IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION. OF THE BEARING BARS OF THE GRATES OF MARINE AND OTHER BOILERS, AND IN THE ARRANGEMENT OF FIRE-BARS EMPLOYED IN CONNECTION THERE- WITH "
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Christopher Hill, of East India Road, Poplar, in the County
of Middlesex, for the Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION.
OF THE BEARING BARS OF THE GRATES OF MARINE AND OTHER BOILERS,
AND IN THE ARRANGEMENT OF FIRE-BARS EMPLOYED IN CONNECTION THERE-
WITH
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Christopher Hill at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th February 1879.
CHRISTOPHER HILL, of East India Road, Poplar, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE BEARING BARS OF THE GRATES
OF MARINE AND OTHER BOILERS, AND IN THE ARRANGEMENT OF FIRE-BARS
EMPLOYED IN CONNECTION THEREWITH."
This Invention consists in improvements in the construction of the bearing bars
of marine and other boilers, and in the arrangement of fire-bars employed in con-
nection therewith. By means of these improvements sufficient heat for generating
steam can be obtained in less time than is the case with boilers in which grates of
ordinary construction are employed, and owing to the air being thoroughly heated
before coming into contact with the main portion of the fuel, complete combustion
and consequently great economy in the consumption of the latter are effected, whilst
at the same time the escape of smoke and formation of clinkers are almost entirely
avoided.
The bearing bars, which are constructed of any suitable motal, instead of being
straight as ordinarily constructed, are arched upwards or raised in the centre, the
fire-bars being arranged parallel to each other on the upper edges of the bearing
bars, which, if desired, are provided with recesses to receive them, the centre fire
bars being thus arranged above the others, which gradually descend as they approach
the sides of the fire-box in a manner corresponding to the form of the bearing bars
employed. Instead of placing the bearing bars parallel to the front of the furnace,
they can be fixed at right angles thereto on the sides of the firo-box, in which case
the fire-bars are parallel to the front of the furnace.
On the fuel being ignited, the air which passes through the space formed beneatți
the fire-bars by the arched or raised arrangement becomes thoroughly heated by the
D

page_text: ignited fuel resting on the lower bars, and passes into and amongst the fuel at the
centro of the grate at a very high degree of temperature, thereby causing the almost
entire consumption of the fuel and products of combustion. The thoroughly heating
of the air before coming into contact with the main portion of the fuel allows of the
utilisation of coke, small coal, and fuel of inferior quality.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said 'Christopher Hill in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 15th August
1879.
CHRISTOPHER HILL, of East India Road, Poplar, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE BEARING BARS OF THE GRATE'S
OF MARINE AND OTHER BOILERS, AND IN THE ARRANGEMENT OF FIRE-BARS EM-
PLOYED IN CONNECTION THEREWITH."
My said Invention consists in improvements in the construction of the bearing bars
of marine and other boilers, and in the arrangement of fire-bars employed in connec-
tion therewith. By means of these improvements sufficient heat for generating
steam can be obtained in less time than is the case with boilers in which grates of
ordinary construction are employed, and owing to the fact that the air is thoroughly
heated before coming into contact with the main portion of the fuel, complete com-
bustion, and consequently great economy in the consumption of the latter are effected,
whilst at the same time the escape of smoke and other products of combustion and
the formation of clinkers are almost entirely avoided.
The bearing bars, which are constructed of any suitable metal, instead of being
straight as ordinarily constructed, are arched upwards or raised in the centre, the
fire bars being arranged parallel to each other on the upper edges of the bearing
bars, which, if desired, are provided with recesses to receive them, the centre fire-
bars being thus arranged in a higher position than the remainder, which gradually
descond as they approach the sides of the fire box, in a manner corresponding to
the form of the bearing bars employed. Instead of placing the bearing bars parallel
to the front of the furnace, they are in some cases fixed at right angles thereto on the
sides of the fire box, in which case the fire-bars will be parallel to the front of the
furnace.
I will now proceed to refer to the accompanying Drawings, from which the nature
of my said Invention will be more clearly understood. Figures 1 and 2 are
respectively longitudinal and cross sections of a marine boiler and furnace; Figure
3 is a plan of the grate of a marine boiler, and Figures 4 and 5 are respectively
longitudinal and cross sections of the furnace of a locomotive boiler, showing the
bearing bars and fire-bars arranged transversely, as herein before mentioned. The
same letters of reference indicate like parts in the several Figures. A is the boiler;
B, the furnace; C, the bearing bars; D, the fire-bars; and d, the space formed
beneath the grate by the arrangement of the fire-bars on bearing bars having arched
or raised centres.
.
'

page_text: On the fuel being ignited, the air in its passage through the space d, formed as
above described, becomes thoroughly heated by the burning fuel resting on the
lower fire-bars, and passes into and amongst the fuel at the centre of the grate at a
very high degree of temperature, thereby causing the almost entire consumption of
the fuel and products of combustion, and preventing to a very great extent the
escape of smoke and formation of clinkers and allowing of the utilisation of coke,
small coal, and fuel of inferior quality.
Having thus described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention, and
the manner in which it is to be performed, I would observe in conclusion that
what I consider novel and original, and therefore claim as constituting the Invention
secured to me by the hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent is,-
The construction of bearing bars with arched or raised centres, and the arrange-
ment of fire-bars in connection therewith, substantially as and for the purposes
herein before set forth and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Christopher Hill, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Fifteenth day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.