IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING FUEL TỌ FURNACES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Healey, of Burnley, in the County of Lancaster,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING FUEL TỌ
FURNACES."
Sealed the 20th February 1877, and dated the 20th December 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Healey at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 20th December 1876.
ROBERT HEALEY, of Burnley, in the County of Lancaster.
APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING FUEL TO FURNACES."
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
At
The object of this Invention is to throw a constant thin stratum of fuel on to a
furnace so as to obtain a regular amout of heat with a minimum of fuel, and to
avoid the formation of dense smoke, and the consequent waste of fuel. For example,
at the feeding end of a double flued boiler, above the furnace doors, I have a large
hopper which is kept constantly supplied with fuel in any convenient manner.
the lower part of this hopper is a box in which are mounted a pair of crushing
rollers for crushing the fuel and passing it forward into two shoots, which conduct
it in two regular streams to two boxes placed one in front of each furnace. In each
of these boxes is a revolving fan, the blades of which catch the crushed fuel as it
falls, and throw it forward some distance into the furnace. This fan is driven by
means of cone pulleys, and by placing the driving strap upon a larger or smaller
diameter thereof, the distance to which the fuel is thrown into the furnace may be
regulated. The quantity of fuel supplied may be regulated by altering the speed of
the crushing rollers.

page_text: At
The object of this Invention is to throw a constant thin stratum of fuel on to a
furnace so as to obtain a regular amount of heat with a minimum of fuel, and to
avoid the formation of dense smoke, and the consequent waste of fuel. For example,
at the feeding end of a double flued boiler, above the furnace doors, I have a large
hopper which is kept constantly supplied with fuel in any convenient manner.
the lower end of this hopper is a box in which are mounted a pair of crushing
rollers, for crushing the fuel and passing it forward into two shoots, which conduct
it in two regular streams to two boxes placed one in front of each furnace. In each
of these boxes is a revolving fan, the blades of which are set at a slight angle to
each other, and catch the crushed fuel as it falls, and throw it forward some distance
into the furnace. This fan is driven by means of cone pulleys, and by placing the
driving strap upon a larger or smaller diameter thereof the distance to which the
fuel is thrown into the furnace may be regulated. The quantity of fuel supplied
may be regulated by altering the speed of the crushing rollers. The distance to
which the fuel is thrown into the furnace may also be regulated by means of a plate
at the bottom of the box over which the blades throw the fuel. This plate is so
arranged that it can be set at a more or less acute angle, and thus the distribution
of the fuel is regulated.
Such being the nature and object of my said Invention, I will now proceed to
describe more in detail the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed
or carried into practical effect, and in order that the same may be clearly understood,
I have annexed hereunto a Sheet of Drawings illustrative thereof, and have marked
the same with figures and letters of reference corresponding with those in the
following explanation thereof.
In the annexed Drawing Fig. 1 is an elevation, and Fig. 2 a vertical section of
the furnace end of a two flued boiler with my Invention shown as applied thereto.
a, a, is the end plate of the boiler; and b, b, are the two flues; c, c, are the fire-
bars; c, d, is the hopper which is kept filled with fuel in any convenient manner.
Below this hopper is the box e, e, in which the pair of crushing rollers f,f, are
placed, being driven from the shaft g, g, above by the worm gearing h, h; i, i, are
the two shoots which conduct the crushed fuel to the two boxes k, k, in which are
mounted the fans 1, 1, driven by the band and pulleys m, m. These fans are made
with two or more blades, and cast in one piece with the boss, the blades being
slightly skewed or set at an angle to the axis.
The speed of the fan is regulated by the cone pulleys n, n; o, o, are two doors for
allowing access to the furnace and flues; and p, p, is a plate, the angle of which can
be varied to regulate the distance to which the fuel is thrown into the furnace.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention, together with
the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or carried into practical
effect, I wish it to be understood that I claim as my Invention the general arrange-
ment and construction of the apparatus as above described and represented on the
annexed Drawing, and more especially I claim the construction of fans l, l, and the
regulating plate p, p, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Healey, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Sixteenth day of June, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-seven.