US2155954A

US2155954A - Underfired regenerative coke oven

Info

Publication number: US2155954A
Application number: US42553A
Authority: US
Inventors: William H Pavitt
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1935-09-28
Filing date: 1935-09-28
Publication date: 1939-04-25
Anticipated expiration: 1956-04-25

Description

April 25, 1939. w. H. PAVlTT UNDERFIRED REGENERATIVE COKE OVEN Filed Sept. 28, 1955- 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEN OR VV/L L nww Efiwrr go/ I ATTORNEY A ril 25, 1939. w. H. PAVITT UNDERFIRED REGENERATIYE COKE OVEN Filed Sept. 28, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR W/LL 1am P4V/77' QM ATTORNEY April 25, 1939. PAV|TT 2,155,954

UNDERFIRED REGENERATIVE COKE OVEN Filed Sept. 28, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Apr. 25, 1939 UNITED STATES UNDER-FIRED BEGENERATIVE COKE OVEN William H. Pavitt, Bronxville, N. 2., assignmto Adele Johnson Wilputte, New Rochelle, N. Y.

Application September 28, 1935, Serial No. 42,553

ZUCIa-ims.

The present invention relates to the construction and operation of regenerative coke ovens of the under fired type. The general object of the present invention is to provide for simple and effective regulation of atmospheric conditions,

and particularly the maintenance of suitable temperature conditions, in what may be aptly termed the basement space of a regenerative under-fired coke oven battery. Specific objects of the inis vention, hereinafter made apparent, are to provide features of construction and arrangement whereby the above mentioned general object of the invention may be realized, and special advantages obtained, in a relatively simple manner, and so as to permit of the use of the invention in various existing coke. oven battery forms or types without requiring any general or significant modification in their design.

Modern regenerative under-fired coke ovens,

29 as ordinarily constructed abroad where such ovens are in extensive use, and as they have been constructed in this country in which only a limited use of such ovens has been made, but in which a more extensive use of such ovens is ex- 25 pected, are. of varying designs, particularly in respect to their heating arrangements, but are all alike in that the coke oven brick work is supported on a deck or oven base member which forms the roof of a basement space. The pri- 430 mary purpose of the basement space is to provide for the use, and access for adjustment, of the fuel gas supply connections through which fuel gas is passed directly upward into vertical heating or combustion flues in the heating walls which 35 alternate with the coking chambers and like the latter, extend transversely across the battery. The portions of the fuel gas supply channels above the deck or oven base member, are formed in the division walls between the regenerators. 40 The latter also extend crossways of the battery and are located between the deck level and the level of the bottoms of the oven chambers and heating wall. The regenerators receive air to be preheated and discharge waste products through- 45 sole'channels at the bottoms of the regenerators which lead inwardly from the opposite sides of the battery, and externally of the latter are connected to reversing valves, which, ordinarily, are located in wholly or partially enclosed galleries 50 or alleyways at the sides of the battery. The fuel gas supply provisions in the basement space ordinarily and preferably include adjustable provisions of some sort for regulating the supp y of gas to each combustion flue and also comprise 55 other regulating devices and a multiplicity of reversing valves which, with their operating connections, are located in the basement space, and require inspection, adjustment and repairs.

The deck or oven base member is ordinarily formed of reinforced concrete, and is supported 6 mainly by pillars or columns distributed both longitudinally and transversely of the battery. The horizontal extent of the battery oven brick work and its supporting deck member varies with the battery capacity, of course, but in all ordil0 nary cases, is substantial. The width of the deck member may well be about 44 feet and its length about 275 feet in a battery of desirable capacity for use in this country.

In the operation of such an oven, the bricks at the sides of the oven chambers are heated to temperatures in excess of 2500 F. While the temperatures at the bottoms of the regenerators are substantially lower, the temperature at the top surface of the deck member will ordinarily be in the neighborhood of 400 F. The temperature at the under-side of the deck will be lower by an amount which depends upon the rate at which heat is dissipated from that side of the deck member, and in ovens as heretofore constructed, is high enough to make the temperature in the basement space higher than desirable from the standpoint of the bodily comfort of the men whose duties require them to enter, move about, and work in the basementspace. 3

In accordance with the present invention, the temperatures in the basement space are reduced by the cooling action of the air which is drawn through the basement space into the regenerators and after being preheated therein is used as combustion air in the heating flues, and the present invention comprises special provisions for efiecting such a described basement cooling action.

I have discovered, however, that if all of the 40 air required for combustion is drawn through the subway space when the atmospheric temperatures are low, the basement space temperatures, particularly in the portions adjacent the points of their admission to that space, may become undesirably low, and produce objectionable condensation in the fuel gas supply piping located in said space. The practical possibility of so over-cooling the basement space becomes appar-- ent' when account is taken of the enormous 5o amount of combustion air required in a regenerative coke open operating at full capacity. For example, in operating a coke oven-battery having the above mentioned horizontal dimension, at a al full capacity rate, some 28,000 cubic feet-appreciably more than a ton-of combustion air is required per minute. Assuming an average vertical basement space depth of '7 feet, the volume of combustion air required per minute is approximately equal to one-third of the total volume of the basement space.

In the preferred form of the present invention. I pass to the basement space only such portion of the air supplied to the regenerators as will give the proper basement space cooling action, .and supply air not drawn through said space, as required to satisfy the total regenerator air requirement. To accomplish this, the preferred means which I have devised for this purpose include simple and effective provisions for withdrawing from the basement space, air at points distributed along the length of the battery at each side of the latter, in amounts independently regulable at each point of withdrawal.

' The various features of novelty which characterize the present invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification. For a better understanding of the invention, however, its advantages, and specific objects attained with its use, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which I have illustrated and described various apparatus embodiments of the present invention.

or the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a transverse vertical section of an under-fired coke oven battery structure of one form;

Fig. 2 is a somewhat diagrammatic section of a portion of the battery structure, taken on the line 2-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a partial vertical section on the broken line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a partial section, taken similarly to Fig. l and illustrating a modified form of the invention;

Fig. 5'is a partial section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4:

Fig. 6 is a partial section on the line 8-6 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a somewhat diagrammatic vertical section, taken longitudinally of a coke oven battery structure embodying a third form of the invention; x

Fig. 8 is a partial section on the line 8-8 of Figs. 1, 2, and 3, comprises a deck or oven base member A, which extends for the full length and width of, and supports the battery brickwork, in the upper portion of which are the transversely extending coking chambers B and the heating walls C alternating with the coking chambers, and in the lower portion of which are the transversely extending or cross regenerators D, and the regenerator sole channels or passages E which extend into the oven brickwork from the opposite sides of the battery and through which air is supplied to, and products of combustion are withdrawn from the bottoms oi the regenerators. The deck member A is ordinarily formed of reinforced concrete, and may be a single slab, though preferably it is divided into a plurality of longitudinal sections separated by expansion joints as disclosed in my prior application Ser. No. 22,241 filed May 18, 1935. As shown, the deck member A is supported mainly by a multiplicity of vertical columns F, usually of reinforced concrete, which are distributed longitudinally and transversely of the battery, and is additionally supported at the sides of the battery by masonry walls G, and is additionally supported at the ends of the battery on ledge portions of the pinion walls H, the upper portions of which serve as retaining walls, so to speak, for the ends of the coke oven brickwork supported on the deck member A.

At each side of the battery are-located reversing valves 1, which may take various forms, and in all of their forms, collectively provide for the discharge of waste heat gases coming from the regenerators through the sole channels E, and for the supply of air to the regenerators through these channels. In the structure shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, there is a reversing valve chamber 1' individual to, and in open communication with, the outer end of each sole channel E. When the regenerator to which any particular sole channel pertains is used in preheating air, the air enters the corresponding chamber I through an inlet I controlled by a movable air inlet valve member 1 then in its open position, and when that regenerator is being heated up, the waste heating gases from the regenerator are discharged from the same valve chamber 1', through an outlet I controlled by a movable outlet valve member 1 which is then in its open position. Each of. the valve members I and I is in its closed position when the other is in its open position. In the arrangement shown, the waste gases discharged through each reversing valve port I, pass downwardly through a passage J into a corresponding waste heat offtake flue J, there being one flue J at each side of the battery. As shown, the flues J are formed in the masonry side walls G. Ordinarily, the fiues J are connected at the ends of the battery to a chimney stack, the draft suction effect of which may, or may not, be supplemented by exhaust fan action.

The heating walls C are formed with vertical heating flues C, each of which is connected at its lower end to the appropriate regenerator D and each of which receives fuel gas through an individual uprising channel K in the subjacent regenerator division wall from an individual pipe branch K which extends through the deck A, and is connected at its lower end to a gas distribution pipe K in the basement space L between the deck A and the top of the foundation or floor from which the supporting pillars F rise. In, or associated with, each flue supply branch pipe K is a throttling valve or device of some sort for regulating the amount of gas passing through the pipe to the corresponding flue C. The particular means provided for regulating the flow through the different branch pipes K, are advantageously of the form disclosed in my-prior application Ser. No. 698,065 dated November 15, 1933,-but they form no part of the present invention, and may follow any of the usual practices of the underfired oven art. The fact, however, that the space L includes such devices and other apparatus requires attention 75 and occasional adjustment by an attendant working in the basement space, makes the maintenance of suitable atmospheric conditions in said space, highly important matter.

The particular character or form of the oven heating provisions including the vertical flues C and the regenerator G employed in the battery structure shown in Figs. 1-3, constitute no part. of the present invention, and may take any usual or suitable'form. The particular provisions shown are of. the character disclosed in my prior application, Ser. No. 684,131, filed August 8, 1933, and comprise two end to end upper horizontal lines C in each heating wall. Each channel C is connected to a plurality of vertical flues C, which form an 'outer group connected at their lower ends to an outer regenerator G adjacent the corresponding side of the battery. There are thus associated with each heating wall two outside and two inside regenerators all arranged end to end in a row extending transversely of the battery.

With the described arrangement, each horizontal flue C the subjacent vertical fiues C, and the two regenerators connected to those fiues, form parts of a heating unit for one half of each heating wall, which is separate from the similar heating unit for the other half of the heating wall. The two regenerators of each heating unit are connected to corresponding reversing valve chambers I at the adjacent side of the battery, one by a long sole channel E which serves the inside regenerator and is sealed against communication with the outside regenerator, and the other by a short sole channel E which serves the outside regenerator and does not extend into the portion of the structure in which the inside regenerator is located.

Insofar as it has been described, the underfired coke oven part structure shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 includes nothing claimed as new herein, but constitutes one of the forms of an underfired regenerative coke oven structure with which the invention claimed herein may be used with advantage. In accordance with the present invention, all or a portion of the air passing to the regenerators through the reversing valve inlet ports I may be supplied through the subway space L, or independently of that space, as conditions make desirable. To this end, the reversing valves I at each side of the battery are arranged in an enclosed alleyway or passage M provided with regulable inlets for the admission of air to the alleyway directly from the atmosphere. In addition, ports or passages N are provided for the passage of air into each alleyway from the subway space L. Air may enter the latter through openings L' formed in the end walls' of the basement space, and provided with sliding doors U, which may be closed, or adjusted between fully closed and wide open positions, as required to effectually cut oil, or to variably throttle the admission of atmospheric air into the basement space L. I

As shown, the air passages N between the basement space L and each alleyway or gallery M are in the formof notches in the upper inner corner of the corresponding wallG. As shown theroof M of each alleyway serves also as the bench at or somewhat below the oven floor level, which is customarily provided at the corresponding side of the battery. The bottom and outside walls of the alleyways are formed by the' masonry side walls G and supplemental vertical outer wall portions Mflillustrated, and the openings M for the side wall G.

direct admission oi atmospheric air to each corresponding alleyway are formed in the outside wall of the latter, M representing sliding doors for closing or variably throttling the openings M At the pusher side of the battery, in the particular construction shown, the air inlet passages M are of considerable length, as they are formed in an extension G of the corresponding That extension supports the track rails for the pusher machine and extends to a level not greatly below the top of the alleyway.

With the described arrangement, by a suitable adjustment of the doors IF and M all of the air entering the air inlets P of the reversing 'valves, may be drawn either from the basement space L or from the outside atmosphere through the alleyway inlets M or may be drawn in any desired proportions partly from the basement space, and partly through the inlets M My, invention in the form illustrated in Figs. 4, 5, and 6, permits of the same control of the subway space atmospheric conditions as is obtainable with the construction first described, and also tainable with the construction first described, and

is adapted for use in a coke oven battery structure identical with that shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, except in the two following respects. First, the passages N of the construction first described are omitted in the arrangement illustrated in Figs. 4, 5, and 6, which includes no provisions for the flow of air between the basement space L and the alleyways M. Second the arrangement illustrated in Figs. 4, 5, and 6 comprises means for drawing air into the reversing valves either wholly from the basement space L or from the alleyways M, or in regulated proportions from both sources, which do not require any regulation of the influx of atmospheric air into said alleyways, or require the latter to be enclosed. The last mentioned means, moreover, permit of the independent adjustment of the source of air supply to individual reversing valves.

As shown in Figs. 4, 5, and 6, each reversing valve body is formed with two separate chambers IA and IB which separately serve and are separately in communication, respectively, with the short and long sole channels E for the outside regenerator and inside regenerator of a single heating unit. In the oven construction shown in Figs. 4, 5, and 6, the short sole channel E is above the long sole channel E of the. same unit, instead of being alongside the latter as they are in the oven construction of Figs. 1-3. This difference in sole channel arrangement is without significance, for the purposes of the present invention, and this is true also with respect to the division for structural reasons of each sole channel E into side byside sections by a vertical wall e as shown in Fig. 5. The partition wall in the valve body between the chambers IA and IB, comprises a horizontal inner portion 1, a vertical outer portion I extending for the full depth of the valve body, and vertical portions I and I respectively above and below the horizontal portion I and each connecting the latter to the portion I".

- While the particular reversing valve body form illustrated inFigs. 4, 5, and 6, forms no part of flue J and the adjacent ends of the sole channels E with which the chambers are in communication. This arrangement of the inlets 1 while not essential, simplifies the connections thereto, which comprise a conduit 0 leading from each inlet into the basement space, and provided at its end within the latter, with a hinged valve member 0, which in its closed position entirely cuts off flow from the basement space through the conduit. The valve member 0' may be secured in its wide open, or any intermediate position in any suitable manner, as by means of a chain 0 connected at one end to the free end of the valve 0' and adapted to have one or another of its links engaged in a hook 0 depending from the deck slab. Air from the adjacent alleyway M may also be passed in regulated amounts to each inlet I through a bifurcation or branch 0A of the corresponding conduit 0. Each bifurcation or branch 0A opens to the adjacent alleyway M and is provided therein with a hinged valve 0 which may be adjusted in any suitable manner between its wide open and fully closed positions.

Even with the lowest atmospheric temperatures prevailing in localities in which coke ovens are customarily employed, some airflow basement cooling efiect is desirable to avoid unduly high temperatures in the basement space, which is always receiving heat at its top, and is ordinarily quite effectually protected against large heat losses at its sides by masonry side walls, such as the walls G, and is more or less protected against heat losses by walls at the ends of the space. Both of the arrangements previously described, permit the total volume of airflow through the space to be regulated to the total cooling effect desired. Where the air entering the space L is admitted only at one or at each of the ends of the latter, as will ordinarily be the case, the greatest gas pipe chilling efiect will necessarily be confined to the end portions of the space, since the air will warm up as it moves away from the points of admission toward the central portion of the space.

In such case, the general basement space temperature can be equalized longitudinally of the battery by drawing air out of the space only at points adjacent the middle and remote from the ends of the space. In lieu of controlling the basement space temperature conditions by adjustment of valves 0 and O to intermediate positions, it is ordinarily sumcient in practice, to control those conditions more simply, by setting a suitable number of suitably located valves 0 in their fully closed positions, and setting the corresponding valves 0 in their wide open position, and setting the remaining valves 0' and O in their wide open and fully closed positions, respectively. Some of the regenerators will then be supplied with air drawn wholly from the basement space, and the remainder will be supplied with air drawn wholly from the alley space. With the arrangement shown in Figs. 4, 5, and 6, it is immaterial whether the alleyways are open or enclosed, provided only, that air be admitted to the alleyways, when the latter are enclosed, in amounts suiflcient to supply the air requirements of the regenerators drawing air from the alleyways. This makes it possible to provide all of the alleyway ventilation required for the avoidance of excessive alleyway temperatures when the outside temperature is high.

Figs. '7, 8 and 9 illustrate a coke oven battery from those chambers to the subjacent waste heat.

construction in which all of the regenerators may be supplied from the basement space with combustion air for preheating, or alternatively, some of the regenerators may receive fluid to be preheated, which is supplied under pressure through conduits QC. While the latter are conveniently located in the basement space, they have little or no significant effect on the temperature conditions prevailing in that space. The conduits QC are adapted to supply lean fuel gas for use in the operation of the ovens as combination ovens heated by the combustion of a lean gas requiring regenerative preheating. In such case, half of the regenerators will receive air from the basement space L, each through an individual conduit OB, and the remaining regenerators will be supplied with lean gas from the supply pipes QC, each through an individual conduit connection 00. Each of the latter is shown as connected through a cut-off valve 0 and reversing valve Q to the corresponding pipe QC, and may be disconnected irom the latter by the closure of either of those valves. Between those valves and the regenerator end of each conduit 00, the latter is provided with an inlet, controlled by a valve 0" for air from the space L.

As is plainly apparent, the conduits QC are inherently as well adapted to receive air under pressure as to receive lean gas under pressure, and when they contain air under pressure, air may be supplied to each conduit 00, and the regenerator served by the latter, either from the basement space L or from the corresponding supply pipe QC, by suitable adjustment of the corresponding valves 0 O and O". The arrangement shown in Figs. 7, 8, and 9 is thus inherently adapted for the same control of a cooling air flow through the basement space L, which is attainable by opening some, and closing others of the valves 0', and simultaneously closing and opening the respectively corresponding valves 0 of Figs. 4, 5, and 6. The arrangement illustrated in Figs. '7, 8, and 9 was devised and is adapted for operation with an air pressure in the space L above that of the atmosphere. To this end, the side and end walls of the space L are made suit ably air tight and double doors, or some other suitable air lock arrangement, are employed at each opening L provided for the passage of workmen into and out of the space L. To supply air under suitable pressure to the basement space L, use may be made of one or more blowers L each conveniently located at the end of the battery, as shown in Fig. 7.

Air under pressure supplied to the conduits OB, and air or lean fuel gas supplied under pressure to the conduits 00, may be delivered to the ends of the sole channels of corresponding regenerators, as in the construction first described. As shown in Figs. 7, 8, and 9, however, each of the conduits OB and 0C is connected through a corresponding reversing valve IC or ID, respectively, to a short metallic distribution pipe R or to a long metallic distribution pipe 1'. Each pipe R is formed with distributed outlet ports one for each of a so-called flue regenerator DA, each of which serves a corresponding heating flue of an outside group of heating flues in a heating wall above those regenerators. Similarly, each pipe r is provided with outlets, one of each of an inside group of flue regenerators. The use of such flue regenerators and of metallic distribution pipes such as the pipes R and r, each serving a plurality of such regenerators, is not novel with me, but has long been known, and is shown, for example,

' air so preheated must be supplied through the in the Wilputte Patent 1,212,866 granted January 16, 1917. The latter patent, however, did not disclose the division of the heating flues in each heating wall into two heating unit sets, each including an upper horizontal channel in end to end relation with the corresponding channel of the other unit, as is illustrated in Fig. 1, and for use with which the general arrangement of Figs. 7, 8, and 9 was primarily devised.

As is well known, in a so-called combination oven, such as that illustrated in Figs. 7, 8, and 9, adapted to be heated either by the combustion of rich fuel gas supplied through the channels K and pipes K and K as ,shown in Fig. 1, or by the combustion of lean gas which has been preheated, each vertical heating fiue must be connected at its lower end to a regenerator used solely for preheating air, and also to another regenerator used in preheating gas when the fuel gas is a lean gas requiring preheating, and used in preheating air when the fuel gas is a rich gas. In the arrangement shown in Figs. 7, 8, and 9, the regenerators optionally usable in preheating lean gas and. air alternate longitudinally of the battery with regenerators used exclusively for air preheating purposes. The reversing valves IC by which the conduits OB are connected to the corresponding pipes R and 1, may be identical with the reversing valves 1]) by which the conduits C are connected to the corresponding pipes R and 1'. Each of those valves includes a single movable valve member I moved between open and closed positions to establish and cut off communication between the corresponding conduit OB or 00 and the corresponding pipe R or 1'. In the arrangement shown in Figs. 7, 8, and 9, the waste heat gases discharged from the regenera tors, do not pass through the pipes R and 1, but through separate sole channels EA which are connected in pairs to the corresponding ofi take fiues J through reversing valves IE. Each of the latter has two inlets, one for each of the solechannels EA served by it, and a single outlet controlled by a movable valve member 1 For reasons of space economy and mechanical simplification, the distribution pipes R and 1', sole channels EA, and reversing valves 10, ID, and IE, are relatively arranged as shown in Figs. 8 and 9.

With the arrangement shown in Figs. 7 8, and 9, in which all of the air to be preheated in the regenerators may be, and at least half of the basement space L, and is supplied under pressure to facilitate its distribution through the discharge ports in the pipes R and r, a special advantage is obtained, in that the relatively large volume of the space L insures an equality of air pressure in all portions thereof. In consequence,

all of the conduits OB and 0C receiving air from the space L, receive air at the same pressure. When air or fuel gas is supplied under pressure through long pipes or mainssuch as the mains QC extending longitudinally of the battery, there is necessarily a pressure drop along the length of such a pipe or main, which tends to non-uniformity in the flow through outlets distributed along the length of the pipe or main. That tendency to mal-distribution may be compensated for more or less efiectively, as by adjustment of outlet valves, such as the valves 0 to different throttling positions, but no such variable throttling devices are required to regulate the supply of air from the space L, in all portions of which the air pressure is the same. With the regenerator supply channel extending into the coke oven structure from the sides of the latter, and particularly with the supply channels for the inside regenerators which extend from the sides of the battery practically to the center of the latter, as shown in Figs. 1 and 8, the air passing to the regenerators tends to a reduced temperature of the roof of the basement space, partly by absorbing heat from that root, and partly by reducing the transfer of heat to the root from the portion of the oven structure above the supply channels.

Features of construction and arrangement illustrated in Figs. 7, 8, and 9 are disclosed in my prior application Ser. No. 571,078 filed October 26, 1931, of which the present application is a continuation in part.

In Figs. 10, 11, and 12, I have illustrated an arrangement generally like, but diifering in some respects from, the arrangement shown in Figs.

4, 5, and 6. In the arrangement shown in Figs. 10, 11, and 12, air is drawn from the basement space L into the reversing valves IA through conduits OD connected to those valves as are the conduits O of Figs. 4, 5, and 6. The air supply to the basement space L may be regulated by adjustment of inlet doors L as in the construction shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3. In Figs. 10, 11, and 12, however, the conduits OE which pass air from the alleyways to the reversing valves, do not open directly into the latter, or into the conduits OD, but open at their lower ends into the basement space L adjacent the inlet ends of the pipes OD.

As shown, there is one pipe OE associated with each valve IA, and it has its lower end opening to the basement space slightly above, and between the center linesof the open ends of the two pipes OD associated with the same valve IA. As shown best in Fig. 11, the upper portion of the pipe OF extends alongside the web and is partially received in the space between the flanges of one of the oven buckstay I-beams S adjacent the corresponding valve IA. At its upper end, each conduit OE is formed with a hood 0, to prevent dirt or dust from falling down into the upper portion of the conduit.

For convenience in variably throttling the inlets to the pipes OD, each of the two pipes OD associated with each valve IA opens at its lower end into a corresponding chamber 0" in a housing 0 secured against the adjacent vertical wall 0! the basement space L, and formed with a cham her 0 for each of the two conduits OD. The side of the housing 0" remote from the conduits OD, is inclined, and is formed with an opening into each chamber 0 surrounded by a recessed rectangular seat 0 adapted to receive and support the ends of so-called finger bars R, a variable number of which may be arranged in an inclined stack in the corresponding inclined seat 0 to thereby close more or less of the inlet opening into the chamber 0 and thereby vary the inflow area from the basement space into the corresponding conduit OD. The lower end of each conduit OE may be opened and closed by means of a corresponding pivoted damper or valve 0 With the arrangement shown in Figs. 10, 11, and 12, all of the air passing to the reversing valves through the various conduits OD, directly enters the latter from the basement space, but by suitably throttling the admission of outside air to that space, all or most of the air actually drawn in through each pipe OD when the adjacent conduit OE has its damper O" open, will be supplied from the alley space through the last mentioned conduit." The arrangement shown in Figs. 10, 11, and 12 is practically advantageous because of the ease and accuracy with which the inlets to the conduits OD may be throttled by the removable and replaceable finger bars. R, which are equally effective to regulate the flow into, and the pressure at the bottom of, each regenerator when the air supplied to the regenerator is basement cooling air, or is air entering the basement from the adjacent pipe conduit OE and having no significant basement cooling effect. The construction shown in Figs. 10, 11, and 12, lends itself to the use of heat insulating material '1 disposed between the basement space and the alley space, so as to effectively minimize the transfor of heat to the alleyways from the basement.

The arrangement shown in Fig. 13, differs from that shown in Figs. 10, 11, and 12, primarily in respect to the special provisions shown in Fig. 13, for passing air directly and positively into the inlet ends of the conduits OD from corresponding conduits OF. Each conduit OF serves the general purpose of a conduit OE, but differs from the latter as shown, in that the open upper end of each conduit OF is located below the corresponding valve IA, into contact with which the insulation material T interposed between the space L and corresponding alleyway, does not extend, as it does in Figs. 10, 11, and 12. In Fig. 13, a housing member replaces the housing member 0 of Figs. 10, 11, and 12.- The housing member 0" includes a separate inlet chamber O for each of the two associatedconduits OD, and each chamber 0 of each housing member opens at its side away from the corresponding conduit OD into a chamber 0 formed in the housing. The chamber 0 receives air directly from the basement space L when a hinge damper or valve O is open, and when that valve is closed, the chamber 0 may receive air from the corresponding conduit OF which opens directly into the chamber O. A valve 0 shown as a butterfly valve, is provided to cut ofi or throttle communication between each conduit OF and the corresponding chamber 0 The port or opening through which each chamber 0 communicates with the corresponding chamber 0 is surrounded by an inclined recessed seat 0 corresponding to the seat 0 of Figs. 10, 11, and 12, and similarly adapted to receive finger bars R by which the inlet to each conduit OD of Fig. 13 may be variably throttled, regardless of the source of supply of air entering that conduit, as in the construction shown in Figs. 10, 11, and 12.

While in accordance with the provisions of the statutes, I have illustrated and described the best forms of embodiment of my invention now known to me, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes may be made in the forms of the apparatus disclosed without departing from the spirit of my invention as set forth in the appended claims and that in some cases certain features of my invention may be used to advantage without a corresponding use of other features.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as, new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is: i

1. In an under-fired coke oven battery, the combination with a coke oven structure having combustion chambers for heating the same and regenerator chambers communicating with said combustion chambers, and a sub-structure supporting said oven structure and formed with a chamber space underlying substantially the entire coke oven structure, or means including-regulating devices accessible for adjustment by an attendant moving around in said space for supplying fuel gas to said combustion chambers. means for controlling the temperature in said space comprising means for supplying to the regenerator chambers some of the fluid preheated therein by passing that fluid through said space and thereby cooling the latter, and means for passing the remaining fluid preheated in the regenerators to the latter without significant cooling effect of the last mentioned fluid on said "space, and means for varying the ratio of the amount of fluid supplied by'one of the previously mentioned means to the amount of fluid supplied by the other of said previously mentioned means.

2. In an underflred coke oven battery, the combination with a coke oven structure having combustion chambers for heating the same and air preheating regenerator chambers communicating with said combustion chambers, galleries at the sides of the battery, reversing valves for said regenerator chambers located in said galleries, and a sub-structure supporting said oven structure and formed with a chamber space underlying substantially the entire coke oven structure, of means including regulating devices accessible for adjustment by an attendant moving around in said space for supplying fuel gas to said combustion chambers, and means for supplying to the regenerator chambers through the respective reversing valves, the air to be preheated including means for passing some of that air to some of said regenerator chambers from said space, the last mentioned means being adjustable to regulate the amount of air passed by it and for passing the remainder of said air to the remaining regenerator chambers from said galleries whereby said space is subjected to a cooling effect dependent on the amount of air supplied from said space.

3. In an underfired coke oven battery, the combination with a coke oven structure having combustion chambers for heating the same and air preheating regenerator chambers communicating with said combustion chambers, galleries at the sides of the battery, reversing valves for said regenerator chambers located in said galleries and receiving air therefrom, and a sub-structure supporting said oven structure and formed with a chamber space underlying substantially the entire coke oven structure and communicating with said galleries, of means including regulating devices accessible for adjustment by an attendant bustion chambers for heating the same and air preheating regenerator chambers communicating with said combustion chambers, galleries at the side of the battery, and a sub-structure supporting said oven structure and formed with a chamber space underlying substantially the entire coke oven structure, of means including regulating devices accessible for adjustment by an attendant moving around in said space for supplying fuel gas to said combustion chambers, supply conduits adapted to connect said regenerator chambers to said space, means adjustable to open and close communication between said conduits and space whereby, when said conduits are in communication with said space, air to be preheated passe to said regenerator chambers from said space and the latter is thereby cooled, and means for supplying fluid to be preheated in the regenerator chambers to said conduits without cooling said space when communication between the latter and said conduits is closed.

5. In an underfired-coke oven battery, the combination with a coke oven structure having combustion chambers for heating the same and air preheating regenerator chambers communicating with said combustion chambers, air receiving galleries at the sides of said battery, and a substructure supporting said oven structure and formed with an air receiving chamber space underlying substantially the entire coke oven structure, of means including regulating devices accessible for adjustment by an attendant moving around in said space for supplying fuel gas to said combustion chambers, conduits for the passage from said space of air to he preheated in the different regenerator chambers to the latter,

7 means for variably throttling said conduits, other conduits leading from said galleries to said space and opening to the latter at points respectively adjacent those at which the first mentioned conduits open to said space, and means for regulating the flow through the second mentioned conduits.

6. In an underflred coke oven battery, the combination with a coke oven structure having combustion chambers for heating the same and air preheating regenerator chambers communicating with said combustion chambers, air receiving galleries at the sides of said battery, and a substructure supporting said oven structure and formed with an air receiving chamber space underlying substantially the entire coke oven structure, of means including regulating devices accessible for adjustment by an attendant moving around in said space for supplying fuel gas to said combustion chambers, conduits for the passagefrom said space of air to be preheated in the difierent regenerator chambers to the latter, means for variably throttling said conduits, other conduits leading from said galleries to said space and opening to the latter at points respectively adjacent those at which the first mentioned conduits open to said space, means for regulating the flow through the second mentioned conduits, and means for regulating the relative amounts of air received by said galleries and space.

7. In an underfired coke oven battery, the combination with a coke oven structure having combustion chambers for heating the same, and air preheating regenerator chambers communicating with said combustion chambers, air receiving galleries at-the sides of said battery, reversing valves for said regenerator chambers located in said galleries, and a sub-structure supporting said oven structure and formed with an air receiving chamber space underlying substantially the entire coke oven structure, of means including regulating devices accessible for adjustment by an attendant moving around in said space for supp y ng fuel gas to said combustion chambers, conduits for the passage from said space of air to be preheated in said regenerator chambers to the diiferent reversing' valves, said conduits opening to said space at points distributed along the sides thereof, means for variably throttling said conduits, and other conduits leading from said galleries to said space and opening to the latter at points respectively adjacent those at which the first mentioned conduits open to said space, and means for regulating the flow through the second mentioned conduits.

8. In an underflred coke oven battery, the combination with a coke oven structure having combustion chambers for heating the same, and air preheating regenerator chambers communicating with said combustion chambers, air receiving galleries at the sides of said battery, reversing valves for said regenerator chambers located in said galleries, and a sub-structure supporting said oven structure and formed with an air receiving chamber space underlying substantially the entire coke oven structure, of means including regulating devices accessible for adjustment by an attendant moving around in said space for supplying fuel gas to said combustion chambers, conduits for the passage from said space of air to be preheated in said regenerator chambers to the difierent reversing valves, said conduits opening to said space at points distributed along the sides thereof,

means for variably throttling said conduits, and other conduits leading from said galleries to said space and opening to the latter at points respectively adjacent those at which the first mentioned conduits open to said space, means for regulating the fiow through the second mentioned conduits, and means for regulating the relative amounts of air received by said space and galleries.

9. In an underfired coke oven battery, the combination with a coke oven structure having combustion chambers for heating the same, and air preheating regenerator chambers communicating with said combustion chambers, galleries at the sides of said battery, reversing valves for said regenerator chambers located in said galleries, and a sub-structure supporting said oven structure and formed with an air receiving chamber space underlying substantially the entire coke oven structure, of means including regulating devices accessible for adjustment by an attendant moving around in said space for supplying fuel gas to said combustion chambers, conduits for the passage of air to be preheated in said regenerator chambers to the difierent reversing valves extending to said space at points distributed along the sides of the latter, means for variably throttling said conduits, and other conduits leading from said galleries to said space and opening to the latter at points respectively adjacent those at which the first mentioned conduits open to said space, and adjustable means accessible for adjustment from said space for connecting the first mentioned conduits optionally to said space or to respectively adjacent ones of the second mentioned conduits.

10. In an underfired coke oven battery, the combination with a coke oven structure having combustion chambers for heating the same, and air preheating regenerator chambers communicating with said combustion chambers, air receiving galleries at the sides of said battery, reversing valves for said regenerator chambers located in said galleries, and a sub-structure supporting said oven structure and formed with an air receiving chamber space underlying substantially the entire coke oven structure, of means including regulating devices accessible for adjustment by an attendant moving around in said space for supplying fuel gas to said combustion chambers, conduits for the passage of air to be preheated in said regenerator chambers to the difienent reversing valves, said conduits opening to said space at points distributed along the sides thereof and comprising pairs of adjacent conduits, and the two conduits of each pair being connected to and serving as supply conduits for regenerator chambers operating to preheat air at alternate intervals, and other conduits one adjacent each pair of the first mentioned conduits and leading from the corresponding gallery to said space and opening to the latter at a point adjacent those at which the two conduits of the said pair open to said space, and means adjustable to supply air to the first mentioned conduits through the second mentioned conduits or independently thereof from said space.

11. In an underflred coke oven battery, the combination with a coke oven structure having combustion chambers for heating the same and air preheating regenerator chambers communicating with said combustion chambers, and a substructure supporting said oven structure and formed with a chamber space underlying substantially the entire coke oven structure, of means including regulating devices accessible for adjustment by an attendant moving around in said space for supplying fuel gas to said combustion chambers, and means for passing air to be preheated in said regenerator chambers to the latter from said space comprising horizontal channels above said space and extending between the sides and the central portion of said battery, reversing valves at the sides of said battery, each external to said space, but having an inlet connected thereto, and an outlet connected to a corresponding one of said channels, and adjustable means for supplying air at a regulable rate to said space.

12. The combination with a coke oven structure having combustion chambers for heating the same and regenerator chambers communicating with said combustion chambers of a sub-structure supporting said oven structure and formed with an enclosed chamber space underlying substantially the entire coke oven structure and forming a single chamber which extends substantially throuhout the entire horizontal extent of the coke oven structure, regenerator air supply connections connecting said space to said regenerator chambers, and means for supplying air to said space to maintain an air pressure therein in excess of atmospheric pressure, said space being of a vertical depth suflicient to permit movements of at-,

tendants through said space. V

13. The combination with a regenerative coke oven structure having combustion chambers for heating the same and regenerator chambers communicating with said combustion chambers, of a sub-structure supporting said oven structure and formed with an enclosed chamber space underlying substantially the entire coke oven structure and forming a. single chamber which extends substantially throughout the entire horizontal extent of the coke oven structure and means for supplying air to be preheated to the regenerator chambers including connections from said space to said regenerator chambers distributed along opposing sides of said oven structure, and means for passing air under pressure into said space, said space being of a vertical depth suflicient to permit movements of attendants through said space.

14. The combination with a regenerative coke oven structure having combustion chambers for heating the same and regenerator chambers communicating with said combustion chambers, of a sub-structure supporting said oven structure and formed with an enclosed chamber space therein underlying substantially the entire coke oven structure and forming a single chamber which extends substantially throughout the entire horizontal extent of the coke oven structure, oven heating gas supply connections extending upwardly from said space into the oven structure and accessible for adjustment by attendants in said space, means for ventilating said space and supplying air to be preheated to said regenerator chambers comprising means for supplying air under pressure to said space and connections leading therefrom to the regenerator chambers, said space being of a vertical depth suflicient to permit movements of attendants through said space.

15. The combination with a regenerative coke oven structure having combustion chambers for heating the same and regenerator chambers communicating with said combustion chambers and optionally usable to preheat either air to fuel gas, of a sub-structure supporting said oven structure and formed with an enclosed chamber space underlying substantially the entire oven structure and forming a single chamber which extends sub stantially throughout the entire horizontal extent of the coke oven structure, fuel gas supply piping, regenerator supply connections adjustable to connect said regenerators either to said space or to said piping, and means for supplying air to said space to maintain a pressure therein in excess of atmospheric pressure, said space being of a vertical depth suiiicient to permit movements of attendants through said space.

16. The combination with a regenerative coke oven structure having combustion chambers for heating the same and regenerator chambers communicating with said combustion chambers and optionally usable to preheat either air or fuel gas, of a sub-structure supporting said oven structure and formed with an enclosed chamber space underlying substantially the entire oven structure and forming a single chamber which extends substantially throughout the entire horizontal extent of the coke oven structure, fuel gas supply piping, regenerator supply connections adjustable to connect said regenerators either to said space or to said piping, and accessible for such adjustment from said space, and means for supplying air to said space to maintain a pressure therein in ex-' cess of atmospheric pressure, said space being of a vertical depth suflicient to permit movements of attendants through said space.

17. The combination with a regenerative coke oven structure having combustion chambers for heating the same and regenerator chambers communicating with said combustion chambers and optionally usable to preheat either air or fuel gas, of a sub-structure supporting said oven structure and formed with an enclosed chamber space underlying substantially the entire coke oven structure and forming a single chamber which extends substantially throughout the entire horizontal extent of the coke oven structure and means for supplying air to be preheated to said chambers including connections from said space to said chambers, means accessible from said space for closing said connections when said chambers are to be used in preheating fuel gas, and means for passing air under pressure into said space, said space being of a vertical depth sufficient to permit movements of attendants through said space.

18. The combination with a regenerative coke oven structure having regenerator chambers arranged in rows extending between opposite sides of said oven structure, the chambers in each half of each row comprising an inner group and an outer group, a short supply channel and a long supply channel extending into said oven structure from each of said opposing sides under each row of regenerator chambers and connected, re-

spectively, to the corresponding outer and inner groups of regenerator chambers of said row, a reversing valve connected to the end of each of said channels, a supporting sub-structure formed with an enclosed chamber space underlying substantially the entire coke oven structure and forming a single chamber which extends substantially throughout the entire horizontal extent of the coke oven structure, a supply pipe at each end of each of said rows connecting the two reversing valves at said end of said row to said space, means accessible from said space for closing communication between the latter and the reversing valves at the ends of alternate rows of regenerator chambers, means for supplying fuel gas to be preheated to the last mentioned regenerator chambers and means for supplying air under pressure to said chamber space, said space being of a vertical depth suflicient to permit movements of attendants through said space.

19. The combination with a regenerative coke oven structure formed with regenerator chambers in said coke oven structure arranged in rows extending from one side of the oven structure to the other, of a supporting sub-structure formed with a chambered space underlying substantially the entire coke oven structure and forming a single chamber which extends substantially throughout the entire horizontal extent of the coke oven structure, means for supplying air under pressure above that of the atmosphere to said space, lean fuel gas mains in said space adjacent air preheating regenerating chambers communieating with said combustion chambers, galleries at the sides of the battery, reversing valves for said regenerator chambers located in said galleries, and a sub-structure supporting said oven structure and formed with a chamber space underlying substantially the entire coke oven structure, of means including regulating devices accessible for adjustment by an attendant moving around in said space for supplying fuel gas to said combustion chambers, and means for supplying to the regenerator chambers through the respective reversing valves,, the air to be preheated, including means for passing that air to 25 said chambers partly 'irom said space and partly from said galleries, the last mentioned means being regulable to vary the relative amounts 01 air supplied from said galleries and space to regulate the cooling efiect to which the latter is subiected.

WILLIAM H. PAVI'II.