Improvements in Brick Kilns.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Oct., 1894-Accepted, 1st June, 1895
Improvements in Brick Kilns.
I, WILLIAM ARTHUR WILFORD, residing at Todmorden in the County of York
and Province of Ontario, Brick Maker, 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 following statement:-
The object of this invention is to build a brick kiln of a series of independent
adjacent chambers with intervening walls having horizontal passages formed
therethrough from chamber to chamber to permit of the passage of the heated
gases and flames from one chamber into the next adjoining chamber, in order that a
continuous fire can be kept up thereby, and also provide each of the chambers with
a series of openings formed through the end walls to admit of a current of air to
assist combustion within the chamber, and also to provide each chamber with
series of openings through the top to admit of the entry of the fuel to feed the fire
within the chamber, and also to provide each chamber with a separate outlet to
permit of the escape of the gas from the chamber to a main flue, and to provide an
outlet from the main flue to the atmosphere, the whole device being arranged as
hereinafter more fully set forth and more particularly pointed out in the claims.
In the drawings :
Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a series of 14 independent adjacent chambers,
with the outer structure removed.
Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view of Fig. 1 showing the arrangement of the chambers,
and the relation of each chamber to the chambers next adjoining.
Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of two of the chambers on the lines a-a
Fig. 1.
Fig. 4 is an end elevation looking in the direction of the end of the kiln where
chambers 1 and 14 are located.
Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the complete structure partially in section.
Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view of the brick kiln on the lines b, b Figure 1.
Like letters of reference refer to like parts throughout the Specification and
drawings.
The kiln consists of a series of independent adjacent chambers numbered 1 to 14
respectively. Each of these chambers is provided at its front end with an
opening A to admit of the entry and removal of the brick to be burned. This
opening A is closed when the chamber is filled by metallic plate B. Formed
through the front end wall C of the chamber 1 are a series of passages D to permit
of the entry into the chamber 1 of a sufficient current of air to support combustion
within the chamber. Formed through the top of the chamber 1 are a series of
openings E through which the fuel is introduced into the chamber. Separating the
chamber 1 from the chamber 2 is a partition or dividing wall F, and formed
through the partition or dividing wall are a series of horizontal openings G to
permit of the passage of the flame and heated gases from the chamber 1 to the
chamber 2 when it is necessary or required to draw the fire from the chamber 1 and
chamber 2. To close the horizontal openings G. I provide a series of damper
plates 2ª connected together and operated by a damper rod 2. As each of the
chambers is provided with horizontal openings similar to the openings G it will not
be necessary to describe these openings in connection with the remaining chambers
as each of these openings is closed by a similar damper plate operated in a similar
manner.

page_text: To provide for the escape of the gases from the chamber 1 whilst the fire
is contained in the said chamber, I provide the chamber 1 with a supplemental
flue H extending beneath the base of the chamber and discharging into a main
flue I located and extending along the back of the flue 1 to 7 & 8 to 14. It will
be noticed that the opening J into the supplemental flue H is located at the front
end of the chamber 1 and adjacent to the partition or dividing wall F, and that the
gases are drawn to and taken from the front end of the chamber 1 by means of the
opening J and supplemental flue H, and are conducted from the chamber 1 into
the main flue I, from whence they are conducted to a stack K, and then discharged
into the atmosphere at a suitable elevation. Formed through the side wall Cof
the chamber 1 are a series of passages L by means of which air is introduced into
the chamber to support combustion. The chamber 2 is similar in construction
to the chamber 1 and is provided with a supplemental flue M located below the base
of the said chamber, and having an opening N at the front end of the said chamber
contiguous to the partition or dividing wall O separating the chamber 2 from the
chamber 3, by means of which the gases in the chamber 2 are drawn from the
chamber and discharged into a main flue P contiguous to the main flue I and
running parallel therewith. The object of discharging the supplemental flue H into
the main flue I, and discharging the supplemental Hue M into the main flue P is to
prevent the discharge of the gases from one chamber interfering with the discharge
of the gases from the other chamber whilst the two chambers are discharging
simultaneously. The chamber 3 is similar in construction to the chamber 2, and in
all respects, except that it is provided with a supplemental flue g, discharging from
its rear end into the main flue I. The chamber 4 is similar in all respects to the
chamber 2 including the arrangement of the supplemental flue, whilst the chamber 5
is identically the same as the chamber 3. The chamber 6 is identically the same as
the chambers 4 and 2. The chamber 7 is similar to the aforesaid chambers, and is
provided with a supplemental flue R discharging into the main flue I, and is also
provided with an opening S extending through its rear end wall and through the
rear end wall of the chamber 8, by means of which the fire is drawn from the
chamber 7 into the chamber 8. The chambers 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 are
similar in all respects to the chambers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7. The chamber 8 has a
supplemental flue T discharging into the main flue P, whilst the chamber 9 is
provided with a supplemental flue U discharging into the main flue 1. The
supplemental flue T conveys the gases from the front end of the chamber 8 to the
main flue P, whilst the flue U conveys the gases from the rear end of the chamber 9
into the main flue 1. The rear end of the chamber 10 is fitted with a supplemental
flue V which conveys the gases from the rear end of the chamber 10 into the main
flue P. The chamber 11 is provided with a supplemental flue W which conveys
the gases from the front end of the said chamber to the main flue I. The chamber 12
is provided with a flue X similar to the flue V, and discharging into the main
flue P, whilst the chamber 13 is provided with a supplemental flue Y discharging
into the main flue I and conveying the gases from the front end of the chamber 13
to the main flue I. The chamber 14 is provided with a supplemental flue Z, which
conveys the gases from the front end of the chamber 14 to the main flue P. Each
of the chambers 2 to 14 are similar in all respects (except the arrangement of the
flues) to the chamber 1, and the description of the construction of the chamber 1
will answer for the description of the construction of the remaining chambers.
In the operation of the device the bricks &c. to be burned are placed within the
chamber 1 and the fire is started within the said chamber, and the fire is fed through
the openings E in the top of the chamber. After the bricks have been properly
burned within the chamber 1, the fire is drawn from the chamber. 1 into the
chamber 2, which has been charged with the bricks to be burnt, and the same
operation is gone through with. After the bricks within the chamber 2 had been
properly burned the fire from the chamber 2 is drawn into the chamber 3 through
the openings in the partition or dividing wall between the two chambers, and this
is repeated through the chambers 4, 5, 6, and 7. After the bricks have been

page_text: burned within the chamber 7 the fire is then crossed from the chamber 7 into the
chamber 8, and the same operation is performed until the chamber 14 is reached,
from where the fire is drawn into the chamber 1 by means of openings a connecting
the rear ends of the said chambers. The gases discharged into the main flues
and Pare discharged from the main flues I and P into the stack K, and are
lischarged from the stack K into the atmosphere at a suitable elevation. One of
the principal advantages to be derived from this device is in being able to keep up
a continuous fire throughout the kilns, and in being able to build up unburnt brick
within the kiln, to be burned as soon as the fire reaches it. It will be noticed by
reference to the drawings that the chamber is provided with a series of
openings A through its end at or near the base, and a second series of openings A"
at or near the top whilst the chamber 14 is provided with a series of openings All
located at an elevation intermediate to the elevation of the openings A¹ and A".
The object of providing the chamber 14 with a series of openings A is for the
purpose of assisting the combustion within the chamber and forming a draft to
carry the products of combustion from the chamber 14 to chamber 1 and the object
of providing the chamber 1 with openings A' A" is to assist the combustion within
the chamber and form a draft to carry the products of combustion from the
chamber 1 into chamber 2. It might here be stated that when the fire within the
chamber 14 has burnt itself out, the opening from the chamber 14 into the chamber 1
is closed to prevent the draft into the chamber 1 driving the fire from the chamber 1
back into chamber 14. The chamber 7 is provided with openings similar to the
openings Ainto the chamber 14 whilst chamber 8 is provided with two rows of
openings similar to the openings A & A" in the chamber 1. It will be noticed by
reference to the drawings that each of the chambers 1 to 14, is provided with two
openings B-B, formed through the top into the chamber, and that located along
the front of each of the chambers 1 to 7 is a flue C and that mounted along the
top of the front of the chambers 8 to 14 is a fluo C and joining the ends of these
flues C and Caro flues D' and D" and mounted upon the top of the chambers 1
to 14. at their rear end is a flue E' which is also in connection with the
flues D-D". Each of the flues C & C is provided with a series of spurs or
branches F. Each spur or branch feeds into one of the openings B' and it
might here be stated that each of the openings B' extends from the top of the
structure into its respective chamber and is provided with a.damper g' to close its
upper end and is provided at its lower end with a damper plate G¹ which is
removed only whilst the heated air and gases are discharging from the flue C"
or C and its spur or brauch F into its respective chamber or kiln as seen more
clearly in Figure 6. That is, for instance if the brick in the chamber 1 has been
burned, the plate G¹ would be removed to permit of the heated air discharging into
the spur or branch F¹ and flue C", in order that the heated air could be conducted
to some other chamber. But in the event of the fire being in, say chamber 12, tho
heated air from chamber No. 12 would be conducted by means of the flue C to
the chamber 1, in order that the chamber 1 could be dried in advance of the fire
reaching it. Each of the flues C & C discharges by means of spurs or
branches F into the openings B', in the same manner as above described, and the
flue E' discharges into the rear end of the chambers in the same manner.
As each
of the chambers is provided with a damper plate G¹, it is possible to take the
heated air from any one chamber by means of the aforesaid flues and convoy it to.
any other chamber.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:
1. In a brick kiln, a series of independent adjacent chambers with intervening
walls between them having horizontal passages opening from one chamber into the.
next adjoining chamber, two main flues, one of said chambers discharging into one
of the main flues, and the next adjoining chamber discharging into the other main

page_text: "
flue, and means for conveying the gases from the main flues and discharging them
into the atmosphere, each of said chambers provided with a series of draft openings
to supply a current of atmospheric air to the fire within the chamber, and means for
supplying fuel to the fire within the chamber, substantially as specified.
2. In a brick kiln, a series of independent adjacent chambers, with intervening
walls, horizontal passages connecting the chambers, means for closing the said
passages, two main flues, a supplemental flue for each of said chambers, discharging
into either one of the main flues, and means for conveying the gases from the main
flues, substantially as specified.
3. In a continuous brick kiln the combination of a series of independent adjacent
chambers, two central longitudinal main flues between the rows of chambers, a
supplemental flue for each chamber, the supplemental flues of the alternate chambers
discharging into one of the main flues, and the supplemental flues from the
intervening chambers discharging into the other main flue, an outlet from the main
flues, a series of passages formed through the walls of each of the chambers to
admit of a current of atmospheric air to the chamber, a series of vertical passages
_formed through the top of each of the chambers to admit of the entry of the fuel to
the chamber, a series of horizontal passages formed through the dividing wall
or partition between the adjacent chambers to permit of the fire being drawn from
one chamber into the other, substantially as specified.
4. In a coutinuous brick kiln, a series of independent adjacent chambers with
intervening walls between having horizontal passages opening from one chamber
into the next adjoining chamber, each of said ohambers provided with a series of
draft openings to supply a current of atmospheric air to the fire within the chamber,
means for supplying fuel to the fire within the chamber, a flue located along the top
of the said chambers and adapted to convey the heated air from one chamber to any
other desired chamber, openings from each of said chambers into 'said flue, and
a damper to close each of said flues, substantially as specified.
Dated this 8th day of October 1894.
GEORGE BARKER,
77, Colmore Row, Birmingham, Agent.