New or Improved Method of Focussing or Controlling Flame or Heat in Connection with Burners, Stoves, Kilns, Melting Pots or other Heaters Provided with Combustion Chambers.
Year: 1894

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
New or Improved Method of Focussing or Controlling Flame or
Heat in Connection with Burners, Stoves, Kilns, Melting Pots or
other Heaters Provided with Combustion Chambers.
A communication by CHARLES H. LAND and HORACE J. CAULKINS, both of
Detroit, in the County of Wayne and State of Michigan, United States of
America.
1, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S. M.I.M.E. of The Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool and 6 Bank Street
Manchester both in the County of Lancaster and 323 High Holborn in the
County of Middlesex, Civil 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 consists of a novel method and apparatus for focussing flame in
connection with a burner, stove, kiln, melting-pot, or other heater provided with a
combustion chamber, the apparatus being adapted and designed for use either with
gas. liquid hydrocarbon, or other analogous fuels.
The invention consists of the combination of devices hereinafter described and
claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which :-
Figure 1 is a vertical section showing parts in elevation embodying features of
the invention.
Figure 2 is a detail view in plan, illustrating the removable slide for supporting
the diaphragm.
Figure 3 is a cross section on the line 3-3, Figure 1; and
Figure 4 is a vertical section on the line 4-4, Figure 2.
An essential feature of the invention consists in the discovery that flame may be so
regulated and controlled within an enclosed space or chamber as to greatly
intensify the heat therein, free from the presence of carbonic oxide.
The improved method and apparatus for burning these fuels and securing these
results differ radically from those employed in the ordinary Bunsen burner, for
example, inasmuch as the invention contemplates adding an excess of air to the open
flame exteriorly thereto, permitting said excess of air to combine with the flame
after ignition. In the Bunsen burner, there can be no free carbon to unite with
the outside air, for the reason that excess of air is added previous to ignition and
the carbon is converted thereby into carbonic oxide. But with the open flame, the
hydrogen heats the carbon to incandescence ready for the outside air to combine
therewith, converting the carbon into CO₂.
Another essential feature of this invention consists in focussing the flame and air
through a suitable aperture in the base of a combustion chamber. In the utilisation
of various gases and oils for fuel, it is preferable to allow the fuel to flow directly
into the burner without any previous admixture of air therewith, dependence being
bad upon this improved method and apparatus for focussing the flame to admit the
required amount of air direct to the flame at the point of ignition or after ignition
has taken place.
In the drawings:
--
A denotes a combustion chamber: A' denotes the case or wall of the combustion
chamber.
It is preferred that the case A' should be constructed of refractory material
surrounded with a metal lining as at A', an asbestus or similar packing A' being
located between the lining A2 and the shell or case A¹: but the present invention

page_text: is not limited to any particular construction of the enclosure of the combustion:
chamber.
B denotes any suitable support for the combustion chamber, the same being
preferably provided with a supporting bed B' at its upper end, said bed constructed
with a central opening as shown at b. Upon said bed is located a removable
slide B' formed with a central orifice, as shown at b', said opening being shown in dotted
lines in Figure 3. To receive said slide, the bed B' may be constructed with guide
flanges The slide B2 is also preferably constructed with flanges within which
may be located a removable diaphragm C, preferably made of refractory material,
said diaphragm being constructed with a contracted opening c. The diaphragm is
made removable so that any diaphragm provided with a central orifice c, of any
desired diameter, may be readily placed in position upon the slide. The slide B' is
located upon the bed B₁ just beneath the combustion chamber, the combustion
chamber resting, as shown in the drawing, upon the periphery of the bed B¹. The
diaphragm is thus located intermediate the bed B' and the base of the combustion
chamber A. It is contemplated and designed that the heating apparatus should be
supplied with a series of diaphragms C, having their central orifices respectively of
differing diameters, so that, by pulling out the slide B*, any desired diaphragm may
engaged thereupon as circumstances may require. The diaphragm may thus
readily be changed to suit any condition of affairs at the will of the operator.
One of the many objects of the present invention is to provide a heating
apparatus, or an apparatus for focussing flame, with a removable and adjustable
diaphragm, although the invention is not limited thereto; and it must also be
understood that the invention is not limited to this specific device or the manner
of supporting the same and of making the diaphragm interchangeable, as it may
be made interchangeable in any desired manner, within the scope of the invention.
Within the combustion chamber and above the aperture in its base, a muffle A*
is shown, as the invention is especially well adapted for the use of various kinds of
Inuffle work for the use of dentists, jewellers, etcetera.
Supported beneath the bed B' is the improved burner, consisting essentially of a
pan D open at the top and closed at the base. D' is a feed inlet pipe leading into
the pan. For burning liquid hydrocarbon, a reservoir D' may be provided with a
faucet d to feed the fuel into a tunnel communicating with the feed pipe. Within
the pan D, a foraminous collar or screen D³ is located, which may be made of wire
gauze or other suitable material, the same preferably resting by its own gravity
upon the base of the pan. The pan D is made vertically adjustable beneath the
aperture c in any suitable manner. It is preferred, however, to employ a system of
levers herewith shown, consisting of two lever arms E and E', having a jointed or
pivotal connection at one extremity upon an arm D* depending from the pan, the
arm D being preferably formed with pins or studs engaged in elongated slots d³
in said lever arms. The opposite extremities of said lever arms are jointedly
connected with an operated lever E, as shown at e, the lever E being fulcrummed,
as shown at e¹, upon a bracket E8 upon the supporting frame. The operating
lever E is formed with an arm E³ projecting between the arms E and E' and with
an operating handle E. By lifting or depressing the handle E', it will be evident
that the arms E E' will be correspondingly operated to elevate or lower the pan of
the burner perpendicularly in a very simple and ready manner. A screw E may
be employed for the fulcrum of the lever E', and by turning a thumb nut e there-
upon, any suitable tension or friction may readily be given to the lever E' to hold
the operating lever and burner in any given position.
To more particularly adapt the burner for the use of gas, it is preferred to
provide the pan D with inner supports , supporting a foraminous plate F there-
upon for spreading the gas admitted through the feed pipe, which, for this purpose,
is indicated in dotted lines, and which is preferably led into the pan below the
plate F. In the use of oil for example, asbestus or any other suitable material,
shown at G, may be located in the bottom of the pan D to establish the flame in
lighting the burner. When the surfaces above the pan are heated, they will

page_text: radiate back the heat upon the pan and vaporise the hydrocarbon fuel. This
radiation of the heat from the surfaces above the pan is very important to the
greatest efficiency of the apparatus. The use of the foraminous collar or screen
upon the pan D has a tendency to prevent the spreading of the flame outside the
same, and, in connection with other features of the apparatus, to cause the flame to
be drawn to a point or focus, said collar tending materially to regulate the current
of air passing to the flame so as to draw the flame to a point or focus, imitating
the appearance of a blow pipe flame. The size of the aperture at the base of
the combustion chamber may readily be changed for different fuels, uses and
conditions.
The raising and lowering of the pan D is an exceedingly important and
advantageous feature. In the consumption of oil, for example, when the oil is first
ignited and the combustion chamber is in a cold condition or state, the imperfectly
burned fuel gradually heats the chamber thereabove, and in proportion as this
phenomenon takes place, the radiated heat therefrom causes more rapid combustion
by raising the ignition point of the fuel to a higher degree of temperature,
vapourising the fuel and consequently enabling the operator to supply more air to
the flame by lowering the burner. The burner can thus be gradually lowered in
proportion as the temperature rises in the combustion chamber until the maximum
of heat is reached, obtainable in the kind of fuel used.
About the opening b it is preferred to provide a seat Q corresponding in form to
the upper edge of the pan D, the burner and seat being so constructed as to fit the
one against the other. Thus, the burner can be closed up against said seat,
thereby completely closing the draught through the aperture at the base of the
combustion chamber. By the same means, also, the burner can be so adjusted
relative to the seat as to regulate the exact amount of air and flame passing
through said aperture. My correspondents have discovered that just in proportion
to the draught of the chimney or flue which is dependent upon the height of the
building, must the size of the orifice in the diaphragm correspond thereto. When
the draught of the chimney or flue is increased or diminished, the size of the orifice
in the diaphragm needs to be changed.
Suppose for instance, with a device similar to that embodied in the drawings, a
start be made with a consumption of say two gallons of oil in ten hours, the Hame
being focussed through a one and a half inch orifice in the diaphragm, the height of
the chimney being two stories. The raising and lowering of the burner, set
normally at a given distance from the orifice in the diaphragm, will admit a
definite amount of air corresponding to the proportions of the flue and of the oil
consumed and of the diameter of the orifice in the diaphragm as above named.
But with precisely the same amount of fuel, the building being ten stories in
height, the increased draught of the chimney or flue being capable of exhausting
a much greater amount of air through the diaphragm, it becomes necessary
that the diameter of the orifice in the diaphragm should be reduced, and the
distance of the burner therefrom should be changed so as to secure a different
focussing of the flame. In this case the burner should be set closer to the
diaphragm.
In fact, the interchangeable diaphragm becomes the regulator of the draught and
of the amount of air supplied to the flame.
Again, the draught of a chimney or flue is changed under varying conditions of
the weather, the height of the chimney or flue being the same. When there is a
very strong draught as upon a very windy day, it becomes necessary to effect the
best results to reduce the diameter of the orifice in the diaphragm, which is readily
done by inserting a suitable diaphragm at the base of the combustion chamber, the
focus of the burner being changed to correspond, the burner consuming precisely
the same amount of fuel.
By this method and apparatus, very high degrees of heat can be secured without
the presence and injurious effects of carbonic oxide, a very essential condition for
many purposes, as in burning porcelain and decorating china ware for example,

page_text: where the presence of carbonic oxide discolors and ruins the work. Where carbonic
oxide is present, it is well known that the carbonic oxide gives up a part of its
carbon which unites with the oxides in the colouring matter and body of which the
ware is composed, thereby injuring the texture of the ware and destroying the
colouring thereof.
To permit the removal of any carbon which may be deposited upon the base of
the muffle, the combustion chamber is provided with an orifice S through which a
suitable instrument may be thrust to clear away the carbon. This orifice may be
closed by a removable plug S'.
To provide for any possible overflow from the pan, an overflow pipe T is
preferably provided. In Figure 1, said pipe is shown opening into a funnel T¹
inserted through the floor T2. To prevent any liability of fire in case the overflow
should run over the top of the funnel, the floor may be provided with a metal
facing T. In the funnel may be placed a screen above which may be located
sand or gravel t¹. The funnel may lead into a reservoir R at its base.
The base B is preferably provided with an upstanding flange * upon which
rests the base of the combustion chamber.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondents, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. The combination with the combustion chamber, provided with a contracted
aperture at its base, of a burner located beneath said aperture, and means for
raising and lowering the burner to focus the flame passed through said aperture,
substantially as set forth.
2. The combination with a combustion chamber, provided with a contracted
orifice at its base, of a burner located beneath said orifice and spaced therefrom,
a muffle or other spreader located above said orifice in the combustion chamber
and spaced from said orifice, and means for vertically adjusting the burner to
focus the flame and cause the focussed flame to pass through said orifice beneath
said muffle or spreader, substantially as set forth.
3. The combination of a burner and a combustion chamber located thereabove,
provided with a contracted aperture at its base proportioned to the size of the
burner located beneath said aperture, and means for focussing air and flame passing
through the aperture in desired proportions, substantially as set forth.
4. The combination with the combustion chamber provided with a contracted
opening at its base, of a burner located beneath said aperture and provided with an
overflow, and means for raising and lowering the burner, substantially as and for
the purpose set forth.
5. The combination with the combustion chamber provided with a contracted
aperture at its base, of a muffle or analogous device located within said chamber,
an orifice in the walls of said chamber for the removal of carbon on the base of the
muffle, a burner located beneath the aperture at the base of the combustion
chamber, and means for raising and lowering said burner, substantially as aud for
the purpose described.
6. The combination with a beating apparatus provided with a burner and a
combustion chamber, of a removable perforated diaphragm located therebetween,
substantially as set forth.
7. The combination with a heating apparatus provided with a burner, a com-
bustion chamber, and a support therefor, of a removable perforated diaphragm
located between the support and the combustion chamber, substantially as set
forth.
8. The combination with a heating apparatus provided with a burner and a
combustion chamber, of a removable slide and a removable perforated diaphragm
engaged with said slide substantially as set forth.
9. The combination with a heating device, of a combustion chamber, a removable

page_text: perforated diaphragm at the base of said chamber, and a vertically adjustable
burner located therebeneath, substantially as set forth.
10. The combination with a heating apparatus provided with a combustion
chamber, of a removable perforated diaphragm located at the base of the com-
bustion chamber, a vertically adjustable burner located beneath said diaphragın,.
a tubular supporting stem supporting the burner, and an air flue extended through
the burner and communicating with the interior of said stem, substantially as set
forth.
11. The combination with a combustion chamber having an aperture leading
thereinto, of a burner located beneath said aperture, said burner consisting of a
pan, a feed pipe leading thereiuto, and means to vertically adjust the pan, the
base of the combustion chamber constructed with a seat about said aperture
corresponding in form to the upper edge of said pan, substantially as set forth.
12. The combination with a combustion chamber having an aperture leading
thereinto, a recess about said aperture and a seat about said recess, of a burner
located therebeneath, said burner consisting of a pan, a feed pipe leading thereinto,
and means to vertically adjust the pan whereby the pan may be closed against said
seat, substantially as set forth.
13. The combination with a combustion chamber having an aperture at its base,.
of a burner located beneath said aperture, said burner consisting of a pan and a
feed pipe leading thereinto, and means to vertically adjust said pan toward and.
from said aperture, substantially as set forth.
14. The combination with a combustion chamber having an aperture leading
thereinto, of a burner located therebeneath consisting of an open pan, a feed pipe
leading thereinto, levers D D' connected with said pan, and an operating lever D
engaged with the levers D D' for raising and lowering said pan, substantially as.
set forth.
15. A burner having in combination a pan B, a feed inlet pipe, and a foraminous.
collar toward the outer edge of said pan, and means to vertically adjust the pan:
substantially as set forth.
16. A burner having in combination a pan, a feed inlet pipe, a foraminous.
collar C, and a foraminous plate supported above the entrance of the inlet pipe,.
substantially as set forth.
17. A burner having in combination a pan B, lever arms D D¹ connected with
said pau, and an operating lever D' constructed with arms D' D' for raising and
lowering the pan perpendicularly, substantially as set forth.
18. The process of securing high degrees of heat free from carbonic oxide herein
described, consisting of feeding the fuel into an open pan, super-heating and
vaporizing the fuel by radiated heat from above supplying air to the flame at the
point of ignition and focussing the flame by suitable focussing devices, substantially
as set forth.
Dated this 5th day of Tul 1904
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents.