IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF-ACTING GAS GENERATING FURNACES APPLICABLE TO VARIOUS Uses
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Pellatt Rickman, Glass Manufacturer, of the Falcon
Glass Works, Blackfriars, London, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
SELF-ACTING GAS GENERATING FURNACES APPLICABLE TO VARIOUS Uses.”
Sealed the 8th September 1877, in pursuance of an Order of the Lord Chancellor,
and dated the 28th February 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Pellatt Rickman at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th February 1877.
JAMES PELLATT RICKMAN, Glass Manufacturer, of the Falcon Glass Works,
Blackfriars, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF-ACTING GAS GENERATING FURNACES
APPLICABLE TO VARIOUS USES."
This Invention has for its object improvements in self-acting gas generating
furnaces, and in the mode of ignition and consumption of the gases produced by
such furnaces, and in the mode of applying the heat so produced to various uses.
As in other gas generating furnaces the object aimed at is the consumption of all
the products of the fuel capable of combustion, but the improvements in this furnace
are such that not only coal can be used, but also coal slack, coke breese, or a com-
bination of these; or for some purposes coke dust mixed with a small portion of coal
tar or other similar substance.
These furnaces consist of a fuel chamber under which is a gas chamber, and under
that the fire chamber with appropriate gas and air flues. The three chambers aro
connected vertically so that the coal or other fuel falls as required into the gas
chamber, and the coke from the gas chamber into the fire chamber.
These improvements relate to these various parts of such furnaces as found
necessary by experience, notably, as to improvements in the gas generating chamber,
and to the fire chamber, and in the position of the fire-bars, and in their form and
relative dimensions according to the kind of fuel intended to be used; also in the
air flues and their position for the better applying the heat or flame in the utilizing
furnace where an oxidising flame or a deoxidising flame may be required. As to
improvements of the flues and air passages so as to better apply the non-
combustible or nitrogenous part of the air admitted to the furnace as a heat carrier,
and also as to the better proportioning of the throat of the generating furnace to
the grate surface, so that in cases where required they may be so proportioned that

page_text: only a part of the gases generated shall be there ignited, leaving the portion required
to be ignited in the utilising furnace by being there supplied with sufficient oxygen
by the air flues above referred to. As to the inverted bridge and the division of
the throat of the flue from the gas chamber, and also as to the position of the
clinking doors, and generally as to the arrangement of the various parts as applied
to various uses. Generally, then, as to the improvements found most conducive to
the carrying out of the objects intended to be obtained by this Invention.
It is preferable in all cases that the sides of the gas generating chamber shall not
incline from the top inwards except at the front, that the sides of the fire chamber
shall be all perpendicular where the locus permits, and that its proportional width
to its length shall be about as 1:15, and of the length the proportional parts shall
be in the following ratios and in the following positions, the whole length being
taken as unity, that is to say, under the throat 0.25, under the bridge 0.35, and
under the gas chamber 04. The fire-bars should incline from the front downwards.
When a furnace is required to burn coal slack or coke breese, &c., it is better to
arrange the bars transversely and on the flat in gradients. The throat of the furnace
in sectional area should be to the area of the grate in the ratio of 1:5 or thereabouts.
The inverted bridge should be a flat arch and double ringed, so as to be easily
repaired, and it should be slightly above the level of the front side of the gas
chamber at its centre.
In some cases it is better that the clinking doors should be in front above the
bars and formed as louvres to admit air and prevent radiation as much as possible.
In all cases the generating furnaces must be as near the utilising furnace as
possible, that heat may not be lost in keeping a long flue at a high temperature.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said James Pellatt Rickman in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 10th
September 1877.
JAMES PELLATT RICKMAN, of the Falcon Glass Works, Blackfriars, London, Flint
Glass Manufacturer.. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF-ACTING GAS GENERATING FURNACES
APPLICABLE TO VARIOUS USES."
This Invention has for its object improvements in self-acting gas generating
furnaces, and in the mode of ignition and consumption of the gases produced by
such furnaces, and in the mode of applying the heat so produced to various uses.
As in other gas generating furnaces the object aimed at is the consumption of all
the products of the fuel capable of combustion, but the improvements made in this
furnace are such that not only coal can be used but also coal slack, coke, coke breese,
or a combination of these; or for some purposes coke dust mixed with a small
portion of coal tar or other similar substances.
These furnaces consist of a fuel chamber under which is a gas chamber, and under
that the fire chamber with appropriate gas and air flues. The three chambers are
connected vertically so that the coal falls as required into the gas chamber, and the
coke from the gas chamber into the fire chamber.
These improvements relate to various parts of such furnaces as found to be
necessary by experience, notably, as to improvements in the gas generating chamber
and to the fire chamber, and in the position of the fire-bars, and in their form and
dimensions according to the kind of fuel intended to be consumed; also in the air
flues and in their position for the better applying the heat or flame in the utilizing
furnace where an oxidising or deoxidising flame may be required. As to im-
provements in the flues and air passages so as to better apply the noncom-
bustible or nitrogenous part of the air admitted to the furnace as a heat carrier,
and also as to the better proportioning of the throat of the generating furnace to the
grate surface, so that in cases where required they may be so proportioned that only

page_text: a portion of the gases generated shall be there ignited, leaving the portion required
to be ignited in the utilising furnace by being there supplied with sufficient oxygen
by the air flues above referred to. As to the inverted bridge and the division of
the throat of the flue from the gas chamber, and also as to the position of the
clinking door, and as to the general arrangement and construction of the various
parts as applied to various uses. Generally, then, as to the improvements found
most conducive to the carrying out of the objects intended to be obtained by this
Invention.
It is preferable in all cases that the sides of the gas generating chamber shall not
incline from the top inwards except at the front, that the sides of the fire chamber
shall be all perpendicular when the locus permits it, and that the proportional width
of the fire chamber to its length shall be about as 1:1.5, and of the length the pro-
portional parts shall be of the following ratios and in the following positions, the
whole length being taken as unity, that is to say, under the throat 0.25, under the
bridge 0.35, and under the gas chamber 0.4. The fire-bars shall incline from the
front at about 30° from the perpendicular inwards, except when coal slack, coke
breese, or similar fuel is intended to be burnt, then it is better to arrange the bars
transversely and on the flat in gradients. The throat of the furnace in sectional
area should be to the area of the grate in the ratio of 1:5 or thereabouts.
The inverted bridge should be built of the most refractory material, and the form
should be a flat arch and double ringed if of 4-inch work, and it should be on the
level under the centre with the bottom of the gas chamber.
In some cases it is better that the clinking door or doors should be in front above
the bars, and formed as louvres to admit air and prevent radiation of heat as much
as practicable.
In all cases the generating furnace must be as near to the utilizing furnace as
possible that heat may not be lost in keeping a long flue at a high temperature.
"
In order better to explain my Invention I have figured it as applied to two glass
melting furnaces with pots or tanks; it is also applied with but slight variation to
other furnaces used in glass making, such as "lears" and " "kilns or annealing
furnaces, and to "pot arches"; also to porcelain kilns, brass furnaces, reheating
furnaces, and most other furnaces where great heat or economy of fuel is of
importance.
In the explanation of the Figures similar letters represent similar parts in
each.
Fig. 1 represents the ground plan of a ten pot or tank glass furnace; Fig. 2, a
vertical semi-section of the same furnace.
Fig. 3 is the ground plan of a six pot circular segmental glass furnace; and Fig. 4
is a vertical section of same furnace on line A, B.
a is the fuel chamber; b is the gas generating chamber; c is the fire chamber;
d is the gas flues and throat of furnace; e, air flues; f is the ignition chamber
where the gases and air meet and mix; g, clinking door; h, inverted bridge; k, pot
or tank in utilizing furnace..
Having now described my Invention, and the mode in which it is to be carried
out, I would claim as new the proportioning of the various parts of the furnace and
the air flues and the gas flues, whereby the proportional volumes of each enter the
ignition chamber to produce perfect and complete combustion, and also for the
regulation of the heat produced and of the fuel consumed by means of the pro-
portioning and arrangement of parts.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Pellatt Rickman, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
J. P. RICKMAN. (L.S.)