IMPROVEMENTS IN FURNACES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Smith Casson, of Round Oak Works, Brierley
Hill, in the County of Stafford, Manager of Iron Works, for the Invention of
IMPROVEMENTS IN FURNACES."
65
Sealed the 16th June 1876, and dated the 21st January 1876
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Smith Casson at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st January 1876.
RICHARD SMITH CASSON, of Round Oak Works, Brierley Hill, in the County of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN FURNACES,"
Stafford, Manager of Iron Works.
My Invention consists of the improvements in furnaces herein-after described,
by which said improvements great economy in fuel is effected and an efficient
control over the action of the furnace secured.
My Invention is especially applicable to reverberatory furnaces used for metal-
lurgical operations, such for example as puddling and reheating furnaces used in
the manufacture of iron and steel, but is also applicable to furnaces for steam boilers
and to furnaces generally.
I will describe my Invention in connection with a reverberatory furnace. The
generator, to which fuel is supplied in the manner herein-after described, consists
of a chamber inclined in front, the lower part of the chamber being made smaller
in diameter than the top. A series of step bars is situated at the bottom of the
inclined front, and air for supporting combustion in the generator enters at the said
bars. The said bars are not however open to the atmosphere, an iron plate in front
of them forming with the front sides and bottom of the generator a clear space or
channel through which air is delivered to the generator.
The gaseous products of the low combustion carried on in the generator, con-
sisting essentially of carbonic oxide, pass from the generator at the back and at or
near the top of the said generator, where passing over the bridge between the
generator and reverbatory chamber it is mixed with heated air. The said heated
air is delivered in jets or otherwise on the upper or lower side or on both sides of
the stream of gaseous fuel, and by its heat and thorough incorporation with the said
gaseous fuel produces a complete and vigorous combustion.
The air is supplied to the bridge by a fan or other blast and is heated in the

page_text: following inanner:-The upper current is heated by passing through a flue or
channel formed in the arched top of the generator, and the lower current is heated
by passing through a cast-iron box under the generator and from the said box
through a flue formed in the back or sido walls of the generator.
The fuel which may consist of slack or small coal of a quality unfitted for use
in an ordinary furnace is supplied from a hopper extending along the top front of
the generator. Along the bottom of the hopper and closing the said bottom is a
roller, either corrugated or of a cylindrical figure and having projections upon it.
This roller is inade to rotate slowly, and by its rotation it delivers the slack to the
generator.
The passage by which air is admitted to the generator is furnished with a valve
by which the quantity of air entering the generator, and consequently the volume
of gaseous fuel produced may be regulated; and by regulating the fan or other blast
by which hot air is supplied at the bridge the absolute and relative quantities of
the gaseous fuel and heated air can be determined at pleasure. The rate at which
fuel is delivered to the generator is determined by the rate of rotation of the roller
described.
By the arrangement or combination of the parts of furnaces constituting my
Invention the character of the flame or heated atmosphere of the reverberatory
chamber can be determined with great nicety and with great rapidity, and in the
case of a puddling furnace the change from an oxidizing action to a reducing or
deoxidizing action can be immediately and with certainty effected.
Where the combustion chamber or furnace proper is at a distance from the
generator and is connected therewith by a flue, I make an opening in the flue
near the generator. This opening is closed during the working of the furnace, but
when it is required to clear the flue of soot it is opened for a short time and the_
soot fired.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the condition of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Richard Smith Casson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 14th
July 1876.
RICHARD SMITH CASSON, of Round Oak Works, Brierley Hill, in the County of
Stafford, Manager of Iron Works. IMPROVEMENTS IN FURNACES."
!!
"
My Invention consists of the improvements in furnaces herein-after described,
by which said improvements great economy in fuel is effected and an efficient
control over the action of the furnace secured.
My Invention is especially applicable to reverberatory furnaces used for metal-
lurgical operations, such, for example, as puddling and reheating furnaces used
in the manufacture of iron and steel, but is also applicable to furnaces for steam
boilers and to furnaces generally.
75 I will describe my Invention in connection with a reverberatory furnace. The
generator, to which fuel is supplied in the manner herein-after described, consists
of a chamber inclined in front, the lower part of the chamber being made smaller
in diameter than the top. A series of step bars is situated at the bottom of the
inclined front, and air for supporting combustion in the generator enters at the
said bars. The said bars are not however open to the atmosphere, an iron plate
in front of them forming, with the front sides and bottom of the generator a clear
space or channel through which air is delivered to the generator.
The gaseous products of the low combustion carried on in the generator, con-
sisting essentially of carbonic oxide, pass from the generator at the back and at or
near the top of the said generator, where passing over the bridge between the said
generator and reverberatory chamber it is mixed with heated air. The said heated

page_text: air is delivered in jets or otherwise on the upper or lower side or on both sides of
the stream of gaseous fuel, and by its heat and thorough incorporation with the
said gaseous fuel produces a complete and vigorous combustion.
The air is supplied to the bridge by a fan or other blast, and is heated in the
following manner:-The upper current is heated by passing through a flue or
channel formed in the arched top of the generator, and the lower current is heated
by passing through a cast-iron box under the generator, and from the said box
through a flue formed in the back or sides of the generator.
The fuel which may consist of slack or small coal of a quality unfitted for use
in an ordinary furnace is supplied from a hopper extending along the top front of
the generator. Along the bottom of the hopper and closing the said bottom is a
roller, either corrugated or of a cylindrical figure and having projections upon it.
This roller is made to rotate slowly and by its rotation it delivers the slack to the
generator.
The passage by which air is admitted to the generator is furnished with a valve
by which the quantity of air entering the generator, and consequently the volumo
of gaseous fuel produced may be regulated, and by regulating the fan or other blast
by which hot air is supplied at the bridge the absolute and relative quantities of
the gaseous fuel and heated air can be determined at pleasure. The rate at which
fuel is delivered to the generator is determined by the rate of rotation of the
roller described.
By the arrangement or combination of the parts of furnaces constituting my
Invention the character of the flame or heated atmosphere of the reverberatory
chamber can be determined with great nicety and with great rapidity; and in the
case of a puddling furnace the change from an oxidizing action to a reducing or
deoxidizing action can be immediately and with certainty effected.
Where the combustion chamber or furnace proper is at a distance from the
generator, and is connected therewith by a flue, I make an opening in the flue near
the generator. This opening is closed during the working of the furnace, but
when it is required to clear the flue of soot it is opened for a short time and the
soot fired.
Having explained the nature of my Invention, I will proceed to describe with
reference to the accompanying Drawing the manner in which the same is to bo
performed.
Figure 1 represents in longitudinal vertical section, and Figure 2 in end elevation.
partly in cross section, a furnace constructed according to my Invention, for pro-
ducing and burning gascous fuel for heating a puddling chamber or other like
chamber. The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in both Figures of
the Drawing.
a is the generator in which the gaseous fuel is produced, the said generator being
supplied with fuel from the hopper b through the roof or arched top of the said
generator. The fuel fed to the generator consists of slack or small coal or fuel of
an inferior quality. The base of the hopper bis closed by a rotating feeder c,
consisting of a roller having teeth or projections of the form represented on its
periphery. A slow rotation is given to the feeding roller by worm gearing or
otherwise. As the feeding roller c slowly rotates the slack or small coal resting
in the spaces between the projections on its upper face is carried down and delivered
to the generator, so as to maintain a column of fuel always in the said generator.
The back notion of the feeding roller c is prevented by a ratchet wheel c on its
axis, with which. wheel a pawl engages. For the purpose of regulating tho
quantity of fuel fed to the generator by the feeding roller c without altering the
speed of the said roller, the space at the feeding side of the roller may be made
adjustable in the manner represented in Figure 1, that is to say, the feeding sido
of the hopper is made of a series of hinged flaps, one of which is marked b, and
by means of eccentrics on the horizontal shaft b the said flaps may be adjusted
nearer to or further from the feeding roller, and the feeding space thereby diminished

page_text: or increased. The front wall a² of the generator a is. inclined, and at the bottom
of the inclined front wall is a series of step-like bars d, d, through openings between
which bars air is delivered for effecting the combustion of the fuel in the generator.
The spaces between the bars d, d, open in front into 'the chamber or channel e,
formed by the hinged doors or plates ff, and the side walls of the generator. One
of the doors or plates fis removed in Figure 2. Air or blast, is delivered into the
chamber c by a horizontal pipe g, at each end thereof, the said pipes g, g, being in
communication with a fan or other blast producing apparatus. A regulated quantity
of air or blast being admitted by valves in the pipes g, g, to the chamber e, and
from thence through the bars d; d, to tho. generator a, so as to effect a low com-
bustion of the fuel in the said generator a gaseous fuel consisting essentially of
carbonic oxide is produced. The stream of gaseous fuel passes from the generator
at the passage h at the back and near the top thereof to the bridge i between the
generator and reverberatory chamber to be heated, where meeting and being.
thoroughly mixed with a current or currents of heated air (supplied as herein-after
explained) a vigorous and perfect combustion of tho said gaseous fuel is effected;
the flame and products of combustion passing over the bridge i (or by a fluo in
connection with the passage h) to the puddling chamber, reheating chamber, or
other chamber or apparatus or furnace to be heated.
In the Drawing I have represented an arrangement whereby two currents of
heated air are delivered on the upper and lower sides of the stream of gaseous fuel
as it approaches the bridge i.. The upper current of heated air is delivered by the
flue in the arched top m of the generator a, the air or blast being supplied to the
said flue by the blast pipe p in connection with the main pipe q, the air or blast
being heated as it traverses the heated fluel. The lower current of heated air is
delivered by the vertical fluer in the back wall of the generator, the said flue r
being in communication with the cast-iron box 8 under the floor of the generator a,
the said box being heated by tho said generator. Air or blast is supplied to the
cast-iron-box 8 by the blast pipe t. The air or blast is heated by the box 8, which
air is delivered by the upper end of the flue to the under side of the stream of
gaseous fuel passing to the bridge as herciu-before described. The heated air maý
be delivered to the gaseous fuel either in sheets or jets.
. Instead of using the two heated air delivering flues 1, r, ono only may be
employed
8
For the purpose of increasing the heat of the air or blast supplied to the hot air
box 8 and flue 7, the air or blast before it enters the said box s and flue / may
receive a preliminary heating. I prefer to effect this by making an annular heating
channel around the stack by which the waste heat from the furnace escapes, and
by means of a fan draw air down the said heating channel prior to its passage to
the hot air box 8 and flue l; u is a pipe passing from the roof of the generator to
the external air, for permitting of the escape of gas when the damper w is shut
down and the blast cut off. The said pipe u is opened and closed by a valve at v.
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 iny Invention
of improvements in furnaces for producing and burning gaseous fuel,—
First. The arrangement or combination of parts, substantially as herein-before
described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawing, for supplying air or blast
to the gas generator, for maintaining a low combustion in the said generator and
the production of gaseous fuel.
Secondly. The arrangement or combination of parts, herein-before described and
illustrated in the accompanying Drawing, for feeding fuel to the gas generator.
Thirdly. The arrangements or combinations of parts, herein-before described and
illustrated in the accompanying Drawing, for heating and conducting air or blast
and delivering the said heated air or blast on the upper or lower side or on both

page_text: sides of the stream of gaseous fuel, so as to produce a complete and vigorous com-
bustion of the said gaseous fuel.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Smith Casson, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twelfth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
Witness,
CHARLES YATES,
Kates Hill,
Dudley.
RICHARD SMITH CASSON. (L.S.)