PREVENTING THE FUSION OF THE FIRE-BARS IN LOCOMOTIVE OR OTHER FURNACES
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Thow and Thomas Mitcheson Hall, both
of Preston, in the County of Lancaster, Engineers, for the Invention
of "PREVENTING THE FUSION OF THE FIRE-BARS IN LOCOMOTIVE OR OTHER
FURNACES."
Sealed the 27th May 1859, and dated the 30th November 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Thow and Thomas
Mitcheson Hall at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 80th November 1858.
We, JOHN THоw and THOMAS MITCHESON HALL, both of Preston, in the
County of Lancaster, Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "PREVENTING THE FUSION OF THE FIRE-BARS IN LOCOMOTIVE OR
OTHER FURNACES," to be as follows:-
This Invention is intended to make the fire-bars of such furnaces much
more durable than heretofore, and to allow of the consumption of a cheaper
class of fuel without detriment thereto.
The Invention consists in placing a small pipe running transversely under
the heel of the fire-bars. In this pipe holes are to be drilled, one opposite
to each space between the bars; on turning a cock, with which this pipe is
furnished, a jet of water will be thrown between the bars along their whole
length, and the effect will be that the bars will be kept at a comparatively
low temperature, and thus their fusion and the formation of clinker will be
prevented.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Thow and Thomas Mitcheson Hall in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 28th May 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JOHN
THOW and THOMAS MITCHESON HALL, both of Preston, in the County of
Lancaster, Engineers, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-second year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
us, the said John Thow and Thomas Mitcheson Hall, Her special licence that
we, the said John Thow and Thomas Mitcheson Hall, our executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said John Thow and Thomas
Mitcheson Hall, our executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 "PREVENTING
THE FUSION OF THE FIRE-BARS IN LOCOMOTIVE OR OTHER FURNACES," upon the
condition (amongst others) that we, the said John Thow and Thomas
Mitcheson Hall, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under our, or one of our, 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 we, the said John Thow and Thomas Mitcheson
Hall, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement in writing, and on reference to the accom-
panying Drawings, that is to say :-
Our Invention is applicable to furnaces in general, but is more especially
adapted to the furnaces of locomotive steam engines wherein coal is employed
as a fuel, and is intended to make the fire-bars of such furnaces much more
durable than heretofore, and to allow of the consumption of a cheaper class
of fuel without detriment thereto.
Our Invention consists in placing a small pipe running transversely under
the heel of the fire-bars. In this pipe holes are to be drilled, one opposite

page_text: to each space between the bars; on turning a cock with which this pipe is
furnished, a jet of water will be thrown between the bars along their whole
length, and the effect will be that the bars will be kept at a comparatively
low temperature, and thus their fusion and all adherence thereto will be
prevented.
We would here remark that it will be evident, that instead of having a
separate pipe, a hollow bearer may be employed, and that in place of the
perforations, a narrow longitudinal opening may be made in the side of the
pipe, which will emit a thin sheet or stream of water instead of small jets;
whereby the same effect of cooling the fire-bars will be produced.
In order to illustrate the practical application of our Invention, and that
the same may be clearly described and perfectly understood, we have hereunto
annexed a Sheet of Drawings representing the application thereof to the
furnace or fire-box of a locomotive engine, and have marked the same with
figures and letters of reference corresponding with those in the following
explanation thereof.
Figure 1 is a vertical section taken in a longitudinal direction through
about the centre of the fire-box of a locomotive engine, shewing the adaptation
of a perforated pipe thereto; Figure 2 is a similar section taken transversely
through the fire-box, and looking towards the furnace door; and Figure 3
is a section taken horizontally through the fire-box, a short distance above
the fire-bars, a portion of the fire-bars being removed to show the perforated
pipe more distinctly; Figure 4 is a similar section to Figure 1, but shewing
the application of a hollow bearer in place of the perforated pipe.
In Figures 1, 2, and 3, A, A, represents the fire-box; B, B, the fire-bars;
and C, C, the foot plate; D is the perforated pipe placed under the heel of
the fire-bars immediately in front of the bearer, and supplied with water by
means of the pipe E, E. This pipe may derive its supply from the gauge
glass waste pipe or from any other convenient source, but in practice we
have found it advisable to have a separate cock for this purpose. It will
be observed (especially in Figure 3) that the pipe D is furnished with a
small perforation between each pair of fire-bars, through which a small
jet of water is thrown the whole length of the bars, thus cooling them,
rendering them more durable, and preventing the clinkers from adhering to
them.
By the application of our Invention, coal of inferior quality may be used
with advantage without any admixture of coke, whilst the objectionable plan
of interposing limestone, pieces of fire-brick, or old clinkers between the fire-
bars and the fuel is entirely superseded.

page_text: In Figure 4 similar letters of reference refer to corresponding parts, and
no further description is necessary, excepting that D in this Figure represents
the hollow bearer.
Having now described the nature and object of our said, Invention for
Preventing the Fusion of the Fire-bars in Locomotive or other Furnaces,"
together with the manner of carrying the same into practical effect, we
would remark in conclusion that we claim as our Invention, the application
of a stream or jets of water projected longitudinally between the fire-bars
of locomotive or other furnaces for the purpose of keeping them at a
comparatively low temperature, and thus preventing their fusion.
In witness whereof, we, the said John Thow and Thomas Mitcheson Hall,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twenty-fifth day of May,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
JOHN THOW. (L.S.)
T. M. HALL.
(L.S.)