AN IMPROVED TUBULAR FIRE-BAR AND CONNECTING BEARER FOR FURNACES OF STEAM AND OTHER BOILERS
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Joseph Ellis, of Liverpool, in the County
of Lancaster, Engineer, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED TUBULAR
FIRE-BAR AND CONNECTING BEARER FOR FURNACES OF STEAM AND OTHER
BOILERS."
Sealed the 10th May 1872, and dated the 26th February 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Joseph Ellis
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 26th February 1872.
I, ROBERT JOSEPH ELLIS, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN
IMPROVED TUBULAR FIRE-BAR AND CONNECTING BEARER FOR FURNACES OF STEAM
AND OTHER BOILERS," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to constructing tubular fire-bars connected by a
hollow bearer for the purpose of heating the feed water, and for the.
purpose of cooling and preserving the fire-bars.

page_text: A fire-bar constructed according to my Invention is cast with a steel
or iron tube in the bar, which tube starts from the under side of the
front or bearing part of the bar, and runs along the upper part of the
bar, and returns with a bend below, opening out again at the under part
of the front of the bar. The whole tube is cast or embedded in the
metal of the bar. The tube thus has an inlet and an outlet, both in the
under side of the front of the bar. The tube is made to project slightly
through the under side of the bar, thus forming nipples. Between the
nipples is cast or attached a stud. The rear end of the bar is cast with
a hook or other provision to take on to the back bearer. In lieu of
using an iron or steel tube cast in the bar the same object can be arrived
at by coring a hole in the bar in the same direction as the tube before
described. The front bearer is made hollow and runs across the front of
the furnace, being divided with a diaphragm running from end to end,
thus forming two passages, each passage being distinct and having a
flange and opening cast to one end, the openings being respectively
outlet and inlet, or feed to the fire-bars and feed to the boiler. The
nipples of the tube in the fire-bar take respectively into holes in the
passages of the bearer, and are fitted with an india-rubber or other
packing ring to form a joint. The studs in the bars pass through holes
provided in the division of the bearer. The bar is kept tight to the
bearer by a nut screwed on the stud on the under side of the bearer.
Each bar throughout the furnace is fitted in a similar manner. The
water from the feed pump is forced into one passage of the front bearer
through the opening or inlet. It thence flows through the tubes in the
fire-bars, returning into the other passage of the front bearer, from
whence it is forced into the boiler, being a heated feed.
The main advantages attendant upon this my Invention are additional
strength of fire-bar through having the tube cast in it, the fire-bar being
kept cool and preserved by the water passing through it, and the
complete heating of the feed water by its passage through the bars, and
the simplicity of repair or of renewing the bars, because should one bar
burst or burn it can be removed and another replaced without interfering
with the other bars, or the nipple holes of any defective bar can be
plugged up, and the other bars are still effective.
The arrangement as before described can be adapted to any form or
shane of fire-har

page_text: DPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Robert Joseph Ellis in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 23rd August 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
JOSEPH ELLIS, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of February, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in
the thirty-fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Robert Joseph Ellis, Her
special licence that I, the said Robert Joseph Ellis, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Robert
Joseph Ellis, 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 Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention
for "AN IMPROVED TUBULAR FIRE-BAR AND CONNECTING BEARER FOR FURNACES
OF STEAM AND OTHER BOILERS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said Robert Joseph Ellis, 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

page_text: A fire-bar constructed according to my Invention is cast with a steel
or iron tube in the bar, which tube starts from the under side of the
front or bearing part of the bar, and runs along the upper part of the
bar and returns with a bend below, opening out again at the under part
of the front of the bar. The whole tube is cast or embedded in the
metal of the bar. The tube has thus an inlet and an outlet, both in the
under side of the front of the bar. The tube is made to project slightly
through the under side of the bar, thus forming nipples. Between the
nipples is cast or attached a stud. The rear end of the bar is cast with
a hook or other provision to take on to the back bearer. In lieu of
using an iron or steel tube cast in the bar the same object can be arrived
at by coring a hole in the bar in the same direction as the tube described.
The front bearer is made hollow and runs across the front of the furnace,
being divided with a diaphragm running from end to end, thus forming
two passages, each passage being distinct and having a flange and
opening cast to one end; the openings being respectively outlet and
inlet, or feed to the fire-bar and feed to the boiler. The nipples of the
tube in the fire-bar take respectively into holes in the passages of the
bearer, and are fitted with an india-rubber or other packing ring to form
a joint. The studs in the bars pass through holes provided in the
division of the bearer. The bar is kept tight to the bearer by a nut
screwed on the stud on the under side of the bearer. Each bar through-
out the furnace is fitted in a similar manner. The water from the feed
pump is forced into one passage of the front bearer through the opening
or inlet; it thence flows through the tube in the fire-bars, returning into
the other passage of the front bearer, from whence it is forced into the
boiler, being a heated feed.
A modification of my Invention consists in embedding only the ends
of the bent tube in cast metal, the tube itself forming the fire-bar.
In order that the nature and object of my Invention may be more
readily seen and understood, I have hereunto attached a Sheet of
Drawings sufficiently illustrative of my Invention to enable any
ordinary mechanical engineer to carry the same into practical effect.
Like letters marked on the Drawings are used to denote similar parts
throughout the various Figures.
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a fire-bar constructed according
to my Invention, showing end section of front bearer, with feed and

page_text: delivery pipes; Figure 2 is an outside elevation of the fire-bar;
Figure 3 is an elevation of a tube as bent to be cast in the fire-bar;
Figure 4 is a sectional plan of front bearer, with plan of two fire-bars
attached; Figure 5 is a front elevation of bearer and fire-bars showing
feed and delivery openings; Figure 6 is a sectional elevation of a modi-
fication of my improved fire-bar, in this case the tube being embedded
at the ends only in cast metal, the bare tube forming the fire-bar ;
Figure 7 is a sectional elevation of a fire-bar cast with a cored hole in
lieu of the tubes; Figure 8 represents my fire-bars fitted to furnaces of
marine boilers, which also represents the principle of attachment for
any style of boiler; Figures 9 and 10 represent elevation and plan of a
modified adaptation of my fire-bar. In this case the tube itself becomes
the fire-bar proper, forming in effect a double fire-bar in one, the tube
returning parallel horizontally instead of vertically.
A is the cast metal fire-bar, in which cast, moulded, or embedded a
steel or iron tube B, the tube opening out at the front under side of the
bar with two nipples C, D. These nipples take into openings E, F, in
a front bearer G, which bearer is divided into two passages H, I, by a
diaphragm L. The nipples C, D, are provided with india-rubber or
O other suitable packing rings to form a tight joint at E and F. The
bar A is held in position to the bearer G by the stud and nut M, N ; O,
feed pipe; P, delivery pipe. In Figure 6 tube B itself becomes the
fire-bar proper. It is embedded or cast at its ends in the blocks A, A',
or may be attached to the block by couplings as at B', B³. In Figure 8,
R, R', are furnace doors of the boiler R³. In fitting the bars A to
furnaces, the front dead plate of which extends in front of the furnace,
I hinge the dead plate as at S, so that should the fire-bars A require to
be removed they can be lifted from the bearer G and replaced without
having to disturb the front fittings of the boiler. T is a non-return
valve opening from the boiler, and has one way opening to the bearer G
and one way opening to the feed pipe U; V, connecting pipe between:
front bearers of two furnaces; X, non-return valve opening to boiler.
The functions of the fire-bar may be thus stated:-The water flows
through the pipe O into the division H of the bearer G, and from thence
through the nipples D of each fire-bar, passing through the tube in the
direction of the arrows, Figure 1, and returning through the nipples C into
the division I of the bearer, and from thence through the pipe P, or vice
versa, the water being heated by its passage through the fire-bar. In

page_text: Figure 8 the water is fed through the pipe V and the valve T into
the bearer G, through the tubes and from the bearer through the
pipe V into the bearer of the next furnace, through the bearer and
tubes into the boiler, through the pipe P and the non-return valve X.
Should the feed through the pipe V be cut off or stopped, there would 5
still be a perfect circulation through the fire-bars in the furnaces, inas-
much as the pressure in the boiler will open the valve T, allowing the
water to circulate through the fire-bars, and the water increasing the
temperature will circulate through the valve X back to the boiler.
The main advantages attendant upon this my Invention may be thus 1
enumerated,―
First. There is a complete water circulation within the fire-bar.
Second. That the water being injected and returned at one end only
into and from the front bearer, and from thence into the boiler,
casualties by expansion and contraction are impossible.
Thirdly. The feed water by being forced through the bars, via front
bearer to the boiler, becomes so hot that feed heaters and economisers
are rendered superfluous, except as auxilliaries.
1
Fourthly. That in no case can the bar be of a greater temperature
than the boiler when in work; consequently, less the wear and tear by 2
the use of rakes, slices, and such like tools, it will last as long as the
boiler, of which by its construction it becomes a material part.
Fifthly. That in consequence of the low temperature constantly main-
tained by the water circulation, clinkers will not adhere to the bars, and
are therefore when formed removed with ease.
2
Sixthly. That the bars being by external appearance like the ordinary
solid bar, they can consequently be adapted without expense where that
bar has been used, and are suitable for marine or land boilers, or in
reverbatory furnaces for iron puddling, glass making, general chemical
manufacturing, in evaporating or brewing pans, or in fact in all places 3
or situations where coal is consumed by the aid of the fire-bar.
Having now fully described the nature, object, and purposes of my
Invention, and how the same is to be carried into practical effect, I wish
it to be clearly understood that I do not confine myself to the several
proportions and relative dimensions or style of the fire-bar, bearer, and 3
attachments, as shown in the accompanying Drawings, as it will be

page_text: readily seen the same may be considerably varied without departing
from my Invention; but what I claim as the Invention secured to me
by Letters Patent as aforesaid is,―
First. Casting, moulding, or embedding an iron, steel, or other metal
tube in a fire-bar, so that water being injected and returned at one end
only expansion and contraction is impossible, substantially in the manner
and for the purposes shown and described in the beforegoing Specifi-
cation and Drawings.
Secondly. The circulating fire-bar and front bearer, as shown and
described at Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 in the accompanying Drawings,
substantially in the manner and for the purposes set forth in the before-
going Specification.
Thirdly. The circulating fire-bar, as shown and described in Figure 6
in the accompanying Drawings, substantially in the manner and for the
purposes set forth in the beforegoing Specification.
Fourthly. The circulating fire-bar, as shown and described in Figure 7
in the accompanying Drawings, substantially in the manner and for the
purposes set forth in the beforegoing Specification.
Fifthly. The circulating fire-bar, as shown and described at Figures 9
and 10 in the accompanying Drawings, substantially in the manner and
for the purposes set forth in the beforegoing Specification.
Sixthly. The application of the herein-before described circulating fire-
bars and bearer, as shown in Figure 8 in the accompanying Drawings,
substantially in the manner and for the purposes set forth in the before-
going Specification.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Joseph Ellis, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of August,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
30 Witness,
ROBERT JOSEPH (L.s.) ELLIS.
FREDERICK JOHN CHEESBROUGH,
of 15, Water Street,
Liverpool.