IMPROVEMENTS IN FURNACES FOR THE COMBUSTION OR DESTRUCTION OF REFUSE
Year: 1885

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
I EPHRAIM BURTON of White Swan Wharf, Nine Elms in the County of Surrey
Contractor and Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN FURNACES FOR THE COMBUSTION OR DESTRUCTION OF REFUSE
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My Invention relates to improvements in furnaces for the consumption of refuse
of all kinds but is more particularly applicable for the consumption or destruction
of the vegetable ligneous fibrous and other waste matters or materials mixed or
associated with the ashes or refuse from dust bins or the like Such refuse contains
a large proportion of readily combustible material such as cardboard paper old
baskets and fibrous substances of many kinds which, if left with other refuse such
as vegetable matter, fish offal, or other material that quickly decomposes, rapidly
commence to rot and emit obnoxious and injurious odours which frequently
engender disease. The object of my invention is to destroy such deleterious and
obnoxious materials by means of a furnace which is so constructed as to consume
them with rapidity, whilst at the same time no offensive or injurious odours will
be emitted from the shaft or chimney of such furnace in the destruction of the said
materials.
The said invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a furnace embodying my improvements, and
Figure 2 is a longitudinal central section of the same Figure 3 is a horizontal
section of said furnace and Figure 4 is a vertical transverse section of the same on
the line A, B figure 2.
Like letters indicate the same parts throughout the drawing.
In carrying my invention into practice I proceed as follows, that is to say,
I provide a furnace with a chamber a, into which the refuse material is shot or
carried. This chamber extends lengthwise of the furnace, as shown, and the fire
bars b therein pass downward from the inlet c at the top for the insertion of the
refuse, to an opening d at the rear for the admission of air to the said chamber to
ensure the combustion of such refuse. The smoke and other products of combustion
emanating from the refuse upon the fire-bars b, pass over or through a fire bridge e
(extending transversely across the furnace) and thence downwards into a chamber

page_text: or flue f below a grate or second series of fire bars g upon which I build up a
second fire so that such smoke and products of combustion from the main chamber a
have to pass through this auxiliary fire on their way to the shaft or chimney h, of
the furnace. I thereby destroy or effect the consumption of the obnoxious odours
which would emanate from such shaft, providing the auxiliary fire were not
employed.
I prefer to maintain the fire upon the fire bars g by employing the more readily
combustible material from the refuse, such as old baskets, fibrous material, çard-
board, paper, straw, and the like, which will deposit or leave as a residue upon the
said fire bars, carbonaceous matter that will remain at a red heat for a considerable
time, so as to ensure the proper consumption of the impurities and obnoxious
odours in the products of combustion emanating from the chamber a.
In order to prevent lighted portions of the refuse passing directly from the
chamber a into the chamber or flue f, below the fire bars g, I build the central
portion of the fire bridge up to the top of the chamber a and leave flues or
passages e², e, (see Figure 3) at each side of such central portion so that the
smoke and other products of combustion are compelled to travel in a somewhat
circuitous path.
To prevent any lighted portions of the refuse which is being burnt upon the fire
bars in the smoke consuining or purifying portion of the furnace entering and
passing out at the furnace shaft or chimney, I arrange in the flue or passage j
between the same and the chamber k containing the fire bars g, a water trough l,
into which all the heavier or any lighted portions of the products of combustion
will descend and be absorbed.
I provide the chamber k with a fire bridge at * and with a suitable door, as
at for instance, to permit access to the fire upon the fire bars g, and I provide
above the level of the fire bars an opening or flue f¹ controlled by a damper f*
so that the direction of the movement of the products of combustion from such
chamber a can be temporarily diverted when the door is opened to feed the fire or
for other purposes, that is to say, such products of combustion by opening such
damper can, during the charging of the chamber k, with combustible material,
be caused to pass directly over the fire on the fire bars g instead of through such
fire. Such damper can moreover be opened in case the fire bars g should become
clogged.
In order to provide for the refuse being properly fed into the main combustion
chamber a and ensure its proper consumption therein, I prefer to arrange above the
furnace a windlass as at m over which and a series of drums or pulleys n¹ supported
upon a suitable framework n, I pass endless chains n² which are adapted to travel
over such windlass and drums and through the chamber a. These chains at certain
distances apart are united by transverse chains, bars, or rods, which in the
movement of the chains n² serve to carry the refuse down through the inlet c into
the chamber a and act as a kind of gridiron to support such refuse above the fire
bars band portions of refuse thereon which are already in a glowing or incan-
descent condition. It follows therefore that there is always a free passage for the
air to the refuse carried by such chains, so that its destruction will be rapidly
effected-The aforesaid windlass may be adapted to be turned by hand or other
power and may be operated continuously or intermittently as desired.
In order to facilitate the removal of the ashes which fall between the bars b, and
accumulate in the chamber beneath the same and also the incombustible materials
mixed with the refuse, I in some cases employ endless chains o carrying suitable
scrapers o' which in their movement carry such ashes and materials to the rear and
out of the chamber a, These scrapers may be operated by a winch or windlass as
p through a chain p¹ and suitable pulleys or through other gearing and this
windlass may also be connected through an endless chain p² or other gearing with
chains q carrying buckets or elevators q¹ for raising the ashes and incombustible
materials from a pit or well as at r, into which they are drawn by the scrapers o
at

page_text: and discharging them into a chute 8 whence they can be discharged into a barge as
illustrated or into any desired reservoir or receiver.
In some cases in order to stir up the refuse upon the fire bars b, or in the
chamber a, I employ rotary stirrers which can be operated from the exterior of the
furnace, so as to facilitate the combustion of such refuse.
I prefer to line my improved furnace with fire brick and provide the same with
suitable doors to permit the charging and discharging thereof and the ready
removal of ashes or the like from the various flues and firing chambers.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
First. A furnace provided with a main combustion chamber communicating with
a second combustion chamber substantially as and for the purposes specified.
Second. The combination in a furnace of the chamber a, having the inclined fire
bars or grate b, and the openings c, d, the bridge e, having the apertures or
flues e, e³, the flue or chamber f, the chamber k, having the grate or fire bars g,
and the trough l, all substantially as set forth and for the purposes specified.
Third. In a furnace the combination with the chamber a communicating with
the chamber or flue f, and the chamber k, of the damper f² and opening or flue f¹
substantially as and for the purposes specified.
Fourth. The combination with the combustion chamber a, of the chains na
connected by cross chains, rods, or bars and adapted to be moved through and over
such combustion chamber, substantially as and for the purposes specified.
Fifth. A furnace for the consumption of refuse, consisting of the parts con-
structed combined and adapted to operate and be operated substantially as herein
set forth and for the purposes specified.