AN IMPROVED BLOWER FOR FURNACES
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS-PATENT to Benjamin Franklin Sturtevant, of the State of
Massachusetts, of the United States of America, for the Invention
of "AN IMPROVED BLOWER FOR FURNACES."
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Benjamin Franklin
Sturtevant at the Office of the Commissioners of. Patents, with
his Petition and Declaration, on the 9th February 1869, pursuant
to the 9th Section of the Patent Law. Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS MAY COME, BE IT
KNOWN, that I; BENJAMIN FRANKLIN STURTEVANT, of the State of
Massachusetts, of the United States of America, have made a new and
useful Invention of "AN IMPROVED BLOWER FOR FURNACES," and do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and the manner in which it
is to be performed, to be fully described in the following Specification,
reference being had to the accompanying Drawings making part
thereof:-
*
1

page_text: side elevations, Figure 4 an end elevation Figure 5 a transverse
section, and Figure 6 a longitudinal section of a blower containing the
improvements constituting my Invention. In this blower the air.from
the wheel case is discharged through a series of openings in its periphery
and into a corrugated case or multiduct surrounding such periphery
and one side of the blower case, and leading into one educt; the purpose
of the multiduct being not only to intercept the air and convey
it into the educt but to operate to prevent such air from revolving or
whirling around while entering the educt.
The nature of my Invention may be briefly stated as follows,
that is to say, it consists in a corrugated case or multiduct surrounding
the periphery and one side of the blast wheel case, and serving both
to conduct the air from the peripheral educts of such case to an eduction
pipe or conduit, and to prevent it to a considerable extent, if not
entirely, from whirling or revolving while passing into the eduction
pipe.
i
Also in the combination as well as the arrangement of such a multiduct
with the blast wheel and with its case provided with an eduction opening
in one side of it and with a series of eduction passages arranged in its
periphery.
Also in the combination and arrangement of a chamber and mass of
absorbent material, or the same and certain passages leading from the
chamber and supplied with absorbent material, with the ball joint, and
the supporting bearing of the blast wheel shaft.
Also in a certain arrangement of the bracket, the ball joint, the
driving pulley, and the oiling appliances of the ball joint, such 'parts
being applied to the shaft of the blast wheel.
Also in the blower or wheel case as made with a movable annular
side, a joint at and around the periphery of such case, and with a series
of discharging openings arranged in such periphery.
Also in making the tripod bracket which supports the shaft bearing
with a tenon to each of its legs, such tenon being to enter and fit to
a circular groove in the wheel case.
.
'Also in a peculiar arrangement of oil vessels and their pipes with
respect to the multiduct.
In the said Drawings A denotes the wheel composed of a series of
curved deflectors or floats a, a, a, &c., and two conical or frusto-conical

page_text: annuli or pieces b, b, such annuli being nearest together at their outer
peripheries and fixed to the rims of two spoked wheels B, B, mounted
on a shaft C going concentrically and horizontally through the wheel
and its case D.
I prefer to make the wheel with from twelve to eighteen of the
curved floats, rather than with four or about that number of straight
floats as blast wheels are usually constructed, as I have found by
experience that such ensures economy of power and increase of
blast.
1
a, a³, are radial arms running from the wheel shaft, each being
fastened to the base of one float, the apex of which is connected with
the next arm by a connection rod or stay a leading from such apex
to a boss a projecting from the arm, such being to hold the floats in
place and prevent longitudinal expansion of them while the wheel may
be in rapid revolution, as such expansion tends to throw the wheel out
of balance. The case D, instead of fitting closely or nearly so to the
sides and periphery of the wheel, is formed so that there shall be within
it and about the periphery of the wheel and on the opposite sides of the
said wheel a large air space or chamber c of sufficient capacity to allow
the air blown from the wheel while it is in revolution to fully and freely
escape through a series of holes d, d, d, &c. made in the periphery of
the case D. The wheel case is surrounded on its periphery and one
side by what I term a multiduct or air interceptor K, which is composed
not only of a series of globular or other proper shaped chambers a', a',
etc. arranged about the periphery of the wheel case and opening into
one another, but of a series of curved channels b, b', &c. leading from
them into a common circular neck c', the whole forming an auxiliary
corrugated, or multi-chambered, or grooved, or channelled case for
receiving air from the several holes d, d, and directing it into one
common educt or pipe L fitted and clamped to the said neck. This multi-
duct or intercepting case, made as described and represented, when
arranged with the wheel case and the peripheral openings thereof in
manner as represented in the Drawings operates not only to direct the
air from the wheel case into the eduction pipe, but to prevent such air
from whirling about or revolving around while entering the educt. The
air from the wheel case will be directed in converging currents into the
eduction pipe by a currugated mouth piece, which extends from such
pipe, and embraces one side and the periphery of the wheel case in

page_text: manner as shown in the Drawings. The multiduct or case K is fastened
to the wheel case, which I usually form in two sections, with a joint at
the periphery extending around the case, the two sections being there
bolted or otherwise properly fixed together. The said wheel case has
an air induction opening on that side of it which is uncovered by the
multiduct K, such opening being shown at d. The wheel shaft C is
supported in tubular bearings E, E, one of which is sustained by a ball
joint box e' of a tripod bracket F, and the other in a ball joint box F¹
applied to the wheel case D in manner as represented. Each of the
bearings E, E, has a ball joint f whereby it is enabled to adjust or
accommodate itself to the shaft C while the said shaft may be in revolu-
tion. Each of such bearings has a tubular bushing d' arranged within
it, the outer end of which is closed except in being provided with a hole
in which a screw g¹ is screwed. This screw is tubular to receive the
shank of a bolt head tubular bearing 6* whose head rests against the end
of the screw, and also against the adjacent end of the shaft C. The
screws g¹ are to adjust the wheel into its proper position within its case.
There is a set nut h on each of the screws g¹. The bushings are to enable
the bearing parts of the boxes when two much worn to be removed and
fresh ones substituted. The bolt-shaped bearing 6' has a longitudinal
bore extending partly through it and opening into transverse passages
leading through the shank of the bearing. These passages open against
an annular stuffing e' of cloth arranged in an annular chamber formed in
the screw.
There are openings d' through the screw and leading into an
annular chamber c¹ which is to receive oil from a lubricating apparatus
arranged over the screw. Should the bearing surfaces of the shaft C
and the bearing 6* become dry or be not properly supplied with oil at
any time while the shaft may be in revolution, the bolt head bearing b
will revolve with the shaft and thus will not be worn by it. There is a
chambered driving pulley G fixed on the shaft C, it being arranged with
respect to the wheel in manner as represented in the Drawings. Within
the pulley and surrounding the shaft and fastened to the bearing E is
an annular box or oil interceptor H, from the lower part of which a
pipe leads to an oil reservoir l. An oil cup y provided with a cover n
is arranged on the shaft bearing and provided with a conduit or wick
tube o to lead oil into the bearing and upon the shaft. As the bearing
extends into the chamber p of the pulley, and to the intercepting
chamber H, the oil discharged from the bearing will flow into and be
caught by the vessel H and from thence will be discharged into the

page_text: cup or vessel l, from which it may be drawn by a faucet projecting from
the lowest part of such vessel. By means of the vessel H we are
enabled to catch the waste oil, which otherwise would be liable to be
thrown from the shaft into the current of air when rushing into the
wheel, and by such current be forced into the wheel and from thence
through the educts of the case and be lost. The opposite journal of the
shaft C is provided with an oiling apparatus in all respects substantially
similar to that herein-before described, except that the supplying and
saving vessels y and are arranged outside of and fastened to or
connected with the multiduct or interceptor K. The purpose of the
oil passages of the screw g' and the bolt head bearings b' is to discharge
the oil directly against the center of the end of the shaft, otherwise the
bearing surfaces of the shaft and the bearing 6' would be liable not to
be properly lubricated, for any oil which might find its way between
them from the bearing would be discharged therefrom by centrifugal
force whilst the shaft might be in revolution. The ball f is chambered
or made with an annular chamber n³ to receive a mass of sponge h³ or
other proper absorbent. From this chamber one or more passages i³
extend in opposite directions lengthwise through the bushing, such'
passage or passages also being filled with the absorbent material. This
material, both in the chamber and passages, is for the purpose of
absorbing a sufficient amount of oil to effect, for a considerable period,
the lubrication of the shaft journal in case of exhaustion of the main
supply of oil contained in the cup or vessel y.
Figure 7 is a vertical section on an enlarged scale of the outer shaft
journal and bearing, and the oiling apparatus and the driving pulley
thereof.
The tripod bracket F, made as represented, is connected with the
wheel case by screw bolts 9 and nuts r, the heads of such bolts being
placed within a circular groove a dovetailed in cross section and made
in the adjacent side of the case. By means of such groove and fixtures
the bracket can be so adjusted as to carry either or all of its legs s, s,
out of the way of the belt to run on and give motion to the driving
pulley. From each leg of the bracket there is a projection or tenon b³
leading into the groove x and fitting thereto so as to keep the bracket
centralized relatively to the shaft, while the said bracket may be turned
or revolved about it any distance. Figure 8 shows a section of the
groove and the leg of the bracket with the tenon k³.

page_text: I construct the wheel case D with a movable annular side 1 fastened
by screw bolts to the main part or rest of the case; and arranged in
manner as represented. By removing such part 1 the fan or blast
wheel can be taken from the case without requiring the latter to be
separated at its middle flanges or any separation of it from the multi-
duct.
Although I have represented the multiduct as provided with a
series of globular chambers with a channel leading from each to the
čommon eduction neck, I do not confine my Invention to such a form,
as it may be varied without changing the character of the multiduct,
which embraces two constituents, one for arresting the air or over-
coming its tendency to revolve, and the other to direct it into the
common educt, for while escaping from the wheel it is thrown tangenti-
cally therefrom, and thereby would be caused to revolve in the outer
case were it not to contain one or more features by which this is
overcome.
As an equivalent for the globular chambers with the ducts there
may be chambers and ducts of different forms, or there may be a series
of wings or flanges introduced into a plain and round case extending
about the blower case as does the multiduct..
I frequently apply a series of blowers made as described to one
common shaft going through all of them, each blower leading into
that next in advance of it, the same being to increase the force of the
blast.
. Having thus described my improved air-blast apparatus, what I claim
thereon as my present Invention is as follows:-
I claim the multiduct, substantially as described.
Also the arrangement as well as the combination of the multiduct or
outer air interceptor K with the blast wheel, and with its case provided
with peripheral openings, as set forth.
Also the combination as well as the arrangement of the chamber n³
and its mass of absorbent material (or such chamber, mass, and the
passage or passages leading from such chamber, and containing
absorbent material) with the ball joint f and the bearing E.
Also the arrangement of the bracket, the ball joint, the driving pulley,
and the oiling apparatus of such ball joint.

page_text: Also the blower case made with the movable annular side, and in
other respects substantially as described.
Also the bracket as made with the tenon
to extend from each leg
and into the groove x, as and for the purpose set forth.
Also the arrangement of the oil vessels y, 1, (of the inner journal of
the wheel shaft) and their conduits (communicating with the interceptor
H) relatively to the multiduct, the whole being as represented, such
vessels y, z, under such an arrangement being disposed outside of the
multiduct, and their pipes being made to extend into it to the shaft
bearing and the interceptor H.
In witness whereof, I, the said Benjamin Franklin Sturtevant,
have hereunto set my hand and seal, this 21st January 1869.
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN STURTEVANT. (L.S.)