Improvements relating to Feed Hoppers for Alkali Furnaces and the like.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Nov., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 10th Aug., 1896-Accepted, 12th Sept., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to Feed Hoppers for Alkali Furnaces and
the like.
We, FREDERIC HUNGERFORD BOWMAN, Chemist, JAMES JOHN HOWITT,
Engineer, JOHN KNOWLES, Chemist, and THOMAS ANDERSON REID, Chemist,
all of Lostock Gralam in the County of Chester, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to apparatus used in the manufacture of carbonates of
soda by the well known ammonia soda process and more particularly has reference
to the means for feeding the bicarbonate into the furnace in which it is dried with
a view of recovering the ammonia and carbonic acid gas.
If the bicarbonate be supplied to the furnace through an ordinary opening
there is either a loss of ammonia or an influx of air each time the opening is
uncovered to admit a fresh charge of bicarbonate, and the object of our invention
is to provide simple means by which the bicarbonate can be continuously supplied
to the furnace without an appreciable escape of ammonia or influx of air.
In carrying out our invention we provide a suitable cast or wrought iron box
with a suitable hood or cover which is fixed in position over the opening in the
furnace through which the material is fed. The box and cover form a vessel
whose interual contour is preferably cylindrical, the axis of the cylinder being
horizontal, and a shaft is provided, located in suitable bearings and adapted to
rotate, which passes axially through this cylindrical vessel. The shaft carries,
Bay, six radial blades which extend from the shaft to the periphery of the vessel
and the shaft and blades rotate in the cylindrical vessel after the manner of a
paddle wheel the blades have a breadth approximately equal to the axial
dimension of the cylinder and as they rotate they fit the walls and periphery of
the vessel as tightly as is permissible with the practical conditions of working. A
charging opening (which may be fitted with a door if desired) is provided near the
top of the cover and through this opening the material is fed.
The shaft is rotated by hand, or in virtue of the weight of the material on the
blades, or by power, the latter being preferable. We prefer when the apparatus
is used for the purpose described to make the shaft bearings of iron or steel owing
to the injurious action of ammonia on alloys of copper.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-
The bicarbonate is fed in through the charging opening at the top of the cylin-
drical vessel, it then falls on to the blades, and as the latter rotate, it is carried
round and brought over the opening leading into the furnace into which it then
passes.
It will be seen that our invention is applicable generally to those cases where
the material has to be supplied under conditions similar to those described.
Dated this 8th day of November 1895.
:
¡
SLOAN & LLOYD BARNES,
Castle Chambers, 26 Castle Street, Liverpool,
Agents for the Applicants.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to Feed Hoppers for Alkali Furnaces and
the like.
We, FREDERIC HUNGERFORD BOWMAN, Chemist, JAMES JOHN HOWITT,
Engineer, JOHN KNOWLES, Chemist, and THOMAS ANDERSON REID, Chemist,
all of Lostock Gralam in the County of Chester, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to apparatus used in the manufacture of carbonates of
soda by the well known ammonia soda process, and more particularly has reference
to the means for feeding the bicarbonate into the furnace in which it is dried with..
a view of recovering the ammonia and carbonic acid gas.
If the bicarbonate be supplied to the furnace through an ordinary opening
there is either a loss of ammonia or an influx of air each time the opening is
uncovered to admit a fresh charge of bicarbonate, and the object of our invention
is to provide simple means by which the bicarbonate can be continuously supplied
to the furnace without an appreciable escape of ammonia or influx of air.
We have illustrated our invention in the accompanying drawings, in which
Fig. I is an elevation, Fig: II an end elevation, Fig. III a sectional elevation on
the line A. A. of Fig. V, Fig. IV a sectional elevation on the line B. B. of Fig. V,
and Fig. V a plan.
Throughout the drawings, the same parts are indicated by the same reference
figures, and in the case of sections, the direction in which they are viewed is
indicated by the small arrows placed adjacent to the letters denoting the plane of
section.
1 is the shell of the furnace into which the bicarbonate has to be fed, 2, 2¹ is the
feed hopper which consists of a cylindrical casing formed of a lower part 2
attached to the furnace, and a hood or cover 2¹ hinged, by means of the pin 3, to
the lower part 2. The interior of the cylindrical casing communicates with the
interior of the furnace; through an opening 4 in the lower portion of the casing.
and a corresponding opening in the furnace.
5 is the opening through which the bicarbonate is fed, and 5¹ is a sliding door
fitted thereto; within the casing there are a series of radial. blades or vanes 6
carried from a shaft 7 by means of the boss 8 which is fitted to the shaft. The
vanes have an overall diameter and axial breadth nearly equal to the internal
diameter and breadth of the cylindrical casing, so that the edges of the ranes fit
the walls and periphery of the casing as closely as is permissible with their
rotation under the practical conditions of working.; as the vanes rotate there is
therefore no appreciable leakage of gas into or from the furnace, and the material
is fed through the opening.5 on to successive vanes and descends to the opening 4
as the vanes rotate:
The shaft is carried. in two bearings 9 supported on suitable brackets formed on
the casing.
The shaft may be rotated, in the direction indicated by the arrows, by hand, or
it may be rotated. by the weight of the material on the descending vanes, or by
power, the latter being preferable.
When the apparatus is used for the purpose described, we prefer to construct
the shaft bearings of iron or steel, owing to the injurious action of ammonia on
alloys of copper!
A door 10, which is normally closed, is provided, for inspection, repair, etc.
The action of the apparatus is as follows;-
The bicarbonate is fed in through the charging opening 5 at the top of the
cylindrical casing, it then falls on to the vanes 6, and as the latter rotate, it is

page_text: allowed to descend till it reaches the opening 4 leading into the furnace into which
it then passes.
Each spadeful of the material descends with the vanes as it is fed in, there
being no accumulation of the material in the casing, and it is found in practical
working that there is no appreciable influx of air or escape of ammonia as the
blades rotate.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inveu-.
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is ;-
1. The herein described feed hopper, for alkali furnaces and the like, which
consists of a cylindrical casing. having inlet and outlet openings; a rotatable shaft
extending axially across the said casing; and a series of vanes, carried by the
said shaft, whose edges make joint with the internal surfaces of the casing, and
which are adapted, as they rotate, to allow the material fed in at the inlet to
descend to the outlet, and to prevent the escape of gas through the casing ;.
substantially as described and illustrated.
2. The combination and arrangement of parts forming the improved feed
hopper, substantially as described and illustrated in the drawings.
1900
SLOAN & LLOYD BARNES,
Castle Chambers, 26 Castle Street, Liverpool,.
Agents for the Applicants.
SLOAN & LLOYD BARNES,
Castle Chambers, 26 Castle Street, Liverpool,.
Agents for the Applicants.