IMPROVEMENTS IN PROCESSES AND MEANS FOR PREVENTING AND EXTINGUISHING FIRES IN BUILDINGS OR ON BOARD OF SHIPS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Julius Boult, of the Firm of Wm. P. Thompson &
Co., 323, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, and 6, Lord Street,
Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, British and International Patent
Agents, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PROCESSES AND MEANS
FOR PREVENTING AND EXTINGUISHING FIRES IN BUILDINGS OR ON BOARD
OF SHIPS." A communication from abroad by Charles Lyman Garfield, of the
City and County of Albany, State of New York, United States of America.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Alfred Julius Boult at tho
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th April 1879.
"
ALFRED JULIUS BOULT, of the Firm of Wm. P. Thompson and Co., 323, High
Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, and 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, in the County
IMPROVEMENTS IN
of Lancaster, British and International Patent Agents.
PROCESSES AND MEANS FOR PREVENTING AND EXTINGUISHING FIRES IN BUILDINGS
OR ON BOARD OF SHIPS." A communication from abroad by Charles Lyman
Garfield, of the City and County of Albany, State of New York, United States of
America.
In the extinguishment of fires the want of a rapid, effectual, clean, and non-
destructive mode or means for extinguishing fire in buildings, stores, storehouses,
public buildings, manufactories, vessels at sea or in harbors, and in all places where
fire can or may occur, with the least damage to the structure and none whatsoever
to the wares contained in them other than those damaged by fire, has long been
felt.
Innumerable instances could be cited to show that greater damage has resulted
to furniture in dwellings, goods in stores or storehouses, machinery in factories, and
cargoes in vessels, by the use of water as a fire extinguisher than from the effects
of fire. To check the encroachment of fire and confine it to the place where it
originated often necessitates the flooding of adjoining buildings, and when a high
wind prevails this proves unavailing. In winter season the hose for water not
unfrequently freezes and renders all aid, even from the most efficient fire cocks,
futile, and in many instances also buildings of great value have been demolished
by gun powder to stop its progress. Even this does not always valuable
property from being reached and destroyed by fire. Still, while many highly
ingenious modes to extinguish fire by gas have been devised to remedy the evil
resulting from the water used as an extinguisher, none seem to compass the desired

page_text: result. Some of these modes provide for the use of water mixed with carbonic
acid gas, and cast it on the fire as a mist. Other methods provide for the generation
of carbonic acid gas or its equivalent, and at the same time provide means for the
escape of the lighter gas.
The object of my Invention is to provide for the above named want, avoiding
entirely the use of water as an extinguisher, to utterly put out and destroy fire
without moistening in the least any part of the building or wares contained in it,
to confine it to the place of its origination, and to prevent its spreading at all
seasons of the year independently of the character of the material in a state
of incandescence. I accomplish this by forcing the nitrogen contained in the
atmosphere into the building where the fire rages at a low temperature in such
volumes as to neutralize the effects of the elements upon which alone it subsists
and alone can exist, viz., oxygen.
This I effect by drawing or forcing atmospheric air by means of a pump or
equivalent mechanism, through a confined incandescent body or burning material
to disunite the two elements that form and compose the air, and using both in the
accomplishment of my purpose. These elements, as is well known, are, by bulk,
seventy nine parts nitrogen, by bulk, twenty one parts oxygen. I use the latter or
21 parts of a volume of the atmosphere to keep up the caloric in my disengaging
furnace, and the 79 parts of nitrogen thus disengaged, without diminution in
volume or character, I draw from the apparatus by means of a double acting
exhaust and compression pump or liko mechanism through a pipe connecting the
disengaging apparatus to a coil of pipe or any other form of cooler immersed in
water or cooled by any other refrigerant. The pump being exhaustive and
compressive, and provided with proper valves, performs a separate function at each
stroke, viz.; in its upward stroke it forces the atmospheric air I use through an
aperture into and through the candent body to effect the separation of the
nitrogen, and likewise the 79 parts disengaged by the action of the oxygen is
drawn through the coil to cool, and reaches the pump, as before stated, at a low
temperature. In its downward stroke it forces this volume through a flexible hose
and its nozzle directly into the fire, and if the fire is too intense to approach it
through an aperture provided or extemporized into the compartment containing the
fire sought to be extinguished. The effect by experiment made by me proved
almost instantaneous. Having described the manner of disengaging the elements
contained in atmospheric air, and the uses they subserve as a means of extinguishing
fire, I will now describe a suitable construction of apparatus. In the accompanying
Drawings,-
Figure 1 is a plan view, and Figure 2 a side view of such an apparatus.
A is the furnace of any desired form, and made of sheet or cast iron; it has a
closed top B and an air tight-door B' for the supply of fuel or for repair, and is
also provided with the aforementioned pipe or pipes F connected with the cooler C.
The grate of this furnace is similar to those used in ordinary coal burning stoves,
and upon it I place the materials upon which the oxigen consumed in keeping
up the desired caloric for the separation therefrom of the nitrogen. When a fire
threatens to spread I close all doors and windows in the adjoining building next
threatened, and force into it a volume of the nitrogen in such a quantity to provide
for any escape.
I thus impregnate an apartment and destroy the power of the
oxygen to assist the flames to exist. The capacity of the pump being known the
amount of nitrogen produced per stroke and required may be readily ascertained to
fill an apartment or building, as well as the speed at which the pump should be
worked. This nitrogen may however be stored in receivers for future use, and
kept at the ordinary temperature of the surrounding air and allowed to flow from
a main provided for the purpose. The pump D may connect with an air chamber E
which equalizes the flow of air through a hose attached thereto, and G represents
a suitable tank in which the product may be stored.
Other means may be employed for absorbing or abstracting the oxygen, such as
magnetism, electricity, or dia electro-magnetism, so long as I filter the air and obtain

page_text: nitrogen as a result of such filtration. H is the eduction pipe to which the hose is
attached. In some cases I may employ a compression pump to force air through
the filtering medium. It will be obvious that it is not necessary to locate the
apparatus close to the fire so long as sufficient force is given to the extinguishing
product through any length of pipe to the scene of the fire. It is my intention to
supply the nitrogen disengaged, as herein before described, on a large scale, so as to
supply a city therewith in the same manner as water or gas is supplied, so that
instead of the former I use this lighter gas to extinguish a fire, though it may be
desirable to construct buildings with suitable means for attachment of the hose.
The air or gas may also be employed without first cooling it. I do not claim here
the generating of carbonic acid gas for extinguishing fires; if said gas exists it is
accidental.
Instead of deoxygenating the air as above set forth, this may be effected by
introducing finely powdered carbonaceous material mixed with air in the proper
proportions into the combustion chamber of a furnace, through or above, or both
through and above the fire therein, drawing off the gases and other products
evolved in said combustion chamber by means of an exhaust, and forcing the said
gases and products so drawn off directly to the fire to be extinguished, or to suitable
receivers for future use. In the Drawings hereto annexed, I have shown in
Figures 3 and 4 an apparatus for carrying out this method, in which Figures of
Drawings A is a steam boiler and furnace of usual construction, such as is used for
marine and stationary engines; B, B, are pipes communicating with the open air
through a trunk B', and tubes or flues b, and provided with numerous lateral dis-
tributing pipes C, C, which pass through the wall of the furnace and boiler, and
open into the combustion chamber D above the fire. Pipes B are further provided
with branches C" extending into the space beneath the grate, and admit draft to
the fire from below. E is a grinding or pulverizing mill of any desired or preferred
construction for reducing the carbonaceous material employed to a fine powder, and
arranged to deliver said carbon in its reduced state directly into the conducting
pipes B, B. H is an exhaust fan connected by pipe O with smoke box I of the fur-
nace, and adapted to draw the gases and other products of combustion through the
boiler flues d, and thus create a strong draft for the fire. The fan H is driven by an
engine J, preferably supplied with steam from boiler A, through a pipe P, and the
fan in turn drives the inill E by means of a belt or other proper connection.
The application of the foregoing parts it will be observed does not in the
slightest prevent the furnace and boiler from performing their ordinary functions.
When fire is discovered, steam is admitted to the engine, and the fan is made to
rotate at a high velocity, thus causing a powerful draft through the furnace.
the same time the mill commences operation, and the carbonaceous material reduced
to an impalpable powder passes into the pipes B, and there becoming mixed with
the inflowing atmospheric air, is carried by the latter through pipes C, C, into the
combustion chamber D above the fire and through branch C¹ beneath the grate and
through the fire. The sudden introduction of the powdered carbon and air greatly
augments the volume of gases evolved by the fire, and said gases are rapidly drawn
off by the fan and forced by the latter to the point of delivery. As the gases pass
down the vertical portion O¹ of the pipe O, they come in contact with tubes b, b,
through which the inflowing air is passing on its way to the furnace, and are con-
siderably reduced in temperature thereby. The tubes b therefore effect the double
purpose of warming the air before its entrance into the furnace, and the cooling of
the gases prior to their delivery for use. This arrangement of devices may be
applied to all classes of furnaces, though I have designed it especially for use on ship
board. Where a number of boiler furnaces are employed, each may be provided with
pipes for conducting the combined carbon and air, all connected connected with a
common grinding mill, and with a common exhaust and forcing fan, so that when it
is desired to extinguish a fire, one or more of the brightest and hottest fires may be
selected in which to manufacture the gases. The proportion of carbonaceous
material mixed with the air to produce the best results I have found to be approxi-
At

page_text: mately one ounce of carbon to one cubic foot of air, which from the purity of its
constituents, the proportion in which they are mixed, and the intimacy of their
mixture produce instantaneous combustion. I do not claim broadly the com-
bination of a deoxygenating furnace pipes for supplying air thereto, a fan for forcing
the deoxygenated air to the point where it is desired to be used, and a steam
boiler and engine for driving the fan and reducing the temperature of the deoxy-
genated air. The apparatuses above described may be modified in their construction,
one such modification being shown in Figure 5 of the accompanying Drawings, in
which,―
A is the furnace for deoxygenating the air. It is preferable constructed of sheet
metal with a lining of fire brick B, and has a grate C of ordinary form, and
supported as is also the lining on an angle iron flange f extending entirely around
the shell V, and riveted thereto. The furnace is further provided with a feed
aperture C for supplying the grate with fuel from time to time as required. The
spaced between the lining B and shell V is filled with fire sand or other non-
conducting material to act as a cushion for said lining, and keep it in proper position
when the apparatus is drawn over rough roads. The lining thus cushioned extends
from the support f to the point S as shown. Above the furnace proper or com-
bustion chamber A, a perforated fire brick crown piece I is arranged, and above and
parallel with the crown I is another similar piece K, the two being connected and
held in their relative positions by conical conducting pipes or flues J also made of
fire brick let into the upper or convex side of the crown piece I, and into the
convex side of the piece K, the joints being covered with refractory clay to make
them perfectly tight.
The gases evolved in furnace A pass through. the pipes J into chamber M, and
thence descend through passages P into chamber M', which I term the retort. The
conducting tubes are so arranged and disposed as to admit of the free and uninter-
rupted passage of the gases between them without chocking. From the retort the
gases ascend a passage N in a body, and spreading out or becoming diffused
pass up through the flues a of a steam boiler into another chamber U formed
by the plate S of the steam space and the walls of the water space W. From
the chamber U they pass out through radial flues win the walls of the water
space, and descending through the space X between the outer shell of the boiler
and the fire-brick lining B of the furnace enter the conductor Z and are thereby
conducted into the cooler or condenser H, through which they descend to the
turning point d and thence ascend again to the exhaust fan D, and are finally
by the latter forced out through the conductor G¹ to the point of delivery g.
The conductor Z is preferably made of four pieces of thin sheet metal riveted
together to form a channel or passage, rectangular in cross-section; and in order to
facilitate and expedite the passage of the gases into said conductor the apertures b
in the shell V are made as numerous as is possible without materially weakening
said shell. The cooler H is also made rectangular in cross-section, and it is pro-
vided with numerous thin transverse metallic tubes m through its entire extent
which are fitted tightly and "set" like the tubes of an ordinary steam boiler.
These tubes are placed at proper distances from each other to allow of the passage
of the gases around and among them in a zig-zag direction. The diametrical fans D
are operated by a suitable engine Y deriving its motive power from the steam-
boiler before mentioned, and perform the twofold function of exhausting the
gases from the deoxygenating furnace through the various passages and chambers,
and in forcing said gases with great velocity and not inconsiderable force out
through the nozzle of the conductor G and into the pipes to the place for use.
The air in this apparatus is deoxygenated and rendered available as a fire extin-
guishing agent as follows:-A fire is built in the furnace and a register plate P¹
arranged beneath the grate is opened to give the proper draft. When steam
has made in the boiler the engine is started and the fan caused to revolve at a high
rate of speed. The damper or register plate is then closed and cold atmospheric air
rushes in through the tubes m in the cooler into a chamber or trunk D, and from

page_text: thence is conducted through an opening d¹ beneath the fire-grate and up through
the fire-bed into the chamber A, where the processes of combustion, combination, and
separation are effected. The combination of the oxygen of the atmospheric air with
the carbon of the burning fuel produces carbonic acid, and eliminates or disengages
the nitrogen, an element without any affinity, and the latter together with the car-
bonic oxide (smoke), hydrogen, vapor, and other volatile products of combustion
pass into the retort M', each preserving its identity until the heat of the
retort on the hydrogen and oxygen that formed the vapor so greatly attenuates
each that the gases of which they are composed are expanded beyond the radius of
their affinity or mutual attracting power.
To keep them in this condition a sudden reduction of temperature is required,
and this is effected by their sudden liberation and dispersion through the tubes
of the boiler, which causes a large portion of their heat to be absorbed by the
water therein in its conversion into steam. Thus vapor is disposed of, but the
disunited oxygen not being inactive combines with whatever carbonic oxide
entered the retort and forms carbonic acid, while the hydrogen passes off with
the nitrogen, but in so unimportant a quantity and so highly attenuated in
condition as to exert no influence. The further cooling of the gases is effected
by radiation from the sides of the shell in their descent to the conductor Z,
and also by the latter while passing to the cooler H. Here the heat is radiated from
the exposed sides and taken up by the cold air passing through the lateral tubes m
on its way to the furnace. The tubes m therefore serve the double purpose of
heating the air prior to its entrance into the furnace and of cooling it after deoxyge-
nation. By the arrangement of the steam boiler I am also enabled to properly
reduce the heat of the gases and at the same time utilise said heat so parted
with in the expansion of steam to drive the engine which operates the fan.
Another novel feature in this apparatus consists in an arrangement for supplying
the fuel to the fire as required, and shown in the Drawing, where F represents a
metallic box at the rear of the furnace and opposite the feed aperture C. Said box
is provided with an opening at its top in which a til holder F' is arranged to
operate; the latter is pivoted above its centre so that it will normally hang in the
position shown, and effectually close the opening. A charge of fuel is kept in the
holder, and when the fire needs replenishing the holder is tilted or turned over by
means of a crank on one of its journals, and after depositing its contents into the
fire box below returns automatically into its normal position. A poke hole f¹ closed"
by a slide is provided at the outer end of the box, through which the operator by a
suitable instrument is enabled to evenly distribute the fuel over the fire. The
whole apparatus is intended to be mounted upon suitable transporting wheels
E, E, and to be drawn by horses like the ordinary steam fire engine.
desired a connection may be made between one of the wheels E and the fan by
means of a belt or endless chain, whereby the fan or fans may be set in motion and
the apparatus put in working condition while on the way to the fire, and thus
adapt it for immediate use after its arrival there.
If
Instead of the cooler H any other form of cooler or condenser may be employed
that will properly reduce the temperature of the gases before they pass out of the
apparatus. Among the many advantages incident to my Invention may be men-
tioned the rapidity with which the deoxigenation of the air is effected, the small
cost of production, and extreme portability of the apparatus. The deoxygenated
air can be forced into places where water cannot reach, into holds of ships without
damage to the cargoes, into stores and warehouses containing the most delicate
fabrics, in short, into any place whatsoever without doing the slightest injury. It
may also be stored in large reservoirs or tanks under considerable pressure and
supplied to dwellings in the same manner as gas and water.
Instead of coal or coke in their ordinary form, or in the form of fine dust, as con-
templated in the above described apparatuses, hydrocarbon oils or equivalent liquid
fuel may be employed to deoxigenate the air, such an arrangement of apparatus
being shown in Figures 6 and 7, in which A is a metallic shell, preferably cylindrical

page_text: in form, having a plate D resting on a flange f riveted to the shell. This plate has
passages d, d, which give direction to the air, that is, in the space E to be
deoxygenated. The air that issues from the passages d comes in contact with the
fuel burning on the hearth H, which is supported by the above mentioned plate D,
which also carries the reservoir R for supplying the hydrocarbon oil for combustion.
The reservoir is a cylinder smoothly bored, in which works the piston P. The latter
is raised and lowered by the gear N, N', N2, N3, and an endless screw w³, shown by
dotted lines, connected with the wheel N³ on the fan journal. The piston rod r is
made square and fitted into the guide g to prevent it from turning while the wheel w¹
revolves and turns the screw s fitted into the piston r. This construction serves to
keep the oil close to the hearth and to force it up through the perforations a, a, a,
thereof. The hearth may be made of graphite, fireclay, or any simple or compound
materials used where great heat is to be resisted. On the hearth is placed the
boiler B made tubular, with surrounding water spaces w, to more readily heat the
water and to direct the deoxygenated air or gas to the tubes b, b. The deoxygenated
air or gas having passed to the cooler Q, as indicated by the arrows, is allowed to
escape under pressure from the end k of the delivery pipe. The cooler may be
formed of a series of thin pipes of small diameter exposed to the external air, or
the pipes may be encased and surrounded with cold water, or may be made to admit
of a strong current of cold air to pass around them to cool the gas before using, or
may be otherwise cooled. The apparatus is mounted on transporting wheels with
tender attached for supplying oil to the reservoir or cylinder R; the machine so
mounted may be drawn by hand or horse power, or by a small locomotive apparatus
mounted upon the same wheels. The piston P performs two important functions
while pressing the oil upwards, the vacuum thereby formed beneath it is filled with
oil drawn through a pipe from any suitable source, which oil as the piston descends
passes up through the holes x, x, in the piston and fills the reservoir R, said holes
being closed by valves seating downwards so as to hold the oil in the reservoir after
it has once reached it. The upward and downward movement of the piston may be
accomplished by any suitable means, as per example, by reverse gear attached to
the same parts that connect the fan journal and the piston screw. The advan-
tage of the arrangement shown lies in the fact that the piston may be put in
operation in a few minutes. On board of a steamship the apparatus can be put
in operation in the time it would require to connect the fan pulley with any one
of the small auxiliary steam engines which they are ordinarily provided with for
hoisting purposes. The details of construction for carrying into practice this
modification of the Invention may be varied so long as the general principle of
deoxygenating air by the burning of liquid fuel and forcing such air or gases away
for the extinguishment of fires or other useful purposes is retained.
Figure 8 shows a modification of the apparatus next above described, wherein
A is the outer metallic shell, preferably of cylindrical form, the lower part
of which surrounds an oil reservoir B with sufficient space between them or
passages interposed, as shown at m, to allow the necessary quantity of air to
pass to the point where deoxygenation is to be effected, the upper part of the shell
forming the outer walls of the deoxygenating chamber and serving to direct the
deoxygenated air or gases away to the discharge pipe or receiving tank.
The air is first forced into a chamber L by a fan or its equivalent G. From this
point it passes through a radial fan S, constructed with its arms or wings at any
preferred angle to the axis of rotation. This fan is set in motion by the current of
air from the fan G, or it may be driven by a shaft and pulley connected to the same
motor that drives the fan G. Its function is to uniformely distribute and regulate
the upwardly moving air current, forcing a portion of it to pass up through the
channel or passage m around the reservoir, and another portion to pass through the
argand tube E, as indicated by arrows m'. The currents thus passing up at m, m¹,
meet at the point immediately over the wick f, when by the combustion of the oil
drawn up by the wick deoxygenation is effected. The reservoir B, with its wick
and air passages and with the combustion chamber mounted upon its upper end,

page_text: may be termed a lamp-furnace for deoxygenating air by hydrocarbon oils. The
reservoir should preferably be made of the proper dimensions to hold the oil required
for a given time at a given rate of consumption, and should be provided with the
ordinary milled head g, shaft h, and toothed wheel or wheels i for the purpose of
raising or depressing the wick as used in lamps.
The deoxygenated air or gases ascend from the point where deoxygenation is
effected into the cylinder I and, striking the bell shaped deflector Z, are turned
down through the passage J and then upwards between the bell and the outer wall
A to the cooler F. The cooler may be made of small metal pipes connected to
the shell A. with the case of the exhaust fan H, or in any other suitable manner.
In order to regulate the current of entering air so as to supply the exact quantity
necessary to oxydize a given quantity of hydrocarbon oil the two fans G, H, may
be operated at different velocities. The volume of gases discharged from the com-
bustion chamber to the cooler will not only be expanded by heat, but will be
increased by the elements of the hydrocarbon combined therewith, so that the
exhaust fan H should be run somewhat faster than the supply fan G. The velocity
of both fans may be regulated by any suitable means and they may be so connected
by belts and pulleys M, gearing, or other means as to always maintain the same
relative speed if desired. The oil may be supplied through a filling spout c provided
with a cock, or from a reservoir suitably connected to the receiver B, and the
supply of oil may be automatically regulated so as to keep a constant quantity in
the vessel B if desired. The hearth and wick as above described may be dispensed
with and the hydrocarbon oil may be forced into the combustion chamber in an
atomized or vaporized condition. This may be accomplished by forcing the oil
through atomizing tubes into the combustion chamber, or the oils may be
vaporized outside of said chamber and the vapor conducted to the point where the
supply air enters and burned for the purpose set forth. An apparatus similar to
the one last above described and shown in Figure 8 may be employed, omitting the
oil reservoir and the wick. The burners or atomizing tubes tubes will in that case be
arranged at the point where the top of said wick is shown. Any skillful mechanic
familiar with the art of maintaining combustion by hydrocarbon vapor or by
atomized oil will be able to convert the apparatus shown in Fig. 8 and adapt it to
the burning of vaporized oils. From the above description of apparatuses it will
be seen that their construction may be varied without departing from the peculiar
nature of the Invention. I may use any motive power for driving the mechanical
parts or may obtain this power froin the steam generated in the apparatus or from
the air heated in the deoxygenating chamber. I may conduct the deoxygenated air
into receivers for future use or discharge it directly upon the fire, as set forth, to
extinguish the same. When the deoxygenated air is stored up for future use I
propose to use a force pump or compressing engine or pump between the de-
oxygenator and receiver, so as to store it under any degree of compression that
I may prefer, and then when occasion arises for its use it will only be neces-
sary to open a cock and let said air discharge from the receiver by its own
expansive force. This arrangement of compressor between the deoxygenator and
receiver may be carried into effect by any mechanic skilled in the art.
Having now described my Invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure
by Letters Patent is,―
1st. The process herein described for producing and utilizing fire extinguishing.
gases, namely, by introducing finely powdered carbonaceous materials mixed with
air into the combustion chamber of a furnace through or above, or both through
and above the fire therein, drawing off the gases and other volatile products evolved
therein by means of an exhaust and forcing the said gases and products so
drawn off directly to the fire to be extinguished or to a suitable storing chamber, as
described.
2d. The employment of hydrocarbon vapor for deoxygenating air, for the purpose
set forth. 3d. The employment of hydrocarbon in an atomized condition for

page_text: deoxygenating air, for the purpose specified. 4th. An apparatus for extinguishing
fires, consisting of a closed chamber for the materials by which the oxygen is
separated from the air, a pump or blower by which the air is forced through said
chamber and into contact with the said materials, and a pipe or pipes by which the
separated nitrogen with whatever carbonic gases may be intermixed there with may
be delivered either directly to the fire or to a cooling and storing chamber. 5th.
The tank C in combination with the furnance A, B, pipe or pipes F, and air forcing
appliance, as described and shown by Figures 1 and 2 of the Drawings. 6th. The
employment of deoxygenated air to fill and seal up the holds of ships, buildings,
vaults, and other compartments for the purpose of preventing fires or the unlawful
entering of said enclosed spaces or rooms, as set forth. 7th. The combination of a
furnace for deoxygenating air, a fan and pipe for forcing the deoxygenated air
to the point where it is used, and a steam boiler and engine for driving the fan
and reducing the temperature of the deoxygenated air, substantially as described.
8th: The combination of a deoxygenating furnace, a steam boiler heated by the
deoxygenated air to furnish motive power to the engine, a fan driven by said
engine, and a pipe through which the deoxygenated air is delivered wherever
required, as described. 9th. A portable engine mounted on wheels and having a
deoxygenating furnace, a steam boiler heated therefrom and furnishing the motive
power for an engine, and a fan driven by the engine to blow the deoxygenated air
through a pipe or pipes to the point where required for use as set forth.
10th. The combination of a deoxygenating furnace, a boiler, an engine, a cooler
to cool the deoxygenated air between the boiler and fan, and a fan to blow said
air through a pipe or pipes to the place where required for storage or use, as set
forth.
11th. The combination with a deoxygenating furnace, a series of pipes or passages
through which the air passes to the furnace and around which it passes from the
furnace, to heat the air for combustion and cool it after combustion for use as set
forth. 12th. The combination with a furnace of suitable pipes for conducting
carbonaceous materials mixed with air to the combustion chamber of said furnace
and a fan for drawing off the gases and other volatile products from said com-
bustion chamber and forcing the same to the place of use.
13th. The grinding mill E connected with the air ducts B, B, so as to deliver
finely powdered carbonaceous material directly into the inflowing atmosphereric air
on its way to the combustion chamber of the furnace, as shown in Figures 3 and 4,
and as set forth. 14th. The combination with the furnace of the pipes B, B, C,
grinding mill E, and fan H, as and for the purposes specified and as shown in
Figures 3 and 4 of the accompanying Drawings. 15th. The pipe C¹ for delivering
the carbonized air beneath the grate of the furnace, as shown by Figures 3 and 4,
for the purpose set forth.
16th. The combination with the furnace A of the retort M¹, pipes J, and
chamber M, whereby the deoxygenation of air is effected as shown in Figure 5,
and as described. 17th. The combination of the furnace A, the retort M¹, and
the steam boiler, all arranged to operate as described, and shown by Figure 5 of
the Drawings.
18th. The fuel holder F¹ combined with the feed box F, as shown by Figure 5, and
for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.
19th. The apparatus for deoxygenating air by means of hydrocarbon oils or other
liquid fuel, shown by Figures 6 and 7 of the accompanying Drawings and herein-
before described, and to be operated for use as set forth.
20th. The apparatus for deoxygenating air by means of hydrocarbons or other
liquid fuel either in a liquid, or atomized, or vaporized state, shown by Figure 8 of
the accompanying Drawings, and to be operated for use substantially as set forth.
21st. The combination with an apparatus for deoxygenating air for use as a means
for extinguishing fires, and a receiver wherein said deoxygenated air is stored for
future use, of a compressing pump or engine whereby the deoxygenated air may be

page_text: stored under sufficient pressure to be delivered to the place where it is to be used
with sufficient power to effect the purposes required by its expansion when liberated,
substantially as set forth.
In witness that I claim the foregoing, I have hereunto set my hand and seal,
this Tenth day of April, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and seventy nine.
Witness,
WILLIAM PHILLIPS MENDHAM,
Clerk to Wm. P. Thompson & Co.,
Patent Agents,
323, High Holborn, W.C., London,
and
6, Lord Street, Liverpool.
ALFRED JULIUS BOULT. (L.S.)