IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF FURNACES FOR STEAM BOILERS AND OTHER USEFUL PURPOSES
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Edward Dix, of 116, Albany Road, Camber-
well, in the County of Surrey, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF FURNACES FOR STEAM BOILERS AND OTHER
USEFUL PURPOSES."
Sealed the 19th July 1864, and dated the 23rd January 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Edward Dix at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
23rd January 1864.
I, JOHN EDWARD DIX, of 116, Albany Road, Camberwell, in the County
of Surrey, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF FURNACES FOR STEAM BOILERS AND OTHER
USEFUL PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists of certain improvements in the construction of
furnaces or fire-places used for the purpose of generating steam in steam
boilers or for any other useful heating purposes, such improvements having
reference, firstly, to the supply of warm or heated air to aid the combustion of
fuel and prevent smoke; and, secondly, to the form or configuration of the
fire-bars.

page_text: I propose, firstly, to apply to furnaces or fire-places an improved form of
regulating louvre door, and an air-diffusing apparatus attached thereto for
receiving the air, and warming or heating the same, and dividing and con-
ducting it in thin waves or currents in horizontal layers and curvilinear
directions to the interior of the furnace or fire-place, whereby I increase the
draught and the intensity of the heat or combustion, more effectually burning
or consuming the black or dark colored smoke. The apparatus consists either
of
a square, oblong, or circular iron frame, having flanges with holes therein
for attachment to the front of the furnace, and projecting sufficiently from the
front to permit of space for the air-diffusing apparatus contained therein,
and to allow of its operation or motion. An opening is made in the said
frame of suitable size for the door to be hung in the ordinary manner. This
door is made or composed of a frame, with an opening within of suitable size,
into which a series of horizontal slips or strips of metal generally known as
louvres are fitted, and form together or in conjunction a panel, each of the
said louvres having a pin or centre at each end, and swinging or bearing in
two slips of metal fastened to the edges of the door. The louvres are caused
to move or work open or shut simultaneously by means of brackets cast on
the said slips or louvres, or riveted or other wisefastened thereto. The outer
or projecting ends of the said brackets are made with holes through the sides
into which a pin is fitted, each pin being connected with an upright bar working
across the said louvres or louvre panel, and having its upper end of a curved
or hooked form, to serve as a handle for the stoker, or it may be geared or
screwed to a crank worked by a wheel or lever and screw motion, or it may
be made self-acting by levers attached to the handle of the furnace door; the
rod attached to the said handle being racked or notched or pierced, and
screwed in such way as either to close the said louvre panel, or raise it partly
or wide open, or set it at any regulating angle desired. On the inside of the
door is attached the air-diffusing apparatus, consisting of a frame of metal
larger than the louvre panel, so as to allow of the louvres opening and closing
freely. Within this frame are placed horizontally metallic strips or divisions,
waved or corrugated lengthwise, so that such corrugations run transversely
across the frame, their edges being set at a short distance from the edges of the
louvres when open. These divisions may either be attached to the sides of
the said frame, or the frame may be made to connect at the corners thereof,
so that the said divisions may be flanged at the ends, and be dropped in one
over the other, the frame connecting at the said corners and tightening up
the whole. By these arrangements it will be obvious that the supply of air

page_text: may be regulated at pleasure, and that a series of divided horizontal waved
currents of heated air will be thrown or distributed over the burning fuel,
effecting one of the objects of the Invention as described.
The second part of the Invention consists in casting or forming furnace bars
of an improved form in order to allow of the admission and circulation of air
through them, such air entering them from the under side of the fire-place.
I propose to give the bars externally somewhat the form of a wedge, the
broad portion forming the top or surface of the bar. The interior of the bar
throughout its length and in mid-section is made hollow so as to be open at
both ends. In addition to such longitudinal perforation, I form at intervals
upon the under or narrow side of the bar a series of slots or narrow openings
communicating with the said longitudinal perforation. The top surface and
the two vertical sides of the bar are to be made plain or flush and not
perforated. The length, thickness, and depth of the bars to be of any
dimensions, according to the size of the furnace to which they are to be
adapted. I propose to cast or form these bars either singly, doubly, or
trebly, or in entire sets, spaces being left between each for the ash to
fall through. The bar or bars may be made not only of metal but of
terra-cotta, fire-clay, or stone, or Stourbridge clay, or other fire-resisting
material.
I I propose on the same principle to construct a double-chambered bar, the
cross section of which may, be defined by about the following measurements;
the breadth of the top being two and a half inches; of the bottom, two inches;
the height of the sides nearly three inches; the central portion or division
between the two tunnels being continued downwards below the base of the
sides to a depth of about an inch and a half, so as to form a longitudinal
vertical rib or division throughout the base of the bar, and thus serve not only
to strengthen the same, but to aid the current of air entering the grooved
apertures cut under each tunnel as in the former instance of a singly cham-
bered bar. The width of the central division is about half an inch, and the
width of the tunnels five-eighths of an inch; their height nearly two
inches. Of course the form of the bar may be varied in many ways, as
well as the proportions thereof, without departing from the principles of the
Invention.
These improvements will cause a free circulation of air throughout the
interior of the bars, either single, double, or compound, and will cause
an equalization of heat therein, as well as prevent fouling, choking, or
filling up with fused or refuse matter which may flow or fall out of the fire.

page_text: The bars or grate will consequently be preserved for a long time from
destructive action.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Edward Dix in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
23rd July 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
EDWARD DIX, of 116, Albany Road, Camberwell, in the County of Surrey,
Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-seventh year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said John Edward Dix, Her special licence that I, the said
John Edward Dix, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said John Edward Dix, 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 THE CONSTRUCTION OF FURNACES FOR STEAM BOILERS AND
OTHER USEFUL PURPOSES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said John Edward Dix, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particu-
larly 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 John Edward Dix, 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 by the fol-
lowing statement :-
My Invention consists of certain improvements in the construction of
furnaces and fire-places used for the purpose of generating heat for heating steam
boilers and other useful heating purposes, such improvements having reference,
firstly, to the supply of warm or heated air to aid the combustion of the fuel

page_text: and prevent smoke; and, secondly, to the form or configuration of the furnace
bars and of the fire bed.
I propose, firstly, to apply to furnaces and fire-places an improved air-
diffusing apparatus for receiving, warming, and diffusing or dividing and
separating the currents or strata of air. The said apparatus is formed or
constructed with a frame containing a series of horizontal divisions, waved or
corrugated in their cross or transverse section, and in combination with and
attached to the inside of the furnace door. The said door has within it and
is made with a louvre panel or series of horizontal slips of metal, each of the
said slips having a pin or pivot at each end to turn upon a series of points or
centres made in the door or in a moveable bar, the said bar being attached to
each interior end or side of the frame of the door panel, thereby made so as
to open and shut the said clips simultaneously by the action of a vertical bar
on the outside of the said louvre panel, with brackets cast in or otherwise
made and attached to the said clips, and by any other suitable gearing attached
to the said louvre panel, slips, vertical bar, and door frame, as will open and
shut the slips of the louvre panel simultaneously, and set or fix them partly or
wide open, or elevate or depress them to any pitch or angle required, and by
such means increase or diminish the air space or openings between each of the
said louvre slips, and thus regulate the measure or supply of air to the said
air-diffusing apparatus. The said air-diffusing apparatus (as before stated) is
attached to the inside of the furnace door, and consists of a metal frame of
such form as is suitable to the shape of the furnace door, the said frame being
made larger in its length and breadth than the said louvre panel, but fitted up
directly opposite to or behind it, and containing within it several horizontal
metallic strips or divisions, waved or corrugated in their cross or transverse
section, their side edges next the back of the furnace door being set at a short
distance therefrom and from the edges of the said frame containing them, and
consequently from the edges of the said louvre slips when wide open. The
ends of the said corrugated divisions are attached to the sides of their con-
taining frame, or the said frame may be made to connect and take apart at
the corners, and have moveable divisions made with vertical flanges at their
ends, so as to fit in or drop in one over the other, whereby the vertical
projection of the said flanges on the upper side of each division will keep the
consecutive divisions apart or separated, and thus form or leave spaces or
openings of suitable size for the ingress or passage of air between them into
the furnace, the said containing frame connecting at the corners, and
securing and tightening up the whole. By the before-stated arrangements it

page_text: will be obvious that the supply of air may be regulated at pleasure, and that
a series of divided or separate horizontal waved currents of air will be
admitted, and also heated in passing through the said spaces or chambers of
the said apparatus, and be distributed into the furnace and over the burning
fuel in thin horizontal waved currents, and thus more readily take up and
combine with the gases evolved from the burning fuel, thereby increasing the
intensity of the heat in the middle and at the end of the furnace, and
necessarily consuming the smoke.
The Drawing annexed, Sheet 1, Fig. 1, represents a transverse vertical
section of the louvre panel and the corrugated divisions for the diffusion of the
horizontal currents of air. a represents the door frame, and b, b, the louvre
panels, which are opened and closed by the rising and falling of the bar c,
which is held in position by the rack d and pall e, or by any other suitable
method; ff, are the corrugated horizontal divisions, fixed as before
described; h is the shield or screen at the bottom of the divisions, for the
purpose of preventing the entrance of the fuel into the lower corrugated
openings; is the bearing or support for the whole, and also for the bearing
of the fire-bars, one of which, k, is shewn; l is a transverse bearing bar, and
m, the ash-pit.
The second part of my Invention consists in casting or otherwise forming
furnace bars and fire-bed lumps of an improved form or configuration, in order
to allow of the admission and circulation of air through them, such air
entering them from the ash place or under side of the fire-place.
Figs. 1, 2, and 3, Sheet 2, represent respectively a top plan view, side view,
and under plan view of a bar, which I term No. 1. Figs. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9,—
10, 11, 12, represent respectively similar views of bars, which I term Nos. 2,
3, and 4; and Fig. 13 is an end view of the bar No. 4, which is a twin-
chambered bar, the others being single chambered. I propose to give my bar
No. 1 externally somewhat the form of a thick wedge, that is to say, its back
or thickest edge from the top surface or fire-bed-part of the interior of the
bar throughout its length, and open at one or both ends of the said hollow or
tubular space, or both ends closed, according as I may think it necessary, so
as to adapt the said ends for bearing on peculiar or irregular shaped dead
plates and end bearings and mid-bearing bars. In addition to such longi-
tudinal hollow space, I form at intervals through the belly or narrow edge of
the bar a series of slots or oblong openings a, all communicating with the said
longitudinal hollow space b. The back surface and the two opposite sides in
the depth of the said bar are made plain or flush, and without openings into

page_text: the said hollow space, but I intend to form a longitudinal groove or channel c
in the back of the bar, but without openings, in such cases as I may think
necessary. The length, thickness, and depth of the bar, the internal, longi-
tudinal, hollow, or tubular space, and the openings into it, will vary in size
and section proportionally, so as to suit the length and breadth of every kind
of furnace to which these bars can be applied. I propose to cast or otherwise
form this bar in one or several pieces or parts, and to construct or fit them up
in any way I may deem best, and also to cast or otherwise form them singly,
as before described, or doubly, trebly, or in entire sets, and also as fire lumps,
which in appearance resemble two, three, or several of the before-stated single
hollow bars joined side by side, like they would be in a furnace if put in to
touch each other sideways, oblong narrow spaces being made or left open
between each for the admission of air to the fire and for the refuse or ash to
fall through. All the foregoing statements as regards the bar No. 1 will and
do apply to my form of bar No. 2, which is similar in principle, only varying
in the shape or form of the belly or bottom edge, which is thicker, and also
deeper in the middle than towards each end of the longitudinal hollow space,
and diminishes in depth from the centre of the depth towards each end,
whereas the bar No. 1 has its belly or bottom edge parallel with its back or
top edge. The dotted lines shew the interior spaces in the bars. All the
foregoing statements as regards my bar No. 1 apply to my form of bar No. 3,
which is similar in principle, but varying in the shape or form of its belly or
bottom edge, which has a rib or strengthening piece of suitable shape d joined
to or cast on or connected with the bottom edge of the longitudinal hollow
space or tube, and also has the sides of the said longitudinal hollow space
formed straight or parallel, and perpendicular or square with the back of the
bar, and has either double slots or oblong openings set opposite to each other,
but divided by the said strengthening rib, or a single slot, as in the No. 1 bar,
and a corresponding vertical slot or opening in the said rib e, e. The purpose
of the said rib is, 1st, to divide the current of air; and, secondly, and more
particularly, to strengthen the bar, and allow of a shallower but wider
longitudinal hollow space to be formed than is intended in the structure
of the bars No. 1 and 2, before described. Some of the foregoing state-
ments as regards my form of bar No. 3 apply to my form of bar No. 4,
5 which I propose to call the "double tubular" or "twin-chambered bar," the
principle of this part of my Invention being similar in its results to those
previously described, that is to say, not differing in the principle of admitting
and circulating a longitudinal current or currents of air through its interior or

page_text: mid-section. This bar therefore has two distinct longitudinal hollow spaces or
tubes formed in its interior or mid-section, running side by side parallel to
each other, regular or irregular in section, extending from end to end, but
divided by a partition, the said ends being either one or both left open or
closed, as desired; also having a rib projecting out from or connected with
the belly or bottom edge of the tubular structure of the bar; the said rib
vertically is in the centre of the section end in line on each side with, and
therefore equal in thickness to, the said partition dividing the said longitudinal
hollow spaces, and is therefore intended for dividing the circulation of the
air into each tube, and also, as in my form of bar No. 3, is intended to be
of a suitable shape for strengthening the bar, and thus while economizing
the depth of the said longitudinal hollow spaces, also economizing the
material required in its construction. The belly or bottom edge of the
said tubes of this bar has slots or oblong openings through it at intervals
opening into the said longitudinal hollow spaces made opposite to each
other or otherwise, but divided by the downward projection of the said
strengthening rib, which rib is made of suitable depth and thickness. I
propose to make, cast, or otherwise form each description or shape of the
aforesaid bars and bar lumps not only of suitable wrought or cast metal, but
of terra-cotta, fire-clay, or stone, or Stourbridge clay, or other fire-resisting
material.
These improvements will cause a free circulation of air throughout the
interior of the bars and bar lumps, either single, double, or compound, or
double, tubular, or twin-chambered, and will cause an equalization of heat
within them, as well as prevent fouling, choking, or filling up the longitudinal
hollow spaces or tubes and the openings therein with fused or refuse matter
which may flow or fall out of the fire. The bars or sets of bars and bar
lumps will consequently be preserved for a long time from destructive
action.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner
in which the same is to be performed, I would remark in conclusion, that I
do not limit myself to the precise details and configuration of parts herein
expressed and shewn, as the same may obviously be varied or modified
without in any way departing from the principles on which the Invention is
based;
I do not claim the louvre panel, which has long been used and
practised for other purposes; but I claim the Invention of the peculiar shape
and construction of the air-diffusing apparatus in combination with the louvre
panel in the furnace door, and the peculiar shape and structure of all the

page_text: before-stated fire-bars and bar lumps, substantially as herein specified and
illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Edward Dix, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of July, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
JOHN EDWARD DIX. (L.S.)
Witness,
L. J. WETHERELL,
Clerk to Messrs. Prince & Co.,
Office for Patents,
4, Trafalgar Square,
Charing Cross.