IMPROVE- MENTS IN FURNACES FOR TREATING TOWN OR OTHER REFUSE
Year: 1885

page_text: We, JAMES RICHMOND of Moseley House, Burnley, in the county of Lancaster,
Gentleman, and THOMAS BIRTWISTLE of Belvedere Road, of Burnley aforesaid,
Ironmonger, do hereby declare the nature of our said invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN FURNACES FOR TREATING TOWN OR OTHER REFUSE," to be as follows:-
This furnace is built of brickwork or other suitable material, and may be formed
into separate compartments to divide the charge of refuse to be consumed, which
is deposited on slabs or shelves of fire clay arranged stepwise to form a plane
sufficiently inclined to cause a slight gravitation of the refuse matter.
These slabs or shelves are raised one above another to form spaces or crevices, to
allow a sufficient supply of atmospheric air to enter and support the combustion of
the refuse matter, and also to reduce the temperature of the slabs or shelves, the
surfaces of which transmit heat to the air entering amongst the refuse. At the
foot of this series of slabs or shelves is a fire box or grating, beneath is an ash pit
or chamber, from which a supply of air passes upwards through broad flat vertical
slits or channels formed in the side or division walls of the furnace, and discharged
highly heated through outlets upon the fuel on the grating and upon the refuse
matter beyond.
Suitable dampers are provided to regulate the supply of air to the furnace.
A reverberatory plate or platform may be constructed in each compartment,
either inclined downwards towards the grating, or laid horizontally in position
between the roof and the refuse, upon which a regular transmission of heat is
diffused, from the highly heated surfaces of the reverberatory plate or platform.
When the furnace is divided into several compartments as above described, the
gases evolved from the refuse under combustion, in the first, may pass over a
division wall into the next and so on through the rest; the last of the series being
the hotest and most suitable into which to deposit the refuse most difficult to
consume.
To ensure the more effectual destruction of the noxious fumes and vapours
evolved during the combustion of town's refuse, the most offensive of such refuse
may be separated and deposited in a flue formed longitudinally beneath the steps
or flooring of the furnace. This portion of the refuse is fired, and the gases and

page_text: noxious fumes arising therefrom are drawn, by the draught, through the spaces or
crevices amongst the burning refuse on the steps or inclined floor of the furnace.
Or, the gases arising in the several compartments of the furnace may be collected
before passing away to the chimney, and caused to pass through or over burning
coke or other suitable fire, or through or over dames emanating from a series of gas
jets or burners, whereby the products of combustion will be thoroughly purified of
smoke, noxious fumes, and vapours.
Instead of the products of combustion generated in the several compartments
passing from one compartment to the other as above described, their course may be
changed so as to cause them to penetrate the refuse, and pass through the spaces or
crevices in the steps or flooring of the furnace into a side or longitudinal flue, in
communication with the purifier described in the foregoing description.
Dated this 10th day of February 1885.

page_text: Improvements in Furnaces for Treating Town and
other Refuse.
We, JAMES RICHMOND of Mosley House, Burnley, in the county of Lancaster,
Gentleman, and THOMAS BIRTWISTLE of Belvedere Road, of Burnley aforesaid,
Ironmonger, do hereby declare the nature of our invention for, "IMPROVEMENTS
IN FURNACES FOR TREATING TOWN AND OTHER REFUSE," and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement:---
The furnace is built of brick work or other suitable material, and may be formed
into separate compartments to divide the charge of refuse to be consumed, which is
deposited on drying hearths arranged stepwise, with crevises between the steps to
admit atmospheric air to the refuse. At the foot of these drying hearths are
combustion chambers or fire boxes, one for each hearth.
A supply of air is caused to pass upwards through broad, flat, vertical slits or
channels formed in the side or division walls of the furnace, and discharged highly
heated through outlets into the burning refuse. Suitable dampers may be provided
to regulate the supply of air to the furnace.
When the furnace is divided into several compartments, the gases evolved from
the refuse under combustion in the first, may pass into the next, and so on through
the rest; the last of the series being the hotest and most suitable into which to
deposite the refuse most difficult to burn. To ensure the effectual destruction of the
noxious fumes and vapours evolved during the combustion of the refuse, the gases
arising in the several furnace chambers are collected, before passing away to the
chimney, and caused to pass over burning coke or other suitable fire, or through or
over flames emanating from a series of gas jets or burners, whereby the products
of combustion will be purified of smoke, noxious fumes and vapours.
And in order that our invention may be properly understood and readily carried
into practical effect, we have hereunto attached the accompanying drawings,
marked with figures and letters of reference; the same letters referring to the
same parts in the various views and figures.
Fig. 1, Sheet 1, is a front elevation of a series of combustion chambers con-
structed in accordance with our invention. These furnaces or chambers are in
direct communication with a drying hearth or hearths, as shewn in Fig. 2, upon
which refuse of various description known as Town's Refuse may be deposited,
and dried preparatory to its combustion in the Furnace Chambers. Fig. 2 is an
horizontal section of Fig. 1, taken through the plane of the line A A, shewing
projecting heads of brickwork, which partially divide and separate the drying shed
into three compartments, one for each combustion chamber.
Assuming Fig. 2 to be a plan of Fig. 1, instead of horizontal section as on the
drawings, Fig. 3 is a vertical section, taken through the plane of the line B B. In
this view is shewn an arrangement of air passages, in the side and division walls
of the combustion chambers, with deflecting slits to discharge the ascending
currents of air each way into the burning fuel on the bars or grating, partly into
cne chamber, and partly into the one adjoining to support combustion. To the left

page_text: of the combustion chambers is a well of water, upon which floats liquid fire;
adjoining this well is a coke furnace, over both of which the heated gases, from the
several combustion chambers and drying hearths, are led by the draught currents
to ensure a most effectual combustion of the fumes and vapours emanating from
the refuse under combustion, before the gases are allowed to escape to the atmo-
sphere through the chimney.
Fig. 4, Sheet 2, is a transverse section taken through the plane of the line c c
Fig. 2, shewing the step and step arrangement and incline of the hearth in the
direction of the combustion chambers; but, we would observe that we do not
confine ourselves to the inclined hearth as the same may be flat as shewn in dotted
lines; in which case the refuse deposited will form itself in an inclined heap; or,
the section of the hearth in front of one furnace chamber may be inclined, whilst
the next section in front of the next chamber may be flat, dished or recessed, so
that ashes or other absorbant material may be deposited thereon to absorb liquid
excreta or pail contents, the residuum of which, when dried, may be drawn with
the ashes into the combustion chamber, and thoroughly consumed.
Fig. 5 is a transverse section taken through the plane of the line D D Fig. 2,
being a representation of the well, in close proximity to which is a petroleum tank
to supply the well with liquid fuel. Fig. 6 is a transverse section taken through
the plane of the line E E Fig. 2, being a representation of the coke furnace to assist
in the combustion of the noxious fumes and vapours. Similar air passages are
formed, which conduct air into the burning coke, as in those leading to the
combustion chambers above alluded to.
a, b and c, seen in Fig. 2, are the drying sheds and hearths, into and upon each
of which refuse is deposited and consumed by flames and heated gases evolved in
the combustion chambers d, e and f, seen in Fig. 3. To assist in the distillation of
the refuse, a continuous current of air is conducted from the exterior through
openings or passages e¹, seen in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, from whence it is deflected and
discharged through the deflecting slits e, formed in the side and division walls of
the combustion chambers, into the mass of burning fuel upon the grating g, seen in
Figs. 2, 3 and 4, and thereby produce an intense heat, which is most essential for
the effectual destruction of the refuse under treatment.
The drying hearths, when constructed on the incline, are preferably arranged
stepwise, as seen in Fig. 4, and provided with passages or aperatures e³ and e₁, to
convey a current of air from the exterior to the refuse drying and burning on the
hearths, preparatory to being drawn into the combustion chambers to be finally
consumed.
Fuel is fed into the furnace, in the first instance, or when commencing operations
for the combustion of the refuse, through doors f¹, seen in Fig. 1, upon the
grating g, in each combustion chamber, until the refuse upon the hearths is
sufficiently dry to serve as fuel, after which it is, from time to time, drawn down
by a rake or other instrument upon the grating in the combustion chambers, and
consumed.
The flame and heated gases, evolved from the refuse in the combustion
chamber d, seen in Fig. 3, are conveyed over the refuse deposited upon the
hearth in the drying shed a, seen in Fig. 2, and forward over the refuse on
the hearth in the shed b, where they mingle with the flame and heated gases
proceeding from the combustion chamber e. The heated gases now pass over the
refuse on the hearth in the drying shed c, seen in Fig. 2, where the gases from the
several furnace chambers join together, at which place or shed the heat is most
effective, into which the refuse most difficult to burn may be deposited.
The hearth in the drying shed c may be on the flat, instead of on the rake or
incline, as seen in Fig. 4. On this hearth may be deposited ashes impregnated with
night soil, liquid excreta, pail contents, or other objectionable sloppy matter which
are evaporated by the intense heat in this compartment; when, the residuum
thereof is drawn with the dried ashes into the combustion chamber f and
consumed.

page_text: We will now describe more fully the arrangement of the well j Fig. 5, coke
furnace h Fig. 6, and the communicating flues, which convey the gases through the
same to ensure a thorough purification of the gases from fumes and vapours,
evolved during the combustion of the refuse.
The heated gases collecting in the last compartment or shed c seen in Fig. 2, are
conveyed through the opening i seen in Fig. 4, into the flue k, seen in Figs. 2, 4
and 5, and downwards are led over liquid fire, which floats on the surface of the
water contained in the well j, whereby a considerable reduction is ensured of the
noxious fumes and vapours. In close proximity to the well, is a petroleum tank I
to supply the well with liquid fuel down pipe v, as may be required. This well is
provided with a channel or gutter m and stench-trap n, by which means the liquid
portion contained in the well may be drawn off, at any time, for cleaning purposes,
and sundry accumulations of solid matter, deposited by the currents of heated gases
in the shape of ashes or refuse, may be removed through the mud or man hole o,
seen in Fig. 5, when deemed expedient.
Having now passed over the liquid fire in the well, the gases are from thence
conveyed through the opening p, seen in Figs. 3 and 5, above the grating r seen in
Figs. 3 and 6, upon which the consumable portion of solid matter still suspended
and carried with the currents of heated gases gradually settle and burn away by
slow combustion, whilst the gases continuing their course to the chimney pass over
a coke fire burning on the inclined hearth t, behind the grating r, seen in Fig. 6,
whereby the fumes and vapours existing amongst the gases, after traversing the
liquid fire, are most thoroughly consumed.
A supply of coke or other suitable fuel is charged from time to time to maintain
the fire, through the opening 8, seen in Fig. 6, in the roof of the furnace; and a
continuous current of air enters the air passages ut, seen.in Fig. 2 through the
opening w, seen in Figs. 2 and 3, and is deflected and discharged through slits or
aperatures x, seen in Figs. 6, into the burning coke in like manner as described
in reference to the slits and air passages, in the side and division walls of the
combustion chambers.
Figs. 7, 8 and 9 represent another arrangement, for the purification of the
noxious fumes and vapours, in substitution of the coke furnace herein before
described.
Fig. 7 is an horizontal section; Fig. 8 is a vertical section on line A, B Fig. 7;
and Fig. 9, a transverse section on line C, D, Fig. 7.
In this arrangement, the heated gases to be purified, proceeding from the
furnaces and drying sheds, pass down and along flue s¹, through channels or
passages &², under and over arch 8³, into channels or passages 8*, and from thence
are conveyed through flue 85 and outlet 86 to the chimney.
The serpentine course of the gases through the passages and flues, as indicated
by arrows, imparts to the surrounding material-which is of fire-clay or other
suitable material-a considerable amount of heat, whereby, an effective combustion
of noxious fumes and vapours is ensured.
An elevated roadway may be constructed so that carts may convey the refuse to
be consumed to the platform q, seen in Fig. 4, where it is tipped and discharged
upon the drying hearths through openings y, seen in Fig. 2, formed between the
projecting heads of brickwork z, which also separate and divide the longitudinal
space behind the combustion chamber d, e and f. The openings y, seen in Fig. 2,
may be closed by balance doors, or the refuse may be made to choke up the
entrance to the said openings, whilst the refuse is under combustion.
We would here observe in conclusion, that although we have shewn the longi-
tudinal space behind the combustion chambers, as being divided into several
compartments, it may in some cases, be advisable to dispense with the projecting
heads of brickwork z, so as to form one long continued shed or hearth for the
refuse, over which the gases, evolved and emerging from each respective combustion
chamber, is led at right angles or in a transverse direction to the said chambers.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is
Firstly, vertical slits and air passages in the side and division walls of the
combustion chambers, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
Secondly, the means, either jointly or separately, for the purification of the
gases leaving the combustion chambers and drying sheds, substantially as specified.
Thirdly, arranging the drying shed or sheds, with respect to the combustion
chambers, that the gases evolved and emerging therefrom will pass over the
drying hearth or hearths in a transverse direction to the chambers, substantially
as specified.
Fourthly, forming crevices or perforations in the drying hearths for the admission
of atmospheric air to the refuse, as bereinbefore described.
Fifthly, constructing the drying hearth or hearths stepwise, to ensure a better
circulation of air beneath the refuse.
THOMAS RICHMOND,
Agent for the Applicants.