IMPROVEMENTS IN FURNACES FOR BURNING TAN AND OTHER REFUSE
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Sealy James Best, of 25, Hickman's Folly, Dockhead, and
John M Rae, of Carshalton, both in the County of Surrey, for the Invention
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of IMPROVEMENTS IN FURNACES FOR BURNING TAN AND OTHER REFUSE."
Sealed the 12th July 1878, and dated the 18th January 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Sealy James Best at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th January 1878.
SEALY JAMES BEST, of 25, Hickman's Folly, Dockhead, and JOHN MORAE, of
Carshalton, both in the County of Surrey. "IMPROVEMENTS IN FURNACES FOR
BURNING TAN AND OTHER REFUSE."
This Invention has for its object improvements in furnaces for burning tan or
other refuse. For this purpose we employ a furnace which consists of a chamber
walled in, but open at the top, with doors at top to close at will. At the bottom of
the chamber fire-bars, either fixed or rocking, are laid in four or other number of
sets with ash-pits beneath.
In the front wall of the chamber at the fire-bar level, fire-doors are provided, and
in the back wall of the chamber opposite the end of each set of fire-bars there is an
opening into a flue leading the heat resulting from the combustion beneath the
steam or other boiler which it is desired to heat. Over the fire-bars arches are
built with abutments upon the front and back walls over the fire-doors and flue
openings respectively.
The chamber when the apparatus is at work is filled with the material, and the
object which the arches serve is to keep the tan or refuse quite loose as it lies upon
the fire-bars, and this they ensure by supporting the material and relieving
the fire-bars from its weight, whilst it is able to descend freely between the
arches.

page_text: Water tubes or hot-air flues may in some cases be substituted for the arches.
The chamber may conveniently be divided by a wall or walls extending from
front to back.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Sealy James Best in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 18th July
1878.
SEALY JAMES BEST, of 25, Hickman's Folly, Dockhead, and JOHN MORAE, of
Carshalton, both in the County of Surrey. "IMPROVEMENTS IN FURNACES FOR
BURNING TAN AND OTHER REFUSE."
This Invention has for its object improvements in furnaces for burning tan or
other refuse. For this purpose we employ a furnace which consists of a chamber
walled in, but open at the top, with doors at top to close at will. At the bottom of
the chamber, fire-bars either fixed or rocking, are laid in four or other number of sets
with ash-pits beneath.
In the front wall of the chamber at the fire-bar level, fire-doors are provided, and
in the back wall of the chamber opposite the end of each set of fire-bars there is an
opening into a flue leading the heat resulting from the combustion beneath the
steam or other boiler which it is desired to heat. Over the fire-bars arches are
built with abutments upon the front and back walls over the fire-doors and flue
openings respectively.
The chamber when the apparatus is at work is filled with the material, and the
object which the arches serve is to keep the tan or refuse quite loose as it lies upon
the fire-bars, and this they ensure by supporting the material and relieving
the fire-bars from its weight, whilst it is able to descend freely between the
arches.
Water tubes or hot air flues may in some cases be substituted for the arches.
The chamber may conveniently be divided by a wall or walls extending from
front to back.
The Drawing hereunto annexed shews a furnace constructed according to our
Invention.
The furnace shewn is formed with two chambers placed side by side, but they may
be used singly, or any number may be built together.
Figure 1 is a front elevation, partly in section, of the furnace; Figure 2 is a
transverse section; and Figure 3, a plan of the same.
"
a, a, are the chambers; b, the fire-bars; c, the fire-doors; and d, the openings in
the back wall by which the heated gases resulting from combustion are led into a
flue for the purpose of heating a steam boiler, or for other purposes; e is the ash-
pit with openings at the front. Above the fire-bars are the bridges A, A, B, B, B,
by preference of the shape shewn in the Drawing, but they may be of other
section.

page_text: There may also be one set of bridges A, A, alone, or three, as at B, B, B, or
any desired number. The arrangement as shewn is, however, the one we
prefer.
The bridges hold up the fuel when thrown in at the top of furnace until it is
dried by the fire underneath, when it falls down and is in turn consumed.
The bridges A, A, B, B, B, may conveniently be either of fire-brick, solid or
hollow, or they may be of wrought or cast-iron tubes through which water or air
may be caused to circulate.
Having thus described the nature of our Invention and the manner of per-
forming the same, we would have it understood that we claim the combined
arrangement of furnace with bridges or supports above the fire-bars to support the
fuel and relieve the fire-bars, and burning fuel resting thereon from its weight,
substantially as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, we, the said Sealy James Best and John McRae, have
hereunto set our hands and seals, this Seventeenth day of July, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
DRA