Improvements in Mechanical Stokers.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Aug., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 4th May, 1893-Accepted, 1st July, 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Mechanical Stokers.
I JAMES PROCTOR of Hammerton Street Iron Works Burnley in the County
of Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to that class of mechanical stokers for steam boiler furnaces
wherein a radial shovel is employed for throwing the fuel into the furnace, that is
to say, a shovel fixed to an arm which is hung from above and works in a radial
direction within a shovel box.
The objects of the present invention are to spread the fuel more evenly over the
surface of the fire, and also to afford facility on each side of the shovel for examining
trimming and poking the fires when requisite.
For the above purposes instead of employing a shovel box of the full width of
the fire doors as heretofore I have a shovel box and shovel from about four to
six inches wide, and I leave an opening or space on each side thereof (at the same
height as the shovel) so that the stoker can at any time inspect and trim, or poke, the
fire such openings being provided with a door or doors whereby they may be kept
closed at other times.
One of the leading advantages of having these openings on each side of the shovel
box for trimming the fire is that it dispenses with the necessity for opening the fire
hole door whereas formerly this door had to be opened every time the fire required
trimming.
Instead of making the working face of the shovel of an angular or V-shape to
distribute the particles of fuel laterally I employ a shovel with a flat face at right
angles to its line of movement, so that the fuel being dropped from the hopper into
the box in front thereof, the particles will practically move in a direct line until
they come in contact with my improved spreader or deflector which I fix to the
bottom of the shovel box at the centre of its forward edge.
In the arrangement hitherto employed the shovel box has been made as wide as
possible for the purpose of distributing the fuel over the whole surface of the fire
and owing to variations in the condition and sizes of the fuel it could not always be
delivered in precisely the same place and hence the distribution of coal was liable
to be uneven, whereas by dropping the fuel into a much narrower space as under
the present improvements, the delivery is much more even, and the spreader or
deflector being fixed, the fuel will be evenly distributed the day through.
This spreader or deflector is composed of two angular plates or wings which are
joined together at their lower edges, and extend upwards and inwards and away
from each other towards the top, at such an casy angle and curve as will distribute
the fuel equally over both sides of the fire and offer as little resistance as possible
to the passage of the fuel. The central part of the fire is fed by that portion of
the fuel which passes between the two wings or plates of the spreader, which as
before stated are only joined together at their lower edges and extend gradually
away from each other at their upper parts.
The precise form, angle, and curve of the spreader or deflecting plates will vary
with the diameter of the flue and the length of the fire bars, and they may either
be made adjustable, or when the precise form and angle to suit each particular size
of furnace has been determined, they may be cast together in one piece.
Dated this 4th day of Anana 1902
GEO. DAVIES & SON,
4, St. Ann's Square, Manchester, Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Mechanical Stokers.
I JAMES PROCTOR of Hammerton Street Iron Works Burnley in the County
of Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
nanner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to that class of mechanical stokers for steam boiler furnaces
wherein a radial shovel is employed for throwing the fuel into the furnace, that is
to say, a shovel fixed to an arm which is hung from above and works in a radial
direction within a shovel box.
The principal object of the present invention is to afford facility on each side of
the shovel for examining trimming and poking the fires when required.
My invention will be readily understood from the following description on
reference to the accompanying drawings.
Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation shewing part of a mechanical stoker with my
invention applied thereto.
Fig. 2 is a front view thereof partly in section.
Fig. 3 is a front view of a modification hereafter described and Fig. 4 is a similar
view of the latter partly in section.
Fig. 4 is a plan of a shovel hereafter described.
For the purposes of my invention instead of employing a shovel box of the full
width of the fire doors as heretofore I have in some cases a shovel box a and
shovel from about four to six inches wide, and I leave an opening or space c c¹ on
each side thereof (at the same or similar height as the shovel 6) so that the stoker
can at any time inspect and trim, or poke the fire such openings being provided with
a door or doors d whereby they may be kept closed at other times, as shewn at the
left hand side of Fig. 2.
One of the leading advantages of having these openings on each side of the
shovel box a for trimming the fire is that it dispenses with the necessity for opening
the fire hole door e whereas formerly this door had to be opened every time the fire
required trimming.
Instead of making the working face of the shovel 6 of an angular or V-shape to
distribute the particles of fuel laterally I may employ a shovel 6 with a flat face at
right angles to its line of movement, so that the fuel being dropped from the hopper
into the box in front thereof the particles will practically move in a direct line
until they come in contact with a spreader or deflector of any suitable known
construction which I fix to the bottom of the shovel box at the centre of its
forward edge.
This spreader or deflector f may be composed of two angular plates or wings
which are joined together at their lower edges, and extend upwards and inwards
and away from each other towards the top, at such an easy angle and curve as will
distribute the fuel equally over both sides of the fire and offer as little resistance
as possible to the passage of the fuel. The central part of the fire is fed by that
portion of the fuel which passes between the two wings or plates of the spreader,
which as before stated are only joined together at their lower edges and extend
gradually away from each other at their upper parts.
Any other known form of spreader may be used.
I also
When applying my improved side openings to wide shovel boxes as seen at
Figs. 3 and 4, I make the said openings c c in the front of the box a (see Fig. 3)
and I cut away part of the shovel at each side as shewn at 6x Fig. 4.
provide fixed brackets above the level of the side portion of the shovel b in
order to protect the latter when the fire is poked through the openings c c.
In this case I use a shovel with a V shaped spreader thereon as seen on the
detached plan Fig. 4ª.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is-
The combination with the shovel box of mechanical stokers of the kind herein-
before described of openings formed at or through either side of the front thereof
with a shovel made narrow or cut away so that the fire can be inspected and
trimmed or poked through the said openings substantially as and for the purpose
herein before described.
Dated this 3rd day of May 1893.
GEO. DAVIES & SON,
4, St. Ann's Square, Manchester, Agents for the Applicant.