IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO FURNACES, AND DESIGNED TO ENSURE THE MOST EFFECTIVE AND ECONOMICAL COMBUSTION OF THE FUEL IN THE SAME
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO FURNACES, AND DESIGNED TO ENSURE THE
MOST EFFECTIVE AND ECONOMICAL COMBUSTION OF THE FUEL IN THE SAME.
A communication from abroad by Robert Loudon Walker, of Boston, Massa-
husetts, United States of America, Machinist.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 29th March 1877.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO FURNACES, AND
DESIGNED TO ENSURE THE MOST EFFECTIVE AND ECONOMICAL COMBUSTION OF THE
FUEL IN THE SAME." A communication from abroad by Robert Loudon Walker,
of Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America, Machinist.
The said Invention relates to improved furnaces, whereby I obtain a more perfect
and economical combustion of fuel, whether for making steam, melting metals, or
other purposes, and this part of my Invention consists in the use of two separate
and distinct fire-boxes so arranged with flues and dampers that the products of
combustion from either fire-box may be compelled to pass through the other.
It is well known that much fuel is now wasted in the form of smoke and soot,
and also passes off in the form of gas fit for fuel, but which is not consumed. Now
if these products of imperfect combustion be caused to pass through a fire-box_con-
taining a mass of glowing fuel they will be perfectly consumed, a proper supply of
air being of course provided.
The best mode of carrying my Invention into practice is that illustrated in the
accompanying Drawing, in which,―
Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of a furnace and boiler embodying this
Invention; Figure 2 is a transverse vertical section on the line x, y, of Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a transverse vertical section on line y, z, of Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a plan with the boiler removed, and with portions of the brickwork
broken away.

page_text: A represents an ordinary tubular boiler; B, B¹, are two fire-boxes of any suitable
construction; C, C, are the bridge walls of these fire-boxes; and D, D', the flues
leading from them. These flues are separated from each other by the wall F, except
near their ends, where they are connected by a throat G; H, H, are two flues,
through which alternately the products of combustion pass from the fire-boxes
through the tubes of the boiler A. and into the chimney J; K is a damper so arranged
that it will close either of the two flues H, H¹.
The above is a very simple embodiment of this Invention, and its operation is as
follows: Suppose the fire in the fire-box B is burning brightly, and that fresh
fuel is to be put into the box B', the damper K. is brought over flue H¹ by means of
its handle, and consequently all the products of combustion, smoke, soot, and gases
from the box B¹ will pass over the bridge wall C³ along the flue D¹ through the
throat Galong the flue D, and over the bridge wall C into the fire-box B, and over
the glowing fuel in this fire-box, and out of this fire-box B through the flue H into
and through the tubes of the boiler, and thence into the chimney J. When the fuel
in the fire-box B¹ has ceased to emit smoke, and is glowing, the damper K is brought
over fluo H, and fresh fuel is put in the fire-box B; the smoke, soot, and gases from
B then pass over C, through D, through G, over C¹ into B¹, out of B¹ through H³,
and into and through the tubes of the boiler A, as before.
By this Invention the fuel is much more thoroughly consumed than has heretofore
been practicable within my knowledge.
It is not essential that the precise arrangement of dampers and flues above described
be used, as there are several other arrangements by which the gas, smoke, and soot
from one fire-box may be caused to pass through another fire-box.
Two other modes of carrying this Invention into effect are illustrated in Figures 5,
6, and 7 of the Drawing.
Figure 5 illustrates the arrangement of the fire-boxes B, B¹, at the ends of the
boiler. When the fresh fuel is put into the fire-box B, the dampers K and K' being
arranged as shown, the draught is from B over C, through D over C¹into B¹, through
H, through the tubes of the boiler A, through H to J, and when fresh fuel is put
into the fire-box B' the damper K' is lowered, and the damper K raised, the current
being then from B¹ over C³, through D, over C, into B, through H, through the
tubes of the boiler A, through H³ to J.
dampe t
Figures 6 and 7 also illustrate an arrangement of the fire-boxes B, B1, at the ends
of the boiler. When fresh fuel is to be put into the fire-box B the dampor K¹ is
lowered to close its flue, and another damper below K' is lowered to open its flue.
The damper K is raised to open its flue, and the damper raised to close its fluc,
these dampers being so connected that they all move at the same time. The flue
controlled by the damper below K¹, but not shown, connects the flue D with the
fire-box B, and the flue controlled by the damper & connects the fine D' with the
fire-box B. The flue controlled by the damper K connects the flue D³ with the
mouths of the boiler tubes, and the flue controlled by the damper K¹ connects
the flue D with the mouths of the boiler tubes, and consequently when the damper K²
and the damper below K¹ are lowered, and the dampers K and k raised, the current
is from B through the flue D, under damper K', and through the flue of the damper
below K¹ into and through the fire-box B¹, through the flue D¹, up through the flue
of damper K, through the tubes of the boiler from left to right, and thence to the
chimney, and when the damper K' and the damper below K¹ are raised, and the
dampers K and lowered, the current is from B¹ through flue D¹, under damper K,
and through the flue of damper & into and through the fire-box B, through flue D
up through the flue of damper K¹, through the tubes of the boiler from right to left,
and thence to the chimney.
From the above description it will be clear I make each fire-box alternately a
part of the flue of the other fire box.
In Figures 8 and 9 an arrangement of my Invention is shown for heating metals.
The metal to be heated is placed on the hearth L, and the damper K being closed,
and K¹ opened, the products of combustion from the fire-box B will pass through

page_text: the flue D, through the fire-box B', through the flue of damper K' into and over
the hearth L, and up the chimney J. When fresh fuel is to be put into the fire-
box B¹ the damper K is opened and the damper K¹ closed, and the direction of the
smoke and gases is reversod; the products of combustion from B¹ then pass through
D, through B, and through the flue of damper K over the hearth L to the
chimney.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim, the combination of the fire-boxes B, B¹, with flues and dampers, in the
manner above set forth for the purposes specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and scal, this Twenty-ninth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.