IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF FURNACES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Blocksage, of Dukinfield, in the County of
Chester, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
FURNACES."
Sealed the 28th March 1877, and dated the 1st January 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Blocksage at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 1st January 1877.
THOMAS BLOCKSAGE, of Dukinfield, in the County of Chester.
IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF FURNACES."
"IMPROVEMENTS
This Invention relates principally to the construction of the furnaces of steam
boilers, but it may also be applied to other furnaces, and it is designed to economize
fuel and consume the smoke evolved therefrom.
For
The Invention consists in so constructing the bars or fire-clay slabs of the
furnaces as to enable them to be tilted and adjusted to any angle required.
example I construct the furnace bars in two parts, the hinder part or that near the
bridge being fixed in a horizontal position, and the front bars being hinged thereto
by a rod passing through holes in the ends of the bars or otherwise, the other ends
being attached to the dead plate; this front row of bars is capable of being raised
or lowered to any angle by a lever worked from the front of the furnace or by any
suitable arrangement of mechanism.
To the top of the flue I fix an inclined plate or chamber sloping at or about the
same angle as the front bars; by this arrangement it will be seen that the fuel can
be readily fed on to the furnace by dropping down the sloping front bars on to the
horizontal rear bars of the furnace, and the air being admitted will strike against
the slanting or inclined top of the furnace which throws it down on to the burning
fuel, thereby consuming the smoke.
When it is required to clear out the burnt cinders from the furnace the front bars
can be lowered into the level or horizontal position with the back row of bars,
which can thereby be readily scraped or cleaned out.
'
In another modification of this Invention the front bars may be pivotted in the
centre and caused to rock up and down to any angle required; or I make the front
and back rows of bars swing upon pivots at their ends, and hinge them together at
Panos // 1

page_text: the central pivot or hinge, and thereby adjusting both back and front bars to any
angle required for the purpose of cleaning or feeding.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Thomas Blocksage in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 30th June,
1877.
THOMAS BLOCKSAGE, of Dukinfield, in the County of Chester.
IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF FURNACES."
"IMPROVEMENTS
The Invention relates principally to the construction of the furnaces of steam
boilers, but it may also applied to other furnaces, and it is designed to economize
fuel and consume the smoke evolved therefrom.
.
The Invention consists in so constructing the bars or fire-clay slabs of the
furnaces as to enable them to be tilted and adjusted to any angle required.
Such being the nature and object of my said Invention, I will now proceed to
describe in detail the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or
carried into practical effect; and in order that the same may be clearly under-
stood I have hereunto annexed a Sheet of Drawings illustrative thereof, and have
marked the same with figures and letters of reference corresponding with those
in the following explanation thereof: -For example I construct the furnace bars in
two parts, as shown in front view at Fig. 1, and section Fig. 2 in the annexed
Drawing, the hinder part a, a, or that nearest the bridge being fixed in a horizontal
position, and the front bars c, c, being hinged thereto by a rod passing through holes
in the ends of the bars at d, d, or otherwise, the other ends being supported on a
cross bearer e, e; this front row of bars is capable of being raised or lowered to any
angle by a lever ff, worked from the front of the furnace, or by any suitablo
arrangement of mechanism.
To the top of the flue g, g, I fix an inclined plate h; h, or a slab of fire-clay or
other heat resisting material sloping at or about the same angle as the front
bars c, c; by this arrangement it will be seen that the fuel can be readily fed on to
the furnace by dropping down the sloping front bars c, c, to the level of the hori-
zontal rear bars of the furnace, and the air being admitted will strike against the
slanting or inclined top h, h, of the furnace, which throws it down on to the burning
fuel, thereby consuming the smoke. The front bars are counterbalanced by the
weights and chains i, i.
When it is required to clear out the burnt cinders from the furnace the front
bars c, c, can be lowered into the horizontal position level with the back rows of
bars a, a, which can thereby be readily scraped or cleaned out.
In another modification of this Invention the front bars may be pivotted in the
centre and caused to rock up and down to any angle required; or I make the front
and back rows of bars swing upon pivots at their ends, and hinge them together at
the central pivot or hinge, and thereby adjusting both back and front to any angle
required for the purpose of cleaning out and feeding.
Having now described the nature and object of the said Invention, together with
the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or carried into practical
effect, I wish it to be understood that I claim as my Invention, the combination of
the adjustable furnace bars with the sloping top plate or slab of fire clay or other heat
resisting material, substantially in the manner and for the purposes above set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Blocksage, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.