Improvements in and relating to Furnaces.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Aug., 1889-Accepted, 19th Oct., 1889
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Furnaces.
I, WILLIAM RUFUS RONEY, of 158 Lake Street in the City of Chicago, and
State of Illinois, United States of America, 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 relates to furnaces and to that class of devices known as mechanical
stokers or devices for feeding fuel to furnace fires. It has for its primary object to
secure a more perfect coking of the coal or screenings on its way to the fire proper
together with a more perfect combustion of the gases emitted by the fuel and therefore
greater economy in the consumption and less waste in the form of smoke or soot. The
invention also has for one of its objects to provide improved mechanism for advancing
the fuel from the magazine to and along the grates whereby the supply of fuel is
rendered more regular and continuous and is effected under full control of the attendant.
Other and minor objects of the invention will further appear from the following
description.
Referring to the accompanying drawings which illustrate what I now believe to be
the most desirable form in which my invention can be embodied.
Figure 1 is a central, vertical longitudinal section of a steam boiler furnace
containing, my improvement.
Figure 2 is a plan or top view of the magazine or hopper and grates, being such a
view, as will be afforded by a transverse section in the indirect line x-x of
Figure 1.
Figure 3 is an elevation of a furnace and boiler front, showing the exposed parts of
my device in front view thereof.
Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view of parts similarly shown in Figure 1.
Figure 5 shows in end view the rocking bars of the inclined grate in connection with
one of their end supports and the actuating bar, the grate bars being shown tilted
forward to allow the fuel to advance.
Figure 6 shows the bars of the inclined grate with their upper faces horizontal or in
position to retard or prevent the advance of the fuel.
Figure 7 is a top view of the parts shown in end view in Figure 6.
Figure 8 is a fragmentary section in the line y-y of Figure 4 showing the
connections of a pitman with the excentric shaft and the actuating bar for rocking the
bars of the inclined grato, the bottom-plate of the hopper, the subjacent angular
plate G being removed.
Figure 8ª is a section similar to Figure 8 showing in top view the connections for
reciprocating the follower and bottom plate of the hopper.
Figure 9 shows in front elevation the parts illustrated in plan view of Figures 8
and 8.
Figure 10 is an enlarged side elevation of the connections shown in the top view
of Figure 8º..
Figure 11 is a side view of the horizontal grate.
Figure 12 is a top view of said horizontal grate and a horizontal section in
line of Figure 11, showing the grated stationary bar which separates the
horizontal from the inclined grate.
Figure 13 is a sectional view showing one alternative construction of the connections
that may be employed with the actuating shaft for operating the movable part of the
hopper and the rocking grate barɛ.
Figure 14 is a central vertical section from front to rear of a steam boiler
furnace containing a different form of the foot-grate and the actuating devices for the
main grate.

page_text: Figure 15 is a similar section illustrating another modification of the foot grate.
Figure 16 is a plan view of the form of foot-grate shown in Figure 15. The grate
is in this Figure shown to be divided into two parts, one of which is in its working
position, and the other of which is shown in its tilted or dumped position.
Figure 17 is a side view of a part of the actuating lever which operates the main
grate and of the connecting rod through which the lever connects with the grate bars.
This rod is shown provided with a sleeve which constitutes one feature of the present
invention.
Figure 18 is a section of the sleeve guard and other parts surrounding the connecting
rod, the latter being shown in side view.
As shown in Figures 1 to 13, both inclusive, A represents a steam boiler of which B B
is the setting. C is the fire-box, D is a dropping grate at the rear of the fire-box;
E is an inclined grate arranged to deliver upon the grate D and F is an external
hopper or magazine situated in position to deliver upon the upper end of the inclined
grate E through a passage f in the fire front. G is an angular plate situated at the
bottom of the passage f and extending over the uppermost bar of the grate E. His
a fire-brick hood or arch, overhanging the upper portion of the grate E and proceeding
rearwardly and downwardly from the front of the setting above the passage f. I is an
arch extending forwardly over and into proximity with the arch H affording a some-
what contracted passage c from the fire chamber C to the space beneath the boiler.
The grate E is composed of a series of rocking transverse bars e e resting at their
ends e¹ in notches e² provided in the upper edges of two stationary inclined supporting
bars E¹. It is a characteristic feature of the grate bars e that their upper surfaces
are broad, flat and continuous, or non-fingered, and it is a characteristic feature of
their arrangement that they are placed in the stepped and overlapping position shown,
wherein the rear edge of one bar projects over the front edges of the subjacent bar
with sufficient vertical space between their overlapping edges to allow the rocking
movement desirable or necessary to ensure the proper feeding of the fuel thrown from
front to rear of the grate. The grate bars e e are severally provided with depending
arms e³ which are engaged with a reciprocating rod or bar E2 by movement of
which the grate bars e e may be rocked on their bearings upon the bars E¹. In
tho present instance the uppermost and the lowermost grate bars are pivoted at e
to the bar E thus upholding the latter, and the arms of the intermediate grate
bars merely engage notches e in the said bar E. Other forms of engagement
may of course be employed if preferred. The rocking movement of the bars e is
adjusted to bring said upper faces at one extreme of their movement into a substan-
tially horizontal position and into the stepped relation shown in Figure 6, and at the
opposite extremity of their throw into the inclined relation shown in Figure 5. Each
grate bar e is provided as a separate improvement with an uprising rib or flange e"
along the overlapping edge thereof to better retain the fuel thereon.
By a reciprocation of the connecting bar E2 it is obvious that coal or screenings or
other fuel placed upon the inclined grate E will be intermittingly carried along down
the same in the progress of its combustion and finally deposited upon the grate D.
This grate D is preferably made with the bars running from front to rear and is
constructed to drop at its front edge when desired in order to allow of its being
cleared. To this end it is provided with hinges d at its rear edge and with hinged
legs beneath its front edge. By pushing the legs backward the grate will be
allowed to fall and by pulling them forward the grate will be raised. A vertically
slotted bar D' is located at the front edge of the grate D to afford better air
supply to the fire bed resting on the grate D, and in the present instance said bar D¹
being fixed in the setting also forms the support for the lower ends of the inclined
bars E upon which the rocking grate bars e e rest.
The lower part of the magazine or hopper F is provided with an inwardly and
outwardly movable front piece or follower F1 hinged to the ends of the hopper
at f. To the lower part of this follower is loosely attached a bottom plate F²
which shares the inward and outward movement of the follower and which forms
a sliding bottom of the magazine. The inner edge of the bottom plate F2 in this

page_text: instance rests and slides upon the horizontal portion g of the fixed plate G and when
the plate Fis retracted said horizontal part g of the plate G forms a continuation thereof
and part of the bottom of the hopper. In the present drawings the bottom plate F2
is connected with the hopper plate F1 by being made to rest upon an inwardly directed
flange f in which are set pins f that rise loosely through holes in the bottom plate.
Other suitable forms of connection will obviously serve the same purpose.
The action of the vibrating front-plate F' and movable bottom plate F2 is, first, by
their retraction to allow the fuel or screenings to fall in the lower part of the hopper
and, second, by their forward movement, to force the fuel through the passage f
upon the inclined grate E. The shelving and inclined portion g' of the plate G
overhanging the adjacent grate bar e insures the proper delivery of the fuel from the
hopper to the grate.
J is a rotating horizontal shaft supported in brackets j beneath the magazine and
substantially in the inclined plane occupied by the connecting bar E² of the grate E.
Upon the shaft J, as shown in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 8a, 9, and 10 are fixed to
excentrics J¹ and J2 the former of which actuates the reciprocating bar E2 through"
the medium of the pitman or excentric-rod j¹ and the latter of which vibrates the
hopper plate F1 through the medium of the rod J³. The rod J³ is preferably provided
with a gab or laterally open notch j2 for its engagement with a pin f on the end. of
the plate F¹ and a handle j³ by which it may be lifted out of or dropped into engage-
ment with said pin at pleasure. The shaft J is shown in Figure as having a
driving pulley J* for its rotation; but this is to be understood as typical of any
known or preferred form of driving mechanism.
It is proposed that, as, in the slow rotation of the excentric shaft J, the hopper
follower F presses the fuel forward into the furnace, the grate bars e shall
simultaneously tilt from their horizontal position seen in Figure 6 towards that shown
in Figure 5, so that the fuel entering upon the top of the inclined grate shall slowly
force the mass already upon said grate toward the grate D. This end is obviously
effected by proper adjustment of the excentrics on the shafts J.
In Figure 13 other and preferable forms of connections with the shaft J are shown
for operating the movable hopper plate and the rocking bars of the inclined grate.
In this Figure but one excentric or disc crank J¹ is used. This crank or excentric is
connected by a rod j¹ with a vibrating vertical arm J5 which is here shown pivoted at
its upper end to the vibrating hopper plate F¹ near the pivotal line f¹ of said plate
but may be pivoted elsewhere. The reciprocating bar E2 is connected with this
arm J5 at a suitable point by means of a connecting rod E³ which desirably
passes through a slot e in the arm J5 and is provided with nuts on opposite
sides of said arm, as shown, for adjustment of the throw of the grate bars or
to allow of lost motion between said bars and their actuating devices, if desired. By
means of these movable nuts on the rod E3 the grate bars may be given a variable
range of oscillation or they may be oscillated between variable initial and terminal
positions according to the requirements of the particular kind of coal that is being
used. By the same devices, of course, the period of time in which the grates are.
allowed to remain without motion may also be varied, by variation of the space between
the nuts. A screw Jo secured to the vibrating plate F1 and provided with a hand
wheel J and an inner nut Js are suitable means for detachably securing the arm J5
either rigidly or with a lost motion to the hopper plate F¹ and to adjust the extent to
which said plates F will be thrown by the crank-shaft J.
The passage leading from the hopper F to the furnace may be varied by means of
a slide f5 (Figure 4) and the speed of the shaft J when run by power may be
regulated to give any desired rapidity of fuel supply to the grates.
The hood or arch H which projects backwardly from the front wall of the fire-box and
overhangs the upper portion of the inclined grate covers what may be termed the
coking space of the furnace. The fuel on that part of the grate E not covered by
the hood H and that beneath the lower or inner edge of the hood will commonly be
in an incandescent stage of combustion and the gases emitted by the coal or
screenings being coked beneath the hood are conducted downwardly over and in
1+

page_text: proximity with the fire and ignited. The forward direction of the arch 1 over or
into proximity with the hood H. insures the commingling of all the elements which
enter into combustion including an adequate supply of air admitted beneath and
through the grates and the result is that as such of these clements as are still uncon-
sumed pass through the contracted space c combustion thereof is there finally and
completely offected. The indirect course of the gases tends also to retard their
progress and thereby to further insure their proper combustion before their escape
while the hood H proceeding from the front wall allows the flames to attack the
extreme front of the boiler.
In the operation of the inclined grate E composed of rocking transverse bars e the
fuel is fed downward over the grate with regularity, the angle of inclination of said
grate being such that the fuel does not slide sudderly forwardly thereon and the
varying backward and forward motion of the grate-bars operating in connection with
gravity being such that the fuel practically moves almost equally fast whether the
bars e be rocking in one direction or the other.
In either movement of the bars e the bed of fuel is being constantly broken or
stirred by a slow motion which facilitates the admission of air and promotes even and
complete combustion.
It will be understood that various changes may be made from the forms of devices
shown in the drawings without departure from my invention, with respect to other
matters. For example, any desired form of grate or terminal support and discharging
device for ash and cinder may be substituted in place of the grate D without affecting
my claims for the inclined grate. So also other forms of connections may be
employed to give the desired movements to the inclined grate bars.
As illustrated in Figures 14 to 18 A represents the fire-box or combustion chamber
of a steam boiler furnace, B an inclined gate of the construction shown in Figures 1
to 13 of the drawings, C the foot-grate, D the hopper, G the inclined bars which
support the main grate, H the dead-plate over the head of the grate B, and I an
adjustable connecting rod for operating the grate B from the lever J.
In the construction of the inclined bars G for the support of the transverse rocking
grate bars b b of the main grate B, as herein before described said inclined bars are
provided at their upper ends with flanges arranged to bear squarely against the inner
vertical face of the front plate of the setting when said inclined bars are at a given
angle. To change the inclination of said bars G in the construction shown in
Figures 1 to 13, therefore, involves the insertion of liners between the flanges thereof
and the front plate and impairs the support which it is intended to give by said hars
to the dead-plate H. To avoid this objection and to facilitate the placing of the
inclined bars G at any desired inclination (within certain limits in which the grate
may be practically varied in its pitch) 1 have introduced in the device shown in
Figures 14 to 18 a pivoted connection of the upper end of the bars G with their front
supports. The best form in which I have been able thus far to embody this improve-
ment is shown in Figure 14, wherein the dead-plate H is sustained by brackets H¹
from the front plate of the setting and the grate supporting bars are pivoted
at gto the brackets H¹. By means of this pivotal conn etion it becomes a very
simple matter to adjust the inclination of the grate B to any angle suited to the
particular kind of coal to be used, all that is necessary to effect such variation of
inclination being to raise or lower the foot-blocks or beds upon which the lower
ends of the bars G rest. The individual grate bars bb of the grate B may be
adjusted to their proper positions in such variation of the angles of the bars G
by means of the movable nuts on the connecting rod I, by which nuts the limits of
movement on the part of said grate bars are determined.
The foot grate as shown in said Figures 1 to 13 and herein before described consists
of a vertical fixed grate-bar located directly at the foot of the inclined grate E, and a
horizontal grate pivoted at its rear margin and meeting or proximating at its front
edge the transverse vertical bar, referred to. That foot grate is therefore, in two
parts, one of which is fixed and the other of which is pivoted, the two parts being
arranged to form a depression within which a body of cinder, clinkers, ashes &c

page_text: its upper
may accumulate and from which they will be discharged by dropping the lower
pivoted horizontal portion of the grate. In the present case the foot grate C is made
in one picco from front to rear, being downwardly curved or concave on
surface. It is pivoted at such a point between vertical lines passing through its
several ends, that its front and upturned margin may fall. As shown in Figure 15
it is thus pivoted at or about its middle and in Figure 14 at a point back of the
middle. In either case, when its front and upturned margin is lowered, its rear
margin will be uptilted. For the purpose of supporting the grate on its axis a
transverse metal beam C₁is located beneath the grate C and provided with lugs c² for
the support of pivot pins c³. The grate bars c are correspondingly provided with
depending or downwardly projecting lugs c¹ which stand.close to the lugs c2 on the
beam C and take the pivot pins c³. In front of its axis each grate is provided with
a depending arm C³ to the lower end of which is pivoted a rod C2 extending to the
front of the ash-pit by which the fireman may lift and lower the grate. The two
possible positions of the grate are shown in Figures 15 and 16 wherein the foot-
grate is made in two sections, one of which is shown tilted forwardly. A cross-bar c4
is illustrated in Figures 15 and 16 as a suitable means for stopping the grate in its
working position though the beam C¹ may manifestly be made to serve the same
purpose, or it may be omitted, as seen in Figure 14. The operating rod .C² is
provided with one or more hooks.or teeth c6 by which it may,
in a familiar manner,
engage an edge of the front plate through which said rod passes.
I prefer, as a special improvement in the grate, when pivoted elsewhere than at
its rear margin, to locate the axis c5 at the rear of the center of gravity of the grate
when loaded, so that its front edge will drop under its load when the connecting
rod C2 is released from its engagement with the front plate. The slots or bars in the
gate C are arranged to run from front to rear to facilitate the discharge of the
grate when tilted as well as to permit of the grate being raked through the front door
of the ash-pit.
It will be observed, by reference to the drawing that the upper surface of the front
and upturned portion of the concave grate C is substantially in line with the inclined
grate B, thus forming practically a continuation of said inclined grate. As a result
of this form of the grate C and of the continuation thereof with the grate B it is
found that the ashes, and particularly the clinkers, continue their movement past the
junction of the two gratos and on to the grate C without an abrupt break and without
opening a too large passage through the fuel bed at this point for the admission of
air. On the other hand melted clinker does not lodge in a depending mass from the
lower bar of the grate B, as when the foot grate is vertical at this point, and no
lodged clinker therefore shuts off the air to result. in melting the lower bar of the
grate B and the adjacent part of the foot grate, as in the construction hereinbefore
described.
Next describing the adjustable connecting rod I through the medium.of which the
bar I' is reciprocated and the grate-bars b bare rocked by a vibratory movement of
the lever J. This connecting rod I is pivoted to the upper end of the bar I¹ and
passes through a suitable opening j in the lower end of the vibrating lever J, being
provided with nuts i i¹ applied to a screw threaded portion of the red I, and therefore
adjustable thereon, so that the grate bars may be rocked through a varying range of
movement beginning and ending at various limits. The nuts i i¹ being set at a
distance apart and the intermediate portion of the rod I being screw-threaded and
passing through the opening j, a movement back and forth of the lever J between the
nuts tends to wear the screw-threads by frictional contact thereof with the bottom
of the passage j; wherefore I provide the rod I with a sleeve I2 interposed between
the nuts i i¹ around the rod I, as best shown in the enlarged detail Figures 17 and 18
though also seen in Figure 14. This sleeve may be cut to any desired length
according to the range of movement intended to be allowed the lever J without.
oscillation of the grate bars. The sleeve manifestly takes the wear resulting from
rubbing contact with the lever J and prevents injury to the thread on the rod I which

page_text: it embraces. It also has the advantage of insuring the same space between the nuts
when the latter are shifted on the rod with a view only of changing the position of
the grate-bars at the beginning and end of their rocking movement.
I prefer to secure the sleeve 12 to the outer nut i and to this end the latter is shown
in Figure 18 as being provided with an enlargement 2 of its orifice, in which enlarge-
ment is formed a screw-thread to take a thread upon the outer surface of one end of
said sloove I².
I also prefer to make the nut i closed at its outer end and of sufficient length to
pormit of its being run upon or off the rod I as far as will be required in practice.
There is nothing new in the capped nut i of itself.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is-
1-The combination, with a furnace fire-box provided with an inclined grate, of
an arch projecting from the front wall of the fire-box above the grate and extending in
a position substantially parallel with the grate, over the upper part only thereof, and
forming a coking chamber practically distinct from the hopper and over the head of
the grate only, while the lower part of the same inclined grate beyond the arch
affords room for the bed of incandescent fuel external to the coking chamber,
substantially as described.
2The combination, with a furnace fire-box provided with an inclined grate, of
an external feed-hopper arranged to deliver upon the extreme upper end of the grate,
an arch or hood H projecting from the front wall of the fire-box over the grate and
extending rearwardly and downwardly over the upper part of the grate and forming
an interior coking chamber practically distinct from the hopper, and an arch I pro-
jocting forwardly from the rear of the fire-box, above and clear of the arch H, and
terminating forward of the rear margin of the said arch H, and at a distance from the
front wall of the fire-box, substantially as described.
3 An inclined furnace grate composed of a series of rocking, transverse, non-
fingored bars having wide and flat upper surfaces, and provided with trunnions which
rest upon suitable supports, and rocking bars being arranged with the rear edge of
cach bar overhanging the front edge of the bar beneath it, with a vertical space
between the lapping portions of adjacent bars to allow of the desired rocking motion,
and together forming a series of horizontal steps or shelves adapted to be tilted on
their trunnions to advance the fuel, substantially as described.
4An inclined furnace grate composed of a series of transverse bars having
flat and broad upper surfaces, mounted in position wherein the rear edge of each
bar overhangs the front edge of the subjacent bar, a vertical space being provided
between the overhanging portions of the bars, affording room for the desired rocking
movement, and the front edges of the underlapping bars being provided with an
upwardly projecting rib, substantially as described.
5-The combination of an inclined grate composed of transverse rocking bars
provided with depending arms, a magazine arranged to feed upon the upper end of
the grate, and provided with a vibrating follower, a rotating excentric or crank-shaft,
a connecting bar uniting the grate bar arms, a pitman connecting the crank or
excentric with the said connecting bar, and a connection uniting the crank or
excentric with the vibrating fellower, substantially as described.
6 The combination with an inclined grate having movable bars and with a
magazine arranged to deliver upon the upper part of the grate, and provided with a
vibrating follower, of a rotating crank or excentric-shaft, having actuating con-
nection with the grate bars, a vibrating vertical lever (as J5, Fig. 13), an adjustable
connection of said lever with the follower, and an actuating connection of said crank-
shaft with the vibrating lever, substantially as described.
7
The combination with an inclined furnace grate having transverse rocking
bars, an elevated magazine and a fixed cross-plate at the head of the grate, of a

page_text: follower located opposite the feeding opening of the hopper and pivoted at its upper
part, and a bottom plate of the hopper flexibly connected with the follower and resting
movably upon said fixed plate, substantially as described.
S: In a furnace grate comprising transverse, rocking grate-bars, inclined
supporting bars for said grate-bars, and supports for the inclined bars, the said
inclined bars being provided at their upper ends with hinged connections with their
supports.
9: The combination of hinged supporting bars, rocking grate-bars, a connecting
bar uniting said grate bars, a vibrating lever and a connecting rod provided with
actuating nuts for engagement with the said lever.
10 The combination with an inclined grate, of a foot grate which is concaved
from front to rear and has its front and discharging portion practically in line with
the inclined grate, said foot grate being supported on a transverse axis arranged
to allow the front of said grate to be lowered and raised, substantially as
described.
11-The combination with the vibrating lever (as J, Figures 1 to 13) provided
with an aperture, and the rocking grate-bars, of a connecting rod passing through
said aperture and provided with adjustable shoulders or nuts at opposite sides of said
lever, substantially as described.
12: The combination, with rocking grate-bars, a lever provided with an aperture
and a screw threaded connecting rod passing through the said aperture and provided
with adjustable nuts on opposite sides of the lever, of a sleeve embracing the said rod
between nuts thereon.
WILLIAM RUFUS RONEY.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.