IMPROVE- MENTS IN GENERATING HEAT IN FURNACES AND FIRE-PLACES
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Archibald Brooman, of 166, Fleet Street,
in the City of London, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN GENERATING HEAT IN FURNACES AND FIRE-PLACES."-A com-
munication from abroad by William Elijah Hagan, of Troy,. United
States of America, Chemist.
Sealed the 18th January 1868, and dated the 18th July 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Archibald
Brooman at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 18th July .1862.
I, RICHARD ARCHIBALD BROOMAN, of 166, Fleet Street, in the City of
London, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN GENERATING HEAT IN FURNACES AND FIRE-PLACES, (com-
municated to me from abroad by William Elijah Hagan, of Troy, United
States of America, Chemist,) to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in bringing superheated steam in contact with coal or
other fuel in an.incandescent state at any point in the fire above the grate bars.
The superheated steam is not mixed with the atmospheric air of the blast or
draught below the grate bars before coming in contact with the incandescent
carbon....
The Drawings annexed represent the manner in which the Invention may
be carried into effect, though I do not confine myself to the particular arrange-
ments shown.

page_text: Figure 1 is a sectional view of a heating furnace, where the steam pre-
viously heated in passing through heated coils or pipes is brought in contact
with the fire through the jets L from a steam chamber placed in the side of
the fire-box. Figure 7 is a sectional view of this furnace through the line
A, B, of Figure 1, with the top removed, showing the position of the steam
chambers H, H, running from the front of the furnace O towards the bridge
wall K; the said steam chambers H, H, having their bases upon and over the
grate bars. The steam pipes X, X, are for conveying and discharging steam, as
herein-after described. Figure 6 is a sectional view of the same furnace from
the end of the fire-box, running towards the bridge wall; L, L, represent the
jets or points where steam is brought in contact with the ignited incandescent
carbon.
Figure 2 represents a heating furnace of another form, in which the appli-
cation of the process is made precisely as in the one last described.
Figure 3 is a sectional view of the fire-box of a cooking stove; superheated
steam is introduced by the pipes X, X, to the steam chambers H, HI, and
brought in contact with the incandescent fuel through the jets L, L.
Figure 4 is a sectional view of a cylindrical fire chamber, in which the
steam chamber H, H, is annular; superheated steam is admitted into contact
with the fuel through the tapering nozzles or jets L, L; X, X, are the
steam pipes for conveying superheated steam to the annular chamber H, H.
Figure 5 is a sectional view of a blast furnace furnace for reducing mineral
ores, where superheated steam is introduced at or near the boshes and through
the steam chambers II, H, and is distributed into contact with incandescent
material in the furnace through the jets or openings L, L; X, X, represent
the steam pipes.
...
I intend to claim the use of superheated steam at any point, in the blast
furnace, or any furnace used for reducing ores where superheated steam may
be brought into contact with the heated material for the purposes described,
except where steam is used mixed with the atmospheric air of the. blast, or
where superheated steam is introduced over the charge of material to be
operated upon, or where superheated steam through a pipe in the hands of the
operator is brought in contact with the metal in process of manufacture upon
the bed or receptacle where metal is worked in puddling.
In the arrangement shown at Figure 6 I use two steam pipes X, X, the
object of the two pipes being to allow the steam to escape at times from the
chamber H, H, when for a time it may be necessary to reduce the amount of
flame in the fire chamber or furnace; by opening the steam valve P in thei
pipe X steam will escape from the chamber H through the valve instead of

page_text: passing into the fire, and by allowing steam to pass through the chamber H´the
said chamber will be protected from oxidation during any suspension, in.
operating the fire.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Richard Archibald Brooman in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 17th January 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, RICHARD
ARCHIBALD BROOMAN, of 166, Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent
Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighteenth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year of Her reign
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Richard Archibald Brooman, Her special licence, that I, the said Richard
Archibald Brooman, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Richard Archibald Brooman, my executors, adminis-
trators, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN GENERATING HEAT IN FURNACES AND
FIRE-PLACES," (a communication from William Elijah, Hagan, of Troy, United
States of America, Chemist,) upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said Richard Archibald Brooman, 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 Archibald Brooman, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the fol-
lowing statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto
annexed, that is to say :-
This Invention consists in bringing superheated steam in contact with coal
or other fuel in an incandescent state at any point in the fire above the grate,

page_text: bars. The superheated steam is not mixed with the atmospheric air of the
blast or draught below the grate bars before coming in contact with the
incandescent carbon.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings is a vertical section of the lower part
of a stove for generating heat; Figure 2 is a vertical section taken through
the line A, a, of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken through
the line B, b, of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a vertical and Figure 5 is a horizontal
section of the fire chamber in a somewhat modified form; Figure 6 is a
longitudinal and Figure 7 is a cross section of a cooking stove; Figure 8 is a
longitudinal section of a heating furnace for metallurgical purposes; Figure 9
is a horizontal section of the same taken through the line C, c, thereof, and
Figure 10 is a cross vertical section taken at the line D, d, of Figure 9;
Figure 11 is a vertical section of a cupola furnace for reducing ores, and
Figure 12 is a similar view of a blast furnace; all constructed according to
this Invention. In Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, the same letters indicate like
parts.
a is the fire chamber, with a grate 6 at bottom, on which the fuel to be burned
is placed. There is an ash-pan c below of the usual or of any suitable construc-
tion, but so arranged that atmospheric air has access through it and between
the grate bars to the fuel, not only to ignite it, but afterwards during the
process of combustion. The fire chamber is formed by an inner surrounding
wall d, and between the inner and outer wall there are two steam
chambers ff, or if preferred a singlo steam chamber may extend all around.
The steam chambers are each provided with a steam pipe 9 in communication
with any suitable steam generator, whether so placed as to have the steam
generated by the fire in the fire chamber a, or by any other heating medium.
The steam supplied to the chamber or chambers f is superheated by the heat
radiated from the inner wall d, and escapes in numerous fine jets through a
series of apertures h made for that purpose through the inner wall d. The
inner surface of the inner wall d is grooved, as represented at i in Figures 1
and 2, the bottom of the grooves being in line with the series of holes to
reduce the thickness of the wall at the perforations through which the steam
is supplied to the incandescent fuel to prevent the too rapid destruction of the
wall by oxidation. Instead of making these grooves on the inner surface next
to the fire, they may be made on the other or steam side, and although I s
prefer the direction represented, yet they may run in any direction; or,
instead of grooves, the thickness of the wall may be reduced at the several
perforations in the manner represented in Figures 4 and 5 by conical recesses
or countersinks as ati. The fire chamber should be filled with the fuel so as

page_text: to be in contact with the inner wall, and extend up to or above the upper
range of perforations. The fuel is ignited in the usual manner by a draft
of atmospheric air from the ash-pan, and after the fuel is in an incandescent
state steam is admitted to the chamber or chambers f, where it will be super-
heated and escape through the apertures h, and impinge in numerous small
jets against the ignited coals. The supply of steam thus introduced will
check the draught of air through the fuel, although a sufficient quantity
will continue to pass to maintain the fuel in an incandescent state. The
superheated steam thus supplied and impinging in numerous fine jets against
the incandescent coals will be instantly decomposed, and the resulting gases
in a nascent state will combine with the gaseous products of the coal, also in
a nascent state, and thus generate more heat for a given quantity of fuel than
by any other known method. A larger volume of flame will be produced, so that
the heat evolved can be diffused to great advantage. The combination of gases in
a nascent state effectually prevents the evolution of smoke; no oxidizing gases
are evolved, so that the fire chamber can be safely constructed of materials
which would be otherwise destroyed by oxidation, and hence the heated pro-
ducts of the combustion are admirably adapted to metallurgical operations:
If any sulphur is contained in the fuel it will be oxidized, or so much diluted
that flame fitted for metallurgical operations may be obtained from pyritous
fluids.
In Figures 6 and 7, which are views of a cooking stove, a is an oblong
fire chamber; the grate, on which the fuel is placed, and c and d the front
and back fire walls, grooved and pierced with numerous small holes for the
escape of superheated steam to impinge on the incandescent fuel, as before
described, from the steam chambers f. f, which are to be supplied with steam
by two pipes 9, 9, leading from a suitable generator; h, h, are holes for pots
or pans formed in the top plate above the fire chamber. Ovens and other
appurtenances, not shewn, are provided as in ordinary cooking stoves and
ranges. If desired, steam chambers and perforated walls may be made at the
ends of the fire chamber, as well as in front and at the back.
In Figures 8, 9, and 10 the Invention is shown applied to a heating furnace
for metallurgical operations. a represents the working bottom where the
metals to be worked are heated; b the fire bridge, and c the flue leading to
the chimney. Each side of the fire chamber d there is a steam chamber e,
the inner walls f.f, of the chambers forming the side walls of the fire chamber;
these walls are grooved and pierced with numerous small holes, as in the
other examples, for the escape of superheated steam to impinge on the
incandescent fuel. The steam chambers are provided with steam pipes ģ, g

page_text: to supply steam to the chambers e from 'some suitable generator. The steam
pipes.g, g, may be coiled in' any suitable manner in close proximity with the
beated part of; the furnace the better to superheat the steam; as the pipes are
arranged to heat the blast in' furnaces working with hot blast: Sometimes I
place a steam generator h: midway between the two side, chambers e, e, the
walls of which are: then grooved and perforated in like manner, and supplied
with steam in the same way. In some cases I provide the steam chambers
with a pipe or pipes for the escape of steam in addition to the pipe or pipes
for the introduction of steam: Such an arrangement is represented in con-
nection with the central steam: chamber h, which is provided with a central
wall i. between the two perforated walls. The steam is admitted on one side
of the central wall i from a suitable generator by the steam pipe j, and on the
other side of the central wall there is an escape steam pipe provided with a
valve or cock k. When this valve is closed the superheated steam will escape
from the chamber through the perforations and impinge on the incandescent
fuel, as before described; but when the cock or valve is open the steam will
mainly escape from this pipe, and but little will escape through the per-
forations to impinge on the coals, and it will result from this that smoke will
be: evolved from the fire in greater or less quantity depending on the size of
opening of the valve. For many purposes in metallurgical operations it is
desirable at times to cause smoke to be evolved with the flames, and by the
means above described this can be effected.
At Figures 11 and 12 the Invention is represented as applied to a blast
and to a cupola furnace; in both Figures a represents the chamber or chambers
for superheated steam, with the inner grooved and perforated plate b, and with
the steam pipes c, c, for supplying steam from some suitable generator. The
furnaces are provided below with tuyeres d, in the usual manner, for the blast
of air. Although the superheated steam is described as being generated by the
furnace itself, yet it may be superheated by a separate furnace, and led there-
from to the incandescent fuel.
And having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I do not claim the appli-
cation of steam to assist the combustion of fuel, for I am aware that it has
been applied with atmospheric air below the grate or separately above the
fuel, with the blast or draught of atmospheric air from below; but I claim
as the "Improvements in Generating Heat in Furnaces and Fire-places,"―
First, the employment in furnaces and fire-places of superheated steam in
jets caused to impinge without being mixed with atmospheric air directly
against the incandescent fuel, in addition to or in combination with the

page_text: atmospheric. air introduced either by draught or blast, all substantially in
manner and for the purposes herein-before described and illustrated in the
accompanying Drawings:
Second, the combination with fire chambers for the combustion of fuel, &
with apertures at or near the bottom thereof for the admission of atmospheric
air of a steam chamber or chambers for containing superheated steam, the
inner wall of the steam chamber or steam chambers having small apertures.
next to the fuel for the passage of the superheated steam, without mixing
with the atmospheric air against the incandescent coals, substantially in
manner as and for and for the purpose herein-before described.
Third, the construction of fire chambers in combination with a chamber or
chambers for superheated steam, and with apertures for the escape of jets of
superheated steam to impinge against the incandescent coals, by making the
perforated wall of the fire chamber grooved or the equivalent thereof, to
reduce the thickness of the wall at the perforations, substantially in manner
and for the purposes herein-before described and illustrated in the accom-
panying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Archibald Brooman, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of January, One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
BA BROOMAN (1.9)