IMPROVE- MENTS IN FURNACE GRATES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Barker, of 27, Colmore Row, Birmingham, in
the County of Warwick, Consulting Engineer, for the Invention of " IMPROVE-
MENTS IN FURNACE GRATES.”
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Barker at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th December 1877.
GEORGE BARKER, of 27, Colmore Row, Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Consulting Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN FURNACE GRATES.'
"
My Invention has reference to the fire-grates of boiler and other furnaces which
are formed generally by a number of single bars, and sometimes by a number of
groups of bars.
I form these bars from wrought iron, steel, or other malleable metal into
laths having hollow heads for the purpose of keeping them cool, and which
I accomplish in the following ways amongst others:-I take the U sections,
as shown in my Specification, No. 2407, dated 10 June 1876, and close the two
sides of the U together part of the distance, so as to leave the chamber before
mentioned with one instead of two feathers.
I also accomplish the same end by making a hole in a solid piece of metal
and afterwards rolling it to the desired form, or it may be drawn out in
dies. These bars are bent round at the end of the grate, returning to the
front, where by elevating the end a continuous current of air would pass along
the bar; these lengths would act either separately or be connected to one
common draft pipe at the front or other convenient part. These hollow bars would
also be used in single or other lengths into the common chimney draft at the end of
the grates. These bars I make in groups and connect them together in any con-
venient manner.

page_text: I also roll solid-headed steel bars, by preference of Bessemer steel, but never from
Siemen's steel, although I should make the hollow ones from Siemens steel.
I am aware that hollow fire-bars have been used for the circulation of water, but
these from the necessarily large section impede the draft and lessen the boiler
power.
I make bars of cast iron, V shaped outside, with a perforated plate cast over the
wide part of the V, and an opening at the narrow part of the V for the ashes to fall
through, the sides of the V being parallel and not thicker at the bottom, as described
in my previous Patent before mentioned, and they are chilled when necessary.
Any of these grates may be rocked or fed mechanically.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said George Barker in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 18th June
1878.
GEORGE BARKER, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Engineer.
⚫ IMPROVEMENTS IN FURNACE GRATES."
My Invention has reference to the fire-grates of boilers and other furnaces which
are formed generally by a number of single bars, and sometimes by a number of
groups of bars.
I form these bars from wrought iron, steel, or other malleable metal into laths
having bollow heads for the purpose of keeping them cool, and which I accomplish
in the following ways, amongst others:-I take the U sections, as shown in my
Patent No. 2407, A.D. 1876, and close the two sides of the U together part of the
distance, so as to leave the chamber before mentioned with one instead of two
feathers.
I also accomplish the same end by making a hole in a solid piece of metal and
afterwards rolling it to the desired form, or it may be drawn out in dies. These
bars are bent round at the end of the grate, returning to the front, where by
elevating the end a continuous current of air would pass along the bar; these lengths
would act either separately or be connected to one common draft pipe at the front
or other convenient part; these hollow bars would also be used in single or other
lengths into the common chimney draft at the end of the grates. These bars I make
in groups and connect them together in any convenient manner.
I also roll solid headed steel bars, by preference of Bessemer steel, but never of
Siemen's steel, although I should make the hollow ones from Siemens steel.
I am aware that hollow fire-bars have been used for the circulation of water
(i.e., for heating the feed water as it passes into the boiler), but these from the
necessarily large section impede the draft and lessen the boiler power.

page_text: I make bars of cast iron V shaped outside, with a perforated plate cast over the
wide part of the V and an opening at the narrow part of the V for the ashes to fall
through, the sides of the V being parallel and not thicker at the bottom, as
described in my previous Patent before mentioned, and they are chilled when
necessary.
Any of these grates may be rocked or fed mechanically.
On reference to the accompanying Drawing it will be seen how my Invention
may be carried into practice, but the manner of doing so admits of considerable
variation.
Figure 1 is the U section, before referred to, shown in Specification No. 2407,
A.D. 1876.
Figure 2 shows the U section brought together to form a hollow-headed bar.
Figure 3 shows a hollow block of iron, steel, or other inetal drilled ready for
drawing out by rolling or other process, and Figure 4 shows the same drawn into a
finished shape.
Figure ŏ illustrates another mode of forming the hollow head by means of joining
a web to a tube, which is afterwards drawn, pressed, rolled, or otherwise finished, as
shown by Figure 6.
Figures 7, 8, and 9 show some of the different forms of solid bars.
Figure 10 is a side elevation, and Figure 11, a plan of a division of my grate
with the bars bent round for the passage of air entering at the front, and returning
again to the front and passing away through the pipes a, a, a, which may be carried
into a chimney or other flue.
Figure 12 and 13 are side elevation and plan showing the same grate with each
return bar connected to a cross pipe at the front of the grate.
Figure 14 and 15 show an arrangement of single bars connected with a back
and front cross pipe, the air in this case being conveyed to the back first through
the pipe b.
Figures 16 and 17 show the bars arranged for admitting the air at the front to be
delivered at the back of the bridge, where it may be brought in contact with the
escaping gasses at any angle by turning the bars up or by directing surfaces. These
hollow-headed bars may be kept cool by the circulation of clean water inside of
them, the water being sealed up so as not to evaporate. This water would be kept
at any desired temperature by connecting the grate with a coil or lengths of
pipes in an exposed position, or by placing them in a tank of water, the heat
being thus utilized for raising the temperature of the water in the tank for
feeding the boiler, and for other purposes.
Figure 18 is a section of a cast-iron bar with parallel sides, the perforations
varying according to circumstances, such as shown by Figure 19 in plan.
Figure 20 illustrates one arrangement for moving the bars and keeping them
clear of clinkers, or for loosening the clinkers.
Every alternate lath c is notched at the left-hand end e, and a little distance from
the right-hand end f, each of these alternate laths being connected and carried by
pins k and kept to distance by washers. The intermediate laths are the same,
reversed end for end, the two lots being coupled by cross bars for keeping them in
position end wise.
The motion is transmitted through the rocking levers g, g, working upon the
centres h, h, either by hand at intervals or by connection with a revolving shaft,
which would slowly depress or elevate each bar alternately.
In other cases the gear would be arranged to lift and replace the bars suddenly
every five, ten, fifteen minutes, or other interval of time.
Small studs i, i, i, i, would be arranged to assist the washers in keeping the laths
at their proper distance apart.
Having now described some of the means of applying my Invention in practice,
I would have it understood that I claim making fire-bars from steel solid and
hollow, and making light wrought bars hollow for the passage of air or the circu-

page_text: lation of water, as shown, or modifications of the same, as also the general details
for coupling the bars together to clear the clinkers away.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Barker, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Seventeenth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
Witness,
THOMAS HIPWOOD,
Clerk to George Barker,
Patent Agent,
27, Colmore Row,
Birmingham.
GEORGE BARKER. (L.S.)