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REGISTER
OF
T H E   A R T S   A N D   S C I E N C E S.

JACOMB'S PATENT GRATES.

It were needless at this time of day to enter into a grave dissertation upon the preposterous losses and the evils consequent from the non-consumption of smoke. Essays have been written, books published, schemes formed, inventions contrived, contrivances invented, and patents sealed: yet here we stand in these luminous times besmoking and besmoked, as our forefathers did and were before us. Few things have, more than this, engaged the attention of practical people, from motives of economy, and of others, from motives still more salutary; but the subject has been an unlucky one; for the evil has, in many cases, but reverted to themselves, and they have themselves been smoked more than ever. Chimnies have been built in every variety of form and feature; of all sizes and dimensions - plain, decorated, straight, and crooked, - crowned with every conceivable bird, beast, and nondescript, (to say nothing of old wives), with a vane, without a vane, and all, nevertheless, in vain, for the remedy has been applied at the wrong end of the chimney.

The usual plan of obtaining artificial heat ought surely to be the cleverest; seeing that it has been sanctioned by custom from time immemorial, and, up to this day (with a few exceptions) most reverentially adhered to by all well-disposed persons. All the heated air, from its own levity, will naturally rise through the readiest channel of escape it can find; and as the chimney is constructed for that especial purpose, it follows of course that the top of the chimney is the place where most heat is to be gained. The quantity of heat radiating into a room must necessarily be trifling, therefore fresh fuel must be added - and it is superadded accordingly. It is thrown upon the top of the already ignited part; by which means the smoke or gas, which thereby becomes extricated, also rapidly ascends in huge volumes through the chimney - a source of immense loss to the consumer, and of intolerable, though tolerated, nuisance to the neighbourhood.

It is, we believe, admitted that the flame of a fire, and not the red cinders, is by far the most valuable part, and if this be so, it requires but little reflection to convince ourselves, how great and severe must be the loss, arising from the almost total waste of every particle of the smoke or gas, evolved from the fuel.

The cause of this evil being apparent to scientific men, it has of late years been a desideratum to devise the best, and most convenient means, of supplying the fresh fuel underneath the ignited part, instead of above it; by which arrangement the smoke would be instantly disengaged by the heat, and be made to travel through the burning part above, where it would be brought into a state of combustion, and be thus made wholly available.

In our recent numbers we have described several ingenious inventions, having this object in view; the patented invention by Mr. Jacomb, which we have now to describe, belongs to the same class; but the means by which he attains the object are totally novel, and possess strong claims to public attention, on account of their extreme simplicity, and little cost: they are, besides, equally applicable to steam engine boilers as to domestic grates; and a reference to the engravings will shew the principle and construction of them for such purposes.

Fig. 1 represents an elevation or side view of a cylindrical furnace, or stove grate, supported upon its hollow axis, a a, which rests and revolves when required (as will hereafter be described) on the supports, b b. The external horizontal bars which contain and constitute the support of the fuel, are rivetted, or otherwise fixed to the circular ends, c c. Fig. 2 gives an end view of this cylindrical furnace, by which it is shewn that the cylinder is closed at one end, and divided into equal portions or compartments by the bars, d d d, at the other end: these divisions extend the whole length of the cylinder, so that the furnace is thereby divided into three (or it may be any other number of) distinct compartments, into which the doors, e e e, severally open and communicate. a represents the interior hollow axis, which is likewise connected by bars from end to end; through this opening, a, air is admitted for the support of combustion, and for the requisite stoking or clearing the fire of ashes and other residuum, as well as for the introduction of steam, tar, or other material, for increasing the combustion. Fig. 3 is a plan of one of the end circles or frames, c c, with the arms or bars, d d d, as before described.

Several modifications of these arrangements are proposed by the patentee, such as fixing the external bars on separately, or in segments, which segments may, if required, be formed by means of a simple contrivance, as the doors or openings for the introduction of fuel, and for other purposes. Other variations (but on the same principles) are proposed by the patentee, to suit the purposes to which they may be applied, which every workman, conversant in the construction of stove grates, will readily understand.

In putting the apparatus described into operation, when applied to a boiler for generating steam, it is to be placed within a flue or passage through the boiler, so formed as to admit the apparatus to revolve on its axis, with the feet, b b, resting on the bottom of the flue; and it should be inserted so far within the flue, that the end at which the fire doors, e e e, are fixed, should be flush or parallel to the outside of the boiler, as shewn at Fig. 4. In this position, the whole of the space between the exterior and interior cylinders are charged with coal, coke, or other fuel, and the uppermost portion is then lighted or fired, air being admitted through the open end of the cylinder, a, and through the bars of which the same is formed. As soon as that portion of the fuel contained in the uppermost compartment is burned to that state in which it gives off no more smoke or vapour, the whole cylinder is to be gradually turned in its hollow axis, in order that a portion of the fuel contained in the adjoining compartment may become also ignited. By this action it will be seen that the smoke, generated by the lighting of that portion of the fuel beneath, or immediately contiguous thereto, is compelled to pass through the first lighted portion, and is thereby consumed.

When fresh fuel is required, it is to be thrown into the uppermost division through the door, e, and upon the top of the live or ignited fuel contained therein; the cylinder is then to be turned on its axis so as to bring the fresh fuel under that which is ignited; the cylinder being turned as often as may be required, to keep the live fuel on the top.

By this arrangement it will be observed that all the component parts of the coal are made available for the production of heat, and the draft of air conveyed to the centre of the fire in any quantity, and which may be regulated to the greatest nicety through the centre of the cylinder.

The rotatory motion occasionally given to the furnace is to be effected by a lever inserted in the holes on the end of the axis, shewn at c c, Fig. 1, or by some other simple mechanical contrivance, the nature of which will depend upon the size and situation of the apparatus.

In applying the principle of this invention to domestic stoves, or fire-grates, the arrangements are materially different; an elevation or front view of one of these is given by Fig. 4; of which Fig. 5 is a side view. It will here be seen that the receptacle for the fuel in these also turns upon an axis, a a, which rests and slides in a longitudinal groove, b. There are two doors or openings for the supplying of the fuel, one at top, and the other at bottom, and when shut they are made fast by the catches at x x. These stoves are put into action by lighting a fire in the ordinary manner with coal or other fuel, as near as possible at the top, preferring to place uppermost some cinders, and green coal undermost; the fire will then gradually find its way to the bottom, burning with little or no smoke, which, together with the gas, or vapour, is consumed as emitted.

When fresh fuel is required, it is to be placed on the top of the ignited fuel, and the door shut down and secured by the catch, x; the grate is then to he drawn forward in the groove, b, and turned round one half of a revolution on its axis; and then be returned back again to its former position in the groove. By this action, the live or ignited fuel is again brought to the top, thereby causing the smoke emitted by the fresh fuel to pass through that which is already in a state of ignition, and be consumed.

The selection of the materials, and the diversification of designs and proportions for the construction of the stoves, will of course depend upon the use to which they are applied; the arrangement of the principal characteristics of the invention is peculiarly favourable to the combination of elegance with utility.

The substantial advantages that will result from Mr. Jacomb's inventions, are the conversion of gas and smoke into a bright flame, instead of permitting it to escape up the chimney: thus economising fuel, by making use of every available particle, and the abatement of a great nuisance by the consumption of smoke.

The article above was transcribed by Matthew Jacomb from a copy of the magazine 'Register of the Arts and Sciences' in his possession. Jacomb.com asserts no claim over the accuracy or completeness of this article or its transcription. The above transcription and scanned image of the article may not be reproduced or published in any form without prior written permission from Jacomb.com.