US1165981A - Boiler-furnace. - Google Patents

Description

E. LANE.

BOILER FURNACE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.25. 1907.

Patented Dec. 28, 1915.

3 SHEETSSHEET I.

E. LANE.

BOILER FURNACE.

APFLICATION HLED SEPT-25. 1907. 1,165,981. Patented De0.28,1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

W" 061%? jzwwzww E. LANE.

BOILER FURNACE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.25, I907.

1,165,91 Patented Dec. 28, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

ii rre s ens EDWARD rare or er ee UITY, r se t;-

BOILER-FURNACE.

Specification of Iietters Patent.

reward a la n wi n reas pemb 907- Serial 2 39 .tii

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EDWARD LANE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of hilissouri, have invented certain new anduse ful Improvements in Boiler-Furnaces, ,of which the following is a specif cation.

This invention relates to boilerfurnaces in general, but more particularly ,to those in which the fuel is supported grates niliich are stationary While the fuel. is burning, and in Whiclrthe construction must alto ,d .opportunity for stirring tlie fuel from time :to time with a poker or bar, the well lgnoiyn manner; and my invention has itsobject to provide a furnace by which a ma steam poWer'can be developed with a p m mum consumption of fuel, by vwhich ,the heating properties of the fuel can practically exhausted, nd .Which will operate economically and burn slack coalas, iciently as nut 0r lump coal, and, byii suringiii re perfect combustion, my invention conte nplates an improved furnace of this kind which Will operate With less tendency to produce smoke than heretofore.

A further object is to produce a boiler furnace whereby the steam pressure developed may be varied Without increasing or diminishing the quantity of fuel in the furnace.

A still further object is .to produce 'a fur nace in Whichthe heat radiated from clinlrers may be utilized in heating air entering .the furnace to increase the effectiveness of ,the latter.

It is also an object to provide certain details and features of construction and combinations tending to increase .the general efliciency and service-ability of a furnace .in which the fuel, such as soft coal, is colred on a. series of relativelyvshort grates arranged in stepped relation to each other, and in which the maximum combustion occurs on the main or lowest grate, either alone or in combination means for supplying With heated air through the bridge Wall to the burning fuel on the main grate, the said heated air, ,When thus employed, serving to insure a more perfect combustion and tending to prevent smoke.

With these and other objects in iew as will hereinafter appear, the invention consists in certain novel and peculiar features of construction and organization, as hereinafter described and claimed; and order that it may be fully understood reference is front series of riy 6 f rm ng a ,fi l ie' e to be had to the accompanying drawings, in llbkh I i i i i r ure 1, a section on dotted line I-l of Fig 2, of a boiler furnace embodying my invention, the boiler shown full lines.

F gj 2, 1s a yiew' partly front elevation I and partlyin verticalsection onltlie linen I Io f Fig. Fig. 3, is asectio n take 1011 theline 1114mm rig. 1. Fi i, is a y te- Ycal section intlre sage plap iiS 1, 015 a modified construction. Pig. 5, is an enlarged perspe'ctii e yieW tr on elof tlre air e a l boxes of the furnace Fig. 6,is a detail perspective View of a partition which may form a part o f my improvec m ce. Fig. 7 is a section on the line VII-3 H 30f Fig. 3.

In the said drawings, .l indicates a steam boiler supportecl in and upon theibrickuiork :2 of the furnace "in the usual or' any preferred manner, Which bricliiy'orlr as shown is open" at its front end." dingfacross cave recess 4; iii its upper edge wherein the I s of the recess projecting upward some l fi-tle ,d stance above the heli- 5 indica tes bricks Which are arranged fiatboiler so as toleaye the portions of said Zontalplane of'the lo rer surface offthe Wise upon the horizontal arm of said angle plate and are slip'ped thereon oi fertile rear edge for ,the purpose of protecting the rii e ts mmediately above from the p upon (the fate hereinafter i'e ferredlto.

6 indicates brickwork superposed with respect to bricks 5 at opposite" sides of the last -named bricks which are immediately underthe center of the boiler, thebrickn ork M een bricksb andthe sides of"tlie main brickwork as shown in Fig. 2 it being noticedho i ever, that this 6' or brickwork is built round the substantially triangle .Sllaped argements .7 of,noaz;les 8 and -enema portions of saidnoZ zles as will appear more clearlyloy .1 y i reference to Fig. 1, v e 1t uullbenoticed top os e the nQZZ1es project rearwardly beyond the r e .s le i said-bri .,5 g t ,6, t be ng also not ced that sa dnoz zles i l and brickwork slope downward and rearward for a parflues 12 from each other and from the flues above, the last-named fines communicating with the usual chamber 13 at the front end of the boiler, which opens upward as at 1 1 into the stack 15. The front end of the v boiler is closed by plate 16 and hinged door 17, the latter closing chambers 9 and a portion of chamber 13 by preference.

Vertically below angle bar 3 by preference, is a transverse cross bar 18 preferably in the form of a T-bar pitched downward and rearward at a slight angle by preference and paralleling and rearward of said bar is a second cross bar 19, which is preferably 1n the form of an angle bar with 1ts upper side pitched at the same angle as bar 18.

20 is a stationary grate pitched at the same angle as said bars and extending from one side wall of the furnace to the other and resting at its front edge on bar 19 and at its rear edge on transverse cross bar 21 arranged a suitable distance forward of the bridge wall 22, which preferably has its upper end pitched as at 23 to deflect the heat and other products of combustion up toward and against the bottom of the boiler.

In Fig. 1 2 1 indicates arms secured to the bridge wall by preference and forming a pivot for the grate section 25 normally bridging the space between arms 24: and cross bar 21, and depending from grate section 25 is a lug 26 to which is pivoted the rear end of the grate operating rod 27.

Said rod extends forwardly through the loop or ring 29 depending from cross bar 18 and has its rear end bent upward as at 29 so as not to interfere with the proper opening of grate 25. At its front end the rod 27 is provided with a handle 30 and near said handle with a depending portion 31 capable of passing through the loop 28 and engaging the lower end of said loop as shown in Fig. 1, to hold the grate 25 in its operative position.

32 indicates a series of air tubes, one only beingshown, which extend through the rear wall and into the bridge wall and are adapted to discharge at their front ends into the downwardly and forwardly sloping passages 33 in the bridge wall whereby air passing forwardly through said pipes and heated during such passage shall be discharged downwardly and forwardly onto the fire to cooperate with air admitted to the furnace at other points in supplying sufficient oxygen to support perfect combustion, it being further noticed that by reason of the downward and forward inclination of passages 33 they cannot be clogged up by coal. Cooperating with the air pipes 32 is a pair of air pipes 34 of which only one appears, these air pipes being arranged by preference close to the side walls of the brickwork and extending forwardly through the rear wall thereof and beyond the bridge wall and terminating at their front ends in return-bend nozzles 35 for discharging the air conducted into the furnace by said pipes rearwardlyor toward the flame as it rises over the bridge wall.

- If the furnace is a wide one as is generally the case, the grate 25 and the parts described in connection therewith including the operating rod 27 will be in duplicate, it being noticed by reference to Fig. 2 that said rod and the loops are so illustrated.

36 indicates one or more cleats projecting from the inner surface of the side walls of the brickwork as supports for certain slidable air boxes. In the event that the furnace is of such width as to make it undesirable to provide air boxes of corresponding width, I provide a vertical partition 37 centrally between the walls and, equipped with corresponding cleats 38, the partition resting upon the cross bars 18 and 19 and hearing against the front edge of grate 20 by preference, it being obvious in this connection that if it be desired, more than one of said partitions may be employed, an increase in the number of partitions likewise necessitating an increase in the number of boxes so that said partitions may support certain of the boxes between them.

The boxes are arranged in superposed relation in any desired number, the second box or tier of boxes being shorter than the first,

the third shorter than the second and so on..

Each box is constructed as follows :-39 indicates the sides, lO the top of less length than the sides and 41 the bottom, the top and bottom converging rearwardly and the bottom being of the same length as the sides, while the sides are provided with longitudinal external grooves 42 for engagement with companion sets of cleats 36 and 38 as shown most clearly in Fig. 2. Each box is provided with connected flanges 43 depending from the margins of its bottom, which flanges are adapted to about contact with the top 40 of the box next below so as to form in conjunction therewith a chamber tt, it being of course understood that the bottom box or tier of boxes will have flanges 43 resting upon the cross bars 18 and 19. The provision of an air chamber under the bottom of each box prevents such bottoms from being burned out in a short time while the flanges depending from said bottoms, particularly the side and rear flanges of all of the boxes except the lower one or tier, prevent air from passing from such chambers into the furnace and in order to control the volume of air entering the furnace through the boxes, the

latter are provided with lugs 45 carrying pivot rods 46 on which are pivoted lugs 47 of doors 48, said doors being adapted to maintain their closed positions against the ends of their r spective boxes by gravity, it

being noticed that the lugs 4:]? are capable of swinging under tl e forwardly projecting ends of the boxes when the doors are open so as to hold the latter in substantially the plane of the bottoms thereof in order that the engineer or other attendant in charge of the furnace may have convenient access to the interior of the furnace through said boxes when necessary.

1:9 indicates a series of auxiliary grates, the undermost one being arranged over the bottom box, at the rear end of and in substantially the same plane as the bottom of the box next above the said bottom box, the second auxiliary grate being arranged in the relation described with respect to the second and third boxes, and the third grate shown being arranged in the same relation to the topmost box as the second one is to the intermediate box, it being further noted that said grates are arranged in step-like relation and are preferably provided with down wardly curved arms 50 at their rear sides, which arms tend to retard without reventing the feed of coal slack rearwardly on the underlying grates nor do they prevent the attendant from reciprocating a poker through the boxes in the event that such action becomes necessary at any time, it being further noticed that as these arms are subjected to intense heat during the operation of the furnace, they are preferably made detachable so that in the event of burning off they can be replaced. T he preferred method of effecting the attachment of the arms to the grates is to cast the rear bars of the latter with dovetail pockets 51 and the arms with dovetail heads 52 to slip down into said pockets, though it is obvious that any other method of connecting the arms to the grates may be followed.

53 indicates a plate extending downwardly and rearwardly between the side walls of the brickwork and terminating at its rear end on the topmost auxiliary grate and resting on a transverse plate 54 which fits against the topmost box and extends from wall to wall or if in duplicate from the walls to the partition, to prevent the entrance of air above said boxes and below plate 58, which plate in conjunction with the walls of the furnace forms a fuel magazine. Said plate is additionally supported by an angle bar 55 extending from side wall to side wall and to increase the capacity of the magazine, the plate may project forwardly beyond said walls as at 56, the space between said projeeting portion and the front ends of the walls being closed by side pieces or wings 57.

In Fig. l, I show a modified construction whereby the heat of the clinkers after be ing removed from the main grate may be utilized to assist in heating the air conducted into the furnace by pipes 32. To accomplish this the bridge wall is provided with a chamber 38 in its front side, communicating with pipes 32 and extending across the forward part of said chamber is a cross bar 59 supporting brickwork 60 which in conjunction with cross bar 21, permanently supports a grate section ('31 as a substitute for the hinge grate 25 of Fig. 1. 62 is av transverse pivot carried by the bridge wall and 63 a plate pivoted thereon and adapted when horizontal to form a false bottom for chamber 58 and capable of swinging downward so as to discharge clinker-s which may rest thereon down upon the bottom of the furnace, at which point they are accessible for removal by any suitable means. Pivoted at 6% is a swing frame 65 equipped with a roller 66 at its upper end engaging the underside of hinged plate 63 and pivotally connected by a link 67 to swing frame 65, is a rod 68 having a handle 69 at its front end and a depending pert-ion 70 contiguous thereto and caoable of engag ing the front side of or passing through a depending hook or loop 71 of cross bar 18, said hook or loop corresponding in form to the hook or loop 28.

in practice a fire is kindled upon the main grate in any suitable manner and as the fire burns coal-preferably slack coal-isstored in the magazine so as to completely fill the same, it being obvious that some of this coal will fall from the topmost auxiliary grate down upon the one next below, and from the latter upon those below it, which coal will ake fire from the burning fuel upon the 1 main grate and will cotiperate with the lat ter in heating the boiler to produce steam, it being obvious that the products of combustion pass rearwardly over the bridge wall which tends to dei'iect them u iiward against the boiler and around the sides of the sameto the rear end of the boiler and then passes forwardly through the lines thereof, it being equally obvious that the heavier products of combustion, such as the dense smoke which arises particularly when firing the furnace because it is of greatest specific gravity, passes through the lower series of fines and into chambers 9 from which chambers it passes into the enlargements of nozzles 8 and is discharged rearwardly and downwardly by the latter into the combustion chamber. By this method the heavier products of combustion are retained in the furnace for a sutlicient length of time for their heat producing properties to become exhausted and as a result there is comparatively little combustible matter which escapes up through the stack to the lighter products which remain after the smoke has thus passed through the furnace under the boiler, pass forwardly through the upper series of lines of the boiler, all of the products which enter chamber 13 escaping to the atmosphere up through the stack.

\Vhen the furnace is operating at its minimum capacity it obtains suflicient air to sup port combustion up through the lower grate and grate 25 or 61, and in such event the fire will not burn fiercely on the auxiliary grates as the same are out of the direct line of draft, it being understood in this connection that such grates form feeders for each other and for the main grate and that the fuel which eventually reaches the latter by dropping from one grate to another, reaches it in an incandescent state so that practically no smoke arises from the fuel burning thereon, it being further understood that the fire from said grate will be so fierce as to practically consume the comparatively small volume of smoke which arises from the fuel on the auxiliary grates and particularly those most remote from the main grate. As a result of this action but little dense smoke obtains access to the boiler fiues when the furnace is operating with the air boxes closed.

When one or more of the air boxes is opened more smoke will of course arise from the auxiliary grates, but even when all of the boxes are opened and the boiler is developing its maximum horse power in steam, the fuel which reaches the main grate from the auxiliary grates is incandescent so that most of the smoke arising from the fuel on the auxiliary grates will be consumed before it reaches the boiler flues.

When necessary the passage of the fuel from the auxiliary grates and main grate can be facilitated by opening the doors 18 and running a poker through the boxes to push the fuel. rearward. The fine ashes find their way through the grates 20 and 25 or 61 and any clinkers which may form in the construction shown in Fig. 1 are drawn through the opening between the bridge wall and cross bar 21, the rod 27 being manipulated in an obvious manner to swing grate section 25 downward preliminary to the removal of the clinkers and to return said section to its normal position after the clinker has been removed, and it will be noticed in this connection that by having passages 33 of the bridge wall sloping downward and forward there will be but little danger of fuel from the grate entering said passages in material volume.

In Fig. at the clinkers are adapted to be forced into chamber 58 and rest upon imperforate plate 63 from whence as long as they remain alive, the heat rises and assists in heating the air passing into the furnace through pipes 32. When the clinkers become inefficient for radiating heat the attendant operates rod 68 and'forces the swing frame back to permit plate 63 to swing down and either drop the clinkers onto the bottom of the furnace or else render them accessible so that they can be drawn or forced down. It will be seen that when rod 68 is pushed rearward to swing frame 65 in the same direction, link 67 will swing down so that rod 68 actually imposes a direct force on the swing frame. When the frame and plate 63 is to be reelevated a pull on the rod swings the link upward and causes the same to partially raise plate 63. The roller 66 then comes into engagement with the last named plate and completes its elevation. Should any of the boxes become defective by burning out or from any other cause they can be easily removed by sliding them forward without interfering with the remaining boxes. A new box can be substituted for the old with the same ease and convenience.

From the above description it will be apparent that I have produced a furnace possessing the features of advantages enumerated as desirable and I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be restricted to the exact details of construction shown and described as obvious modifications will suggest themselves to one skilled in the art.

lhe short grate in Fig. 1 is indicated by 25, and in Fig. t by 61. The grates 20 and 25 form a main grate structure, and the grates 20 and 61 form a similar structure. In either case, means are provided, such as a rod 27 and hinge connection, for dumping the clinkers and ashes. In either case, means are provided for introducing heated air through the bridge wall in opposition to the air that comes through the grates. Also, in each case, the boiler and the arch 5 serve to restrict the space above the coking grates to cause a coking action.

Themain and coking grates are each, it will be seen, a complete grate in itself, being formed in each case of integrally connected longitudinal grate bars providing openings between them. Each grate is, however, properly regarded as a section of the entire grate structure. With the plates below the coking grates, one ofwhich plates extends outward in continuation of the main grate, nothing can fall therefrom into the ash pit, and everything finally reaches the main grate, which is important in the burning of slack or other fine coal.

With further reference to the coking of the coal or fresh fuel, it will be observed that the smoke box of the boiler, comprising the chambers 9 and 18, is disposed directly over the means for feeding the fuel to the uppermost coking grate, so that the heat of this smoke box assists in coking the coal. The entire grate sets well under the boiler,

with the construction shown and described, so that the fresh fuel from. the hopper must pass directly under the smoke box and the boiler support 5 in order to reach the first or upper coking grate. coked before it reaches maximum combustion on the main grate, which latter sup ports the main body of burning fuel, and nothing can fall from the grate structure into the ash pit until the fuel reaches the main grate.

Having thus described: the invention what I claim as new and desire to secure byLetters Patent is 1. A furnace having a g ate, a fuel magazine occupying a position forward of and above the grate, and a series of air boxes disposed in a stepped relation from the magazine to the grate and having openings to admit air to the fuel, said boxes having doors at their front ends to control the passage of air to said openings and being slidably supported in the furnace.

2. A furnace provided with downwardly and rearwardly inclined cleats at the inner sides of its side walls, cross bars below said cleats, a partition upon the cross bars provided. with similar cleats, air boxes at opposite sides of the partition removably sup ported on said cross bars and the lowermost cleats and having their tops terminating short of the rear ends of their bottoms, doors at the front ends of the boxes to control the passage of air therethrough, superimposed tiers of boxes which gradually diminish in length toward the top arranged at opposite sides of the partition and provided with grooves removably engaging the upper cleats, a fuel magazine above the uppermost boxes and the partition, and grates above the rear ends of the boxes.

3. A furnace having a main grate, a tubular air box arranged in the furnace forward of and slightly above the said grate and having its top wall terminating forward of its bottom, the bottom of the box being in substantially the same plane as the top of the grate, a door controlling the passage of air through said box, and an auxiliary grate occupying a stepped relation to the main grate and located over the rear end of the tubular air box.

41-. A furnace having a main grate, a magazine occupying a position forward of and above the said grate, an auxiliary grate disposed above the main grate, arranged to receive fuel entering the furnace from the magazine, before such fuel reached the main grate. an air box arranged between the said grates and having its top wall terminating adjacent the auxiliary grate and its bottom projecting under said grate, and a door controlling the passage of air through the said box.

5, A furnace having a grate, a fuel maga- Thus the fuel is zine occupying a position forward of and above said: grate, and series of independ ent superimposed air boxes between the bottom of the fuel magazine and the front edge of the grate, each of said boxes. having a door at its front end to. control the admission of air thereto.

6. A furnace having a main. grate, a fuel magazine forward of and above said grate, a seriesof super-imposed air boxes disposed in a stepped relation from the magazine to the grate and each provided at its front end with a door to control the admission of air to the furnace from a point above the grate and below the magazine and being slidaoly supported in the furnace, and a series of auxiliary grates corresponding in number to the superimposed boxes and each arranged above the inner end of an air box, the said grates being arranged to successively receive the fuel and feed it downward and rearward from the magazine to the main grate.

7. A furnace having a main grate, a series of superimposed tubular air boxes in front of said grate, a series of auxiliary grates occupying a stepped relation tothe main grate and each located over the rear end of an air box, and curved arms projecting downwardly and rearwardly from the auxiliary grates.

8. In a furnace, a bridge wall having a clinker cl unber open at its front side, a progressive feed grate from which hot clinker-s may pass into said chamber, an imperforate plate forming a false bottom for said chamber, a swinging frame below the said plate to support the same in a closed position, means for operating said frame to open or close the plate, and additional means for supplying air through said chamber and clinkers to the fuel on the grate.

9. In a furnace, a bridge wall having a clinker chamber open at its front side, a progressive feed grate from which hot clinkers may pass into said chamber, an imperforate plate forming a false bottom for said chamber, a swinging frame below the plate to support the latter in a closed position, a longitudinally movable rod, a link connecting the rear end of the rod with the swinging frame, and additional means for supplying air through said chamber and clinkcrs to the fuel on the grate.

10. In a furnace, a stationary progressive feed grate, a bridge wall toward which the entire grate is inclined, means for supplying heated air through said bridge wall to the fire on the grate, whereby the fuel cokes at the top of the grate and reaches the maximum combustion at the bridge wall air, and means at the lower end of the gate for dumping the clinker-s and ashes, which grate comprises a main grate section and a plurality of coking grate sections, the main grate section being disposed between the said dump and coking grate sections, with a clear space under each section, the said sections being each composed of a plurality of parallel and longitudinally extending grate bars and an inclined plate extending under all of said coking grates to the front edge of the main grate.

11. In a furnace, the combination of a stationary progressive feed grate, a bridge wall toward which the grate is inclined, pipes for supplying air through the bridge wall to the fire on the grate, a chamber beyond the bridge wall for heating said pipes, means for deflecting the hot air from said pipes downwardly upon the burning fuel on the main grate section, and means for dumping the clinkers where the air meets the maximum combustion at the lower end of the grate, said grate comprising main and coking grate sections, the main grate section being larger than any other section to support the main body of burning fuel.

12. In a furnace, a stationary progressive feed grate comprising a main lower section and a' plurality of stepped upper sections, all inclined or tilted forward, each upper section being a complete grate in itself, all the fuel being fed to the uppermost section, a shelf below each upper section leading to the section below, each shelf being inclined or tilted like the grate, whereby the fuel is prevented from backing up on the grate, a dump at the lower end of the main section, a bridge wall, and means for supplying heated air through the bridge wall to the fire on the grate.

13. In a furnace, a combustion chamber, a short grate, a main grate in front of the short grate, said main grate being larger than the short grate, a bridge wall against which the burning fuel carried on the main and short grates is banked, a plurality of coking grates in front of the main grate, each coking grate comprising a plurality of parallel and longitudinally extending grate bars, a plate disposed a distance below each coking grate, to provide a box below each coking grate, each coking grate being smaller than the main grate, means for delivering fuel to the first coking grate, each grate adapted to feed the fuel to the next grate, means for restricting the combustion chamber above the coking grates, to cause the fuel to have a progressive coking action thereon, adapted to afford a free and maximum combustion on the main and short grates, and means for dumping the clinkers and ashes that form on the short grate, the said boxes insuring an influx of heated air and affording openings for a poker, the main and short grates supporting more fuel than the other grates.

l4-. In a furnace, a combustion chamber,

a shortgrate, amain grate in .front of the,

short grate, said main grate being larger than the short grate, a bridge wall against which the burning fuel carried on the main and short grates is banked, a plurality of coking grates in front of the main grate, a plate disposed a distance below each coking grate, to provide a box below each coking grate, each coking grate being smaller than the main grate, means for delivering fuel to the first coking grate, each grate adapted to feed the fuel to the next grate, means for re stricting the combustion chamber above the coking grates, to cause the fuel to have a progressive coking action thereon, adapted to afford a freeand maximum combustion on the main and short grates, and means for dumping the clinkers and ashes that form on the short grate, the said boxes insuring an influx of heated air and affording openings for a poker, the main and short grates supporting more fuel than the other grates, the said main and coking grates, and the said plates, being all inclined or tilted forward toward the bridge wall, the short grate being horizontal.

15. In a furnace, a combustion chamber, a short grate, a main grate in front of the short grate, said main grate being larger than the short grate, a bridge wall against which the burning fuel carried on the main and short grates is banked, a plurality of coking grates in front of the main grate, a plate disposed a distance below each coking grate, to provide a box below each coking grate, each coking grate being smaller than the main grate, means for delivering fuel to the first coking grate, each grate adapted to feed the fuel to the next grate, means for restricting the combustion chamber above the coking grates, to cause the fuel to have a progressive coking action thereon, adapted to afford a free and maximum combustion on the main and short grates, means for dumping the clinkers and ashes that form on the short grate, the said boxes insuring an influx of heated air and affording openings for a poker, the main and short grates'supporting more fuel than the other grates, and means for supplying heated air through the bridge wall in opposition to the influx of heated air through said boxes.

16. In a furnace, a combustion chamber, a short grate, a main grate in front of the short grate, said maingrate being larger than the short grate, a bridge wall against which the burning fuel carried on the main and short grates is banked, a plurality of coking grates in front of the main grate, a plate disposed a distance below each coking grate, to provide a box below each coking grate, each coking grate being smaller than the main grate, means for delivering fuel to the first coking grate, each grate adapted to feed the fuel to the next grate, means for restrictin'g the combustion chamber above the coking grates, to cause the fuel to have a progressive coking action thereon, adapted to afford a free and maximum combustion on the main and short grates, means for dumping the clinkers and ashes that form on the short grate, the said boxes insuring an influx of heated air and affording openings for a poker, the main and short grates supporting more fuel than the other grates, and means exposed to the products of combustion back of the bridge wall for supplying heatedair through the bridge wall to the fire on the said grates.

17. In a furnace, a combustion chamber, a main grate structure, a bridge wall against which the burning fuel carried on the main grate structure is banked, a plurality of coking grates in front of the main grate structure, each coking grate comprising a plurality of parallel and longitudinally extending grate bars, a plate disposed a distance below each coking grate, to provide a box below each coking grate, one of said plates extending outward in continuation of the main grate, each coking grate being smaller than the main grate, means for delivering fuel to the first coking grate, each grate adapted to feed the fuel to the next grate, means for restricting the combustion chamber above the coking grates, to cause the fuel to have a progressive coking action thereon, adapted to afiord a free and maxi mum combustion on the main grate structure, and means for dumping the clinkers and ashes, the said boxes insuring an influx of heated air and affording openings for the free use of a poker, the main grate structure supporting the main body of fuel in the furnace.

18. In a furnace, a combustion chamber, a main grate structure, a bridge wall against which the burning fuel carried on the main grate structure is banked, a plurality of coking grates in front of the main grate structure, a plate disposed a distance below each coking grate, to provide a box below each coking grate, each coking grate being smaller than the main grate structure, means for delivering fuel to the first coking grate, each grate adapted to feed the fuel to the next grate, means for restricting the combustion chamber above the coking grates, to cause the fuel to have a progressive coking action thereon, adapted to afford a free and maximum combustion on the main grate structure, means for dumping the clinkers and ashes, the said boxes insuring an influx of heated air and affording openings for the free use of a poker, the main grate structure supporting the larger body of fuel, and means exposed to the products of combustion back of the bridge wall for supplying heated air through the bridge wall to the fire on the said grates.

19. In a furnace, a combustion chamber, a

main grate structure, a bridge wall against which the burning fuel carried on the main grate structure is banked, a plurality of coking grates in front of the main grate structure, a plate disposed a distance below each coking grate, to provide a box below each coking grate, each coking grate being smaller than the main grate structure, means for delivering fuel to the first coking grate, each grate adapted to feed the fuel to the next grate, means for restricting the combustion chamber above the coking grates, to cause the fuel to have a progressive coking action thereon, adapted to afford a free and maximum combustion on the main grate structure, and means for dumping the clinkers and ashes, the said boxes insuring an influx of heated air and affording openings for the free use of a poker, the main grate structure supporting the larger body of fuel, the said main and coking grates and the said plates being all inclined or tilted forward toward the bridge wall.

20. In a furnace, a combustion chamber, a main grate structure, a bridge wall against which the burning fuel carried on the main grate structure is banked, aplurality of coking grates in front of the main grate structure, a plate disposed a distance below each coking grate, to provide a box below each coking grate, each coking grate being smaller than the main grate structure, means for delivering fuel to the first coking grate, each grate adapted to feed the fuel to the next grate, means for restricting the combustion chamber above the coking grates, to cause the fuel to have a progressive coking action thereon, adapted to afford a free and maximum combustion on the main grate structure, means for dumping clinkers and ashes, the said boxes insuring an influx of heated air and affording openings for the free use of a poker, the main grate structure supporting the main body of fuel in the furnace, and means for supplying heated air through the bridge wall in opposition to the influx of heated air through said boxes.

21. In a progressive feed furnace, a main grate, a plurality of coking grates arranged in stepped relation to each other, with horizontal space between, to coke and feed the fuel to said main grate, means for feeding all the fuel to the first coking grate, and means whereby the droppings from each and every coking grate are caught and fed to the grate below, said main grate being larger than any other grate to support the main body of burning fuel.

22. In a progressive feed furnace, a main grate, a plurality of coking grates arranged in stepped relation to coke and feed the fuel to said main grate, with openings between the coking grates, and means for feeding all the fuel to the first coking grate, wherey all he fuel sta ts at the p and. pro- 1 rm. 1.4m:

gresses slowly to the bottom, each coking grate being straight and inclined forward for its full length, to permit backing up of the fuel and each coking grate having openings therein, said main grate being larger than any other grate to support the main body of burning fuel.

23. In a progressive feed furnace, a main grate, a plurality of coking grates arranged in stepped relation to coke and feed the fuel to said main grate, means for feeding all the fuel to the first coking grate, and an inclined plate below each grate, one of said plates extending outwardly in continuation of the main grate, whereby all droppings from each and every coking grate finally reach the main grate.

2a. in a progressive feed machine, a main grate, a plurality of coking grates arranged in stepped relation to coke and feed the fuel to said main grate, with openings between the coking grates, means for feeding all the fuel to the first coking grate, each coking grate being straight and inclined forward for its full length, and each coking grate having openings therein, and an inclined plate below each grate, one of said plates eX- tending outwardly in continuation of the main grate, whereby all droppings from each and every coking grate finally reach the main grate. r V

25. In a progressive feed furnace, a main lower grate, a plurality of upper coking grates arranged in stepped relation to coke and feed the fuel to said main grate, means for feeding all the fuel to the first coking grate, means for catching and feeding forward to the main grate anything falling through each and every one of said coking grates, and a dump beyond the main grate, said main grate being larger than any other grate to support the main body of burning fuel.

26. A progressive feed grate furnace comprising main and coking grates arranged in stepped relation to each other, the main grate being longer than any other grate to support the main body of burning fuel, and means for feeding the fresh fuel to the upper coking grate only, an inclined plate leading to the front edge of each grate, and a dump at the rear edge of the main gate.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

ED /VARD LANE. lVitnesses:

H. C. Rononns, G. Y. THORPE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

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