Improved Means for Feeding Coal to Furnaces.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Apr., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 11th Jan., 1892-Accepted, 13th Feb., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means for Feeding Coal to Furnaces.
1, WALD BARNES, of "Clovernook" Middletown, Connecticut, in the United
States of America, Artist and Author, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
My invention relates to an improved means for feeding coal to ship's and other
furnaces.
Beneath the bunker Hoor is attached by a swivelling connection a chute, said
chute sliding in a mouthpiece which may be attached to the front of the furnace
by one or more ball and socket joints so that the chute may be moved into different
positions in front of the various furnaces it is desired to feed. The descent of coal
down the chute is regulated by a weighted check or stop operated by a suitable
lever. This lever and a second one which is provided serve to move the mouth-
piece into different positions the levers being held at the desired points by suitable
stops or catches.
The chute is supported on wheels or rollers which run on a curved groove or
rail or on the floor of the furnace room so that it can be brought into position
opposite the mouthpiece of any furnace. Where there is only one furnace a mouth-
piece without a ball and socket joint may be employed and the chute may be
attached without a swivel joint to the coal bunker.
Dated the 9th day of April 1891.
PHILIP M. JUSTICE,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Applicant's Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means for Feeding Coal to Furnaces.
I, WALD BARNES, formerly of Clovernook" Middletown, Connecticut, but
now of "The Chalet," Cornwall on Hudson in the State of New York, in the
United States of America, Artist and Author, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention and in what inanner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My invention relates to an improved means for feeding coal to ship's and other
furnaces.
Beneath the bunker floor is attached by a swivelling connection a chute, said
chute sliding in a mouthpiece which may be applied to the front of the furnace by
one or more ball and socket joints, while the chute may be moved into different
positions in front of the various furnaces it is desired to feed. The descent of
coal down the chute is regulated by a weighted check or stop operated by a suit-
able lever. This lever and a second one which is provided serve to move the
mouthpiece into different positions the levers being held at the desired points by
suitable stops or catches.
The chute is supported on wheels or rollers which run on a curved groove or
rail or on the floor of the furnace room so that it can be brought into position
opposite the mouthpiece of any furnace.
To clearly explain the nature of my invention I will describe it in connection
with the accompanying drawing in which
Fig. 1 is a view shewing my apparatus with the parts in one position, Fig. 2
shewing the parts in another position.

page_text: Beneath the coal bunker floor a and communicating therewith is attached a
socket piece in which is inserted the bent end of a pipe or chute e, the latter
being arranged to turn on a pivot point d suitably supported on a part of the
framework of the furnace room or otherwise. The chute e is carried by a frame
or standard e provided with a wheel adapted to travel on a curved track on the
furnace room floor. Upon the end of the chute c slides an outer tube provided
.with a ball socket joint and a mouthpiece y'.
This tube is connected by a rod h
with a lever pivoted at to a second lever k.
9
This lever is pivoted at 7 and is rigidly attached to a weight m to which a
lug or stop n is rigidly attached said lug n working in the chute and forming a
stop to prevent the coal descending same. The lever also carries an arm o
having a notch or stop o¹ and the frame e carries a notched segment p attached to
it and to the bottom of the chute c.
the
When the parts are in the position shewn in Fig. 1 and the furnace is being fed
the mouthpiece is in the opening of a furnace represented by the lines
levers and being in a vertical position. To shut off the supply of coal and
withdraw the mouthpiece g' so as to allow it to be placed in the opening of another
furnace the lever is moved away from a notch or stop on the frame e into the
position shewn in Fig. 2 the weight m assisting the movement so that the lugn is
brought into the position shewn. The lever is now pulled down into the position
shewn in dotted lines and is caught and held by the notch or stop o¹ thus drawing
up the rod h, tube g and mouthpiece g¹. The chute c is then moved around on the
track until it is brought opposite another or side furnace which requires a longer
length of chute and for this purpose the lever k is lowered to the position shewn
on Fig. 1 bringing with it the lever i which is also brought back to the position
shewn and the latter is then moved away from the notch or stops on the lever k
around into the position shewn in dotted lines Fig. 1 thus forcing out the rod h
tube and mouthpiece g'. There is no necessity to place the lever i in any notch
or stop in this position as the weight of the mouthpiece will hold it therein, but a
notched segment or like device may be provided to enable the lever to be held at
any intermediate point depending upon the number and position of the furnaces.
In this position when feeding the distant or side furnaces the ball socket joint is
necessary in order to enable the mouthpiece to enter the furnace notwithstanding
the angle of the chute and if necessary a double ball and socket joint may be
employed where the angle requires it. The reverse movement will bring it back
to the position shewn in Fig. 1 which will be sufficient to remove the mouthpiece
from the opening of the distant furnace, and a movement of the lever into the
position shewn in Fig. 2 will serve to shut off the coal again. The object of the
intermediate notches or stops on the segment p is to enable the lever to be held
in any convenient position in case a lump of coal is caught by the lug n in the
chute so that the passage of the coal may be stopped even if the lever k will not
move to properly close the chute. Where there is only one furnace a sliding
mouthpiece without a ball socket joint may be employed the parts being otherwise
the same.
Although I have described and illustrated the best form of my invention known
to me at the present time it must be understood that I do not confine myself to
the particular arrangement of parts shewn but
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 :-
1. In a device for feeding coal to furnaces a pivoted chute and a rail or guide
way on which same is moved substantially as described.
2. In a device for feeding coal to furnaces a pivoted chute, a rail or guide way
on which same is moved, a sliding mouthpiece, means for operating same, and a
stop device for the coal and means for operating same substantially as described.

page_text: 3. In a device for feeding coal to furnaces comprising a pivoted chute passing
from the coal bunker to the furnace a mouthpiece having a ball and socket joint
or joints substantially as described.
4. The device for feeding coal to furnaces constructed substantially as described
and illustrated.
Dated this 11th day of January 1892.
PHILIP M. JUSTICE,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Agent for the Applicant.