AN IMPROVED FORM OF BRICKS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF FURNACES, STOVES, KILNS, AND THE LIKE
Year: 1884

page_text: CHRISTOPHER THOMPSON Engineer 9 Elmwood Street Sunderland Co Durham
do hereby declare the nature of this my invention for AN IMPROVED FORM OF
BRICKS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF FURNACES, STOVES, KILNS, AND THE LIKE to
be as follows:-
The invention relates to the outer form or shape of Bricks, and embraces 2 or
more principles, and is specially applicable to the Roofs, Crowns, domes, or arches
of furnaces in copper, chemical & glass works, & furnaces employed in the
manufacture of iron & steel, such as the Siemen's Martens steel inelting furnaces,
Forge, Mill heating & puddling furnaces. The Bricks are made in various shapes
but embracing the same principles in most of them On one side of the Brick
(which brick may be taper, parallel or rectangular form) near to one end is formed
a semicircular projection the full depth of the thickness of the brick and with or
without a groove immediately above the semi-circular projection. On the same
side of the brick there may be one or more projections which may be semicircular
square or angular form, the depth of the thickness of the brick. On the other
side of the brick and near the end is a semicircular groove of shallow depth and
in line with the semicircular projection. The shallow semicircular groove is made
a little larger radius than the semicircular pojection; so that when two bricks are
put together they form a joint or hinge at this part, and leaving a thin space (the
remaining space) between the bricks. Openings or grooves are made in the same
side as the semicircular groove to receive the corresponding projections as on the
other side. But they are not intended to fit or join the same as the larger
projection & groove; but are for another purpose.
The object of this invention is to provide for the expansion that attends highly
heated brick work-to strengthen the arches and roofs of furnaces &c. and to keep
them in better shape when heated, to reduce the great pressure on the binders or
tie bars that secure the furnace crowns, to prevent the crushing action of the bricks
against each other by their expansion, to prevent the crown of the furnace falling
in when heating or cooling & to prevent a large portion of brick from falling from
the roof or crown into the furnace into the liquid steel molten metal, or composition,
which often takes place in furnaces in present use,

page_text: When the improved form of brick is in use in the construction of Roofs, Arches
& Crown's each brick is supported on the other by the larger projection and groove
mentioned, which is at that end of the brick outside of the furnace, leaving the
opposite ends of the bricks which is exposed to the great heat of the furnace, a little
apart; so that they may expand by the heat without compressing each other and
distorting the furnace. And the bricks may cool and contract without falling. And
in the event of one or more bricks breaking they are retained practically in their
position until they are worn out with the remainder.
The improved brick has the principle for forming a flat roof or crown for
furnaces, or for forming an inverted arch or crown or roof with less risk of falling
in, than when built with the usual bricks.
CHRISTOPHER THOMPSON 9 Elmwood Street Sunderland Co Durham Engineer &
do hereby declare the nature of my invention for AN IMPROVED FORM OF BRICK FOR
STOVES, FURNACES, KILNS & THE LIKE and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
The improved form of Brick is for the construction of Stoves, Kilns, Culverts
crowns or arches of Furnaces, in Copper, chemical glass, Iron & Steel works, and
is especially applicable to the crowns of Steel melting furnaces such as the Siemens,
Martens where there is an intense heat on the arch or furnace covering and roofing
where a highly refractory material is necessary and subject to varying temperatures
causing expansion & contraction.
In the construction of Iron & Steel melting furnaces, it is sometimes necessary
for the crown or covering to be in convex form in the inside of furnace both in
cross & transverse section so that the smaller end of the brick is uppermost and
great strain is required on the furnace binders to keep the bricks from falling into
the furnace which are held together by surface pressure and when the furnace is
being heated the expansion of the bricks causes an undue strain on the binders
which sometimes break and lets the crown to fall into the furnace causing sometimes
much damage and serious loss And in the construction of ordinary shaped
furnace roofs (slightly concave on the inside) there is a very great strain on the
binders which increases as the furnace is being heated and if the binders do not
stretch to meet the expansion there is a great crushing force on the bricks which

page_text: break and shell off at the heated end into the furnace and with a very highly
refractory tender material such as the Silica or Gannister Brick. The result of
their application to crowns of furnaces is attended with much care and inconvenience
and in many cases serious loss which has led to abandon their use.
The object of my invention is to provide for the expansion & contraction that
attends highly heated brickwork of furnace roofs, and strenghten their arches,
& keep them in better shape when heated, to reduce the great pressure on the Tie
Bars, or Binders, that secure the furnace crowns, to reduce the crushing action of
the bricks against each other, caused by their expansion, 'to prevent the crowns of
furnaces from falling in, where heating or colling, to prevent any large portion of a
brick from falling from the roof or crown into the furnace, into the liquid metal
or heated composition, which often takes place in furnaces, in present use.
And to render the application of Silica and Gannister Brick and similar highly
refractory, tender, material, a practical success in any shape of furnace roof or
crown.
The principle of the invention is shown on the accompanying drawings and will
be readily understood.
Sheet, Nos 1, 2, Fig 3, 4, 5 & 6 shew the outline or form of brick which contain'
the principle. Figure 1 shew a pair of Bricks with 4 semicircular projections on
one side including the large one at the top end, which acts as a Knuckle Joint
when placed in the corresponding concave of the other brick and the smaller
projection correspond with similar concave spaces, the concave spaces being of a
larger radius than the convex projections to allow for any reasonable deformity
in the manufacture of the brick.
The bricks when placed together form a hinge at the top knuckle which keeps
the remainder of the brick slightly apart and which enables the same brick to be'
used in an arch of a variable radius and when applied to the construction of furnace
roofs, the pressure will be in line through the Joints or Knuckles and will be at
liberty to move an upward or downward direction, and accomodate itself to the
expansion as shown on Sheet N° 2 Figure N° 4.
The smaller projections corresponding with the concave spaces, prevent any:
large portion falling in case the brick should break, in the furnace, as shown on
Sheet No 2 Figure N° 2.
Figure N° 3 shew Bricks with Top Knuckles and 2 projections.
Figure No 4 show Brick with Top Knuckle and 1 projection which is most
suitable for general purposes either for furnaces or cold arches.
Figure 5 show brick with top Knuckle and projection on front side and to have
corresponding concave surface at back.
Figure 6 shew brick with Knuckle at the smaller end and one projection this
brick being suitable for an inverted arch or furnace crown as shewn on Figure
N° 10.
Figures N° 7 & 8 shown sections of convex furnace crown with the improved
Brick.
Figure 9 shew sections of straight or flat furnace crown with the improved
brick.
Figure N° 10 shew section of inverted or concave furnace crown with the
improved brick. The 2 end bricks resting on 2 side walls of furnace and each
brick being linked together at the knuckle end unite the whole.
In the construction of the furnace crown from the improved brick. The 2 centre
Key bricks may have the 2 sides with the concave spaces together, with an ordinary
wedge or plain brick between if necessary. The bricks may be made taper on the
4 sides to form what is known as a crown wedge.
The bricks may in addition to the Knuckles and projection with the convave
spaces opposite have one or more projections on either of the other 2 sides with
corresponding concave spaces opposite, which would strengthen the construction of
double curved roofs or crowns of furnaces, but is not necessary for general use such
as Figure N° 5. Sheet N° 2. Figure N° 1 shew section of Convex furnace crown

page_text: built with ordinary bricks. Figure N° 2 shew the form of the same crown when
heated, the heat of the furnace has expanded the ends of the bricks inside of the
furnace causing some of them to be broken and splintered & by their great pressure
has thrust the 2 side plates out of position and caused the arch to lift up
considerably in the centre.
Figure No 3, shew section of convex furnace crown built with the improved
brick.
Figure N° 4 shew the form of the same furnace when heated. The heat of the
furnace has expanded the ends of the bricks inside of the furnace in the usual way
but as they are slightly apart from each other up to the knuckle on which the
whole crown hinges, there force of expansion is not in operation till the brick is
practically worn out.
The brick does not expand perceptibly until it approaches a red heat, therefore
there will only be a slight elongation through the centre line of Knuckles (across
the furnace) the crown will rise a little and easy without destroying the bricks or
causing undue atrain on the furnace binders. Should any portion of the improved
bricks break above the ripple projections they will be retained in position until the
brick is worn away.
When an ordinary brick breaks in the crown it usually falls into the furnace &
leaves a gap for the flame to reverberate in and hastens the destruction of the
roofing.
Having now particularly described the nature of my invention & in what manner
the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is
1st An improved form of Bricks with single semicircular or radial projection on
one side with a corresponding hollow grove on the other side so that when
2 bricks are joined together they form a kind of hinge joint as shown on drawing
Sheet No 1.
2nd And the improved Brick with Knuckle or hinge with additional projection
on the side with corresponding grove on the other as shewn on drawing Sheet N° 1.
and for the manner and purpose as shewn on drawing Sheet No 2 and for the
purposes described herein.
Dated this 8th day of June TORK
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