IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF FURNACES FOR STEAM BOILERS USED IN SUGAR MILLS. DISTILLERIES. BREWERIER AND OTHER MILLS OR FACTORIES
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Felix Le Conte, of No. 10, Rue des Tarisses,
Tournay, in the Kingdom of Belgium, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF FURNACES FOR STEAM BOILERS USED IN SUGAR
MILLS. DISTILLERIES. BREWERIER AND OTHER MILLS OR FACTORIES."
Sealed the 24th February 1863, and dated the 30th August 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Felix Le Conte at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 30th
August 1862.
I, FELIX LE CONTE, of No. 10, Rue des Tarisses, Tournay; in the Kingdom
of Belgium, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF FURNACES FOR STEAM BOILERS USED IN SUGAR MILLS,
DISTILLERIES, BREWERIES, AND OTHER MILLS OR FACTORIES," to be as follows:-
The object of these improvements is to increase the draught of furnaces.
For this purpose I construct the bars with large open or gaping surfaces on
the exterior side or sides, or angles; into these openings the air is compulsorily
introduced, escaping at the other or interior side or sides, where the openings-
are very much reduced in size, and thus producing a rapid current, which
greatly accelerates combustion. This rapid renewal of air keeps the lower or
exterior side, sides, or angles of the bars so cold that they may be touched by
the hand while enclosing a most ardent fire, and the ashes will scarcely retain-

page_text: a vestige of cinder. For bakers' ovens I purpose placing all the orifices on
the same side fronting the draught so as to expel all the caloric in the furnace,
reserving only one square orifice to aid the combustion, I sometimes instead
of orifices leave intervals between the furnace bars, these intervals always
lessening from the exterior to the interior or fire side of the bars. In some
cases, I use a sort of funnel system, the large openings or funnel mouths
receiving the air under the furnace, and allowing it to pass out through small
square openings, which increases the combustion, and drives the caloric to the
upper part of the furnace. The funnels may be of any length, and the furnace
bars may either terminate at an obtuse angle, or be quite flat, and of any
length or size.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Felix Le Conte in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
25th February 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FELIX
LE CONTE, of No. 10, Rue des Tarisses, Tournay, in the Kingdom of Bel-
gium, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Felix Le Conte, Her special licence that I, the said Felix Le
Conte, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Felix Le Conte, my executors, 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF FURNACES FOR STEAM BOILERS USED IN SUGAR
MILLS, DISTILLERIES, BREWERIES, AND OTHER MILLS OR FACTORIES," upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that I, the said Felix Le Conte, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of
their hands 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Felix Le Conte, 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, reference being had to the Sheet of Drawing hereunto annexed,
and forming part of this my Specification, and to the figures and letters of
reference placed thereon.
The principle of my Invention consists essentially in the production of
whirlwinds of air by means of the bars of the focus of a fire-place, the air
escaping through openings made in the bars in contrary directions. This
effect is obtained by giving passage to straight or direct currents or waves of
air, and to other currents of air directed perpendicularly or obliquely upon
those first mentioned, and it will be evident from the following descrip-
tion that the form of the bars may vary, so that this main condition be
preserved.
In the annexed Drawing is shewn a bar of the shape of a quadrangular prism,
formed by four plane surfaces, two large ones (l, m, Figures 1, 3, and 4),
forming between them an acute angle, and two narrower (p, g, Figures 1, 2,
and 4), forming between them an obtuse angle. The prism terminates at
both ends in a heel, by means of which the bar rests on the summit of the
focus. The larger faces of the prism are pierced alternately with cavities (b, b,
Figures 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, and 9), formed by the removal of a portion of the
surface. These cavities open by cuts or orifices (a, a, Figures 1, 2, 5, 6, 8,
and 9), in the smaller faces opposite to the large ones in such manner that
the cavities to the right open to the left, and those to the left open to the
right (see Figures 5 and 6). These cavities are separated from each other by
a plane surface, which occupies the prismatic cut of the bar (Figure 7). The
construction of the focus of the fire-place may sometimes render it desirable
to substitute in the bar a single plane in lieu of the two upper ones above
mentioned, so that instead of a quadrilateral shape the bar presents a trian-
gular one, and in this case the cavities open in the upper plane surface. In-
stead of a top plane surface, a curved or arched one may be adopted, in
which the cavities open as shewn in section at Figure 9, and this curved
surface will be more or less arched according to the size of the bar.
In my Provisional Specification I have referred to a funnel system of
bars, and to a method of carrying out the principle of my Invention with full
bars having only intervals and no orifices, but the description of bar above
referred to, and shewn in the accompanying Drawing, I deen most preferable
for carrying out my Invention.
In the Drawing Figure 1 represents a longitudinal elevation of a bar formed

page_text: according to my Invention. l, m, large plane surfaces; p, 9, smaller plane sur-
faces; Figure 2, top plan view of bar; a, cuts or orifices; Figure 3, plan view
of bar seen from beneath; b, b, right and left orifices; Figure 4, plan view of
end of bar; t, heel; Figure 5, section of bar, shewing the cavities 6 to the right
opening to the left in a; Figure 6, section shewing the cavities 6 to the left
opening to the right in a; Figure 7, section at I, K, shewing plane surface
between the cavities; Figure 8, section of a triangular bar with top plane
surface; and Figure 9, section of a bar with top surface curved. The bars
are placed on the summit of the focus of the fire-place or furnace at a dis-
tance of say, from to of an inch apart according to the fuel used. The
air is introduced into the focus through the spaces left between the bars, but
air also enters by the lateral cavities b, b, of the bar, and opening into the
focus through the orifices a, a, to the right and left it strikes obliquely the
direct current of air which passes between the bars, and in this way produces
whirlwinds or irregular currents of air, causing a mixture of air and gas, and
complete combustion. It is in fact impossible that waves or currents of un-
burnt air and gas should fail to act on each other, and pass together, and in a
parallel manner through the fire, to mingle only in the chimney, when their
coolness prevents combustion. The mixture necessarily takes place if my
improved bars be used under the influence of a high degree of temperature,
and the carbonated gas is completely burnt, hence absence of smoke, and
economy of fuel by the use of that combustible matter which is generally lost
in smoke. Another advantage results from the use of my improved bars, not
only is their wear and tear less from the constant cooling which air brings with
it, but they may even be said to be almost indestructible, inasmuch as they
never become red, however ardent the fire. Further, their weight is less by
twenty per cent. than that of the bars in ordinary use, and which require
constant renewal. These bars are applicable to the fire-places of locomotives
and furnaces of every description.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the means by
which I carry it into practical effect, I would have it understood that the
dimensions of the bar, and its cavities or orifices are arbitrary, and depend upon
the dimensions of the focus of the fire-place or furnace, and the description
of fuel used, and that I do not confine myself to the precise form or shape,
and arrangement of the orifices in the bar as shewn in the Drawing, as
such may be modified without departure from my Invention, which I declare
to be, and I claim, the construction of fire or furnace bars presenting an
angle above and below, or with a plane surface at top, but pierced with
openings, through which pass currents of air in opposite directions, by which

page_text: means a mixture of air and carbonated gas takes place within the focus of the
fire-place, and quickens combustion. The whole essentially as herein-before
described and illustrated in the annexed Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Felix Le Conte, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Tenth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three,