IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF-STOKING FURNACES
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Vicars, the elder, and Thomas Vicars,
the
younger, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Engineers,
and James Smith, of the same Place, Baker, for the Invention of
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Vicars, the
•
elder, Thomas Vicars, the younger, and James Smith at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with their Petition, on the 22nd
December 1875.
We, THOMAS VICARS, the elder, and THOMAS VICARS, the younger,
of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Engineers, and JAMES SMITH,
of the same Place, Baker, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF-STOKING FURNACES," to be as
follows:-
This Invention relates to improvements on our well-known self-
stoking furnaces, and has for its object to obtain a better combustion

page_text: of fuel generally, and to adapt such furnaces for use with marine
boilers.
First. As means for burning fine slack,.duff, or coal dust in externally
fired boilers or generators or in large furnaces generally we arrange any
desired or requisite number of reciprocating plungers or feeders to work
on a plate forming the bottom of the fuel hopper or hoppers, and provide
the back of each hopper with a door sliding vertically.
Second. As means for burning burgey, unscreened coal, or coal in
moderate sized pieces in internally fired steam boilers or in furnaces of
moderate dimensions we use in place of the number of plungers described
under the above first head one large plunger for each flue or furnace,
and give the said plunger or plungers a longer reciprocating stroke. A
sliding door may be used at the back of the hopper, but we prefer to
dispense with the said sliding door, the mass of fuel serving to cover
the mouth of each flue, and prevent any mischievous or too great admis-
sion of air thereto.
of t
Third. As means for obtaining a better and more efficient combustion
the fuel in the furnaces we so arrange the driving machinery that
whilst the fire-bars have a continuous reciprocating action the plungers
have an intermittent reciprocating action, or in other words that the
bars act continuously to carry the fuel from front to back of the
furnace, whilst the plungers only feed fuel to the said bars at intervals.
The intermittent action of the plungers may be obtained by throwing
the driving gear of the said plungers into and out of action through a
cam or intermittent gearing or like means. The time of rest of the
plungers may be varied to suit circumstances.
When the mechanism described under the above second head is applied
to marine boilers we prefer that the same should be arranged so as to be
able to be disconnected or to be detachable, if occasion should arise, and
allow of firing by hand.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Thomas Vicars, the elder, Thomas Vicars, the
younger, and James Smith in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
22nd June 1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, THOMAS
VICARS, the elder, and THOMAS VICARS, the younger, of Liverpool, in
the County of Lancaster, Engineers, and JAMES SMITH, of the same
Place, Baker, send greeting.
and
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the
thirty-ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto us, the said Thomas Vicars, the elder,
Thomas Vicars, the younger and James Smith, Her special licence that
we, the said Thomas Vicars, the elder, Thomas Vicars, the younger,
James Smith, executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others.
as we, the said Thomas Vicars, the elder, Thomas Vicars, the younger,
and James Smith, our 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 SELF-STOKING FURNACES," upon the cons
dition (amongst others) that we, the said Thomas Vicars, the elder,
Thomas Vicars, the younger, and James Smith, our executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under our, 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 we, the said Thomas Vicars, the elder,
Thomas Vicars, the younger, and James Smith, do hereby declare the
nature of our 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.
:

page_text: Dheet of Drawings, and to the agures and letters marked thereon, vnav
is to say:-
This Invention relates to improvements on our well-known self-
stoking furnaces, and has for its object to obtain a better combustion
of fuel generally, and to adapt such furnaces for use with marine
boilers.
First. As means for burning fine slack duff or coal dust in externally
fired boilers or generators or in large furnaces generally we arrange, any
desired or requisite number of reciprocating plungers or feeders to work
on a plate forming the bottom of the fuel hopper or hoppers, and provide
the back of each hopper with a door sliding. vertically.
1
Second. As means for burning burgey, unscreened coal, or coal in
moderate sized pieces in internally fired steam boilers or in furnaces of
moderate dimensions we use in place of the number of plungers described
under the above first head one large plunger for each flue or furnace,
and give the said plunger or plungers a longer reciprocating stroke. A
sliding door may be used at the back of the hopper, but we prefer to
dispense with the said sliding door, the mass of fuel serving to cover the
mouth of each flue, and prevent any mischievous or too great admission
of air thereto.
Third. As means for obtaining a better and more efficient combustion
of the fuel in the furnaces we so arrange the driving machinery that
whilst the fire-bars have a continuous reciprocating action the plungers
have an intermittent reciprocating action, or in other words that the
bars act continuously to carry the fuel from front to back of the furnace,.
whilst the plungers only feed fuel to the said bars at intervals.
The intermittent action of the plungers may be obtained by throwing
the driving gear of the said plungers into and out of action through a
cam or intermittent gearing or like means. The time of rest of the
plungers may be varied to suit circumstances.
When the mechanism described under the above second head is
applied to marine boilers we prefer that the same should be arranged so
as to be able to be disconnected or to be detachable, if occasion should
arise, and allow of firing by hand.

page_text: slot r, the time of motion and rest of the plungers can be altered. The
front slides 8 of the hoppers may be removed to allow, if desired, of
firing by hand.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, so that others
will be enabled to carry our improvements into effect, we claim,-
The improvements substantially as and for the purposes set forth
under the first head.
The improvements substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
under the second head.
The improvements substantially as and for the purposes set forth
under the third head..
In witness whereof, we, the said Thomas Vicars, the elder, Thomas
Vicars, the younger, and James Smith, have hereunto set our
hands and seals, the Seventeenth day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
THOMAS VICARS. THE ELDER...
(LS)
In the presence of,
J. T. KING,
Patent Agent,
Liverpool.
THOMAS VICARS. THE Elder. (LS)
THOMAS VICARS, THE YOUNGER. (L.S.)
JAMES SMITH.
(L.S.)