Specification of James Robinson : furnaces, fire bars, &c.

  • Robinson, James.
Date:
1855
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Specification of James Robinson : furnaces, fire bars, &c. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    5/8 (page 3)
    3 Robinsons Improvements in Apparatus for Generating Steam and Gas, §c. My Invention consists of forming or constructing a compact framework or apparatus, consisting of one, two, three, or more tiers of fire-places, all the bars of the said tiers being fitted and fastened to the front and back part of the said framework, the whole of which are hollow, made of boiler plates or 5 similar material, forming one complete cellular apparatus. The coal or other fuel is supplied to the top or upper tier, and the bars or tubes are so arranged that the spaces between them are wider than in the next tier, and these are also wider than the spaces in the tier below; so that the fire passing through the top or first set of gratings will fall on and remain for a time on the second 10 set, and then fall through to the third, and so on. The air necessary for combustion is also supplied at the top or upper part of the apparatus above the fire, instead of under it, as heretofore, by which contrivance I obtain a down¬ ward draught or current through the whole series of gratings, which causes the smoke from the top or green fuel to pass through its own and also through 15 the red fires of the succeeding tiers of gratings, whereby it will be consumed. The whole of the said apparatus being hollow, and when used for generating steam is attached to the boiler or vessel by one or more connecting tubes in such a manner as to allow the water to circulate freely both through boiler and apparatus, it is evident that the water in the said apparatus will be heated and 20 generate steam, as well as that in the boiler; in fact, the hollow heating appa¬ ratus may be considered part of the boiler itself. It will be easily perceived that by this arrangement a very great heating or steam generating surface is obtained, and by causing the smoke to descend through its own fire, and also through the bright fires which have previously fallen on the lower grates, it 25 will be completely consumed, by which means a considerable saving of fuel will be effected, and the smoke nuisance abated. When the said apparatus is used for making or producing gas, I fix a cover or covers at one or both ends of the bars or tubes, and thus form a series of gas retorts with pipes or suitable apparatus to carry off the gas. 30 These my said improvements will be clearly understood by reference to the accompanying two Sheets of Drawings, in which the same letters of reference are used to represent the same parts in all the Figures. Fig. 1, Sheet 1, is a longitudinal vertical section of my apparatus attached to an ordinary two-flued boiler, taken through the lines F, G, as seen in Figs. 3, 35 4, and 5; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, with part of the brick-work removed, so as to shew the action of the heat; Fig. 3 is a horizontal section, taken through the line A, B; Fig. 4 is a cross vertical section, taken through the line C, D; and Fig. 5 is a front elevation. The whole of the apparatus when used for generating steam is constructed of boiler plates or similar material,