Improvements in the Construction of Kilns and the Methods of Firing the same for Burning Bricks, Clay Goods and Pottery, and the like Ware generally.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Apr., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 24th Jan., 1895-Accepted, 23rd Mar., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of Kilns and the Methods of
Firing the same for Burning Bricks, Clay Goods and Pottery,
and the like Ware generally.
1, EDMUND HOWL, of The Quarries, near Dudley, in the County of Stafford,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to the manner in which I construct and arrange
kilns for burning clay goods such as bricks, tiles, sanitary and general pottery
ware, also for burning lime, cement etc., the object of the invention being to enable
a cheaper class of fuel to be burned with reduced wear and tear of the kiln
structure, than is possible with the usual systems of burning such articles in the
kilns as at present constructed.
In carrying my invention into effect when constructing a rectangular down draft
Staffordshire blue-brick-burning kiln, I build up the ordinary fire grate holes as
at present employed, so as to make them solid or in piece with the existing brick-
work, and the curtain walls inside the kiln I do not build up solidly from the floor
line of the kiln as in the existing arrangement, but I erect pillars at certain
intervals along the length of the kiln which I tie into the main side walls in order
that these pillars may be formed into arches or stretcher pieces, and that they
may carry low curtain walls. The top edges of these curtain walls I make to
terminate a little above the level of the springing line of 'the kiln roof arch, the
top edges of the curtain wall face being cut away or rounded to a radius
concentric with the radius of the kiln arch, so that the passage between the main
side walls and the roof of the kilu, and the curtain walls is a constant width
upwards from my newly arranged fire grate.
Sometimes I build up the setting or my low curtain walls and my new fire
grate in one solid mass of brick-work instead of on pillars and arches or stretchers
as before described.
arrange my fire grates inside the kiln chamber at a level slightly below the
springing line of the kiln roof arch, in the space between each main side wall of
the kiln and its contiguous curtain wall, so that the heat escaping from it passes
directly into the kilo without having to traverse any tortuous passage. I make
my fire grates of a special form, the grates running from end to end of the kiln
on each side thereof, and having the air conduit immediately underneath them
running also the whole length of the kiln, and communicating with the outside
brickwork of the same through apertures which may be sealed. I feed fuel to
my grates by means of openings or apertures passing from the top of the kiln,
arranged immediately above each grate or furnace, each fuel-feeding hole having
a cap or cover for preventing the hot gases escaping therefrom. I provide
clinkering or clearing apertures along the sides of the kiln communicating to the
outer surface of the outer walls for the purpose of permitting cleaning to be
readily accomplished from the outside, and I prefer to form the sides of the inner
surfaces of the cleaning apertures with conical or taper walls so that the clinkering
bars or breaking up rods may be manipulated over the whole area of the fire grate
while within view of the workman. The fire bars or plates are arranged
preferably with their perforated holes or air openings in an inclined position,
running from the ribs which I sometimes cast or form upon the upper surface of
the plates or bars so as to prevent the material on the grate from falling through
into the conduit below.

page_text: The exit of the heated gases from the kila I provide for in the usual ordinary
manner by means of the central duct or passage running the whole length of the
kiln, and passing into the ordinary upright chimney or shaft. I provide wickets
for closing the entrances to my kilns of the usual ordinary character, and I line
the kilns with fire brick and provide the usual stays and stretcher bolts for securing
the walls when so desired.
When arranging my kilns in series I sometimes provide for utilising the exhaust
or escaping heat of the one kiln to dry the newly-set bricks or other articles
which are arranged for buruing in another kiln, or other kilns, by taking the
escaping heat from one kiln through a main channel or culvert, in which I arrange
dampers or shutters for permitting it to pass into another kiln as may be desired,
or I allow the dampers to be closed in the other kilns connected to the one
common escape passage, and allow the hot gases from the cooling kiln to pass to
the chimney shaft in the usual manner.
The cleaning of my main air conduits beneath the fire grates of my blue-brick
kilos, hereinbefore described I accomplish preferably by means of a chain or
jointed rod running through the entire length of the conduit, and having a number
of scrapers or plates arranged along the chain at intervals, so that the conduit can
be kept clear of obstruction by the rods or chains being drawn through the same.
The ends of the conduit I carry through the main end walls of the kiln, and the
said ends are sealed up when the conduit scrapers are lying dormant therein.
The forced or assisted draught to the fire I supply to the air culvert beneath
the fire grates, by means of steam jet blowers arranged at or near the ends of the
culverts, or at intervals along the sides of the kiln, or I sometimes arrange fans or
other blowers to deliver into the culvert instead of steam jets.
I arrange my improvements to suit the ordinary open top brick burning kilns
by building or forming the furnace openings or fireholes within the outer walls in
the usual manner, and within and through these fireholes I pass a long rectangular
or other suitable chaped metal box or pocket having an open front or mouthpiece,
and provided with a loose, perforated and ribbed lid or cover. This box I make
long enough to reach from the outside face of the main side wall of the kiln, and
then to project about three feet into the interior of the kiln, being enclosed in the
recess or encased by the ordinary stacking arrangement of the raw or green bricks
within the kiln. The box may be placed either horizontally or inclined as may be
desired, but it is secured in position by means of hooks or clamps which attach it
to the main steam pipe which I fix around the kiln for creating the draught; the
back ends of the boxes I cause to rest either on packings or on the firehole floors,
suitable fire bridges being employed to retain the fuel on the grates at the back
ends of the boxes. The back end of my perforated ribbed plate I employ as the
fire grate on to which the fuel is thrown from the front, and I inject a forced
draught into the mouthpiece of the box by means of a steam jet or by a fan or
other blower. The boxes may be portable and interchangeable so that any one
set of boxes of a certain size may be inserted in and used for any of the several
open top kilns in a given, brickyard.
When employing steam for the draught I prefer to run a main steam pipe around
the kiln in such a manner as to clear the ordinary gate roads, the pipe being
affixed to the n.ain structure in front of, and preferably at about the same heiglit
as, the fireholes. On the pipe I affix junction pieces or ordinary pipe cross fittings
for directing the steam jet or jets to each particular firehole; within these cross
fittings or union pieces I provide adjustable taper pointed plugs and nozzles for
regulating the supply of steam to each jet; lock nuts or other fastening appliances
being provided for setting the plugs at each branch to suit any particular
requirement.
1 employ any ordinary steam boiler for generating steam for my blowers, and I
arrange my pipes with stop valves and reducing valves wherever such may be
necessary or desirable.
I do not limit the application of my invention to any particular form or type of

page_text: kiln, or to any particular material that is to be burned or operated upon within
the kiln, but I employ the same essential features hereinbefore described when
applying my improvements to circular or other kilns.
4
MARKS & CLERK,
18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., and
13, Temple Street, Birminghain, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE
DI MUIT
Improvements in the Construction of Kilns and the Methods of
Firing the same for Burning Bricks, Clay Goods and Pottery,
and the like Ware generally.
I, EDMUND HOWL, of The Quarries, near Dudley, in the County of Stafford,
Engineer, 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 reference to the manner in which I construct and arrange
kilns for burning clay goods such as bricks, tiles, sanitary and general pottery ware,
also for burning lime, cement etc., the object of the invention being to enable a
cheaper class of fuel to be burned with reduced wear and tear of the kiln structure,
than is possible with the usual systems of burning such articles in the kilns as at
present constructed.
In the two accompanying sheets of explanatory drawings-
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation and Figure 2 is a sectional plan of my improved
arrangement of a down draft kiln.
Figure 3 is a sectional elevation and Figure 4 a sectional plan of my improved
arrangement of open top kiln.
In carrying my invention into effect when constructing a rectangular down draft
Staffordshire blue-brick-burning kiln as in Figures 1 and 2, I build up the ordinary
fire grate holes A as at present employed, so as to make them solid or in piece with
the existing brickwork, and the curtain walls B inside the kiln I do not build up
solidly from the Hoor line K of the kiln as in the existing arrangement, but I erect
pillars b at certain intervals along the length of the kiln which I tie into the main
side walls A' in order that these pillars may be formed into arches or stretcher
pieces and that they may carry low curtain walls B. The top edges of these
curtain walls B I make to terminate a little above the level of the springing line of
the kiln roof arch C, the top edges of the curtain wall face being cut away or
rounded to a radius concentric with the radius of the kiln arch, so that the passage
between the main side walls A' and the roof C of the kiln, and the curtain walls B
is a constant width upwards from my newly arranged fire grate D.
Sometimes 1 build up the setting or my low curtain walls and my new fire grate
in one solid mass of brickwork instead of on pillars and arches or stretchers as
before described.
I make my
I arrange my fire grates D inside the kiln chamber at a level slightly below the
springing line of the kiln roof arch, in the space between each main side wall of
the kiln and its contiguous curtain wall, so that the neat escaping from it passes
directly into the kiln without having to traverse any tortuous passage.
fire grates D of a special form, the grates running from end to end of the kiln on
each side thereof, and having the air conduit E immediately underneath them
running also the whole length of the kiln, and communicating with the outside
brickwork of the same through apertures e which may be sealed. I feed fuel to my
grates by means of openings or apertures F passing from the top of the kiln,

page_text: arranged immediately above each grate or furnace, each fuel-feeding hole F having
a cap or cover f for preventing the hot gases escaping therefrom. I provide
clinkering or clearing apertures D' along the sides of the kiln communicating to
the outer surface of the outer walls for the purpose of permitting cleaning to be
readily accomplished from the outside, and I prefer to form the sides of the inner
surfaces of the cleaning apertures with conical or taper walls d' so that the
clinkering bars or breaking up rods may be manipulated over the whole area of
the fire grate while within view of the workman. The fire bars or plates G are
arranged preferably with their perforated holes or air openings in an inclined
position, running from the ribs. g which I sometimes cast or form up in the upper
surface of the plates or bars so as to prevent the material on the grate from falling
through into the conduit b below.
The exit of the heated gases from the kiln 1 provide for in the usual ordinary
manner by means of the central duct or passage H running the whole length of the
kiln, and passing into the ordinary upright chimney or shaft. I provide wickets
for closing the entrances to my kilns of the usual ordinary character, and I line
the kilns with fire brick and provide the usual stays and stretcher bolts for securing
the walls when so desired.
When arranging my kilns in series I sometimes provide for utilising the exhaust
or escaping heat of the one kiln to dry the newly-set bricks or other articles which
are arranged for burning in another kiln, or other kilns, by taking the escaping
heat from one kiln through a main channel or culvert, in which I arrange dampers
or shutters for permitting it to pass into another kiln as may be desired, or I allow
the dampers to be closed in the other kilns connected to the one common escape
passage, and allow the hot gases from the cooling kiln to pass to the chimney shaft
in the usual manner.
my
The cleaning of my main air conduits E beneath the fire grates of blue-brick
kilns, hereinbefore described I accomplish preferably by means of a chain or jointed
rod running through the entire length of the 'conduit, and having a number of
scrapers or plates arranged along the chain at intervals, so that the conduit can be
kept clear of obstruction by the rods or chains being drawn through the same.
The ends of the conduit I carry through the main end walls of the kiln, and the
said ends are sealed up when the conduit scrapers are lying dormant therein.
The forced or assisted draught to the fire I supply to the air culvert beneath the
fire grates, by means of steam jet blowers L arranged at or near the ends of the
culverts, or at intervals along the sides of the kiln, or I sometimes arrange fans or
other blowers to deliver into the culvert instead of steam jets.
I arrange my improvements to suit the ordinary open top brick burning kilos as
shown in Figures 3 and 4 by building or forming the furnace openings or fireholes P¹
within the outer walls O in the usual manner, and within and through these fireholes
I pass a long rectangular or other suitable shaped metal box or pocket R having
an open front or mouthpiece r¹, and provided with a loose perforated and ribbed
lid or cover R¹. This box R I make long enough to reach from the outside face
of the main side wall O of the kiln, and then to project about three feet into the
interior O' of the kiln, being enclosed in the recess or encased by the ordinary
stacking arrangement of the raw or green bricks within the kiln. The box may be
placed either horizontally or inclined as may be desired, but it is secured in position
by means of hooks or clamps which attach it to the main steam pipe S which I fix
around the kiln for creating the draught; the back ends of the boxes I cause to
rest either on packings or on the firehole floors T, suitable fire bridges M being
employed to retain the fuel on the grates at the back end of the boxes. The back
end of my perforated ribbed plate R'I employ as the fire grate on to which the
tuel is thrown from the front, and I inject a forced draught into the mouthpiece N
of the box by means of a steam jet S2 or by a fan or other blower. The boxes may
be portable and interchangeable so that any one set of boxes of a certain size may
be inserted in and used for any of the several open top kilns in a given brickyard.
When employing steam for the draught 1 prefer to run a main steam pipe around

page_text: the kiln in such a manner as to clear the ordinary gate roads, the pipe being affixe:
to the main structure in front of, and preferably at about the same height as the
fireholes. On the pipe I affix junction pieces or ordinary pipe cross fittings St for
directing the steam jet or jets to each particular firehole; within these cross fittings
or union pieces I provide adjustable taper pointed plugs and nozzles S' for regulating
the supply of steam to each jet; lock nuts or other fastening appliances being
provided for setting the plugs at each branch to suit any particular requirement.
I employ any ordinary steam boiler for generating steam for my blowers, and I
arrange my pipes with stop valves and reducing valves wherever such inay be
necessary or desirable.
I do not limit the application of my invention to any particular form or type of
kiln, or to any particular material that is to be burned or operated upon within the
kiln, but I employ the same essential features hereinbefore described when applying
my improvements to circular or other kilns.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The improvements in the construction and arrangement of down draft kilns
substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described and as illustrated in
Figures 1 and 2 on the accompanying drawings.
2. The improvements in the construction and arrangement of open top kilns.
substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described and as illustrated in
Figures 3 and 4 on the accompanying drawings.
3. In a kiln for burning bricks, clay, pottery and the like, the arrangement of
firing the fuel upon the grates by having forced draught directed beneath the bars,
or fire plates, substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described and as
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
4. The construction of kilns with fire holes or grates provided with boxes or
pockets substantially as and for the purposes herein before described and as
illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings.
5. The construction of kilns having the fire grates and curtain walls arranged
therein substantially as and for the purposes hereinhefore described and as
illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 92nd dow of January 1895.
MARKS & CLERK,
18, Southampton Buildings, Loudon, W.C., and
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents for the Applicant.