IMPROVEMENTS IN LIME KILNS AND OTHER KILNS AND FURNACES
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Finlay, of Red Hill, in the County of
Surrey, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LIME
KILNS AND OTHER KILNS AND FURNACES."
Sealed the 18th February 1876, and dated the 3rd December 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Finlay at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
3rd December 1875.
I, WILLIAM FINLAY, of Red Hill, in the County of Surrey, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN LIME KILNS AND OTHER KILNS AND FURNACES," to be as follows:-
In ordinary lime kilns a great waste of fuel and deterioration of kiln.
results from the active combustion of the fuel in the mouth or throat.
This active combustion is caused by the draught through the fire-bars,
which now extend into the throat through front wall of kiln to the
outside and form a grate in the throat. 1. propose to prevent this com-
;

page_text: bustion of fuel in the throat of the kiln by constructing it with a dead
plate or hearth, the front ends of the fire-bars being set in a line
perpendicular to the inside front wall of the kiln.
I
may also use in combination with my dead hearth a drop arch, with
or without a recess or recesses against which to bank the small coal
filling the throat of the kiln, or I may use the ordinary plain arch in
combination with my dead hearth.
The accompanying Sheet of Drawing shows part elevation, section,
and plan views of a kiln embodying my Invention.
A indicates the dead plate or hearth which may be partly of fire-brick;
and partly of iron as shown, or wholly of clay, or of metal, as may be
found most preferable.
B, fire-bars. I prefer to use the fire-bars of my Invention shown on
the Drawing, but other suitable fire-bars may be used.
. It will be observed that the front ends of these fire-bars are in a line 1
perpendicular to the vertical wall C of the kiln, but they may be
brought in a line perpendicular to the drop arch D, or between these
two points.
E, recess in drop arch against which to bank the small coal filling up
the throat of the kiln.
F, fire-brick tile closing feed hole in the ordinary way.
It will be evident that when the throat G is filled with small coal,
and the tile F closing the feed hole, there can be little or no draught
through the throat, and consequently but a very slow combustion of the
fuel within it, in lieu of the active combustion and white heat within
the throat of ordinary kilns.
I have also found that in addition to the advantages above set forth,
a great reduction of smoke is effected by the adoption of my improve-
ments, which are not only applicable to lime kilns, but to all analogous
kilns and furnaces.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, .
filed by the said William Finlay in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 31st May 1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
FINLAY, of Red Hill, in the County of Surrey, Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Third day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in
the thirty-ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said William Finlay, Her
special licence, that I, the said William Finlay, my executors, admini-
strators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Finlay,
my executors, administrators, 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 LINE KILNS AND OTHER KILNS AND FURNACES," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Finlay, my exe-
cutors 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 William Finlay, do hereby déclare
the nature of my 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 ordinary lime kilns a great waste of fuel and deterioration of kiln
Fresults from the active combustion of the fuel in the mouth or throat.
This active combustion is caused by the draught through the fire-bars,
which now extend into the throat through front wall of kiln to the
outside, and form a grate in the throat. I prevent this combustion of fuel
in the throat of the kiln by constructing it with a dead plate or dead

page_text: '
:
:
6
[
"
Lobby & Improvement exores, yo.
hearth, the front ends of the fire-bars being set in a line perpendicular
to the inside front wall of the kiln.
I may also use in combination with my dead hearth a drop arch, with
or without a recess, or recesses against which to bank the small coal
.filling the throat of the kiln, or I may use the ordinary plain arch in
combination with my dead hearth.
The accompanying Sheet of Drawing shows part elevation; section,
.and plan views of a kiln embodying my Invention.
Similar letters of reference denoting similar parts in each of the views
respectively.
A indicates the dead hearth which may be wholly of clay or fire-brick,
"as shown on the Drawing, or partly of fire-brick, and partly of iron, as
may be found most preferable.
B, fire-bars. I prefer to use the fire-bars of my Invention shown on
the Drawing, but other suitable fire-bars may be used.
It will be observed that the front ends of these fire-bars are in a line
perpendicular to the vertical wall C of the kiln, but they may be
brought in a line perpendicular to the drop arch D, or between these
two points.
E, recess in drop arch against which to bank the small coal filling up :
the throat of the kiln.
F, fire-brick tile closing feed hole in the ordinary way.
It will be evident that when the throat G is filled with small coal,
and the tile F closing the feed hole, there can be little or no draught
through the throat, and consequently but a very slow combustion of the
fuel within it, in lieu of the active combustion and white heat within
the throat of ordinary kilns.
.
I have also found that in addition to the advantages above set forth,
a great reduction of smoke is effected by the adoption of my improve-
ments, which are not only applicable to lime kilns, but to all analogous
kilns and furnaces.
Having now described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is or may be performed, I claim as
secured to me by the herein before in part recited Letters Patent the

page_text: use of the dead plate or dead hearth in the throat of the kiln, sub-
stantially as and for the purpose herein-before specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Finlay, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of May, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
six.
WILLIAM FINLAY. (L.s.)