IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF FURNACES FOR BURNING COALS OR OTHER COMBUSTIBLES
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Jordan, of Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
Sealed the 21st February 1871, and dated the 14th October 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Jordan at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
14th October 1870.
I, JOHN JORDAN, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF FURNACES FOR BURNING COALS OR OTHER COMBUSTIBLES,"
to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in making an iron chamber lined with fire-
resisting materials, by preference of a conical shape, but other shapes
may be used, so that the upper surface may be horizontal or nearly so,
and the bottom surface bevilled or sloped so that all the slag and other
residual matters may fall or be driven out of the chamber as fast as
they are formed and it may be necessary for their removal. The large
.

page_text: end of the chamber opens into or may form part of any ordinary fire-
place, so that the gaseous products of combustion may pass into it and
thence to the flues or chamber where the heat may be utilized. The
smaller end of the chamber is closed by a fire-door lined with fire
resisting material, and by which door or an opening in it access may
be had to the chamber to regulate the materials and combustion to suit
circumstances. The coals or other combustibles are introduced into the
chamber through a pipe more or less vertical, which pipe has at its
upper extremity a hopper fitted with movable slides or plungers which
measure and push or allow into the chamber the quantity of coals or
combustibles to be burned.
To cause the combustion a series of air jets, either forced or otherwise
are directed upon the combustibles, and the quantity of air is to be
regulated in proportion to the quantity of combustible, or as required so
as to have the desired effect, each air jet being fitted with the ordinary
means of regulating in quantity, direction, and intensity, so that perfect
combustion is attained.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Jordan in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 6th April 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
JORDAN, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, send
greeting.
:
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of October, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-
fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said John Jordon, Hér special licence that
I, the said John Jordan, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said John Jordan, 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 THE CONSTRUCTION OF

page_text: FURNACES FOR BURNING COALS OR OTHER COMBUSTIBLES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said John Jordan, my executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or, one of their
hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature
of my 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 John Jordan, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement in writing, reference being had to the
accompanying Sheet of Drawings, that is to say:
My Invention consists in making an iron air chamber a lined on the
inside next the centre with fire-bricks, fire-tiles, or other fire-resisting
materials f; I prefer to make the chamber of a conical shape as shown
on the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, (but other shapes may be
used) with the top or upper surface horizontal or nearly so, and with the
bottom bevilled or sloped with sand, so that all slag and other residual
matters may fall towards the door t so as to be removed easily at
intervals, or when required. A hole is left in the bottom of the furnace
which is covered by a shutter u, so that the whole contents of the
furnace when necessary may be very quickly discharged, this hole and
shutter & are covered by the sand forming the slope of the bottom as
shown. The gaseous products of combustion pass out through an exit
pipe or aperture e, (of convenient dimensions) in the side near the top
of the furnace into any ordinary fire-place where the heat is to be
utilized..
It is sometimes found necessary to introduce from the air casing
a pipe or pipes w¹, w³, which carries hot air from the air chamber a
into the ordinary fire-place into which the products of combustion are
driven. These pipes w¹, w², are perforated with several holes, and blow
across the flaming products of combustion passing through the exit
pipe e and cause the combustion of any very small coal being carried
over, and also furnish air to ignite any vaporized carbon (smoke) which
may pass out from the furnace uncombined.
In constructing very large furnaces it is found necessary to provide
two or more of these pipes at opposite sides of the exit pipe e, and

page_text: perforate them at intervals with (say) quarter inch holes, and as these
holes are placed opposite each other, they blow across the escaping
column of flame, and so effect the complete combustion of the smallest
particle of the coal and the smoke.
In applying the Invention to ordinary fire-places no alterations are
required to be made in the fire-places excepting to line them with fire-
resisting material to guide the flame in the direction required, and
through the flues to the chimney. The size of a furnace constructed
according to this Invention, to burn (say) one hundredweight of coals
per hour with a mild blast, would be (say) eighteen inches diameter at
its large end, and twelve inches diameter at its small end, and about
thirty-six inches long, the thickness of iron need not be more than one
quarter of an inch, and the air chamber a not wider than two inches or
thereabouts. The coals or other combustibles are broken small (or
small coals usually called "slack" may be used) and are dropped down
into the combustion chamber through a pipe g placed more or less
vertical, which has at its upper extremity a hopper / fitted with any
approved or suitable apparatus for regulating the supply of combustibles
as required, I prefer however for small coals revolving cylinders having
recesses to contain the charges as shown, and which are by the revolu-
tion of the cylinder dropped down. The pipe g is made with joints so
as to be easily removable to gain access to the interior and the furnace
with its feeding pipe may be mounted on rollers or wheels so as to be
readily moved about. Opposite the exit aperture e a sight holes is put
to "sight" the furnace, and to remove anything obstructing the exit
aperture.
To cause and facilitate combustion a jet or jets of air forced or
otherwise are directed upon the combustibles in the combustion chamber
from the air chamber a in proportionate quantity to the coals to be
burned so that perfect combustion ensues. Opposite the tuyeres or
blast pipes d which lead the air from the air chamber a into the furnace,
holes are cut in the outer casing of the air chamber, so that access
may be had to the tuyeres or blast pipes to remove them or clear away
any obstructions, and to give air to the furnace when the blast is
stopped. The blast is introduced at the upper part of the air chamber
through the inlet 6, and is circulated round the chamber by means of
guiding plates c to the tuyeres or blast pipes which are placed (say) six
-inches from the bottom of the furnace. By this means the air used

page_text: keeps the furnace cool on the outside and carries off all the conducted
and radiant heat back into the furnace.
66
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention for
Improvements in the Construction of Furnaces for Burning Coals or
other Combustibles" together with the manner in which the same is to
be or may be performed or carried into practical effect, I would remark
in conclusion that I claim as my Invention, the construction and use.
of a furnace substantially as herein-before described, and as illustrated
on the accompanying Sheet of Drawings for the purposes herein-before
set forth, which furnace has the following new peculiarities :—
Firstly. It is air jacketted, by which means the furnace is kept cool
outside, and the conducted and radiant heat is saved and returned to
the furnace.
Secondly. It reduces the weight of materials, and so renders a furnace
capable of rapidly consuming a large quantity of coals, easily portable,
and adapted to any existing fire-place without further alteration than
the addition of fire-resisting materials to the fire-place to guide the
flame.
And thirdly. It is a perfect smoke consumer and self-feeder, as the
coals or other combustibles may be dropped at once upon the place
where they are to be consumed, and the air can be regulated to suit the
quantity and quality of coals or other combustibles burned, and the
perfect combustion of oils or other combustibles is secured in this
furnace by merely changing the feeder to suit the kind of combustible.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Jordan, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of March, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one.
TATTIT