IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS.OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN THE COMBUSTION OF SMOKE."
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Gurney, of Headingley, near Leeds, in the County
of York, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS.OR APPARATUS
EMPLOYED IN THE COMBUSTION OF SMOKE."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Gurney at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st April 1880.
JAMES GURNEY, of Headingley, near Leeds, in the County of York.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN THE COMBUSTION
OF SMOKE."
ก
The Invention refers to a retort in the shape of a D or such as is commonly
used for making gas; the retort is placed in the flue or tirebox of a boiler or cistern
or tank for raising steam or boiling liquids, or any other purpose where complete
combustion is required. The retort has a pipe or pipes connected to it to carry off
the gas made therein, and placed inside or at the mouth of the firebox or flue,
either over or under or at the side of the retort; or if ammonical liquids or other
bye products which are formed are intended to be kept or preserved, then the
aforesaid pipe or pipes is or are carried from the retort to a cistern or tank such
as is ordinarily used for depriving gas of its bye products, and afterwards carried
therefrom into the said firebox or flue, as before described. At this extremity or
at the mouth of the pipe or pipes, or of the first mentioned pipe or pipes, as may
be required, is connected to it an air pipe on a Bunsen burner principle, or
simply an air pipe surrounding or near to the extremity of the pipe which is
fixed in the fire box or flue, and at the other end or extremity of the air pipe
is fixed a fan which is driven by suitable gearing. The retort is provided with
a safety valve and door. A further pipe is connected to the end or extremity of
the flue opposite to the fire box for carrying off the waste heat.
"
There is also provided to the retort a shell or false bottom with sides for drawing
out the coke or other combustible matter from the same. Also there are suitable
rollers or slides fixed to the outside of the retort for supporting and guiding tho
shell or false bottom in and out of the retort when required.
The method of procedure is as follows :-
:-
The coal or other combustible material is placed in the retort, and also coke or
coal or other combustible material is placed in the fire box or flue of the boiler,

page_text: cistern, or tank round about and over the retort, which is burnt, and so heats the
coal, coke, or other combustible material in the retort, which in turn evolves gas,
which is conveyed to the cistern or tank and passed through wator to be purified
of its ammonical liquors and other products, and is then carried along the outlet
pipe or pipes of the cistern or tank to the aforesaid fire box, and mixed with air 5
from the air pipes supplied from the fan, and so burnt and consumed by the firo in
the fire box or flue, and the waste heat is then conveyed away by the waste heat
pipes.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said James Gurney in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 21st October
1880.
JAMES GURNEY, of Headingley, near Leeds, in the County of York.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN THE COMBUSTION
OF SMOKE."
or
The Invention refers to a retort or retorts, preferably of the shape of a
such as is commonly used for making gas. The retort or retorts are placed in the
flue or fire-box of a boiler, cistern, or tank for raising steam or boiling liquids or any
other purpose where complete combustion is required. The retort has a pipe or
pipes, hereinafter called the gas pipe or pipes connected to it to carry off the gas
generated therein, which gas pipe or pipes is or are conducted into the flue or fire
box. At the extremity or mouth of the gas pipe or pipes in the flue or fire-box is
connected an air-pipe surrounding such extremity and extending a little beyond
it. The other end of this air pipe is open to the air, and is shaped like a funnel, or
if a greater blast of air be required, may be connected with a fan driven by suitable
gearing. The retort is provided with a safety valve and door.
The method of procedure is as follows:-
Coal or other combustible material is placed in the retort. Round about the
retort in the flue or fire-box is placed coke or other combustible material, preferably
of such a nature as to yield but little smoke, for the purpose of heating the retort.
As soon as the retort is sufficiently heated its contents generate gas which is con-
ducted along the gas-pipe or pipes into the flue or fire box where it is mixed with
air from the air pipe or pipes and is consumed in the flue or fire box by the fire
therein without smoke. The coke formed in the retort is used for replenishing the
fire round about the retort.
If the ammoniacal liquors and other bye-products which are formed in the retort
are intended to be kept or preserved, the gas pipe or pipes may be conducted from
the retort into a cistern or tank of water such as is ordinarily used for depriving
gas of its bye-products instead of being conducted directly into the flue or fire box.
This cistern or tank is provided with a pipe or pipes for carrying off the purified
gas into the fluo or fire box.

page_text: Referring to my Drawings, to the particular forms and dimensions of which I do
not limit myself, Figure I. is a part longitudinal section of the flue underneath a
boiler cistern or tank illustrating the application of my Invention. A is the retort;
B, B, the gas pipe; C, C, the air pipe; H, the door of the retort A; L, L, a fire
grate; M, a boiler, cistern, or tank. The arrangement D, E, F, in dotted lines
represents the plan adoped if desired to purify the gas and collect the bye products,
and G represents the connection of the air-pipe to the fan, to be used if desired.
Figure 2 is a front elevation of the flue. I represents the door for replenishing the
fire grate; Figure 3 is a transverse section of the flue.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my Invention
and the mode of carrying the same into effect, I claim as the Invention to be
secured to me by the hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent,—
The combined arrangement of retort or retorts within the flue or fire-box and
other apparatus, substantially as herein shewn and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Gurney, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twentieth day of October, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.
Signed, sealed, and delivered, by
the said James Gurney, in the
presence of
HERBERT SHAW,
Solicitor,
Leeds.
JAMES GURNEY. (LS.)