IMPROVEMENTS IN FURNACES, AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Dillwyn Smith, of Liverpool, in the County'
of Lancaster, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
4₁
Sealed the 8th November 1870, and dated the 16th May 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Dillwyn Smith at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
16th May 1870.
T
I, DILLWYN SMITH, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN FURNACES, AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH," to be |
as follows :-
This Invention relates, first, to the construction of apparatus whereby
the supply of fuel to furnaces or fires for generating steam, or for other
purposes, can be effected by mechanical means, thus obviating almost
if not entirely the necessity for hand labour in firing, and at the same
time either alone or in combination with other apparatus ensuring a
saving of fuel, and preventing the formation of smoke in the furnace or
fire-place.

page_text: In carrying the said Invention into practice a hopper or number of
hoppers is placed at the front end of the boiler, or on the top, or side, or
other convenient portion thereof, for containing the fuel to be used. I
prefer that the fuel should fall from these hoppers into a cylinder or
cylinders arranged either horizontally, vertically, or obliquely. In each
cylinder is placed a screw to which is communicated a rotary motion,
and which regulates the supply of fuel to the furnaces. This screw has
preferably a taper helix, that is, its diameter increases gradually from
the hopper end. This form of screw is preferable for two reasons :-
Firstly, when the axis of the screw is horizontal or inclined the smaller :
portion working in the bottom of the hopper or in a chamber com-
municating therewith produces a slight but constant motion of the fuel
from the hopper in a heap along the cylinder, extending further from the
hopper than the natural angle of repose of the fuel, and rendering the
quantity of fuel carried on during a given number of revolutions by the
larger portion of the helix constant for different qualities of fuel.
Secondly, the increasing size of the helix in its revolving motion ensures
the crushing of any lumps of coal or other fuel which are larger than the
pitch of the screw. To facilitate the production of this result the bottom
of the cylinder in which the spiral portion of the screw works is usually
corrugated longitudinally. At the end of the screw cylinder furthest
from the hopper there is an opening communicating with a case or box
containing feeding wings which drive the fuel through a passage or
opening into the furnace. When the screw is arranged horizontally or
obliquely this opening is usually on the side of the cylinder, and as the
screw thread usually stops at the edge of such opening the end of the
cylinder forms a trough or vessel in which the fuel brought from the
hopper by the screw lodges, and wherein it is constantly stirred up by
projections on the screw shaft; this arrangement ensures a constant
delivery of the fuel to every portion of the opening. From this opening
a funnel leads to the caso or chamber containing the fan blades, wings,
or vanes, which revolve in a horizontal plane, the said wings ọr vanes
being so arranged as to strike the fuel in its descent from the cylinder,
and propel or drive it into the furnace. Instead of the screw for carry-
ing the fuel from the hopper or hoppers I may use two or more rollers
with projections on their peripherics; such projections may be ridges
extending either circumferentially or at a right angle to the diameter of
the rollers, or they may be square or taper projections. These rollers
draw down the fuel from the hopper, and discharge it into the aforesaid

page_text: revolving wings. A slow rotary motion is imparted to these rollers by
means of toothed or screw gearing, or by means of chains, belts, or other
wise. Instead of using hoppers for each boiler I sometimes (more
especially where there are several boilers in a row) place one largo
receptacle or vessel in any convenient position, and draw the coal from
it by a screw passing over the several openings to the feed screws or
crushing rollers above described, and delivering the coal to those
openings as the hoppers do in the first arrangement. The speed of
this screw may be regulated by the pressure of any surplus coal at the
end furthest from the coal vessel, or by any other convenient means.
The said Invention relates, second, to placing the fires in the firc
chamber or flue in such a manner as to increase the area of burning fuel
in contact with the fuel surface, and to remove from the under side of
such fuel, either continuously or at intervals, the solid products of com-
bustion, such as ashes, clinkers, and other refuse, and deliver them in
the ash-pit by mechanical means, thereby relieving the fireman from
the most arduous portion of his labor. For this purpose. I use two
separate grates or fire-placos in each flue, arranged in such a manner
that the burning fuel is held by them up against the two sides of the
fluc or against any surface to be heated. The space between theso two
fires being occupied by a dead plate, by fire bricks, clay, or other
material, or by the argand grate bars described in the Specification of
an Invention for which Letters Patent have been granted to the said
Dillwyn Smith, bearing date the 27th day of August, A.D. 1868,
No. 2663. By preference I make each of the fire-places considerably
greater in depth than in width, and I prefer to line the upper portion on
the inside, or the sido not in contact with the flue with fire-bricks, fire-
clay, or other fire-resisting material. The fuel in this upper portion if
coal will coke vehemently, and emit large quantities of gas; the next
lower or middle portion is coke in a condition of intense combustion
with pure air, and is held up to the flue side in a nearly vertical position
by fire-bricks, grate bars, or other suitable means.
The third or lowest portion, consisting of the solid products of the
combustion of the fuel above, in one arrangement of my Iuvcution,
rests upon and is removed by means of reciprocating bars forming the
grate, each set being in a vertical plane und holding up the burning
fucl, as above described, and at the lower portion assuming a more
horizontal position, and thus supporting the under side of the fuel. The

page_text: disturbing action required to remove the ashes and other refuse may be
produced by moving every alternate bar from and towards the fluc side,
or by any change in their relative positions, or by the motion of the
whole grate to and from the flue side or in any other direction. The
whole of the fire-bars may be placed with their longitudinal axis
borizontal, but I prefer to arrange them in a vertical plane.
'
According to another arrangement I omit some or all of those
portions of the grate bars which support the under side of the fuel, and
substitute for them a roller or series of rollers, revolving fire-bars, or
cam-like discs set side by side on an axis or axes parallel with the fluc.
The rotation of such roller or rollers causes the ashes which lic upon
their surfaces to be drawn from the furnace and deposited in the
ash-pit.
By preference I use under cach fire a shaft whercon is set at a short
distance apart a number of small parallel discs with deeply corrugated
peripheries, between which the air passes to the fuel, and which may be
kept free from clinker or tarry matter by fixed projections or cleaners
lying between them and arranged to scrape their surfaces while revolving.
Sometimes also I arrange the fire-bars holding the fuel in a nearly
vertical position, so that their extremities enter between the discs and
act as scrapers. In other cases I cause the discs and their projections
to act as cams for moving the fire-bars, thus keeping them free from
clinker and disturbing the fuel at a higher point than could be effected
by the revolving discs or fire-bars alone.
In using this arrangement of grates in combination with the argand
bars described in the former Specification herein-before mentioned, I
prefer to feed the coal only to the fire-places against the flue sides above.
described, thereby reserving the said argand bars for the supply of pure
air to the volatite products of combustion only.
As a modification of this arrangement I sometimes use on each side
of the row of argand bars an inclined or horizontal grate pivoted in such
a manner that the fuel clinkers or ashes on its surface can be upset into
the ash-pit. I sometimes use fire-bricks placed in a case instead of bars
at the side of the argand bars, the latter being raised above the fuel.
The bars are arranged to rock and the bricks to upset or turn over.
The apparatus described as forming the subject of the first part of this
Invention is used alone or in combination with the second part, or the

page_text: whole or a portion may be used in combination with the argand or
transverse grate bars described in the said former Specification. The
said transverse bars are chiefly designed for preventing smoke and
economising fuel in furnaces and fire-places, and this object is more
effectually accomplished by the use of my present Invention in com-
bination with such bars.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Dillwyn Smith in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 16th November 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, DILLWYN
SMITH, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Gentleman, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-third
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Dillwyn Smith, Her special licence that I,
the said Dillwyn Smith, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Dillwyn Smith, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times thercafter 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. Furnaces,
AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Dillwyn Smith, my executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands
and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the same 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 Dillwyn Smith, 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

page_text: by the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings forming a part of this Specification:-
This Invention relates, first, to the construction of apparatus whereby
the supply of fuel to furnaces or fires for generating steam or for other
purposes can be effected by mechanical means, thus obviating almost if
not entirely the necessity for hand labour in firing, and at the same
time either alone or in combination with other apparatus ensuring a
saving of fuel and preventing the formation of smoke in the furnace or
firc-place,
In carrying the said Invention into practice a hopper or number of
hoppers is placed at the front end of the boiler, or on the top or side, or
other convenient position thereof for containing the fuel to be used. I
prefer that the fuel should fall from these hoppers into a cylinder or
cylinders arranged either horizontally, vertically, or obliquely. In cach
cylinder is placed a screw to which is communicated a rotary motion
and which regulates the supply of fuel to the furnaces. This screw has
preferably a taper helix, that is, its diameter increases gradually from
the hopper end. This form of screw is preferable for two reasons.
Firstly, when the axis of the screw is horizontal or inclined the smaller
portion working in the bottom of the hopper or in a chamber com-
municating therewith produces a slight but constant motion of the fuel
from the hopper in a heap along the cylinder extending further from
the hopper than the natural angle of repose of the fuel, and rendering
the quantity of fuel carried in during a given number of revolutions by
the larger portion of the helix constant for different qualitics of fucl.
Secondly, the increasing size of the helix in its revolving motion
ensures the crushing of any lumps of coal or other fuel which are larger
than the pitch of the screw. To facilitate the production of this result
the bottom of the cylinder in which the spiral portion of the screw
works may be corrugated longitudinally. At the end of the screw
cylinder furthest from the hopper there is an opening communicating
with a case or box containing feeding wings which drive the fuel
into the furnace. When the screw is arranged horizontally or obliquely
this opening is usually on the side of the cylinder, and as the screw
thread usually stops at the edge of such opening the end of the
cylinder forms a trough or vessel in which the fuel brought from the
hopper by the screw lodges, and wherein it is constantly stirred up by
projections on the screw shaft. This arrangement ensures a constant

page_text: I
delivery of the fuel to every portion of the opening. From this opening
a funnel leads to the case or chamber containing the fan blades, wings,
or vanes which revolve in a horizontal plane, the said wings or vanes
being so arranged as to strike the fuel in its descent from the cylinder
and propel or drive it into the furnace. Instead of the screw for carrying
the fuel from the hopper or hoppers I may use two or more rollers with
projections on their peripheries; such projections may be ridges extend-
ing either circumferentially or at a right angle to the diameter of the
rollers, or they may be square or taper projections. These rollers draw
down the fuel from the hopper and discharge it into the aforesaid
revolving wings. A slow rotary motion is imparted to these rollers by
means of toothed or screw gearing, or by means of chains, belts, or
otherwise. Instead of using a hopper for each boiler I sometimes (more
especially where there are several boilers in a row) place one large
receptacle or vessel in any convenient position and draw the coal from
it by a screw passing over the several openings to the feed screws or
crushing rollers above described, and delivering the coal to the openings
as the hoppers do in the first described arrangement. The speed of this
screw may be regulated by the pressure of any surplus coal at the end
furthest from the coal vessel or by any other convenient means.
.
I
The said Invention relates, secondly, to placing the fires in the firo
chamber or flue in such a manner as to increase the area of burning
fuel in contact with the flue surface, and to remove from the under sido
of such fucl, either continuously or at intervals, the solid products of
combustion, such as ashes, clinkers, and other refuse, and deliver them
in the ash-pit by mechanical means, thoreby relieving the fireman from
the most arduous portion of his labour. For this purposo Ii uso two
separate grates or fire-places in each fluc, arranged in such a manner
that the burning fuel is held by them up against the two sides of tho
flue or against any surface to be heated. The space between these two
fires is occupied by a dead plate, by fire bricks, clay, or other material,
or by the argand grate bars described in the Specification of an Inven-
tion for which Letters Patent have been granted to me bearing dato tho
27th day of August A.D. 1868, No. 2663. By preferenco I mako each
of the fire-places considerably greater in depth than in width, and I
prefer to line the upper portion on the inside or the side not in contact
with the flue with fire-bricks, firc-clay, or other fire-resisting material.
The flue in this upper portion (if coal) will coke vchemently, and emit

page_text: large quantities of gas; the next lower or middle portion is coko. in a
condition of intense combustion with pure air, and is held up to the flue
side in a nearly vertical position by fire-bricks, grate bars, or other
suitable means.
The third or lowest portion consisting of the solid products of the
combustion of the fuel above in one arrangement of my Invention,
rests upon and is removed by means of reciprocating bars forming
the grate, each set being in a vertical plane and holding up the burning
fuel as above described, and at the lower portion assuming a more
horizontal position, and thus supporting the under side of the fuel.
The disturbing action required to remove the ashes and other refuse
may be produced by moving every alternate bar from and towards
the flue side, or by any change in their relativo positions, or by the
motion of the whole grate to and from the flue side or in any other
direction. The whole of the fire-bars may be placed with their
longitudinal axes horizontal, but I prefer to arrange them in a vertical
plane.
According to another arrangement I omit some or all of those
portions of the grate bars which support the under side of the fuel, and
substitute for them a roller or series of rollers, revolving fire-bars, cam- :
like discs, or star-shaped wheels, set side by side on an axis or axes
parallel with the flue. The rotation of such roller or rollers causes the
ashes, which lie upon their surfaces, to be drawn from the furnace and
deposited in the ash-pit.
By preference I use under cach fire a shaft whereon is set at a short
distance apart a number of small parallel discs with deeply corrugated
peripheries, between which the air passes to the fuel, and which
may be kept free from clinker or tarry matter by fixed projections or
cleaners lying between them and arranged to scrape their surfaces while
revolving. Sometimes also I arrange the fire-bars holding the fuel in
a nearly vertical position, so that their extremities enter between the
discs and act as scrapers; in other cases I cause the discs and their
projections to act as cams for moving the fire-bars, thus keeping them
free from clinker, and disturbing the fuel at a higher point than could
be effected by the revolving discs or fire-bars alone.
In using this arrangement of grates in combination with the argand
bars described in the former Specification Lercin-before mentioned, I
prefer to feed the coal only to the fire-places against the fluc sides above

page_text: described, thereby reserving the said argand bars for the supply of pure
air to the volatile products of combustion only.
As a modification of this arrangement I sometimes use on each side
of the row of argand bars an inclined or horizontal grate pivoted in
such a manner that the fuel clinkers or ashes on its surface can be
upset into the ash-pit. I sometimes use fire-bricks, placed in a case,
instead of fire-bars at the side of the argand bars, the latter being
raised above the fuel. The bars are arranged to rock and the bricks to
upset or turn over.
The apparatus described as forming the subject of the first part of
this Invention is used alone or in combination with the second part, or
the whole or a portion may be used in combination with the argand
or transverse grate bars described in the said former Specification. The
said transverse bars are chiefly designed for preventing smoke and
economising fuel in furnaces and fire-places, and this object is more
effectually accomplished by the use of my present Invention in com-
bination with such have

page_text: that of the cylinder. The functions of this screw are to draw the coal
from the hopper towards the top of each fluc, and in so doing to
regulate the feed and crush any lumps larger than the pitch of the
screw. The aforesaid outwardly increasing size of the helix is of great
importance in securing a uniform feed when different qualities of coal
are used. To drive this feeding, crushing, and regulating screw I
employ in the case illustrated a wheel Rand worm R', the wheel being
on the screw shaft and the worm on a vertical shaft, the upper portion
of which carries a conc pulley S driven by a belt from another cono
pulley T on one of the fan shafts. These conc pullies are for the
purposo of varying the velocity of the feed screw without altering that
of the fans. The screw cylinder B stands on a shallow box D having
a separate compartment in front of the upper part of cach flue. Each
compartment contains two fans E, E. Thèse fans are constructed with
a horizontal disc, on which are vanes radiating from a central boss.
The said fans revolve in the direction indicated by the arrows and their
vanes strike the coal, which falls through the aperture F, and propel it
into the fire. It is essential to the proper working of this portion of
the apparatus that the coal should fall from the opening F uniformly
oyer a space several inclies square on cach fan. If the opening F were
merely an aperture in the bottom of the cylinder it is clear that the
coal falling over the first edge it reached, would not be distributed
equally on the two fans. I obviate this difficulty by placing the
opening at one side of the cylinder B, its lowest edge being 'somo
inches from the cylinder bottom, as shown at G, Figure 3. The coal
being stirred up at the end of the cylinder by small projections on the
scrow shaft drops oves the edge G and down the shoot F upon the
fans E. These fans E are carried by vertical shafts E extending from
the steps E to some point, above the boiler, to which driving belts or
bands can be conveniently brought. In the arrangement illustrated in
the Drawing the two inner shafts have double V pulleys O and the two
outer shafts single V pulleys P, P, (Figure 1), for the reception of round
driving belts.

page_text: little or no air passes to the surface of the fuel through the bars, of
which the oxygen has not entered into chemical union with the carbon;
the rising gases must therefore be supplied with air in some other way, a
fact which suggests the peculiar applicability of the aforesaid argand
grate bars to this arrangement of furnaces.
In Figures 5, 6, and 7 I have illustrated one method of carrying this
part of my Invention into practice. In theso Figures a is a cast-iron
trough or frame open at the top and bottom, the two sides being connected
together and strengthened by transverse ribs. Against the sides of this
trough are placed fire-bricks 6 which may be secured by passing the
rod c through them and through the projecting ribs d. Beneath these
fire-bricks the transverse fire-bars e rest on longitudinal rods ƒ and
against the side of the longitudinal polygonal rods g. The said rods g
carry between each fire-bar e a star-like wheel or disc h. In the
arrangement illustrated the trough a is surmounted by a set of the
argand grate bars i which are thus held above the fuel. The perforated
screens which generally accompany them may be placed either within
the space; or below the bars within the trough a. The upper portion of
the coal gives off gases which are continuously supplied with air by
these argand bars. The middle portion of the fuel burns with air passing
up through the bars e and discs or wheels h, while the lowest part con-
sisting of ash and clinker is removed by the rotation of the rods y and
the said discs. In their rotation the octagonal rods 9 shake the bars e
and thus facilitate the cleaning out of the fire-place.
Having thus fully described the said Invention and shewn how the
same may be conveniently and advantageously carried into practice, I
claim,―
First. The combination of a screw with the hopper A, cylinder B,
projections C', fans E, and aperture F of the aforesaid feeding apparatus.
for the purposes set forth.
Second. A screw constructed with its diameter gradually increasing
from the point where it receives the fuel to the point of delivery of the
same, for the purposes set forth.
Third. Making the delivery aperture F above the bottom and at one
side of the screw cylinder, for the purposes set forth.
Fourth. The projections C' on the end of the screw shaft, for tho
purposes set forth.

page_text: Fifth. The automatic regulation of the speed of the taper feed screw by
the pressure of the surplus coal, for the purpose set forth.
Sixth. The arrangement of parts whereby I obtain the space for
keeping a deep and comparatively narrow bed or mass of fuel against
each side of the flue.
Seventh. The combination with the deep and narrow side spaces or
fire-places of the central argand bars or fire-bricks, or both, substantially
as set forth for the purpose specified.
Eighth. Providing the bottom of the aforesaid fire-places with means
for disturbing and removing the ashes and clinkers, and thereby
maintaining a free passage for the air to the fuel in the said fire-
places.
Ninth. The bar e and wheels or discs / arranged alternately together,
and operated by means of polygonal rods, or bars, or other suitable
contrivance, substantially as set forth for the purpose specified.
Tenth. The combination with the aforesaid argand bars of pivotted
grate for discharging the contents of the fire-place into the ash-pit,
substantially as set forth.
In witness whercof, I, the said Dillwyn Smith, have hereunto sct
my hand and seal, this Twelfth day of November, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.
DILLWYN SMITH. (L.S.)