IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM BOILER AND OTHER FURNACES
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Sidebottom, of Stockport, in the County
of Chester, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
STEAM BOILER AND OTHER FURNACES."
Sealed the 5th January 1872, and dated the 5th October 1871. "
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Sidebottom at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 5th October 1871.
I, JOHN SIDEBOTTOM, of Stockport, in the County of Chester,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
“IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM BOILER AND OTHER FURNACES," to be as follows:—
My Invention relates to the furnaces of steam boilers or generators,
and to puddling, reverberatory, heating, and other furnaces, and has for
its object to obtain a more perfect combustion of the fuel than is effected
in furnaces of ordinary construction.
In a furnace constructed in manner according with my Invention the
fuel whilst being consumed is in the form of a vertical or inclined or

page_text: partly inclined column contained in the space between two vertical or
slightly inclined grates instead of being spread upon a horizontal or nearly
horizontal fire-grate, as in the case of the most ordinary arrangement of
furnace. The fuel is fed in at the top of the aforesaid space, and
gravitates towards the lower end thereof during combustion, the ashes
being removed at intervals from the said lower end. The said grates
be similar in form or construction, or may differ therein.
may
spaces
between
In one arrangement the front grate through which the air flows to the
fuel may be formed of a number of horizontal metal bars, and tlie
back grate may consist of a number of slabs of fire-brick through the 1
spaces, between which slabs the flame and the products of combustion
flow into a combustion chamber or into the flue or flues of a boiler, or
into the working chamber of a puddling furnace, or otherwise as the
case may be. I arrange the said slabs one above the other, each slab by
preference inclining downwards and towards the fire, the said slabs in
conjunction with the bars of the front grate retaining the fuel in
position between the said grates, and at the same time the
the bars of the front grate and between the said slabs are are or may be
made wider than in the case of the horizontal fire-grates. The fuel is
or may be contained in a hopper above the furnace, and may be fed to
the said furnace by means of a rotating valve, and in some cases a valve
or shutter may be fitted at the lower end of the grate. In lieu of the
above-described arrangement both of the said grates may be formed of
slabs of fire-brick, or instead of the said slabs being formed of fire-brick
they may be made of metal or other suitable material, or may be formed
wholly or partially as water tubes, partitions, chambers, or pockets,
through which water is allowed to circulate, or a perforated whall may
be substituted for the said slabs.

page_text: It may be convenient in some cases to provide a supplementary grate
to contain firewood or fuel employed to light the main fire, and the said.
supplementary grate may be fitted to be raised and lowered or to be
removed out of the way.
I prefer to mount one or both of the grates in such a manner as that
the distance between the said grates may be varied when required. A
damper may be provided to close the openings, or one or more of the
openings in the back grate when required.
In a modification of the above-described arrangements the exit:
openings for flame may extend around or partly around the enclosed
fire, air flowing upwards through the ignited fuel, and also in most cases
downwards through the column of unignited fuel.
I
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of 'the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Sidebottom in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 5th April 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
SIDEBOTTOM, of Stockport, in the County of Chester, Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of October, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-
fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, .
give and grant unto me, the said John Sidebottom, Her special license.
that I, the said John Sidebottom, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said John Sidebottom, my exécutors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term:
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN :
STEAM BOILER. AND OTHER FURNACES," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said John Sidebottom, my executors or administrators, by :
an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands ;
'

page_text: and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
· NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Sidebottom, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement and accompanying Drawing (that is to say) :-
My Invention relates to the furnaces of steam boilers or generators,
and to puddling, reverberatory, heating, and other furnaces, and has for
its object to obtain a more perfect combustion of the fuel than is effected
in furnaces of ordinary construction.
In a furnace constructed according to my Invention the fuel whilst
being consumed is in the form of a vertical or inclined or partly inclined
cólumn contained in the space between two vertical or slightly inclined
grates, instead of being spread upon a horizontal or nearly horizontal
fire-grate, as in the case of the most ordinary arrangement of furnaces.
The fuel is fed in at the top of the aforesaid space, and gravitates
towards the lower end thereof during combustion, the ashics being
removed at intervals from the said lower end. The said grates may be
similar in form and construction, or may differ therein.
In one arrangement the front grate through which the air flows to the
fuel may be formed of a number of horizontal metal bars placed one
above the other, and the back grate may consist of a number of slabs
of fire-brick through the spaces, between which slabs the flame and
products of combustion flow into a combustion chamber, or into the
flue or flues of a boiler, or into the working chamber of a puddling
furnace, or otherwise as the case may be. I arrange the said slabs one
above the other, each slab by preference inclining downwards and
towards the fire, the said slabs in conjunction with the bars of the front
grate retaining the fuel in position between the said grates, and at the
same time the spaces between the bars of the front grate and between
the said slabs are or may be much wider than in the case of the
horizontal fire grates. The fuel is or may be contained in a hopper
may be fed to the said furnace by means of a
above the furnace, and

page_text: rotating valve or other similar contrivance; in some cases a valve or
valves or shutters may be fitted at the lower end of the grate, or the
grate may be partly or wholly formed of valves or doors. In lieu of the
above-described arrangement both of the said grates may be formed of
slabs of fire-brick, or instead of the said grates being formed of fire-
bricks they may be formed of metal or other suitable material, or may
be formed wholly or partially as water tubes, partitions, chambers, or
pockets, through and around which water is allowed to circulate, or a
perforated wall of brick or metal to contain water may be substituted
therefor.
It is preferred that the spaces between the lower ends of the grates
should be wider than between the upper ends thereof.
In some cases the walls and crown of the furnace containing the
said grates may be wholly or partially formed of metal with a space
or spaces to contain water to be heated; the front of the furnace is by
preference enclosed, and is fitted with a door or doors through which
access can be had to the grates, and means are provided for regulating
the supply of air to the furnaco.
It may be convenient in some cases to provide a supplementary grate
to contain firewood or fuel employed to light the main fire, and the said
supplementary grate may be fitted to be raised and lowered or to be
taken out of the way.
I prefer to mount one or both of the grates in such a manner as that
the distance between the said grates may be varied as required. A
damper may be provided to close the opening or one or more of the
openings in the back grate when required.
In a modification of the above-described arrangements the exit
openings for flame may extend around or partly around the enclosed
fire, air flowing upwards through the ignited fuel, and also in most cases'.
downwards through the column of ignited fuel.
In forming the combustion chambers, when the opening for air or the
boundary of the two grates of the furnace extends around or is con-
tinuous or nearly so, as in a cylinder, square, oblong, triangle, or other
geometrical figure, the combustion chamber may be formed within tho
space circumscribed by the grate, or when the boiler, or heater, or steam
generator, or other body or matter to be heated is surrounded by the
Я

page_text: furnace, sufficient space for the combustion may be allowed between the
boiler and generator or other body or matter to be heated.
When the opening for air or boundary of furnace does not extend
around or is not continuous the combustion chamber may be formed by
placing such furnace at the front or other part of the boiler, generator,
or other matter or body to be heated, with sufficient space between the
furnace and generator or body or matter to be heated, or there may be
sufficient space left between the back and front grates or side grates
(if any), or the fuel on one or more of such grates by the grates or fuel
inclining to the required degree, or a combustion chamber may bo
formed by placing two or more partly continuous furnaces (or those that
have walls or sides) so far apart or in such position as side by side or
end and side, or so that the space inclosed by them may receive the.
flame, smoke, or products of combustion from each or all of such
furnaces, and thus meeting and mingling together, so that the gases or :
smoke that may escape from the furnace grate may be burnt or undergo
combustion therein.
°
Air may also be admitted at the lower or other part of the combustion
chamber to further aid in burning the gases or fuel that may pass over.
or through the grates of such arranged furnaces. The air may be
admitted by means of a swivel or rotating valve or by means of a
sliding valve or door (which may be perforated or otherwise), so as
to close or open passages for air through an opening or perforated wall
or plate that is fixed or stationary; room for combustion may be formed
by placing a number of such arranged or formed furnaces at sufficient a
distance from the pipes, tubes, or parts of a steam generator or other
body or matter to be heated.
The hopper may be a trough or receptacle that may extend the wholo
or part of the width or length of or around the top of furnace, and is
so made as to allow of being increased or decreased in width or length;
or both, by making the ends so as to slide the one past or within the
other at each end in two or more parts, also to move nearer to or further
from each other, or the whole to be moved further from or nearer to
the front or back grate, or to be raised further from or lowered nearer
to the furnace top, the ends or sides being retained in these positions by a
brackets or bolts passing through slots, holes, or projections made in
the direction in which the several parts or the whole of the hopper are

page_text: or is required to be moved. The reason for making the hopper as
described above is to adjust it to any kind of fuel and intensity of
draught or heat.
When the fuel is to be fed through a rotating valve or door or other
shutter or agitator, such may be closed when the furnace is not in
operation to prevent the fuel in the hopper being burnt or heated too
much, and opened again when required. In cases where the fuel is so
bituminous as to become swelled or sticking in the hopper, such valve
door or agitator may be moved by hand or machinery to break up or
loosen the fuel when in such a state as would prevent its falling or
gravitating to the furnace.
When the back grate is to be made of metal to contain water to be
heated it may be formed wholly or partly of horizontal or inclined iron
or other metal chambers or partitions arranged one above the other, the
same as horizontal or inclined slabs of brick, which metal slabs are
jointed to vertical or inclined chambers at the ends or other parts, so
that a free circulation of water may take place within.
The back grate may be constructed of tube plates or chambers of
iron or steel or other suitable metal, with sufficient number and sizes
of tubes of metal passing through from one plate to the other. The
heated air or flame passing through such tubes and the water in the
chamber surrounding the tubes, or the back grate may be constructed
by connecting inclined or vertical or horizontal tubes to larger pipes,
boxes, or chambers in horizontal, inclined, or vertical position, so as to
insure a free circulation of water through them, sufficient space being
left between the pipes or tubes to allow the hot air or flame to pass
between them or through such spaces without impeding the draught of
air so much as to prevent sufficiently quick combustion of the fuel, and
not to be so large as to let the fuel fall through from the furnace. The
▸ connection of the tubes, pipes, boxes, or chambers may be effected by
any of the ordinary ways of connecting pipes or tubes to boxes, tube
plates, or chambers, or they may be connected in any of the following
ways:-Tubes for water to circulate through may be connected to boxes
by passing the tubes through holes of the size of the tubes and rivetting
› the ends inside the boxes, the lids at the opposite sides of boxes being
screwed on as ordinary lids are. Or smaller tubes or pipes may be
connected to larger ones by having nipples screwed into the holes of

page_text: one or both of the larger tubes or pipes and couplings from the tubes
or nipples to connect them with lock nuts, so as to further make them.
steam or water tight. Or there may be one end of the pipes or tubes
with a screwed end about twice as long as the opposite one or as the
thickness of the metal to be screwed into, so that after such long i
screwed end is turned to the end of its thread or nearly so in one large
pipe or chamber it is turned back or unscrewed about half way, whilst
the other end is being screwed into the tapped holes or sockets of the
other larger pipe or chamber, or one end may be screwed in the larger
pipe or chamber and the other end be connected by a coupling to a 1
nipple in the other larger pipe or chamber.
In some cases the larger pipes or chambers to receive the smaller
tubes or pipes may be made by joining a sufficient number of "tees"
together by nipples at their ends. One or both of the larger pipes or
chambers and smaller pipes may be welded together, or one or both of 1
the larger pipes or chambers may be cast on a part or whole of the
smaller pipes or tubes, a part or whole of such pipes being substituted
for sand or ordinary cores.
The walls or sides and crown of the furnace (when any) may be
formed in the same or different manner. The whole or part may be 2
connected or form separate heaters or generators, or be separate from or
joined to the boiler or heater. The part or whole of the outside tubes,
plates, or pipes, or tubes of a boiler or heater may form the back grate
of such an arrangement of furnace; the back grate being intended to
prevent the fuel in the furnace from getting thicker or thinner in column 2
than is required, and to keep it in the desired position.
When air is to enter through part or whole of back grate to the furnace
a partition is formed between the furnace and the combustion chamber
or flue, or other place or body to receive the heat from the furnace.
Such partition may be one or more metal chambers made to contain 3
water, or may be brick or other suitable material or combination of
materials. The height of the back chamber may extend the whole or
part of the height of the front grate, when the front grate or fuel is
inclined from back grate.
When the latter is to be constructed so as to be moved nearer to or 3
further from the front grate, and is to contain water to be heated, tho
nines or tubes connecting it to the boiler or beater and water sunule ave

page_text: to be connected by stuffing boxes to contain packing, so that the tubes
or pipes may slide in and out and be steam or water tight, and the grate..
may rest on rollers or wheels to take off the weight and be easily moved,
or like the front grate it may be joined to the sides (if any) by brackets,
bolts, or both, passing through slots or holes and screwed in the required
position.
When formed of brick (or a frame enclosed by outside brick) the back
grate needs no stuffing box; but when of metal to contain water to be
heated, and brick, such stuffing boxes will be required to allow it to be
moved about. The other part of the furnace may rest on rollers or
wheels, so as to be wholly removed from the back grate when required;
when the parts are merely held together by bolts, or merely placed
sufficiently close together, brackets or legs with slots may be fixed to
the grates so as to raise or lower or incline them as required.
.
When the walls or sides of the furnace is made of more than one
chamber,. or with a chamber with tubes for air passing through to the
furnace, or is formed of grate-doors or bars, or of such combined, and
the fuel is enclosed from the back grate, or when the back grate is not
covered with fuel, or when there is an opening for hot air or flame above
the top of the back grate, there should be a wall, door, valve, or damper
on the crown side or back grate to close up the opening, to prevent too
much cold air. or air of too low a temperature from entering the furnace
or combustion chamber, or other place to receive the heat, as when too
much cold air enters the furnace through the sides or crown it impedes
the draught, and destroys part of the heat from the front grate besides
wasting the fuel.
Also when the fuel is in a slightly vertical or inclined column, and
walls or sides are constructed of such chambers or tubes, or grate-bars,
or doors of brick, or any or all combined, the admission of too much air
near the back grate, through the thinner strata of fuel may be prevented
or regulated by a shutter or door hinged near to or on the back grate or
part of the side next it. The unhinged or opening part being nearer at.
the front part of the side or wall of furnace, so that when being.
sufficiently opened or nearly closed there will enter less air near the
back grate than at the front part of the side grate or wall of furnace, or
than at the intermediate parts. This will also obstruct the glare and,
radiation of heat from the furnace.
!

page_text: The front or other parts may be similarly or differently enclosed, the
doors or dampers may be made of metal or brick slabs, or both combined.
When the fuel is required to be coked in a vertical or slightly inclined
furnace before coming in contact with the bars or open spaces of the
back grate, so as not to fall through the spaces of the grate, when the 5
open spaces extend to the top or nearly so of the fuel, the damper may
be lowered the required depth at the back grate, or the coking may be
effected by having the tube plate or chamber sufficiently below the top
of the fuel without spaces, or before the fuel gravitates or reaches to the
opening of the grate; such part of the grate may be inclined. By this 1
'arrangement, as the gas or smoke is being evolved from the unburnt
fuel it will pass down with the current of air to the ignited fuel, and
thus become inflamed or undergo combustion.
.
To clean out sediment from the back grate and other places to contain
water to be heated, there may be an open trough with a lid to close and 1
open such trough inserted in the large pipes or chambers. When the
lid is off the trough the dirt will fall on the lid, which may be a part of
a trough, and also fall in the trough, as there will be little or no
ebullition of water in trough or lid from its not being in close contact
with the heating surface. When the lid, or trough is part or wholly 2
filled with dirt (or at regular intervals of time), the lid is closed down
on the trough by a handle attached to one end of the rod, to which the
lid is fixed and passes through a stuffing box outside. When the lid is
closed down the two form a tube and enclose the dirt as in a pipe.
There is a tap fixed at one end or other part reaching to the outside; 2
when such tap is opened the water or steam would rush through a hole
at the opposite end (or both ends when the outlet is at the intermediate
parts), and run out at the tap carrying the dirt along with it.
•
To more effectually clean out the dirt, one or more screws extending
the whole length of the trough, of sufficient pitch and diameter, may be 3
added, which, when turned by a handle attached to the rod passing
through a stuffing box at the outside, will stir up or scrape off any scale
forming or collecting in the trough or chamber, and when closed up by
the lid will be blown out out as stated when the tap is opened, and when
the tap is at the middle (or not at one end) there may be two screws 3
attached to one or more rods. When attached to one rod the threads of
the screw incline in opposite directions, so as to turn the dirt from both
ends to the place where the blow-off tap is placed. When blowing off

page_text: the current of water would turn or aid in turning the screws round and
dirt out. To prevent the dirt making up any of the taps for letting out
or in the water, they should be sufficiently large. When there is a flue
leading from the furnace or combustion chamber to the boiler or heater,
such flue may be formed of one or more tubes to contain or receive water
from the boiler or heater, or the boiler or heater may receive water from
it. One large tube surrounded by another, and the water flowing or
contained in the space formed between them, may be substituted for a
number of smaller tubes. The smaller tubes forming the flue may be
incased with metal or brick to make the flue so as not to admit cold air
from without, or they may be cast together or formed so as to be air-
tight from without the flue or tubes.
•
To clean out the dirt at the lower end of furnace I have one or more
grates at the bottom of furnace which may be horizontal or inclined
towards the front of furnace, the back part of grate being supported on
hinges or pivots, so that the front may be raised and lowered, or
supported by means of bars passing through holes or slots in the walls
or bracket attached to the front grate or otherwise; or the bottom part or
lower end may be formed of rollers, movable bars, or creeper grates, by
means of which the ashes or clinkers may be scraped or turned out at
the lower end of the furnace.
To further facilitate the cleaning out of dirt and the management of
the furnace, as stirring, lighting or otherwise, the walls and the front
may be formed of slotted or perforated parts, as doors, shutters, or
valves, such to be provided with catches or bolts to easily fasten or
loosen in bars or other parts of wall or grates, the pivots of the shutters
or valves or doors being hung in slots or notches in the sides or bars of
grates or wall, so as to be easily taken off or put on, as required,
particularly at the lower end, and at a higher part than where the dirt
is deposited. To clean out the dirt the shutters, valves, or doors close
above the dirt are pushed by means of a lever (attached to or placed in a
slot, or hole in the shutter, or bolt of it) against or under the fuel above
the dirt, to hold it up whilst the underlying dirt is being removed.
When the grate at the bottom is sufficiently inclined to let the dirt fall
out of itself, of course no such means need be provided for cleaning
out dirt.
When cleaning out or stirring is required to prevent dirt sticking to

page_text: stoking or cleaning out tools and hot air flows through the back grate, a
supplementary back grate is added through which cold air flows to the
furnace, which may extend any required height. In some cases such
supplementary grate would be the only one needed to be used, or it may.
be applied when water is being heated by the furnace back grate to
prevent the intense heat from baking the dirt to scale or injuring the
pipes or chambers when containing dirt within them. When the back
part of the bottom grate is supported by pivots or hinges so as to be
raised or lowered at the front part, the bars or other appliances carrying
the front part (or the front part itself) may be supported by one or more
catches or clutches or other easily moved support so as to let the front
fall when the water becomes too low, and cause the fire to fall out of tho
furnace into a pipe or trough of water below, thus preventing explosion
from overheating. The catch or clutch being in communication with a
water level serves as an indicator whilst working.
Such being the nature and object of my said Invention, I will now
proceed to describe more in detail the manner in which the same is to
be or may be performed, and in order that the same may be clearly
understood I have hereunto attached a Sheet of Drawings illustrative
of same, similar letters of reference being marked upon corresponding
parts thereof.
Fig. 1 is a transverse section; Fig. 2, a longitudinal section; and
Fig. 3, a front view of one modification of my Invention.
In this arrangement which is fixed outside the end plate a, a, of an
ordinary single flued boiler, the combustion chamber b, b, is placed in
connection with the flue c, c, and the fuel is fed from the hoppers'd, d,
through revolving valves e, e, into the spaces f.f, between what may be
called two vertical grates. The outer grates are formed by a series of
perforated doors g, g, hung upon pivots in frames h, h, the said frames
being slightly inclined and mounted in grooves or slots i, i, so that they
can be moved inwards or outwards to decrease or increase the width of
the spaces, as required. The inner grates are formed by perforating.
the water casing k, k, of the combustion chamber by a number of short
tubes 1, 1. The bottom grate m, m, of the fuel space is hinged at the
back, and rests upon brackets n, n, at the front, by means of which its a
inclination can be varied when desired. The upper part of the
casing k, k, of the combustion chamber communicates with the steam

page_text: space of the boiler by means of the pipe o, o, see Fig. 2, and the lower
part of the same communicates by means of the pipe p, p, with the
water space of the boiler. q, q, (Fig. 2) is a door to give access to the
combustion chamber and flue; r, r, are outside doors of sheet iron. The
horizontal section of the combustion chamber may be, a rectangular
figure, but I prefer to make it in the form of a trapezium as shown in the
horizontal section, Fig. 4.
Fig. 5 shows the application of my Invention to a cylindrical boiler.
with an external flue. a, a, is the boiler; b, b, the combustion
chamber; c, c, the flue; d, d, the hoppers; and e, e, slides or shutters
(used instead of the revolving valves); f, f, the fuel spaces; 9, 9, the
outer grates formed as in the preceding arrangement with the exception
that the frames h, h, are hung upon pivots at the top and are provided
with a rack and catch i, i, at the bottom to regulate their position.
The bottom grates m, m, are fixed. The inner grates are formed of
inclined water tubes 1, 1, communicating with the water casing k, k,
above and below the combustion chamber.
Fig. 6 illustrates another modification of the arrangement adapted to
an external flued boiler. In this case the inner grates 1; 1, are composed
of slabs of fire brick; the hoppers are dispensed with, and the fuel is
simply fed in by hand through the doors e, e.
Figs. 7 and 8 are transverse and longitudinal sections showing the
adaptation of my improvements to a boiler made with overhanging end.
In this arrangement the overhanging part of the boiler forms the top of
the combustion chamber, and the inner grates are formed by water
tubes 1, 1, communicating therefrom with the water casing k, k, at the
bottom of the chamber.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention,
together with the manner in which the same is to be or may be
performed or carried into practical effect, I wish it to be understood
that I claim as my Invention the improvement in the construction of
furnaces as herein-before particularly described and illustrated by the
annexed Drawing, or any mere modification or imitation thereof,
constructed and operating in substantially the same or a similar manner,
and more especially I claim, firstly, confining the fuel whilst being
consumed between two vertical or inclined grates (or their equivalents),
and, secondly, arranging two or more of such grates or furnaces in

page_text: . combination with a combustion chamber, so that the smoke escaping
from one grate or furnace may be consumed by the heated air and flame
from the other.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Sidebottom, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fourth day of April, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.
Witnessed by
George · Davies, C.E.,
Patent Agent,
Manchester.
JOHN SIDEBOTTOM. (L.S.)