provements in Kilns for Pottery, Bricks, and the like.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Sept., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 8th June, 1893-Accepted, 12th Aug., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Improvements in Kilns for Pottery, Bricks, and the like.
We, WILLIAM FULLARTON MURRAY, and JOHN MACINTYRE, of Caledonian
Pottery, Rutherglen, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Potters, do hereby
leclare the nature of this invention to be as follows, that is to say :-
Our said invention has for its object to improve the construction, and increase
the efficiency and economy of kilns for pottery, bricks, and the like.
In carrying out our invention we combine four or other convenient number of
kilus so that they can be worked rotationally, and we construct them in a manner
to be fired by means of producer gas or other suitable combustible gas. Each kiln
chamber is, by preference circular in horizontal section, and has a domed roof in
which roof there is a central aperture or outlet communicating with a chimney or
cone above, means being provided for closing the said aperture.
Beneath the floor of the kiln chamber various flues or flue spaces are constructed.
There is a central flue or well descending some distance and at its bottom
communicating with a horizontal flue extending to the next kiln on one side; and
this central flue communicates by a space or spaces under the floor with numerous
apertures through the floor. Encircling the central flue or well two annular flues
are formed, the inner one being for the passage of air and the outer one for the
passage of gas. The gas reaches the outer annular flue through a branch flue fitted
with a regulating valve from a gas supply main. When gas is being burned in one
chamber the air for its combustion reaches it in a more or less heated condition
from a chamber in which the firing and burning of gas has just previously taken
place and which with its contents is being cooled by entering air such air becoming
heated in passing through it. The air getting heated in this way in one chamber
descends through the floor and central flue of that chamber, and passes along the
bottom communicating flue to the annular air flue of the chamber which is being
fired. A damper is fitted in the communicating flue for regulating the amount of
heated air passing; and a valved inlet is provided for admitting some cool air
whenever it may be found desirable to mix it with the heated air.
The gas and air combine in a number of small combustion chambers arranged
round the kiln chamber, the ignited gases passing in an upward direction into the
kila chamber and returning downwards from the upper part of it amongst the
pottery or other articles being fired, and passing off through the floor and central
Blue, into the bottom flue communicating with the kiln which is next in rotational
order.
Some of the heat remaining in the fire gases after leaving the chamber in which
their combustion takes place, is utilised in preparatorily drying and heating the
contents of the next chamber; and they may even be passed through a still further
chamber if there is sufficient draught for the purpose, the gases finally escaping
through the aperture in the roof of one or other of the chambers.
Dated this Ninth day of September 1892.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicants' Agent.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Kilns for Pottery, Bricks, and the like.
We, WILLIAM FULLARTON MURRAY, and JOHN MACINTYRE, of Caledonian
Pottery, Rutherglen, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Potters, 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, that is to say:-
Our said invention has for its object to improve the construction, and increase the
efficiency and economy of kilns for pottery, bricks, and the like.
In carrying out our invention we combine four or other convenient number of
kilns so that they can be worked rotationally, and we construct them in a manner
.to be fired by means of producer gas or other suitable combustible gas or vapor.
In the floor of the kiln chamber there is a central flue or well descending some
distance and at its bottom communicating with a horizontal flue extending to the
next kiln on one side, and this central flue communicates by a space or spaces under
the floor with numerous apertures through the floor. Encircling the central flue or
well two flues are formed, gas reaching the outer flue through a branch flue fitted
with a regulating valve from a gas supply main, and air, in a more or less heated
condition, reaching the inner flue through the horizontal communicating fue
between the kilns. The air and gas combine in a number of combustion chambers
arranged around the kiln chamber, and the ignited gases after acting on the articles
being fired pass off through the central flue and the apertures in the floor into the
bottom horizontal flue.
And in order that our said invention and the manner of performing the same may
be properly understood we hereunto append a sheet of explanatory drawings to be
hereinafter referred to and showing our improvements.
Figure, 1, of the drawings is a sectional elevation, and Figure, 2, a sectional plan
showing a combination of four kilns as made with our improvements.
In these drawings the same reference letters and numerals are used to mark the
same or like parts wherever they are repeated.
In the drawings there are shown four kilns of a series, which are combined so
that they can be worked rotationally. Each kiln chamber, A. 1, A 2, A 3, and A 4,
is circular in horizontal section, and has a domed or arched inner roof, B, in which
roof there is a central aperture or outlet, C, communicating with a chimney or
cone, D1, D2, D3, D4, above, a damper, E, to which is attached a weighted
chain, F, extending down the outside of the kiln, being provided for opening and
closing the said apertures as required.
Beneath the floor of each kiln chamber, A 1, etc. various flues or flue spaces are
constructed. There is a central flue or well, such as, G2, G3, G4, descending
some distance and at its bottom communicating with a horizontal flue, H 1, H2,
H 3, H 4, extending to the kiln next in rotational order. The horizontal fluc, H 4,
is shown broken off at the right-hand end but where only four kilns are used this
flue, H4, leading from the kiln, A 4, must communicate with the kiln, A 1. There
may however be other kilns in the set, thus for example another row of four
kilns (A 5, A6, A7, A8) placed parallel to those shown in the drawings, in every
case the horizontal flue (say H 8) leading from what may be called the last of the
set (say A 8) communicating with the first kiln, A. 1.
Dampers, J 1, etc., are fitted in the communicating flues, H 1, etc., between each
kiln, and corresponding branch flues, K1, etc., also fitted with dampers, L 1, etc.,
lead from each flue, H 1, etc., to a second horizontal flue, W, communicating with a
chimney, X, which chinney may be placed in the position found best suited to
produce the necessary draught. By means of these flues, K 1, etc., and W, the
dempers or valves, J 1, etc., and, L1, etc., any kiln can be disconnected from the

page_text: Owners,
the gases from any one kin can De made to pass directly to
the chimney, X.
Each central flue or well such as, G 2, G3, G4, communicates by spaces such
as, M2, M3, M 4, under the floor with numerous apertures N, through the floor.
Encircling each central flue or well, G, two annular flues, P, and, Q, are formed
the inner one, P, being for the passage of air and the outer one, Q, for the passage
of gas. The gas reaches the outer annular flues, Q, through separate branch
flues, R1, R2, R3, R4, fitted each with a regulating valve, S, from a gas supply
main, Y, leading from one or more gas producers, Z. The gas supply main, Y, is
shown broken off at the right-hand end in Figure, 2, but it extends so as to supply
all the kilns of a series. The annular air flue, P, of each kiln communicates with
the horizontal flue such as, H 1. leading from the kiln preceding it in rotational
order; and the air flue, P, and gas flue, Q, communicate with combustion chambers
such as, V2, V3, and, V 4, placed around or at the sides of the kiln wall.
When the gas is being burned in one chamber (say A. 2) the air for its combustion
reaches it in a more or less heated condition from the chamber, A 1, in which the
firing has just previously taken place and which with its contents is being cooled by
air entering through a suitable number of apertures which are in the wall and are
closed at other times, such air becoming heated in passing through the chamber.
The air heated in this way in the chamber, A 1, descends through the apertures in
the floor and central flue of that chamber and passes along the bottom communicating
flue, H1, to the kiln, A 2, which is being fired. The gas which is being supplied to
the kiln, A 2, combines with the air in the combustion chambers, V 2, and the
ignited gases pass in an upward direction into the kiln chamber, A 2, and
returning downwards from the upper part of it amongst the pottery or other
articles being fired, pass off through the floor apertures and central flue, G 2, into
the bottom flue, H 2, and proceed to the kiln, A 3, which is next in rotational order.
The gases which enter this kiln, A 3, and are still highly heated are utilised in
preparatorily strongly heating the articles in the kiln, A 3. The gases pass from
the kiln, A. 3, to the kiln, A 4, by the horizontal flue, H 3, and the heat remaining
in them is utilised in preparatorily drying and gently heating the articles in that
kiln. The gases finally pass off, as we now prefer, through the branch flue, K 4,
leading from the kiln, A 4, to the horizontal flue, W, leading to the chimney, X,
instead of escaping through the outlet, C, in the roof, B, of the chamber as described
in our Provisional Specification.
When the firing in kiln, A 2, has been continued for a sufficient length of time, the
proper valves or dampers are adjusted so that during the next period, the actions
that have been taking place in kilns, A1, A2, A3, and A 4, will take place
respectively, in kilns, A2, A3, A4, and A5, (or if there are only four kilns,
in A 1); and during the next period those actions will take place, respectively, in
kilns, A 3, A 4, A 5, and A 6, (or in A 1, and A 2) and so on.
If found necessary or desirable a valved or adjustable inlet may be provided for
admitting some cool air to mix with the heated air.
Instead of the kilns being circular in plan, they may be of oval, or square, or
other simple form; and instead of forming a series of separate buildings as in the
example hereinbefore described and delineated in the accompanying drawings, they
may be formed as a series of separate chambers in a single main building or
structure, or any two or more of a series of kiln chambers may be formed in one
building. The flues or spaces beneath the floors of the kiln chambers must of
course be adapted to the form of the chambers.
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:
The improved arrangement and construction of kilns for pottery, bricks, and the
like, worked rotationally and fired with gas, and comprising the following
constructive details, namely in each kiln, an exit descending flue or well at the

page_text: centre of the floor and communicating through flues or spaces with apertures
through the floor, a horizontal flue leading from the central well of one kiln to flues
or spaces below the floor of the next kiln in rotational order, a flue receiving
gas through a branch flue and valve, another flue which at the time of firing
receives air from the horizontal flue leading from the preceding kiln in rotational '5
order, and a series of combustion chambers placed around or at the sides of the
kiln wall and communicating with the said gas and air flues, the parts operating
substantially in the manner and for the purposes hereinbefore described.
Dated this Seventh day of June 1893.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicants' Agent.