IMPROVEMENTS IN KILNS FOR BURNING BRICKS
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine,
Lake, & Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN KILNS FOR BURNING BRICKS."-
A communication from abroad by Silas Madison Hamilton, of
Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America.
Sealed the 23rd July 1872, and dated the 31st May 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 31st May 1872.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN KILNS FOR BURNING
BRICKS," a communication, to be as follows:-
--
This Invention relates to improvements in that class of kilns for
burning bricks commonly known as continuous kilns, and which are
constructed with various compartments to be filled successively with

page_text: green bricks, and when filled are gradually heated for carrying off the
moisture from the bricks by means of waste heat drawn from other
kilns or compartments in course of being burned. By this means a
great economy is effected in the consumption of the fuel in comparison
with that of common kilns in which the waste heat is entirely lost.
The said improvements in continuous kilns consist in certain details
by means of which the kilns are made more convenient, efficient, and
economical than other kilns. The external and permanent walls of the
kiln may be made straight, or so constructed that when the kiln is
completed it shall form a quadrangle with an opening to give con-
venient access to the enclosure or court within the kiln. In the bottom
of the kiln are formed continuous flues extending under the floor of
the entire kiln, and covered with brick or tiles, leaving apertures for the
draught at suitable intervals where the flues may be cut off by slides
and the chimneys attached. The end walls are perforated or "pigeon
holed," to form a communication between the end compartments and
the chimneys built in the end walls. If the kiln is quadrangular the
flues are to be continued under the intermediate space left as aforesaid.
The several compartments are furnished with perforated chimneys, which
are preferably made of tile in one picce or in sections, and have also
free communication by the holes in their faces with the compartments.
The said compartments are formed when desired by means of sliding
partitions moving vertically, the green bricks being so disposed in laying
them that spaces will be left in the proper places to admit the said
partitions. Provision is also made at the same time for transverse flues
through the green bricks for drawing and distributing the heat equally
through the pile. Plates are employed for separating the ranges of
furnaces, and for covering the kiln when completed. The partitions
are swung upon chains passing over pulleys and counterbalanced by
weights. They may be of cast or wrought iron, or may consist of frames
filled by a refractory substance, such as fire-clay. Instead of these sliding
partitions permanent partition walls may be used in connection with
other parts of this Invention, the same being built with doors to be
opened when desirable for forming a communication from one com-
partment to the other. Such interior walls if used and the linings of
the exterior walls should be formed of fire-brick. The kiln is covered
by a roof which may be supported upon posts resting on the external
walls or upon an independent frame. The fires are maintained in

page_text: furnaces arranged in tiers in the end walls, and also in like manner upon
the sides. Doors are also formed to give access to the interior of the
kilns for introducing the green bricks and removing the burned ones.
A steam generator is employed in connection with the kilns for
giving force and direction to the draught; a steam pipe leading from
this generator is conducted along the side wall, and branch pipes are
carried across the kiln at each range of chimneys; steam jets opening
upward, and controlled by suitable stop-cocks are arranged to be
discharged into such of the chimneys as may be desired. By means of
these pipes the heat may be drawn from one compartment to another
and the draught discharged at will through any of the chimneys.
Branch steam pipes are also introduced into the furnaces for creating a
draught.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Scal Patent
Office on the 29th November 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirty-first day of May, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-
fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said William Robert Lake, Her special licence
that I, the said William Robert Lake, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Robert Lake, 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
KILNS FOR BURNING BRICKS," a communication to me from abroad by Silas
Madison Hamilton, of Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America,
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Robert
Lake, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under

page_text: 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 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 William Robert Lake, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement reference being had to the accompanying
Drawing forming a part of this Specification
:-
This Invention relates to improvements in that class of kilns for
burning bricks commonly known as continuous kilns, and which are
constructed with various compartments to be filled successively with
green bricks, and when filled are gradually heated for carrying off
the moisture from the bricks by means of waste heat drawn from other
kilns or compartments in course of being burned. By this means a great
economy is effected in the consumption of the fuel in comparison with
that of common kilns, in which the waste heat is entirely lost.
The said improvements in continuous kilns consist in certain details
by means of which the kilns are made more convenient, efficient, and 2
..
Figure 1 is a perspective view representing the walls, furnaces, and
lower flues of a kiln constructed according to this Invention.
Figure 2 is a perspective view of a complete kiln, part of the wall
being represented as broken away to permit the interior to be shown;
Figure 3 is a plan of the same; Figure 4 is a vertical longitudinal
section through the centre of the kiln on the line x, x, Figure 3;
Figure 5 is a vertical transverse section on the line y, y, Figure 3;
Figure 6 is a perspective view of plates employed in forming the a
interior flues of the said kiln.
Figure 7 is a perspective view of a sleeve used for introducing steam
and air to the furnaces; Figure 8 is a longitudinal section of the same;
and Figure 9 is a perspective sectional view intended to illustrate the

page_text: the plates represented in Figure 6, and of covering the bricks in the
kiln.
The external and permanent walls A of the kiln may be made straight
as represented in the Drawings, or so constructed that when the kiln is
complete it shall form a quadrangle with an opening to give convenient
access to the enclosure formed within the kiln. In the bottom of the
said kiln are formed continuous flues, extending under the floor of the
entire kiln and covered with brick or tiles A*, leaving apertures for
taking off the draught at suitable intervals, where the flues may be
cut off by slides, and the chimney connected. The end walls A³ are
perforated or "pigeon holed" to form a communication between the
end compartments and the chimneys built in the said end walls. If the
kiln is quadrangular the flues A² are to be continued under the inter-
mediate space left as aforesaid. The several compartments are furnished
with perforated chimneys A³, which are preferably made of tile in one
piece or in sections, and have free communication. These compartments
are formed when desired by means of sliding partitions C moving
vertically, the green bricks being so disposed in laying them that spaces
will be left in the proper places to admit the said partitions; provision is
also made at the same time for transverse flues through the green bricks
for drawing and distributing the heat equally through the pile. Plates C'
and Care employed for separating the ranges of furnaces and for
covering the kiln when completed. The partitions are swung upon
chains passing over pulleys and counterbalanced by weights D². They
may be of cast or wrought iron, or may consist of frames filled by a
refractory substance, such as fire-clay. Instead of these sliding partitions.
permanent partition walls may be used in connection with other parts
of this Invention, the same being built with doors to be opened when
desirable for forming a communication from one compartment to the
other. Such interior walls if used and the linings of the exterior walls
should be formed of fire-brick. The kiln is covered by a roof E which
may be supported upon posts resting on the walls A or upon an inde-
pendent frame. The fires are maintained in furnaces arranged in tiers
in the end walls, and also in like manner upon the sides as shown at B'.
Doors are also formed at B³ to give access to the interior of the kilns for
introducing the green bricks and removing the burnt bricks. A steam
generator is also employed in connection with the kilns for giving force

page_text: and direction to the draught. It is shewn at F. A steam pipe F" leading
from this generator is conducted along the side wall, and branch pipes
are carried across the kiln at each range of chimneys; steam jets opening
upwards and controlled by suitable stop-cocks are arranged to be
discharged into such of the chimneys as may be desired. By means of
these pipes the heat may be drawn from one compartment to another
and the draught discharged at will through any of the chimneys.
Branch steam pipes are also introduced into the furnaces for creating a
draught. I use for the purpose tiles such as shown at F in Figures 1, 7,
and 8, so that the proper proportion of air may be drawn in with the
steam.
In using this kiln when the first compartment has been filled with
green bricks, the partition being let down, the fires may be started, and
the work of filling the second compartment proceeded with. When
this has been filled the further partition is let down, and the other
partition separating No. 1 from No. 2 should be raised, or the flues
under the floor opened, and the steam jets opened in No. 2, the chimneys
of No. 1 being closed, the heat will be drawn through No. 2 and utilized
for driving off the "water smoke" from the green bricks in that
compartment. When this has been completed the flues must be started
in the furnaces B₁ of this compartment, and so the operation of filling
the compartments will be successively continued. When the bricks of
the preceding compartments have been sufficiently burned, they are
cooled by drawing off the heat from the bricks into the other com-
partments until they are cool enough to be removed, when the doors B
are opened, the bricks taken out, and the compartment refilled with
green bricks.
Having thus fully described the said Invention and the manner of
performing the same as communicated to me by my foreign corre-
spondent, I wish it understood that I do not claim a continuous kiln,
nor the use of steam jets for creating a draught through communicating
flues; but I claim,—
First. A continuous kiln divisible into compartments by sliding
partitions in combination with steam jets for carrying the draught
through a series of compartments so formed.
Second. In combination with a kiln divisible into compartments
return flues extending through the series of compartments.

page_text: Third. In combination with a continuous quadrangular kiln a flue
extending across the space between the ends and connecting the said
compartments.
Fourth. The transverse flues formed in the piles of green bricks for
equalizing the distribution of heat through the pile.
Fifth. The tubular tile for admitting steam and air to the furnaces.
Sixth. The continuous kiln in combination with the perforated chim-
neys connected with the intercommunicating flues adjustably arranged
in the several compartments.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of November,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
two.
5 Witness,
W. J. LowE.
W. ROBT. LAKE. (L.S.)