Improvements in Smoke-consuming Furnaces for Steam Boilers.
Year: 1890

page_text: [Communicated from abroad by ROBERT LOUDON WALKER, of Boston, Massachusetts,
United States of America.]
Improvements in Smoke-consuming Furnaces for Steam Boilers.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex 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 a furnace in which the fire box is divided horizontally
into two portions, and the lower portion of which is also divided by an upright partition
into two portions, with a damper which forms a cover first to one lower portion of
the divided fire-box, and then to the other lower portion and its main feature is the
practical provision for the circulation of water through the sides of the two lower
portions of the fire box and through the damper.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 is a front elevation (with some of the parts omitted for greater clearness)
illustrating one form of apparatus.
Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical section.
Figure 3 is a partial view in section on line 3-3 of Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a partial view in section on line 4-4 of Figure 2, and
Figure 5 is a partial view in section on line 5-5 of Figure 2;
Figures 6 and 7 are views illustrating my new construction of a door frame;
Figure 6, being a sectional view on line 6-6 of Figure 2, and Figure 7 an elevation,
partly in section of the metal ring which constitutes the door frame.
The outer water legs A, A¹ form the sides of the fire box, and the lower part of the
fire box is divided into two portions by the water leg A². The fire box is also divided
horizontally into two portions by the fire brick arches B B¹, and the damper D ; so
that the products of combustion from the fuel in one part of the divided fire box may
be compelled to pass around the inner end of the middle leg A², and under the arch
of the other part and over the incandescent fuel of the other part of the fire box,
in order to get to the upper part of the fire box, and thence through flues or tubes
for as will be clear my invention is applicable in all cases where a fire box is divided
into two parts by a horizontal partition of which a water damper forms a part; and the
lower part is also divided into two parts so that the sides of each part are supplied
with water. It is essential for the proper working of a fire box thus divided into
three parts with a water damper and water sides, that the circulation of water be
properly maintained in the damper and in the sides, and this is especially difficult
in the damper and in the inner water leg A2, which forms the sides of both the lower
parts of the fire box.
The damper D has a water channel d through it from end to end, and this channel
connects at one end with a pipe D' which opens into the upper part of the boiler,
and at the other end with a pipe D' which opens into the lower part of the boiler.
The water leg A³, which forms the sides of both the lower portions of the fire box,
also furnishes a support for the damper D, and this water leg A is kept supplied
with water by connecting it with the boiler at both ends and also at its upper edge;
the end connections, in the locomotive type of boiler shown in the drawings, are the
holes a,
and the tubes a¹, and the edge connection is the pipe a², and also one or
more brace pipes a³.
It is this combination of the damper D and water leg A², with the fire box and
boiler by connections which ensure a proper circulation in each, that constitutes the
main feature of my invention, for heretofore all smoke consuming furnaces on this
plan have proved defective in practical use; and I have discovered that these defects
4

page_text: are remedied by keeping the connection G between the inner end of the damper D
and the water leg A² from destruction by an excess of heat; and that this can be
done by ensuring such a circulation of water through the damper D and through the
water leg A2 as to keep the saddle G from becoming excessively hot.
As an additional precaution the saddle G is formed as a double conduit the inner
tubular part g serving as a prolongation of the channel d of damper D, and the outer
annular part serving as a connection between the upper edge of the water leg A
and the pipe a². The main feature of my invention, as has been said, is keeping the
circulation active in the damper D and water leg A2, so that the upper edge of water
leg A² will serve as a practical support for the damper D ; but this additional feature
of the double way through the saddle G is also a feature of my invention; for while
the main feature may be embodied with a saddle which has but one water way through
it, (the way g connecting with the damper channel d) it is much more perfectly
embodied with a saddle having the two water ways g, g'. The main novelty of my new
combination is the provision for keeping the upper edge of the water leg A² from
over-heating; but as the main reason for doing this is to make the upper edge of the
leg A² a practical support for the damper D, the full and complete novelty is the
provision for keeping the upper edge of the leg A² from overheating coupled with
the double water channel for keeping the saddle G from overheating.
The damper D is jointed at each end by a ground joint; and is forced against the
saddle G, by a spring H.
The segment gear J is fast to the damper and is actuated by rack j; which is
actuated by the piston rod of the cylinder j¹; to which steam is admitted through one
of the pipes; one of these pipes connecting with the exhaust when the other
connects with steam space in the boiler, through any suitable valve ³, whose con-
struction is too well known to require description. The arm is also fast to the
damper and is connected to the buffer spring H' by the chain h, which is properly
guided as indicated in the drawings, to ease the opening and check the closing of the
damper. The tubes a¹ of the water leg A2 are preferably corrugated for some portion
of their length to favor the expansion and contraction. The hollow screws S are
bored as a snug fit for their pipes, and when screwed in place they are slightly com-
pressed and very slightly contracted in diameter, thereby making a steam tight joint.
The brace pipes a³ are also secured by screws s, and aid in getting a proper circu-
lation through the water leg A2; but in practice I have found it desirable to omit
one of these pipes a³, as in some cases it is found inconvenient to use both
these pipes.
These and many other details of construction, not described, will be understood by
all skilled in the art.
?°
Another feature of my invention relates to the door frame of the fire-box, and
consists in a ring of iron of a proper quality with two shoulders turned upon it,
one near each end; the thicker portion R of the ring extending between the
plates ppl of the boiler; and the thinner portions 2, 3 extending through the
plates ppl and being rivetted on them outside of each plate. This forms a simple,
very durable, and efficient frame; which is steam tight, and can be readily made as
desired.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by my
foreign Correspondent I declare that what I claim is :-
'
First. In a fire box, divided horizontally by a fire brick partition B B' and water
damper D and longitudinally by the water leg A2; the damper D having a channel d
through which it connects at one end with the upper part of the boiler and at the
other end with the lower part of the boiler, and the water leg A' which connects at..
both ends and also at its upper edge with the boiler; the water leg A² serving as a
support for the damper D; all substantially as described.
Second. In combination with the damper D and water leg A² the saddle G, having
the water ways g, g' substantially as and for the purposes specified.

page_text: Third. The door frame made of a ring formed with the shoulders, the thicker
portion R, and the thinner portion 2, 3, and the plates p p¹, the thicker portion R
between the plates p p¹, and the portions 23 rivetted upon the plates p p¹², all
substantially as described.
Dated this 4th day of March 1890.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.