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q, q, in the grooves o, o. In order to effect the turning of the shaft F, with ease, a toothed segment G, is keyed upon it; and in this segment a small pinion H, works, which is turned by the square shaft 1, and slides upon it, (when the carriage moves on the rails D, D, in either direction,) by the turning of the handle J.-K, is a counter-balance weight, to allow of the bar B, and the teeth a, a, being raised with ease; and L, is a spring, attached to the carriage c, c, for the same purpose. M, is a bar in front, and N, is another at the back, to support the ends of the rails D, D, and carry the shafts I, and i, by means of the carriages o, o, and P, P.

The manner in which the foregoing apparatus operates is as follows:-When the fuel, on the fire-bars, requires to be moved from the front towards the back of the fire-place, the carriage c, c, is brought to the front of the ash-pit, the teeth a, a, a, being in a depressed situation, as shewn at fig. 3, by turning the shaft i, in the proper direction. The bar B, is then raised by means of the handle J, so as to project the teeth a, a, a, above the bars, and into the fuel at the entrance of the fire-place; they are then caused to traverse along the bars, and thereby bear along the fuel from the front towards the furnace-bridge, which operation not only clears the bars, but levels the fuel upon them, so as to cause it to cover them uniformly, and to proceed thereon as its carbonization is effected, as herein before explained. When the carriage c, c, has arrived at the back of the ash-pit, the teeth are lowered out of the fire to prevent their being too much heated or injured, and to be ready for being brought forward again to the front of the ash-pit, while in that depressed situation, for repeating the process of bearing away the fuel towards the furnace-bridge, and raking the bars. The fuel, when this apparatus is used, may be supplied to the front of the fire through the ordinary fire-doors, and by hand in the usual manner.

Another part of the first improvement is shewn at fig. 4; it consists of apparatus for supplying and replacing the fuel at the front of the fire, on its being moved away by the above-mentioned process, without admitting cold atmos

pheric air into the furnace along with the fuel, as is the case when supplied by manual labor through the usual fire-doors. Q, is a section of the front end of a boiler; R, is a hopper, placed in an inclined position over the firedoors s, for supplying fuel to the fire-place; T, is a space between the boiler and the hopper, for the admission of a stream of atmospheric air into the front of the fire-place, and over the fuel; u, is a plate, on which the fuel slides on its descent into the fire-place, which can be lowered, when required, to the horizontal position shewn by dotted lines, for the purpose of withdrawing the scoria from the fire, or the fire itself from the furnace, or even, if required, for feeding the fire occasionally, by manual labor, through the fire-doors, in the usual way; t, is a lever, fixed to one of the axles s, for the purpose of elevating or depressing the plate u;-w, is a pipe, extending the whole width of the fire-place, perforated with small holes, to convey and sprinkle water occasionally on the fuel, in the front of the fire-place.

By the operation of the apparatus above described, the fuel in the furnace is first ignited, and then more and more carbonized as it passes along the fire-bars, from the front to the back of the fire-place, so that the coke, which arrives at the end thereof, is nearly if not perfectly free from inflammable gases or smoke, while the whole of the other parts of the fuel, during the different stages of its progress on the bars, are in various intermediate states of carbonization. When the fuel is distributed upon the fire-bars, it is in a fit state for effecting the combustion of smoke or inflammable gases, as they are generated from fresh additions of fuel in the front of the fire-place, and passed over it in commixture with atmospheric air, whether the air be heated by the means described in the before-mentioned specification, or by those herein specified, or in any other way, or whether indeed (as may be desirable in some cases) it is not heated at all.

The fourth improvement consists in passing atmospheric air to steam-engine or other fire-places, through pipes, tubes, or passages within the boilers, instead of its going

through flues on the outside of the boilers.-These means are peculiarly applicable to locomotive or other tubular boilers, as some of the tubes, for conveying the flame or heated gases from the furnace and through the water in the boiler to the chimney, may be converted into the tubes for introducing the air into the furnace, leaving the remaining tubes for the original purpose of conveying the flame or heated gases from the furnace through the boiler to heat the water and generate steam. The same improvement may however be practised with other boilers, by inserting within them air tubes, to convey air through the boiler in the same way to the furnaces or fire-places.

Figs. 5, and 6, represent the apparatus as applied to a tubular boiler of a locomotive steam-engine. Fig. 5, is a longitudinal section of the engine, taken through the centre. Fig. 6, is a transverse section, taken in the line u, u, looking towards the chimney. a, and a1, are the usual pipes or tubes; a1, being such of them as are converted into air inlet tubes, which may be more or less numerous, and differently interspersed among the others, as experience may shew to be most efficacious. The pipes a1, have other pipes a2, inserted into one of them to convey atmospheric air through the smoke or exhausting-box A, (by which it is partially heated,) to such pipes a', on its way to the fire; this air may be taken by the pipes a2, immediately from the atmosphere, as herein shewn, or after it has passed between the chimney and a casing around it. a3, are small tubes around the fire, to convey atmospheric air, as above mentioned, among and above the fuel. The draught of the atmospheric air through the fire-bars, as well as through the air tubes a2, and a3, being very slight, when the engines are stopped, in consequence of no steam passing up the chimney, a pipe w, and a valve x, is applied to the boiler, by which means a portion of steam, while the engines are at rest, may be passed up the chimney for the purpose of producing a draught of air, in the same way as is effected by the steam, which escapes through the exhausting pipe or pipes of the engines when they are in action. As this part of the improvements would cause a waste of fuel,

while the engines are at rest, an addition is made to the apparatus to compensate for such waste, or rather to render the steam generated by it available. This consists of a pipe x', applied also to the boiler, to pass the steam, generated by such fuel, (which would otherwise be wasted, as above stated,) into a system of pipes, placed within the water in the tender, thereby heating it previously to its entering into the boiler, and thus forming a component part of the apparatus. D, fig. 7, are the pipes; b, is a chamber, into which their upper ends are inserted; b1, is a similar chamber, into which their lower ends are fixed, in the same manner; x2, is a pipe, to be connected with a1, to pass the steam into the upper chamber b; and x3, is another pipe, to convey away into the atmosphere, from the lower chamber b', the water which results from the condensation of the steam. A valve y, fig. 5, furnished with a lever, properly weighted, is attached to the boiler, so as to allow the waste steam to pass through the pipe x', into the tender, instead of escaping into the atmosphere through the safety-valve; and at the same time to prevent the pressure of the steam, in the boiler, from being too much lowered.

The fifth improvement consists of a bent metallic plate B, B, B, figs. 5, and 6, which leaves a space c, c, c, between it and the sides and top of the smoke-box a. This plate is perforated with a great number of small holes, their aggregate area being equal at least to the area of the chimney; but it is preferred to have them equal to double its area, or even more, so as to give a free passage of all gaseous matters through them into the space c, on their way from the box A, to the chimney, and at the same time to prevent the passage from the former to the latter of any large pieces of fuel.

The sixth improvement consists in placing the pipes used for heating air previously to its entrance into the front of certain fire-places, not only in the chimney, or in a chamber leading thereto, but in the placing of the said pipes; or in any part of the flues of the boiler, through which the flame or heated gases circulate on their passage from the

furnace to such chimney or chamber; and this improvement extends to any other means whatever of heating air for the combustion of smoke and gases, by its being sent into the entrance of the fire-place, to pass from the front to the back thereof, over the fire.

The patentee claims, Firstly, the mode of applying an apparatus, as herein before described, for conveying the fuel from the front to the back of furnaces or fire-places to which it is applicable, and for raking and clearing the firebars, and also for levelling the fuel; and the working of this apparatus by power as well as manual labor, by any of the well-known mechanical means of applying such power, and of throwing the machinery in and out of gear, as described.

Secondly, the method of retarding and regulating the consumption of the fuel, when carbonizing, or when in the state of coke, by means of bars having slits in or projections on them, which slits or the spaces between the bars, formed by the projections upon them, extend only a part of the length of such bars; and by means of the slides, which may partially or wholly close a portion of those ends of the slits which are nearest the bridge of the fire-place, as hereinbefore described, or any other means of decreasing or regulating the supply of atmospheric air, and the consequent consumption of fuel when in the states of carbonization above mentioned.

Thirdly, the mode of applying to a feeding hopper a moveable plate, capable of being lowered for allowing the scoria or fire to be taken out of the fire-place, or for supplying the fuel, in the usual way, through the fire-doors, or for any other purpose, as herein delineated.

Fourthly, the means of sprinkling the fuel in the fireplace with water, by the apparatus herein described.

Fifthly, placing the pipes, for heating the atmospheric air, (to effect the better combustion of fuel and smoke,) in any part of the flues leading from the fire-place to the chimney, this being an addition to the patentees claim in the before-mentioned patent, for placing such pipes in the chimney or in a chamber leading thereto; and he further

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