IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR FEEDING FURNACES WITH FUEL
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Oliver Johnston, of Sedghill, in the County of
Northumberland, Engineer, and William Steains Vaughan, of the County and
Town of Newcastle upon Tyne, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN APPARATUS FOR FEEDING FURNACES WITH FUEL."
1007
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Oliver Johnston
and William Steains Vaughan at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents
on the 19th February 1879.
WILLIAM OLIVER JOHNSTON, of Sedghill, in the County of Northumberland,
Engineer, and WILLIAM STEAINS VAUGHAN, of the County and Town of Newcastle
upon Tyne, Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR FEEDING FURNACES
WITH FUEL
"
Our Invention consists in feeding or supplying fuel to furnaces by means of the
pressure of steam, air, or water, or a combination of any or either of them, so that
fuel suitably placed near the furnace will be injected into the same by means of
and with one or more currents or jets of the steam, air, or water, or a combination
of any or either of them.
For this purpose the fuel is caused to pass from a hopper or other suitable recep-
tacle, in quantity regulated by a slide or otherwise as required, into a chamber
opening into the furnace, in which chamber is contained a pipe or pipes fitted with
nozzles through which steam or compressed air or water is caused to issue in jets,
and exert a pressure on the fuel as it reaches the chamber, whence it is.injected into
the furnace.
* The pressure at the nozzles can be regulated as required by means of a cock fitted
to the pipe, through which the steam, air, or water under pressure passes into the
said chamber..

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Oliver Johnston and William Steains Vaughan in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 19th August 1879.
WILLIAM OLIVER JOHNSTON, of Sedghill, in the County of Northumberland,
Engineer, and WILLIAM STEAINS VAUGHAN, of the County and Town of Newcastle
upon Tyne, Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR FEEDING FURNACES
WITH FUEL.”
Our Invention of "Improvements in Apparatus for Feeding Furnaces with Fuel"
has for its object the feeding or supplying of fuel to furnaces by means of the
pressure of steam, air, or water, or a combination of any or either of them, so that
fuel suitably placed near the furnace will be injected into the same by means of and
with one or more currents or jets of the said steam, air, or water, or a combination
of any or either of them.
For this purpose the fuel is caused to pass from a hopper or other suitable recep-
tacle, in quantity regulated by a slide or otherwise as required, into a chamber
opening into the furnace, in which chamber is contained a pipe or pipes fitted with
nozzles or apertures through which steam or compressed air or water is caused to
issue in jets, and exert a pressure on the fuel as it reaches the chamber, whence it is
injected into the furnace.
•
The pressures at the nozzles or apertures can be regulated as required by means
of a cock or valve fitted to the pipe through which the steam, air, or water under
pressure passes into the said chamber.
Having thus stated the nature of the said Invention, we will proceed to describe
more particularly in what manner the same is to be performed by the aid of the
accompanying Drawings, in which is represented the apparatus forming an auto-
matic stoker as applied to a range of Cornish boilers.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal elevation, Fig. 2 a plan or horizontal view, Fig. 3 a trans-
verse section of the apparatus. In these several Figures the same letters of reference
indicate corresponding parts. A, A, represent two Cornish boilers; B, B, the furnaces
of the same; C, C, the fire doors; D is a trough containing a worm scroll d for con-
veying the fuel from a suitable hopper or receptacle to the different furnaces, such
worm scroll being worked by a shaft driven by wheel gearing or belting, and at a
speed adapted to supply all the furnaces in the range with sufficient fuel, and excess
of fuel being rejected at the end of the range or trough. E is a slido fitted under
the worm scroll, and covering the opening through which the fuel can pass from
the trough D into the chamber F leading into each furnace; this slide can be worked
by means of the screw G, so as to regulate the quantity of fuel allowed to pass into
the chamber F as required. H is the blast pipe, which is shewn as connected with
the boiler in order to receive steam from it to serve as the agent. for feeding the
fuel to the furnace; this pipe H is furnished with a cock or valve for regulating the.
force of the blast, and when an air blast is used this pipe will be connected to.the air
receiver; this blast pipe is arranged in such a position in relation to the falling fuel.
as will be best suited to force it forward on to the fire. The openings or jets in the
blast pipe may be merely one or more slits formed in the pipe (as shewn at Fig. 4),
or they may be arranged similarly to fantail gas burners, or they may be of any
suitable shape or shapes preferred. I is a baffle plate fitted as shewn in the
chamber F, such plate being acted upon as required by means of the screw K for
the purpose of distributing the fuel fairly and evenly over the grate as it leaves
the chamber F.
From the foregoing description it will be seen that as the fuel is conveyed along
the trough D it will fall through each opening in quantity regulated by the position

page_text: of the slide E, and there meeting with the blast will be forced forward along the
chamber F, and passing under the baffle plate I will be thereby distributed evenly
over the grate as required.
In the Drawing the apparatus is shown as adapted to Cornish boilers, but by
slightly varying and modifying some of the parts it can be readily adapted and
applied to marine and stationary boilers, and to furnaces of all descriptions.
apparatus can also be readily adapted for using air or water for the blast.
he
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, we hereby declare that we do not claim as of our Invention
any of the parts of apparatus above described when separately considered, nor
otherwise than as together forming an automatic stoker, but what we do claim as of
our Invention is,―
The apparatus adapted for supplying boiler or other furnaces with fuel by means
of a blast of steam, air, or water, or a combination of any or either of them, in the
manner hereinbefore described.
In witness whereof, we, the said William Oliver Johnston and William
Steains Vaughan have hereunto set our hands and seals, the
day of August, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
seventy nine.
Witness to both signatures,
ARTHUR DAULBY WEDGWOOD,
Engineer,
Fawdon House,
WILLIAM OLIVER JOHNSTON. (L.S.)
W. S. VAUGHAN.
Newcastle on Tyne.
(L.S.)