Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 14th May., 1886.
Complete Left, 12th Feb., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 15th Mar., 1887.
[Communicated from abroad by MICHAEL MARTIN BAIR, ex German Consul at
Tokis, Gentleman, of 67, Avenue des Champs Elysées, Paris, France.]
I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of the firm of A. M. and Wm. Clark, of 53,
Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent Agents,
do hereby declare the nature of this Invention to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to improvements in the construction of muffles, furnaces, and
other apparatus employed for producing and utilizing high temperatures. The object
of the Invention is to separate the matters to be treated (whether by roasting, melting,
distilling, or otherwise) in reverberatory or other furnaces of any dimensions from
direct contact with the flames or gases of combustion while still obtaining, notwith-
standing such separation, temperatures at least equal to those produced by the direct
action of the flame.
To this end the Invention consists in constructing muffles, furnaces, and other
heating apparatus of two distinct parts combined as hereafter described vizt. the furnace
proper which is a structure of sufficient strength to ensure the necessary durability and
resistance of the materials, and a series of divisions or walls of any suitable form or
arrangement which are made as thin as possible and serve simply to separate the
matters under treatment from the gases of combustion while affording a large heating
surface. These thin divisions which are placed within the furnace may be
constructed either in the form of arches, or of tubes, passages, or flues, of any form or
dimensions and in any number, it being understood that both these types of
construction are capable of infinite variation and that the arrangements hereinafter
described are only given as examples of the various ways in which the Invention
may be carried out in practice. In all cases however the furnaces are capable of being
constructed of the necessary strength and durability notwithstanding the thinness of
the walls or partitions to be traversed by the heat.

page_text: The apparatus may be constructed of any required size up to that necessary to treat
several fons at one time. Even in this case, the thickness of the separating walls or
partitions need not he increased and may not exceed one centimetre. One great
advantage of these furnaces is that as the heating is effected without the gases of
combustion coming into contact with the matters under treatment, it is possible to
produce an oxidizing, reducing, distillatory, or roasting action without loss of the
material under treatment.
According to one type of construction, the heating surface is constituted by arches.
These arches are composed of a skeleton framework of the lightest dimensions possible
consistent with strength filled in with plates of earthenware, porcelain, slate, plumbago,
or other refractory material. The plates should be made as thin as possible in order to
obstruct the passage of the heat as little as possible. The same result may also be
obtained by constructing the arches entirely of bricks of special form which would form
a thin structure strengthened by ribs and projections to ensure the requisite strength.
The method of uniting the plates of refractory material to the skeleton framing may be
effected in various ways and the arrangement of the framework itself may also be
varied.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this Specifica-
tion in which figure 1. shows a section taken partly through an arch and partly between
two arches constructed according to the first arrangement; figure 2 is a longitudinal
section of a portion of the furnace, figures 3 and 4 are sections of a second arrange-
ment taken in the same planes as figures 1 and 2 respectively; figures 5. 6. and 7 show a
third arrangement-figure 5 being a section taken on lines X-Yand T-R of figure 7
-figure 6 a section taken on line M-N of figure 5, and figure 7 a section taken on line
RS of figure 5. The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all these
figures.
The furnace arch is constructed, for example, of a series of narrow ribs or arches A
figures 1 and 2, which form what may be termed the skeleton of the furnace arch.
Upon these ribs or arches are placed thin plates of porcelain, earthenware, slate,
plumbago, or other refractory material E which connect the ribs or arches by their
extrados. In the joints between the bricks B composing the ribs or arches A are
inserted plates C of earthenware or other refractory material, said plates extending
between the arches A and acting as gills or surfaces for the radiation of heat. The
heat o the gases passing through the flue-space D traverses the plates E and radiates
therefrom and from plates C info the furnace.
By another construction, represented in figures 3 and 4, the refractory plates E are
fixed in grooves in the bricks B. The gases of combustion pass through the flue D
which is enclosed by an arch H like that of an ordinary reverberatory furnace and heat
the plates E. which radiate their heat into the interior of the furnace.
Figures 5. 6. and 7. represent a third arrangement in which bricks or slabs Care
inserted at intervals to act as distance pieces between the ribs or arches A which are
similar as regards their position to those above described. The bricks B are made of
the special form indicated in these figures. In this manner a cellular structure of
brickwork is formed as shown in figure 7 which may then be filled in with plates E of
refractory material, preferably resting upon flanges formed upon the bricks B.
If the furnace is small, or the strength of the materials will permit, instead of
having a series of arches as in figures 2. 4. and 6. two arches only may be used placed
one at each end of the furnace, the intervening space being filled in with either flat or
curved plates of refractory material, extending the whole length of the furnace and
occupying its entire breadth also if desired. The furnace arch may also consist of a
single plate of suitable form which would rest upon the two end arches above
described, and also upon the hearth or base of the abutments. If the furnace or ruffle
is intended for distillation, the hearth abutments, and arch may be constructed in either
of the ways herein described, but for melting operations, it is preferable to have a solid
and massive hearth, and to make the abutments and the arch or the arch only in this
manner. It should however be understood that the whole or any portion of the
furnace may be constructed in this improved manner. The above described arrange-

page_text: ments are given as examples only of the many ways in which furnaces may be
constructed in this manner, all arrangements in which a furnace is constructed, of a
skeleton framework (by which the requisite strength is obtained) filled in with plates
of earthen or biscuit ware porcelain, slate or other refractory material, being comprised
within the scope of this patent. Porcelain plates are preferably employed of a thick-
ness of from half a centimetre to one centimetre, but they may be of any thickness,
although they should always be made as thin as possible, with a view to economy of
fuel as compared with other apparatus for equal temperatures. Higher temperatures
even are obtainable than is possible with existing apparatus. This is an essential
feature of the Invention as the arrangements above described afford large heating
surfaces at the parts traversed by the flame or gases of combustion and more
particularly at the arch or roof of the furnace, as well as the flue conveying the flame
and products of combustion to the chimney.
These heating surfaces, and the thinness of the division to be traversed by the heat
enable a very intense heat to be obtained whereby several tons of pig iron may be
melted at a time. The improvements also permit of executing upon a manufacturing
scale and in a highly economical manner those operations which have hitherto only
been effected in crucibles, cupolas, etc.
Figures 8 and 9 represent two arrangements, in which the thin walls traversed by
the heat are composed of tubes or flues. In this case the arch, sole and abutments or
either would be thus lined or constructed. Figure 8 shows tubes of round section
made of refractory material forming the roof or arch of the furnace and above and
between which tubes is placed a filling or packing D of refractory material. Figure 9.
shows a section of a closed furnace in which the tubes which are traversed by the
flame are placed between an inner and an outer arch and constitute an internal heating
surface having thin walls, which heats the matters under treatment by radiation. In
both these arrangements the tubes may either be supported at the ends of the
furnace only, or by one or more intermediate arches or ribs constituting the framework
of the apparatus. The tubes or flues may either be plain as in figures 8 and 9, or
ribbed or fluted as in figure 10 either upon their outer or inner surfaces or both.
It will be seen that this second type of construction is simply a modification of the
first, as the tubes placed between the arches form a substitute for the porcelain or other
refractory plates. The number and dimensions of the tubes or flues may be varied,
and they may also be made of any suitable form in cross-section. The tubes may also be
applied over the whole or a portion only of the furnace such as the arch, as in figures 8
and 9 or the abutments or sole or they may simply traverse the furnace chamber in
any direction either transversely or longitudinally, or be placed vertically or inclined.
A. M. CILAKA.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London,
Patent Agents.

page_text: Improvements in the Construction of Furnaces, Muffies, and
other Heating Apparatus.
I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of the firm of A. M. and Win. Clark, of 53,
Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent Agents,
do hereby declare the nature of this Invention (a communication to me from abroad by
Michael Martin Bair, ex German Consul at Tokio, Gentleman, of 67 Avenue des
Champs Elysees, Paris, France, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This Invention relates to improvements in the construction of muffles, furnaces, and
other apparatus employed for producing and utilizing high temperatures.
The object of the Invention is to separate the matters to be treated (whether by
roasting, melting, distilling, or otherwise) in reverberatory or other furnaces of any
dimensions from direct contact with the flames or gases of combustion while still
obtaining, notwithstanding such separation, temperatures at least equal to those
produced by the direct action of the flame.
To this end, the Invention consists in constructing muffles, furnaces, and other
heating apparatus, of two distinct parts combined as hereafter described, vizt. the furnace
proper, which is a structure of sufficient strength to ensure the necessary stability and
resistance of the materials, and a series of divisions or walls, of any suitable form or
arrangement, which are made as thin as possible and serve simply to separate the
matters under treatment from the gases of combustion, while affording a large heating
surface. These thin divisions, which are placed within the furnace, may be constructed
either in the form of arches, or of tubes, passages, or flues, of any form or dimensions
and in any number, it being understood that both these types of construction are
capable of infinite variation and that the arrangements herein after described are only
given as examples of the various ways in which the Invention may be carried out in
practice. In all cases, however, the furnaces are capable of being constructed of the
necessary strength and durability, notwithstanding the thinness of the walls or partitions
to be traversed by the heat.
The apparatus may be constructed of any required size up to that necessary to treat
several tons at one time. Even in this case, the thickness of the separating walls or
partitions need not be increased, and may not exceed 1 centimetre.
One great advantage of these furnaces is, that, as the heating is effected without the
gases of combustion coming into contact with the matters under treatment, it is
possible to produce an oxidizing, reducing, distillatory, or roasting action without loss
of the material under treatment.
According to one type of construction, the heating surface is constituted by arches.
These arches are composed of a skeleton framework of the lightest dimensions possible,
consistent with strength, filled in with plates of earthenware porcelain, slate, plumbago,
or other refractory material. The plates should be made very thin, in order to
obstruct the passage of the heat as little as possible. The same result may also be

page_text: obtained by constructing the arches entirely of bricks of special form, which would
form a thin structure strengthened by ribs and projections to ensure the requisite
strength. The method of uniting the plates of refractory or other material to the
skeleton framing may be effected in various ways, and the arrangement of the frame-
work itself may also be varied.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this
specification, in which figure 1 shews a section taken partly through an arch, and
partly between two arches, constructed according to the first arrangement. Figure 2
is a longitudinal section of a portion of the furnace. Figures 3 and 4 are sections of a
second arrangement, taken in the same planes as figures 1 and 2 respectively. Figures
5, 6, and 7, shew a third arrangement-figure 5 being a section taken on lines X-Y
and T-Z of figure 7, Figure 6, a section taken on line M-N of figure 5, and Figure 7
a section taken on line R-S of figure 5. The same letters of reference indicate the
same parts in all these figures.
The furnace arch is constructed, for example, of a series of narrow ribs or arches A
(figures 1 and 2) which form what may be termed the skeleton of the furnace arch.
Upon these ribs or arches are placed thin plates of porcelain earthenware, slate,
plumbago, or other refractory material, E which connect the ribs or arches by their
extrados. In the joints between the bricks B composing the ribs or arches A are
inserted plates C of earthenware or other refractory material, said plates extending
between the arches A, and acting as gills or surfaces for the radiation of heat. The
heat of the gases passing through the flue-space D, traverses the plates E and radiates
therefrom, and from plates C into the furnace.
By another construction, represented in figures 3 and 4, the refractory plates E are
fixed in grooves in the bricks B. The gases of combustion pass through the flue D,
which is enclosed by an arch H, like that of an ordinary, reverberatory furnace, and
heat the plates E, which radiate their heat into the interior of the furnace.
Figures 5, 6, and 7, represent a third arrangement, in which bricks or slabs Care
inserted at intervals to act as distance pieces between the ribs or arches A which are
similar, as regards their position, to those above described. The bricks B are made of
the special form indicated in these figures. In this manner, a cellular structure of brick-
work is formed, as shewn in figure 7, which may then be filled in with plates E of
refractory material preferably resting upon flanges formed upon the bricks B.
If the furnace is small, or the strength of the materials will permit, instead of
having a series of arches, as in figures 2, 4, and 6, two arches only may be used,
placed one at each end of the furnace, the intervening space being filled in with either
flat or curved plates of refractory material extending the whole length of the furnace
and occupying its entire breadth also, if desired. The furnace arch may also consist of
a single plate of suitable form which would rest upon the two end arches above
described, and also upon the hearth, or base of the abutments.
If the furnace or muffle is intended for distillation the hearth, abutments, and arch,
inay be constructed in either of the ways herein described; but for melting operations
it is preferable to have a solid and massive hearth, and to make the abutments and the
arch, or the arch only, in this manner. It should, however, be understood that the
whole or any portion of the furnace may be constructed in this improved manner.
The above described arrangements are given as examples only of the many ways in
which furnaces may be constructed in this manner, all arrangements in which a
furnace is constructed of a skeleton framework (by which the requisite strength is
obtained) filled in with plates of earthen or biscuit ware, porcelain, slate, or other
refractory material, being comprised within the scope of this Patent.
Porcelain plates are preferably employed of from about a centimetre to 1 centi-
meire in thickness, although they may be of any other thickness; but it is of
advantage to make them as thin as possible, as thereby less fuel is required to produce
the same or
even higher temperatures than can be obtained in existing apparatus.
This is an essential feature of the Invention, as the arrangements above described afford
large heating surfaces at the parts traversed by the flame or gases of combustion, and
more particularly at the arch or roof of the furnace, as well as the flue conducting the

page_text: flame and products of combustion to the chimney. These heating surfaces, and the
thinness of the divisions to be traversed by the heat, enable a very intense heat to be
obtained whereby several tons of pig iron may be melted at a time. The improve-
ments also permit of executing, upon a manufacturing scale and in a highly economical
those operations which have hitherto only been effected in crucibles,
Figures 8 and 9 represent two arrangements in which the thin walls traversed by
the heat are composed of tubes or flues. In this case, the furnace arch, sole and
abutments, or either of them, would be thus lined or constructed.
manner,
cupolas, etc.
Figure 8 shews tubes of round section made of refractory material forming the roof
or arch of the furnace, and above and between which tubes is placed a filling or
packing D of refractory material.
Figure 9 shews a section of a closed furnace in which the tubes C traversed by the
flame are placed between an inner and an outer arch, and constitute an internal heating
surface having thin walls, which heats the matters under treatment, by radiation.
In both these arrangements, the tubes may either be supported at the ends of the
furnace only, or by one or more intermediate arches, or ribs, constituting the
framework of the apparatus. The tubes or flues may either be plain, as in figures 8
and 9, or ribbed or fluted, as in figure 10, either upon their outer or inner surfaces,
or both.
It will be seen that this second type of construction is simply a modification of the
first, as the tubes placed between the arches form a substitute for the porcelain or other
refractory plates. The number and dimensions of the tubes or flues may be varied,
and they may also be made of any suitable form in cross-section. The tubes may also
be applied over the whole or a portion only of the furnace, such as the arch, as in
figures 8 and 9, or the abutments or sole, or they may simply traverse the furnace
chamber in any direction, either transversely or longitudinally, or be placed vertically
or inclined.
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;
1st. The hereindescribed mode of constructing muffles, furnaces, and other apparatus
for producing and applying high temperatures, which consists in forming said
apparatus in two parts, vizt. the structure or furnace proper having the necessary
strength and solidity and the part constituting the heat radiating surface whereby the
gases of combustion are separated from the matters under treatment, having a
minimum thickness to enable the heat to traverse it freely, substantially as described,
and for the purpose specified.
2nd. A furnace in which the heat radiating surface is constructed of a skeleton
framework with intervening spaces filled with thin plates of porcelain, earthenware,
slate, plumbago, or other refractory material, substantially as described, and illustrated
in figures 1 to 7, for the purpose specified.
3rd. A furnace constructed of a closed chamber, within which are placed groups of
tubes or flues having thin walls in any number or position traversed by the gases of
combustion and treating, by radiation, the matters under treatment, substantially as
described with reference to figure 8 of the drawing for the purpose specified.
A. MELVILLE CLARK.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London,
Patent Agents.