages at intervals for the air to get to the top of the
bar, consequently bars constructed according to this invention are kept cooler
than those at present in use and last much longer. R¹ is a groove in the top
of the bar which also tends to keep the bar cool.
The invention is found to secure more perfect combustion, economy of fuel
and the prevention of smoke in furnaces, and also extends the life of a portion
of the boiler which is apt to decay away first of all.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is―
1. The improvement in boiler and other furnaces, which consists in bringing
a tube or tubes round from the boiler return flue or flues into the ashpit of the
furnace, and introducing a quantity of the furnace gases from the return flues
through these pipes into the ashpit under the firebars, thus bringing them a
second time into the fire, in combination with a regulator for admitting atmos-
pheric air, substantially as described.
2. In furnaces, a pipe leading from the return flue of the boiler to the ashpit
or furnace flue, one portion of such pipe being perforated and extending the
whole length of the furnace and after passing through a portion of the bridge
terminating in a vertical nozzle inside the bridge whereby a quantity of
the gases are withdrawn from the flue and passed again into the furnace for the
purposes set forth.
3. In a furnace, the combination of a bridge consisting of two vertical walls,
a cover, open brick work in the space between the two walls, a pipe leading
from the return flue of the boiler and terminating in a nozzle in the space between
the vertical walls of the bridge, a passage in the bridge and means for regulating
the supply of air therethrough.
4. In a furnace, the combination of a semi-circular tube arranged round the
door hole interiorly thereof and immediately below the crown of the flue and
having perforations pointing into the furnace connected with such tube or
arch substantially as described and a pipe open to the atmosphere or any arrange-
ment of forced draught.
5. In combination with a furnace, a pipe located at the back of the boiler

page_text: having one end outside the flue and open to the atmosphere and the other end
inside the flue, a nozzle connected to said pipe and pointing in the direction
of the furnace flue, and the means for regulating the supply of air drawn in
through the pipe substantially as set forth."
6. The combination with a furnace and boiler, of a foot plate, having a hole
to give access to the blow off cock and extending underneath the boiler, a turned
up portion formed thereon which is cut to a curve to fit the convex surface of
the boiler for the purposes set forth.
7. As a new article of manufacture a fire bar for furnaces having in cross
section a slight taper downwards to about half its depth and the lower half being
reduced in thickness, the said bar being provided with grooves in the upper half
substantially as set forth.
8. In a furnace the combination with a combustion chamber of fire bars
having in cross section a slight taper downwards to about half their depth, and
the lower parts being reduced in thickness and likewise tapered, the upper parts
being provided with grooves reaching in depth to a plane flush with the sur-
faces of the lower parts, substantially as described.
9. The combination with the furnace flue and return flue of a boiler, of the
pipe D, a hollow bridge, a passage J in the bridge and means for regulating
the same, substantially as set forth.
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Patent Agents, of Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, and London.