IMPROVED APPARATUS TO BE USED IN CONNECTION WITH STEAM BOILER AND OTHER FURNACES, FOR CONSUMING OR PREVENTING THE ESCAPE OF SMOKE AND OTHER PRODUCTS
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Harris Lake of the firm of Haseltine, Lake
& Co Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London for an Invention of
"IMPROVED APPARATUS TO BE USED IN CONNECTION WITH STEAM BOILER
AND OTHER FURNACES, FOR CONSUMING OR PREVENTING THE ESCAPE OF
SMOKE AND OTHER PRODUCTS A communication from abroad by Canute
Olson of Chicago, Illinois, United States of America.
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Harris Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th March 1882.
HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine Lake & Co Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London " IMPROVED APPARATUS TO BE USED IN
CONNECTION WITH STEAM-BOILER AND OTHER FURNACES, FOR CONSUMING OR
PREVENTING THE ESCAPE OF SMOKE AND OTHER PRODUCTS [A Communication
from abroad by Canute Olson of Chicago, Illinois, United States of America.]
"
This invention relates to means for consuming or preventing the smoke and
other combustible matter in steam-boiler or other furnaces, which, where ordinary
furnaces are used pass off unconsumed and it consists in apparatus of special
construction and arrangement for accomplishing this result by throwing an
unbroken horizontal sheet of superheated steam over the fire just above the fuel.
In carrying the said Invention into practice I provide a steam-supply pipe
passing from the steam-dome down in front of the boiler and into the furnace,
preferably at one side. The lower horizontal portion which enters the furnace, is
preferably somewhat larger than the rest. If the upper part be for example three
eighths of an inch in diameter it is advisable to make the diameter of the lower
horizontal part half an inch. A valve at any convenient point in the length of the
pipe, regulates the supply of steam.
Within the furnace the lower horizontal pipe is directed to a point over the
nearest corner of the grate and there enters the lower part of a steam-coil which is
supported on a shoe resting on the grate-bars at one side of the grate. The shoe
is secured in position by a bolt, and a nut, on the under side of the grate, or by
•

page_text: other convenient means. The coil is arranged on the inner side of the fire-box,
directly over the grate, the number of coils being greater or less, according to the
degree to which it is desired to heat the steam. In a construction, which I find
satisfactory in practice, the coil passes twice straight upward and once straight
downward. At the end of the second upward pass, the pipe is carried horizontally
across to the boiler, thence straight downward a short distance, and thence
horizontally back to the wall at the corner of the fire-box, and down again to a
point somewhat above the fuel which rests on the grate and about on a level with
the point where the pipe enters the furnace. Here it turns again into a horizontal
and diagonal direction, and projecting a little beyond the rest of the coil, terminates
in a flat cap or nozzle having a narrow horizontal slot, extending quite across it
and notching its sides to a slight depth. The object of the upper horizontal
turn, which has been described, is to brace the coil between the boiler and the
wall.
The pipe of which the coil is composed should be somewhat larger than that
through which the steam enters it, in order to give room for the expansion of the
steam. If the horizontal pipe is half an inch in diameter, the pipe of the coil may
advantageously be three-quarters of an inch. Common single pipe may be used
for the coil; but double pipe would be preferable. The steam, passing from the
dome through the pipe into the coil within the fire-box ascends and descends
through the coil, being all the time directly over the fire, and in its passage becomes
superheated. It then escapes through the said Slot and spreads in a sheet over the
whole surface of the burning fuel mingling with the smoke and gases as they
rise, and causing a perfect combustion of them before they can pass over the
bridge.
Inasmuch as the discharging pipe of the coil projects diagonally and but a short
distance from the corner of the fire-box, it throws its sheet of steam over
practically the whole surface of burning fuel. Other arrangements and proportions
of this pipe and of the rest of the coil would give an effect the same in kind but
inferior in degree.
Instead of the coil which I have described, an annular drum might be used with
similar effect and other modifications which do not affect the principle of the said
invention will readily suggest themselves.
The apparatus which I have described is extremely simple and cheap and it has
been found on trial that it is perfectly efficacious.
For all the intense heat to which it is subjected within the fire-box a coil made
of double pipe will be found to be satisfactory service; and when one coil is
burned out, or nearly so, it can be removed and replaced with very little trouble
and in a very short time. The removal is thus easily accomplished, for the reason
that the coil is not permanently attached to any portion of the structure, but rests
loosely on the shoe and is held in place at its upper end loosely between the boiler
and side wall of the furnace. It is simply required therefore, to disconnect the
service-pipe when the coil may be lifted from its place and taken out through the
openings of the furnace.
I am aware that many devices have heretofore been devised for throwing jets of
steam into the fire-box and upon the burning fuel; but in all cases, so far as I am
aware, the steam has been sprayed in, and to greater or less extent directed down
upon the fuel. By my apparatus I avoid the direct inpingement of the steam
upon the fuel and the simple spraying, by both of which the steam is simply
diffused among the products of combustion with little or no effect. By means of
the horizontal slotted nozzle I direct an unbroken sheet of steam continuously and
with force across the rising products of combustion, and thus effectually check
them and cause them to be consumed; and in this unbroken horizontal sheet in
contradistinction to the old method of spraying, the main principle of the present
Invention consists.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Henry Harris Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
13th September 1882.
HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London, "IMPROVED APPARATUS ΤΟ BE USED IN
"
OR
CONNECTION WITH STEAM-BOILER AND OTHER FURNACES FOR CONSUMING
PREVENTING THE ESCAPE OF SMOKE AND OTHER PRODUCTS A communication
from abroad by Canute Olson, of Chicago, Illinois, United States of America,
This invention relates to means for consuming, or preventing the escape of,
smoke and other combustible matter produced in steam-boiler or other furnaces.
The said invention consists in apparatus of special construction and arrangement,
for accomplishing this result, by throwing an unbroken horizontal sheet of super-
heated steam over the fire, just above the fuel.
In the accompanying Drawing,
Figure 1 is a front elevation of a boiler and furnace provided with apparatus
constructed according to this invention.
Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same partly sectional on the line x, x.
figure 1.
Figure 3 is a section of the apparatus on the line y, y, figure 2.
Figure 4 is a horizontal section of the line Z, Z figure 3.
Figure 5 is a section on the line Y, Y figure 3, showing the upper end of the
steam coil.
Figure 6 is a perspective view of the shoe which supports the steam coil, and of
that part of the grate on which it rests.
Figure 7 is a front elevation of the cap or nozzle though which the steam is
discharged.
Like letters denote the same parts in all the figures.
A is a steam-boiler, and a its steam dome, B is the furnace, b, b, the furnace
doors; 6 the fire-bars and 6 the bridge, all of which may be of ordinary
construction.
C is a steam-supply pipe passing from the steam-dome down in front of the
boiler, and into the furnace, preferably at one side. A valve c¹ placed at any
convenient point in the length of the pipe C, regulates the supply of steam.
Within the furnace the pipe c is directed to a point over the nearest corner of
the grate, and there enters the lower part of a steam coil D, which is supported on
a shoe D' resting upon the fire-bars at one side of the grate. The said shoe is
secured in position by a bolt & and a nut on the under side of the grate, or by any
suitable means.
The coil D is arranged on the inside of the furnace, directly over
the grate, the number of turns of the said coil being greater or less, according to
the degree to which it is desired to superheat the steam. In the construction
shown, which is found to work satisfactorily, the coil contains two straight upward
turns and one straight downward turn; at the end of the second upward turn the
pipe is carried horizontally across to the boiler, then straight downwards a short
distance and thence horizontally back to the wall at the corner of the furnace, and
down to a point somewhat above the level of the fuel upon the grate, and about
on a level with the point where the pipe C enters the furnace; here it turns again
in a diagonal horizontal direction, and projecting a little beyond the rest of the

page_text: coil, terminates in a flat cap or nozzle D2, having a narrow horizontal slot d*
extending quite across it and penetrating its sides to a slight depth as shown in
figure 7. The object of the upper horizontal turn, above described is to brace the
coil between the boiler and the wall.
The pipe of which the coil is composed should be somewhat larger than that
which conveys the steam to it, in order to allow room for the expansion of the
steam. If the horizontal pipe c is, say half an inch in diameter, the diameter of
the pipe of the coil may advantageously be, say three quarters of an inch. Common
single welded pipe may be used for the coil, but double welded pipe is preferable.
The steam passing from the dome through the pipe C, traverses the coil D in the
direction indicated by the arrows in figure 2; as the said coil is constantly
exposed to the direct action of the fire, the steam becomes superheated in
its passage. It then escapes through the slot d of the cap, and spreads in a sheet
over the burning fuel, mingling with the smoke and gases as they rise, and causing
a perfect combustion of the same before they pass over the bridge.
As the discharging pipe of the coil projects diagonally and but a short distance
from the corner of the furance, it throws its sheet of steam over practically the
whole area of the grate, I do not limit myself to the arrangement and proportions
hereinbefore described as it is obvious that they can be varied without departing
from the nature of this invention, for instance an annular drum may be used
with similar effect.
The apparatus which I have described is extremely simple and cheap, and it has
been found on trial that it is perfectly efficacious. For the intense heat to which
the core is subjected within the furnace double welded pipe will be found to work
satisfactorily; and when one coil is burned out, or nearly so, it can be removed
and replaced with very little trouble and in a very short time, for the reason that
the said coil is not permanently attached to any portion of the structure, but rests
loosely on the shoe D¹ and is held in place at its upper end loosely between the
boiler and side wall of the furnace. It is simply required, therefore, to disconnect
the service-pipe, when the coil may be lifted from its place and taken out through
the openings of the furnace.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I am aware that many devices have heretofore been used for throwing jets of
steam upon burning fuel; but, in all cases, so far as I am aware, the steam has
been sprayed into the furnace, and to a greater or less extent directed down upon
the fuel. By my apparatus I avoid the direct impingement of the steam upon the
fuel, and the simple spraying, by both of which the steam is simply diffused
among the products of combustion with little or no effect. By means of the
horizontally slotted nozzle I direct an unbroken sheet of steam continuously, and
with force, across the rising products of combustion, and thus effectually check
them and cause them to be consumed; in this unbroken horizontal sheet, in
contradistinction to the old method of spraying, the main principle of my Invention
consists, and I claim,
First. The coil D for superheating the steam, in combination with the shoe D¹
attached to the fire-bars of the furnace, and the boiler A between which and
the furnace wall the upper end of the coil is held, substantially as described.
Second. An apparatus for consuming, or preventing the escape of, smoke,
consisting of a drum or coil D arranged within the furnace at one corner of the
front end thereof, and provided with a nozzle or cap D2 arranged just above the
surface of the fuel, whereby the steam is superheated and then delivered in an
unbroken horizontal sheet just over the fuel, but not in contact therewith,
substantially as, and for the purpose, set forth.
Third. The combination, with a steam-boiler or other furnace, of a superheater,
steam pipes for supplying the said superheater, and a discharge pipe attached to

page_text: the said superheater, having a horizontally-slotted nozzle arranged a little above
the grate, and adapted to discharge an unbroken and continuous sheet of steam
horizontally over practically the whole fire, substantially as described.
In witness whereof I the said Henry Harris Lake have hereunto set my
hand and seal this twelfth day of September in the year of our Lord one
thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
HENRY H. LAKE. (LS.)