IM- PROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OF AND APPARATUS FOR CONSUMING SMOKE AND ECONOMIZING FUEL IN STEAM BOILER AND OTHER FURNACES
Year: 1876

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by George Douglas Hughes at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 3rd July 1876.
GEORGE DOUGLAS HUGHES, of Nottingham, in the County of Nottingham. "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OF AND APPARATUS FOR CONSUMING SMOKE AND
ECONOMIZING FUEL IN STEAM BOILER AND OTHER FURNACES."
My Invention relates to improvements for the more effectual consumption of the
smoke and gases, and for economizing fuel in the furnaces of steam boilers or other
furnaces.
I propose to construct the door of the furnace with a series of revolving shutters
or sliding doors on the principle of a ventilator; these doors or shutters being
actuated and regulated by means of clockwork or escapement, engine, or other
mechanical power; they may also be regulated by hand for the admission of air to
meet the requirements of the furnace for the consumption of the smoke and gases
given off from the fuel.
On the internal side of the furnace door I affix a fire-brick or fire-lump of suitable
size and form; this fire-brick is perforated with a large number of small holes
for the passage of the air admitted through the plates or shutters, the air being
heated and distributed during its passage through these apertures. On the back
of the door I attach a plate bent downward to deflect the incoming current of air
upon the glowing and incandescent fuel in the furnace, causing its rapid admixture
with the smoke and gases being given off by the fuel.
In what is termed the dead plate or bearing bar, forming the front of the furnace,
and carrying the front ends of the furnace bars, I form a slot or slots inuch wider
at the bottom than at the top side, so that any ashes may fall clear away that pass
through the upper part of the slot; along the under side of this slot or slots I fix
a pipe or pipes across the front of the furnace perforated along the upper side ;
through this pipe I force common air, gas, or steam, as may be required, which is
projected into the furnace with considerable force through the perforations along
the pipe; this air, gas, or steam meeting the stream of air thrown down by the
deflecting plate on the inside of the door and mixing with the gas and smoke from
the fuel causes it to be ignited and rapidly consumed; the means of regulating the
air, gas, or steam through this pipe, as also the closing and opening of the door or
shutter covering the slot, to be worked by the stoker or attendant as may be
required.

page_text: The furnace bars I make single, double, or triple, according to the requirements
of the furnace, and of a zig-zag or corrugated form along the sides, but the under
side of the bar I make of a series of curvilinear or angular forms to allow the air to
come into more immediate contract with the fuel in the furnace, and to prevent
the inequality of expansion (hitherto so great a source of bending and breaking in
the straight or curved bottom fire-bar); the ends I make similar in form to the
other part of the bar, only attaching proper projections at suitable places along the
sides to allow a sufficient amount of air space between them.
By these improvements greater efficiency and durability of the furnace is secured,
and the smoke and gases are effectually consumed with less expense in labor
and fuel.