IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO FURNACES FOR BURNING ANTHRACITE AND OTHER FUEL."
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard William Perkins, Francis Heineken Perkins, both
of Swansea, in the County of Glamorgan, Colliery Agents, and Joseph
Williams, of Station Road, Llanelly, in the County of Carmarthen, Mechanical
Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO FURNACES
FOR BURNING ANTHRACITE AND OTHER FUEL."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard William Perkins,
Francis Heineken Perkins, and Joseph Williams at the Office of the Com-
missioners of Patents on the 4th November 1876.
RICHARD WILLIAM PERKINS, FRANCIS HEINEKEN PERKINS, both of Swansea, in
the County of Glamorgan, Colliery Agents, and JOSEPH WILLIAMS, of Station Road,
"IMPROVEMENTS
Llanelly, in the County of Carmarthen, Mechanical Engineer.
IN AND RELATING TO FURNACES FOR BURNING ANTHRACITE AND OTHER FUEL."
This Invention relates to means for effecting or ensuring the combustion of.
anthracite and other coal in a more advantageous manner in steam boiler furnaces
than heretofore.
The employment of anthracite coal for the production of steam is very desirable for
many reasons. In the navy in time of war it would be very advantageous by reason
of its freedom from smoke, which when ordinary steam coal is used in a ship is so
liable to indicate her position to the enemy. No other fuel possesses this advantage
of burning absolutely free from smoke. Moreover it is more economical in use and
by reason of its greater specific gravity it occupies less space per ton than ordinary
coal. But although anthracite coal possesses so many advantages over ordinary
coal as a steam producing fuel there are various difficulties connected with its
combustion which have heretofore rendered its use impracticable to a great extent.
The main obstacles to the use of this fuel is the difficulty of generating steam as
rapidly as with other coal without destroying or greatly injuring the fire-bars of
the furnace.
In the use of ordinary coal it also frequently happens that from deficient boiler
capacity there is a difficulty in generating steam with sufficient rapidity. By the
use of our Invention these difficulties are entirely obviated.

page_text: The means employed for carrying our said Invention into practice are as
follows, that is to say-In combination with our furnace we employ a chamber
which we term the blast chamber and which is arranged in the mouth of the
furnace. This chamber is connected with the fire-bars, which are hollow, and also
with pipes or tubes extending to a fan or other blower or air-forcing apparatus.
The said fire-bars are perforated with small holes through their sides. Air is forced
by the fan or blower into the said blast chamber and passes thence into the hollow
fire-bars and through the perforations in the same to the fuel, and is thereby equally
distributed through the latter, while effectually preventing the melting of the
said bars.
In some instances we may use a perforated plate instead of the aforesaid perforated
bars, which plate would offer less frictional resistance to the air than the said bars.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Richard William Perkins, Francis Heineken Perkins, and Joseph
Williams in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 3rd May 1877.
RICHARD WILLIAM PERKINS, FRANCIS HEINEKEN PERKINS, both of Swansea, in
the County of Glamorgan, Colliery Agents, and JOSEPH WILLIAMS, of Station Road,
Llanelly, in the County of Carmarthen, Mechanical Engineer. IMPROVEMENTS IN
AND RELATING TO FURNACES FOR BURNING ANTHRACITE AND OTHER FUEL."
This Invention relates to means for effecting or ensuring the combustion of coal
or other fuel, especially anthracite coal, in a more advantageous manner in steam
boiler furnaces than heretofore.
The employment of anthracite or stone coal for the production of steam is very
desirable for many reasons, and under some circumstances it would afford peculiar
advantages. It is well known that this coal burns free from smoke while giving
an intense heat, and for naval purposes in time of war it would be very advantageous
by reason of this freedom from smoke, which when ordinary steam coal is used in a
ship affords a sure indication of her position to an enemy. No other known coal
possesses this advantage of burning absolutely free from smoke. Moreover it is
more economical in use, and by reason of its greater specific gravity it occupies a
smaller space per ton than ordinary coal and its great heating power still further
increases its value. But although anthracite coal possesses so many advantages
over ordinary coal as a steam producing fuel there are various difficulties connected
with its combustion which have heretofore rendered its use impracticable to a great
extent. The main obstacle to the use of this fuel that has heretofore existed has
been the difficulty of so burning it as to generate steam as rapidly as with other
coal without destroying or greatly injuring the fire-bars of the furnace.
In the use of ordinary coal and other fuel it also frequently happens that from
deficient boiler capacity there is a difficulty in generating steam with sufficient
rapidity. We have therefore sought to provide the means for obviating these
difficulties, and by the use of our Invention they will be entirely obviated.
The means employed for carrying our said Invention into practice are as follows,
that is to say: We employ a hollow grate bar or bars, the interior or cavity of which
besides the opening in the front end of the bar has either one continuous caitlet or
several apertures or openings at suitable distances apart, whereby air. steam, gas, or
other fluid or any combinations of such fluids may enter the said bar or bars, and
pass out through the said outlet aperture or apertures. Through these bars the air,
gases, steam, or other fluids or matters are conveyed either for the purpose of
promoting combustion or to render the bars more durable; or for the consumption
or prevention of smoke; or for all or any of these objects; or for other objects,
according to the purpose or purposes to which our improved bars may be applied.
For the prevention of smoke a current of air may be passed through the bar

page_text: which might terminate in a point at the back of the fire, in order that this current
of air should combine with the carburretted gases, and by the combustion thus
produced consume the smoke.
In some instances a blast chamber may be connected by pipes to a fan for the
purpose of conveying the blast into the blast chamber, and thence through the grate
bars into the fire.
The accompanying Drawing of one of the grate bars shews the inlet and outlet
openings herein-before described.
Figure 1 is a plan of one of the said bars; Figure 2 is a side elevation; and
Figure 3 is a transverse section of the same on the line x, x, Figure 1.
a is the inlet opening in the said bars; and b, b, the outlet openings of the same.
This bar might be made with only one outlet opening along its whole length.
Various means have been and are employed for increasing the supply of oxygen
to a furnace in order to intensify its heat to the degree required. A fan or air
pump are the usual means employed, the ordinary mode of application being to
blow or draw the air into the ash-pit, thus leaving the bars unprotected from the
action of the heat so intensified.
Our Invention admits of the air being conveyed to the fire through the bars, and
the air thus passing through them protects them and keeps them cool; therefore
while the heat is intensified the protection of the bars is secured.
In some instances the bars may be open throughout and the fan applied or arranged
in any suitable manner, for example, in the chimney or stack, so that by exhausting
the air it will draw the current through the bars instead of forcing it into the closed
chamber as above described; but neither the fan or pump or blast chamber is
absolutely necessary in practising the said Invention.
Instead of a fan we may employ an air pump or a jet of steam or other means
suitable for effecting the desired object as above specified.
In some instances we may use a perforated plate instead of the aforesaid bars,
which plate would offer less frictional resistance to the air or other fluid than the
said bars.
Having thus fully described our said Invention and the manner of performing
the same, we wish it understood that we do not limit ourselves to any particular
form or arrangement of the grate bars or to the apparatus employed in connection
therewith, and that we claim, the improvements above specified comprising the
employment of the aforesaid hollow perforated grate bar or plates, whereby we
adapt furnaces for the advantageous combustion of anthracite or other fuel and
prevent the rapid destruction of the said grate bars or plates with or without the
other apparatus or appliances herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard William Perkins, for myself and on
behalf of the said Francis Heineken Perkins and Joseph Williams, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of April, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
RICHD. W. PERKINS. (L.S.)