Improvements in Kilns for Burning Bricks, Tiles, Lime and the like.
Year: 1896

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Kilns for Burning Bricks, Tiles, Lime and the like.
We, FRIEDRICH DETLEF THEODOR LEHMANN, Mechanic, and PETER NICOLAUS
KOHLSAAT, Manufacturer, both of 548 North Halstead Street, Chicago, State of
Illinois, in the United States of America, 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 relates to a novel construction of a continuous kiln for burning
bricks tiles lime and the like, and consists in the features of construction and
combinations of parts hereinafter fully described and specifically claimed.
The object of our invention is to produce a kiln of the kind specified which will be
of a simple and inexpensive construction and efficient in operation.
In the accompanying drawings illustrating our invention,―
Figure 1 is a plan view partly in section of a continuous kiln constructed in
accordance with our invention.
Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same.
Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.
Figs. 4 and 5 are a plan and a section on the line 5 5 respectively of a floor tile we
employ.
Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view of a kiln provided with apparatus for using oil
or gas as fuel.
Heretofore, as far as we are informed, continuous kilns have been built with
permanent walls and provided with doors through which the bricks and the like were
carried in and out of the kiln, thus necessitating a large expenditure in building the
kiln and also necessitating a large expenditure of labour and great. hardship to the
labourers on account of the heat.
These objections our invention is designed to overcome, besides it has other
advantages over the continuous kilns now in use, and to this end our invention
consists chiefly in constructing a continuous kiln having portable walls, floor, flues
and covering, preferably of fireproof tile, though any other suitable means for
constructing walls having an insulating air space therein can be employed.
In the drawings the walls A are shown as built up completely around or with the
bricks or tiles to be burned. The kiln is divided into sections in the usual manner
and operated in the saine manner as the ordinary continuous kilns, the partitions
being paper or any other suitable substance.
It is our intention, that ten chambers shall constitute one continuous kiln, although
any reasonable number may be employed, and that while nine chambers are in action
the one fired first will be cool enough to be taken down, and set up again with a
fresh pile of bricks or the like ready to be burned, thus forming a new chamber
and keeping up a continuous fire, meanwhile the finished bricks or the like are
left uncovered ready to be shipped.
In accordance with the principle involved by our invention, we lay the flue C
leading to the chimney B underground, preferably in the middle of the space
designed to be included within the walls and provide the same with openings 1 at
intervals, the said openings being preferably spaced in accordance with the length of

page_text: the kiln sections, and are provided with dampers 2 operated by rods 3 passing out at
the side of the kiln beyond the walls through a tube or pipe 4.
At each side of the space to be covered by said kiln and beyond the outer faces of the
walls we lay beams 5 sunk partially into the ground to give them a firm hold, which
run parallel with said walls entirely around said kiln. Rails 6 are laid upon said
beams 5 upon which the truck supporting the chimney B runs.
In setting up said kiln the floor tiles 7 are first laid and the bricks 8 then set up
on said floor in a manner hereinafter specified. The walls 9 are then set up on both
sides of or with said bricks 8 and the covering 10 is laid upon said bricks between
the walls 9.
The said walls 9 are preferably composed of hollow tiles 11 set one upon the other
and end to end. Said hollow tiles 11 are provided on their upper and lower faces
with grooves and tongues 12 and 13 respectively, the tongues on the lower faces of
the upper tiles fitting into the grooves in the tiles below, said grooves to be filled
with sand or any other suitable substance, thus making a tight joint. Obviously,
the joints between said tiles can be made in any suitable manner and said joints
made tight in any desired manner.
The said covering 10 is composed of hollow tiles 14 preferably constructed to lap
over each other to make a fight joint, made more effective by filling any spaces,
between said tiles preferably with sand.
Channel bars 15 provided with foot pieces 16 adapted to rest upon said beams 5,
are set up against the said walls 9 directly opposite each other and at regular
intervals to cover the vertical joints between the tiles 11. The said channel bars are
held firmly against said walls 9 to brace the same, by means of rods 16 passing
over the roof of the kiln and secured to the upper ends of said channel bars, the
channel bars in connection with the foot pieces and the tiles also forming pockets
for sand-filling to close the vertical joints between the tiles air tight.
The said covering 10 is provided with openings 17 at regular intervals through
which fuel is fed to the kiln as the fire in same is advanced. The said openings 17
are provided with covers 18 having annular flanges 19 which fit in annular
grooves 20 surrounding said openings 17. The said openings are effectively sealed
by means of sand dropped into said grooves 20. To effectively seal any space
which may occur between the said covering 10 and walls 9 we provide a cover
consisting of a channel bar or section 21 which lies in grooves 22 in said walls
and covering, said grooves being filled with sand to make an effective seal.
The said bricks 8 are piled so as to have vertical openings 23 in the piles directly
underneath the said openings 17 in said covering 10, in order to provide firing
shafts.
It will be seen that the covering 10 is free and disconnected from the side walls of
the kiln and that it rests upon the bricks or the material being burned in the kiln
and that, furthermore, the connecting-piece or channel-bar 21 forms a yielding joint
between the side walls and covering. Thus when the level of the bricks or material
being burned descends the covering descends with it and the channel-bars maintain
a close joint.
In order to obtain a more perfect combustion we make the floor tiles as shown in
Figures 4 and 5 with two side walls projecting downwardly below the bottom wall
thereof, and making an opening 24 in the top thereof. The said tiles are laid side
by side the entire length of the kiln and end to end crosswise of same, so as to form
channels running from side to side of said kiln. As shown at D in Fig. 1, not all the
said tiles are provided with said openings 24, but only those which are situated
adjacent to and below said vertical openings or firing shafts 23 in said piles of bricks.
Thus, when fuel is dropped through said openings 17, to aid the combustion thereof,
air is let in at the ends of the channels directly below said firing shafts and thus a
sufficient quantity of air is admitted thereto to make combustion complete. The
said ends of said channels are adapted to be closed by any suitable means, such as an
iron plate or tile set against the same.
The lower space in the tiles for the floor (Figs. 4 and 5) is designed to supply an

page_text: exit for the dampness which will arise from the ground through the action of the
beat, and which is very injurious, as it will prevent the fire froin burning satisfactorily
in the lower part of the chambers, The loss of bricks or the like spoiled, from this
cause, is sometimes very great.
The said chimney B is mounted upon a truck or support having wheels 25 adapted
to run upon the tracks 6 on the beams 5. The said chimney B is constructed of
sheet metal and its truck or support has a wide base at each corner of which said
wheels are situated. At the lower end of said chimney B a pipe 26 is inovably
secured. Said pipe 26 is adapted to be raised and lowered to fit the openings 1 in
the main flue C so as to cause a continuous draft in one direction the said pipe 26
being provided with a damper.
It is our intention that the system described above with a movable chimney, shall
be movable in all its parts, the flues to be made of drain tiles or sewer pipes which
can be taken up as the chambers are moved and used again as the situation requires.
This kiln can be continued in a straight line or any other way desired, as, for instance,
alongside a railroad track or a wagon road.
If, however, the chimney is made stationary the sill, floor and flues can also be
made stationary of brick masonry, then the kiln must follow the prescribed line; in
this way two fires can be burned one behind the other and this system can be
extended to a great capacity, as several kilns can be operated by one chimney or
exhaust fan. This system is also adapted for the use of gas and oil as the pipes can
be laid and connected with the different chambers.
In Fig. 2 we have shown only one section of the kiln built up, and the chimney in
elevation.
In Fig. 3 we have shown flues extending from the middle flue C to each side of
the kiln and provided with dampers which construction would be preferable where a
very wide kiln is desired. The lower tile of the side walls would in this case be cut
away as shown in dotted lines to give a free passage to the gases.
In Fig. 6 we have shown an arrangement of pipes through which a gaseous fuel
can be introduced to take the place of the coal or wood generally used.
We do not, of course, wish to be limited to the exact construction shown and
described, as we contemplate changing the form to suit any exigences which may
occur.
In continuous kilns of ordinary construction the heat taken up by the walls is lost,
as it is well known that bricks are poor conductors of heat. By means of our
construction, however, the heat taken up by the walls will by the circulation of the
air within the same be conducted through the channels in same to the forward or
new sections and serve to heat the same to a low degree of heat, the advantage of
which will be obvious.
By means of our construction a great saving in labor is also effected, besides
relieving the laborer from the hardship of working in a warin place, as the bricks are
set up out in the open air and the walls then set up around or with the same which
is very easily done, and when the bricks are burned the walls are taken down, thus
exposing the bricks on all sides and making handling of the same for purposes of
transportation comparatively easy.
A kiln constructed in accordance with our invention can be set up immediately in
condition to operate to full advantage without effecting the quality of the bricks, as is
the case with kilns now in use which require several months in their construction and
must be very slowly and carefully operated at first, as the dampness in the walls
and ground is very injurious to proper burning. Our kiln is also inexpensive as
compared with those now in use, as it is only necessary to lay the flues and beams 5
and then set up the chimney or exhaust fan, which is done in a very short time
as no mortar is used in its construction and the tiles are all made to fit in place. A
kiln of this kind can also be transported from place to place at small cost which is
also very advantageous.
In continuous kilns the bricks are piled up to the arches and as they settle in the
process of burning a vacuum is formed in the upper portion of the kiln which causes

page_text: an unsteady draught. This difficulty we overcome by constructing our covering so
that the same will settle with the brick or tile, thus preventing the formation of such
vacuum and ensuring a steady draught.
The foregoing is the manner in which our kiln is constructed, and we will now
describe the operation of the same-that is to say, as, far as our experience teaches us
at the present time.
For instance, as soon as the flues and chimney are completed the first section can
be built up and started as soon as the paper partition is in place at the end of the
same. A slow fire is started in front of the same, and the draught is led through the
flue into the first chamber and is controlled by the aid of the damper, and the heat
from this fire will dry the green bricks and prepare them for the burning. On the
second day the second chamber is set up, and the paper partition back of it is put in
place. The paper partition between the first and second chambers is now removed,
and the draft is led through the flues in the first and second chambers. In this way
a new chamber can be set and opened up every day. As soon as the first rows of bricks
in the first chamber have taken fire fuel is added through the fire-holes 17 in the top,
and the operator keeps the fire advancing as the situation may require by adding fuel
and by the aid of the dampers. The heat from the first chamber will dry the bricks and
prepare them for the fire, and the operator will control the draft in the different
chambers by the aid of the dampers, graduating it as the situation requires. For
instance, if the damper in the fine in the chamber which is at the greatest distance
froin the fire is wide open the one next to it is only partly open, while the damper in
the flue in the first chamber is closed entirely. On the fifth day after the fire is
started in front of the first chamber the draft will have advanced to the flue in the
fifth chamber. The bricks in the first chamber will have reached high-fire, that is to
say they are burned sufficiently, firing from the top ceases, and the bricks are left to
cool. On the ninth day after the fire is started the draft will have advanced to the
fine in the ninth chamber, the fifth chamber will have reached high-fire, and the first,
second, third, and fourth chambers are cooling, while the sixth, seventh, eighth and
ninth are being prepared for the fire. On the tenth day the walls of the first chamber
are cool enough to be taken down and set up with another pile of brick in front of the
ninth chamber, forming a new chamber. The bricks in the first chamber are left
uncovered, ready for shipment. The next day the second chamber will be taken down,
and in this manner a continuous fire is kept up, and one chamber will be
ready for shipment each day. Fire is only started once and can be kept up as long
as desirable.
It will be understood that the above description is only given as an illustration of
the manner in which the kiln can be operated and that as the operation and working
of the kiln can vary as found convenient to adapt it to the particular circumstances
present in each case.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. In a kiln, having a floor and removable walls and chimney or stack, a flue
situated beneath said floor, openings in said floor with which said flue communicates,
and dampers controlling said openings, substantially as described.
2. In a kiln, the side walls and covering, and a yielding joint between said side
walls and covering consisting of a connecting-piece or channel-bar with its edges
resting on said parts, substantially as described.
3. In a kiln, the side walls and covering having grooves near their edges, and a
channel-bar or connecting-piece, having its edges resting in said grooves, substantially
as described.
4. In a continuous kiln, a floor, a flue below said floor, a plurality of openings in
said floor cominunicating with said flue, removable walls and covering for said kiln,
a stack or chimney, and means for establishing communication between said flue and
stack or chimney, substantially as described,

page_text: 5. In a continuous kiln, a floor, a flue below said floor, a plurality of openings in
said floor communicating with said flue, removable walls and covering for said kiln, a
movable stack or chimney, and means for establishing communication between said
flue and stack or chimney, substantially as described.
6. A kiln having a floor of hollow tile provided with openings at intervals to create
a more perfect draft within said kiln, walls of hollow tile set up upon each side of
said floor, and a covering of hollow tile adapted to be laid upon the brick or tile to be
burned and between said walls and provided with openings at intervals through which
fuel is fed to the kiln, substantially as described.
7. A kiln having a floor of hollow tile provided with openings at intervals to create
a more perfect draft within said kiln, and transverse flues adjacent the ground to
form an exit for dampness arising therefrom, walls of hollow tile set up upon each
side of said floor, and a covering of hollow tile adapted to be laid upon the brick or
tile to be burned and between said walls and provided with openings at intervals
through which fuel is fed to the kiln, substantially as described.
Dated this 2nd day of July 1896.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.