IMPROVEMENTS IN FURNACES FOR LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES, AND OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1837

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JOHN
CHANTER, of Earl Street, Blackfriars, in the City of London, and of Upper
Stamford Street, in the County of Surrey, Esquire, and JOHN GRAY, of
Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS His late Majesty King William the Fourth, by His Letters
Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at Westminster,
the Seventeenth day February, in the seventh year of His reign, did, for Himself,
His heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the said John Chanter and
John Gray, His especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that
we, the said John Chanter and John Gray, our exors, adñors, and assigns,
or such others as we, the said John Chanter and John Gray, our exors, admors,
or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,. from time to time
and at all times during the term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town
of Berwick upon Tweed, our Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FURNACES FOR
LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES, AND OTHER PURPOSES;" in which said Letters Patent
is contained a proviso that we, the said John Chanter and John Gray, or one of
us, should cause a particular description of the nature of our said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be inrolled in His
said Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and
by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, we, the said
John Chanter and John Gray, do hereby declare the nature of our Inven-
tion, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are fully described
and ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, reference being had
to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked
thawaan (that in
and a furnace.
Figure 2 is a longitudinal section, and Figure 3 is a trans-
verse section of a furnace constructed according to our Invention. a, a, are
the fire bars of the furnace, they being curved, and hence produce an inclined
surface for the fuel, in order that the same may have a tendency to slide down,
and as the lower part becomes consumed, and by being consumed, that portion
which remains towards the lower part of the furnace becomes unable to support
the weight of the fuel above; by this means the fuel is continually sliding down
the bars, whilst the fresh coal is at times supplied to the upper part of the
furnace through the opening b, there being a suitable door or covering for that
purpose. c, c, is a water partition or guard to the upper portion of the furnace
or fire box; this partition descends so low as to form what may be called the
uncarbonized coal chamber, for it will be seen by Figure 2 that the fuel below
is in a complete state of ignition, and will consequently emit no black or dense
smoke, whilst so much of the coal as is at any time above the lower part of
the partition or guard c, will, from the heat of the ignited fuel below, be pro-
gressively distilled and become ignited; the gas, smoke, and vapours not being
capable of passing away in any other direction than below the water guard or
partition c, c, they will pass through and amongst the fuel which is below the
partition c, c, and be consumed. Thus it will be seen that by such an arrange-
ment of fire bars a, a, and water partition or guard c, c, coal may be burned
in the furnaces of locomotive engines without producing any nuisance along the
road. The Drawing shows this part of the improvements applied to a boiler
such as is commonly employed on the Manchester and Liverpool and other
railways, the construction of which being well understood, will consequently
require but little description in this our Specification, more particularly as the
Drawing very clearly shows so much of the boiler as clearly explains the posi-
tion and mode of combining the parts, which constitutes the first part of our
Invention, which consists in the combining the partition or guard c, c, with in-
clined fire bars, by which the fresh fuel is retained between them, and any smoke
or vapours distilled from such ignited fuel passes through and amongst the

page_text: fuel which is below, and in a highly ignited state; and further, any heat evolved
from such fresh fuel will be partly taken up by the water contained in the par-
tition or guards c, c, and such partition c being open to the boiler, the water
therein will give off steam to the upper part of the boiler. e, e, are openings
through the partition or guard c, having sliding doors, which enables the engineer
to look through the fire box, and also to pass in a pick in the event of the tubes
of which the horizontal flue is composed becoming choked up with cinder.
Figure shows a longitudinal section of another arrangement of a furnace;
and Figure 5 is a transverse section thereof, in which the like letters of
reference are used to denote similar parts. The combination of parts here
shown are similar in every respect as regards their nature, and only difference
in the figure or shape of the fire box, the curve of the fire bars, and the parti-
tion or guard c, c. In the former Figures the fire bars were one continued
curve; in the present each bar is composed of an inclined plane and a curve, as
shown, and the water partition or guard c; and in the former description the
water partition or guard c, c, descends vertically from the upper part of the
boiler, and has openings through for the engineer to see through; in the present
instance the opening for that purpose is through the upper part of the fire box,
the fire box itself being surrrounded by water, and in the present instance the
partition c, is formed to a curved under surface for deflecting the vapours
or smoke which may arise from that part of the coal which lies on the upper
part of the fire bars; and there is a difference in the action of this arrangement,
owing to the fire bars being less inclined than those first described, for the
unignited fuel does not necessarily lie against the partition or guard c, c, as in
the former case, but a like effect takes place in respect to consuming the
smoke evolved by the coal on the upper end of the fire bars, the smoke
and vapours being deflected off from the partition or guard c, c, into
and amongst the flame and heated vapours arising from the fuel at the
lower part of the fire bars, as will readily be traced by an examination of
Figure 4; and it will further be seen that in consequence of the enlarge-
ment of the partition or guard c, c, there are a series of bars or ties passing
through the same, and rivetted at top and bottom to give strength to the vessel
or part of the boiler c, c, constituting the guard. Figure 6 shews a longitudinal
section of another arrangement of locomotive boiler furnace; Figure 7, a trans-
verse section, and Fig. 8, an end view thereof; and here again the same letters of
reference are used, and the only difference in this combination consists in the
construction of the partition or guard c, c, which in the present instance is
composed of a series of tubes (see Figure 9), which connect the front upper
part of the fire box with the back of the fire box, by which the water is at

page_text: Figure 12 is a
liberty to flow through, and the series of pipes are so formed that at their upper
ends they lie against each other and produce a guard or partition which inter-
cepts the smoke which arises from the unignited or partially ingnited coal, and
deflects the same downwards towards the lower part of the fire bars, and hence
causes such smoke to pass over the ignited fuel below the part where the pipes
touch, and by so passing over and consequently mixing with the highly heated
vapours evolved from the completely ignited fuel, the black and dense smoke
and vapours become consumed. Figure 10 represents a longitudinal section,
and Figure 11 a transverse section of another arrangement of locomotive boiler
furnace, the whole of the upper part of the fire box being curved, as shewn by
red lines, to produce the guard c, and cause the smoke evolved from the par-
tially ignited fuel at the upper part of the fire bars to be deflected downwards
over and amongst the highly ignited fuel, which is at all times on the lower
part of the inclined fire bars; the same letters being used in Figures 10 and 11
as have been already employed, the variation of the parts in regard to their
figure or shape and their combination will readily be traced.
longitudinal section, and Figure 13 a transverse section of another arrange-
ment of locomotive boiler furnace, to be fed with coal and coke, and to this
arrangement the upper part of the fire box has two openings with suitable
doors, one for supplying coal and the other for supplying coke; and further, in
this arrangement, in order to supply the coal, I apply two or more small
hoppers through the fire doors; and the object of having two or more small
hoppers across the width of the fire or furnace, is that one portion of the coal
may be independent of the other, in place of having all the coal fed through a
single hopper of the width or nearly of the width of the fire or furnace; one
of these hoppers is shewn at f, f, Figure 12, and is placed at a more steep
inclination than the fire bars a. By this means coal being placed in these
hoppers will slide downwards and press on the fuel below, and as the lower part
becomes consumed, will constantly press forward that portion which is nearer
the top of the fire bars and in a forward state of ignition; hence the lower
portion of the fire bars is constantly supplied with fuel in a highly ignited
condition; and in order to such being the case, and that, notwithstanding the
dispensing with the guard or deflecting surfaces c, the smoke of the coal may
be partially consumed, and when the lower portion of the fire is occasionally
supplied with coke the smoke may be wholly consumed.
In all the arrangements of furnaces thus far shewn and described it will be
seen that there is a set of fire bars g below the inclined fire bars a of the
furnace; the object of applying these bars in combination with the inclined
bars of the furnace is to catch any falling cinders which may pass between the

page_text: bars a, and thus obtain a small fire, which shall heat the air which passes
tip towards the upper part of the inclined fire bars a, a; and further, the heat
given off from such fire on the bars 9 will heat and prepare the coal on the
upper part of the fire bars a, a, by partially igniting the same, and thus cause
it to evolve vapours or smoke so long as such coal remains within the range of
fire of the bars y, such smoke so evolved being consumed by passing over and
amongst the hot surface and flames of the highly ignited fuel at the lower part
of the fire bars a, a, as has been above described; hence that portion of cinder.
which would otherwise be wasted becomes of considerable importance when
combined with suitable inclined fire bars to prepare the coal as above explained,
and is also highly useful in consequence of the fire produced by the falling
cinder on the grate g only allowing of heated vapours and air proceeding
upwards to the fresh coal, which tends materially to prevent the production of
dense black smoke; and in order to obtain this result, in place of employing
the grate g, I sometimes apply an inclined surface of fire brick or other suitable
material, as at h, Figure 16, in combination with inclined fire bars, by which
arrangement the fire on the bars a, a, produce a very high degree of heat to
the surface h, whereby any atmospheric air which passes up towards the upper
part of the fire bars a, a, at that portion where the fresh coal is supplied, will
become very considerably heated, and thus will only heated air come to that
part of the coal which is not or is only partially ignited; for it should be stated
that one particular object aimed at by us in the arrangement of our improved
furnaces is the preparing the fresh coal under the most favorable circum-
stances, that the same may give off as little black or dense smoke as possible,
which is materially facilitated by permitting only heated air to flow through the
upper part or end of the fire bars a, a, whilst the lower portion or end of those
bars, having highly ignited fuel thereon, will not be prejudiced by the supply of
atmospheric air thereto, being of the ordinary temperature of the atmosphere.
Another arrangement for accomplishing this object is shewn at Figures 14 and
15, and where is also shewn a slightly varied construction of guard c. It will
be seen that the fire bars a, a, of Figure 14 are made up of bars which at top
are horizontal; the object of having the upper part of the fire bars a, a, hori-
zontal, or nearly so, is that the whole of the fuel placed on the grate should not
have a tendency to slide down the inclined fire bars a, a, but that a portion should
at all times be retained, by which means only the upper portion of the fuel
which is over the horizontal end of the fire bars will at all times have a ten-
dency to slide downwards as the fuel at the lower part of the fire bars a, a,
consumes, and the lower part of the fuel, which is on the horizontal surface
and which remains quiet, will at all times be in a complete state of combustion,

page_text: and the atmospheric air which passes through the fire bars a, a, at the horizontal
part thereof, will be subjected to the fuel which is highly heated, and cannot
arrive at the fresh coal laid on without being in a highly heated condition.
Figure 15 shows another arrangement of furnace, in which the bars a, a,
are vertical, or nearly so. i is a circular water way or vessel which connects
the two sides of the fire box together, and produces a means for allowing the
water to flow freely. This vessel i is connected to the vessel or partition c
(which in the present arrangement offers a means similar to that above
described for preventing the dense smoke passing away without being con-
sumed) by a series of tubes j, between which the heated vapours from the
fires pass to the chimney. This vessel or partition c may descend direct from
the upper part of the fire box, as shewn at Fig. 15, or it may be connected
to the upper part of the fire box by a series of tubes k, k, which, having spaces
between them, will allow any atmospheric air which may ascend through and
above the fire bars a, a, to pass through and descend with any vapours or
smoke through the highly heated fuel below, as is indicated by the arrows in
the Drawing. is a door (lined with fire brick) to remove any ashes which may
fall between the tubes j, which act as fire bars. The fire is fed from above,
and we would remark that in this as well as in all the other arrangements,
we prefer that the fire bars should be supported. by tubes connecting the two
sides of the fire box, thus producing water ways from side to side of the fire
box, as shown in the various Figures of the Drawing. Figures 16 and 17 show
a longitudinal and a transverse section of another arrangement of a furnaces
intended to burn coal and coke. In this arrangement the chief difference
from what is described in Figure 1 is the having two partitions c, c; one for
the production of a chamber for coal and the other for coke, by which
arrangement the smoke is more certainly prevented from passing away in a
black or dense state. The other parts of the furnace being marked by the
same letters of reference as have been before used, no further description of
such parts will be required. Figures 18 and 19 are two longitudinal sections of
furnaces for the boilers of fixed engines; and as the same letters of reference
to these Figures are employed to indicate like parts to what have been before
explained, it will not be necessary again to explain the same.
On inspecting
these two Figures it will be seen that Figures 18 has a water guard over the
inclined furnace a, a, to defiect the smoke evolved from the fresh coal down-
wards that it may mix with the heated vapours of the highly ignited fuel; this
water guard may be constructed by suitably curving the bottom of the boiler,
or it may be an additional part applied to the boiler, as shown by the dotted
lines. Figure 19 has a surface of fire brick for obtaining like results, and it

page_text: will be seen that the fire bars a, a, are set at a sharp angle in order to cause
the fuel constantly to have a tendency to slide downwards as the fuel on the
lower part becomes consumed; the angle shewn is suitable for average qualities
of coals; those which are particularly liable to cake may with advantage have
the fire bars set still more nearly vertical, whilst dry coals, such as Staffordshire
coal, may have the bars less near the vertical; but in order to obtain the requisite
degree of inclination to the fire bars, in order to the fuel constantly sliding
downwards to supply the lower part of the furnace as the fuel consumes, the
angle should not be less than thirty-five degrees. Figure 20 shows another
object of our Invention; it consists in a mode of attaching the fire box or
furnace of a locomotive engine boiler. n, n, represents a circular hoop or
ring of angle iron fixed to the boiler; and m, m, shows a hoop of angle iron
affixed to the fire box or furnace, the hoop m, m, being capable of receiving
within it the end of the boiler, by which means the flanches of the angle
iron n, m, will come together, and are to be formed into a water-tight joint
by means of screws and nuts with suitable cement or packing, as is clearly
shown in the Figure 20 of the Drawing. Figure 10 represents another part
of our Invention, which consists in the application of a series of small rammers
in combination with moderately inclined bars. These rammers are intended
to be successively pushed forwards into the furnace, by which means the fuel
opposite each rammer will be pushed forward, and thus prevent the coal from
caking on the bars. It should be stated in respect to this part of our Inven-
tion that we only claim the combination of a series of such rammers in com-
bination with inclined bars.
And further, we would state that we do not claim rammers generally for
that purpose, as somewhat similar ones, equal or nearly equal to the width of
the furnace, have been before used.
Having now described the nature of our Invention, and. the manner of
combining the various parts, we would have it understood, that we lay no
claim to any of the parts separately or combined which have been so used
before, and we would remark that variations may be made, provided the object
and principle of our Invention be retained.
What we claim as our Invention is, first, the mode of combining the guard
or partition c with inclined fire bars, as is shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3,
and the mode of applying two such guards as shown and described in
Figures 16 and 17.
Secondly, we claim the mode of applying the fire bars 9, 9, when in com-
bination with inclined fire bars, in order to catch the falling cinders, and
thereby produce a fire which heats the air which passes up towards the upper
part of the fire bars a, an'l also for heating the coal above, as described.

page_text: Thirdly, we claim the mode of applying the inclined surface of fire brick
or other suitable material when in combination with inclined or vertical fire
bars, for heating the air which ascends towards the upper end of the fire
bars a, as above described.
Fourthly, we claim the combining of vertical or nearly vertical fire bars 5
when in combination with suitable surfaces c, for preventing the dense smoke
passing off without being acted on by descending amongst the highly ignited
fuel below, as shown and described in Figures 15ª, 15º.
Fifthly, we claim the application of fire bars at a greater angle than thirty-
five degrees to locomotive steam engine or other boilers, in order to obtain a 1
constant sliding down of the fuel when combined with a suitable surface c
for deflecting the dense smoke downwards over and amongst the highly
ignited fuel at the lower part of the fire bars a, as above described.
Sixthly, we claim the mode of constructing or combining fire bars, partly
producing an inclined grate and partly a horizontal one, as described at 1
Figure 14.
Seventhly, we claim the mode of combining the fire box or furnace of
locomotive steam engine boilers by angle iron m, n, as above described at
Figure 20.
Eighthly and lastly, we claim the mode of applying the small hoppers, and 2
also the rammers, as described in Figures 10 and 12.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Gray, for myself and the said John
Chanter, have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Eleventh day of
August, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and