Improvements in Apparatus for Delivering Air into the Furnaces of Steam Boilers.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 24th May, 1890
Complete Specification Left, 21st Feb., 1891-Accepted, 28th Mar., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Delivering Air into the Furnaces of
Steam Boilers.
We, GEORGE MOFFATT, of 152, Gresham House, Old Broad Street, and
SAMUEL STUTTAFORD, of 49, Fore Street, both in the City of London, Merchants,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of our invention is so to construct and fit an apparatus for delivering
air into the furnace of a steam boiler for the purpose of effecting a more perfect
combustion of the fuel and of the gases arising therefrom and thereby economizing
fuel and preventing the emission of smoke that this apparatus shall take up very
little room in the furnace and shall not unduly encroach upon the area of the grate
wherefore this our invention shall be extremely suitable for use in and with
locomotives for the which indeed it has been chiefly designed.
To carry out this object we fit a suitable frame horizontally across the one and
in a locomotive the leading end of the fire box or furnace chamber at or about the
level of the fire bars which therefore are preferably shortened by the breadth of
this frame and this frame is so constructed and formed as to be capable of supporting
two or more tubes it may be made of metal which tubes in a single or if desired in
a double or other row may extend entirely across the fire box standing somewhat
vertically up near the wall thereof and the lower ends of these tubes are open
and air from below the level of the fire bars can obtain access thereto through
the frame and to guide and lead the air to the tubes an hinged plate or damper
can be fitted below the frame or the fire bars actuated by a suitable rod and lever
or otherwise to govern this admission of air. The tubes can conveniently be of
larger dimensions in line across the fire box than in line with the length of the
fire box and are also preferably tapered their lower ends being their largest parts.
The tubes terminate the desired height above the fuel in the fire box being
preferably rather higher in the centre than at the sides of this fire box and are
so formed and made and bent if necessary that the air passing through the same
as aforesaid issues through the mouths formed in and by these upper ends of the
tubes in one or more preferably thin streams in such wise as to mingle with the
unconsumed gases and smoke arising from the fuel in the fire box and thereby
effect the desired more perfect combustion.
To prevent these tubes being burnt or damaged by the heat of the furnace we
preferably face the same with or build up between the same and the fuel a wall or
shield of fire clay or fire brick or other similar and suitable material and we can
similarly surround and protect the delivery mouths thereof to prevent the heat of
the furnace in anywise playing upon the metal of which these tubes may be
made.
When however it may be necessary so to do it is obvious that one or more of these
tubes can quickly be removed and easily be replaced.
This apparatus may also be similarly fitted across the other end of the fire box in
every case the hinged plate or damper being properly fitted to guide and lead the
air to the tubes.
The hinged plate or damper may also if desired be duplicated acting in reverse
directions and may be divided and be separately actuated.
Dotal this 24th day of May 1800

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Delivering Air into the Furnaces of
Steam Boilers:
We, GEORGE MOFFATT, of 152, Gresham House, Old Broad Street, and
SAMUEL STUTTAFORD, of 49, Fore Street, both in the City of London, Merchants,
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 our invention is so to construct and fit an apparatus for
delivering air into the furnace of a steam boiler for the purpose of effecting a more
perfect combustion of the fuel and of the gases arising therefrom and thereby
economizing fuel either in quantity or in quality or in both quantity and quality
and preventing the emission of smoke that this apparatus shall take up very little
room in the furnace and shall not unduly encroach upon the area of the grate
wherefore this our invention shall be extremely suitable for use in and with the
furnaces of the boilers of locomotives for the which indeed it has been chiefly designed
although at the same time it is applicable for and in and with the furnaces
of many other boilers wheresoever the furnaces are contained in vertical or high
chambers.
In order the more clearly to explain this our invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed we refer to the accompanying drawing wherein we have
shewn our apparatus as fitted in and with the furnace of a locomotive boiler and
Figure 1 is the longitudinal section of part of the fire box or furnace chamber of
this boiler shewing a vertical section of our apparatus and Figure 2 is the transverse
section of part of the fire box or furnace chamber shewing a front elevation of our
apparatus.
Horizontally across the leading end of the fire box we arrange and fit a suitable
metallic or other frame A at or about the level of the fire bars B which therefore
are preferably shortened by the breadth of this frame A. and the frame A can be
so arranged and formed as is shewn in the drawing as to support the leading ends
of the fire bars B and is so arranged and formed as to be capable of supporting
two or more tubes E it can very conveniently be made of metal which tubes E
preferably for the reason herein before mentioned of not unduly encroaching upon
the area of the grate in a single row or if desired and expedient in any particular
case in a double or other row may extend entirely across the fire box standing up
vertically or thereabouts near the front wall thereof and the lower ends of these
tubes E are open and air from below the level of the fire bars B can obtain
access thereto through the frame A and to guide and lead the air to the tubes E a
rearwardly hinged plate F can be fitted below the frame A in the ash pan H which
plate F can be actuated from the foot plate of the locomotive or elsewhere by a
suitable rod and lever K to govern the amount of such air as it is desired to admit
to these tubes E. The tubes E which may be of any shape in transverse section
can conveniently be of larger dimensions in line across the fire box than in line
with the length of the fire box also for the reason herein before mentioned of not
unduly encroaching upon the area of the grate and are preferably also tapered
their lower ends being their largest parts. The tubes 1 terminate the desired
height above the fuel in the fire box it may be and preferably is in most cases
horizontally or on a level with each other as is shewn in Figure 2 or the upper ends
of the tubes E may be curved upwards or downwards across the fire box or may
terminate irregularly as may be desired in each particular case and in or by the
upper ends of these tubes E which are closed are formed narrow delivery mouths I.
which likewise may be as is shewn in Figure 2 horizontal and on a level with each
other or may be curved upwards or downwards across the fire box or may be
arranged irregularly and on two or more levels or otherwise as may be desired in
each particular case and these mouths L are so arranged and formed and if
necessary bent or otherwise treated that the air passing along the tubes E issues

page_text: therefrom through these mouths L in one or more preferably thin flat streams in
such wise as to mingle with the unconsumed gases and smoke arising from the fuel in
the fire box and thus and thereby effect the desired more perfect combustion.
Immediately in front of these tubes E we preferably fit a face or build up a wall
or shield of fire clay or fire brick or other similar and suitable material M to prevent
the tubes E being burnt or damaged by the heat of the furnace and this face M
can similarly surround and protect the delivery mouths L to prevent the heat of the
furnace in anywise playing upon the metal of which these tubes E may be and most
conveniently are made.
When however it may be proper or necessary or expedient so to do for purposes
of repair or otherwise it is obvious that one or more of these tubes E can quickly
and easily be removed and as quickly and easily be replaced.
When the locomotive is constructed and intended to travel both ways or with
either end foremost the hinged plate F can conveniently be duplicated acting in
reverse directions or can be divided being separately actuated or can be otherwise
fitted so that whichever way the locomotive is travelling air can be guided and led
into the tubes E as is desired.
In the furnaces of other boilers this our apparatus as hereinbefore described may
similarly and in like manner be fitted at one or if desired at both of the ends of the
furnace chamber or elsewhere therein as may be expedient in each particular case
but in all cases when and where the boiler to which the same is fitted is a tubular
boiler our apparatus is preferably and most conveniently and efficiently so placed
in the furnace chamber that the stream or streams of air issuing from the apparatus
through the delivery mouths thereof is or are directed across the path of the
unconsumed gases and smoke that are arising from the fuel in the furnace chamber
and making their way towards the tubes of the boiler whereby the desired more
perfect combustion is ensured and enhanced.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. In an apparatus for delivering air into the furnace of a steam boiler the
combination of the frame A the tubes E with their delivery mouths L and
the face M substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described and
declared.
2. The apparatus for delivering air into the furnace of a steam boiler substan-
tially as hereinbefore described and shewn in the accompanying drawing.
1001
HART & Co.