IMPROVEMENTS IN FURNACES
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Brown Wilson, of Glasgow, in the County.
of Lanark, North Britain, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
FURNACES,"
Sealed the 13th June 1865, and dated the 16th February 1865.
-PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Brown Wilson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
16th February 1865.
'I, EDWARD BROWN WILSON, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North
Britain,, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN FURNACES," to be as follows, that is to say:-
This Invention, which chiefly relates to certain improved practical arrange-.
ments for the effecting of more perfect combustion in furnaces, is based
upon an Invention for which Letters Patent were granted to me on or about
the Third day of October 1863, and numbered 2425. In contradistinction to
the former Letters Patent, wherein but a short length or small area of incan-
descent fuel is employed for generating the heat, I now find from a more
extended series of experiments that the efficiency of furnaces is considerably
increased by exposing a long inclined bank or layer of fuel in an ignited state,
from which the heating products of combustion are carried into those parts of
[Price 8d.]

page_text: furnaces where the greatest intensity of temperature is required. In altering
an existing puddling, heating, or other similar furnace, I first remove the
fire-bars and substitute in lieu of them a brick or other arch, forming the
hearth, about three feet below the bridge over which the heat products of
combustion
pass
into the puddling chamber. In addition to these alterations
I close up the ordinary feeding door, and erect a hopper or fuel receiver,
which I prefer to make about two feet in length by seven inches broad and
about eighteen inches deep, sloping into the furnace, to facilitate the automatic
ingress of the fuel. On the top of the hopper or receiver I place a door fitted
with mechanism for keeping it open or shut. At the bottom of the furnace,
and over the arch, I arrange an air-tight door, which, when requisite, may be
opened for taking out the ashes and other refuse portions of the burnt fuel.
In the sides of the furnace I also arrange an air-tight door, through which a
bar is occasionally inserted for shaking up the fuel; there is also arranged an
opening through which the bridge may be viewed for the purpose of enabling
the attendant to judge of the state of his furnace; and I may here observe
how important it is to prevent any portion of the fuel from getting either upon
or over the bridge. From my own observations with lighting and working of
such furnaces I am inclined to recommend that a small quantity of fuel is
first placed in the combustion chamber, upon which is laid a sufficient
quantity of wood or other lighting material; over this, fuel is again placed,
after which it is ready to be kindled, and in a few minutes the furnace is to
be filled up to the lower edge of the hopper, in which a quantity of wood is
to be placed and kindled; after this is done the hopper may be. charged. In
firing such a furnace as the one herein-before described, I find it unnecessary
to clean it more than once a day.
In altering the boiler of a locomotive engine I take away the ordinary
fire-bars, and prefer to arrange a water space, upon which the fuel rests,
having an air-tight cleaning-out door at the lower side; and I also convert
the ordinary fire-door hole into a hopper for supplying the fuel, with another
door for regulating the admission of air at the top; and I further prefer that
this fuel hopper should be situated at the highest possible point on the fire
box. By another arrangement I take away the fire-bars and fix an air-tight
plate in their place, upon which bricks or other suitable materials are placed,
for the purpose of, as far as possible, confining the heat; below, or in the
bottom thus formed, an air-tight cleaning-out door is situated.
In altering a stationary flue or Cornish boiler the fire-bars are taken out,
and an arrangement of furnace similar to the pudd ling furnace herein-before
referred to is placed at the firing end of the boiler; or in the inside of the

page_text: flue I place a bridge, against which the bottom of the fuel abuts. At the front
of the boiler I place a plate, upon which the incandescent fuel rests, and this
plate is continued for a sufficient length on the outside to form, with side
plates, a hopper fitted with a regulating door. The lower part of the fuel
chamber thus formed is fitted with an air-tight door for cleaning out the ash.
I may, in conclusion, remark it is obvious that similar arrangements are
equally applicable to marine and other boilers.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Edward Brown Wilson in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 15th August 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
BROWN WILSON, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-eighth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Edward Brown Wilson, Her special licence that I, the said Edward
Brown Wilson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said Edward Brown Wilson, my executors, administrators, or assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all
tinies thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, aud vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "In.
PROVEMENTS IN FURNACES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Edward Brown Wilson, by an instrument in writing under my hand and,
seal,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 Edward Brown Wilson, do hereby declare
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 fol-
owing statement, reference being had to the accompanying.Drawings, and to
the letters and figures marked thereou, that is to say :-
My said Invention chiefly relates to certain improved practical arrangements

page_text: for the effecting of more perfect combustion in furnaces. I find from a series
of experiments that the efficiency of furnaces is considerably increased by
exposing a long inclined bank or layer of fuel in an ignited state, from which
the heated products of combustion are carried into those parts of furnaces
where the greatest intensity of temperature is required.
In altering an existing puddling, beating, or other similar furnace I remove
the fire-bars, and substitute in lieu of these a brick arch or other bottom,
forming the hearth below the bridge, on or over which the heated products of
combustion pass into the puddling or other chamber. In addition to these
alterations I close up the ordinary feeding door and erect a hopper or fuel
receiver, in preference sloping into the furnace, to facilitate the automatic
ingress of the fuel. At the top of the hopper or receiver I place a door fitted
with mechanism for keeping it open or shut. At the bottom of the furnace I
arrange an air-tight door or doors, which, when required, may be opened for
taking out the ashes and other refuse portions of the burnt fuel. In the side
or sides of the furnace I also arrange an air-tight door or doors. There is
also arranged an opening, through which the bridge may be viewed.
In altering the boiler of a locomotive engine I take away the fire-bars, and
prefer to arrange a water space, upon which the fuel rests, having an air-tight
cleaning-out door at the lower side, and I also convert the ordinary fire-door
hole into a hopper for supplying the fuel, with a door for regulating the
adinission of air at the top; and I further prefer that this fuel hopper should
be situated at the highest possible point of the fire-box. By another arrange-
ment I take away the fire-bars and fix an air-tight plate in this place, upon
which bricks or other suitable materials are placed. Below, or in the bottom
thus formed, an air-tight cleaning-out door is situated.
When altering a stationary flue or Cornish boiler the fire-bars are taken
out, and an arrangement of furnace similar to the puddling furnace herein-
before referred to is placed at the firing end of the flue or flues; or in the
outside of the flue or flues I place a bridge, against which the bottom of the
fuel abuts. At the front of the boiler I place a plate or plates, upon which
the incandescent fuel rests, and this plate is continued for a sufficient length
on the outside to form, with side plates, a hopper fitted with a regulating door.
The lower part of the fuel chamber thus formed is fitted with an air-tight
door or doors for cleaning out the ash.
It is obvious that similararrangements are equally applicable to marine and
other boilers.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood, I shall
now proceed more particularly to describe the system, mode, or manner in or

page_text: under which the same is or may be used and practically carried into effect,
reference being had to the several Figures upon the two explanatory Sheets of
Drawings which I have hereuuto appended, and in all of which similar parts
are indicated by corresponding letters of reference, the different Figures on
both Sheets of Drawings. Each Figure represents a longitudinal section of
either a furnace or boiler constructed according to my said Invention.
The manner in which I apply my Invention to furnaces is shown on Sheet 1,
on which Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a reheating furnace; Figures 2,
3, and 4, those of puddling or other furnaces. On Sheet 2 the arrangement
is shown in which I intend to alter or construct different kinds of steam boilers
according to my said Invention; Figure 5 representing a Cornish boiler
arrangement; Figure 6 that of a locomotive fire box; and Figure 7 that of
a marine boiler. Figure 8 shows the manner in which furnaces, boilers, and
other kinds of heating furnaces constructed according to my said Invention
may be supplied with hot air. I have already mentioned, in my Provisional
Specification, that I do away entirely with fire-bars in my system or mode of
constructing heating furnaces, and that I apply an inclined bank for the fuel
to rest upon, which in all the Figures on the appended Sheets of Drawings
are marked A. This bank may either be straight or curved or sloped to a
suitable inclination, and made of bricks or any other suitable material, resting
on iron plates a or on any other suitable substance. At the foot of the bank A
an air-tight door Bis placed, out of which the ashes and other refuse substances
can be removed. This door is placed either at the side of the heating furnace,
as shown in Figures 1 to 5, or directly under the fuel bank or layer A, as
shown in the other Figures, so that the ashes may be taken away from the
front of the heating furnace, or it may be placed in any other convenient spot,
and constructed of iron or any other suitable material, and covered with bricks
or other material, for the purpose of keeping the heat inside. Another air-
tight door C, of convenient construction, position, and material, is placed in
the side wall or walls and holes h of any number, size, and position, being
either air holes to supply the furnace or for preserving the bricks, as usual.
The place at which the fuel is charged, and which I, in my Provisional
Specification, gave the name of a hopper or fuel receiver, has its position at
the upper end of the fuel bank or layer A, where the space between the bank.
and roof or deflector is narrowest, and where the air enters, as indicated by
arrows (Figure 1), and furnished with a door D of any convenient form and
material, and fitted with suitable mechanism to keep it open or shut, for
allowing more or less air into the inside or none at all. This coal hopper

page_text: may be made large enough to keep coals for a period, as shown at Figure 4
The roof or deflector of the heating furnace marked E may be arranged at
any convenient inclination, and made of various forms, as shown in the
different Figures on both the appended Sheets of Drawings. The fire bridge F,
over which the heating products of combustion are carried into the hearth of
the furnace may be constructed of any convenient height above the lowest
resting place of the fuel, and the space between the bridge and the roof may
be of any distance suitable for the required heating effect. Holes may be
placed for the admission of air in the furnace roof immediately over the fire
bridge whenever a greater quantity of oxygen is required. The deflector in
the locomotive fire box, Figure 6, and in that of the marine boiler, Figure 7,
is constructed, as shown in these Figures, as a water space, as is also the fuel
bank or layer A, on which the fuel rests. Figure 7 shows an additional
amount of boiler tubes, marked b, which may be placed in the space now
usually employed for the fuel, and a bridge d may be placed at the entrance.
G on Figure 1, Sheet 1, represents the hole plate through which the iron to
be heated is put into the furnace; and Hin Figure S, spaces for establishing
the supply of hot air, which air may pass the sides of the furnace, the inlet in
that case being at the chimney end, the air itself being admitted either close
upon the bottom of the ignited fuel or at any desirable point above it, which
arrangement is also applicable to Figure 8, Sheet 2, where air is admitted at
the top. The dotted line between the hopper or fuel receiver and the bridge
indicates the surface of the fuel when the furnace is charged, and the distance
between this line and the roof or deflector or the fuel bank A, as well as the
length of the line itself, may bearranged as circumstances may require, as well
as the dimensions of the hopper or fuel receiver. It is evident that when
constructed on a small scale, the herein-before mentioned arrangements of
furnaces are especially adapted to substitute ordinary smiths' hearths, and
possessing the advantage of heating the work without the latter being placed
in contact with the fuel. I further think it right to mention that when a
great length of flame is required, this may be obtained by reducing the length
of the overhanging roof of the furnace. On the other hand, when it is desired
to shorten the length of the flame and maintain the intensity of heat within
the furnace proper,
this may
be effected by lengthening the overhanging roof,
so as to form a larger mixing chamber.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the several modifications under which the same may be used
or practically carried into effect, I would observe, in conclusion, that I do not

page_text: estrict myself to the precise details or arrangements herein-before described
and referred to, as many variations may be made therefrom without deviating
from the true principles or main features thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Brown Wilson, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Third day of August One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-five.
EDWP. B. WILSON. (L.S.)