IMPROVEMENTS IN FURNACES
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Edward Newton, of the Office for
Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FURNACES."-A
communication from abroad by George Graeme Clarkson and
James Lewis Paige, both of Rochester, State of New York, United
States of America.
Sealed the 26th October 1869, and dated the 30th August 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Edward Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,.
on the 30th August 1869.
I, HENRY EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery
5 Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FURNACES," to be as.
follows:-
The object of this Invention is to effect a more perfect combustion of

page_text: the gases evolved in the burning of bituminous coal and other fuel in
steam boilers and other furnaces.
The Invention consists in so constructing a furnace that the gases
evolved in the combustion of the fuel are concentrated to admit of their
being thoroughly oxydized or mixed with oxygen before escaping to the
smoke stack. The Invention also provides for the admission of atmo-
spheric air at or near the point of concentration. To this end plates or
partitions placed in a vertical position at any suitable distance in rear of
the fire-place are employed. These plates or partitions extend up to the
boiler, and are so arranged as to form a sort of double wall with a
chamber or passage between them, and may be made of metal faced
with fire-brick or wholly of metal. Each of these plates or partitions is
provided with an opening through which the gases evolved by the com-
bustion of the fuel must pass. The gases thus concentrated at the outlet
from the fire-place, are exposed to a free supply of atmospheric air that
is admitted from the exterior of the furnace into the space between the
plates or partitions. The air is thus caused to permeate or penetrate
the concentrated gas passing through the opening, where by chemical
affinity it unites with the escaping gases and insures the combustion of
the same.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Henry Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 28th February 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
EDWARD. NEWTON, of the Office. for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by. Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of August, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-
third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Henry Edward Newton, Her special
licence that I, the said Henry Edward Newton, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Henry Edward

page_text: Newton, executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FURNACES," being a communication to me
from abroad by George Graeme Clarkson and James Lewis Paige, both
of Rochester, State of New York, United States of America, upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Henry Edward Newton,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my,
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 I, the said Henry Edward Newton, do hereby
declare the nature of the 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 Drawing
hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is
to say) :-
==
The object of this Invention is to effect a more perfect combustion of
the gases evolved in the burning of bituminous coal and other fuel in
steam boilers and other furnaces, and the Invention consists in.so con-
structing a furnace that the gases evolved in the combustion of the fuel
are concentrated to admit of their being thoroughly oxydized or mixed
with oxygen before escaping to the smoke stack. The Invention also
provides for the admission of atmospheric air at or near the point of
concentration so as to insure a thorough commingling of the oxygen
contained therein with the escaping gases and thus effectually secure
the combustion of the latter.
Fig. 1 represents a longitudinal section of a steam boiler furnace
constructed in accordance with the Invention and having a steam boiler
set therein; Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the same taken as indicated
by the line x, x, in Fig. 1; and Fig. 3, a horizontal section taken as
denoted by the line y, y.

page_text: A represents the fire-place, B the grate, and C the ash-pit of the
furnace, all of which parts may be of the usual or any suitable con-
struction; D, D, are the side walls of the furnace, which is here shewn
as used for generating steam in a boiler E. At any suitable distance in
rear of the fire-place or side or sides of it from which the gases evolved
by combustion of the fuel pass off are plates or partitions F, F, made to
occupy a vertical position or thereabouts and extending up to the boiler,
and so arranged as to form a chamber or passage a between them.
These partitions, which form a sort of double wall bridge, and which are
separated as described, may be made of metal faced with fire-brick or
wholly of metal and hollow, so as to form water chambers, or they may
be otherwise suitably constructed. Each of these partitions is provided
with an opening b, b, of any suitable shape and size to secure the con-
centration of the gases evolved by the combustion of thè fuel as they
pass through to the flue space c. The gases thus concentrated at the
outlet from the fire-place are exposed to a free supply of atmospheric air
that is admitted from the exterior of the furnace by passages G, G, and
which enters the space a between the plates or partitions. The air is
thus caused to permeate or penetrate the concentrated gases passing
through the opening or openings b, b, where the oxygen of the air by
chemical afinity unites with the escaping gases in a sufficient quantity
and under a suitable temperature to ensure the combustion of the gases
and effectually prevent the formation of smoke, thereby conducing alike
to economy and cleanliness as regards the working of the furnace.
This Invention it will be perceived importantly differs from those
arrangements or special constructions of furnaces which simply admit
air from the exterior behind the bridge wall, and which only partially or
very imperfectly effect the result attained by this Invention.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention for "Improve-
ments in Furnaces," and having explained the manner of carrying the
same into effect, as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent,
I wish it to be understood that under the above in part recited Letters
Patent I claim, constructing furnaces as herein set forth so as to con-
centrate the gases evolved by combustion of the fuel as they escape
from the fire-place, and so that they may be thoroughly admixed with
oxygen so as to cause their combustion at or near such place of concen-

page_text: tration by atmospheric air admitted from the exterior of the furnace to
permeate the concentrated gases.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Edward Newton, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, the Twenty-eighth day of February, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.
H. E. NEWTON. (L.S.)