Improvements in Muffle Furnaces.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 21st May, 1895
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Feb., 1896-Accepted, 4th Apr., 1896
Improvements in Muffle Furnaces.
I, ADOLF HELZEL, of Bodenbach, in the Empire of Austria-Hungary,
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to an improved muffle furnace with rotary bottom and
continuous passage, the object of which is to burn enamel-colours, gold and the like
upon porcelain and glass-ware or to burn articles of clay or other material.
This improved muffle furnace substantially consists of an annular channel, open
at one side or provided with a charging orifice for introducing the articles to be
burnt; the base of the said channel is formed by a bottom or table consisting
of separate fire tiles which move on wheels; and serve to carry the articles to be
burnt.
The two end portions of the channel, lying nearest to the charging orifice, form
the preliminary warming and cooling space respectively of the furnace, whereas the
central part of the channel is built in the form of a muffle and is provided with the
heating arrangement, so that the objects, resting upon the fire-tile bottom, will by
the rotation of the latter arrive successively first in the preliminary warming space,
then into the central burning space and finally into the cooling space, whence they
can be discharged from the furnace at the orifice of the channel.
The annular channel is open for about one fifth of its length in order to enable
the articles or ware to be introduced into the furnace.
A smooth-walled end portion of the said channel forms the preliminary warming
The
space whilst the central part lined with fire tile serves as the burning space.
latter is, as before stated built so as to form a muffle and is provided with the
heating arrangement.
The smooth-walled end portion of the channel, joining the opposite extremities of
the burning space, forms the cooling space of the furnace. Upon the base of the
channel iron rails are provided, upon which moves an annular truck.
The axles of this truck carry annular frames which bear iron plates or short
sockets at suitable distances apart.
On to these plates or sockets strong pipes are fixed, which carry the plates or
fire tiles forming the bottom of the muffle furnace.
The articles to be burnt are at the aforesaid charging orifice placed upon the fire
tile bottom and are then by the movement of the truck passed through the closed
portion of the channel. They are thus passed as before stated, successively into
the preliminary warming space, the burning space and the cooling space and back
to the orifice, where they can be removed out of the furnace.
The truck with the muffle bottom may be either driven by hand or by mechanical
means.
1005

page_text: improvements in mume Furnaces.
I, ADOLF HELZEL, of Bodenbach, in the Empire of Austria-Hungary,
Manufacturer, 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 :-
This invention relates to an improved muffle furnace with rotary.bottom and
continuous passage, the object of which is to burn enamel-colours, gold and the
like upon porcelain and glass ware, or to burn articles of clay or other material.
This improved muffle furnace substantially consists of an annular channel, open
at one side or provided with a charging orifice for introducing the articles to be
burnt; the base of the said channel is formed by a bottom or table consisting of
separate fire-tiles which are connected together so as to form one rigid ring.
This bottom or table moves on wheels and serves to carry the articles to be burnt.
The two end portions of the channel, lying nearest to the charging orifice, form
the preliminary warming and cooling space respectively of the furnace, whereas
the central part of the channel is built in the form of a muffle and is provided
with the heating arrangement, so that the objects, resting upon the fire-tile bottom,
I will by the rotation of the latter arrive successively first in the preliminary
warming space, then into the central burning space and finally into the cooling
space, whence they can be discharged from the furnace at the orifice of the
channel.
The accompanying drawings illustrate a muffle furnace arranged according to
the present invention.
Figure 1 shows an horizontal section of the furnace and
Figure 2 represents a vertical cross section of the furnace taken on the line x-x
of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a side view showing part of the movable ring.
Figure 4 represents a vertical cross section of a modiñed form of furnace and
Figure 5 is a detail view thereof.
As will be seen from the drawings the furnace is composed of an annular
channel a, the cross section of which gradually tapers downwards. This annular
channel a is open for about one fifth of its length as at 1-2, Figure 1, in order
to enable the articles or ware to be introduced into the furnace.
The smooth-walled end portion 2-3 Figure 1 of the said channel forms the
preliminary warming space whilst the central part 3-4 lined with fire-tile serves
as the burning space. The latter is, as before stated, built so as to form a muffle
and is provided with the heating arrangement b.
The smooth-walled end portion 4-1 of the channel, joining the opposite
extremities of the burning space, forms the cooling space of the furnace. Upon
the base of the channel a iron rails c are provided, upon which moves an aunular
truck d.
The axles of this truck carry annular frames e made of U-iron and bearing iron
plates or short sockets fat suitable distances apart.
On to these plates or sockets f strong pipes 9 are fixed, which are made of fire-
proof material and carry the plates or fire-tiles forming the bottom of the muffle
furnace.
These plates or fire-tiles are connected together so as to form one rigid ring or
annular platform the lower edges of which, projecting downwards, enter into
annular grooves k of the bottom of the channel, filled with sand or ashes.
Upon the ring or annular platform are arranged supports 2 for the goods to be
burned, said supports reaching upwards into the upper part of the muffle, this

page_text: enabling the better utilization of the higher heat developed in the vaulted part of
the muffle.
The goods which are to be submitted to the burning operation are placed upon
plates or in iron baskets and introduced at the charging orifice 1-2, where they
are placed upon the supports h², and are then by the movement of the truck d in
the direction of the arrow a, passed through the closed portion of the channel.
They are thus passed as before stated, successively into the preliminary warming
space 2-3, the burning space 3-4, and the cooling space 4-1, and back to the
orifice, 1-2, where they can be removed from the furnace.
In the burning space 3-4 the fire enters, as can be seen on the right side of
Figure 1, near the bottom end of the muffle, rises between the latter and the
channel-wall and on the opposite side of the muffle descends along the same, thus
circulating along the whole muffle. Thereupon the fire passes through a short
duct a made in the wall of the channel, in order to circulate in a second muffle of
larger size, and then leaves the furnace at the discharge-opening a², as can be
seen from the right hand side of Figure 1, where the way of the fire is indicated
by arrows.
The interior space of the muffle is hermetically closed at the bottom towards the
channel in which the annular truck d circulates by means of the fire-proof bottom h
and the grooves k filled with sand or ashes. In this manner the heat developed in
the muffle space is retained therein and utilised in the most advantageous manner,
any admission of cold air from the outside being quite impossible. On the other
hand, the lower compartment of the channel is maintained in cool condition,
whereby the iron parts contained therein are protected. Besides, these iron parts
are also protected against the conduction of heat by the fire proof pipes g which act
as heat-insulators.
The truck with the muffle bottom may be either driven by hand or by mechanical
means.
In the arrangement shown in Figure 4 the walls of the muffle are formed by a
plurality of fire proof pipes / Figures 4 and 5 of half, round cross section, having
their cylindrical surfaces turned inwards and their Hat sides being adjacent to the
walls of channel a so as to join tightly. By this construction the heating surface is
increased and the caloric effect improved, the vaulted parts of the pipes Z
transmitting heat a great deal better, than flat walls.
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 :-
I. A muffle furnace with continuous passage, consisting of an annular channel a
open at one side (from 1 to 2) and having in its middle part (3-4) which is to be
heated, a muffle b proper, the base of said channel being formed by a bottom
or table h, moving on wheels consisting of separate fire-tiles and serving to carry
the goods to be burned, so that owing to the continuous movement of the said
bottom h, in the direction of the arrow a, the goods are carried successively in to
the preliminary warming space (2-3) the burning space (3-4) the cooling
space (4-1) and finally back to the open part (1-2) of the channel, substantially
as described and shown.
II. In a muffle furnace with continuous passage specified in the preceding claim,
the arrangement of a muffle the walls of which are formed by a number of separate
pipes enabling a better circulation of the gases, substantially as described and
shown.
1000
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.