US125148A - Improvement in boiler-furnaces - Google Patents

Description

BENJAMIN I:` SMITH.

Improvement In Boiler Furnaces.

No. 125,148. Pafentedg'AprI2,1872.)

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IMPROVEMENT IN BOILER-FURNACES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 125,148, dated April 2, 18752; antcdatedMarch 13, 1872.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that LBENJAMIN F. SMITH, of New Orleans, in the parish ot" Orleans and State of Louisiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Furnaces for the Prevention ot' Smoke, &c., of Which'the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying' drawing and the letters ot' reference marked thereon making part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a vertical sectional view of the boiler. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view on the line a' a', Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an end and side view ofthe fire-bricks.

The object of my invention is to provide a device which, in connection with the ordinary boiler-furnace and bridge-Wall now generally used, shall not only insure that the carbonicoxide gas shall be thoroughly consumed, but also the hydrogen gas. This I accomplish, and in this consists the essence of my invention-the bottom or resurface of the boiler with an air-tube or flue secured at such relative position thereon that it shall be subjected to the direct action of the heat and flame of the furnace, and also so as to leave only a narrow passage for the escape of the gases to a combustion-chamber. This tube is so constructed that it shall constantly feed air to the combustionchamber, and which,being heated in its passage through the tube, forms, at'- ter it enters the chamber, a bed or stratum, as it were, of hot air. Immediately below the boiler, under this stratum or bed of air, the hydrogen gas is compelled to pass, and, being exceedingly volatile, so soon as itenters, has a tendency to rise. This insures its intermingling with the air in such manner as to secure its thorough consumption in the combustionchamber, thus preventing smoke and waste of fuel.

The construction and operation of my invention are as follows: A is the boiler, B the furnace, a-nd C the hollow bridge-wall, all constructed in the usual manner. The bridgewall C is provided with openings c c, by means of which the air that is introduced and heated in the air-passage O escapes into the combustion-chamber D. E is a tube or flue that surrounds the bottom crown-sheet or resurtace ofthe boiler. This tube may be of metal or other suitable material, and connected with the hollow bridge-wall C by a vertical tube, which also serves as its bearing or support. When a tube of this style is used it should have numerous lateral pert'orations for the escape ot' the air into the combustion-chamber l); but I prefer to use the style ot' tube shown in the drawing, and which is composed of a `series ot' nre-bricks, E E', held in position around the boiler by means ot' a yoke, F. This yoke F Inay either be formed of a suitable metallic rod or of a metallic tube, which, when lilled with water, is not as lia-ble to be injured or ai'ected by the intense heat, as is the rod.

This rod or tube F is held in suitable supports F F', and is so secured in connection with sprmgs ff as to allow of the expansion and contraction of the metal, and at the same time hold the bricks E E always in proper position. These bricks are constructed of suitable nre-clay, and are ofthe form shown in Fig. 3, and are recessed at e to furnish a suitable bearing or retaining surface for the rod or tube F. I have described this tube E, and which is formed of the bricks E E', as it' it were to be designed as an air-tube and for supplying the chamber D with the same, it being discharged through the little air-passages e e formed on the edge of the bricks; but, instead of this tube being thus formed and used for the purpose stated, I may use it as a Water-tube, with a much smaller air-,tube behind it, in which case the water-tube serves to protect the air-tube and deflect the gases as they escape from the furnace into the cham ber. I can also accomplish the same object by arranging under the boiler a series ot' water-tubes, on which is placed a layer of perforated tire-bricks. This furnishes a greatly-increased re-sur'ace. When this arrangement is used the gases, as they escape from the furnace, pass through the perforar-tions in the bricks, and, commingling with the air which is introduced from the front of the boiler, are consumed. B B are the grate-bars, and may be of the hollow perforated form, although I prefer and contemplate using those described in my patent of September 5, 1871.

The advantages of the improvement herein described will be best understood by a brief description of its operation. According to the present arrangement ot' furnace, bridge-wall, and boiler, the space between the latter and the upper face of the bridge-Wall C is entirely unobstructed; the consequence is, the gases, as they escape from the Jfurnace, ascend directly to the crown-sheet or lower surface ot' the boiler, and which not being' heated over 3500 the hydrogen gas is cooled below the burning point, (between 800O and 9000;) hence they pass directly along the surface of the boiler to the smoke-stack, from which, unconsunied, they escape; but with my arrangement it is entirely different. Through the tube E air is received from above, and which, being heated in its passage through the tube, is discharged into the chamber D through the openings e e in the tire-bricks E E', and hence immediately under the boiler there is'constantly a stratum or bed of air. As the gases leave the furnace they strike against the tube E and are deected down through the narrow an gular passage b, which is formed by the bridgewall C and tube E. The carbonio oxide, being the heaviest, closely hugs the face of the bridge-wall, and, as it passes, commingling with the air which is discharged through the openings c c of the bridge-Wall, its thorough combustion is secured. The hydrogen, being lighter, impinges against the tube E, the intense heatof which will raise this gas to the degree of heat at which it will burn, and, at

this point, meeting the air in the chamber D,

is also thoroughly consumed. This entire and thorough consumption of the gases destroys all s moke and adds greatly to the heat of the furnace. Thus it will be seen that the products of partially-consumed combustion, which are invariably Wasted, with my improvement are all saved.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. The combustion-chamber D and tube E, with orifices e e opening toward said chamber, and arranged in such relative position to the boiler and bridge-Wall as to operate substantially as described, as and for the purpose specified.

2. The tube E, formed of bricks E E', and yoke F, when the same are arranged in connection with the boiler, so as to operate substantially as described.

3. The tube E, yoke F, and springs f f, when the same are so combined and arranged as to operate substantially as described.

In testimony whereot'I have signed my name to this specication in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

BENJ. F. SMITH.

Witnesses:

EDWIN .IM/rus, THOMAS BROWN.

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