IMPROVEMENTS APPLICABLE TO THE FIRE-PLACES OF FURNACES
Year: 1879

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 APPLICABLE TO THE FIRE-PLACES OF FURNACES." A
communication from abroad by Antoine Desgouttes, of Paris, in the Republic
of France.
Sealed the 26th August 1879, and dated the 4th March 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Edward Newton at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 4th March 1879.
HENRY EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS APPLICABLE TO THE FIRE
PLACES OF FURNACES." [A communication from abroad by Antoine Desgouttes, of
Paris, in the Republic of France.]
This Invention has for its object to increase the area of the heating surface of the
fire place without increasing the dimensions of the latter, and furthermore to so
arrange or construct the flue tubes of a boiler as to retard the passage of the hot
gases, in order that time may be allowed to abstract and utilize the heat contained
in such gases.
The first improvement consists in arranging the grate or fire bars in a convex
form instead of allowing the surface to be flat as is usually the case. The surface
of the grate may be arranged either in the form of a frustum of a sphere that is
highest in the middle or centre and sloping away downwards on all sides; or it may
be made in the form of a slice of the side of a cylinder taken in a line parallel to the
axis of the cylinder. In this case the fire bars will all be perfectly straight and of
the same length and dimension, but are placed at a higher level at the middle or
central part than at the sides; the cross section of the line of fire bars shewing a
convex arrangement of fire bars.
The second improvement relates to the tubular flues which pass through the
water space of the boiler, and consists in adapting to their open ends nearest the
fireplace or furnace a perforated conical stopper or plug, through which the heated
gases pass before they can enter the flue tubes. These perforated conical stoppers
can be easily removed when it is desired to clean out the tubes, and can be replaced
with equal facility.

page_text: 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 4th
September 1879..
HENRY EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS APPLICABLE TO THE FIRE-
PLACES OF FURNACES." A communication from abroad by Antoine Desgouttes, of
Paris, in the Republic of France.
The object of this Invention is to increase the furnace bar area in the fire places
of the furnaces of steam generators without increasing the dimensions of such fire
places, and thereby to insure a more perfect combustion of the fuel.
To obtain an extension of the grate surface the bars are so shaped or arranged
as to raise the level of the grate at the middle or centre thereof to a dome-shape, to
that of an arched roof, or to such a form as will admit of the fuel lodging thereon
and sliding down over the sides.
In the accompanying Drawing are shewn, as examples, two modes of effecting
the object of the Invention. Thus, as seen in Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4, the grate bars
are flat or nearly so near the side walls of the fireplace, and then rise symmetrically
by regular gradient to the central part which is formed of a certain number of bars
of the same curve, and upon which the charge of fuel is placed.
The ends of the grate bars are made similar to those of the ordinary construction
which will allow of their being readily applied to all existing furnaces.
By this formation and arrangement of the grate bars the surface of the grate will
be increased without increasing the dimensions of the fire place, a matter of very
great importance more especially with regard to locomotive boilers.
A similar result can be obtained by arranging straight bars on curved supporting
pieces suitably placed for the purpose. This arrangement is shewn at Figure 5, the
grate being formed of three series of bars placed end to end with two intermediate
curved supporting pieces; thus an arched grate is obtained formed of the three
parts A, B, C, each being composed of straight bars placed in juxta-position.
If desired two sets of bars only may be used placed end to end, the inner ends of
the bars resting upon one central curved supporting piece. This arrangement of
grate would take the form of the parts A and C placed in juxta-position.
Or a grate formed of the parts A and B placed in juxta-position would have a
similar effect. Or a single set of bars may be used, as, for instance, the part B, but
in this case two curved supporting pieces would be required.
It may be here remarked that the convexity of the grate may be obtained by
means other than those above described without departing from the nature of the
present Invention. When stoking a fire in the above described arrangement of
grate the fresh fuel is thrown on to the central or raised part of the grate where it
will be surrounded on all sides by the incandescent fuel, and thus the immediate
combustion of the gases produced will be effected. It will be found desirable to
inject on to the fresh fuel a spray of water. The water will be conveniently
supplied from an adjacent reservoir by means of a pipe fitted with a rose head and
stop cock. The spray of water will prevent the fresh fuel from being suddenly
raised to a high temperature, and thus prevent its giving off smoke.
By the use of this arrangement of grate which provides a large area for the
admission of air many combustible materials which have not hitherto been available
can be utilized under the most favorable conditions; and even though there is a
large draught, coal dust and other small fuel may be employed.
By the mode of stoking above described the walls of metal fire places will last
longer than heretofore as they are not subjected to the sudden changes of temper-
ature consequent upon the introduction of the fuel.
The energetic production of steam resulting from the employment of the curved

page_text: or raised grate obviates the necessity for a blower, and thereby the driving of
particles of fuel rich in carbon into the fire tubes and smoke box is avoided.
As by this new arrangement of grate bars the intensity of the draught can be
greatly reduced, the passage of the gases of combustion through the tubes of the
boiler can without inconvenience be retarded so as to utilise to the full extent the
heat which they contain.
By applying to the exit end of each tube a conical baffler or hollow plug, as
shewn at Fig, 6, this retarding of the gases will be conveniently effected. The
conical plug it will be seen is pierced laterally with holes whose total section is
equal to that of the tube, and the effect of this plug, which is closed at its inner end,
is to cause the gases of combustion issuing from the fire place to eddy in the tubes
and give off their heat before they escape therefrom.
These conical plugs may conveniently be attached to a plate which is maintained
in position in any suitable manner that will allow of its being readily dismounted
when it is desired to clean out the tubes, and remounted with equal facility and
despatch when the clearing operations are completed.
Having now described the nature of this Invention of "Improvements Applicable
to the Fireplaces of Furnaces," as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent,
and explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be under-
stood that under the above in part recited Letters Patent I claim,-Constructing
and arranging the grate bars of the furnaces of steam generators so as to increase
the surface area of the grates, as and for the purpose above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Edward Newton, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, the Fourth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.
H. E. NEWTON. (LS)