Improvements in Furnaces for Burning Refuse Material, such as Town's Refuse.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Aug., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 18th May, 1894-Accepted, 30th June, 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Furnaces for Burning Refuse Material, such as
Town's Refuse.
We, JAMES BINGHAM ALLIOTT, of Bloomsgrove Works, Nottingham, Engineer,
and JOHN MCCLURE CALDWELL PATON, also of Bloomsgrove Works, Nottingham,
Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
:-
This invention has reference to furnaces of the kind that have their fire grates
and drying or heating hearths arranged at such an inclination that the material to
be burnt can pass readily with the assistance of gravity from the feed door or
hopper, through which it is introduced into the furnace, to the lower end of the
inclined firegrate where combustion is active and the heat great.
In a furnace of this kind according to this invention the fire grate inclines
downwardly from the front to the back and between its inner and lower end and
the back wall of the furnace, a space is left of sufficient width to permit the refuse
matter such as clinker and ash formed on the inclined fire grate and which descends
by gravity or is pushed down from the front of the furnace, to fall onto a second
grate arranged below the said space, this second grate, which may advantageously
be horizontal, being arranged to extend from the back wall of the furnace below
the lower inner end of the inclined fire grate, to such an extent as to prevent the
clinker or other refuse matter which may drop upon it through the said space from
the lower end of the inclined fire-grate, from falling over its free end, so that it will
be exposed to contact with air until either partly cooled or more completely burnt,
after which it is drawn off the second grate by a suitable tool worked from the front
of the furnace.
The products of combustion escape from the furnace to the main flue through
one or more openings-preferably in the shape of pigeon holes-formed in the back
wall of the furnace so that such products are drawn from the hottest part of the
furnace. The roof of the furnace is arched, the arch passing from side to side.
This arched roof is inclined downwardly from the front of the furnace though not
necessarily at the same inclination as the fire grate which as before stated is similarly
inclined.
The products of combustion may either pass directly through the back wall of
the furnace into the main flue leading to the chimney, or, for greater convenience in
arranging dampers to shut off each furnace from the main flue, they may pass into
an intermediate chamber, arranged between the furnace and the main flue, and in
which chamber the dampers may be arranged.
Adjustable openings may be provided in this chamber for the admission of air,
and, if necessary, a small fire grate may be arranged therein to complete the
combustion of the escaping gases should these gases be found to be passing away
incompletely burned.
The main flue may extend on a level with and above the opening or openings
through the back wall of the furnace; or it may be separated from the said back
wall by the aforesaid intermediate chamber arranged at about the level of the said
opening or openings; or it may be arranged above the intermediate chamber when
this chamber is arranged as described. In each case other openings may be made
through the back wall in such positions as to admit a regulated quantity of air to
the incandescent mass located near the lower end of the inclined fire grate, so as to
increase the activity of the combustion at this point. In some cases this additional
supply of air may be introduced by means of a steam jet, fan or other means of

page_text: producing an artificial draught, even though chimney draught only is being used
over the fire grate of the furnace.
The furnace instead of being worked by an ordinary chimney draught may be
worked by an artificial draught produced by means of a steam jet, fan, or exhauster,
or in any other well known way.
The bearer supporting the lower end of the fire bars forming the inclined fire
grate, may, in some cases, be made hollow and be placed in communication with a
water tank so as to allow of water flowing through it, for the purpose of keeping
it cool.
The feed opening is arranged at the front end of the furnace, either above the
sloping hearth, or through the front wall, and such opening may be placed in
connection with a hopper above if desired.
Furnaces constructed as described may be provided with ash pits having water
bottoms and with suitably arranged peep holes. Also such furnaces may be used
in conjunction with fume cremators.
Dated this 18th day of August 1902
W. LLOYD WISE,
Per F. J. Brougham,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicants.
Improvements in Furnaces for Burning Refuse Material, such as
Town's Refuse.
We, JAMES BINGHAM ALLIOTT, of Bloomsgrove Works, Nottingham,
Engineer, and JOHN MCCLURE CALDWELL PATON, also of Bloomsgrove Works,
Nottingham, Mechanical Engineer, 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 has reference to furnaces of the kind that have their fire grates
and drying or heating hearths arranged at such an inclination that the material to
be burnt can pass readily by the assistance of gravity from the feed door or hopper,
through which it is introduced into the furnace, to the lower end of the inclined
fire grate where combustion is active and the heat great.
In a furnace of this kind according to this invention the fire grate inclines
downwardly from the front to the back and between its inner and lower end and
the back wall of the furnace, a space is left of sufficient width to permit the refuse
matter such as clinker and ash formed on the inclined fire grate and which descends
by gravity or is pushed down from the front of the furnace, to fall onto a second
grate arranged below the said space, this second grate, which may advantageously
be horizontal, being arranged to extend from the back wall of the furnace below
the lower inner end of the inclined fire grate, to such an extent as to prevent the
clinker or other refuse matter which may drop upon it through the said space
from the lower end of the inclined fire grate, from falling over its free end, so that
it will be exposed to contact with air until either partly cooled or more completely
burnt, after which it is drawn off the second grate by a suitable tool worked
from the front of the furnace.
The products of combustion escape from the furnace to the main flue through
one or more openings-preferably in the shape of pigeon holes-formed in the
back wall of the furnace so that such products are drawn from the hottest part of
the furnace. The roof of the furnace is arched, the arch passing from side to side.
"This arched roof is inclined downwardly from the front of the furnace though
not necessarily at the same inclination as the fire grate which as before stated is
similarly inclined.

page_text: The products of combustion may either pass directly through the back wall of
the furnace into the main flue leading to the chimney, or, for greater convenience
in arranging dampers to shut off each furnace from the main flue, they may pass
into an intermediate chamber, arranged between the furnace and the main flue, and
in which chamber the dampers may be arranged.
Adjustable openings may be provided in this chamber for the admission of air,
and, if necessary, a small fire grate may be arranged therein to complete the
combustion of the escaping gases should these gases be found to be passing away
incompletely burned.
The main flue may extend on a level with and above the opening or openings
through the back wall of the furnace; or it may be separated from the said back
wall by the aforesaid intermediate chamber arranged at about the level of the said
opening or openings; or it may be arranged above the intermediate chamber when
this chamber is arranged as described. In each case other openings may be made
through the back wall in such positions as to admit a regulated quantity of air to
the incandescent mass located near the lower end of the inclined fire grate, so as
to increase the activity of the combustion at this point. In some cases this
additional supply of air may be introduced by means of a steam jet, fan, or other
means of producing an artificial draught, even though chimney draught only is
being used over the fire grate of the furnace.
The furnace instead of being worked by an ordinary chimney draught may be
worked by an artificial draught produced by means of a steam jet, fan, or exhauster,
or in any other well known way.
The bearer supporting the lower end of the fire bars forming the inclined
fire grate, may, in some cases be made hollow and be placed in communication
with a water tank so as to allow of water flowing through it, for the purpose of
keeping it cool.
The feed opening is arranged at the front end of the furnace, either above the
sloping hearth, or through the front wall, and such opening may be placed in
connection with a hopper above if desired.
Furnaces constructed as described may be provided with ash pits having water
bottoms and with suitably arranged peep holes. Also such furnaces may be used
in conjunction with fume cremators.
Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings shews mainly in central longitudinal
vertical section a furnace according to this invention, the column for supporting
the hollow fire bar bearers being shown partly in elevation, as is also the wall
provided at front and back of said column to fill up the space where there are no
fire bars.
Fig. 2 is a plan showing four such furnaces.
is the main combustion chamber; 2 the fire grate supported at its inner end
on a hollow bearer 2*, through which water is caused to circulate for the purpose
of keeping it cool, and inclined downwardly from the inclined drying hearth 3 in
front towards the back. 4 is a space between the inner and lower end of the fire
grate and the back wall 5 of the furnace to permit refuse matter such as clinker
and ash formed on the inclined fire grate and which descends by gravity or is
pushed down from the front of the furnace, to fall. 6 is a second grate to receive
the refuse matter so falling; this grate extends from the back wall 5 below the
inner end of the inclined grate 2 a sufficient distance to prevent clinker or other
refuse matter which may drop through the space 4 from falling over the free end
of the grate 6. On this grate the clinker or other refuse will be exposed to contact
with air until either partly cooled or more completely burnt after which it can be
drawn off by a suitable tool worked from the front of the furnace. 7, 78, 7° are
tuyeres for supplying air to aid that which enters through the fire grate in supporting
combustion. These tuyeres are supplied from a common main and are water
jacketted as well understood. 8 is the arched roof of the combustion chamber 1 of
the furnace. 9 is an opening through which refuse matter such as town's refuse
is fed on to the drying hearth 3, this opening being furnished with a removable

page_text: cover. 10 is an opening (also furnished with a removable cover) which admits of
inspection and also enables a tool to be inserted for slicing down clinker or other
refuse that may be adhering to the back wall of the furnace. 11, 11 are openings
formed in the back wall of the furnace for the escape of products of combustion,
which are thus drawn from the hottest part of the furnace. 12 is the main flue,
common to any desired number of furnaces forming a battery or series. 13 is an
intermediate chamber through which the products of combustion pass to the main
flue. 14 is a swivelling damper; its spindle 14" is furnished with a chain wheel 15
with chains 16 passing through suitable tubes in the masonry so that by pulling
one or the other according to requirement the damper can be controlled and
adjusted.
17 is an opening provided with a removable cover; it affords access to the
intermediate chamber 13.
Fig. 3 is a similar view to Fig. 1, but showing a small fire grate 18 arranged in
the intermediate chamber 13 to aid in ensuring combustion of any combustible
gases or matter escaping from the main combustion chamber 1. Fuel is supplied
to the small fire grate through the opening 17, and additional air is when necessary
supplied, through suitable openings, for example as indicated at 17ª, 17b, these
being furnished when desired with any suitable means such as adjustable doors for
controlling and cutting off the air supply as required.
Fig. 4 shows a modification in which the main flue 12 extends on a level with
and above the bottom of the lower openings 11 formed through the back wall of the
furnace; in this case also there is shown an opening 19 with grid or grating 20
through which air may be induced by chimney draught or otherwise to enter the
main combustion chamber 1 to aid in supporting combustion. This arrangement
of air admission may be applied to other modifications of the furnace, whether the
supply of air through the fire grate be promoted by chimney as in Fig. 4, or by
forced draught.
Fig. 5 shows a modification in which the main flue 12 is arranged above the
intermediate chamber 13. 13 is an opening establishing communication between
the intermediate chamber and the main flue and 21 is a damper for controlling
the same.
Either of our above described arrangements of furnace may be constructed with
feeding arrangements such as those described in the Specification of the Letters
Patent No. 19803 dated 16 November 1891 granted to Henry Percy Boulnois and
John Alexander Brodie.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is-
1. In a refuse furnace of the kind referred to a combustion chamber having a
drying hearth so inclined that refuse and clinker thereon will move downwards
automatically, or with little assistance, a fire grate similarly inclined, and through
which air is admitted to the combustion chamber, a back wall with inlet or inlets
therethrough to admit air to aid that admitted through the inclined grate i
supporting combustion, and an opening or space between the back wall, and the
adjacent or inner end of the inclined grate, substantially as described.
2. A refuse furnace comprising a drying hearth so inclined that refuse and
clinker thereon will move downwards automatically, or with little assistance, a fire
grate similarly inclined, provision for feeding refuse to be burnt on to the upper
part of said drying hearth, a space at the lower end of said fire grate through
which the burning material and clinker can pass, a second grate below, provision
for introducing air either by chimney draught or by forced blast into that end of
the main combustion chamber that is opposite to the feed end and provision for
escape of products of combustion from the hottest part of the furnace substantially
as described.
3. A furnace such as referred to in Claim 2 constructed with an intermediate

page_text: chamber arranged between the combustion chamber of the furnace and the main
flue, substantially as described.
4. For burning refuse material such as town's refuse, a furnace of the kind
referred to, constructed as shewn in and described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2
of the accompanying illustrative drawings, or modified according to Fig. 3, or Fig. 4,
or Fig. 5.
Dated this 18th day of May 1894.
For the Applicants,
W. LLOYD WISE,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Chartered Patent Agent.