CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM-ENGINE CHIMNEYS, IN FURNACES AND FLUES. IN VENT AND EXHAUST PIPES, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS CONNECTED THERE- WITH
Year: 1846

page_text: TO ALL TO. WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I. JAMES
KITE, of New North Road Bridge, Hoxton, Middlesex, Gentleman, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain. bearing daic at
Westminster the Fificenth day of October. One thousand eight hundred and
forty-six..in the tenth year of Her reign. did, for Herself. Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said James Kite. my exors. admors.
and assigns. Her especial licence. full power. sole privilege and authority, that
1. the said James Kite. my exors, admors; and assigns, or such others as I.
the said James Kite, my exors. admors. or assigns, should at any time agree
with. and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during
the term of years therein expressed. should and lawfully might make. use.
exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick upon
Tweed, and in all Her Majesty's Colonies and Plantations abroad, and also in
the Islands of Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, Sark, and Man. my Invention of
"CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM-ENGINE CHIMNEYS, IN FURNACES AND FLUES. IN
VENT AND EXHAUST PIPES, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS CONNECTED THERE-
WITH" in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso that I, the said
James Kite, shall cause a particular description of the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, by an insirumeni
[Price 8d.]

page_text: in writing under my hand and seal, to be inrolled in Her said Majesty's
High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said in pari recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same,
reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
James Kite, hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner in which the same are to be performed, are fully described under the
several heads thereof in and by the present Specification, reference being had
to the Sheets of Drawings hereunto annexed, marked N° I. and No IT., ihat is
to say: -
My Invention has, firstly, for its object the application of deflecting plates or
surfaces to certain parts of locomotive engines, and the arrangement and dis-
position of those plates or surfaces in such manner that portions of the atmo-
spheric air encountered and driven aside by the engines when in motion shall
be directed either into the furnace or the smoke box, or the chimney, so as to
cause a draft through the fire sufficient to keep up the requisite degree of
combustion, and to produce the quantity of steam required for driving the
engines, whereby the waste of power attendant on the ordinary method of
producing a blast by the contraction of the exhaust pipe will be wholly
obviated. The arrangements which I employ for this purpose are represented
in Sheet I. of the Drawings hereunto annexed. Figure 1 is a sectional eleva-
tion of so much of a locomotive engine as is necessary to shew this part of my
Invention Figure 2 is a front elevation of the same: and Figure 3 a plan of
the ash pit and fire box. A, A, are a series of deflecting plates placed on the
sides of the ash box, and in a position inclining from the bottom upwards, so
that when the engine is moving in the direction of the arrows, as the air
impinges upon the plates A. A, it is deflected through the openings D, D,
between them towards the fire bars and into the furnace. B, B, are two vertical
partitions, which divide the ash box into three longitudinal chambers C¹, C³,
and 3. and are intended to prevent any injurions effect which might result
from the introduction of an opposing current of air when the wind happens to
be not in a direction parallel with the line of motion of the locomotive. The
deflecting plates A, A, are represented in the Drawings as being a little shorter
than the depth of the ash box, but they may be made longer, if preferred, by
being carried further up on the sides of the fire box. the openings D, D. being
still left of the same length. E. E. are a second series of deflecting plates,
which are inserted into the front of the smoke box, and lead into a chamber
terminating in an annular opening F. F, which surrounds the exhaust pipe G.
A sectional plan of the chimney on the line a, b, is given separately in Figure 4.

page_text: The atmospheric air with which the deflecting plates E, E, are brought in
contact is in a great part by action of those surfaces propelled up the chim-
ney H, with a more or less force, according to the velocity of the locomotive
at the time, and to the direction in which the wind is blowing.
The pipe
G is made of sufficient size to allow of a free exhaust of steam from the
cylinders without producing what is termed any "back action upon the
piston." Should, however, the driver of the locomotive have occasion on an
emergency at any time to revert to the old or ordinary mode of obtaining a
blast by the contraction of the exhaust pipe, he has only, by means of the lever
handle H, to bring down the door or valve K, which will shut off the air from
entering the openings between the deflectors E, E, and drop over the mouth
of the pipe G a nozzle L, which will contract the opening for the escape of
the exhaust steam, and put the blast in the same position as it is now generally
employed in locomotives. The deflectors E, E, are fixed in two frames, hinged
one to each side of the smoke box, so that access may be readily had to the
tubles or flues; and for the same reason the back of the chamber M is made
moveable from c to d, being hinged at its upper edge c. N is the under portion
of the chimney, which is made at bottom of a circular form, but from e to f is
contracted upon the two sides, and correspondingly encreased in diameter from
front to back, until at e it assumes in the section a regular diamond form, as
represented in Figure 5, which is a section of the chimney taken on the
line g, h, of Figures 1 and 2. 0, 0, are two side openings in the chimney,
which are covered with two double deflectors P, P, which are attached to the
chimney by plates at top and bottom, which close in the intervening spaces
QQ, between the diamond chimney and the side plates P, P. When the
locomotive is in motion, or the wind is blowing upon the chimney either
in back or front, or upon any of the sides, then a partial vacuum is pro-
duced inside, and a corresponding action produced upon the fire from the
rushing of the air through it to supply the void in the chimney. In some
cases, instead of leaving open the top of the diamond shaped chimney just
described, I close it up, and leave one or more smaller passages i, i, for the escape
of the waste steam, or the waste steam may be allowed to escape from a pipe
placed outside the chimney, in which case there will be no occasion for the
smaller passages i, i. In the arrangements which have been just described for
producing the requisite draught in the furnaces of locomotive engines without
the aid of the ordinary exhaust blast pipe, the ash box, the smoke box, and the
chimney are represented as having each deflecting plates or surfaces attached
to it, and the whole have been supposed to be in action at one and the same
time; but it is nevertheless to be understood that each of these sets of

page_text: deflectors is quite independent of the others in its action, and that any one,
two, or all three of them may be employed according as circumstances may
render expedient. Neither is it essential that the chimney deflectors should
always be placed in the vertical positions represented in the Drawings, for they
will also act very effectually if placed in a horizontal position, as represented in
Figure 6 and in Figure 15 (herein-after described) of Sheet I. of the Drawings
annexed. And further, the means of producing a draft described under this
liead may also be used either alone or in combination with the ordinary method
of producing a blast.
Secondly, my Invention has for its object to relieve the engine pistons of
locomotives, when in motion, from the back pressure produced by contracting
the exhaust pipe where that mode of obtaining a draft is alone employed. For
this purpose the blast, pipe is entirely detached from the exhaust pipe of the
engines, and the waste steam carried outside by a pipe sufficiently large to
allow of a free exhaust, which is placed either inside or in front or behind the
chimney. A pipe of about one inch diameter is inserted into the steam room
of the boiler, and carried directly into the chimney, which pipe is furnished
with a stop-cock, so that the quantity of steam allowed to escape through it
may be entirely under the control of the driver. This pipe need not be carried
higher than to about the level of the present blast pipe of locomotives; and its
position should be as nearly as may be in the centre of the cliimney, or it may
terminate with a perforated rosé, causing the jets of steam to spread out in 'an'
upward inclined direction, which would cause a more extended action upon the
vapours in the chimney.
"
4"
Thirdly, my Invention consists of certain additions to the wheels of loco-
motives or tenders or carriages, whereby a strong draught of atmospheric
air may be impelled either into the furnace or chimneys of locomotive
engines, and the necessary steam for the supply of the engines be thus
kept up without the aid of the contracted blast pipe in common use. in
Figure 1, Sheet 1, these additions are "shewn as" made to a locomotive
engine. A, A, are a set of fan blades affixed to the arins of the running
wheel, and projecting to the extent of six or eight inches on the inside beyond
the flush of the tyre of the wheel. B, B, 'are thin sheets of metal attached
to the arms of the wheel, and filling in the entire space near to the felloe or
tyre, but leaving an opening C, C around the nave for the admission of air at
that part. D, D2, Figure 7, (which is a sectional elevation of these arrange-
ment's shewn in Figure 2;) is a plate of metal, which is hung by brasses E, E,"
upon the axle of the wheel, and corresponds in size to 'the other side of the
fan case formed by the wheel itself, as before described. F, F, is a circular

page_text: cover, which, together with the thin ring of metal plate G, G, attached to the
inside of the wheel, completes the periphery of the fan case. H³, H², is a
pipe leading from the fan case directly into the fire box, as at Z. When the
locomotive is in motion the blades A, A, act then in a similar manner to the
blades of a fan, and propel a strong current of atmospheric air into the furnace.
Or instead of the current of air being thus projected into the fire, the pipe
H, H, may be led into the smoke box, and there terminate in a blast pipe
situated in the bottom of the chimney, which would produce a strong current
through the fire and tubes or flues. And although I have described the fan
and case as being formed upon and connected to the wheel of the locomotive
engine, yet it will be obvious the arrangements may be readily modified so that
the wheels of the locomotive tender or of any other carriage in the train of the
locomotive may be similarly fitted with fan blowers, as the conducting pipe
may be curved at its extremity so as to convey the air into the fire box at any
point which may be found most suitable. A pipe or hose may be also carried
from the wheel fan blowers to the fire box, and made to terminate there in a
tube inserted in the midst of the fuel; and enclosed in a concentric water case w,
from the former of which a number of small pipes z, z, may branch off at
right' angles, and passing through the water' case convey so many streams of
air into and through the burning materials.
Fourthly, my Invention consists of a steam boiler furnace with revolving
bars, the feeding and sioking of which are effected by machinery connected
with and worked by the engine, whereby a high degree of uniformity in the firing
is kept up, much manual labour is saved, and a great economy of fuel effected.
Figure 1, Sheet No II., is an elevation partly in section of this furnace as
applied to a steam boiler. Figure 2 is an end elevation, and Figure 3 a plan
of the same. A, A, are two side plates, which are either built into and sup-
ported by the brickwork surrounding the furnace, or they are mounted upon
a separate cast iron frame, and cast in one piece with it. B, B, are the furnace
bars, which are composed of six pieces B', B', of iron joined together by their
ends to two other pieces of metal C, C, which are fitted upon the spindles D, D.
The construction of the pieces C, C, is shewn on an enlarged scale in Figure
4, which is a cross section of a pair of these bars, and in Figure 3, which is a
longitudinal section of a portion of -one end of a bar. From these Figures it
will be seen that the fire bars are made hollow and six-sided, with intervening
spaces between every two pieces B', B', for the admission of atmospheric
air to the fire through the bars, as well as through the spaces between each
pair of bars. The air which is thus admitted through the centre of the bars
2.
.

page_text: serves to protect them from injury from the heat of the furnace. E, E, are
toothed pinions fitted upon the spindles of the hexagonal fire bars just described.
To each fire bar there is a pinion, but on the reverse end to that of the bar
next to it, so that there are two sets of pinions, one on each side of the furnace,
those of the one side belonging to the intervening bars, which have their pinions
upon the opposite side of the furnace. F, F, are two spindles supported from
bosses G, G, fixed upon the sides of the frames A, A. Opposite to each of the
pinions E, E, there is an endless screw cut upon the spindles F, F, which takes
into the teeth of these pinions. H, H, are two bevil wheels upon the ends of
the spindles F, F, which gear into another pair of similar wheels upon the
shaft I, to which motion is given from a steam engine or other prime mover
by the pulley K, whereby the fire bars B, B, are made to revolve slowly. When
the spindles F, F, revolve, the fire bars B, B, are made all to revolve in one
direction, so that any portion of coal or megass or other fuel which is laid upon
the bars at the front of the furnace will be gradually removed upon the surface
of the revolving bars to the back end of the furnace, as if they were carried
forward upon the surface of an endless web. Any refuse clinkers or scoria
which may remain upon the bars in an unconsumed state falls down through
the opening L at the further end of the furnace. The cross sectional view of
the two bars on an enlarged scale given in Figure 4 shews the relative position
in which the angular points or slots in each bar are placed in reference to those
in the next contiguous bar. M, M, is the sole plate of a hopper into which
the fuel is placed. N' is a corrugated roller, having its bearings in the frames
A, A, and partaking of the same motion, which is given to the fire bars through
the endless screw spindles F, F. N, is another roller similar to N¹, which
has its bearings in the furnace door O, and moves either up or down, as the
door itself is slid up or down. The door being weighted by bricks 0³, which
are built into it, causes the upper roller N to keep nearly in close con-
tact with N. P, P, are two upright endless screw spindles which gear into
the pinions Q. Q. and cause the roller N2 to revolve, whether it be higher up
from or close down to the roller N. The action of the rollers N' and N",
combined with the weight of the door O (which has the tendency to keep these
two rollers at a certain regulated distance apart), produces a regular feed or
supply of fuel to the furnace. Sometimes instead of having the revolving
furnace bars coming in close contact with the feed rollers N' and N³, I insert
an intervening dead plate, as indicated by the dotted lines in Figure 1,
upon which the fuel is partially coked before it reaches the revolving bars.
When megass or such other substance is the fuel employed, I extend the

page_text: revolving bars some distance outward in front of the feeding rollers N', N,
upon which the fuel is regularly spread at distant intervals of time, varying
in length according to the size of the furnace. And although I have described
the bars of this furnace as being hexagonal, they may be round or square.
or of any convenient number of sides, and the bars, instead of being made
to revolve by means of endless screws gearing into pinions fixed upon their
spindles, may be made to revolve by pitch chains and pitch chain pulleys.
Fifthly. my Invention consists of certain improved ventilators, which may be
attached to the tops of chimneys, flues or funnels, or fixed by themselves in
openings in the roofs or tops of houses, workshops, and other places requiring
regular ventilation, and which are so peculiarly constructed that though all
their parts are fixed, they act with equal and uniform efficiency from whatever
quarter the wind happens to blow, and exert a useful action even in the calmest
states of the atmosphere.
Figure 8. Sheet N° I., is an external elevation: Figure 9 is a sectional
elevation and Figure 10, a bottom plan of a ventilator. by means of which
both an upward and a downward current may be produced at one and the
same time. S is a hollow cylindrical tube, which is divided diametrically by
the partition C, C, into four equal segments. A, A, are a number of circular
deflecting discs, of the form of a frustrum of a cone, which encircle at erjual
distances the top of the tube S, and are each divided by partitions a, a, in four
segments more or less, in the same way as the tube S. the two sets of segment's
being situated exactly over and in a line with one another. D is a cap which
Covers in the whole. From whatever quarter the wind may impinge upon
this ventilator, a portion of it is caught by the segments of the discs (A. A.)
which are opposite the wind's quarter, and deflected. first upwards, and
then downwards, into the divisions of the tube S, with which these seg-
ments communicate, producing therein a downward current, while the wind
which passes across the outer edges of the partitions a, a, which divide the
segments fronting the wind from (which are then) the back segments. has
the effect of producing in the latter an upward draught, which is more or less
intense, according to the extent to which the wind sweeps across the face of
the back segments.
Figure 11 is a vertical section of a ventilator, which differs only from that
just described in having the deflecting discs D, D, turned downwards at e, e, as
shewn, in order that they may the better deflect the currents of air to the
direction required.
Figure 12 is an external elevation, and Figure 13, a sectional elevation of

page_text: a ventilator, in which similar effects are obtained as in the preceding cases,
but by means of a different arrangement. A1 and A2 are two tubes concentric
to one another, and open at top (there being no cap to either). The inner
tube A, which is both carried higher than the other. and descends lower. is
intended for the conveyance of an upward current. and the outer tube A. for
the transmission of downward currents. The space between the two tubes is
divided diametrically by partitions b. b. into four equal segments, as shewn in
plan, Figure 14. on the line x, . of Figure 13, but the area of the inner
tube is left clear throughout. B. B. are circular deflecting discs of the same
form as those first before described, which are divided like them into four
equal segments corresponding to the segments of the outer tube A2, and are
attached by the dividing partitions a, a. to the outside of the inner tube A¹
The undermost of these discs is fastened to the top of the outer tube A. and
none of the others extend inwards beyond a perpendicular line coinciding with
the periphery of that tube, excepting the fourth only (B). which is carried
inwards as far as the inner tube A¹, and is attached to it. The uppermost
-
disc is a little above the level of the top of the inner tube A¹. To shew the
operation of this apparatus. let us suppose that it is attached to an opening
made in the deck of a steam vessel immediately over the engine room, and
made secure to the deck by the flange f. From whatever quarter the wind
may blow, those portions of it that are caught by the three uppermost deflect-
ing discs are driven thereby across the mouth of the inner tube A' (being
prevented from descending by the disc B, which extends to the outside
of that tube), which causes a strong np-draught of heated air from the
engine room, while those streams of air which are caught by the disc B*
and the discs below it (with the exception of the lowest only) are driven
downwards through the space between the two tubes into an air box R,
which encloses the space at bottom between the lower end of the inner
tube A and the flange f, from which box they may be conveyed by means
of flexible hose to any part of the vessel where a supply of cool air may be
required.
Figure 15 is a sectional elevation of a ventilator which is constructed so as
to produce an upward draught only. It is similar in external appearance to
the ventilator first described under this head of my Specification, but differs
from it in two particulars; first, neither the central tube S nor the circular
deflecting discs have any divisions; and second, it has no cap.
Sixthly and lastly, my Invention consists in another improved steam boiler
furnace and appendages, of which a front elevation is given in Figure 6,

page_text: Sheet II., and a side elevation in Figure 7. A, A, are the furnace bars,
which are similar to those in general use in furnaces of this description.
B', B2, are two corrugated rollers, driven by a steam engine or other motive
power through the intervention of the upright endless screws and pinions C, C.
D is the hopper, into which a quantity of coals or other fuel is put sufficient to
feed the furnace for a considerable space of time. The slow but constant
revolution of the feed rollers B', B. causes the fuel from the hopper to be
equally distributed over the surface of the dead plate E. where it is partially
coked before it reaches the surface of the fire bars A, A, after it has been so
coked to advance some distance upon the surface of the fire bars, when it comes
under the influence of the action of the self-acting rake next to be described.
F, F, are two spindles mounted in bearings placed on the sides of the ash pit.
their position lengthwise being at right angles to the fire bars. G, G, are a series
of eccentric wheels either fixed to or cast in one piece with the spindles F', F.
The number of these wheels corresponds with the number of the intervening
spaces between the fire bars A, A. Over each pair of corresponding eccentrics
parallel with the openings between the fire bars there is superimposed a longi-
tudinal rod H, which is provided with a saddle piece 11, 12, embracing the two
eccentrics G, and G, and partakes of whatever motion is communicated to
them. The longitudinal rods H, H, have a number of prongs or teeth K, K, K.
which project upward and between the furnace bars, and are of such length
that when the eccentrics are at their lowest position their upper ends shall be
below the surface of the fire bars. The throw of the eccentrics is such as to
cause these prongs to protrude about two inches more or less up beyond the
fire bars into the body of the furnace. When motion is given to the spindle
F in the direction of the arrow, the turning of the eccentric causes the rod H
and the prongs K, K, K, to lift up the coked fuel upon the surface of the bars,
and to carry the whole forward in advance for a certain distance towards the
further end of the furnace. The next revolution of the eccentrics causes a
similar progressive advance of the fuel, and so on continuously. The refuse
falls between the bars, or, if too large, is discharged at the further end of the
furnace L, L, and intermediate shafts between the cross spindles F and F.
I have described the whole series of the prongs of this self-acting fire rake
as simultaneously entering and leaving the fire, but if one half the number of
eccentrics on each of the spindles F and F were placed with their shorter
radial distance from the centre of revolution in opposition to the longer radial
distance of the other half, then one half of the prongs would be stirring and
moving forward the incandescent fuel, while the other half of them would be
out of action. Again, instead of having one pair of eccentrics to each inter-

page_text: vening space between the fire bars, a less number may be used, by having tho
prongs K, K, affixed to transverse support attached to the rods H.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner
in which the same is to be performed in each of the different parts of which
it consists, I declare that the improvements which I claim as constituting the
said Invention are as follows:-
First, I claim the employment in locomotive engines of deflecting surfaces
to cause currents of air to pass into, through, and out of the furnace, smoke
box, and chimney, in manner herein-before described.
Second, I claim the employment in locomotive engines, in order to produce
a draft in the chimney while the engine is travelling, of a blast pipe leading
direct from the boiler to the chimney in combination with a free exhaust from
the cylinders.
Third, I claim the producing of a draft in the furnaces, smoke boxes, or
chimneys of locomotive engines, by the agency of the wheels of such loco-
motives, or the wheels of any carriage or carriages following in the train
thereof, in manner herein-before described.
Fourth, I claim the self-feeding and stoking furnace described under the
fourth head of this Specification, in so far as regards the form of the bars,
and the arrangements for giving revolving motion thereto, and in so far also
as regards the employment of corrugated rollers partaking of the same motion
as the fire bars.
Fifth, I claim the several ventilators described under the fifth head of this
Specification, each in the peculiar configuration, arrangement, and combination
of the parts of which the same consists.
And sixth. I claim the steam boiler furnace and appendages lastly herein-
before described, in so far as regards the corrugated rollers and means of
giving rotation to the same, and also in so far as regards the under raking or
stoking frames, and the means of giving motion to the same, all as herein-
before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Kite, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Fifteenth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and forty-seven.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Fifteenth day of April, in the
year of our Lord 1847, the aforesaid James Kite came before our said
Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification afore-
said, and all and everything therein contained and specified, in form above
written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according to the
tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Enrolled the Fifteenth day of April, in the year of our Lord One thou-
sand sight hundred and forty-sovan