IMPROVEMENTS IN MECHANICALLY PRO
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Bennis, of Limerick, in the County of
Limerick, in the Kingdom of Ireland, and of Rotherhithe New
Road, Rotherhithe, in the County of Surrey, in the Kingdom of
England, for the Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN MECHANICALLY
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Bennis at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
10th April 1875.
I, EDWARD BENNIS, of Limerick, in the County of Limerick, in the
Kingdom of Ireland, and of Rotherhithe New Road, Rotherhithe, in the
County of Surrey, in the Kingdom of England, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MECHANICALLY FEEDING
FURNACES WITH FUEL, AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH," to be as
follows:-
This Invention chiefly relates to that species of mechanical stoker in

page_text: which the fuel is thrown over the surface of the fire-bars instead of
being simply pushed into it; it consists,―
.
1st. In the use of a spring or springs, which by their sudden rebound
on release from a state of compression throw the coal into the fire.
These springs are made by preference of flat or slightly cliptical steel 5
plates in the manner of carriage springs, but can be made in the volute
form if desirable, or any mechanical equivalent thereof can be adopted,
such as a cushion of air or steam alternately compressed and released.
One or more cylinders and pistons with the interior in direct communi-
cation with the steam space of the boiler is frequently a very useful 1
arrangement of spring.
2nd. In a pusher or shovel made of any convenient form and jointed
to the spring, but capable of swivelling on a centre if desirable. This
works in what I call the shovel box, a shallow rectangular box above the
fire-door and corresponding to the fan box in the formerly well known 1
Stanley mechanical stokers. This shovel on being suddenly propelled
forward on the release of the spring sends the coal on it or in front of
it into the fire, the corrugations on or curved form of its surface
aiding the diffusion of the coal. The length of the connection between
the shovel and spring, as also the links fastening the spring to the face 2
of the boiler, can be made adjustable if desirable
3rd. In placing the shovel box or fan box of a mechanical stoker in
an inclined position so as to shoot the coal slightly upwards or down-
wards, as the case requires The upward direction is useful for long
furnaces, the downward one for those of the locomotivo class (short, 2
deep, & broad).
•
4th. In a regulating chamber above the shovel box having an adjust-
able diaphragm, a broad flange on the shovel forming its bottom, cxcept
when the spring is in tension. Into this box the coal falls from the
hopper after each stroke of the shovel, and the position of the diaphragm
regulates the amount it will hold, and consequently the quantity of
fuel supplied.
5th. In a crushing or feeding apparatus of the following descrip-
tion A parallel sided cast-iron hopper (the same breadth or still
broader than the shovel box and regulating chamber, and placed
verticaly above them) having horizontal projections, blades, piramidal
points, or other cutting appliances on the back. In this hopper and

page_text: just over the regulating chamber I place a broad plunger. This is
armed on its end facing the back of the hopper and the boiler face with
blades, ridges, or points, preforably the latter. Its upper surface is also
armed with a series of steps or ridges facing the back of the hopper.
This plunger is made to reciprocate backwards and forwards once during
cach stroke of the spring and shovel before described, the plunger being
so arranged as to arrive at the nearest point of its course to the back of
the hopper at the moment when the spring is nearly ready to be released.
6th. In working the plunger by means of cams or excentrics on the
driving shaft of the machine, and in casting with these cams or rigidly
and firmly connecting to them one or more (preferably three) beaks or
tappet cams, arranged so as to catch in turn a projection on the spring
(or the link connecting the spring with the shovel) as they revolve, and
thus compress the spring until having passed through a sufficient arc
to clear the projection the spring suddenly rebounds. When three
tappet cams are used (equally spaced of course round the circumference
of the circle, that is, 120 degrees apart) the cams driving the plunger
are made of the three-throw description, so that there may always be
exactly as many strokes of the plunger as there are strokes of the spring.
The tappet cams are usually placed in the centre between the two
plunger cams, the set screws, hereafter described, being in those parts
of the casting between the plunger cams and the central tappet cams.
Other forms of cutting apparatus, especially that described in part 12,
can be used with the spring and shovel.
7th. In making the aforesaid beaks or tappit cams of different lengths,
so as to cause them to compress the spring unevenly, and thus send the
coal further at one throw than another. I usually arrange it with a six
ft furnace, that one tappit shall cause the shovel to distribute the coal
over the two feet length nearest the dead plate, the next stroke sending
its charge over the next length of two feet, and the third stroke feeding
the part nearest the bridge
Sth. In making the casting composing the cams working the plunger,
and the tappet cams working the spring to work loose on the driving
shaft, and connecting it to the latter by a clutch or set screws, so that
5 if several machines are run from one driving shaft I can stop any one
of them without effecting the others by simply reversing the clutch or
altering the set screws, ono great advantage of this machine bemg that

page_text: there is only one shaft and one connection to that shaft. The clutch
can be arranged to give a little when a sudden strain comes upon it
9th. In regulating the spring by means of shortening and lengthening
its attachments to the boiler face, this I usually effect by means of a
right and left hand screw
10th. In making the back of the hopper or the whole hopper moveable
in a direction parallel with the longitudinal centre line of the boiler,
so as to regulate the size of the coal capable of passing the plunger if
desirable. This is not a necessary part of the Invention, and in most
cases can safely be dispensed with
11th In partially suspending the plunger from the highest part of
the front of the cast-iron portion of the hopper by means of an oscillating
link extending the full breadth of the hopper and forming its front, and
of two pins-joining the said link to the hopper-and plunger respectively...
12th. In an alternate form of cutting or feeding apparatus, in which
the shaft traversing the cutting box carries a revolving cutter upon it
working against the side of the box or a similar revolving cutter. This
revolving cutter is made of a series of disks, preferably seven, strung on
the square shaft, having pointed teeth on their circumference; these
disks may be arranged so that the teeth shall all be parallel with cach
other, but I prefer to have the two outside ones the most advanced,
then the two next, and so on, the whole forming a V, in which the central
point (the point of the V) is the last to come into action.
Above the cast-iron hopper I generally place a larger wrought-iron
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Edward Bennis in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 6th October 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
BENNIS, of Limerick, in the County of Limerick, in the Kingdom of 30
Ireland, and of Rotherhithe New Road, Rotherhithe, in the County of
Surrey, in the Kingdom of England, send greeting.
WHEREAS Ucr most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of April, in the year of

page_text: our Lord One thousand cight hundred and seventy-five, in the thirty-
cighth year of Пer reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Edward Bennis, Her special licence,
that I, the said Edward Bennis, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Edward Bennis, 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
MECHANICALLY FEEDING FURNACES WITH FUEL, AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED
THEREWITH, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Edward Bennis, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and scals, should
particularly describe and ascertam 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 1, the said Edward Bennis, 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
following statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings,
and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon:-
This Invention chiefly relates to that species of mechanical stoker in
which the fuel is thrown over the surface of the firc-bars instead of
being simply pushed into it; it consists,—
1st In the use of a spring or springs, which by their sudden rebound
or release from a state of compression throw the coal into the fire.
These springs are made by preference of flat or slightly cliptical steel
plates in the manner of carriage springs, but can be made in the volute
form if desirable, or any mechanical equivalent thereof can be adopted,
such as a cushion of air or steam alternately compressed and released.
One or more cylinders and pistons with the interior in direct communi-
cation with the steam space of the boiler is frequently a very useful
arrangement of spring, but I prefer the steel one, as shown at F in
Drawings.

page_text: jointed to the spring F, but capable of swivelling on a centre, as shown
at II, if desirable. This works in what I call the "shovel box," a shallow
rectangular box I above the fire-doo1, and corresponding to the fan box
in the formerly well known Stanley mechanical stokers. This shovel
on being suddenly propelled forward on the release of the spring F sends
the coal on it or in front of it into the fire, the corrugations on or
curved form of its surface aiding the diffusion of the coal. In the
Drawing the surface is shown plane, but it is frequently useful to corru-
gate it. The length of the connection between the shovel and the spring,
as also the links J fastening the spring to the face of the boiler, can be
made adjustable if desired. To guide the shovel in its course the links Q,
made with a swivelling apparatus, as shown, is usually made to work
between guides P, P.
3rd. In placing the shovel box I or the fan box of a mechanical stoker
in an inclined position, so as to shoot the coal slightly upwards or down-
wards, as the case requires, the upward direction is useful for long
furnaces, the downward one for those of the locomotive class (short,
deep, and broad)
4th In a regulating chamber K above the shovel box I, having an
adjustable diaphragm L, a broad flange on the shovel forming its bottom,
except when the spring is in tension. Into this box thic coal falls from
the hopper B after each stroke of the shovel, and the position of the
diaphragm regulates the amount it will hold, and consequently the
quantity of fuel supplied. When using the ordinary Stanley cruslier,
or any modification thereof, as that described in part 12 of this Speci-
fication, I usually dispense with this iegulating chambe
-
5th. In a crushing or feeding apparatus of the following description
In a parallel sided cast-iron hopper the same breadth, or still broader
than the shovel box I and regulating chamber K, and placed vertically
above them, having horizontal projections, blades, pyramidal points, or
other cutting appliances on the back. In this hopper, and just over the
"regulating chamber K. I place a broad plunger C, this is armed on its
end facing the back of the hopper and the boiler face with blades, ridges,
or points, preferably the latter Its upper surface is also aimed with a
series of steps or ridges facing the back of the hopper. The face of the
plunger prefer to make in a separate casting, as shown in the Diawing,
so that when well worn it can be taken off and a new casting bolted on
instead. This plunger is made to reciprocate backwards and forwards

page_text: once during each stroke of the spring and shovel before described, the
plunger being so arranged as to arrive at the nearest point of its course
to the back of the hopper at the moment when the spring is nearly
ready to bo released
6th. In working the plunger by means of cams (D, D,) or excentrics
on the driving shaft of the machine, and in casting with these cams, or
rigidly and firmly connecting to them, one or more (preferably threo
beaks or tappet cams E, E, arranged so as to catch in turn a projection
on the sping F (or the link connecting the spring with the shovel) as
they revolve, and thus compress the spring, until having passed through
a sufficient are to clear the projection the sping suddenly rebounds.
When three tappet cams are used, equally spaced of course round the
circumference of the circle (that is 120 degrees apart), the cams D, D,
driving the plunger C are made of the three-throw description, so that
there may always be exactly as many strokes of the plunger that there
are strokes of the spring The tappet cams E, E, are usually placed in
the centre between the two plunger cams, the set scrows, hercaftor
described, being in those parts of the casting between the plunger
cams and the central tappet cams.
Other forms of cutting apparatus,
especially that described in part 12, can be used with the spring and
shovel, and the position of the tappet cams, form of spring, et cetera,
may be varied to suit.
7th. In making the aforesaid beaks or tappet cams E, E, of different
lengths, so as to cause them to compress the spring unevenly, and thus
send the coal further at one throw than another. I usually arrange it
with a six foot furnace that one tappet shall cause the shovel to
distribute the coal over the two feet length nearest the dead plate, the
next stroke sending its charge over the next length of two feet, and tho
third stroke feeding the part nearest the bridge.
8th. In making the casting composing the cams, D working the
plunger, and the tappet cams E working the spring, to work loose on
the driving shaft, and connecting it to the latter by a clutch or set
screws M, M, so that if several machines are run from one driving shaft
I can stop any one of them without affecting the others by simply
reversing the clutch or altering the set screws, one great advantage of
this machine being that there is only one shaft and one connection to
that shaft. The clutch can be arranged to give a little when a sudden
strain comes upon it.

page_text: 9th. In regulating the spring by means of shortening and lengthening
its attachments to the boiler face, this I usually effect by means of a
right and left hand nut and screw N, N.
10th. In making the back of the hopper, or the whole hopper move-
able in a direction parallel with the longitudinal centre line of the boiler,
so as to regulate the size of the coal capable of passing the plunger if
'desirable. This is not a necessary part of the Invention, and in most
cases can safely be dispensed with, it is not shown on the Drawings.
11th. In partially suspending the plunger from the highest part of
the front of the cast-iron portion of the hopper by means of an oscillating
link O extending the full breadth of the hopper and forming its front,
and of two pins joining the said link to tho hopper and plunger
respectively.
12th. In an alternate form of cutting or feeding apparatus, in which
the shaft traversing the cutting box carries a revolving cutter upon it
working against the side of the box or a similar revolving cutter. Thus
revolving cutter is made of a series of discs, preferably seven, strung on
the square shaft, having pointed teeth on their circumference. These
disks may be arranged so that the teeth shall be parallel with each
other, but I prefer to have the two outside ones the most advanced, then
the two next, and so on, the whole forming a V, in which the central
point (the point of the V) is the last to come into action.
Above the cast-iron hopper, previously described, I generally place a
larger wrought-iron hopper A. of the usual construction.
Having now described my said Invention, and the manner of carrying
it into effect, I hereby state that what I claim as my Invention is,-
1st. The mode of throwing the coal on to the fire by the sudden
release of a spring or other elastic medium previously compressed for
the purposes of mechanically feeding furnaces.
2nd. The arrangement of a shovel with or without a swivelling link,
substantially as described, for mechanically feeding furnaces.
3rd. The combination of the regulating chamber K and the diaphragm
.L in mechanical stoking machines, substantially as described.
4th. Placing the apparatus in a mechanical stoking machine for
throwing the coal on to the fire in an inclined instead of a horizontal
position for the purposes described.

page_text: 5th. The crushing or feeding apparatus C in combination with the
box or hopper B, substantially as described, or any more modification
thereof for the purposes of mechanical stoking
6th. The special arrangement of cams D and E, substantially as
described, for use in mechanical stoking machines.
7th. Driving the throwing apparatus in such manner that it shall
throw on to the various zones or portions of the fire consecutively
instead of promiscuously all over each each time or haphazard, as it
has hitherto been donc.
8. The arrangement in mechanical stoking machines of all the
canis, eccentrics, or other apparatus working the machine from the the
diving shaft in one casting, or so arranged that they can be all thrown
in and out of gear by one clutch, or its mechanical equivalent.
9th Arranging the spring actuating a mechanical stoking maclune
so that its tension can be regulated by the addition or substraction of a
constant, whether by right and left hand screws, as shown, or in any
other mode, for the purposes described.
10th. The mode of partially suspending the plunger from the hopper,
substantially as described.
11th. The arrangement of a revolving cutter, substantially as
described in part 12 of this Specification, for use in mechanical stoking
machines.
In witness whereof, I the said Edward Bennis, have hercunto set
my hand and scal, thus Thirtieth day of September, in the year
of our Lord 1875.
Witness,
W. P. TломРSON,
Patent Agent,
6, Lord Street,
Liverpool.
EDWARD BENNIS. (L.S.)

page_text: "
In the Matter of the Letters Patent granted to EDWARD BENNIS, of Lunerick,
in the County of Limerick, in the Kingdom of Ireland, and of Rotherhithe
New Road, Rotherhithe, in the County of Surey, in the Kingdom of
England, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MECHANICALLY FELDING
FURNACES WITH FUEL, AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THFREWITH
DISCLAIMER AND MEMORANDUM OF ALTERATION proposed to be
entered and filed by the said Edward Bennis to portions of the Specification
of the said Letters Patent, according to the Statutes in that case made and
provided.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
BENNIS, of Limeuick, in the County of Lunerick, in the Kingdom of Ireland, and of
Rotherhithe New Road, Rotherhithe, in the County of Surrey, in the Kingdom of
England, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Hei Royal Letters Patent
beaung date the 10th day of April 1875, did grant unto me, the above-mentioned
Edward Bennis, my executors, administrators, and assigns, the sole privilege to
made, use, exercise, and send the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MECHANICALLY
FEEDING FURNACES WITH FUEL, AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH," within
the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Leland, the Channel Islands, and the
Isle of Man, during the term of 14 years then next ensuing
And whereas I, the said Edward Bennis, did, on the 6th day of October 1875,
within the time prescribed by the said Letters Patent, cause a Specification in
writing under my hand and seal to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office
And whereas after the date of the application for the said Letters Patent, and
in pursuance thereof I have ascertained and been advised that the description
since the filing of the Specification of the said Invention therein contained is too
broad, and includes matter revalent to the case, and the novelty of which at the
is liable to be
A
date of the application for the said Letters Patent is doubtful and disputed, more
especially in regard to the 11th claim, and also in regard to the 1st, 7th, and to a
lesser degree other claims
The 1st claim appears too broad, as the indirect action of a spring in machinery

page_text: for throwing fuel on to furnaces, and the use of a steam Jet for the same purpose,
have both been proposed in printed books before the date of my application for
Letters Patent, though I am not aware that a spring has ever been used in actual
practice I therefore propose to disclaim all modes of throwing coal on to the fire
where the spring or other elastic medium has not a direct action on the throwing
apparatus in the direction in which the shovel or puslici plate moves
The 7th claim also appears too bioad, inasmuch as I only wish to claim so driving
the throwing apparatus as to throw consecutively on the various zones of the fire by
varying (as is described in part 7) the amount of compression or tension on the
elastic medium employed, and do not wish to claim other nodes which the claim as
at present worded might be held to include
The 2nd, 8th, and 10th clauns are also thought to be too broad, and so while
making this Disclaimer I propose to narrow them by the insertion of the words " as
described," or others of a kindled character
KNOW YE, THEREFORE, that I, the said Edward Bennis, by and with the
leave of Her Majesty's Solicitor-General, do hereby for the reasons atoresud, and in
order-to-more-clearly define and limit the true nature of the said Invention and the
means for carrying it into practical effect, make the following-alterations and
elasuies in the said Specification, that is to say
-
1st I stike out the whole of lines 4 to 8 inclusive of page 8 of the blue book of
the said Specification as printed by Her Majesty's Piinteis
2nd I change the word "11th" on the 9th line of said 8th page into " 10th "
3rd I stake out the whole of lines 14 to 22 inclusive of said 8th page
4th I add the word "described" after the word "node' on the 27th line of said
page
5th To the end of line 29th of said 8th page I add the words "No claim boing
made for throwing on fuel by means of an an oi steam jet, or by the indnect action
of a sping or other clastic medium, but only the mode described in the Specifica-
tion pait Land Drawings in which the rebound of the sping in the direction of tho
throw throws the coal on the file"
6th I insert the words "and shown" after the word "described" in the 31st
Ime of said 8th page
7th I insert the words "as described" after the word "apparatus" in the 6th
line of the 9th page of said blue book
8th I add the words "substantially as described" to the end of line 13 of said:
9th page
»
9th After the word " as on the 19th line of said page 9 I insert the words
"and for the purposes described"
10th I strike out the whole of lines 20, 21, and 22 of said page
I also strike out from lines &b of page 6 the words "as that described in part 13 of this Specification"
And I do hereby declare that the said Specification as amended by the present
Disclaimer and Memorandum of Alteration shall read as follows
-
fled by the said Edward Bennis in the Great Seal Patont
Δ
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent Ofhce on
the Sixth day of October 1875
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
BENNIS, of Limerick, in the County of Limerick, in the Kingdom of lieland, and
of Rotherhithe New Road, Rotherhithe, in the County of Suniey, in the Kingdom
of England, send greeting
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victona, by Hei Letters Patent
bearing date the Tenth day of April, in the year of our Loid One thousand eight
hundied and seventy-five, in the Thnty-eighth year of Hei icign, did for Herself,
Her heus and successors, give and grant unto me, the said Edward Bennis, Her
special licence, that I, the said Edward Bennis, iny executors, administrators, and
assigns, on such others as I, the said Edward Bennis, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, should at any time agree with and no others, from time to time and at

page_text: 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
MECHANICALLY FEEDING FURNACES WITH FUEL, AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED
THEREWITH," upon the conditions (unongst others) that I, the said Edward Bennis,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in wiiting under my, or then,
of 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 1, the said Edward Bennis, do hereby declare the nature
of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be par-
ticularly described and ascertamed m and by the following statement, reference
being had to the accompanying Diawings and to the letters and figuies of referenco
maiked the con
This Invention chiefly relates to that species of mechanical stoke in which the
fuel is thrown over the surface of the fic-bais instead of being sumply pushed into
it, it consists―
1st In the use of a sping or spings, which by their sudden rebound or release
from a state of compression throw the coal into the fie The spings are made by
picference of flat or slightly elliptical steel plates in the manner of canage spring,
but can be made in the volute form if desuable, or any mechanical equivalent
thereof can be adopted, such as a cushion of an or steam alternately compressed and
ieleased One or more cylinders and pistons with the interior in diect communi-
cation with the steam space of the boiler is fiequently a very useful angement of
sping, but I prefer the steel one, as shown at F in Diawings
2nd In a pusher or shovel G inade of any convenient form and jointed to the
sping F, but capable of swivelling on a centie, as shown at H, if desnable This
works in what I call the "shovel box," a shallow rectangular box 1 above the fie-
door, and corresponding to the fan box in the formerly well-known Stanley
mechanical stokers, this shovel on being suddenly propelled forward on the release
of the sping F sends the coal on it or in front of it into the fue, the coniugations
on or curved form of its surface anding the diffusion of the coal
In the Drawing
the surface is shown plane, but it is fiequently useful to coniugate it The length of
the connection between the shovel and the sping, as also the links J fastening the
spring to the face of the boiler, can be made adjustable if desued To guide the
shovel in its course the links Q made with a swivelling apparatus, as shown, is
usually made to work between guides P, P
3rd In placing the shovel box I or the fan box of a mechanical stoke in an
inclined position so as to shoot the coal slightly upwards or downwards, as the case
requies, the upward duection is useful for long furnaces, the downward one for
those of the locomotive class (short, deep, and broad)
4th In a regulating chamber K above the shovel box I having an adjustable
diaphragm L, a broad flange on the shovel forming its bottom, except when the
spring is in tension Into this box the coal falls from the hopper B after each
stroke of the shovel, and the position of the diaphragm iegulates the amount it will
hold, and consequently the quantity of fuel supplied When using the ordinary
Stanley crusher or any modification thereof I usually dispense with this regulating
chamber
In
5th In a crushing or feeding apparatus of the following description -In a
parallel sided cast-iron hopper the same breadth or still broader than the shovel
box I and 1egulating chamber K and placed vertically above them, having horizontal
projections, blades, pyramidal points, or other cutting appliances on the back
this hopper, and just over the regulating chamber K I place a broad plunger C, this
3s aimed on its end facing the back of the hopper and the boiler face with blades,
idges, or points, preferably the latter Its
surface is also aimed with a series
upper
of steps or 1dges facing the back of the hopper The face of the plunger I prefer to

page_text: make in a seperate casting as shown in the Diawing so that when well worn it can
be taken off and a new casting bolted on instend This plunge is made to
recipiocate backwards and forwards once during each stroke of the spring and shovel
before described, the plunger being so arranged as to arrive at the nearest point of
its course to the back of the hopper at the moment when the spring is nearly ready
to be released
Gth In working the plunger by means of cams (D,D,) or excentrics on the diving
shaft of the machine and in casting with these cams or rigidly and firmly connect-
ing to them one or more (preferably three) beaks or tappet cains E, E, ananged so as
to catch in tuin a projection on the spring F (or the link connecting the spring with
the shovel) as they revolve, and thus compress the sping, until having passed
through a sufficient are to clear the projection the spring suddenly rebounds
When three tappet cams are used, equally spaced of course round the circum-
ference of the cucle (that is 120 degrees apart) the cams D, D, diving the
plunger Care made of the three-throw description, so that there may always
be exactly as many strokes of the plunger that there are strokes of the sping
The tappet cams E, E, are usually placed in the centre between the two plunger
cams, the set screws hereafter described being in those parts of the casting
between the plunger cams and the central tappet cains
Other forms of cutting
-
apparatus, especially that described in part 12, can be used with the spring and
shovel, and the position of the tappet cains, form of spring, et cetera, may be varied
to suit
7th In making the aforesaid beaks or tappet cams E, E, of different lengths so as
to cause them to compress the spring unevenly, and thus send the coal further at
one throw than another, I usually arrange it with a six foot furnace that one tappet
shall cause the shovel to distibute the coal over the two feet length nearest the
dead plate, the next stroke sending its charge over the next length of two feet, and
the thud stroke feeding the part nearest the bridge
8th In making the casting composing the canis D working the plunger and the
tappet cams E working the spring to work loose on the driving shaft, and con-
necting it to the latter by a clutch or set screws M, M, so that if several machines
are un fiom one driving shaft I can stop any one of them without affecting the
others, by simply reversing the clutch or altering the set screws, one great
advantage of this machine being that there is only one shaft and one connection to
that shaft The clutch can be arranged to give a little when a sudden strain comes
upon it
9th In regulating the spring by means of shortening and lengthening its attach-
ments to the boiler face, this I usually effect by means of a night and left hand nut
and screw N, N
10th In partially suspending the plunger from the highest part of the front of
the cast iron portion of the hopper by means of an oscillating link ◇ extending the
full bicadth of the hopper and forming its front, and of two pins joining the said
link to the hopper and plunger respectively
Above the cast-11 on hopper previously described I generally place a laigei
wiought-11 on hopper A. of the usual construction
Having now described my said Invention and the manner of cariying it into
effect, I hereby state that what I claim as my Invention is,-
1st The mode described of throwing the coal on to the tie by the sudden release
of a spring or other elastic medium previously compressed for the purposes of
mechanically feeding furnaces, no claim being made for throwing on fuel by means
of an au o steam jet, or by the indirect action of a spring or other elastic medium,
but only the mode described in the Specification, Part 1 and Drawings, in which
the rebound of the sping in the direction of the throw throws the coal on the fie
2nd The anangement of a shovel with or without a swivelling link, substantially
as described and shown for mechanically feeding furnaces
31d The combination of the regulating chamber K and the diaphragm L in
mechanical stoking machines, substantially as described

page_text: 4th Placing the apparatus in a mechanical stoking machine for throwing tho
coal on to the file in an inclined instead of a horizontal position, for the purposes
described
5th The crushing or feeding apparatus C in combination with the box or hopper B,
substantially as descubed, or any mere modification thereof, for tho purposes of
mechanical stoking
6th The special ai rangement of cains D and E, substantially as described, foi uso
in mechanical stoking machines
7th Diving the throwing apparatus, as described, in such manner that it
shall throw on to the various zones or portions of the fire consecutively instead
of promiscuously all over each time, oi haphazard, as it has hitherto been done
8th The rangement in mechanical stoking machines of all the cams, eccentrics,
or other apparatus working the machine from the diving shaft in one casting, oi so
arranged that they can be all thrown in and out of gear by one clutch, or its
mechanical equivalent, substantially as described
9th Airanging the sping actuating a mechanical stoking machine so that its
tension can be regulated by the addition or substraction of a constant, whether
by right and left-hand screws as shown, or in any other mode, for the purposes
described.
10th The mode of partially suspending the plunger from the hopper, substantially
as and for the purposes described
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Bennis, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Fourteenth day of February, in the yeu of our Lord 1877
Witness,
WP THOMPSON,
Patent Agent,
6, Loid Street,*
Liverpool.
EDWARD BENNIS (LS)
I hereby giant my fiat, giving leave to the within-nained Edward Bennis to file
in the Great Seal Patent Office, with the Specification to which the same relates,
the within-witten Disclaimer and Memorandum of Alteration
HARDINGE S GIFFARD.
Temple, 19th April, 1877