IMPROVEMENTS IN AND CONNECTED WITH STEAM BOILER AND OTHER FURNACES
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Sigismund Schuman of Glasgow in the County of
Lanark North Britain Manufacturer for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Sigismund Schuman at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd March 1883.
SIGISMUND SCHUMAN, of Glasgow in the County of Lanark, North Britain,
Manufacturer, "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND CONNECTED WITH STEAM BOILER AND
OTHER FURNACES,"
J
This Invention has reference to certain improvements in and connected with
steam boiler furnaces, and other such like furnaces, for the purpose of giving a
perfect combustion of the coal, dross, or other fuel used, and of the inflammable
gases and smoke produced therefrom, thus preventing the escape of any such
smoke from furnaces fitted with these improvements.
And the nature and novelty of these improvements consist, first, in fitting a
swivelling angled or curved division plate within the back or inner end of the
ashpit of the furnace, on a horizontal axis below the fire bars, some distance from
or in front of the back wall. The lower horizontal part and edge of this division
plate is so angled or curved as to reach close up to the back wall to form a
receptacle for the ash or clinkers passed through between or over the back end of
the furnace bars and sufficiently up from the bottom of the ash pit that this
division plate may be tilted from time to time by a rod reaching to the front of
the furnace to deliver the contents into the ashpit to be removed as usual; while
the upper edge is so curved or angled forward over the fulcrum as to reach within
a few inches of the furnace bars, to admit air to the close heating air space or
chamber formed between the upper part of this division plate and the back wall.
The air so admitted gets highly heated before passing up through the back end of
the furnace bars, or between these and the back wall, to keep up a high state of
combustion and heat the air to insure the consumpton of the smoke and
inflammable gases as they pass the bridge. This air heating chamber might
extend across the whole width of the ash pit, or have sides to contract it to

page_text: only a part of the width when desired. The upper part of the plate of this
air-heating chamber would project forward over its fulcrum, and be counter-
weighted heavier than the lower part and the ashes it was designed to contain,
so as to automatically adjust itself after each delivery or discharge of the
ashes from the lower part. A further or second improvement consists in
leading a considerable portion of the air from the said heating chamber (at the
back of the ash pit and swivelling plate) up through ducts or channels opening
therefrom, preferably of cast-iron, fitted within or close behind the upper part of
the brick bridge; and into horizontal heating boxes or chambers formed or fitted
at their upper ends. These upper horizontal air chambers would be fitted with
sockets or rims for the fitting on of vertical and short longitudinal close portable
air heating and directing chambers, preferably angled, with the sides converging
towards the front and top, to allow of the free passage of the gases and flames
between them over the bridge, so as to effectually heat the air passing up through
between them. The heated air would be allowed to escape through vertical slits,
or other openings, in their sides, and at the upper and front edges so as to
combine with and burn all the hydrocarbon or other inflammable gases and smoke
while passing over or behind these air heating and directing boxes. The back ends
of the horizontal box would preferably be made to project over the wall, and each
be formed with a slot or opening on their underside below each vertical air-
heating and directing top, to allow of the free falling out or escape of all dust
that might otherwise gather in these air chambers, which would preferably be
made in separate sections or parts capable of being replaced when burned or other-
wise injured by the heat, without disturbing those which were uninjured.
Although only one angled swivelling plate has been described,-for forming an
air admitting and heating chamber under the back end of the furnace bars, and
for letting down the ashes at intervals, it will be understood that two or more
such swivelling plates might be so fitted and used in front of each other, with
vertical division plates between them; and have the air admitted to the front
chamber and passed on to and through the other heating chamber's in 'succession,
or be led up from the ashpit into each chamber separately, by a space in front of
each swivelling plate for the purpose; or otherwise the air might be admitted up
through regulating slits, or other openings in the swivelling plate of each
chamber.
"

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Sigismund Schuman in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
21st September 1883.
SIGISMUND SCHUMAN, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain,
Manufacturer IMPROVEMENTS IN AND CONNECTED WITH STEAM-BOILER AND
"
OTHER FURNACES
"3
My said Invention has reference to certain improvements in and connected with
steam-boiler furnaces, and similar furnaces, for the purpose of giving perfect com-
bustion of the coal, dross, or other fuel used, and of the inflammable gases and
smoke produced therefrom; thereby preventing the emission of smoke from such
furnaces.
The Invention is illustrated by the accompanying Drawings, which represent
the improvements applied in connection with the furnaces of a Cornish boiler.
Figure 1 of these Drawings is a cross section, Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical
section, and Figure 3 is a horizontal section through the flues of the boiler.
The improvements comprise a swivelling angled or curved division plate A,
which is fitted within the back or inner end of the ashpit B of the furnace, on a
horizontal axis a below the fire-bars C, some distance from or in front of the back
wall D. The lower horizontal part and edge of this division plate A is angled
or curved to reach close up to the back wall to form a receptacle for the ash or
clinkers passing through between or over the back end of the furnace bars C; and
the plate is fitted at such a height from the bottom of the ash-pit that it may be
tilted from time to time by a rod a reaching to the front of the furnace, and
operated by hand to deliver the contents of the plate into the ash-pit. The upper
edge of the plate is curved or angled forward over the fulcrum to reach within a
few inches of the furnace bars to limit the extent of opening through which air
is admitted to the close heating air space or chamber which is formed between the
upper part of this division plate A and the back wall D. The air admitted to
this space becomes highly heated therein and passes up through the back end of
the furnace bars, or between them and the back wall, to keep up a high state of
combustion.
A considerable portion of the air from the heating chamber at the back of the
ash-pit and swivelling plate A is led up through ducts or channels E opening from
the chamber, and fitted within or close in front of and resting on the upper part
of the brick bridge D. The ducts or channels E are by preference made in the
form of a series of cast-iron boxes which are separated from each other by distance
pieces e. They are highly heated by the flame or hot gases passing over the
bridge, and the air which passes through them and between each is highly heated
before mixing with the gases at the outlet of the ducts immediately behind the
bridge. The unconsumed gases and particles of fuel which pass over the bridge,
mingle there with the heated air and are burned. A few of the air ducts E are
carried back over a second bridge D¹ to admit hot air to effect the complete com-
bustion of any smoke that may pass beyond the combustion chamber formed
between the bridges; and a third bridge D2 is fitted still further back, leaving a
second combustion chamber between it and the second bridge. For convenience of
cleaning out the dust which may accumulate between the bridges, a hinged door F
is fitted in an opening or archway left below the bridge or backwall D.
The ducts or channels which direct the heated air over the bridge may be
formed by bricks or slabs of fire-clay, against which the hot flame of the furnace
may impinge, or fire-bricks may be fitted over the metal ducts E which rest on
the bridge.

page_text: Two or more swivelling plates similar to the plate A shown, may be fitted in
front of each other in the ash-pit, with vertical division plates between them; and
the air may be admitted to the front chamber and pass on to and through the
other heating chambers in succession, or be led up from the ash-pit into each
chamber separately, by a space in front of each swivelling plate; or the air might
be admitted up through regulating slits or other openings in the swivelling plate
of each chamber. A number of angled plates G are fitted below the furnace bars C
to direct the air through them.
. Having thus particularly described the nature of my said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I lay no claim to the use
of the air ducts per se, as I am aware that such ducts have heretofore been fitted
over the fire-bridge in steam boilers, although so arranged by leaving no air space
between them that they are liable to be burnt, but what I do claim as my
Invention is,-
.
First. The arrangement and combination of devices for heating and supplying
air and consuming, smoke in steam boiler and similar furnaces, substantially as
herein described and illustrated.
Second. In combination with air ducts or channels fitted in front of the bridge
in boiler furnaces, the swivelling plate A operated from the front of the furnace
and arranged to regulate the admission of air to the ducts, substantially as herein
described and illustrated.
In Witness Whereof; I the said 'Sigismund Schuman have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty-three.
WALLACE FAIRWEATHER C.E.
Fel. Inst. Patent Agents
Glasgow.
Witness
.
S SCHUMAN (L.S.)