AN IMPROVED METHOD OR METHODS OF AND APPARATUS FOR APPLYING PETROLEUM AND OTHER HYDRO- CARBONS OR LIQUID FUEL WITHOUT OR TOGETHER WITH WOOD, CHARCOAL, PEAT, COAL, OR OTHER FOSSIL FUEL FOR COMBUSTION IN FURNACES FOR THE GENERATION OF STEAM, OR IN OVENS, OR FOR OTHER HEATING PURPOSES, INCLUDING THE SMELTING OF METALS.
Year: 1875

page_text: ETTERS PATENT to Robert Walker, of Westminster Chambers,
Victoria Street, Westminster, in the County of Middlesex, Con-
tractor and Engineer, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED METHOD
OR METHODS OF AND APPARATUS FOR APPLYING PETROLEUM AND OTHER HYDRO-
CARBONS OR LIQUID FUEL WITHOUT OR TOGETHER WITH WOOD, CHARCOAL,
PEAT, COAL, OR OTHER FOSSIL FUEL FOR COMBUSTION IN FURNACES FOR THE
GENERATION OF STEAM, OR IN OVENS, OR FOR OTHER HEATING PURPOSES,
INCLUDING THE SMELTING OF METALS.". -A communication from abroad
by Richard de Bergue, of Paris, in the Republic of France.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Walker at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 7th December 1875.
I, ROBERT WALKER, of Westminster Chambers, Victoria Street,
5 Westminster, in the County of Middlesex, Contractor and Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED
METHOD OR METHODS OF AND APPARATUS FOR APPLYING PETROLEUM AND OTHER

page_text: HYDROCARBONS OR LIQUID FUEL WITHOUT OR TOGETHER WITH WOOD, CHARCOAL,
PEAT, COAL, OR OTHER FOSSIL FUEL FOR COMBUSTION IN FURNACES FOR THE
GENERATION OF STEAM, OR IN OVENS, OR FOR OTHER HEATING PURPOSES, INCLUDING
THE SMELTING OF METALS," (communicated to me from abroad by Richard
de Bergue, of Paris, in the Republic of France,) to be as follows:
The Invention comprises the application and use in combination of
air, gas, and of petroleum in a finely divided condition, introduced by a
blast of air or steam, or both, for combustion in furnaces, or for other
heating purposes.
The Invention further comprises the use and application of petroleum
only, but injected or delivered into a furnace, oven, or combustion
chamber through compound tuyères or nozzles, as herein-after set
forth.
And further, the Invention comprises the use, supply, or introduction
of wood, or charcoal, or peat, or coal, or other fossil fuel (one or more of ]
these) in combination with the use and application of air gas, or of
petroleum, or of both air gas and petroleum jointly. By the expression
"air gas
"I intend common air, saturated, or combined, or impregnated
with, or carrying with it a spirituous or combustible vapour or gas.
And by the expression "petroleum" I intend petroleum, coal tar, bog 2
head, schiste, and such like, or any convenient hydrocarbons or liquid
fuel, and more particularly those known commercially under the name
of heavy "lubricating oils."
I contemplate the production of air gas in accordance with the Speci-
fication of former Letters Patent granted to me for "A New Mode or a
Method of Applying Atmospheric Gas, Spirituous Vapour or Gas, and
Impregnated Combustible Vapour or Gas as a Heating Medium for the
Generation of Steam or other Purposes," ("No. 3093, A.D. 1872,") or
in any convenient manner. And I consider it proper to apply the air
gas by forcing or supplying it through tubes with holes or jets in or on
them, the tubes lying parallel to and between but underneath the
furnace bars, over which I place (sometimes) a stratum or layer of
asbestos to absorb and give out the radiated heat.
:
I contemplate the application of petroleum in a finely divided con-
dition by introducing it in the form of minute globules or spray by and a
together with a blast of air or steam, or both, passing through compound

page_text: tuyères or nozzles directed through the front or sides of the furnace
and above the level or height of the bars. Such compound tuyères or
nozzles I consider it proper to make thus:-I purpose employing a
tapering nozzle endways (lengthways), on to which I apply a blast pipe
for air or steam, or both, having a tapering end or second nozzle
introduced within the first. In the first are also (sometimes) holes for
additional air to be entered and carried with the blast, and also there is
the narrow end of a third tapering nozzle for petroleum supply directed
transversely with regard to the length of the first. If air or steam, or
air with steam, be forced through the blast pipe it will suck up or draw
and convey petroleum through the third nozzle, and the petroleum will
be what I term "pulverized or reduced to minute globules or spray,
or be vaporized, and with the blast, and with (sometimes). the additional
air, will be discharged into the furnace. The petroleum to be so treated
is or may be the residuum or what is left of the petroleum which has been
already employed in the production of the air gas or of the rectified or
lighter qualities of petroleum spirit.
"
The use, supply, or introduction of the wood, or charcoal, or peat, or
coal, or other fossil fuel (one or more of these) in either of the com-
binations above set forth, whether as a means of first lighting up or
starting, or for continued working, is to be effected in the ordinary
manner of using, supplying, or introducing the said descriptions of fuel
or materials or in any convenient manner.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Robert Walker in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 7th June 1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
WALKER, of Westminster Chambers, Victoria Street, Westminster, in
the County of Middlesex, Contractor and Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in
the thirty-ninth year of Her reign, did for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said Robert, Walker, Her
:

page_text: special license, that I, the said Robert Walker, my executors, admini-
strators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Robert Walker,
my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"AN IMPROVED METHOD OR METHODS OF AND APPARATUS FOR APPLYING PETROLEUM
AND OTHER HYDROCARBONS OR LIQUID FUEL WITHOUT OR TOGETHER WITH WOOD,
CHARCOAL, PEAT, COAL, OR OTHER FOSSIL FUEL FOR COMBUSTION IN FURNACES FOR
THE GENERATING OF STEAM, OR IN OVENS, OR FOR OTHER HEATING PURPOSES,
INCLUDING THE SMELTING OF METALS," a communication to me from abroad
by Richard de Bergue, of Paris, in the Republic of France, upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, tho said Robert Walker, my execu-
tors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my hand and
seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and.
cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Robert Walker, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to
say :-
The said Invention consists in the application and use in combination
of air gas and of petroleum in a finely divided condition introduced by
a blast of air or steam, or both, for combination in furnaces or for other
heating purposes.
Also the use, supply, or introduction of wood, charcoal, peat, or other
fossil fuel (one or more of these) in combination with the use and
application of air gas and petroleum jointly. By the expression "air
gas "I intend common air saturated, or combined, or impregnated
with, or carrying with it a spirituous or combustible vapour or gas;
and by the expression "petroleum" I intend petroleum, coal tar, bog
head, schiste, and such like, or any convenient hydrocarbons or liquid

page_text: fuel, and more particularly those known commercially under the name
of heavy "lubricating oils."
The air gas may be produced in the manner described in the Speci-
fication of former Letters Patent granted to me for "A New Mode or
Method of Applying Atmospheric Gas, Spirituous Vapor or Gas, and
Impregnated Combustible Vapour or Gas as a Heating Medium for the
Generation of Steam or other Purposes," (No. 3093, A.D. 1872,) or in
any other convenient manner. The air gas is applied by forcing or
supplying it through tubes with holes or jets in or on them, the tubes
lying parallel to and between but underneath the furnace bars, over
which may be place a stratum or layer of asbestos to absorb and give
out the radiated heat.
The petroleum is applied in a finely divided condition by introducing
it in the form of minute globules or spray by and together with a blast
of air or steam, or both, passing through compound tuyeres or nozzles
directed through the front or sides of the furnace and above the level or
height of the bars. These compound tuyeres or nozzles are each com-
posed of a nozzles tapering endways (lengthways), and having applied
thereto a blast pipe for air or steam, or both, provided with a tapering
end or second nozzle introduced within the first, to which latter there is
also fitted a third tapering nozzle for petroleum supply directed
transversely with regard to the length of the first. The nozzles first
herein-before mentioned forming a portion of the compound nozzle may
also be provided with holes for the admission of additional air to be
carried in with the blast. If air or steam, or air with steam, be forced
through the blast pipe it will suck up or draw and convey petroleum
through the third nozzle, and the petroleum will be what I term
pulverized or reduced to minute globules or spray, or be vaporized,
and with the blast and with the additional air, when the nozzle is pro-
vided with holes, as before mentioned, will be discharged into the
furnace. The petroleum to be so treated is or may be the residuum or
what remains of the petroleum which has been already employed in the
production of the air gas or of the rectified or lighter qualities of
petroleum spirit.
The use, supply, or introduction of the wood, or charcoal, or peat, or
other fossil fuel (one or more of these), in the combination above set
forth, whether as a means of first lighting up or starting, or for con-

page_text: tinued working, is to be effected in the ordinary manner of using,
supplying, or introducing the said description of fuel or materials, or in
any other convenient manner.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood I shall
now proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that
purpose shall refer to the several Figures on the annexed Sheet of
Drawings, the same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts
in all the Figures.
Figure 1 of the Drawings represents a longitudinal section of one of a
series of compound nozzles employed in carrying out this Invention; :
and Figure 2 is an end view of the same.
Figure 3 represents a longitudinal section of a portion of a furnace
with the nozzles and also pipes for the introduction of air gas applied
thereto; and Figure 4 is a sectional plan of the same corresponding to
Figure 3.
Figure 5 is a transverse section of the furnace shewing the air gas
tubes arranged beneath the fire-bars.
a is the furnace flue; b is the fire-bridge; and care the fire-bars,
between but underneath which latter I place tubes d having perforations
in their upper side through which the air gas which is introduced by a
transverse pipe e common to the series of tubes d is discharged into the
spaces g between the fire-bars c, and thence passes up above the fire-
bars, at which place it is ignited in any ordinary or suitable manner,
whereby its combination is effected; h represents a stratum or layer of
asbestos which it is sometimes convenient to employ for the purpose of
absorbing and diffusing the radiated heat. A statum or layer of asbestos
may also be applied over the roof of the furnace if desired. In the
plate i which closes the furnace flue a I fit at a suitable height above
the fire-bars c the compound nozzles shewn detached in Figures 1 and 2,
and which consist of the three parts k, l, m, performing the functions
herein-after described. Z is the cone for the introduction of air (for
xample) which is supplied by the pipe n common to the whole series
of cones ; is the cone for the introduction of the heavy oil, which is
supplied by a pipe o common to the whole series. The air ejected from
the cones k carries with it in the form of spray the oil introduced by
the cones, which are arranged about at right angles to the cones k, and
the spray thus produced is conducted through the cones m into the

page_text: furnace (previously heated by means of the air gas), and becomes and
passes off in the condition of pure caloric.
The additional air required for the perfect combustion of the gas is
admitted through apertures p formed in the body 2 of the compound
nozzle, the degree of opening of such apertures being capable of adjust-
ment by the aid of the regulating lever r. Additional air if required
may be admitted through an openings formed in the plate i, and which
may be fitted with a regulating valve or damper.
If desired wood, charcoal, peat, or other fossil fuel may be employed
in combination with the air gas and petroleum spray, the same being
introduced and used in any ordinary or other convenient manner.
The tubes & may be composed of silica or other good fire-resisting
material.
By means of this Invention the difficulties which attend the use of
liquid fuel according to the ordinary methods are entirely obviated,
whilst perfect immunity from the danger of explosion is obtained.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used
or carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I
consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention
secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,
the employment in combination of air gas and of hydrocarbons or other
liquid fuel in the form of spray or in a finely divided or pulverized
condition in conjunction or not with wood, charcoal, peat, or other
fossil fuel, for the purposes of heating, substantially as herein-before
described and illustrated by the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Walker, have to this my
Specification set my hand and seal, this Seventh day of June, One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-six,