US1148625A - Underfeed furnace. - Google Patents

Description

R- S- RILEY.

UNDEHFEED FURNACE.

APPLICATIQN FILED OCT. 20. 191|.

Patented Aug. 3, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Mmm I l Z R. S. RILEY.

UNDERFEED FURNACE.

APPLICATION man ocT.20. 1911.

Patented Aug. 3, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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U IV/ UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT SANFORD RILEY, OF PROVIDENCE, `RHODE ISLAND.

UNDERFEED FURNACE.

Application led October 20, 1911.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ROBERT SANFORD RILEY, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Providence, inthe county of Providence and State of Rhode Island,haveV invented certain new and useful Improvements in Underfeed Furnaces. of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to. furnaces of the underfeed type and has for its object to combine in a furnace of this type together with mechanism for automatically feeding fuel into the furnace to a point therein where the supply of air is wholly lacking or is insuflicient to support combustion, an additional positively-acting means .for effecting feed of burning fuel and refuse to the part of the furnace at which the refuse is discharged.

Other objects are to out away and break off deposits of slag and clinker which have a tendency to form on the inclosing walls of the furnace, to break up lumps of coke and clinker in the fuel bed, making such bed homogeneous in condition and preventing formation of holes therein, and to provide improved and more eficient means for supplying air to the furnace to support combustion.

In the main, the objects sought and attained by the present invention are the same or are similar to those accomplished in other forms of furnace shown and described in applications filed concurrently herewith, Serial Numbers 655,821 and 655,823.

The features which distinguish this invention from those shown in the applications referred to relate to a particular construction and manner of operation by which each retort, including its bottom and side walls, moves as a unit; to the manner in which the retort moves; to a particular form of fuel feeder; and to details of construction and of mechanism for operating the movable parts, hereinafter more particularly described. In the particular embodiment of my invention illustrated in this application, the retort walls move in a generally up and down direction and with oscillatory motion.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application: Figure l represents a longitudinal section of a furnace showing the parts thereof in which the further invention' is embodied, and omitting structural details which are not essential to .Specification of Letters Patent. p Patented Allg. 3, 1915.

serial No. 655,822.'-

is a vertical cross section of two retorts taken on line 1- 4c of Fig. l. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectionv of one of the air conduits which forms a side of the retort, such section being taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a cross section of one retort taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 1. Fig.*7 is an elevation of one of the hollow bars which form a part of the air-supplying means and fuel support.

Referring to the drawings-the numeral l indicates the front wall of a furnace inclosure, 2 represents a bridge wall, and 3 represents an air box or trunk extending from side to side of the furnace and serving both as a support for the retort or retorts and as a conduit for conveying the air necessary to support combustion to the furnace. The side walls of the furnace inclosure and the base by which the furnace as a whole is supported are omitted as not being necessary t'o convey an understanding of the essentials of my invention. Any sort of base or supporting structure may be designed, in accordance with the requirements of the situation in which the furnace is to be installed.

Thepart of the furnace which holds the fuel consists of a retort or a plurality of retorts in which the fuel is first distilled with combustion of its volatile constituents, and in which the liXed carbon is converted into coke. Each of these retorts is composed of a bottom and a pair of double-Walled sides through which air is caused to flow and which constitute air conduits. The bottom of the retort is a plate 4 which eX- tends through the front of the furnace, a part being within the furnace inclosure. The forward or outer end of the bottom plate is connected with a tubular fuel guide or conduit 5 on the top of which is a hopper 6 containing a supply of fuel. The hopper opens at, its bottom into the upper part of the fuel conduit. The retort bottom is supported by a semicylindrical box 8 secured to the air trunk 3 on the upper side thereof.

The front wall 9 and the rear wall l0 extend downwardly from the under side of the bottom plate and bear on the sides of the semicylindrical box, the wall 9 bearing directly against the box and the wall 10 having a projection 11 for this purpose. At the sides of the bottom plate are depending side walls 12 which have concave edges fitting about the semicircular end walls 13 of the box 8. Thus, the walls 9, 10 (withits extension 11), and 12, form an inclosure which fits about the semicylindrical box 8 and is in practically airtight contact therewith. The box 8 is open at its bottom, in registry with an opening in the upper side ofthe air trunk, and also has openings in its `side walls communicating withthe interior of the box above described. Rising above the bottom plate 4 are side walls 14 across which extends a top wall 15. These walls merge with the corresponding walls of the fuel conduit 5 and define the rear end of this conduit and the forward end or beginning of the retort. The double-walled conduits which form the sides of the retort at the inner end thereof and are contained within the furnace are indicatedby 16 and 17 respectively. They are secured to the wall 10, previously mentioned, by means of flanges 18 and bolts 19, and extend above and bebelow the bottom plate 4. Their.v interior openings register with openings in the wall 10 and thus communicate with the air trunk. The walls of the conduits 16 and 17 where they rise above the bottom 4 register with the walls 14, which also are double. Across the space between'the double walls 14 is a web 20, shown in Fig. 5, which limits the height of the space between these double walls into which the air may flow.

The conduits 16 and 17 are open at their upper edges, andfmounted thereon are boxes 21 which have walls at the top, front and opposite sides, but are open at the bottom and rear sides. Their side walls are spaced so as to correspond with the inner and outer walls 22 and 23 respectively of the air conduits, as shown in Fig. 6. The boxes are placed in series, close together, with the side walls of each in contact with the front wall of the next. Thus the boxes form compartments communicating with the conduits into which air may pass from the latter. The rear side of the box is somewhat longerthan the front wall, hence when they are placed in series as shown in Figs. 1 and 5, the open rear side of each box is almost entirely closed by the front wall of the next adjacent box, there being only a narrow slit left uncovered. The air which enters the boxes may be discharged through these slits across the spaces within the furnace at the sides of the retorts and between adjacent retorts. Thus the series of boxes assembled and forming the slits as described, form nozzles arranged to direct the air for supporting 'combustion into the furnace in the manner required. The top of each of the boxes is provided with a lip 24 extending over this slit and to some extent overlapping the top of the next box and having the function of deflecting the air which issues from the slit and causing it to flow horizontally through the fuel before its velocity is expended and it rises.` In the inner side Walls, also, of the' boxes 21 are orifices 25 through which the air may flow across the retort. The boxes rest upon the upper edges of the walls of the air conduits and are prevented from dislodgement by hooks 26, each box having a hook projecting to some extent into the conduit on-which it is mounted and engaging a bar 27 which crosses the conduit.

The upper edges of the conduits 16 and 17 are inclined to the direction of the bottom 4, consequently the latter crosses the plane of these edges and also the line of outlet boxes 21 which follow and are positioned by the conduit edges, and the bottom plate termi-y nates short of the inner ends of the conduits. In all those parts of the latter which project beyond the bottom plate, I mount transverse bars which support the fuel after it leaves the bottom plate 4 and at the same time supply air thereto. Such bars are designated at 28, and one of them is shown in rear elevation in Fig. 7. They are sufii ciently long to extend across the space between the conduits 16 and 17 and rest upon the upper ends thereof. They are preferably the same in cross section as the boxes 21, with the exception that between their ends they are provided with bottom walls 29. They are open at the rear sides, however, throughout their entire length, and their top walls are provided with lips 30 also extending throughout the entire length of the bars. At the ends which overlie the conduits 16 and 17 the bottoms of the bars are open to establish communication with the conduits, and at these ends are depending hooks 31 similar to the hooks 26 which secu're the bars in place in the same way that the boxes 21 are secured. The bars 28 are assembled in the same manner as the boxes 21 and bridgel the -space between the conduits up to the end of the bottom plate 4. The lip 30 of each bar overlies the top of the next adjacent bar to the rear; and such lips, together with the top walls from which they project, support the fuel discharged from the retort bottom 4. They form a series of steps on which the fuel rests and between which air is discharged into the fuel.

In the fuel conduit 5 is a pusher 32 adapted to pass back and forth under the outlet of the hopper 6 and having an extension 33 lying along the bottom plate 4 and projecting into the retort. Rising from this extension are shoulders 34 and 35 which are abrupt at the rear and formed with a very gradual slope on the front side. A plate or shoulder 36 is fixed to the wallsl of the fuel conduit and extends across the *extension 33. Its purpose is to prevent the fuel from being withdrawn when the pusher is retracted,l and it is therefore termed a fuel stop. n

It will have been seen from the foregoing description that the entire structure of each retort, including the fuel conduit, hopper, and air conduits which form the retort walls, is a unit which is supported entirely by the semicyli'ndricalbox 8 above the air trunk. This entire structure is thus able to move oscillatively about the axis of the box 8 which serves as a pivot. When moved in this manner, the rear part of the retort and the bars 28 are raised and lowered, while the sides of the retort and the air boxes near the forward end thereof move up and down and also somewhat forwardly and rearwardly, as these parts of the retort are above the axis of oscillation. The top wall l5 of the fuel conduit is concentric with thev axis of oscillation, and a fixed plate 37 concentric therewith and making contact with such plate, is secured to the furnace wall to provide a seal against escape of fuel and conned air. Secured to the rear ends of the conduits and extending across the space between them is a plate 38, also curved concentrically with the axis of oscillation, which may be termed an ash shield. A. plate 39 crosses the space between the bridge wall 2 and this ash shield, for the purpose of supporting refuse and permitting discharge of the same as the refuse accumulates.

A suitable mechanism for both reciproeating the pusher 32 and oscillating the entire retort, consists of a shaft 40 having a crank pin 41 provided with a block 42 which is adapted to slide in a slotted head 43 secured to the pusher. This shaft, in rotating, moves the pusher back and forth in a manner well understood, and as the length of the slot is less than the throw of the crank, the crank-pin block whichengages the alternate ends of the slot raises and lowers the cross head correspondingly and thereby swings the retort. It may be desirable to adjust the amount of oscillation of the retort, and for this purpose I provide a stop 44 in the slot and an adjusting screw 45 by whichit may be raised and lowered.

The operation of the furnace or stoker is as follows: lVhenever the pusher is retracted from the furnace it uncovers-the outlet of the hopper, allowing a quantity of fuel it further int-o the retort. The stop 36 holds the fuel from being pushed back by the shoulder 34 and insures a progressive flow of fuel. A similar effect further in the retort is secured by the shoulder 35. As the pusher travels in a line crossing the retort mouth and is located partly below and partly in front of the line of air-admission, or, in other words, as the admissionof air occurs between the path in which the green fuel is fed and thesurface of the fuel bed, the equivalent of an underfeed of fuel into the furnace is eiected. The green fuel,

'when it first enters the retort, is below the The movement of the retort4 and its walls is provided to effect a gradual feed of the burning fuel and refuse to the discharge point. The mouth of the retort is somewhat sloping but the slope is less than that down which granular or powdered material such as fuel and its refuse will slide under the influence of gravity. The up and down movement of the rear part of the retort, and the forward and back movement of the retort walls at the front of the furnace, cause the fuel to be raised and lowered and at the same time gradually forced to the rear. The pusher extension moves toward the rear of the furnace when the retort is rising, and the retort walls move, in effect, upwardly and forwardly, that is, oppositely to the fuel during this movement, and they pro-- pel the fuel toward the rear during the downward and rearward movement. The fuel on top of the air boxes and bars is progressively pushed from one to the other rearwardly until the residue, consisting mainly or wholly of incombustible refuse, is deposited on the dumping plate 39.

Ordinarily there will be two or more retorts of this character mounted in one furnace, arranged so that the adjacent retorts movesimultaneously in opposite directions, either of two adjacent retorts being elevated while the other is lowered. To obtain this effect, the cranks which actuate the adjacent retorts are set opposite to each other, as shown in Fig. 3. Each two contiguous retorts, moreover, a re so connected together as to counterbalaruzc one another and thereby relieve the engine or motor which actuates the retorts from the necessity of performing any more work than merely sufficient to overccjae friction.

vin the hopper.

The manner of mounting the retort structure is such that the weight of that part which projects into the furnace with its load of fuel. is greater than the weight of the forwardly projecting part and the fuel Consequently the action of gravity tends to lower the retorts, and this tendency is overcome by the power acting through the shaft 40. I have devised a means, consisting of a beam 46 pivoted upon a fixed standard 47, and links 48 and 49 connected to opposite ends of the beam respectively and to the forwardly projecting fuel conduits, through which the force of gravity acting on the elevated retort tends to raise the lower retort.

In addition to the advantage, above described, arising from the provision of two or more retorts actuated simultaneously in opposite directions, this'arra-ngement also more efliciently accomplishes the rearward feed of the burning fuel and ash. For when one retort is raised and the adjacent retort is lowered, the fuel which is piled up over the walls of the elevated retort and which is continually pushed upward and to the rear by the feeding pusher, overflows and falls upon the fuel bed carried by the adjacent depressed retort, being thus alternately thrown from one to the other until it is finally worked off from lthe' ends of the retorts on to the dead plates.

- Where more than two retorts are combined in one furnace, the arrangement of cranks is such that the two retorts on opposite sides of any intermediate elevated retort are both depressed. Any retort thus carries its own section of the fuel bed independently of the section carried by the adjacent retorts, and such sections are alternately raised and lowered. The fuel is thus kept in continuous agitation and is broken up into comparatively small pieces.' At least, the formation of excessively large lumps of either coke or clinker is prevented. Thus the formation of holes in the fuel bed is prevented, because the lumps are broken up into pieces small enough to fall into any such holes and prevent loss of air through such holes or thin places and diversion of the air from thicker parts of the fuel bed. The retort walls in a oneretort furnace, and correspondingly the outer walls of the outermost retorts in a furnace having more than one, travel close to the side walls of the furnace and are enabled b v virture of their movement to strike and cut or break away any lumps of fuel or slag which may fuse on such side walls. In a similar manner, lumps of slag or clinker which may accumulate on the front wall arc broken away by the pressure given to the fuel adjacent this front wall by the same movement. Much trouble has been experienced in furnaces having stationary grates and retorts, by reason of accumulation of clinkerv on the walls and the difficulty of removing the same.` In my furnace, however, when such deposits of clinker have formed, they are either struck or pressed upon by the parts of the retort structure or by the fuel and thus broken awav.

In the foregoing description of operation, where I have used the word retort I have had in mind the entire portion of the retort structure which lies within the furnace inclosure, including the horizontal bars over which the fuel is fed, as well as -the retorts proper consisting of the spaces between the upright conduit walls and the air boxes 21, and above the bottom plate or floor 4.

Each of the vretort structures is an independent unit and may be used alone in a narrow single-retort furnace, or together with others in a wider furnace. The outermost side walls of each retort are vertical, without external projections, and so the retort may be placed between the smooth side walls of the furnace built the proper distance apart. There are no impervious fuel-supporting surfaces between the outermost walls of the adjacent retorts or between such retort walls and the furnace walls, but, instead, such spaces as may exist between the retorts, and such spaces are appreciable because the retort walls are not smoothly finished, are open, and allow air to flow from beneath the retorts into the furnace in consequence of the partial vacuum which is always present under ordinary working conditions in a furnace.

The tops ofthe air boxes and bars on which the fuel discharged from the retort rest-s, are not impervious fuel-supporting plates but correspond rather to grate bars between which spacesare left for the passage of air into the fuel bed.

The retort structure is very simple, and, except for the air boxes and bars, consists of a very small number of parts,-as here shown, exactly four. These parts can easily be assembled either at the factory or at the place where the furnace is erected, by simplv bolting the conduits 16 and 17 to the main part and bolting the shield 38 to the ends of the conduits. Such parts may be put together anywhere, and the required number of retorts thus made mounted side by side in the furnace inolosure. The air boxes 21 and bars 28 are respectively duplicates of each other and may be made cheaply and in large quantities and applied upon the retort structures to the number required.

Although I have illustrated the oscillating retort structure as being a unit, the side walls, Hoor and rear extension grate being rigidly connected together and moving in unison, -yet I desire to state that my invention in its broader aspects is not limited to this feature but is present as well in a construction where the floor is stationary and the sides and extension grate oscillate, and also in a construction where the fioor and extension grate are both stationary and the sides alone oscillate.l Such a construction is illustrated in oneof the co-pending applications hereinbefore referred to, namely, No. 655,823 and is covered in some of the broader claims of this. application.

Having thus explained the nature of my said invention and described a way of constructing and using the same, although withoutattempting to set forth all the forms in which it may be made or all the modes of its use, what I claim is:

l. In a furnace, a fuel burning retort consisting of a bottom impervious to the passage of air and side walls at each side of said bottom, said walls being mounted with capability for upward and downward movement atone end, means for constantly feeding 4fuel into the retort at one end thereof, and means for giving the defined movement to said walls to effect a gradual progression of fuel and refuse through and from the retort. i

2. In a furnace, a fuel burning retort consisting of a bottom and side walls extending from one of the boundaries of the furnace i into the furnace, said side walls having airemission outlets arranged to direct air across the retort-and being mounted to oscillate about a horizontal axis near said boundary, whereby the portions of the walls within the furnace are capable of moving upwardly and downwardly, and mechanism for soy moving said walls continuously to effect a progressive travel of fuel from the retort into the furnace.

8. In a furnace, a plurality of fuel burning retorts mounted side by side, each including in itsiconstru ction upright side walls,

and a fuel passage between the walls, said,

walls having air-emission outlets arranged to direct air across the passage, andsuch walls of one retort being mounted with capability for movement relatively to the walls of the other oscillatively about a horizontal axis transverse to the direction of the retorts located near one boundary of the furnace, and means for oscillating said relatively movable walls simultaneously and oppositely, to effect a progressive feed of the fuel from the retorts into the furnace.'

4. In a furnace, a fuel-burning retort including in its construction separated airconduits which form the walls of the retort and a bottom between and below the upper limits of said conduits, said conduits having air outlets `above the floor arranged to direct air across the retort, supporting means for said conduits near the front of the furnace on which the conduits are mounted to swing about a substantially horizontal axis, and means for swinging said conduits about such axis.

5. In a furnace, a fuel-supporting floor, air conduits at each side of said floor and having air outlets above the floor, forming the sides of a fuel burning retort, hollow bars extending across between the conduits beyond and below the end of said floorihaving outlets for air, and means for raising and lowering said conduits at an end thereof to effect a feed movement of the fuel.

6. In a furnace, conduits adapted to supply air to the furnace extending from the front toward the rear thereof and separated from one another, having air outlet near the upper limits, a plate extending between the conduits forming the floor of the retort of which said conduits are the sides, said floor extending in such a direction as to intersect the upper edges of the conduits between the ends thereof, and fuel-supporting plates extending between the conduits beyond and below the end of said fioor having spaces between them4 adapted to permit passage `of air, said conduits and plates being movable upwardly and downwardly to eect a progression of fuel.

7. In a furnace, an air trunk, a cylindrically-formed support mounted upon said air trunk and having passages arranged to permit flow of air through it from the trunk, conduits slidingly supported by said support in a manner permitting movementy about the axis of the support, said conduits being in communication with the passage in the support whereby to admit air, and a .floor arranged between the conduits forming the bottom of the retort of which the conduits are the sides, said conduits having air-discharge openings above said floor.

8. In a furnace, the combination of separated conduits having upright walls and longitudinal openings in their upper sides, air emission members mounted upon the upper sides of said conduits communicating therewith and having outlets at their upper portions, a floor between the conduits exending in such a direction as to intersect the upper sides thereof between the ends of the conduits, and air emission members supported by and extending between the conduits in rear of and below .said floor having hollow interiorsin communication with the interior of the conduits and having outlets directed toward the ends of the conduits, and said conduits being oscillatively movable about a transverse axisto effect a progression of-fuel.

9. In a furnace, a plurality of fuel retorts extending longitudinally of the furnace having mouths opening into the interior of the furnace and each formed of 'air supplying side walls and a bottom mounted with capability of oscillation about a horizontal axis transverse to their length, means for fo-rcing fuel into the retorts from outside of the furnace, and mechanism for oscillating adjacent retorts simultaneously in opposite directions, whereby to effect a progressive fuel 10. In a furnace, a fuel-burning retort extending into the furnace inclosure and having a bottom and side walls, the upper limitsof which are inclined to form a downwardly sloping mouth, means for supporting said retort near its uppermost and forward end with capability of oscillating about a horizontal axis transverse to the longitudinal dimensions of the furnace, means for feeding fuel into the lretort at its supported end, and means for oscillating the retort about its axis to effect a progressive fuel feed.

11. In a furnace, a fuel burning retort extending into the furnace, constructed with rigidly connected side walls and bottom with a fuel space between them and having a fuel inlet adjacent to one boundary of the furnace, said retort being mounted oscillatively on a horizontal transverse axis near said boundary, and mechanism for oscillating said retort continuously to effect a gradual progression of fuel into the furnace.

12. In a furnace, a fuel burning retort provided with upright walls, a support therefor having a horizontal axis transverse to the planes of said walls whereon said walls are pivotally mounted, and a fuel pusher arranged to reciprocate between said walls and across said pivotal axis.

13. In a furnace, a fuel burning retort provided with rigidly connected sides and floor and mounted to oscillate as a unit about a horizontal axis, a fuel feeder in said retort arranged to reciprocate longitudinally thereof, and mechanism for oscillating the retort and reciprocating the feeder whereby a progressive feed movement of the fuel from the front to the rear of the retort is effected.

14, In a furnace, a fuel burning retort provided with upright walls, a support therefor located near one end of the walls, having-a transverse horizontal axis on which the walls are mounted with capability of oscillative movement about such axis, whereby the wall ends remote from the axis are enabled to rise and descend and the portions of the walls nearest the axis may move back and forth, a conduit for fuel opening into the end of the retort over the axis, and means for feeding fuel through said conduit into the retort.

15. In a furnace, a fuel burning retort consisting of a floor, and hollow wallsv secured to said Hoor at opposite sides thereof and rising above the same, said walls constituting air conduits and having air outlets in their upper portions, and an air trunk separate from and supporting the retort, on which the latter is mounted to slide bodily and oscillatively, the interior of the hollow walls being in communication with the air trunk whereby to permit flow of air from the latter to said air outlets.

16. In a furnace, a fuel burning retort consisting of a floor, hollow walls secured to said floor at opposite sides thereof and rising above the same, said walls constituting air conduits and having air outlets in their upper portions, and an air trunk convex on its upper side supporting the retort, the retort having depending walls forming a chamber and making sliding contact with the upper part of the air trunk, whereby the retort is enabled to move bodily, and the air trunk and hollow walls or conduits being open to such chamber to permit flow of air to the outlets.

17. In a furnace, in combination with an air trunk having an opening in its upper side, a fuel burning retort consisting of a floor extending across the air trunk and formed with depending walls inclosing a chamber and making sliding contact with the air trunk, conduits having substantially upright walls secured to said floor and having interior communication with said chamber, the conduits extending above the floor to form the sides of the retort and being open at the top, and discharge nozzles mounted upon the tops of said conduits in communication therewith having outlets for discharge of air.

18. In a furnace, an air trunk having, upon its upper side,.walls curved cylindri-. cally and circularly about a horizontal axis, a retort including a floor extending across said trunk and resting upon such walls, said Hoor having also depending walls inclosing an air chamber and making substantially airtight contact with the first-named walls, and conduits arranged on each side of the floor in rigid connection therewith and in communication with said air chamber, the conduits rising above the floor and forming the walls of the retort andvbeing provided with air outlets, the entire retort structure being movable slidingly upon the curved walls of the air trunk and being thereby capable of oscillating about the axis of such walls, whereby to effect a progressive feed of fuel from front to rear.

19. In a. furnace, a retort structure consisting of a fuel conduit or chute and a retort oor extending from said fuel conduit into the furnace, an air trunk having an with the interior of such chamber. the upper sides of such conduits being open, and nozzle members mounted upon the upper sides of the conduits in communication therewith and having air outlets the ventire retort structure being movable bodily with relation to the air trunk.

20. In a furnace, a retort structure consisting of a fuel conduit or chute and a retort floor extending from said fuel conduit into the furnace, an air trunk having an opening in its upper side, depending walls extending downwardly from the fuel chute andiioor structure inclosing the air trunk opening and making sliding contact with the trunk, the walls of the trunk with which such contact is made being curved concentrically with the horizontal axis, and conduits connected to said depending walls and having interior communication with the space inclosed by said walls, located at the sides of the floor and rising above the same to form the sides of the retort, said conduits having outlets above the plane of the floor.

21. In a furnace, a fuel burning retort eX tending into the furnace and a fuel conduit connected to said retort extending outwardly from the furnace'. said retort and conduit forming a unit structure and being pivotally mounted between the ends of such structure,

a fuel feeder mounted reciprocatively in the transverse to its length, a fuel pusher arranged to reciprocate in said retort, a slotted erosshead connected to the pusher` and a rotating driving crank in said slotted crosshead adapted to move the pusher reciprocatively and at the same time oscillate the retort.

24. In a furnace, the combination with an oscillatively-niounted fuel burning retort and a pusher for feeding the fuel arranged to reciprocate in said retort transversely to the axis about which the latter oscillates. of driving mechanism constructed to reciprocate the pusher and simultaneousl)v oseillate the retort, and adjusting means whereby the extent of oscillative, movement imparted to the retort may bc varied.

25. In a furnace, a fuel burning retort mounted with provision for movement bodily in opposite directions, a fuel feeder mounted to reciprocate longitudinally7 in said retort. and mechanism for so moving the pusher and the retort, said mechanism including means for varying the extent of movement of the retort.

QG. In a furnace, the combination with an oscillatively mounted fuel burning retort and a fuel-feeding pusher reciprocating longitudinally in said retort, of a driving crank, and a slotted crosshead secured to the pusher transversely thereof in which the crank is contained, the slot of said crosshead being shorter than the throw of the crank. whereby the latter actuates both the pusher and retort.

Q7. In a furnace, the combination with an oscillat-ively mounted fuel burning retort and a fuel-feeding pusher reciprocating longitudinally, in said retort, of a driving crank, a slotted crosshead secured to the pusher transversely thereof in which the crank is contained, the slot of said crosshead being shorter than the throw of the crank whereby the latter actuates both the pusher and retort. and an adjustable abutment in such slot adapted to be moved so as to vary the effective length of the slot and thereby control the extent of oscillative movement im- Y parted to the retort.

Q8. In a furnace, the combination of a plurality of fuel feeding and burning retorts mounted side by side in parallel relation and each movable in opposite directions, one of such directions being opposed to the force of gravity, driving mechanism for so moving one of said retorts, and connections between the retorts whereby the force of gravity upon either tends to move the other in the direction opposed to gravitation.

29. In a, furnace, the combination of two or more fuel feeding and burning retorts arranged in arallel relation adapted to move opposite y to one another in such directions as to be alternately assisted and opposed by the force of gravity, and connection between adjacent retorts through which the force of gravity acting upon one tends to ilove the other in the gravity-opposing direction.

30. In a furnace, the combination with an air trunk having parallel upright walls with their outer edges circularly curved, of separated air conduits having outlets and provided with upright walls in the planes of the first-named walls and having circular concavities to receive same, the conduit i 'alls being adapted to slide on the other walls, whereby the conduits may oscillate about the center of curvature of such edges. and means for feeding fuel into the space between said conduits.

3l. In a furnace, a fuel retort comprising a bottom and side walls rising above said bottom and having provisions for emitting air to fuel in the retort,` said walls being lll) mounted with capability for up and down movement at their rear ends, means for feeding fuel into the forward end of the retort, and means for giving the defined movement to said walls to effect a further progression of the fuel and refuse in the retort.

32. In a furnace, a fuel burning retort extending from the front toward the rear of the furnace and composed essentially of a bottom and side walls, the side walls being mounted to oscillate about an a-Xis so placed that the rear ends of the walls move up and down and their forward ends move back and forth, means for feeding fuel into the forward end of the retort, and means for oscillating said walls, whereby to effect a further movement of the fuel in the retort.

33. In a furnace, a fuel burning retort having a bottom and side Walls connected together into a unit structure, means for charging fuel into one end of the retort, and meansfor oscillating the retort about a transverse horizontal axis beneath the admission end of the retort to propel farther' the material therein.

34. In a furnace, a plurality of fuel burning retorts arranged side by side, each haying a bottom and side walls, means for feeding fuel into the retorts, and means for oscillating the walls of adjacent retorts simultaneously and in relatively opposite directions about an axis so placed that the walls of one retort are raised while the walls of the adjacent retort are lowered, and the reverse, whereby a further feeding and distribution of the fuel in and over the retorts is effected.

In a furnace, a plurality ofair conduits arranged side by side with intermediate spaces to provide fuel burning retorts, plates between said conduits forming the bottoms of said retorts, air emission means mounted on said conduits in series extending longitudinally thereof, in communication with the interiors of the conduits on which they are respectively mounted, and arranged to direct air across the retorts, means for feeding fuel into the retorts, and means for oscillating the air conduits about an axis so placed that the rear ends of the conduits are alternately raised and lowered, one conduit being thus raised while another is lowered, whereby to progressively advance the fuel and refuse in the furnace.

In testimony whereof Il have aiiixed my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT SANFORD RILEY. Witnesses ARTHUR H. BURNS, I. W. PEZZETTL Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

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