IMPROVE- MENTS IN FURNACES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Williams, of Tividale, Rowley Regis, in the
County of Stafford, Tin Plate Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN FURNACES"
Sealed the 24th June 1879, and dated the 18th March 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Williams at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th March 1879.
WILLIAM WILLIAMS, of Tividale, Rowley Regis, in the County of Stafford, Tin
Plate Manufacturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN FURNACES."
My Invention consists in constructing and arranging the parts of furnaces in the
manner hereinafter described, whereby the consumption of fuel is economized, the
combustion regulated, and the ash or incombustible part of the fuel readily
removed.
I will describe my Invention as applied to a heating furnace used in the iron
manufacture.
I make the combustion chamber or fire box by preference of a funnel shape, that
is, of smaller diameter at bottom that at top, and square in horizontal section.
The combustion chamber or fire box has a perforated bottom, on which the fuel
is supported. In two opposite sides of the furnace I fix air or blast pipes. These
pipes open at top into the atmosphere, and at bottom into a chamber underneath
and at the sides of the fire box. Into the upper end of each of these pipes a steam
jet is introduced, by the introduction of which steam, carrying with it atmospheric
air, is introduced into the chamber under and at the sides of the fire box, from
which chamber it passes through the perforated bottom of the fire-box into the said
fire-box, and maintains the combustion of the fuel therein. The flame and pro-
ducts of combustion pass over a fire bridge at the back and top of the combustion
chamber or fire box into the heating chamber of the heating furnace, and from
thence into the chimney stack. The sides of the fire box may be perforated, and
the mixture of steam and air allowed to pass into the fire box at the sides, as well
as through the perforated bottom. By regulating the steam jet by means of stop
cocks or valves in the steam pipe the combustion may be controlled to any required
extent.
"

page_text: The fuel is introduced into the combustion chamber by a door, either in the side
or back, or doors may be placed for that purpose both in the side and back.
The ash is removed at a door near the bottom of the furnace, and a door is fixed
in the chamber receiving the blast of steam and air for the purpose of permitting
the removal of any ash which may collect there.
My Invention is especially applicable to heating, and puddling, and annealing
furnaces, but may also be applied to steam boiler furnaces and furnaces generally.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Williams in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 4th September
1879.
WILLIAM WILLIAMS, of Tividale, Rowley Regis, in the County of Stafford, Tin
Plate Manufacturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN FURNACES."
My Invention consists in constructing and arranging the parts of furnaces in the
'manner herein after described, whereby the consumption of fuel is economized,
the combustion regulated, and the ash or incombustible part of the fuel readily
removed.
I will describe my Invention as applied to a puddling or heating furnace used in
the manufacture of iron.
I make the combustion chamber of fire box with a perforated bottom, on which
the fuel is supported. In two opposite sides of the furnace I fix air or blast pipes.
These pipes open at top into the atmosphere and at bottom into a chamber under-
neath and at the sides of the fire box. Into the upper end of each of these pipes
a steam jet is introduced, by the action of which steam, carrying with it atmo-
spheric air, is introduced into the chamber under and at the sides of the fire box,
from which chamber it passes through the perforated bottom of the fire box into
the said fire box, and maintains the combustion of the fuel therein. The flame and
products of combustion pass over a fire bridge at the back and top of the com-
bustion chamber or fire box into the puddling or heating chamber of the furnace,
and from thence into the chimney stack. The sides of the fire box may be per-
forated, and the mixture of steam and air allowed to pass into the fire box at the
sides, as well as through the perforated bottom. By regulating the steam jet by
means of stopcocks or valves in the steam pipe the combustion may be controlled to
any required extent.
The fuel is introduced into the combustion chamber by a door, either in the side
or back, or doors may be placed for that purpose both in the side and back.
The ash is removed at a door near the bottom of the furnace, and a door is fixed
in the chamber, receiving the blast of steam and air for the purpose of permitting
the removal of any ash which may collect there.
My Invention is especially applicable to heating, puddling, melting, and annealing
furnaces, but may also be applied to stationary steam boiler furnaces and furnaces

page_text: generally, such as gas retort furnaces, and the furnaces of marine, locomotive, and
portable steam boilers.
I will now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying Drawings the
manner in which my Invention may be performed.
Figure 1 represents in side elevation a portion of a puddling furnace provided
with my improvements; Figure 2 represents a horizontal section of the same;
Figure 3 represents a cross section of the same; and Figure 4, an elevation of the
fire box end of the furnace.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several Figures of the
Drawings.
a is the combustion chamber or fire box of the furnace, having a perforated
bottom b, on which the fuel is supported, the said fuel being fed to the fire box
through the doors c, c, c, c, at the end and side of the fire box; d, d, are the air or
blast pipes arranged on opposite sides of the fire box a. I have represented two
air or blast pipes at each side of the fire box, but one or more than two air or blast
pipes may be used at each side of the fire box. The upper ends of the said air or
blast pipes d, d, open into the atmosphere, and their lower ends open into the
chamber e, e, e³, at the bottom, and at the sides of the fire box' a, as best seen in
the cross section, Figure 3, where it will be seen that those parts of the chamber
marked e, e, into which the pipes d, d, open constitute side flues in the side walls
of the fire box a, the said side flues at e², e, opening into the chamber e under the
fire box by a continuous opening; or the said flues at e², e², may open into the
chamber e by passages made at intervals or by perforations. The chamber e², e, e²,
is closed by the doors f, f. By opening these doors any ash or dust accumulating
in the said chamber may be removed.
In the upper ends of each of the air or blast pipes d a steam jet g is supported,
the said steam jets g being provided with valves or stop cocks for regulating the
quantity of steam entering the air or blast pipes d, d. By the action of the steam
jets g, g, a partial vacuum is produced in the pipes d, d, and a mixture of steam
and air is thereby carried down the said pipes and introduced into the chamber e²,
e, e², under and at the sides of the fire box a, from which chamber it passes through
the perforated bottom b into the fire box, and maintains the combustion of the fuel
therein, as indicated by the arrows in Figure 3.
When it is wished to introduce the mixture of air and steam into the fire box at
the sides and above the bottom, as well as through the perforated bottom b, per-
forations are made in the side walls of the fire box. In this case the flues e², e², in
the side walls extend upwards above the level of the perforated bottom b, and by
means of the perforations in the said side walls the mixture of air and steam enters
the fire box b'above as well as through the perforated bottom b.
In this modification the pipes d, d, are shorter than those represented, and
terminate in the upper parts of the extended side flues e², e³, of the air and steam
chamber e.
Figure 5 represents in cross section my Invention applied to the boiler furnace
of a locomotive or portable engine, and Figure 6 represents in cross section my
Invention applied to the furnace of a gas retort. In these arrangements I prefer
to place the air and steam pipes conveying the mixture of air and steam horizontally
instead of vertically, as in the puddling furnace before described.
In the said Figures 5 and 6 d, d, are the horizontal air and steam pipes, opening
into the closed chamber e under the perforated bottom 6 of the fire box or com-
bustion chamber; g, g, are the steam jets opening into the said pipes d, d.
By arranging the pipes conveying the mixture of air and steam symmetrically
on opposite sides of the fire box or combustion chamber of the furnace, as described
and illustrated, an equable combustion of the fuel on every part of the fire grate
is very effectually secured. I apply my Invention to heating, melting, annealing,
and other furnaces, substantially as described, and illustrated with respect to
puddling, locomotive, and gas retort furnaces.
Having now described the nature of my Invention and the manner in which the

page_text: same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I claim as my Invention
the improvements in furnaces, herein before described, and illustrated in the accom-
panying Drawings, that is to say, introducing a mixture of air and steam into the
fire boxes or combustion chambers of furnaces for supporting the combustion of the
fuel therein by means of one, two, or more pairs of pipes supplied with steam jets,
symmetrically arranged on opposite sides of the said fire boxes or combustion
chambers, the ends of the said pipes opening into a closed chamber under or under
and at the sides of the fire box, the mixture of air and steam supplied to the said
chamber entering the fire box through the perforated bottom or through the per-
forated bottom and perforated sides of the said fire box, substantially as described
and illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Williams, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Thirtieth day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.
WILLIAM WILLIAMS. (L.S.)
Witness,
WM. HENRY JONES,
Brockmoor,
Brierley Hill.