Year: 1886

page_text: I ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex,
M.I.M.E. do hereby declare the nature of this invention (a communication from
Solomon N. Carvalho of New York, in the United States of America, Engineer,)
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The main object of this invention is first to develop an improved apparatus for
heating steam, air or like medium to any desired temperature and distribute the
same to any desired locality for uses in the various mechanical arts; second, to
economise as much as possible in the uses of heat, whether derived from distant
combustion, from local combustion specially developed within the apparatus, or
developed in the heated and dried air, steam or like transmitting medium through
the instrumentality of the said apparatus.
It often happens that the heated and dried air, steam or other medium as
produced is of too high temperature for certain operations while it is of a proper
temperature for others, hence the necessity for tempering the heat to suit necessities
whatever they may be. By the improvements hereinafter shown and described
these difficulties are overcome. A reservoir pipe or duct for heated air, steam or
like medium is located in convenient position to the heating chamber itself, and
such reservoir is connected directly with the reservoir, pipe or duct for unheated
medium. By this direct connection a controlled supply of the cooler elements may
be admitted to the hotter ones, and through a resultant commingling of the two
a reduced temperature is speedily effected to the degree required.
These improvements consist in the construction of a special retort hereinafter
shown and described and in the placing and connecting of one or more of these
retorts within the walls of a heating chamber or furnace according to the amount
of heated medium required. These retorts are preferably arranged in batteries or
sets and are subjected to either direct or indirect heat. They are constructed of
.

page_text: suitable metal or material to withstand the highest degrees of heat and are attached
to a suspension plate designed specially for economy in space occupied as well as
efficiency of operation. As a protection against direct heat of high temperature
these retorts are provided with a cap or guard of suitable metal or material
supported in position by means of bolts, lugs or projections attached to the retorts
themselves whereon they may hang rest or be supported and whereby they may
be easily exchanged or renewed when burnt or damaged. The guards or caps are
made of two or more pieces to provide for local renewal of the burnt portions
without disturbing the uninjured portions. A horizontal rib is located between the
legs of the retort in such position to prevent ashes dirt or soot entering or filling
up the spaces between the retorts and caps. To provide ample heat receiving area
or surface these retorts as well as the caps themselves if considered necessary are
provided with longitudinal radial ribs projecting from the regular line of retort
metal. To furnish ample heat distributing surface ribs diaphragms or coils of wire
are placed within the elbow and legs of the retorts. It is preferred that these heat
distributing surfaces shall be well oxidized before use in the retorts.
For the reception storage and distribution of the heated medium a receiving
pipe or reservoir is provided to be kept supplied by blower suction or circulation,
from which the medium passes through the retorts becomes heated and passes to
the delivery reservoirs or pipes, whence it is delivered wherever required. The
receiving pipes or reservoirs are directly connected with the delivery pipes or
reservoirs by means of a branch pipe or duct and valve through which a regulated
amount of unheated medium is passed directly to the heated medium and the
temperature of the heated medium reduced as required. These connecting pipes
or ducts are so located and handled that the received cooling medium only affects
the desired portions of heated medium.
In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 represents a sectional view of an
apparatus embodying these improvements. The walls of the chamber are put in
section the better to show the arrangement of retorts. Figure 2 represents a sectional
view of apparatus at right angles to that shown in Figure 1. Figure 3 is a plan
view of the heating apparatus showing the general arrangement of reservoirs and
distributing apparatus. Figure 4 represents a sectional view of retorts as con-
structed with ribs and coils of wire in position. Figure 5 is an enlarged cross
section through retorts showing the arrangement of ribs. Figure 6 represents
a plan view of bed plate for supporting the retorts in place. Fig. 7 shows plan
view of retort with flanges for resting upon the bed plate. One retort is shown in
place in Fig. 6. In Figures 1, 2 and 3 are shown the arrangement of flues leading
to chimney. Similar letters of reference designate like parts in all the figures.
A designates a furnace heating chamber or connection within which a fire may
be set upon the grate B or into which the gases or products of combustion from
some distant furnace are admitted for the purpose of communicating heat to the
retorts C placed therein. D designates the caps or guards in two or more pieces
for protecting the elbow portion of the retorts. E designates bolts or means for
suspending the several portions of the caps or guards D. G designates a bed plate
into and through which the retorts rest and project by means of the flanges H
joining the two legs of the retorts. I designates a receiving pipe and reservoir
through which the unheated medium is passed to the retorts. K designates a
distributing reservoir for the heated medium from which it passes through the
distributing pipes or ducts L. M designates a special local cooling duct or pipe for
reducing the temperature of the heated medium destined for some special purpose.
P designates a blower or fan by means of which a pressure of air or medium is
passed through the apparatus. This fan or blower may be located in any con-
venient place to move the medium to be heated through the reservoirs and retorts
and delivering the same to any desired locality. Ŕ designates a pair of flues
opening into opposite sides of the heating chamber A the better to distribute
the heating gases about the retorts. S and T designate furnace and ash-pit doors

page_text: when direct fire heat is used. a designates the wire coils inserted within the
retorts Fig. 4; b c d designate valves or gates for controlling the movement of
the medium through the several pipes, reservoirs and ducts. • designates longi-
tudinal ribs upon the legs of the retorts for increasing the heat receiving surfaces
el designates a special horizontal rib for closing the top of caps or guard and pre-
venting the entrance of dirt ashes or soot into the spaces between the cap or
guard D and the retort C.
In the operation of this apparatus heat arising from combustion of any kind is
developed or admitted within the chamber A; this communicates heat to the
retorts suspended within, and these in turn transmit the heat to the medium as it
passes fast or slow through the retorts. The heated medium passing from the
retorts C enters through the short legs of the retorts into the reservoir K whence
it passes through delivery pipes or ducts L to the one or more apartments for use.
In case any one apartment requires heat of a lower temperature than the others
a special communication as shown in dotted lines at M, in Figs. and 2 is opened
between the supply of unheated medium and the delivery of heated medium
whence by opening a valve or gate within such communication M₁, the delivery
may be cooled to the required temperature.
To make the best possible use of the heat as contained in the gases of com-
bustion the flues R are carried directly through the reservoir K containing the
heated medium by which means additional heat is conveyed from the gases of
combustion to the medium as stored.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent and in what
manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :-
1. A retort of the character. shown and described having longitudinal ribs
and coils for receiving and dispensing heat and a horizontal rib for closing the
space between the retort and cap or guard substantially as and the purposes
specified.
2. In an apparatus for heating air steam or like medium one or more retorts
of the character herein described in combination with special caps or guards con-
structed of two or more pieces applied to the exposed portions of such retort
substantially as and purposes specified.
3. In an apparatus for heating air, steam or like medium the combination of
one or more retorts of the character described, a bed plate to which the retorts are
attached one or more receiving ducts and reservoirs and one or more distributing
ducts or reservoirs substantially as and for purposes specified.
4. In an apparatus for heating air steam or like medium an intercommunicating
pipe or duct provided with a valve or gate in combination with one or more
receiving ducts or reservoirs one or more delivery ducts or reservoirs and one or
more retorts of the character herein shown and described substantially as and for
purposes specified.
5. In an apparatus for heating air steam or like medium the combination of a
furnace or combustion chamber one or more retorts provided with ribs and coil
filling a bed plate to which said retorts are attached, caps or guards for protecting
the bottom of said retorts, one or more receiving ducts or reservoirs, and one or
more distributing ducts or reservoirs substantially as and for purposes specified.
6. In an apparatus for heating air steam or like medium the combination of a
furnace combustion or heating chamber one or more retorts C a bed plate G one or
more receiving reservoirs or ducts one or more delivery reservoirs or ducts and one
or more intercommunicating ducts or pipes between the receiving and delivery
reservoirs or ducts substantially as and for purposes specified.
7. In an apparatus for heating air steam or like medium the combination of a
furnace or combustion chamber A retorts or return bends G having longitudinal
ribs e attached thereto, caps or guards D bed plate G receiving ducts or reservoirs I

page_text: distributing reservoirs or ducts K and L and intercommunicating pipes M substan-
tially as and for purposes specified.
8. In an apparatus for heating air steam or like medium the combination of one
or more inlet pipes passages or ducts I one or more outlet pipes passages or ducts,
K and L and one or more intercommunicating pipes or ducts M or M' provided
with valves or gates C substantially as and for purposes specified.
Dated this 23rd day of November 1886