Improvements in Kilns for Bricks, Pottery, and the like.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Oct., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 1st Apr., 1897-Accepted, 1st May, 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Kilns for Bricks, Pottery, and the like.
I, WILLIAM FREDERICK MASON, of 54 Stockport Road, Longsight,
Manchester, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The improvements relate to kilns for burning or drying bricks, pottery, and
other ware, and have for objects improved construction and greater efficiency in
use than at present obtains.
To accomplish this and to effect my improvements, I construct a kiln composed
of a number of compartments, by preference rectangular in formation and with
arched roofs. Each of these compartments' acts as a separate kiln, and they may
be worked either rotationally or selectively by means of gaseous fuel such as
producer gas or other combustible gas when arranged in accordance with my
invention.
On one side of the building, and by preference outside the same, are laid the
main gas conduit and air supply flues, from which branches are carried to and
through the various compartments of the kiln, and which branches are supplied
with regulating valves to control the supply of gas and air. While on the other
side the main flue to the chimney is provided with branches thereto leading from
the cross flues of the various compartments. These branches are provided with
dampers or equivalents in such manner that the gases may be either conveyed
rotationally from one compartment to its next, or selectively to any predetermined.
arrangement of compartments.
Each compartment is provided with a number of smaller flues or tubes ranged
vertically along the sides, and which are in communication some with the gas.
supply and some with the air supply, and by preference alternately, for the purpose
of a rapid and intimate mixture of air and gas for combustion.
This combustion does not take place in. separate combustion chambers prior to
entering the kilns, but in the spaces underneath the arched roofs in the body of the
kilns directly over the articles to be fired. The products of combustion are taken
out of each compartment by means of a down draught through a flue or flues for
that purpose at the bottom of the kiln, and may be passed through other compart-
ments or direct to the chimney as desired by the arrangement of the dampers
placed at the exits of each compartment. By these means an improved construc-
tion of compounded kilns may be obtained in one compact building together with
great efficiency and control, in working.
Variations in detail, such as the materials of construction of the various parts,
the number of cross flues for supply of gas and air to the upright smaller diffusion
flues, together with the size and number thereof, and also other variations may be
made without departing from the peculiar character of the invention.
Dated this 9th day of October 1896.
I
WILLIAM GADD, C.E.,
64 Barton Arcade, Manchester, Agent:

page_text: Improvements in Kilns for Bricks, Pottery, and the like.
I, WILLIAM FREDERICK MASON, of 504 Stockport Road, Longsight,.
Manchester, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
The improvements relate to kilns for burning or drying bricks, pottery, and
other ware, and have for objects improved construction and greater efficiency in
use than at present obtains.
To accomplish this and to effect my improvements, I construct a kiln composed
of a number of compartments, by preference rectangular in formation and with
arched roofs. Each of these compartments acts as a separate kiln, and they may
be worked either rotationally or selectively by means of gaseous fuel such as
producer gas or other combustible gas when arranged in accordance with my
invention.
On one or both sides of the building, and by preference outside the same, are
laid the main gas conduit and air supply flues from which brauches are carried to
and through the various compartments of the kiln, and which branches are supplied
with regulating valves or dampers to control the supply of gas and air. While
on the one or other side the main flue to the chimney is provided with
branches thereto leading from the cross flues of the various compartments. These
branches are provided with dampers or equivalents in such manner that the gases
may be either conveyed rotationally from one compartment to its next, or selectively
to any predetermined, arrangement of compartments.
Each compartment is provided with a number. of smaller flues or tubes ranged
vertically along the sides, and which are in communication some with the gas
supply and some with the air supply, and by preference alternately, for the purpose
of a rapid and intimate mixture of air and gas for combustion.
This combustion does not take place in separate combustion chambers prior to
entering the kilns, but in the spaces underneath the arched roofs in the body of the
kilns directly over the articles to be fired. The products of combustion are taken
out of each compartment-by means of a down draft through a flue or flues for that
purpose at the bottom of the kiln, and may be passed through other compartments
or direct to.the chimney as desired by the arrangement of the dampers placed at
the exits of each compartment.
By. these means an improved construction of compounded kilns may be obtained
in one compact building together with great efficiency and control in working.
But that the improvements may be better understood I will, with the aid of the
accompanying drawings, proceed more fully to describe means employed by me.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of a single compartment or kiln, and Fig. 2 is a.
section at right angles thereto of two compartments or kilns arranged in series, of
one form of my invention.
The same letters indicate corresponding parts wherever they occur.
a are the walls of the compartments or kilns supporting the arched roofs b. c is
the main. conduit for supplying the various kilns with combustible gas such as
producer gas, which supply is regulated by a valve or valves d.
On valve d being opened the combustible gas enters the passage or flue, or
flues, e, and a requisite quantity of air is allowed to enter the passage or flue, or
flues, el above, from the end or side flue f

page_text: The gas passes up the smaller side flues the openings at the bottom of which are-
shown as at g, while the air passes up similar and by preference alternate side flues
the openings at the bottom of which are shown as at h, with their exits at the upper
part of the compartment.
In this way the combustible gas and the air are enabled to become intermixed
when they emerge at the upper ends of these smaller flues, which upper ends are
in each firing compartment open to the space k under the arched roof b, and, as a.
consequence, combustion takes place directly over the articles to be fired.
The products of combustion are carried out of each compartment or kiln by
means of a down draft through the passages 1, into the flue or flues m at the bottom
of the kiln, from whence they may be passed through other compartments either
rotationally or selectively by means of dampers, and finally or at any compartment
directly if required through an outside flue to the chimney.
The air flue f is arranged to be in communication with all the kilns by extending.
along the whole length of the series, but when it is desired to have such communi-.
cation prevented for the time being as between any single kiln and this fluef, the
damper may be used for such purpose, as well as for the purpose of regulating,
the supply of air to the amount required.
Variations in detail, such as the materials of construction of the various parts,
the number of cross flues for supply of gas and air to the upright smaller diffusion
flues, together with the size and number thereof, and also other variations may be
made without departing from the peculiar character of the invention.
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 :-
In kilns for firing bricks, pottery, and the like, the combination of side air flues.
and side gas flues supplied with air and gas for gaseous firing from separate flues e¹
and e and side flue f and conduit c, whereby the air and gas become diffused or
intermingled in the upper part of the compartment, and the supply is regulated by
valves or dampers or both, together with down draft exits and flue m, the kilns
or compartments being worked either rotationally or selectively for the purpose.
and in manner substantially as herein shown and described.
Dated this 31st day of March 1897
WILLIAM GADD, C.E.,
64 Barton Arcade, Manchester, Agent..