IMPROVEMENTS IN for an Invention of FURNACES FOR METALLURGICAL AND OTHER PURPOSES, AND IN APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING THESE AND OTHER FURNACES WITH FUEL
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Phillips Thompson, of the Firm of Wm. P.
Thompson & Co., Agents for Foreign Patent Solicitors, of 6, Lord Street,
Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, and 323, High Holborn, in the County
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for an Invention of
FURNACES FOR METALLURGICAL AND OTHER PURPOSES, AND IN APPARATUS
FOR SUPPLYING THESE AND OTHER FURNACES WITH FUEL." A communi-
cation from abroad from John Glassford MoAuley, of Denver, in the State of
Colorado.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Phillips Thompson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 11th January 1881.
WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, of the Firm of Wm. P. Thompson & Co.,
Agents for Foreign Patent Solicitors, of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, in the County.
of Lancaster, and 323, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN FURNACES FOR METALLURGICAL AND OTHER PURPOSES, AND
IN APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING THESE AND OTHER FURNACES WITH FUEL."
A communication from abroad from John Glassford McAuley, of Denver, in the
State of Colorado.
This Invention consists in improvements in furnaces for burning pulverized fuel,
and in combining the hopper, the screw conveyer, the cone pulley, the mill or
mills, the conical casing, and the discharge pipes; and also in the construction and
combination of the injector or feeding apparatus for conveying the pulverized fuel
into the furnaces.
It is best described by aid of the accompanying Drawings, which are given as
an illustration of the Invention. Fig. 1 is a vertical section of the hopper, screw
conveyer, mills, conical casing, discharge pipe, shafting, pulleys, and regulator;
Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing the crushing and pulverizing mill with its
discharge pipe connected with the injector or feeding apparatus for supplying the
carbonized fuel to the furnace; also showing the valves or slides for regulating the
supply of air and fuel to the furnaces, and also showing the end of the discharge
pipe or spreader formed so as to distribute the carbonized air over the width of
the furnace; Fig. 3 is a view of one of the crushing or pulverizing plates in the

page_text: mill; Fig. 4 is a view of the flattened fuel spreader; Fig. 5 is a view of the valve
or slide for regulating the supply of air and fuel; Fig. 6 is a front elevation of the
feeding and injecting apparatus and a vertical longitudinal section of the furnace;
Fig. 7 is an end elevation of the furnace and a section of the feeding and injecting
apparatus, and also a top view on a line with the injectors showing the construction
of the combustion chamber.
The same letters represent the same parts in all the Figures.
A represents the hopper, which can be made of metal or wood in the usual form;
said hopper has an opening in each side near the bottom through which a shaft
passes, and also to pass coal or other fuel into the mill; B is a screw conveyer
near the bottom of the hopper and inside of it, and is made right and left so as to
convey coal into both mills at the same time. Motion is given to the screw
conveyer by a cone pulley C¹ on the shaft C, said shaft being kept in place by
shaft rests D; E, E, are two conical pulverizing mills constructed in the usual
manner with cast iron shells and with steel or hardened iron, roughened or grooved,
grinding surfaces; said surfaces are fastened to the inside of shells, and on the
outside of the pulverizing cones in the usual manner. Attached to the bottom of
the shells F, F, is a conical casing G terminating in the pipe H, and conveying
the pulverized material to the feeding apparatus or injector I; motion is given to
the conical mills E, E, by the belt wheel J on the shaft K; L, L, are levers for
regulating the grinding surfaces of the mills; these levers are attached to the
frame of the mills at M and jointed at N; on one end of the levers is a screw and
nut or wheel 0; resting on the levers L is a socket P; in this socket the lower end
of the shaft K revolves. To regulate the mill turn the nut or wheel O so as to
raise or lower the shaft K; the main grinding surface being keyed to the shaft K,.
by raising or lowering it the material is either ground course or fine as required.
The conical mills E, E, can be dispensed with or placed in some other place or
position, and the pulverized fuel conveyed into the hopper A by an elevator or
other means, and is then conveyed into the conical casing or funnel shaped
casing G and pipe H, the quantity of fuel conveyed being regulated by the
motion or speed given to the screw conveyer B by means of the cone pulley C on
the shaft C. I, Fig. 2, is the feeding apparatus or injector, and is constructed of
metal in the form of a pipe or tube; one end of this pipe or injector is connected
to an ordinary blower or air blast, as shown at I¹, Fig. 6. In this pipe is a
regulating valve or slide R; this slide or valve is hinged to the air pipe and can
be raised or lowered in the pipe as occasion requires. A similar slide or valve is
arranged in the fuel pipe H, both being to regulate the supply and both marked R;
a short distance from the slide or valve the air pipe is contracted and carried
beyond the outlet of the fuel pipe H, as shown at S, Fig. 2. The object of the air
pipe being contracted and carried beyond the entrance of the fuel pipe H is that a
more thorough commingling of the fuel and air takes place, and it also prevents
the fuel blowing back through the pipe H and mill E or casing G, the air being
admitted in the top of the casing G when required. By this arrangement air is
drawn through the mill E, and pipe H, and casing G by the vacuum made in the
injector I. The injector I is flattened at the discharging outlet so as to spread
the air loaded with fuel over or above the bottom of the furnace, as shown at T,
and is called a spreader. The injector I can be set at an angle so that the
air loaded with fuel will impinge on the sloping or curved bottom near the
fire bridge; U, Fig. 3, shows a section of the crushing plate in the mill, which
is made of steel or hardened iron corrugated, grooved, or roughened, so as to make
grinding and pulverizing surfaces; T, Fig. 4, shows the spreader attached to the
injector I. This spreader is made the same capacity as the injector, but flattened,
as shown; R, Fig. 5, is the slide or valve; it is made of a thin circular piece of
metal, with a handle on one side and a hinge on the other; being hinged in or on
the pipe it can be raised up by the handle so as to open the full capacity of the
pipe. Fig. 6, I is the injector or feeding apparatus; H is the fuel pipe; R is the
slides or valves, all previously described; represents the walls of the furnace;

page_text: W is a sloping bottom in lieu of the ordinary grate bars or flat bottom. The
bottom W slopes, from near the entrance of the fuel feeding pipe, and also from the
top of the fire bridge or bridge wall to the centre of the combustion chamber. At
the lowest part in the combustion chamber is an opening X, through which the
clinker may be removed. This opening can be closed by a door or other means.
Y. is the combustion chamber; Z is the fire bridge or bridge wall, which is sloped
on both sides; the object of the slope inside the heating chamber is to prevent any
accumulation of unconsumed carbon in the angle at the bottom of the bridge wall
Fig. 7 is a section of the combustion chamber, showing its construction. The com-
bustion chamber is constructed with a sloping bottom, and with discharge openings
at the lowest point in the bottom, as previously described. In this view two injectors
and also two draw offs are shown, it being a double combustion chamber. Between
the two injectors is built a wedge shaped wall of fire brick, extending from the top
to the bottom of the combustion chamber, and extending back nearly to the bridge
wall, as shown at Z. In the front and along the sides of the combustion chamber
inside is built from the top to the bottom of said chamber a fire brick wall at an
angle and extending from the injector I to the wall of the combustion chamber
near the bridge wall, as shown at Z". From this construction it will be observed
that it is impossible for any unconsumed carbon to remain in the combustion
chamber.
The operation of this Invention is as follows:-
Broken or partly crushed coal or other fuel is placed in the hopper A, and motion
is given to the screw conveyer B by means of the conical or spiral belt pulley C¹
on the shaft C; the coal or other material is conveyed into the mills E, E, motion
being given to the mills by the belt wheel on the shaft K, or by any suitable
gearing. The pulverized material passing from the mills is discharged into the
conical casing G, and through the pipe H into the feeding apparatus or injector I,
where it is commingled with the air, and forced into the furnace by the air blast
or blower attached to the injector I. The combustion chamber in the furnace is
heated to the proper temperature to ignite the first jets of carbonized air by a
temporary fire of wood or other fuel.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Phillips Thompson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
11th July 1881.
WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, of the Firm of Wm. P. Thompson and Co.,
Agents for Foreign Patent Solicitors, of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, in the County
of Lancaster, and 323, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN FURNACES FOR METALLURGICAL AND OTHER PURPOSES, AND
IN APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING THESE AND OTHER FURNACES WITH FUEL."
A communication from abroad from John Glassford McAuley, of Denver, in the
State of Colorado.
The following is the Specification exactly as communicated to me with orders to
file:
"This Invention consists in improvements in furnaces for burning pulverized
fuel, and in combining the hopper, the screw conveyer, the cone pulley, the mill or
mills, the conical casing, and the discharge pipes, and also in the construction and
combination of the injector or feeding apparatus for conveying the pulverized fuel
into the furnaces.
It is best described by aid of the accompanying Drawings, which are given
as an illustration of the Invention. Fig. 1 is a vertical section of the hopper,
screw conveyer, mills, conical casing, discharge pipe, shafting, pulleys, and regulator;
Fig. 2 is a side elevation, showing the crushing and pulverizing mill, with its
discharge pipe connected with the injector or feeding apparatus for supplying the
carbonized fuel to the furnace; also showing the valves or slides for regulating the
supply of air and fuel to the furnaces, and also showing the end of the discharge
pipe or spreader formed so as to distribute the carbonized air over the width of the
furnace; Fig. 3 is a view of one of the crushing or pulverizing plates in the mill;
Fig. 4 is a view of the flattened fuel spreader; Fig. 5 is a view of the valve or slide
for regulating the supply of air and fuel; Fig. 6 is a front elevation of the feeding
and injecting apparatus, and a vertical longitudinal section of the furnace; Fig. 7
is an end elevation of the furnace, and a section of the feeding and injecting
apparatus, and also a top view on a line with the injectors showing the construction
of the combustion chamber.
The same letters represent the same parts in all the Figures.
A represents the hopper, which can be made of metal or wood in the usual form.
Said hopper has an opening in each side near the bottom, through which a shaft
passes, and also to pass coal or other fuel into the mill. B is a screw conveyer
near the bottom of the hopper and inside of it, and is made right and left so as to
convey coal into both mills at the same time. Motion is given to the screw
conveyer by a cone pulley C" on the shaft C, said shaft being kept in place by shaft
rests D; E, E, are two conical pulverizing mills, constructed in the usual manner,
with cast iron shells, and with steel or hardened iron, roughened or grooved,
grinding surfaces. Said surfaces are fastened to the inside of shells, and on
the outside of the pulverizing cones in the usual manner. Attached to the
bottom of the shells F, F, is a conical casing G terminating in a pipe H, and
conveying the pulverized material to the feeding apparatus or injector I; motion is
given to the conical mills E, E, by the belt wheel J on the shaft K. L, L, are
levers for regulating the grinding surfaces of the mills; these levers are attached
to the frame of the mills at M, and jointed at N; on one end of the. levers is a
screw and nut or wheel O; resting on the levers L is a socket P; in this socket
the lower end of the shaft K revolves. To regulate the mill turn the nut or
wheel O so as to raise or lower the shaft K; the main grinding surface being

page_text: keyed to the shaft K, by raising or lowering it the material is either ground
course or fine, as required. The conical mills E, E, can be dispensed with or placed
in some other place or position, and the pulverized fuel conveyed into the
hopper A by an elevator or other means, and is then conveyed into the conical
casing or funnel shaped casing G and pipe H, the quantity of fuel conveyed
being regulated by the motion or speed given to the screw conveyer B by means
of the cone pulley C¹ on the shaft C. I, Fig. 2, is the feeding apparatus or injector,
and is constructed of metal in the form of a pipe or tube; one end of this pipe or
injector is connected to an ordinary blower or air blast, as shown at I¹, Fig. 6.
In this pipe is a regulating valve or slide R; this slide or valve is hinged to the
air pipe, and can be raised or lowered in the pipe as occasion requires. A similar
slide or valve is arranged in the fuel pipe H, both being to regulate the supply,
and both marked R; a short distance from the slide or valve the air pipe is
contracted and carried beyond the outlet of the fuel pipe H, as shown at S, Fig. 2.
The object of the air pipe being contracted and carried beyond the entrance of the
fuel pipe His that a more thorough commingling of the fuel and air takes place, and
it also prevents the fuel blowing back through the pipe H and mill E or casing G,
the air being admitted in the top of the casing G when required. By this arrange-
ment air is drawn through the mill E, and pipe H, and casing G, by the vacuum
made in the injector I. The injector I is flattened at the discharging outlet so as
to spread the air loaded with fuel over or above the bottom of the furnace, as
shown at T, and is called a spreader. The injector I can be set at an angle so that
the air loaded with fuel will impinge on the sloping or curved bottom near the fire
bridge. U, Fig. 3, shows a section of the crushing plate in the mill, which is made
of steel or hardened iron, corrugated, grooved, or roughened, so as to make grinding
and pulverizing surfaces. T, Fig. 4, shows the spreader attached to the injector I.
This spreader is made the same capacity as the injector, but flattened, as shown,
R, Fig. 5, is the slide or valve; it is made of a thin circular piece of metal with a
handle on one side and a hinge on the other; being hinged in or on the pipe it can
be raised up by 'the handle so as to open the full capacity of the pipe. Fig. 6, I is
the injector or feeding apparatus; H is the fuel pipe; R is the slides or valves, all
previously described; V represents the walls of the furnace; W is a sloping bottom
in lieu of the ordinary grate bars or flat bottom. The bottom W slopes from near
the entrance of the fuel feeding pipe, and also from the top of the fire bridge or
bridge wall to the centre of the combustion chamber. At the lowest part in the
combustion chamber is an opening X, through which the clinker may be removed.
This opening can be closed by a door or other means. Y is the combustion
chamber; Z is the fire bridge or bridge wall, which is sloped on both sides. The
object of the slope inside the heating chamber is to prevent any accumulation of
unconsumed carbon in the angle at the bottom of the bridge wall. Fig. 7 is a
section of the combustion chamber showing its construction.
The combustion
chamber is constructed with a sloping bottom, and with discharge openings at the
lowest point in the bottom, as previously described. In this view two injectors
and also two draw offs are shown, it being a double combustion chamber. Between
the two injectors is built a wedge shaped wall of fire brick, extending from the top
to the bottom of the combustion chamber, and extending back nearly to the bridge
wall, as shown at Z'; in the front and along the sides of the combustion chamber
inside is built from the top to the bottom of said chamber a fire brick wall at an
angle, and extending from the injector I to the wall of the combustion chamber,
near the bridge wall, as shown at Z. From this construction it will be observed
that it is impossible for any unconsumed carbon to remain in the combustion
chamber.
The operation of this Invention is as follows:-
Broken or partly crushed coal or other fuel is placed in the hopper A, and
motion is given to the screw conveyer B by means of the conical or spiral belt
pulley C on the shaft C; the coal or other material is conveyed into the mills E, E,
motion being given to the mills by the belt wheel on the shaft K, or by any

page_text: suitable gearing. The pulverized material passing from the mills is discharged into
the conical casing G, and through the pipe H into the feeding apparatus or
injector I, where it is commingled with the air, and forced into the furnace by the
air blast or blower attached to the injector I. The combustion chamber in the
furnace is heated to the proper temperature to ignite the first jets of carbonized
air by a temporary fire of wood or other fuel.
I claim as my Invention,-
First. The combination of the hopper A, the screw conveyer B, the pulverizing
mill or mills E, E, the conical casing G, the pipe H, and the regulators L, L, with
the conical or spiral pulley C¹ to supply the fuel to the grinding mills and hopper,
as described..
Second. The feeding apparatus or injector I with a regulating slide or valve R,
and a contracted air pipe S, said contracted air pipe carried beyond the fuel inlet
in the injector, as described.
Third. The combination of the conical or spiral pulley C₁, the conical casing G,
the pipe H, the regulating slide or valve R in the pipe H, with the injector or
feeding apparatus I, constructed substantially as described.
Fourth. The combination of the injector or feeding apparatus I with the
spreader T, all constructed and arranged substantially as and for the purpose
specified.
.
Fifth. The combination of the slides or valves R with the air blast and fuel
pipes when arranged and used as described..
Sixth. A furnace constructed with a double sloping bottom and with a draw off
in the combustion chamber at the lowest place in said chamber, and with a sloping
bridge wall in the heating chamber,.as.described.
Seventh. A furnace constructed with a double sloping bottom and with a draw
off in the combustion chamber, and with a wedged shaped wall between the
injectors and a wall extending at an angle from the injectors on each side to the
inside wall of the combustion chamber at or near the bridge wall, as described,
and for the purpose specified.
Eighth. The combination of the feeding apparatus or injector I with a furnace
having double sloping bottoms and wedge shaped walls, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Phillips Thompson, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eighth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
W. F. THOMPSON. (L.B.)