Improved Continuous Kiln for Baking Pottery or Burning Cements.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Continuous Kiln for Baking Pottery or Burning Cements.
I, EMILE GOBBE, of Jumet, in the Kingdom of Bolgium, Glass Works Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention, to be as follows:-
My invention relates to a continuous firing gas kiln with multiple chambers
for baking pottery, or burning cements, and presents the following advantages:
Perfect combustion, without excess of injurious air, and a good distribution
of heat, by the employment of gas. Entire removal of the inconveniences result-
ing from the contact with the solid fuel and ashes which adhere to the articles
under treatment; and the obtainment of a very high temperature with a reduced
expenditure in fuel.
My improved continuous firing gas kiln is characterized by a special arrangement
of bells and dampers; by the arrangement, above the baking chambers, of the
gas and air passages, and by those for the fumes below the same; by the combus-
tion of the gas in a free space, between the stacked articles, and the arches of the
chambers; and by the arrangement of the burners.
According to a convenient arrangement the improved continuous firing gas kiln
consists of a battery of chambers, say 12, communicating with each other through
flues formed in the walls separating the chambers, and having for their object to
allow the passage of the hot air, or the products of combustion, from the bottom
of each chamber to the top of the next one.
The gas is produced in gas producers, from which it passes successively into a
collector, vertical columns, and horizontal distributing channels. Bells permit of
any one of the chambers being put into communication with the gas. When any
one of these bells is open the gas passes through a passage and enters the chamber
through a series of mouths, forming burners, placed at or between the spring of
the arches.
The floor of the chambers is provided with a number of small openings, and is
supported on parallel walls forming channels which allow such openings to com-
municate either with the flue through culverts, fume bells, and the fume collector,
or with the adjacent chamber through the flues, aforesaid, and mouths at top of
each of these Яues.
A longitudinal channel is formed below these flues and allows of each chamber
being separated from its neighbour by means of a long iron damper which can be
slidden into said channel!
A collector extends along over all the chambers and serves to put any two
chambers into communication, the one with the other, by simply opening another
set of bells corresponding to those chambers. Said collector allows of a certain
quantity of air, which has become heated in its passage between the baked articles,
being conveyed into the last charged chamber in order to finish the drying of the
articles before admitting thereto the products of combustion. These latter are
generally laden with a large quantity of steam which, without this precaution,

page_text: might condense on the cold and moist articles and so soften them to such an extent
as to put them out of shape.
Note this 95th dow of June 1807
Improved Continuous Kiln for Baking Pottery or Burning Cements.
I, EMILE GOBBE, of Jumet, in the Kingdom of Belgium, Glass Works Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the follow-
ing statement, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the
letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:
My invention relates to a continuous firing gas kiln with multiple chambers,
for baking pottery, or burning cements, and presents the following advantages.
Perfect combustion, without excess of injurious air and a good distribution
of heat, by the employment of gas. Entire removal of the inconveniences result-
ing from the contact with the solid fuel and ashes, which adhere to the articles
under treatment; and the obtainment of a very high temperature with a reduced
expenditure in fuel.
And in order that my invention may be readily understood, I will describe the
same fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-
Fig. 1 is a vertical section through the kiln and its chambers, on the lines PQ,
FF, GG, HH, I I and JJ, of Fig. 2.
Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on the lines N O, K L, LM, A A, B B, CC, D D,
and E E, of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a vetrical section on the lines R R, SS, of Fig. 1.
Fig. 4 is a vertical section on the line T T of Fig. 1, and
Fig. 6 is a vertical section on the lines U U and V V of Fig. 2.
The kiln comprises a battery of chambers (twelve for, example) communicating
with each other through flues 1 formed in the walls separating the chambers, and
having for object to allow the passage of the hot air, or the products of combus
tion, from the bottom of each chamber to the top of the next.
.
"
The gas is produced in producers 2, from which it passes successively into a
collector 3, vertical columns or conduits 4 and 5, and horizontal distributing
channels 6.and 7. Bells 8 permit of any one of the chambers being put into com-
munication with the gas. When any one of these bells 8 is open the gas passes
through a passage 9 and enters the chamber through a series of mouths 10, form-
ing burners, near the spring of the arch. .
The floor of each chamber is provided with a number of small openings 11 and
is supported on parallel walls 12, forming channels, which allow such openings 11
to communicate either with the chimney through culverts 13, füme bells 14,
and the fume collector 15, or with the adjacent chamber through the flues 1 and
mouths 16 at top of each of these, flues.
A longitudinal channel 17, formed at the base of the flues 1, permits of each
chamber being separated from its neighbour by means of a long iron damper
which can be slidden into said channel.
A collector 18 extends along and above all the chambers, and serves to put any
two chambers into communication by simply opening a set of bells 19 correspond-
- 5

page_text: ing to those chambers. This collector 18 allows of a certain quantity of air, which
has been heated in its passage between the baked or fired articles, being conveyed.
into the last charged chamber, in order to finish the drying of these articles before
admitting thereto the products of combustion. These latter are generally laden
with a large quantity of steam which, without this precaution, might condense on
the cold and moist articles and so soften them, to such an extent, as to put them
out of shape.
The working of, the kiln is as follows:-
Supposing chamber No. 10 is being emptied or drawn while No. 9. is being
charged. In order to isolate these chambers from the others and to direct the air
currents and the fire in the required direction, the dampers must occupy the
following positions.
1. The channel 17 in the separation wall of chambers Nos. 8 and 9 is closed
by a long iron damper, all the other channels remaining open.
:
2. The fume bell 14 of chamber No. 8 is open, as is also that of chamber No. 7,
all the others being closed.
3. The gas bell 8 of chamber No. 4 is alone open, as it is in this chamber that
the high temperature required for firing is now to be localized.
4. Finally, the hot air bells 19 of chambers Nos. 12 and 8 are alone open, so
as to dry the moist and cold articles which have been just introduced into chamber
No. 8.,
The dampers being thus adjusted, cold air enters through the charging or
service door 20, into the chamber No. 10 which is being cleared out, and then
becomes somewhat, heated through coming into contact with the fired articles in
chamber No. 11 which it traverses from the top to the bottom, after which it
enters at the top of chamber No. 12 by passing successively through the
openings 11, channels 12, and flues 1.
On reaching the top of chamber No. 12, the hot air divides into two portions or
currents. One portion or. current of this air passes through the mouths or
burners 10, passage 9, and bell 19 of chamber No. 12, it then enters the hot air
collector 18 and passes into the chamber No. 8 through the bell 19, passage 9, and
mouths 10 thereof. Having thus reached the top of this chamber, it traverses it
from top to bottom before gaining the chimney through the openings 11, culverts 13,
and bell 14 of said chamber.
The other portion or current of hot air at the top of chamber No. 12 descenda
to the bottom thereof and passes successively through the chambers Nos. 1, 2
and 3 which it traverses likewise from top to bottom whilst coming into contact
with the hot articles stacked therein. It then enters through the mouths 16 into
the upper part of the chamber No. 4 and fires the gas issuing from the mouths 10,
thereby developing a very high temperature in such chamber, for this is the one
in which, at that moment, the firing or baking proper of the articles takes place.
The gas generated in the producers, before reaching the mouths 10 of chamber
No. 4, passes successively through the collector 3; conduit 4, distributing channel 6,
the open bell 8 and the passage 9 of this chamber.
The mixing of the air and gas thus takes place in the free space existing
between the stacked articles and the arch of chamber No. 4.
This free space facilitates the perfect combination of the air and gas and allows
of the heat being thoroughly distributed throughout the kiln.
The flame thus obtained descends uniformly through all the spaces left between
the articles stacked in chamber No. 4, and the products of combustion, on leaving
this chamber, strike in succession around the articles in the chambers Nos. 5, 6
and 7 and finally reach the chimney through the fume bell 14 of chamber No. 7
and collector 15.
As the firing in such chamber requires from 8 to 24 hours, according to the sizes
of the stacked articles, the dampers are opened more or less so as to regulate the
fire, and are allowed to remain in the same position during such period.

page_text: When the articles stacked in chamber No. 4 are properly fired, the fire is directed
into chamber No. 6 in the following manner:
1. The gas bell 8, of chamber No. 5, is opened' and that of chamber No. 4 closed.
2. The long iron damper is withdrawn from between the chambers Nos. 8 and 9,
and is inserted into the channel 17 of the chambers Nos. and 10.
3. The fume bell 14 of chamber No. 9 is opened, and that of chamber No. 7
closed.
4. Lastly, the hot air bells 19 of the chambers Nos. 9 and 1 are opened, and
those of chambers Nos. 8 and 12 closed.
The same order is observed by operating always in the same direction and in
the same manner each time it is required to pass the fire from one chamber into
the next.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. A continuous firing gas kiln with multiple chambers, for firing or baking.
pottery, or burning cements, characterised by the arrangement of the bells and
dampers, by the arrangement above the firing chamber of the gas and air passages,
and by those for the fumes below the same, by the combustion of the gas in the
free space between the stacked articles and the arches of the chambers, and by the
arrangement of the burners, substantially as described.
2. My improved continuous firing gas kiln with multiple chambers, substantially
as herein before described and as shewn in the annexed drawings.
Dated SIBL
OI Maren 100.
ERNEST DE PASS,
Chartered Patent Agent,
78, Fleet Street, London, and 5A, Market Street, Nottingham,
Agent for the Applicant.