IMPROVEMENTS IN KILNS AND APPARATUS FOR DRYING AND BURNING BRICKS
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION. .
We, JOHN JAMES BARCLAY of Number 3 Tebb Street in the Borough of
Sunderland in the County of Durham, Bottlemaker ROBERT ALLISON of Whitburn
in the County of Durham Builder and JAMES BARCLAY of Number 12 Alderson.
Street in the Borough of Sunderland Bottlemaker do hereby declare the nature of
our invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN KILNS AND APPARATUS FOR DRYING AND
BURNING BRICKS" to bo as follows:-
The object of the invention is to burn bricks by gas instead of coal and to
economise the heat by conveying it by flues from one kiln to another and thence
by flues through the shed used for drying bricks before burning.
The gas is produced by an ordinary gas producer whence it passes into a gas box.
The gas passes from the gas box through a culvert into a receiver or regenerator:
alongside the kiln. From the regenerator the gas passes through tubes or pipes to
the top of the kiln where it is discharged into the kiln through portholes in the
arches at the top of the kiln.
Air heated by the gas producer is also conveyed by culverts to air chambers.
alongside the kiln and thence into the top of the kiln.
The receiver or regenerator and air chambers are for the purpose of getting an
even pressure of gas or air on passing into the kiln.
The gas is ignited at the top of the kiln and combustion is maintained by the
supply of air through the air pipes.
A draught is created by a chimney which draws the flames down through flues
in the bottom of the first kiln to a second kiln and so, if required, to further
kilus and finally through the drying sheds where it is utilised to increase the
temperature.
Each kiln is connected with the gas producer and to the adjoining kiln and there
are dampers and valves between them which can be opened or closed. After the
beated air has been used for the purpose of drying the bricks prior to burning in ..
the kilns it is taken away by flues to the drying shed and further utilised to dry
the bricks.

page_text: We JOHN JAMES BARCLAY of Number 3 Tebb Street in the Borough of
Sunderland in the County of Durham Bottlemaker ROBERT ALLISON of Whitburn
in the County of Durham Builder and JAMES BARCLAY of Number 12 Alderson
Street in the Borough of Sunderland Bottlemaker do hereby declare the nature of
our invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN KILNS AND APPARATUS FOR DRYING AND I
BURNING BRICKS" and in what manner the same is to be performed to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :--
The object of the invention is to burn bricks by gas instead of coal and at the
same time to economise the heat by conveying it by Blues from one kilni to another
and thence by flues through the shed used for drying bricks before burning.
The drawings hereunto annexed show a series of kilns and apparatus for drying
and burning bricks constructed according to our invention.
Figuro 1 is a plan view in section. Figure 2 a longitudinal vertical section of
the apparatus. Figure 3 is a plan view in section on a larger scale of three of the
kilns. Figure 4 is a vertical section of the same on the line. E F Figure 3.
Figure 5 is a vertical section the line G H. Figure 6 is a plan in section of the gas
producer. Figure 7 is a vertical section of the same on the line A B and Figure 8
a vertical section on the line C D.
In these figures A A are gas producers of ordinary construction similar for
example to the gas producers used with what are known as Siemens gas furnaces.
B is a gas chamber in which gas passing from all of the gas producers is collected.
C'C are flues radiating from this gas chamber one to each of the kilus D. Each
flue is led alongside of one or other of the kilns, D-above it is a gas chamber E
into which gas is admitted from the flue C through an opening at the centre of the
length of the kiln. From the gas chamber two flues F are led upwards at points
midway between the centre and ends of the kiln-in this way an equal supply of
gas is ensured to the two flues. The two flues are carried downwards through the
crown of the arched roof of the kiln and convey the gas into a hollow arch G.
A space H is left between the top of the hollow arch G and the under sido of the
arched roof of the kiln to which air is admitted as hereinafter described.
On each side of the hollow arches G are openings G through which the gas
issues in horizontal streams just below the arched roof one set of gas jets from each
hollow arch being so directed towards one end of the kiln and the other towards
the centre of the kiln-at the same time the air admitted into the spaces H above
the hollow arches is similarly directed in two horizontal streams towards the end
and centre of the kiln-on the gas being ignited there will in this way be obtained
a sheet of flame over the whole of the upper part of the kiln or practically so.
The products of combustion pass downwards through the kiln and pass away by
openings I into a flue J below the centre of the kiln floor. A continuation of this

page_text: -
flue is led away from one end of the kiln to a hot air chamber. K' from which the
hot air is conveyed to a drying shed K from which it is finally admitted to a
chimney L. The flue 'J below the centre of each kiln has also branch passages J"
passing from it to upright flues J from which other passages Ja convey the heated
gases to openings formed through the crown of the arched roof of the next
adjoining kiln as indicated by dotted lines in Figure 3. To provide for the
conveyance of the heated gases from one end kiln to the other end kiln of the
series of kilns a return flue J' passing back across the top of all the kilns is
provided as shown at Figures 4 and 5.
:
:
'
"
Dampers are fitted to the flues J' and in the continuations of the flues J so that
when gas is being admitted to any one or other of the kilns the direct passage of
the products of combustion from this kiln to the drying shed and chimney may be
shut off and the products of combustion caused to pass into the top of the next
kiln and be then caused to pass from this kiln to the drying shed and chimney or
if desired the products of combustion might be led through a greater number of
kilns. In this way the contents of the kiln or kilns will be gradually heated or
graduated" preparatory to their being fired. The firing of this last mentioned
kiln is commenced as soon as the firing of the first mentioned kiln has been
completed. When gas is shut off from the first mentioned kiln it is introduced
into the second and is there lighted through holes provided for the purpose at the
ends of the kilns. The contents of the first kiln are now allowed to cool down
and the products of combustion from the second kiln are led into a third. In this
way there may be always one kiln being fired a second being heated preparatory to
being fired and a third being allowed to cool preparatory to its being emptied.
Preferably we employ a row of five kilns so that in addition to the three above
mentioned there may be a kiln which is being emptied and another which is being
filled.
In place of permanent flues J being formed below the bottom of each kiln,
temporary Blues or passages may each time that the kiln is filled be formed in green
bricks over the whole surface of the kiln floor-in this case the flues J passing
from the ends of the kilns should be made trumpet mouthed as shown at Figure 6
and openings be made just above the kiln floor from the ends of the kilns into the
'trumpet mouthed ends of the flues.
The air for supporting combustion is introduced into each kiln at the time when
firing is going on in this kiln through horizontal air passages passing from each
end of the kiln above the top of its arched roof and from these air passages
openings are formed through the roof into the spaces H between the underside of
the roof and the hollow arches G.
When the firing of a kiln is stopped air is still admitted to it through the air
inlets to cool the contents-the air so admitted is drawn off in a heated state by
the chimney draft directly from the bottom of the kiln to the drying shed and
utilised for drying purposes.
Provision is also inade for directly heating the drying chamber by the combustion
of gas supplied to it from the gas producers A through a flue M carried below the
kilns as shown by dotted lines in Figures 1 and 2.
By constructing the kilns to be heated by gas in the manner hereinbefore
described and by drawing the products of combustion from kiln to kiln and thence
to the drying shed a great saving in coal and time required for burning is effected
as it will be found that four tons of coal are sufficient to burn forty thousand bricks
O in one kiln and at the same time graduate forty thousand more in another kiln and
also keep up the requisite temperature in the drying shed. It will also be found
that bricks burnt in the kilns will be more regular in size and shape and more
uniform in color and hardness than bricks burnt in kilns of ordinary construction---
there will also be no waste of bricks such as commonly takes place in other kilns
5 from the front tier or blade being torn by excessive heat or from a tier or blade
being too soft to be offered for sale.

page_text: 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 construction of kilns in such manner as to be heated by gas from a
producer being discharged horizontally or approximately so into the kiln at the top
and the products of combustion drawn off through numerous openings at the
bottom substantially as described.
2. The construction of a series of kilns in such manner that they can be heated
by gas from a gas "producer" and the products led from kiln to kiln substantially
as herein before described.
3. The combination of gas producer, series of kilns and drying shed substantially
as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the drawing annexed.
LAAK
CARPMAEL & Co.,
Agents for the Applicants. 15