AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF MOVEABLE GRATE APPLICABLE TO VARIOUS KINDS OF FIRE-PLACES OR FURNACES
Year: 1875

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 "AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF MOVEABLE GRATE
APPLICABLE TO VARIOUS KINDS OF FIRE-PLACES OR FURNACES."-A com-
munication from abroad by Louis Charles Ernest Carré, of Paris,
in the Republic of France. Lime Manufacturer.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Edward Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 3rd May 1875.
I, HENRY EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF MOVABLE
GRATE APPLICABLE TO VARIOUS KINDS OF FIRE-PLACES OR FURNACES," to be as
follows:
This Invention relates to a novel form of movable grate for sup-
porting the fuel in fire-places. The grate is made in one piece and is '

page_text: mounted on an axle which may be made to oscillate or rock on its
centre by means of a hand lever adapted thereto. As the grate may
thus be turned on its centre of motion, a sufficient inclination may be
given to it (when required) to cause the fuel (pit coal), which is placed
thereon to be discharged after it has been converted into coke, in which
new form it may be employed for various useful purposes. By this
means a very considerable economy of fuel is effected, as the flame and
caloric given off from the coal may be first used for heating a boiler or.
for other heating purposes, and then the coke may be subsequently
employed under the most favorable conditions for other heating
purposes.
The coke when discharged from the inclined grate passes down a
channel into a vessel or chamber or into a movable truck constructed
of iron. It is then quenched by throwing water thereon, after which it
may be carried away to any convenient spot where it may be stored for
future use.
The arrangement of rocking or oscillating grate above described, may
be adapted to the fire-places of lime kilns or to other furnaces or fire-
places used in the arts and manufactures, and also to the furnaces. of
steam generators.
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 3rd November 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the 2
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer; send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Third day of May, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the thirty-
eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, 3
give and grant unto me, the said Henry Edward Newton, Her special
licence that I, the said Henry Edward Newton, my executors, admi-
nistrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Henry Edward
Newton, my excqutors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time

page_text: agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
usc, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF MOVABLE GRATE APPLICABLE TO VARIOUS KINDS
OF FIRE-PLACES OR FURNACES," being a communication to me from abroad
by Louis Charles Ernest Carré, of Paris, in the Republic of France,
Lime Manufacturer, 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 ascer-
tained 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) :-
:-
This Invention relates to a novel form of movable grate for sup-
porting the fuel in fire-places. The grate is made in one piece and is
mounted on an axle or shaft which may be made to oscillate or rock on
its centre by means of a hand lever adapted thereto. As the grate may
thus be turned on its centre of motion, a sufficient inclination may be
given to it (when required) to cause the fuel (pit coal), which is placed
thereon to be discharged after it has been converted into coke, in which
new form it may be employed for various useful purposes. By this
means a very considerable economy of fuel is effected, as the flame and
caloric given off from the coal during the coking operation may be used
for heating a lime kiln or generating steam in a boiler or for other
heating purposes, and then the coke may be subsequently employed
under the most favorable conditions for other heating purposes for which
5 it may be required.
The coke when discharged from the inclined grate passes down a
channel into a vessel or chamber, or into a movable truck constructed

page_text: of iron. It is then quenched by throwing water thereon, after which it
may be carried away to any convenient spot where it may be stored for
future use.
The arrangement of rocking or oscillating grate above described may be
adapted to the fire-places of lime kilns or to other furnaces or firc-places
used in the arts, and manufactures, and also to the furnaces of steam
generators.
The Figures in the accompanying Drawing represent an arrangement
of fire-place suitable for heating a lime kiln in a satisfactory manner.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the fire-grate and its accessories.
Fig. 2 is a plan view of the fire-place as seen from above; Fig. 3 is a
longitudinal vertical section of the same taken in the line 1, 2, of
Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is another vertical section taken in the line 3, 4, of Fig. 2.
Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the grate showing the same tilted up
in order to discharge the fuel therefrom.
Fig. 6 is a vertical section showing the mode of adapting the
movable grate, and of discharging the fuel from the same and receiving
the coke made thereon.
A, A, are supporting blocks made of cast iron and resting on walls of
masonry on the right and left of the fire-grate G. Round holes are
made in these blocks to receive the cross shaft a. Iron bars B, B,
support the blocks A, A, and prevent them from yielding in either
direction. The shaft a which passes through the two blocks A, A, serves
to sustain the fire-grate G by its two cheeks g, g, in which are made
square openings so as to ensure its proper working. The movable fire-
grate G by its rocking motion causes the cake obtained from the coal to
fall or slide down therefrom, the heat evolved during the coking.
operation being used for various industrial purposes; C is the lever
whereby the oscillating or rocking motion is given to the fire-grate, and
two washers r, r, prevent the sides of the grate from rubbing against the
blocks A, A.
In Fig. 6 D is an opening or channel extending from the under side
of the fire-grate G downwards in an inclined direction to a convenient
distance above a metal trolly,. truck, barrow, or other carriage F provided
to receive the burning coke; E is a door at the lower end of this inclined

page_text: passage, and is opened or closed by means of a chain and counterweight,
as shown in the Drawing. A cock or tap H on a water pipe may be
opened or closed either from above or from below, so as to allow water
to run therefrom on to the burning coke in the trolly, truck, or barrow
F, in order to extinguish the fire. The steam produced by the
extinction of the burning coke escapes by an opening O made in the
roof V of the vault.
The fire-grate is constructed of cast iron in one single casting, and by
this means any expansion or contraction of the bars will always be the
same; the fire-grate being suspended on points may expand or contract
at will without warping, and without meeting with any resistance.
The fire-grate may be made to tilt or turn over in either direction, and
the passages whereby the coke is discharged may be arranged in any
convenient manner, according to the circumstances of the case.
The coke may be received in iron trucks, barrows, or trollies, as shewn
in the Drawing if the case will admit of it, but if this cannot be done
conveniently it may be discharged into iron baskets or boxes, which will
admit of being raised up and removed if the workman cannot con-
veniently manage otherwise to discharge them.
The blocks A rest on the iron bars B and are held in place by the
gudgeons a, which prevent any lateral or longitudinal movement of the
parts. The two supports or rounded parts of the under side of the fire-
grate are strengthened by bosses at that part which the shaft passes
through them, the two blocks A, A, are also strengthened in like
manner. The door of the ash-pit remains as before, and serves to admit
a draught of air beneath. the fire-bars.
•
The object of the improved fire-place being to facilitate the removal
of the coke immediately the coal is reduced to this state, I do not intend
to limit myself to the precise arrangement of parts described.
Instead of making the movable fire-grate to rock on the shaft it may
be lifted up on either end so that the coke may slide off either from back
to front, or from front to back according to whether the centre of
motion is placed near the fire-bridge or near the front of the fire-place.
I also reserve to myself the right of so constructing and arranging the
various parts that the fire-grate may be slidden on to a carriage so as to
be drawn out of the fire-place, and the fuel discharged therefrom when

page_text: •
it may be replaced in its original position. The fire-bars are solid and
are of such a thickness and size that they will not quickly become cold.
Each new charge of fuel when placed upon the fire-bars will then ignite
spontaneously in consequence of the amount of heat that has become
stored up in the fire-bars and walls of the fire-place.
I also reserve to myself the right of modifying the size and angle of
inclination of the passages, whereby the incandescent coke is conducted
downwards to the vault below. Under some circumstances these
passages may be altogether dispensed with, and the coke allowed to fall
direct into the trucks, trollies, or other receptacles which may be made
of any convenient form and dimensions, so that they may be placed
below the fire-bars at the entrance of the ash-pit or lower down. This
ash-pit may in some cases (if thought desirable) be provided with
mechanical appliances for raising the coke automatically.
I may also if preferred extinguish the coke after it has been removed
from the place where it has been deposited in the receptacles.
In fact
the conditions of the operation may be modified according to circum-
stances and the necessities of the case, the principle of the Invention
being. to produce the coke in any fire-place employed in the arts, such as
lime kilns, porcelain kilns or ovens, steam boiler furnaces, firc-places,
and furnaces for heating public or private establishments, the conditions
of the manufacture being that the combustion of the pit coal should be
stopped at the moment when the coal has been converted into coke, so
that the expense of the coal necessary to obtain a certain quantity of
caloric will be partly compensated by the value of the coke itself.
The quality, density, and quantity of the coke obtained will vary
according to. whether the carbonization has been more or less active, or
according to whether the charge is more or less thick and regular, or
according to the nature and composition of the fuel. All things how-
ever being equal the yield of coke will increase with the proportion of
fine dust or small coal contained therein, a fact which constitutes a very
important economical result. Moreover as the fire-grate will never be-
clogged up with clinkers or cinders the attendant will not be obliged to
be continually stirring or poking the fire, or clearing the fire-bars of the
furnace in order to obtain a proper heating, and as the external air will
be able to penetrate or percolate through all parts of the bed of
incandescent fuel a regular and uniform combustion will be obtained.
with great economy, and the smoke will be perfectly consumed.

page_text: By means of the improved system of fire-grate it will be possible
should it be considered necessary or desirable to burn double the
quantity of coal in the same time, without giving off the amount which
is produced in ordinary furnaces.
In order to watch the manufacture of the coke without being obliged
to cool the furnace by opening the fire-doors, peep holes, which may be
closed at will are made in these latter. These peep holes which are
made of a circular form may be made of any other shape, and under
some circumstances may be used to admit air to support the combustion
of the fuel.
Having now described the Invention which has been communicated
to me by my foreign correspondent as aforesaid, and having explained
the manner of carrying the same into effect, I claim as the Invention
secured to me by Letters Patent as aforesaid, the use or application of
movable fire-grates as herein set forth, for the purpose of .converting
coal into coke and of utilizing the heat evolved therefrom during the
coking operation, as above shewn and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Edward Newton, have hero-
unto set my hand and seal, the Third day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five.
TT
T NEWTON