Improvements in Soot Traps for Chimney Flues.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Sept., 1898-Accepted, 19th Nov., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Soot Traps for Chimney Flues.
I, HERMANN APPEL, of Zabrze, Upper Silesia, in the German Empire, Electrical
Engineer, 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:-
This invention relates to traps or receptacles for soot for use with chimney flues
and its main object is to provide means for the escape of the compressed air and the
finer particles of soot produced during the process of sweeping the flue.
The improved apparatus requires very little attention compared with that
required by the valves and doors at present commonly in use.
The accompanying drawings illustrate the construction of the improved trap,
Figure 1 showing one of them in cross section, and Figure 2 showing several of
them in front elevation.
Arranged in front of the outlets of the flues a, b, and e, are the swinging doors .
one to each flue. These doors are fixed in or upon a special frame and are of con-
siderable weight so that they fall down and close the outlets automatically. They
are arranged to open outwards from the flue.
In front of the flue openings are mounted the traps or receptacles f, g, h the
latter of which is shown separately in Figure 3 detached from its upper part 1.
Each of the receptacles may be similarly detached from its upper part when the
soot is to be removed. This removal may be accomplished by sliding them later-
ally or in any other convenient manner.
When the chimney is being swept the descending brush compresses the air in
the flue until the pressure is sufficient to open the swinging door d of that
particular flue. The soot which has been dislodged falls into its receptacle f.
The finer particles of the disturbed soot will rise in clouds, and if no special out-
let were provided for them they would escape into and dirty the room or chamber,
as they would pass through the smallest crevices in the receptacle. Also, if the
particles are allowed to form a deposit, they form a common cause of fire.
To avoid this disadvantage and danger I have provided means for allowing the
cloud of dust to escape and to keep it in motion to avoid deposit.
In the upper parts of the boxes f, g, h, are arranged the doors which are
similar in construction to the doors d but are smaller and open inwards. The
upper parts are in communication with each other through the pipes k which are
telescopic or are otherwise so arranged that the boxes may be moved laterally to
adapt themselves to varying widths between flues.
As an example of how the apparatus works we will assume that the flue a is
being swept, it being understood that the same result is obtained whichever flue
is operated upon.
The soot falls into the receptacle f, but in consequence of the draught the lighter
particles pass through the pipe k to the trap g and thence through the valve into
the Aue b The heavier particles only are retained in the box £.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:―
1. A soot trap or receptacle for use with a chimney flue, constructed and
arranged substantially as hereinbefore described and as illustrated by the accom-
panying drawings.
2. Soot traps or receptacles for use with chimney flues, constructed and
arranged in combination with each other substantially as and for the purpose
herein before described and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
W. E. HEYS & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.