IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OF AND APPARATUS FOR CONSUMING SMOKE
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Guest Rainforth, of the Town of
Kingston-upon-Hull, in the County of the same Town, Steam
Tug Owner, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OF
AND APPARATUS FOR CONSUMING SMOKE."
Sealed the 24th March 1871, and dated the 29th September 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Guest Rainforth
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 29th September 1870.
I, RICHARD GUEST RAINFORTH, of the Town of Kingston-upon-Hull,
in the County of the same Town, Steam Tug Owner, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OF
AND APPARATUS FOR CONSUMING SMOKE," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to certain improvements in the means of con-
suming smoke, and in the apparatus to be used for such purpose, the
object of the Invention being to economize fuel in steam boiler furnaces
by causing the products of combustion to be consumed, thus affording
increased heating power from a given quantity of fuel and preventing

page_text: the escape of smoke from the fire. In order to effect these objects I
propose to apply to the fire-door an air spout or flat tube, which is
inserted in an aperture made in the door of the fire-box, and placed
in a slanting position, so that its internal portion shall point upwards
and above the level of the fuel. The tube or spout may be made nearly
equal to the width of the fire-door, so that the air ascending from the
outside of the furnace passes in a current of such width directly into
the fire-place, and instantly becoming heated mingles with the smoke
and other gaseous products, and enables the fire to consume them.
This appliance increases the draught of air at all conditions of the fuel,
and maintains a very powerful heat. Regulating slides or flaps on hinges
may be arranged on the tube to decrease the supply of air when the fuel
is reduced to an incandescent state. In cases where the level of the
burning fuel is considerably beneath the stoke-hole, the air spout or
spouts and tubes may be inserted below or under the fire-door, but just
above the level of the fire, as in the former example. The latter method
is more especially applicable to locomotives, and may be in substitution
for or in addition to the entrance in the furnace or fire-door. In these
instances the spout or tubes need not project inside the furnace, but if
they are made to project they may be protected from the flames and
heat by enclosing or encasing them in a box or chamber or boxes or
chambers opening into the fire-box. Or in lieu of a flat spout or tube
I introduce through the fire-door, or through the front of the furnace
below the door a row or series of tubes. Two or more series or rows
of tubes may be arranged below the fire-door, either in the same line
or at different levels. The tube or tubes or air spout may project into
the furnace and be protected by the external case, or a chamber may be
formed in front of the fire door or boiler, and the tubes or spout inserted
therein so as not to project above the flame.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, 3
filed by the said Richard Guest Rainforth in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 29th March 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, RICHARD
GUEST RAINFORTH, of the Town of Kingston-upon-Hull, in the County
of the same Town, Steam Tug Owner, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of September, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the
thirty-fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
35 cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Richard Guest Rainforth,
Her special licence that I, the said Richard Guest Rainforth, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Richard Guest Rainforth, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and
at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United King-
dom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of
Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OF AND APPARATUS
FOR CONSUMING SMOKE," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said Richard Guest Rainforth, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Richard Guest Rainforth, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement :-
My Invention relates to certain improvements in the means of
consuming smoke and in the apparatus to be used for such purpose, the
object of the Invention being to economize fuel in steam boiler furnaces
by causing the products of combustion to be consumed, thus affording
increased heating power from a given quantity of fuel and preventing
the escape of smoke from the fire. In order to effect these objects I
propose to apply to the fire-door an air spout or flat tube which is
inserted in an aperture made in the door of the fire-box and placed
in a slanting position, so that its internal portion shall point upwards
and above the level of the fuel. The tube or spout may be made
nearly equal to the width of the fire-door, so that the air ascending
from the outside of the furnace passes in a current of such width

page_text: directly into the fire-place, and becoming heated by passing through
the air spout, mingles with the smoke and other gaseous products
and enables the fire to consume them. The air spout extends suffi-
ciently into the fire-place to be acted upon by the heat; in ordinary
flue boilers about five inches from the inside of door. The form of spout
is wedge shape, thicker where it passes through the door, and gradually
tapering to interior end; but the passage for the air is of equal
dimensions throughout. Outside the door is the thickest part forming
a head or flange, which rests against the front of door and partly
holds the spout to its position. On the head or flange outside are two
projections or lugs both top and bottom, forming a hold for fastening
bolts outside. The door has an aperture made to allow the air spout to
be placed or inserted, which aperture has perpendicular slots top and
bottom for the fastening bolts to pass through as shewn in the
Drawings. It is fastened in position by bolts which pass between the
lugs on the air spout and through the perpendicular slots, and are
secured by nuts inside the door as shewn. This appliance increases the
draught of air at all conditions of the fuel and maintains a very
powerful heat; regulating slides or flaps or hinges may be arranged
on the tube to decrease the supply of air when the fuel is reduced to
an incandescent state. In cases where the level of the burning fuel is
considerably beneath the stoke-hole, the air spout or spouts may be
inserted below or under the fire-door, or opposite or at sides of fire-box,
but just above the level of the fire as in the former example. The
latter method is more especially applicable to locomotives, and may be
in substitution for or in addition to the entrance in the furnace or
fire-door. Or in lieu of a flat spout or tube I introduce through the
fire-door, or through the front of the furnace below the door, a row or
series of tubes projecting into the fire-box and over the fire. Two or
more series or rows of tubes or air spouts may be arranged below the
fire-door, either in the same line or at different levels. The tube or
tubes. or air spout may project into the furnace or into a separate
chamber, or chambers may be formed in front or other part or parts of
the fire-box, and the tubes or spout inserted therein so as not to project
above the flame or only partially above the flame as in the Drawings.
Fig. 1 represents a front view of a boiler furnace with air tube in
fire-door, Fig. 2 being a longitudinal section of the same; Fig. 3 is a

page_text: Similar
front view of a furnace with air tube below the fire-door and above the
fire level, Fig. 4 being a longitudinal section of the same.
letters denote corresponding parts in each Figure.
a is the front of the boiler furnace; b, the door; c, the ash-pit;
and d, the air tube passing through the door; in Figs. 3 and 4 where
the fire is below the stoke-hole, as in locomotives, the air tube is shewn
beneath the door and above the fire level.
Fig. 5 shews a section of a series of tubes enclosed in a case or box,
and Fig. 6 is a plan view; Fig. 7 shews a section of a boiler furnace
with external chamber and curved air tube, and Fig. 8 shews a
regulating door or flap. The angle of the tube or tubes should be such
as to cause the external air to ascend in an oblique direction just above
the fire level, so that by its admixture with the smoke and gases
generated by the combustion of the fuel and afford greater heating
power, in addition to the consumption and prevention of smoke. Of
course any suitable description of regulating valve may be applied to
the entrance of the tube, spout, or tubes and spouts, to control the
sunnly of nin

page_text: heat and preventing the egress of smoke, all substantially as herein
specified and shewn.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Guest Rainforth, have
hercunto set my hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of March,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
one.
Witness,
ALEXR. PRINCE,
Office for Patents,
4, Trafalgar Square,
Charing Cross.
R. G. RAINFORTH. (L.s.)