Specification of James Watt : furnaces and fire-places.

  • James Watt
Date:
1854
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Specification of James Watt : furnaces and fire-places. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    4/6 (page 2)
    Watt's Improved Construction of Furnaces or Fire-places, <§c. and the Statute in that behalf made, relation being thereunto respectively had, may more at large appear. NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, and in pur¬ suance of the said Statute, I, the said James Watt, do hereby declare that the following is a particular description of the nature of my said Invention, 5 and in what manner the same is to be performed (that is to say):— My said newly improved methods of constructing furnaces or fire-places consist in causing the smoak or flame of the fresh fuel in its way to the flues or chimney to pass together with a current of fresh air through, over, or among fuel which has already ceased to smoke, or which is converted into coaks, char- 10 coal, or cinders, and which is intensely hot, by which means the smoak and grosser parts of the flame, by coming into close contact with or by being brought near unto the said intensely hot fuel, and by being mixed with the current of fresh or unburnt air, are consumed or converted into heat, or 9 into pure flame, free from smoak. I put this in practice, first by stopping up 15 every avenue or passage to the chimney or flues, except such as are left in the interstices of the fuel by placing the fresh fuel above or nearer to the external air than that which is already converted into coaks or charcoal, and by con¬ structing the fire-places in such manner that the flame and the air which animates the fire must pass downwards or laterally or horizontally through the go burning fuel, and pass from the lower part or internal end or side of the fire¬ place to the flues or chimney. In some cases, after the flame has past through the burning fuel, I cause it to pass through a very hot funnel, flue, or oven before it comes to the bottom of the boiler, or to the part of the furnace where it is proposed to melt metal, or perform other office, by which means the 05 smoke is still more effectually consumed. In other cases I cause the flame to pass immediately from the fire-place into the space under a boiler, or into the bed of a melting or other furnace. The Drawing, Figure first, shews a section of a fire engine boiler and its furnace or fire-place (which I have chosen for an example of the application of this new method to the heating and evapo- 30 rating of water). (A, A,) is the boiler, which may be made of any form suitable to its use. (B, B,) is a flue surrounding the boiler as usual. (C) is the uptake or passage from the space under the boiler to the flues. (D, D,) is a funnel or flue for the flame to come from the fire-place to the boiler. (E, E,) is a place to contain the ashes, and F is a door to take them out at, which must be kept 35 continually shut during the time of working. (G, II,) is the fire-place: the fresh fuel is put in at G, and gradually comes down as the fuel below con¬ sumes. The part at (H) is very hot, being filled with the coaks or coals which have ceased to smoke. (J) is an opening or openings to admit fresh air