AN IMPROVED KILN FOR BRICK, AND; PLASTER BURNING
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Marc Antoine François Mennons, of the British and
Foreign Patent Offices, 39, Rue de l'Echiquier, Paris, in the Empire
of France, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED KILN FOR BRICK, AND;
PLASTER BURNING."-A communication from Mr. A. Mombrun, residing
in Paris.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Marc Antoine François
Mennons at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition and Declaration, on the 16th June 1859, pursuant to the
9th Section of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, MARC
ANTOINE FRANÇOIS MENNONS, of the British and Foreign Patent Offices, 39,
Rue de l'Echiquier, Paris, in the Empire of France, send greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "AN IMPROVED KILN FOR
BRICK AND PLASTER BURNING," communicated to me by A. Mombrun, residing
in Paris, and have petitioned Her Majesty to grant unto me, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, Her Royal Letters Patent for the same, and have
made solemn declaration that it is a communication:
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Marc Antoine François Mennons, do
hereby declare that the following Complete Specification under my hand and
seal fully describes and ascertains the nature of the Invention, and the manner

page_text: in which the same is to be performed, reference being had to the accom-
panying Drawing, and to the letters marked thereon, that is to say :-
The Invention communicated to me consists in an improved construction of
kilns for brick burning, and for the calcination of gypsum and other minerals
from which the different kinds of plasters are derived. The principle of this
construction will be readily understood by reference to the accompanying
Drawing, in which it is represented in detail.
Figure 1 represents the front of the kiln. A, A, A, A, A, are the ash-pits,
by which the air is admitted; B, B, B, B, B, are the iron doors of the furnace;
C, C, C, C, openings for clearing out the inner chimnies, and which are built
up during each operation with bricks luted with clay; D, stalk of the main
chimney.
Figure 2, base of the kiln. .E, E, E, E, E, are the grate bars, in cast iron;
F, F, F, F, inner chimnies or conduits, which draw the heat from the upper
part of the kiln through the body of the matter to be burned, and carry off the
steam and products of combustion, which they throw into the main chimney
at the exterior of the pile; G, G, G, G, G, G, G, G, base of the kiln, on
which is placed the mineral to be burned; H, outer or main chimney, in com-
munication with the inner conduits, and which carries off the smoke and steam
generated by the combustion. This main chimney forms a sort of case or
chamber at the bottom, and narrows off towards the summit, the dimensions
being varied according to circumstances. I, I, I, I, I, brick or cast-iron
tablets, in front of the grates; J, doorway for the admission and withdrawal of
the materials, and placed at 'will in either the front or side of the kiln. This
doorway is built up during each operation, the interstices being luted
with clay.
Figure 3 represents the interior of the kiln. K, K, K, K, K, furnaces for
the reception of the fuel; L, L, L, L, L, ash-pits, through which the air
passes; M, M, M, M, M, M, M, M, tables, formed of bricks above the grates;
N, N, N, N, inner chimnies or conduits, communicating with the outer or
main chimney H; O, raw material to be operated on, and piled in such a way
as to allow the heat to penetrate through the whole mass from the top before
being carried off on its descent by the inner conduits or chimnies N, N, N, N;
P, P, P, openings formed over the grates in charging the kiln, and intended
to facilitate the movement of the flame; Q, Q, openings reserved over the
grates of each. extremity, between the charge and the side walls. These
openings are left entirely free when the kiln is filled, so that the mass of raw
material may be surrounded by the flame, which is broken and dispersed on
reaching the summit of the pile from each side. In this way the upper layers

page_text: of the material are acted on with most intensity, so that the largest masses
placed at the top are as thoroughly burned as the rest. This result is aided
by the heat ascending from the openings P, P, P, and which being accumulated
at the upper part of the kiln, is forced to pass downwards through the centré
of the mass before it can escape by the conduits N, N, N, N, into which it is
drawn by the currents of air. R, stalk of the main chimney; S; S, space
reserved between the roof of the kiln and the material to be burned, and
forming a reservoir for the heat, which naturally collects at the highest level'
possible; T, T, sheet metal covering, closed by Tirons. This covering máy be
divided into any required number of compartments, and may be employed for
the calcination of plaster dust, spread on it and turned over with shovels from
time to time during the operation. It may, if required, be replaced by a brick
or masonry vaulting, pierced, if necessary, with orifices, which should be closed
during the burning by cast-iron doors or lids luted down with clay. U, main
Tiron, for securing the minor holdfasts of the covering T, T.
Figure 4 represents the hind part of the kiln. V, case or chamber of the
main chimney. The extent of this chamber may be increased or lessened by
altering the slant of the stalk X. Y, register, covering the inner diametër
of the chimney, and serving to regulate the draught during the burning.
It will be readily understood that on the proper management of this register
depends, in a great measure, the economy of the fuel and the quality of the
product. Z (Figs. 2 & 4), door in masonry, which is broken down when
required to repair or clear out the interior of the chimney.
The stone to be burned is piled in the kiln, as shewn in Figure 3, so as to
allow the free circulation of the heat through the whole mass. The blocks
laid over the inner chimnies or conduits should be of sufficient size to cross
them, and a space of about two inches should be left between each range over
the whole breadth of the kiln. When bricks are to be burned, they should be
piled one on the other, a space of an inch or less being left between each
range; the kiln being thus charged, the door is closed with stones or bricks
luted with clay, and the fuel is lighted, care being taken to clear the bars of
the grate from time to time, so as to give free passage to the air. When the
burning is terminated, or nearly so, the remaining steam is allowed to escape,
and the register closed to concentrate the heat in the interior of the kiln, and
give finish to the product.
A great advantage of this kiln is that almost every species of fuel may be
employed in it with an economy and regularity of burning hitherto unattained
by the ordinary systems. The number of grates may be increased or diminished
according to the capacity of the kiln; the order in which they are sketched

page_text: may be inverted, if so required, that is to say, the first inner conduit may be
placed next to the side, wall instead of a grate, as represented in the Drawing,
but as a general rule the latter system is preferable. As before stated, the
dimensions and other details of the main chimney may vary indefinitely,
being entirely dependent on the general requirements of the construction. For
plaster burning, the entire kiln may be built of brick or stone, the vaultings
being formed of the same material or of sheet iron, as shewn in the Drawing.
The latter system has the advantage of facilitating the cooling of the kiln, and
the discharging of the products, while, as before stated, its outer surface may
be: covered with plaster dust, which, while being calcined itself, closes the
interstices of the cover on which it is spread, and confines more effectually the
heat of the kiln.
For brick burning, the entire kiln, including the vaulting, should be
constructed of brick, the temperature required being much higher than for the
preparation of plaster. In both cases the quality of the product is found
much superior to that of the bricks and plasters prepared in the usual way.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention and the manner
of carrying it out, I would have it understood that I do not confine myself to
the precise details herein laid down, as these may be modified according to
circumstances; but what I claim is the general construction and arrangement
of a kiln for the burning of bricks and plasters, substantially as above described
and represented in the different Figures of the accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Marc Antoine François Mennons, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this
day of June, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
LONG