Improvements in Ovens for Drying and Burning Tiles, Pottery, and other Plastic or Semi-dry Ware.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Apr., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 15th Feb., 1897-Accepted, 10th Apr., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Ovens for Drying and Burning Tiles, Pottery, and
other Plastic or Semi-dry Ware.
I, REGINALD STANLEY J.P., of Manor Court, Nuneaton, in the County of
Warwick, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to he as
follows:-
My invention relates to ovens for drying and burning tiles, pottery, and other
like plastic or semi-dry ware, such as superior or glazed bricks, in which the
smoke or flame does not come in direct contact with the goods that are being dried
or burnt, but is conveyed through flues inside the walls or casing, and through a
central chimney, such ovens being known as "muffled ovens."
My invention consists of improvements in the above form of ovens, as hereafter
described, and, by the use of the same, I find I can heat or burn the goods much
more effectually and evenly than in the old manner, where a great portion of the
fire is taken up in heating the walls and casing of the oven before the goods are
sufficiently burnt.. I find also that by the use of my invention, I effect a saving of
nearly half the fuel, and, moreover, the oven is not pulled about so much as
hitherto.
It is
In carrying out my said invention, I form the floor of the oven of a number of
horizontal covered flues, opening into the oven at convenient points, and upon, or
around each opening, I build a small vertical flue, leading up to, or near the top.
of the oven. The number of vertical flues may be thirty or forty, or thereabouts,.
and the horizontal flues may be thirty or forty, or thereabouts, and the
horizontal flues may be arranged. radially, leading from a fire place to a-
point near to the centre of the oven, each having, say, one hole at its inner
extremity, another in the middle, and a third at the end of a short branch flue,.
leading from the end nearest the fire. Thus, there may be three vertical flues for
each fire place, but I do not confine myself to any particular number.
desirable that the vertical flues be made not too thick, and I may build them of
pipes, or, as I prefer, of loose bricks, which are more durable, and may be used:
over again, or the said vertical flues may be constructed of the bricks to be burnt,
the backs forming the inside of the saine. The bricks, aforesaid, may be set up om
their edges, or, in the case of the bricks to be burnt, on their flat sides, leaving a
flue or chimney about 6 inches wide, and I build up the same while the goods or
cupboards are being set, so that they form a mutual support to each other, and are
less liable to get out of shape when very hot. If preferred, however, I may build
some, or all, of said vertical flues permanently in the oven, but believe that this
would not prove so advantageous in most cases.
When the oven is set, the goods being nearly of the same height as the top of
the flues, the former is battened down with a layer of tiles and sand, or the like, to
prevent the fire from striking down into the stuff, or being drawn out of any cracks
in the flues or chimneys, through the goods to the top; or, in some cases, a flat
layer of tiles only, laid over the top of the goods, may be sufficient, and allow a
free exit for steam when the goods are drying. There may also be a space left in
the arch for the smoke to collect in, and pass away through a chimney or chimneys.
It may be found more convenient to allow each flue to pass directly through the arch,

page_text: as, in such cases, the fires could be regulated easily with dampers. The fire also
might be diverted after leaving the top of the flues, so as to pass down through
the outside walls, and be conducted to a separate chimney a short distance from
the oven.
I prefer to construct the floor of my improved oven of solid brick work, leaving
a series of deep and narrow flues, arranged radially, and branched, if desired, as
above described, and I span these over with fire bricks. Or, instead of this
arrangement, the floor of said oven may be built upon an ordinary brick "checker,"
or upon small columns of fire bricks, whereby the fire from the different tire holes
would collect and combine, and be drawn up equally through the vertical flues or
chimneys aforesaid.
It will thus be seen that, by the use of my invention, the fire is brought into
close proximity to the stuff in all parts of the oven, and the burning is very regular
throughout, which is not the case with the old form of oven. The sides of my
oven, moreover, are not punished as hitherto, and consequently can be built much
lighter, and the ovens themselves are not damaged to any great extent, as the fire
holes can be run in under the bottom, detached from the wall of the oven, enabling
the heat to get nearer to the goods to be burnt.
Trial holes may be built through the sides and arches of the ovens, and through
the latter the draught may be regulated by means of dampers on the tops of the
vertical flues, and thus, in various ways, any particular part of the oven can be
made hotter or cooler as desired.
Dated this 8th day of April 1896
STANLEY, POPPLEWELL & Co.,
7 & 8, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Chartered Patent Agents.
Improvements in Ovens for Drying and Burning Tiles, Pottery, and
other Plastic or Semi-dry Ware.
I, REGINALD STANLEY, J.P., of Manor Court, Nuneaton in the County of
Warwick, 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:-
My invention relates to ovens: or kilns for drying and burning tiles, pottery and
other like plastic or semi-dry ware, such, as, superior or glazed bricks, in which the
smoke or flame does not necessarily come in direct contact with the goods that are
being baked dried or burnt, but is conveyed through flues inside the walls or
casing with or without going through a central chimney, such ovens or kilns being
known as muffled or semi-muffled ovens.
My invention consists of improvements in the above form of ovens as hereafter
described, and by the use of the same, I find I can heat or burn the goods much
more effectually and evenly than in the old mauner, where a greater portion of the
fire is taken up in heating the walls and casing of the oven before the goods are
sufficiently burnt. By the use of my invention also much time and labour is saved
in heating and burning the goods, as the heat of the fire does not have to
penetrate through such a thickness of goods to be baked or burnt, as by the old
system.
I find further that by the use of my invention a saving of a considerable
proportion of the fuel is often effected, in some cases nearly one half, and moreover,

page_text: the structure of the oven is not pulled about as much as hitherto, causing a great
saving in the cost of repairs of the same.
In carrying out my invention, I may form the floor of the oven of a number of
horizontal covered flues opening into the oven above at convenient points, and
upon or around such openings I build vertical flues of the size and shape that may
be required for the material to be burnt, leading up to or near the top of the oven
according to the size of the oven or kiln to be fired. The number of vertical flues
will depend upon the size and shape of each, as well as the size of the oven, or the
sort or quantity of material to be burnt. The horizontal flues may be arranged
radially leading from the fire holes inwardly towards the centre of the oven, each
having a hole or holes where necessary, communicating either directly with the
vertical flue or flues by means of branch flues leading from the horizontal flues.
into the said vertical Hues the latter conveying the heat through the goods to be
burnt. There may be one, two, three, four or more vertical flues for each fire-
place, but I do not confine myself to any particular number, size or shape, it
being evident that these considerations must depend upon the size of the oven and
the nature of the goods to be burnt.
For some purposes, the horizontal flues may be connected with one another, not
necessarily being radial, but forming together a chamber underneath the floor of
the oven or kiln. Moreover, the vertical flues may be built up in various ways
according to requirements or conditions. They may for instance consist of pipes,
or of bricks, or of the goods themselves which are about to be burnt or of other
materials.
Accompanying this specification are three sheets of drawings, intended to
illustrate a few forms in which the principles of my present invention may be
carried out, but without limiting the same to any particular arrangement of detail
or construction shown on said drawings.
On Sheet 1, Figures 1 & 2 are vertical sections and Figure 3 a sectional plan
(half only being shown) of an oven or kiln made according to one form of my
invention, Figure 1 however showing a casing and underground flue which is
absent from Figures 2 & 3, and may or may not be used, as hereafter
described.
In this form, the floor is made up of best quality firebricks & resting at slight
intervals apart upon pillars, columns or checkers of firebricks c. The whole is
then covered over with tiles or the like d, making an air tight floor, openings e
being left communicating with the chamber or space a containing the columns e or
the like underneath the floor. The glazed bricks or other goods f are built up
around the openings e so as to form flues g, the inside surface of which is formed
by the backs of the bricks, thereby preventing the direct contact of the fire with
the glazing composition.
I usually prefer to set the oven about three parts full, leaving a space between
the top of the goods and the crown of the arch, causing the draughts to be more
regular, the fire ascending the vertical flues and passing collectively through a
central chimney j (Figure 2) into the atmosphere, or else descending between the
side of the oven and a thin casing k (Figure 1) or in separate flues if desired,
passing thence into a flue or flues beneath the level of the floor of the oven
leading to an outside chimney or chimneys, not shown.
In order that the heat may be well distributed, I may, if the oven have a central
chimney jį, set the firebricks b at sinaller distances apart as they approach nearer
to the centre of the oven than at the circumference, for, the tendency is for the
fire to draw to the centre. This provision may, however, not be necessary (or
may need to be reversed) where the fire is drawn away behind the casing k into
an underground flue ; but wherever it may be found by experience necessary to
draw the fire more to one particular part of the oven, I may vary the sizes of the:
perforations to meet such a case.
In the class of oven or kiln shown in these Figures 1, 2, & 3, the fire from
fireholes collects and combines in the one chamber a underneath the floor.

page_text: before ascending through the openings e into the vertical flues as already
1. On Sheet II is illustrated another form of my invention which I may use for
general purposes, Figure 4 showing a vertical section of an oven having a casing
as in Figure 1, and Figures 5 & 6 showing a vertical section and horizontal
section respectively of a form having a central chimney, as in Figure 2, and also
independent updraught flues in wall or casing. Separate horizontal flues mare
constructed of solid brickwork leading from each fireplace to a point or points
below the floor of the oven, and are made deep and narrow, branched if desired,
as shown by ml', Figure 6. Said flues are covered over with best firebricks and
each flue and branch leads to an opening in the floor of the oven. The disposition
of these openings is arranged so as to give the best results with the particular
class or quantity of goods to be burnt, but they are preferably at equal distances
apart, and in Figure 6 1 have shown a convenient form in which one alternate set
of horizontal flues connects with a common central opening or vertical flue o, the
other alternate set of horizontal flues terminating in openings or vertical flues nat
a little distance from the centre of the oven, all the flues m having branches m¹
leading to vertical flues n¹. I find in practice, however, that a central common
opening is not generally necessary, and one set of alternate flues may therefore be
much shorter than the other set, and connect only with the openings n.
In some cases I find it advantageous, whether employing the system of having a
common chamber under the floor (Sheet I) or independent horizontal flues
(Sheet II), to have a thin casing between the walls of the oven and the goods to be
burnt, leaving a space between the two up which I conduct fire from the under-
neath chamber or horizontal flues, but not in such a great quantity as to heat either
the wall or the casing of the oven to such an extent as in the old system of burning;
this is no longer required by my invention, as the heat has not such a distance.
through which to penetrate among the goods. As an alternative I may divide up
the space between the casing and the wall into dues, and Figure 5 may be regarded
as showing either of these forms in vertical sertion, the casing being denoted by p.
In Figure 6 (half only being shown) is illustrated a suitable arrangement of flues g
leading upwardly between the casing p and the wall of the oven into the space
below the arch. The employment of this casing p assists in heating the outer
goods that have been set, and helps to regulate the distribution of heat.
On Sheet 111, Figures 7 and 8 show a vertical cross section and horizontal
section respectively of a rectangular kiln constructed on the principle already
referred to in contection with Figures 1, 2, and 3, Sheet I.
I usually set the oven and build up the flues, sat of ordinary bricks set edgeways,
at one and the same time this method producing a saving both of time and labour.
When the flues and goods have been built up and set. to the desired level, I then
cover or batten down the latter with a layer of tiles and sand or slabs or the likes,
leaving only the tops of the flues uncovered, the object being to prevent fire from
striking down into the goods or any possibility of its being drawn out of any
cracks or openings either in the floor or in the vertical flues through the goods to
the top. I make the floor, however, as impervious as possible to the direct passage
of fire, so that the latter may have no inducement to pass through the gouds,
and may have free and unobstructed passage away from the kiln after having
ascended through the vertical flues.
I sometimes build some or all of the said vertical flues permanently in the oven,
especially for some kinds of ware such as terra cotta.
If desired, the said vertical flues may, whether temporary or permanent or both
combined, be built up into an inside arch or through the crown of the oven leading
direct into the open air. In either such case the goods to be burnt may be set
within the oven to its full capacity, reaching up to the said arch or crown. When
the flues are built so as to lead into the open air through the crown of the oven, I
regulate the fires by means of dampers on the outside of the even. When a casing
is employed to conduct the fire down into an outer flue (as shown in Figures 1 and 4)

page_text: I regulate the fire by a damper such as r situated within said flue. The fires can,
however, be regulated to a certain extent by the size of the uplets or vertical flues:
and by having holes in conjunction with dampers in the crown of the oven, in
addition to any well known means of regulating the fires at the fireplaces.
themselves.
It will thus be seen that by the use of my invention the fire is brought into-
closer proximity to the goods to be burnt in all parts of the oven, and the burning-
is regular throughout, which is not the case in the old form of oven..
The sides of my oven inoreover are not punished as hitherto, and the ovens:
themselves are far less damaged than under the old system and can be built of
lighter brickwork.
The fireholes can be constructed partly under the bottom detached from the
wall of the oven enabling the heat to get nearer to the goods to be burnt, and
beating the bricks below the perforated bottom to such a high temperature that.
even if the firing is stopped for a short period, neither the goods nor the vertical
flues are allowed to get cold as is the case in the old form of oven, where the cold.
air strikes straight on to the casing.
Trial holes are built through the sides or arches of the oven right into the goods,.
by which the beat of the oven may be regulated and through which any steam that
might be in the materials to be burut is sometimes allowed to escape. The steam.
also finds its way into joints or openings in the vertical flues while the oven is being
fired, and thus gets clear away without damaging the neighbouring goods to be.
burnt, a thing which frequently occurred in the old form of muffled oven and
caused much damage, such as cracking and discolouring the goods that were.
burnt.
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
Firstly.. An oven or kiln for drying and burning tiles, pottery and other like
plastic or semi-dry ware, having a chamber underneath the floor thereof in direct
communication with the fireholes, and a number of suitable openings leading from.
said chamber and through said floor into vertical flues up which the fire may
ascend, said flues being either permanent or temporary or of both kinds or in some
case built up of the goods to be burnt, substantially or described.
Secondly. An oven or kiln for drying and burning tiles, pottery and other like.
plastic or semi-dry ware, having independent flues underneath the floor thereof
each in direct communication with a firehole, and a number of suitable openings
leading from said flues and through said floor into vertical flues up which the fire
may ascend, said, flues being either permanent or temporary or of both kinds, or,.
in some cases built of the goods to be burnt, substantially as described.
Thirdly. An oven or kiln for drying and burning tiles, pottery and other like plastic.
or semi-dry ware, the floor of said oven being carried upon fire bricks arranged in
such a way that the fire from the fireholes may collect and combine, and a number
of suitable openings throngh said floor leading into vertical flues up which the fire
may ascend and pass thence either directly or through a chimney or chimneys into.
the atmosphere, substantially as described.
Fourthly. In an oven or kiln such as claimed in Claims 1, 2 and 3, the
employment of a casing between the walls of the oven and the goods to be burnt
forming a flue or divided into separate flues, up which flue or flues a portion of the.
fire from the fireholes may ascend, substantially as described.
Fifthly. In an oven or kiln such as claimed in Claims 1, 2 and 3, the employ-
ment of a casing between the walls of the oven and the goods to be burnt forming
a flue or divided into separate flues, down which flue or flues the fire after having
passed up the vertical flues may descend and be led off to an outside chimney or-
chimneys, substantially as described.

page_text: Lastly. The improvements in ovens or kilns for drying and burning tiles,
pottery and other like plastic or semi-dry ware, substantially as described.
Dated this 10th day of February 1897.
STANLEY, POPPLEWELL & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.

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