IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR HEATIN AIR AND GASES."
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Whitwell, of Stockton-on-Tees, in the County
of York, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR HEATIN
AIR AND GASES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Whitwell at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th December 1881.
WILLIAM WHITWELL of Stockton-on-Tees in the County of York.
MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR HEATING AIR AND GASES."
"IMPROVE-
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for heating air and
gases and the improvements have reference to apparatus similar to that described
in the Specification of 'former Patents granted to the late Thomas Whitwell dated
respectively 10th November 1865 No. 2897 the 19th January 1872 No. 171 and
the 16th May 1876 No. 2066.
With apparatus of this kind two or more furnace chambers or ovens each con-
taining numerous upright walls or partitions of brickwork or other refractory
material are used and whilst one is being heated by the combustion of gas within
it the other previously heated has a current of air or gas passed through it and
the air or gas is thereby heated.
According to this Invention I form the furnace oven or chamber and the iron
casing which encloses it of a tall vertical cylinder which may be of a circular or
elliptical or oval form in horizontal section. The interior of the cylinder I divide
into two equal halves by a vertical partition wall. I cover over the top of each half
or division with a semi-circular or other form of arched roof of brickwork-the
arch passing across from the central partition to the curved outer wall.
The top or roof of the outer iron casing I make of a parabolic arched form. The
central partition wall of the furnace I carry up to the underside of this roof and
the remainder of the space between the iron roof and the arched brickwork roofs
below it I fill in with non-conducting material. This form of top or roof to the
iron casing gives to it great strength to resist pressure from within the interior of.
the stove.
Through the lower part of the outer walls of the furnace two openings are
formed on opposite sides one opening into one half or division the other into the
other half or division.
Through one the gas which is to be burnt in the interior of the furnace is

page_text: admitted through the other the products of combustion are conveyed away to a
chimney. Through this latter opening also when the furnace has been heated and
the combustion of gas within it has been stopped a cold blast of air or gas to be
heated is directed and this blast after traversing through the furnace is conveyed
away through the opening through which the gas to be burnt had previously
entered.
Just outside the exterior casing of the furnace the passage from this opening is
made to open into a small chamber at the bottom of which is a valvo through
which the gas to be burnt enters whilst at the top of the chamber is a second
valve through which air or gas that has been heated in the furnace is conducted
away into a pipe or passage provided for it.
As before stated two or more of these furnaces are always used in conjunction
with one another and this outlet pipe or passage for the heated air or gas from
one opens into the outlet pipe or passage from the other.
From this pipe or passage I conduct a small passage fitted with a valve through
the side wall of the furnace into its combustion chamber-this opening is at some
distance above the point where air and gas are admitted into the furnace to enter
into combustion therein and through this small passage a quantity of heated air
-may-be-admitted into the combustion chamber to mingle with the ignited-gases-
and more perfectly effect their combustion should it be requisite to do so.
The half of the furnace into which gas is admitted for combustion has in it
two, three, four or more narrow brickwork walls carried up from the bottom of the
furnace nearly but not up to the top. The walls are parallel with the central
division wall of the furnace and narrow spaces are left between the walls. The
remainder of the interior of this half of the furnace forms one large combustion
chamber occupying a large part of one half or division of the furnace there being
only in this combustion chamber 3 or more brickwork walls carried up from
archies near the bottom of the furnace near to but not up to the top and at right
angles to the division wall.
The products of combustion rise to the top of the combustion chamber and pass
downwards through the narrow spaces between the walls which are parallel to the
division wall and enter into the second half or division of the furnace through
openings formed through the lower parts of these several walls.
The second half or division of the furnace also has avithin it narrow walls
carried up from the bottom nearly to the top of the furnace parallel with the
central or division wall. The products of combustion pass up through the space
between the central division wall and the wall next to it and then descend through
the spaces between the other walls to the chimney outlet the space next to the
central wall being wider than the other spaces.
The gases pass off through the outlet opening into a small chamber from which
there is a passage fitted with a valve to the chimney flue.
Into this chamber there is also a second passage fitted with a valve through
which a cold blast of air to be heated is directed when the passage to the chimney
flue is closed and the combustion of gas in the furnace arrested.
The vertical parallel walls are strengthened as heretofore by other walls at right
angles to them.
In the arched roof of each half of the furnace are openings fitted with
removeable blocks for the purpose of cleaning. Corresponding openings are also
formed through the parabolic top of the iron casing above them.
Above the top of the furnace is a horizontal balanced crane arm capable of
swivelling around a pivot standing up from the centre of the roof or top. The
cleaner used for cleaning the spaces between the vertical walls is carried by a
chain passing over a pulley that can be traversed along the crane arm. In this
way the cleaner can quickly and readily be brought over the top of any of the
spaces between the walls.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Whitwell in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 8th
June 1882.
WILLIAM WHITWELL of Stockton on Tees in the County of York, "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR HEATING AIR AND GASES."
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for heating air and
gases and the improvements have reference to apparatus similar to that described
in the Specification of former Patents granted to the late Thomas Whitwell dated
respectively 10th November 1865 No. 2897 the 19th January 1872 No. 171 and
the 16th May 1876 No. 2006.
With apparatus of this kind two or more furnace chambers or ovens each con-
taining numerous upright walls or partitions of brickwork or other refractory
material are used and whilst one is being heated by the combustion of gas within
it the other previously heated has a current of air or gas passed through it and
the air or gas is thereby heated.
According to this Invention I form the furnace oven or chamber and the iron
casing which encloses it of a tall vertical cylinder which may be of a circular or
elliptical or oval form in horizontal section. The interior of the cylinder I divide
into two equal halves by a vertical partition wall. I cover over the top of each
half or division with a semi-circular or other form of arched roof of brickwork.
The arch passing across from the central partition to the curved outer wall.
The top or roof of the outer iron casing I'make of a parabolic arched form. The
central partition wall of the furnace I carry up to the underside of this roof and
the remainder of the space between the iron roof and the arched brickwork roofs
below it I fill in with non-conducting material. This form of top or roof to the
iron casing gives to it great strength to resist pressure from within the interior of
the stove.
Through the lower part of the outer walls of the furnace two openings are
formed on opposite sides one opening into one half or division the other into the
other half or division.
Through one the gas which is to be burnt in the interior of the furnace is
admitted through the other the products of combustion are conveyed away to a
chimney. Through this latter opening also when the furnace has been heated and
the combustion of gas within it has been stopped a cold blast of air or gas to be
heated is directed and this blast after traversing through the furnace is conveyed
away through the opening through which the gas to be burnt had previously
entered.
Just outside the exterior casing of the furnace the passage from this opening is
made to open into a small chamber at the bottom of which is a valve through
which the gas to be burnt enters whilst at the top of the chamber is a second
valve through which air or gas that has been heated in the furnace is conducted
away into a pipe or passage provided for it.
As before stated two or more of these furnaces are always used in conjunction
with one another and this outlet pipe or passage for the heated air or gas from one
opens into the outlet pipe or passage from the other.
From this pipe or passage I conduct a small passage fitted with a valve through
the side wall of the furnace into its combustion chamber, this opening is at some
distance above the point where air and gas are admitted into the furnace to enter
into combustion therein and through this small passage a quantity of heated air
may be admitted into the combustion chamber to mingle with the ignited gases
and more perfectly effect their combustion should it be requisite to do so.

page_text: The half of the furnace into which gas is admitted for combustion has in it two,
three, four or more narrow brickwork walls carried up from the bottom of the
furnace nearly but not up to the top. The walls are parallel with the central
division wall of the furnace and narrow spaces are left between the walls. The
remainder of the interior of this half of the furnace forms one large combustion
chamber occupying a large part of one half or division of the furnace there being
only in this combustion chamber 3 or more brickwork walls carried up from arches
near the bottom of the furnace near to but not up to the top and at right angles
to the division wall.
The products of combustion rise to the top of the combustion chamber and pass
downwards through the narrow spaces between the walls which are parallel to the
division wall and enter into the second half or division of the furnace through
openings formed through the lower parts of these several walls.
The second half or division of the furnace also has within it narrow walls carried
up from the bottom nearly to the top of the furnace parallel with the central or
division wall. This forms a second and supplementary combustion chamber for the
more perfect ignition and combustion of any portion of gas not effectually burnt in
the first and larger combustion chamber. The products of combustion pass up
through the space between the central-division wall-and-the-wall-next-to-it-and-
then descend through the spaces between the other walls to the chimney outlet the
space next to the central wall being wider than the other spaces.
The gases pass off through the outlet opening into a small chamber from which
there is a passage fitted with a valve to the chimney flue.
Into this chamber there is also a second passage fitted with a valve through
which a cold blast of air to be heated is directed when the passage to the chimney
Alue is closed and the combustion of gas in the furnace arrested.
The vertical parallel walls are strengthened as heretofore by other walls at right
angles to them.
In the arched roof of each half of the furnace are openings fitted with remove-
able blocks for the purpose of cleaning. Corresponding openings are also formed
through the parabolic top of the iron casing above them.
Above the top of the furnace is a horizontal balanced crane arm capable of
swivelling around a pivot standing up from the centre of the roof or top. The
cleaner used for cleaning the spaces between the vertical walls is carried by a
chain passing over a pulley that can be traversed along the crane arın. In this
way the cleaner can quickly and readily be brought over the top of any of the
spaces between the walls.
Figure 1 of the Drawings hereunto annexed shews a vertical section and
Figure 2 a horizontal section of apparatus constructed as above described.
A is the vertical cylindrical oven or chamber B is the vertical partition wall
which divides the oven into two equal halves. CC are arched roofs one over each
division of the oven they pass across from the central partition to the curved outer
wall. D is a parabolic arched roof over the top of the outer casing A, the
partition B is carried up to this arched roof and the spaces between the roofs C
and D are filled in with brickwork. E E are cleaning doors above openings in the
arched roof C. F F are lumps for closing these openings. G is an opening into
the lower part of one half or division of the oven it serves alternately for the
admission to the oven of gas to be burnt and as an outlet for the blast of air or gas
heated by the oven.
The passage G opens into a small chamber H outside the casing. At the bottom
of this chamber is a slide valve I through which gas to be burnt can be admitted
to the oven. At the top of the chamber is a lift valve J which when opened allows
air or gas that has been heated to escape into the outlet pipe or passage K.
L is a
small passage fitted with a slide valve through which heated air may be admitted
from the hot air pipe K into the combustion chamber of the oven to effect more
perfect combustion of the gas therein. M is the combustion chamber. N N are
walls parallel with the division wall B. The products of combustion pass from the

page_text: top of the combustion chamber downwards between these walls and through an
opening at the bottom of the division wall B into the other compartment of the
oven. They rise upwards in this second compartment in the space between the
division wall B and one of the walls N parallel with it and descend through
the spaces between the other walls N to the outlet passage O and through it to the
chamber P from which there is an outlet passage fitted with a valve R to the
chimney flue and an inlet passage S also fitted with a valve through which a blast
of air or gas to be heated can be admitted to the oven. Tare cleaning doors at
the bottom of the furnace. V are air passages for the admission of air to the com-
bustion chamber of the oven. W are other air passages by which a further amount
of air may be admitted to the burning gases before they enter the second half or
division of the oven. X is a horizontal balanced swivelling crane arm by which
the heavy weighted cleaner used for cleaning the vertical passages between the
internal parallel walls of the oven is suspended in the manner shewn and by the aid
of which the cleaner may readily be brought over and lowered into any one or
other of the vertical passages between the walls.
At Figures 3 and 4 I have shewn a vertical and transverse section of a modifi-
cation of the above described apparatus in which the top of the oven is closed over
with a flat roof strengthened with girders instead of being a parabolic arched roof and
in which the opening for the admission of gas to the combustion chamber of the oven
is separate from the opening by which the heated blast is conveyed away instead
of one opening serving for both purposes as in the oven shown at Figures 1
and 2.
In other respects the construction of the oven is substantially the same as shewn
at Figures 1 and 2.
Having thus described the nature of the Invention and the manner of performing
the same I would have it understood that I claim as my improvements in apparatus
for heating air and gases
First. The construction of stoves or apparatus for heating air and gases
substantially in the manner herein before described and illustrated in the Drawing
annexed.
Second. The division of circular elliptical or oval stoves into two equal halves
by a vertical division wall and the covering over the top of each half or division
with an arched roof the arch passing across from the central partition wall to the
curved outer wall substantially as described.
Third. The construction of stoves or apparatus for heating air or gases with but
one opening to serve both as inlet for gas, to be burnt and outlet for heated blast
and with valves fitted in one valve chamber to control the admission of gas or the
passing off of heated blast substantially as described.
Fourth. The passage L for the admission of heated air from the hot air pipe to
the combustion chamber whenever desired substantially as described.
Fifth. The horizontal balanced swivel crane mounted upon the top of the oven
for carrying the cleaner substantially as described.
In witness whereof I the said William Whitwell have hereunto set my
hand and seal this Sixth day of June in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty two.
•
WILLIAM WHITWELL. (1.S.)