An Improved Steam Jet Apparatus for Fire-places...
Year: 1893

page_text: ..
Date of Application, 27th Feb., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 27th Nov., 1893-Accepted, 30th Dec., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Steam Jet Apparatus for Fire-places...
A communication to me from PAUL HELLMICH, of Beuthen-on-the-Oder,
Brandenburg, in the Empire of Germany, Engine Fitter.
I, EDMUND EDWARDS, of the Firm of Edwards and Co., Patent Agents and
Engineers, of 35, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to astean jet apparatus for fire-places, in order to produce,
an active and smokeless combustion, which hitherto has not yet been applied to,
small fire-places, as in most cases a proper provision for producing steam has not
been provided in the fire-place for such purpose.
By this invention the steam boiler is placed in the fire-place itself above the fire,
and is therefore heated as soon as the fire is lighted. It is supplied with water:
from a reservoir placed outside, through a feed pipe connecting the bottom of the
boiler with the bottom of the reservoir, so that the water stands at the same level.
in both before steam is raised in the boiler. As soon as the steam pressure rises:
in the latter, part of the water in it is forced back into the reservoir, and at the
same time a pipe conveying the steam to the fire grate is opened so as to distribute
it there by nozzles. This escape of steam diminishes the pressure in the boiler,
and decreases the back pressure of the water in it into the reservoir, so as to;
establish an equilibrium between the boiler pressure and the reservoir by a small
difference of level of the water in them.
:
On account of the greater boiler pressure it is preferable in larger furnaces to
arrange a second reservoir, the level of which is situated at a considerable.height.
above the level of the boiler. This second reservoir communicates in the same
manner with the boiler through a feed pipe provided with a cock.
When steam is first generated the lower reservoir alone is in communication
with the boiler, but if a too great pressure in the latter forces. too much water,
back from it a supply cock to the lower reservoir is closed and one to the
second reservoir opened, so that a higher water column balances the higher.
steam pressure.
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The two cocks of the two pipes may be connected in such manner that when one,,
of them is open the other is shut.
...
In order to protect the discharge. nozzles and to keep the fuel at some distance,
from the steam apertures, the nozzles are covered with screens or shields as a
direct discharge of the jets of steam into the burning fuel is prejudicial to their
action.
:
Dated this 27th day of February 1893.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Steam Jet Apparatus for Fire-places.
A communication to me from PAUL HELLMICH, of Beuthen-on-the-Oder,
Brandenburg, in the Empire of Germany; Engine Fitter.
I, EDMUND EDWARDS, of the Firm of Edwards and Co., Patent Agents and
Engineers, of 35, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner.
2: 34... s

page_text: the same is to be performed. to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement and accompanying drawing, that is to say :-
This invention relates to a steam jet apparatus for fire-places, in order to
produce an active and smokeless combustion..
Steam jets have been applied to grate-fires in order to obtain a good combustion
and to render the combustion as fred, from smoke as possible, but this process haз
not been generally adopted, especially for smaller fire-places. The fact that
heretofore there has been no suitable contrivance for producing the steam, and
more especially no effective method of arranging such contrivance in connection
with the fire-place, has been the principal obstacle to the more general adoption of
the process. This want is met by the arrangement which forms the subject of the
present invention.
*:
The characteristic of the present apparatus is, that the steam-producer is fitted
directly into the fire-place, and is heated directly by the gases passing away
from the latter, while with such steam jet apparatus, as heretofore employed, the
steam producers have been arranged independently with separate, fireplaces.
In the accompanying drawing, Figures 1 to 3 shew the arrangement applied to
a stove. The small steam boiler a is arranged over the grate inside the stove, so
that the gases leaving the fire pass underneath it and round its sides. and top.
From a water vessel b suspended outside the stove, a feed-pipe e leads to the boiler,
and a steam-piped ending in several jet nozzles d' conducts the steam to the grate.
surface. The feed pipe c may be arranged so that it can be closed.. by a single
valve but the steam pipe d must be provided with one or several closing
valves d².
4 *:*
The feeding of the boiler and the method of operation of the whole apparatus
is as follows:
:.
The water vessel 6 is suspended to a spring e (Figure 6) or to a weighted lever e
(Figure 7) so as to be in a state of rest when filled with a certain quantity of water.
Through the vessel 6 and the partly hose-like pipe.c water is let into the boiler up
to a certain height. The vessel as it becomes heavier, descends a little and in a
convenient position a pointerf is suitably arranged, which shows on a water level
indicator on the vessel, that the water has reached the height required in the boiler.
The water levels in the vessel and in the boiler are then equally high, Figure 6.
The pipe d is closed in the meantime.
As soon as the steam develops in the boiler, it presses part of the water from
the boiler back into the vessel b which becomes heavier, and descends. The valve
or valves d are now opened and the steam is allowed to stream in jets, from the
nozzles d' to the grate. Consequently the steam pressure upon the surface of the
water in the boiler diminishes, and when the water surface in the boiler has,
become lower than that in the vessel b, the water flows from the latter into the
boiler until the ratio of pressure is re-balanced. According to the quantity of
water flowing from the vessel, the latter becomes lighter and is lifted by the
spring e or the weighted lever el, so that the height of the water level in the vessel,
and consequently that in the boiler remains constant, or alters but to a very small
extent. The accuracy of this constancy depends upon the care with which the
stretching of the spring e or the ratio of the weighted lever el is adjusted to the
decreasing weight of the vessel as the water runs off, and to the relatively decreasing
height of the water level in the vessel.
With larger fire-places it is of advantage on account of the greater steam
pressure in the boiler to arrange a second water vessel beside the vessel b, the
water level of which however is situated at a certain height above that of the
boiler. This height is necessary in order that on account of the greater development
of the fire, the steam may have the necessary back pressure.
The second vessel is connected, with the boiler by a pipe with valve c.
When starting the working, only the vessel is placed in communication with the
boiler, as described above. But if the water is then forced over too quickly froin
the boiler into the vessel, the vessel b is disconnected by closing the valve cand
"

page_text: the vessel b is connected by opening the valve ³. In this case the pressure of a
water column between the two water levels in the boiler and in the vessel b' acts
against the steam pressure, and according to the proportions of pressure, the water
is exchanged between the boiler and the vessel b₁.
In this case the pipe c must be provided with a valve c', and the two valves c
and may be connected so that the one is opened when the other is closed.
9,
In order to protect the nozzles and to keep the fuel at a certain distance from
the steam passages, the nozzles are covered with protecting screens or shields
Figures 4 and 5. If the steam jets cease to act directly upon the burning fuel,
the favourable effect of the jets upon the development of the flame would be
weakened.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The combination of a fire-chamber with an enclosed boiler, steam jet pipes
leading from the boiler to the grate, and a moveably suspended feed water vessel
connected to the boiler, substantially as described and illustrated.
2. The combination of a fire-chamber with an enclosed boiler, steam jet pipes
leading from the boiler to the grate, and two feed water vessels suspended at
different elevations and connected to the boiler, substantially as described and
illustrated
Dated this 27th day of November 1893.
EDWARDS & Co.,
35, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.