IMPROVEMENTS IN FUEL FEEDING APPARATUS POR STEAM BOILERS
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Newton, of Lower Providence Mill, near
Keighley, in the County of York, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN FUEL FEEDING APPARATUS POR STEAM BOILERS."
Sealed the 28th April 1868, and dated the 6th November 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Newton at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
6th November 1867.
I, ROBERT NEWTON, of Lower Providence Mill, near Keighley, in the
County of York, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN FUEL FEEDING APPARATUS FOR STEAM BOILERS," to be as
follows:-
My Invention has reference to the well-known hopper feeder in which the
fuel passes between toothed rollers, and is thereby triturated, when it falls
upon distributors, by which means it is thrown upon the fire.
To remedy the defects of the usual arrangement is my object, and for this
purpose I so arrange the teeth of the crushing or triturating rollers relatively
to each other that instead of meeting each other point to point, as is now. the
case, they follow after each other in a manner similar to that which they would
do supposing them to be in gear; the purport of this arrangement being to
enable me to use any class of fuel, so that in the event of "slack," say, being
used, it is gradually and evenly admitted to the distributors.

page_text: A further improvement consists in making the centres of the distributors
(which are the well-known circular-webbed discs) of a bell formation, in order
that the fuel falling from the rollers above them may be pitched towards their
outer edges, and thus more readily (through their rotary movement) thrown
upon the the furnace beneath them. The webs of the distributors I also
hollow out near the shaft to prevent any one compartment being choked.
The improvements have special reference to my Patent dated 24th March
1866, No. 878.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed'
by the said Robert Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
4th May 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
NEWTON, of Lower Providence Mill, near Keighley, in the County of York,
send greeting.
C
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirty-first year of Her
reign, did for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Robert Newton, Her special licence that I, the said Robert Newton,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Robert Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during
the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FUEL FEEDING
APPARATUS FOR STEAM BOILERS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said Robert Newton, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the
Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Robert Newton, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say:-

page_text: My Invention has reference to the well-known hopper feeder in which the
fuel passes between toothed rollers, and is thereby triturated when it falls
upon distributors, by which means it is thrown upon the fire.
To remedy the defects of the usual arrangement is my object, and for this
purpose I so arrange the teeth of the crushing or triturating rollers relatively
to each other that instead of meeting each other point to point, as is now the
case, they follow each other in a manuer similar to that which they would
do supposing them to be in gear at the side (so to speak) of each tooth. The
purport of this arrangement is to enable me to use any class of coal or coke
fuel, so that in the event of "slack," say, being used it is gradually and evenly
admitted to the distributors.
A further improvement consists in making the centres of the distributors
(which are the well-known circular-webbed discs) of a bell formation in order
that the fuel falling from the rollers above them may be pitched towards their
outer edges, and thus more readily (through their rotary movement) thrown
upon the furnace beneath them. The webs of the distributors I also hollow
out near the shaft to prevent any one compartment being choked.
These improvements have special reference and application to my Patent
dated 24th March 1866, No. 878, though of course applicable where the
arrangement there named is not used.
In order, however, that my Invention may be the better understood reference
is made to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, and to the letters and figures
marked thereon, similar letters representing similar parts, that is to say :-
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shews a front and sectional elevation of my improved hopper in
position; Figure 2 is a side elevation of the hopper; Figure 3 a side sectional
view of the same in position, but not geared up; and Figure 4 an enlarged
sectional view of the triturating rollers shewing the relative positions of the
teeth of the same.
Letters A indicate the hoppers in which the fuel to be consumed is placed;
letters B show the rollers through which it passes on to the distributors C;
these latter it will be observed have a bell centre formation near the respective
shaft, to which they are secured in order the better to keep the fuel towards
the outer edges for the purpose of distribution. It will also be observed that
the webs c of the distributors C are hollowed out near the centre, so that in
the event of one compartment receiving too much fuel opportunity is afforded
for a portion to pass over to the adjoining compartments.
Referring to Figure 4 it will be seen that each roller B commences with a

page_text: half tooth at one end and finishes with a full one at the opposite end. With
two such rollers therefore provided at alternate ends with half teeth I am
enabled to avail myself of the full length of the rollers (when in position as
shown) for the purposes of feeding by. gearing them, so to speak, at the
side that is to pass the teeth between one another, and thus avoid the
large opening left between two contiguous teeth laterally by the ordinary
arrangement.
Another advantage thus gained is that regularity is ensured in the delivery
of the fuel upon the distributors, a great desideratum where "slack" is used.
The ordinary appliances are used for actuating the rollers and distributors;
these are shown on the Drawing, but being well known it is unnecessary to
describe them.
Having now fully described the nature of my Invention, and in what
manner the same may be performed, I wish it to be understood that what
I claim as novel and of my Invention is,―
Firstly. The use of triturating or feeding rollers constructed and placed
relatively to each other, as shewn and described, without confining myself to
the precise details shown.
And, secondly. The construction of distributors with a bell formation of the
centre part, and with webs hollowed near the centre for the purposes named,
as shown and described.
-
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Newton, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
Witness,
PHILIP H. SHARP,
Patent Agent,
Leeds and Bradford.
ROBERT NEWTON. (L.S.)