Improvements in and connected with Apparatus for the Consumption of Smoke and Perfecting Combustion in Furnaces.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 28th July, 1897
Complete Specification Left, 26th Apr., 1898-Accepted, 28th July, 1898
Improvements in and connected with Apparatus for the Consumption
of Smoke and Perfecting Combustion in Furnaces.
or SO
I, JAMES WILLIAM CLARIDGE, 7, Huron Road, Upper Tooting, London, S.W.,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to means whereby the firebars are made to distribute
heated air more effectually to the grate before mixing with the fuel and the
firedoor to do the same in front or at the back of the fire. For this purpose I
cast the bars with transverse perforations as near as possible to their top level.
Between these apertures I rib the bars down to the bottom. While being all
of one pattern the bars may have one end wide and the other narrow
arranged that any bar can only be placed in position reversely end for end to
its neighbours, that the apertures in contiguous bars may not be opposite to
each other. With the door the air is admitted cold through the outside face
and deflected down between this and a central plate. The air is then made to
rise from below this central plate and between it and the inner face of the door
in a zigzag manner up to the top level before entering over the fire. For this
purpose the central plate has horizontal projections cast on it which fit into
corresponding recesses on the inner face of the door and the surface for the air
to pass over is thereby increased. For better regulation of the smoke consump-
tion the door is so constructed that on closing it the amount of air entering after
firing is at its maximum caused by the opening of slide or shutter and which
is shut off automatically by the action of gravity assisted by a weight or springs
capable of being regulated to close gradually against an air cushion. This slide
or shutter is opened by the movement of the latch or any contrivance actuated
by the opening or pushing in place of the door. The same automatic arrange-
ment may be used for opening and closing a steam jet for inducing air over the
fuel during and after firing or for working any air or steam supply at the front
or back of furnace. Hand movement may be substituted for the automatic.
Dated this 28th day of July 1897.
0 Improvements in and connected with Apparatus for the Consumption
of Smoke and Perfecting Combustion in Furnaces.
I, JAMES WILLIAM CLARIDGE, of 7, Huron Road, Upper Tooting, London, S. W.,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
5 by the following statement: —
This invention relates to firebars and firedoor made to distribute heated air

page_text: under and over the fire of a steam boiler or furnace, in order to more effectually
perfect combustion therein.
Fig. 1 shews the longitudinal elevation of a firebar for this purpose Fig. 2
a plan Fig. 3 the elevation of such bars when made reversible and Fig. 4 the
same system in plan. Fig. 5 is one form of my firedoor for shutting off the
air supply automatically in a regulated time after firing is completed Fig. 6
is another form with the same object and Fig. 7 the arrangement when hand
motion only is adopted for regulating the quantity of air entering the fire by
means of the door. Fig. 8 is a sectional plan of the air cylinder shewn in
Fig. 5.
In Figs. 1 and 3 a a are a series of apertures cast transversely through the
bars by which currents of air pass as near the top level of the bars as possible
and in the latter case these holes are so placed that on reversing the position of
neighbouring bars the apertures are not opposite each other as they would be
if not placed end for end.
Figs. 5, 6, and 7 are side sections of different forms of construction of my
firedoor, the flap A of which is opened and closed either automatically, as in
Figs. 5 and 6 or by hand as in Fig. 7. The principle is the same throughout
and the same letters are used to denote particular parts. The flap A is shewn
closed in the drawings and when opened at the top by motion on the pivot B
air is free to enter through the opening made at C and passing downwards
through the channel D rises upwards in and around the projections E and corruga-
tions finally going into the furnace at G.
In Fig. 5 on opening the firedoor in the usual way the spring e becomes ex-
tended as shewn in Fig. 8 in consequence of the removal of the door from the
front plate M M, and pressing on the face H of the air cylinder i which is rigidly
attached to the flap A and the collar I attached to the piston rod the piston h
is caused to travel from one end of the cylinder to the other as shewn in Fig. 8.
When in this position and the fire door body complete is closed in the usual
way the exposed extra length of piston rod is brought into contact with the front
plate of the boiler at J and the flap A is consequently lifted, a full opening for
air admission being made at C. After a certain time the flap A closes by its own
weight and the leverage given to the moveable weights 00 on the rods B B,
or the opening given to the cock K and the piston h will then have gradually
reached the end of the air cylinder as it is shewn in the drawing.
In Fig. 6 on opening the main door the air cylinder i leaves the piston h which
is supported on the front plate M of the boiler at J by a suitable joint. When
the door is closed the resistance of the air in the cylinder causes the flap A to
open and it is shut in a certain time due to its weight and the position of 00
on the rods BB, or the degree of opening given to the cock K.
In Fig. 7 the flap A is opened and shut by hand and held when open by the
lever P lifting on the pivot R as a centre and the teeth S S engaging the flap A
as shewn. T is a steam jet with the valve t shewn closed and admitting of
being opened when motion is given to the door by freeing the lever u which
then drops and is shut again by restoring the door to its closed position.
It must be understood that variations are possible in the above methods of
working, for example the flap A may be pivoted at or near the top level of the
door instead of at the bottom position or the air cylinder i may be fixed on the
plate M instead of on the flap A and still give the same results.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
(1). Apertures in firebars cast transversely at as near their top level as possible
substantially as and for the purposes described.
(2). Disposing the position of these apertures that they are not opposite each

page_text: other in contiguous bars substantially as described and set forth in the accom-
panying drawings.
(3). Dividing a firedoor so that the entering air is made to take a circuitous
course through it, substantially as and for the purposes described.
(4). Regulating the admission of air and steam to furnaces, substantially as
and for the purposes described.
(5). Generally the series of operations as described and set forth in the accom-
panying drawings.
Dated this 26th day of April 1898
JAMES. WILLIAM CLARIDGE.