Improvements in the Construction of Steam Boiler and other Furnaces.
Year: 1899

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of Steam Boiler and other Furnaces.
We, JOHN MURRAY CAMPBELL, of 7, Beech Range, Levenshulme, Agent, and
PETER THORNTON DIXON, of 30, Bamford Road, Didsbury, Manager, both near
Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
The objects of our invention are to construct an improved furnace which will
give a greater evaporating power with a reduced consumption of fuel, and an
entire absence of smoke.
For the purposes of our invention we dispense entirely with the present
arrangement of furnace and substitute in its place an improved arrangement
which is placed outside the boiler flue and may be described as a carburetted
water-gas apparatus. The green coal is introduced in a kind of hopper at the
top and the heat of the fire underneath causes the gas and smoke to arise, which
as it is generated instead of passing direct into the boiler flue, is carried over
the top and down through a descending Hue formed in or near the brickwork,
being drawn by a forced draught produced by a steam jet and delivered below
the furnace bars, and the smoke gases and other products of combustion mingled
with air and with the steam from the jet pass between the bars and through
the fire, the smoke being entirely consumed and the steam being converted into
water-gas, which on leaving the fire and entering the boiler nue, bursts into
flame giving a very intense white heat.
The back of the furnace stopes backwards and upwards forming a sort of
sloping bridge, and above and in front of the bridge we have an inverted or
hanging bridge, the space leading into the combustion chamber.
This hanging or inverted bridge may be made of fireclay or it may be made
of a hollow form in metal in which case it may be used for superheating the
feed water for the boiler.
The firing is regulated by the amount of water-gas produced, and should more
of the latter be required more steam is to be turned on through the jet. To
reduce the amount of water-gas the steam is shut off or reduced. According
to this arrangement no cold air is admitted into the flue to chill the boiler and
check the formation of steam as is the case when firing under the present
arrangement of furnace.
In some cases where it is preferred not to use water-gas the products of com-
bustion mingled with air may be drawn from the top of the fire through the
descending flue by means of a forced draught or by an ordinary chimney draught,
without the use of the steam jet and delivered into the space below the fire bars.
Also when using the steam jet it can be so arranged that the steam is brought

page_text: into a perfectly dry condition before entering the fire, this being considered an
advantage as it is then converted into water gas more readily than when in its
ordinary condition.
Dated this 28th day of October 1899.
GEO. DAVIES & SON...
Agents for the Applicants, 4, St. Ann's Square, Manchester.
Improvements in the Construction of Steam Boiler and other Furnaces.
JOHN MURRAY CAMPBELL, 7, Beech Range, Levenshulme, Manchester, Agent,
and PETER THORNTON DIXON, 30, Bamford Road, Didsbury, Manager, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
The objects of our invention is to construct an improved furnace which will
give a greater evaporating power with a reduced consumption of fuel and an
entire absence of smoke.
For the purposes of our invention we dispense entirely with the present
arrangement of furnace, and substitute in its place, an improved arrangement
which on boilers with flues as at present made is placed outside the boiler flues,
where the space occupied is of importance, the boiler flues can be so arranged
to allow the whole or greater part of the apparatus to be erected inside the
boiler flues.
This apparatus may be described as a carburetted water gas apparatus.
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal vertical section and Fig. 2 a transverse vertical
section of a furnace constructed according to our invention.
The green coal is introduced into a kind of hopper A at the top, covered
with a movable cover U, so as to retain the gases given off by the coals, and
arranged to admit air at B, Fig. 2. The heat of the fire underneath causes the gas
and smoke C Fig. 2 to arise, as it is generated, which instead of passing direct
into the boiler Hue is carried over the top and down through a descending
Hue 1 Fig. 2 (formed in brickwork or any other suitable arrangement) being
drawn by the steam jet E Fig. 2, forced or ordinary chimney draught, and
delivered below the furnace bars F, and the smoke gases and other products
of combustion mingled with air and with steam from the jet pass between the
fire bars and through the fire, the smoke being entirely consumed and the
steam being converted into water gas, which on leaving the fire G, and entering
the boiler Hue H Fig. 2 bursts into flame giving a very intense white heat.
The back of the furnace I Fig. 1 slopes backwards and upwards forming a
sort of sloping bridge and above and in front of this bridge we have an inverted
or hanging bridge K Fig. 1 the space between the two forming a sloping
flue L Fig. 1 leading into the combustion chamber M, Fig. 1 this hanging or
inverted bridge may be made of fireclay, metal or other suitable material, or
it may be made of a hollow form in metal, in which case it may be used for
superheating the feed water for the boilers. If made with holes, it could be used
to admit hot air to moderate the heat entering the boiler flue and prevent over-
heating of the boiler plates.
The firing is regulated by the amount of water gas produced, and should
more of the latter be required more steam is to be turned on through the steam
jet. To reduce the amount of water gas the steam is shut off or reduced.
According to this arrangement no cold air is admitted into the boiler flue

page_text: to chill the boiler and check the formation of steam, as is the case when firing
under the present arrangement of furnace.
In some instances where it is preferred not to use water gas, the products
of combustion mingled with air may be drawn from the top of the fire through
the descending flue by means of a forced draught or by an ordinary chimney
draught without the use of the steam jet and delivered into the space below
the fire bars.
When using the steam jet it can be so arranged that the steam is brought
into a perfectly dry condition before entering the fire, this being considered
an advantage, as it is then converted into water gas more readily than when in
its ordinary condition.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that
what we claim is:-
1) The continuous production of water gas and applying it direct for the
formation of steam, sinelting metals or other purposes where a great heat is
required.
2) Generating the gas from the coals and conveying it along with the smoke
from the top of the fire as it is generated and forcing or passing it through the
fire, either by steam jet used for the formation of the water gas, forced, or
ordinary chimney draught.
Dated this 28th day of July 1900
JOHN MURRAY CAMPBELL.
For Self and
PETER THORNTON DIXON.