US1460565A - Apparatus for the destruction of refuse - Google Patents

Description

July 31, 1923,

R. BALMER v APPARATUS FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF REFUSE Filjed Oct. 13, 1919 S'Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEY July 3, 1923- 1,460,565 RJBALMER APPARATUS FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF REFUSE Filed Oct. 18} 1919 5 Sheets-Sheet? FIGZ.

INVENTOR 1 ATTORNEY 5 Sheets-Sheet R. BALMER INVENTOR Filed Oct. 18

APPARATUS FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF REFUSE v M U J 1 ww m w K m JQ A /Q July 3, 1923.

wrmw Jul 's, 1923.

R. BALMER APPARATUS FDR THE DESTRUCTION OF REFUSE Filed Oct. 18, 1919 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 R. BALMER Filed Oct.- 18,

APPARATUS FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF REFUSE July 3, 1923.-

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w RN wk *h NQFF 7;,5 ATTORNEY Patented July 3, 1923.

urr-so STATES QFFICE.

ROBERT BALMER, OF TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA.

. APBARATUS FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF REFUSE.

Application filed October 18, 1919. Serial No. 331,669.

T 0 all whom it nmy concern:

Be it known that I, Roam BALMER, a subject of the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and- Ireland, and a resident of the city of Toronto, in the; Province of waste of municipalities, composed in large part of wet fuel and the attainment of these objects without creating a nuisance, either by si hts or smells offensive to the community. ore particular objects are the provision of a semi-automatic plant-of high efii ciency capable of being economically constructed and operated and adapted to rednce by combustion the heterogeneous refuse to be destroyed to a substantially homogeneous form of clinker adapted for use in buildthelines II of Figure 2, showing in plan ing, road making, and the like purposes, and

ash and flue dust adapted for utilization as an ingredient of agricultural fertilizers. Other specific objects of my invenr tion are the provision of storage capacity for refuse prior to its combustion in crowded localities and the treatment of it there in a sanitary manner, whereby in a limited area the waste of the municipal district may be destroyed without offense to the neighborhood, and whereby both the economy of short haulage is obtained and the expense of a large investmentjin' land is avoided.

Further objects will appear as they are here-.

inafter developed In the attainment of the above recited objects' and others, as subsequently set fdrth,

my invention more particularly consists in the provision of apparatus adapted to the destruction of mixed waste, by the methods setforth and described in my copending application above-identified, comprising the several steps, first, of classifying the waste with respect to combustibility; second, separately storing and treating the j waste as thus classified; third, building up a fire by erial I successive additions of' waste through the range of classification from those most readily combustible to those of least combustible character; and fourth, increasing the efliciency in combustion by utilizing high temperatures maintained substantially constant throughout. 7 v V 1 In the attainment of the first step of the method above set forth, I employ a series of bins; and in pursuance of the objects of the second step, I independently treat the waste as thusseparately stored by pre-heat-' ing at regulable't'emperatures varied in accordance with thecharacter of the waste and the quantity of moisture content therein; and in pursuance of the third step of the above recited method, I first employ waste of high fuel value to kindle the fire upon the combustion grate, and when a fire bed is thus formed-introduce the more refractory fuels thereupon until a bed of clinker has accumulated and then superpose upon it those wastes of least combustible character.

The apparatus preferably utilized in practicing my invention is shown in theaccompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals are employed to designate similar parts throughout the several figures. and in which Figure 1 is a horizontal cross-section upon the line V V of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a perspective view :of an air valve controlling device associated with one of the combustion umts.

Figure 7 is a verticalcross-section upon 5 the line VII-VII, of Figure 1.

Figure Sis a vertical cross-section upon the line VIII-VIII of Figure 1. I

In these figures the numeral 1 indicates,

a floor or platform termed a tipping floor for the dischargeof the refuse carts or Vans' 52. 2, 2 are openings in the tipping floor fitted with suitable covers 4,4 3, 3 are rails or guides provided to preserve the alignment ofthe carts or vans with the openings 2.

The covers 4 are provided with swinging props '5'adapted to hold the covers in raised position when open. 6, 6 are the refuse storage bins and 6 the division walls or partithe admission of cool air to the hot air chamber 12. 14 is a lever adapted to control the inlet air through the pipe and valve 13. 15, 15 are air exhaust pipes or lines leading from each bin, and connecting with a pipe or flue 16 and in turn connected with pipe 17 leading to the exhaust inlet of the fan or ventilator 18 which is driven from the pulley 67 and is adapted to exhaust the air and gases from the refuse storage bins and to deliver an air supply for the furnace ash-pits 26 and combustion chamber 32. 19' are auxiliary hot air chambers surrounding the fiues 15, 16, 17 and fan 18, connecting at the openings 20 with the hot air chambers 12, and 21 is the opening connecting the hot air chamber 12 with the exhaust air pipe 15. 22 is the pressure inlet from the fan 18 communicating with the pipe or flue 23 to the pipe or flue 24. 24 is a connecting pipe or flue serving the inlet air pipes 25 'to the individual ash-pits of the I .combustion units 26 which are preferably adapted to roll upon tracks 71.

The combustion unit 26 comprises a fire grate 28, an ash-pit proper 26*, having ash-pit discharge door 26 and an air inlet26 regulated by a valve 27 controlling the air supply to the individual ash-pit. The fire grate 28 preferably has sloping dead plates 29 surrounding the perforated bed of the fire grate.

Preferably, a battery comprises a series of five units 26, as shown, adapted to move as a train in the continuous furnace chamber 30. This furnace chamber is common to all the units whose fire grates are engaged in active combustion. In the structure shown the train of these fire-grates so engaged comprises four units, the fifth unit being employed in the discharge of its contents and while so employed being outside of the furnace chamber 30 and located in the finishing chamber 30 whither the consecutive units 26 are withdrawn from the furnace chamber and left to complete the combustion of their contents and to cool off their clinker before exit tovthe open air.

31 are the outlet fiues from the furnace chamber 30 to the combustion chamber 32.

This combustion chamber has the crown 33 and extends beneath the three bins whose contents are of the less combustible character, the crown 33 being of decreasing thicknessto afford greater heat to the bins whose contents have the higher moisture content, the crown being thinnest beneath that bin containing the wettest fuel, usually garbage. 34 is the outlet flue fromthe combustion chamber 32 to the main smoke flue 35; the main smoke flue 35 is of such length as will afford opportunity for the settling out of the flue dust. It leads to the boiler 36 which is preferably located vertically above the bins in order to economize space where land values, as in city limits or where population is dense, make compactness desirable. The boiler is provided with the outlet 37 leading to the chimney 38. The boiler 36 affords means for the generation of steam to be utilized in the power plant, not shown, for suitable application to such needs for power consumption as the driving of the suction blower 18 and the operation of the hydraulic engine hereinafter described.

The air pipe or fiue 23 connects with the pipe 39 leading through or over the crown 33 of the combustion chamber and has an outlet into the combustion chamber near the points of entrance to said chamber of the fines 31 which lead from the furnace chamber 30. 40 is a regulating valve and manual control therefor limiting the amount of air to be supplied through the pipe 39,. 41 is a compressed air main connected to an air-compressor, not shown, and having the branches 42, leading into the storage bins 6. The pipes 42, of which four are shown for each bin. are of unequal length upon their horizontal runs, the longest extending to the back of the bin. Each pipe terminates in an upward bend, extending tounequal heights respectively, forming a stepped series, from the highest at the back of the bin, to the lowest, which is nearest the front. Each of these pipes is connected to a cross-pipe extending the width of the bin.. with flat horizontal nozzles or mouth pieces 44, seating between and under successive separated steps 53, constituting a terraced incline forming the bottom of the bins 6. 45 is a lever controlling the valve for regulating the entrance of compressed air from the main pipe 41 to the horizontal branch pipes 42, cross head pipes 43 and the nozzles 44 for the purposes hereinafter described.

46 are the feeding hoppers to the furnace chamber 30. These hoppers have dumping bottoms 47 shown operatively in Fig. 5 and comprising the horizontal sliding cover 48' having a ratchet frame by which the hopper bottoms are opened and closed through the medium of the cog wheel 49 and shaft and chain 50 and hand wheel and cog gear 51,

These cross head pipes are provided as shown in Fig. 2. Upon rotation of the cog wheel 49 the sliding cover 48 is withdrawn, permitting the bottom 47 to drop and the contents of the hopper to feed to the furnace. 'The sliding covers 48 are preferably of vitrified material.

-As shown in Figure 2, spy holes 54. are provided for inspection of the fire grates and to permit the trimming of fuel thereon.

As shown in F igure7 55 is a furnace entrance door provided with a pulley and chain gear 56 (Fig. 5). 57 is a shuttle truck for carrying the empty fire grate and ash pit. unit into the furnace 30. This truck runs upon the rails 61 at the entrance end of the furnace.

58 is the furnace exit door provided with pulley and chain gear operating same, 59.- 60 is the shuttle truck for removing the clinker laden fire grate and its ash pit from the finishing chamber 30. 62 Is the track for the shuttle truck at the exit end of the furnace. 63 is a hoistin'ggear for lifting the fire grate and ash pit oombinationwhen the clinker and 'ash are to be discharged from thesame. v erated from the overhead trolley 64:. The clinker and ash are discharged from the fire grate and ash pit upon the belt conveyor 65. 66 is the track connecting the outgoing and incomlng tracks and upon which the combined fire grate and ash pit is adapted to run. 68 is a tool for hauling the fire grate from the furnace 30 to: the

= finishing chamber 30, in which finishing chamber is located a coil of water tubes 69 affording water circulation for taking up the 'waste heat from the hot clinker. The fire grate units are moved asatrain through the furnace 30 by means- 0f the hydraulic engine 70 which is adapted to push the fire grates from the entrance end of the furnace to the exit end as a'train of grates preferably adapted to roll upon a track as stated, but which. may be moved therethrough by any suitable mechanism manually operated or by gravity. I prefer, however, the track 71 "as shown and the hydraulic engine 70. The individual ash pits 26 are served by the. air pipes 25 through the medium of a connecting sleeve 72 cooperating with the air inlet 26 of each ash pit', as shown in detail in Figure 6, in which 72 is an 'arm between the sleeve 72 and the extended shaft of a butterfly check valve 77 operated through the medium of a rocking shaft 7 3 having aslotted arm'74. The rocking. shaft" 73 is connected by. the arm, 76, with the arm 83 at the end- 0f the rocking rod 78 having a-fix'ed-arm 79 carrying a snubbing rod 80. vThe rocking shaft 73 is connected to the hydraulic engine through the con-.-

necting rod 76 and the. slotted. guides 75. The spring 81' is attached to fixed point -.82 and to the arm 83 at the end of the rocking This hoisting gear is oprod 78. This spring when free to act by release of the rod closes the butterfly checkvalve 77 when the engine is operative to move the fire grates progressively for- In the collection of municipal refuse and waste certain districts afford characteristic classes of materials, one district preponderatingin ashes, another in garbage, and another in waste materials of inflammable character. No attempt is made under the method of collection with which my inv'en tion is preferably employed, for selective collection, but this fact of distinctive character of municipal waste according to the districts where it is gathered, is taken advantage of at thelarrival of the vans or carts at the destructor where the carts are dumped into bins selected in ac'cordance with the usual and known character of the load. The general character of the refuse of a given district determines the necessary number of bins, but average conditions encountered are most efficiently handled by the provision of four bins admittingi'theclassi fication of waste into four grades. The most readily combustible waste is deposited in the first bin, which thus contains readily combustible material of high fuel value,

such as paper, wood and. the like. Waste of greater or less fuel value and of heterogeneous character is disposed of in the second bin. The materials of less combustibility .and considerable moisture content are disposed of in the third bin, and refuse predominantly consisting of garbage is dumped in the last. bin.

' The refuse carts orvans arriving at the tipping floor or platform are preferably guided by' rails or other suitable devices and proceed in file to discharge their contents through the openings in the floor into these refuse storage bins below. The various bins forming the-battery are preferably kept separate, as shown, by sealed partitions or di-' vision walls. The covers to the openings in --the tipping floor are provided as shownto swing against the direction of the carts travel and having swinging props hinged into their top surfaces which fall out by gravity when the cover is-removed past the :vertical, thus acting as a support for the cover and inclining it toward the opening 'in which position it affords a chute for the .discharged waste The refuse when deposited in the. bins, even when the latterare partially filled, passes largely by gravity toward the discharge openings through which it is drawn into the feeding hoppers as required. These bins arevfixed storage chambers-having a frontage corresponding with that of the furnaces but relatively of great depth from front to back. This enables the height of the storage chamber to be kept within desired limits. When the refuse lies too far back from any opening to fall by gravity to or near such opening, the workmenby operating one of the lever control valves can introduce from the compressed air main, through one of the branch compressed air pipes connecting with the nearest cross head pipe, a, blast of com-" pressed air through the nearest flat horizontal mouth pieces or nozzles set in and extending across the floor of the refuse storage bin. The floor of the bin, as shown, is constructed with a downward slope toward the discharge opening, with a series of inclined treads, whereby the removal or loosening of frictional contact with the floor by the insertion of the air blast below tne refuse and parallel with the floor is practicable and this united with the impulse given by the blast itself starts a forward sliding movement of the. refuse which is accelerated by the weight and momentum of the refuse so that with the removal or lessening of the restraining friction it tends to fall by the natural effect of gravity. As indicated by dotted lines in Figure 2, the refuse is roughly divisible into layers or'columns whose inclination is that of the angle of slip of the material. It will be found that the effect of the air blast from the nozzles nearest the removal opening is limited to the outermost layer or column of refuse which is inclined roughly at an angle of 45 toward the rear of the bin and whose depth or thickness varies with the weight and texture of the refuse and the depth from front to back of each inclined section of the floor affected by the blast. By operating in succession the first or nearest set of nozzles, and then the second, and then the first two and the third, and so on, the whole of the refuse is progressively brought forward to the discharge opening with a combined sliding and rolling movement of the mass along its exposed surfaces. During the actual operation of the compressed air blasts from the nozzles, the sliding door of the discharge opening is preferably kept closed, the movement of the doors being free from interference by contact with the mass of stored refuse due to the baffle plates.

As above pointed out, an essential and important part of the work of a destructor is the regulation of the service of cart and van discharge. For reasons heretofore pointed out, it is desirable to deposit the more easily combustible refuse in the bin located above the entrance end of the furnace chamber and the least combustible refuse in the bin nearest the opposite end of the furnace. It is desirable to follow the same rule of distributing the more combustible refuse with respect to each individual bin Where provision is made for a double line of discharge openings, that is to say, one set of openings in the fore part and another in the rear of the storage chambers.

Assuming that the distribution of the refuse from the carts to the storage bins has been effected accordingly, the waste will then be substantially graded according to its combustibility as to indiuidual bins as Well as to the battery of bins.

, In order to raise the temperature and otherwise improve the combustibility of the refuse while in the storage bins, the bottoms of these are heated from a hot air chamber which derives its heat principally by radiation from the crown of the combustion chamber. Inasmuch as the moist refuse is preferably stored in proportion to its moisture content as far as possible in the bins farthest removed'from the entrance of the furnace chamber, a progressively thinner crown is provided over the combustion chamber, as illustrated in the drawings, the crown being shallower as the distance from the-entrance of the furnace chamber is increased. lVhere so large a moisture content exists as in garbage and ordinary city refuse, the application of heat to that material while in storage makes it give up in vapor a portion of that moisture, thus improving its fitness for combustion in the furnace. At the same time the inflammable character of the other classes of refuse is increased by the application of heat. Alcohol and ether'are rapidly formed, absorbing in their formation'a considerable quantity of moisture and increasing by this double action the combustibility of the refuse. At the same time many hydrocarbons are volatilized by the heat and pass off along with the water vapor and alcohols and ethers with the fan exhaust as above described. The oxidation of metals in the warm, moist atmosphere of a storage bin is rapid, re-

leasing appreciable quantities of hydrogen by decomposition of the water, thus adding to the gaseous combustible elements blend ing with the air supply to the fan. The infiammability, however, of the alcohol, ether and unstable volatilized hydrocarbons, combined with the hydrogen, free and nascent oxygen and other gases and vapors, is so great that care is neededin the application of heat and its graduation according to'the necessities of each case. Hence the provision of a. graduated heat supply to the hot air chamber and means of cooling of the chamber in an emergency by the inlet pipe and valve above described, which for greater safety may, if desired, be automatlcally chain and cog wheel '50; and cog wheel'49.

controlled by any usual thermostatic apparatus. It Wlll be noted that the compressed air pipes 42, 43,-:and the compressed-air nozzles 44, are heated by the hot air: chamber 12 so that the air blasts ejected below -and amongst the refuse will contribute effectively toward warming and drying the refuse while also loosening, opening up and aerating same, thus further improving the conditionsfor combustion.

-' In the initial operation of the destructor the firstfire grate unit is charged from the storage hop-per above the first binwhere inflammable fuel "is afforded. The work of charging ,is performed by the workman discharging the storage bin, whose duty itis to keep the feeding hopper full ofrefuse. The emptying of the feeding hopper, however, is the duty of the firemen on the floor below. By means of a hand wheel 51 connecting by with the ratchet frame and horizontal sliding cover 48,- the fireman opens the crown of the furnace and at the same time the bottom 47 of the feeding hopper falls and the charge of refuse is dropped by gravlty into ithe furnace. By reverse motion of the handwheel, the'sliding cove-r lifts the--bottom and closes simultaneously the opening of the furnace and the bottom of the feeding hopper. 'The material bestsuited for;

initiating combustion having thus been deposited,- -'the,. fire is-kindled upon the; fire.

grate unit. Each unit "combines in itself the fire grate and ash pit'suitably mounted with wheels on a track running from end to end of the furnace chamber. The course of each grate-in its passage'through the furnace chamber-isfromth'e entrance door to the .exit doorf Afterinitial'firing with the fuel from the first bin, the grate is moved to its position under the next following feed hopper. -When so moved the fire grate already-has a fire nucleus with which to burn lcsscombustible refuse .and thus to form a thicker bed of hot cl-inkers with which to deal with the more refractory refuse suplied from the remaining storage bins of the hattery. When the lastcharge of refuse upon this 'fire grate unit has been consumed, its particular run is finlshed and the unit is removed to the finishing chamber where,i after having its position adjusted through the opening and by a suitable tool, the mass of hot clinker on the fire grate is cooled by a further application of the air blast from air pipe 25 and air inlet 26 and the waste heat given olf from the clinker-is absorbed by the nest of water tubes set be low the crown of the finishingchamber.

Each fire grate and ash pit unit undergo the'same series of operations as every other unit. These units together constitute a train which moves as an entirety. At the entrance end-of the-furnace chamber each unit terial.

rests on a shuttle truck and in the finishing chamber extending beyond the opposite end of the furnace chamber another shuttle truck is provided'to receive each unit in turn.

The movement of the fire grate and ash pit units through the furnace chamber is intermittent but constitutes a continuous, op-

eration. The units are moved through the furnace preferably by a hydraulic engine, each thrust of which is for'the full length of one unit, thus carrying. the whole series of four units over the same distance. .on the withdrawal stroke of the en ine space is :left accordingly for the intro uction of one feed hopper and is ready to repeat the cycle a of operations, already described beginning with firing with the most combustible class of refuse and progressing through the successive charges each of more refractory ma- As it is desirable to break connection with the air blast and the ash it of each unit at each change of position of the unit, suitable arangements for that'purpo'se are provided, one ,of which is illustrated in the drawings as the preferred form, 'asalready described.

The varying nature of the refuse successively, charged into each; combustion unit .and the increasing depth'of the fire bed continuingly formed, render separate treatment .of the units desirable as to the amount and pressure of air to be supplied thereto. In order to secure,'operati-ve conditions independently controllable,' the ash pits are preferably formed separately and integral with each separate grate, as has been pointed out. The same result may-be less efiiciently secured, however, by fixed ash pits below the moving fire-grates with partition walls brought up' into such close proximity to the fire grate frames as to minimize the loss of air between the crevices.

For the correct regulation ofthe re'ssure' and amount of air supply to the as pit of each unit, the valves 27 are provided for manipulation by the fireman. at ,each of the points of stoppage of-the units .in their passage through the furnace chamber and in the finishing chamber.

The air supply for combustion in the furnace chamber comes under pressure from the pressure outlet of the fan.- A. further sulp-v ply of air under pressure is delivered by t e fan through the special flues which pass through or over the crown of the combustionf chamber into the latter. By its passage over the combustion chamber the air in this supplementary supply becomes highly superheated and serves to assure the complete combustion of gases issuing from the furnace chamber into the combustion chamber. While the fan thus delivers the air supply to the ash pits and for supplementary combustion in the combustion chamber, it draws its own supply through pipes or flues which connect with pipes or fiues opening in the upper part of the storage bin and thereby exhausting the air and such moisture-containin fumes and gases therefrom as arise from the refuse.

By the provision of the auxiliary hot air chamber 19 and the setting in the brickwork or masonry of the air pipes or flues, protection is afforded against heat losses. By maintaining the temperature of the air fumes, vapors and gases exhausted from the storage bins and preventing the condensation, particularly of the volatilized hydrocarbons, as well as other vapors in the pipes and in the fan, its continuity of operation is secured and the loss of valuable gaseous fuel for the furnace is prevented. This condensation would otherwise deposit a viscous tarry substance in the pipes and fines and fan. interfering with their efficiency and requiring a stoppage of the plant for cleaning at intervals.

By making the fire grates movable laterally through a'furnace chamber common to all, each unit passes through the same zones as every other fire grate and each of the firing operations takes place at one and the same point for all the units of the group. This arrangement permits such a distribution of the refuse in storage as will enable the furnace to work most efliciently in combustion and also as to labor cost and conservation of heat, the final result being shown in higher temperatures, larger output and lower operative cost.

The structural advantage obtained in this arrangement of fire grate service is that only two doors are required for each battery of furnaces, namely, one for the entrance and the other for the exit of the grates. The whole face of the furnace is thus completely free of doors for either furnace or ash pit service. There are only a few small openings through which tools may be entered for the dressing of the material upon any one of the fire grates. This construction tends not only to strengthen the whole furnace structure but also to reduce the heat losses by radiation. Similarly, the discharge of the ash and clinker atone end of the furnace instead of from separate furnace doors tends to reduce and simplify the transport service of the clinker and ash, while not interfering with the work of attending to the other fire grates of the same battery.

In the destructor described no air currents or gaseous products of combustion or of fermentation leave any part of the destructor in a free volume at any time save through the stack or chimney. The arrange ment provides at every point for an indraW- ing of air wherever there is an external opening to atmosphere save at the ultimate point of release, namely, the chimney. The preheating of the garbage in the storage bins may be thus carried on at the high temperatures necessary to the wettest class of fuel, since the constant ventilation of the bin is accomplished and these gases and vapors drawn off continuously. The air passages along which the volatilized hydrocarbons are conveyed from the bins to the furnace are maintained at a temperature higher than that of the bins themselves. By this arrangement condensation in the fan, fines and pipes is avoided and the volatilized hydrocarbons are delivered entire to the furnace for passage through the fire grate or to the combustion chamber for. destruction therein. The means shown for maintaining this temperature higher than that in the storage bins comprises the enclosure of the air fines, and fan itself in a chamber which is itself heated by the flue leading from the combustion chamber, but the same results may be otherwise accomplished as by the direct injection of superheated air by which volatilization of the hydrocarbons is maintained and their condensation prevented.

By the closed circulation system described, the practical difliculties previously encountered through premature condensation in the pipes or fines are overcome and the loss of valuable combustibles is prevented as well as the extra work in cleaning the pipes and flues, compulsory stoppage of the furnace fans or ventilators and consequent depreciation in efficiency of the plant as a whole.

By the apparatus above set forth and described, a marked increase in efiiciency is secured in rate of combustion. temperatures obtained, the economy of labor andcost of management. of the destructor, both for the workmen engaged in its operation and for the community where it'is installed, are resultant features of advantage that permit the operation of a destructor in the midst of a densely populated district without detrimentor inconvenience to the inhabitants. This possibility affords great economic advantages since the community producing the refuse may destroy it within its own immediate area, thus avoiding transportation of refuse for long distances with the increasingly unpleasant odors inevitable from the rapid fermentation and decomposition of garbage.

Y Having thus described my invention and the preferred embodiment thereof, but not The sanitary conditions desiring to be understood as limiting its scope otherwise than as particularly defined in the appended claims, I'claim:

mixture to eachlash pit during'its periods .f

ofrest; and propelling means formoving. said units intermittently. a

2. In a refuse destructor, a plurality of travelling units each comprising a grate having an enclosedash pit and-a wheeled base, each ash pit having afpipei connection arranged to be coupled-automatically to a pipe connected with a source of supply of a combustible gaseous mixture, said source of supply, including a blower and 'a pipe connection therefrom arranged to engage automatically with said ash pits pipe connection when the two connections are in register; and propelling means associated with said units and adapted to move said units and to locate each unit so that the said pipe'connection's register. 3. In a refuse destructor, a plurality of travelling units each comprising a grate having an enclosed ash pit integral therewith, a blower .adapted to. supply a, preheated gaseous mixture to each ash pit during its periods of rest, valves adapted to regulate the volume of the supplied mixture, and a motor adapted to move said units intermittently.

4. In a refuse destructor, a train composed of a plurality of travelling units, each unit comprising a fire grate, an enclosed ash pit below said grate, a pipe connection adapted to be coupled automatically to a source of supply of a combustible gaseous mixtureunder pressure, a discharge orifice for said ash pitand a closure for said orifice, and motive means adapted to intermittently move said train a units length.

5. In a refuse destructor, a plurality of travelling units each comprising a fire grate and an enclosed ash pit beneath, means adapted to propel said units intermittently as a train, an enclosed chamber adapted to contain said train, an entrance door and an exit door-to said chamber, and a transfer system adapted to receive an'individual unit and to transfer said unit around said enclosed chamber from the exit door thereof to the entrance door thereto.

6. In a refuse destructor, a plurality of travelling units each comprising a fire gratev having sloping walls around it and an enclosed-ash pit beneath it, a chamber to receivesaid units and adapted to permit their travel the'rethrough, propelling means for intermittently moving said units as a train a distance equal to one units length, and transfer means for introducing at the entrance tov said chamber an empty unit at one end of said train as the filled unit at the other end of-said train'is'moved out of said chamber.

' 7. In a refuse destructor, a series of storage bins, a primary combustion chamber below the level of said bins, a series of grates therein adapted tobe severally charged each' rom a separate bin, a secondary combustion chamber beneath said bins, flue connections extending from the bins to the grates, and. flue connections extending from the grates to. the secondary 'combustion chamber, whereby the gases generated in the-bins are supplied to the grates and the products of primary combustion are led to the secondary combustion chamber.

8. In a refuse destructor,-aseries of storage bins and. a combustion chamber below said bins, the crown of said chamber being of decreased thickness underneath each suecessive bin.

. 9. In airefuse destructor, a refuse-storage bin; at as combustion chamber beow said bin; a heating chamber in communication with said bin; an exhaust fan in said heating chamber; aflue from said bin to said fan;.and a'flue from said fan to said combustion chamber; the flue from said bin to said fan lying within said heating chamber; and the flue from said fan to said combustion chamberlying between said bin and the combustion chamber, whereby exhausted from saidbinand supplied to. said combustion chamber are maintained above their condensation point. p p 10. In a refuse destructor, a series of storage bins, a primary-heating chamber bethe vapors low each bin, a secondary heating chamber common to said primary chambers; an ex-' -haust fan 1n said secondary chamber; flue connections from said bins to said fan; a combustion chamber beneath said primary heating chambers, the crown of said combustion chamber constituting the floor of said primary heating chambers; and flue connections from said fan to said combustion chamher, the said fan being adapted to draw 0d the gases formed in said bins through the flue connections between said bins and fan and to supplysaid gases to'the combustion chamber-through the flue connections between the fan and chamber.

11. In a refuse destructor, aplurality of bins for storing waste; a heating chamber beneath each bin, the floor of said chamber being the crown of a secondary or gas-combustion chamber; said secondary combustion chamber;'a primary combustion chamber;

anexhaust fan; a flue from each bin to said I fan; a flue from said fan to said secondary combustion chamber; and a flue from said fan. to said primary combustion chamber,

whereby the gases and vapors formed in said "bins may be exhausted and circulated to supply a part thereof to said secondary combustion chamber, and another part thereof to said primary combustion chamber.

' 12. In a refuse destructor having a refuse storage bin and a'fire-grate to be supplied with refuse from said bin, a fluid-circulation system for supplying air under pressure to chamber and a secondary combustion chamber, a fluid-circulation system consisting of a source of supply of air adapted to furnish air under pressure to said bin near its bottom; a'

suction fan withdrawing air from said bin near its top, said air being mixed with the gasesevolved by the refuse in said bin and through which refuse the air passes; and flue connections from said bin to said fan, from said fan to said primary combustion chamber, and from said primary combustion chamber to said secondary combustion chamber.

14. In a refuse destructor comprising a refuse-storage bin, a primary combustion chamber and a secondary combustion chamber, a fluid-circulation system consisting of a compressed air main for supplying air to said bin near its bottom; a suction fan withdrawing air from said bin near its top, said air being mixed with the gases evolved by the refuse in said bin and through which refuse the air passes, flue connections from said bin to said fan, from said fan to said primary combustion chamber, and from said primary combustion chamber to said secondary combustion chamber, and a heating system consisting of communicating heating chambers, one of which is intermediate the said bin and secondary combustion chamber, and the other of which encloses the said fan and its intake flue, whereby the gaseous mixture in the flue to the fan and in the fan itself, is heated.

15. In a refuse destructor comprising a ref use storage bin; a primary combustion chamber to be supplied with'refuse from said bin; a grate and an enclosed ash pit thereunder, both' movable into and out of said primary combustion chamber; a fluid-circulation system for supplying air under pressure to said storage bin and for removing the said air,

mixed with the gases evolved by said refuse,

from said bin, and for conveying such gaseous mixture to said combustion chamber,

said system consisting of a compressed air main and pipes therefrom to said bin; a pipe from said bin to an exhaust fan, said fan and a pipe therefrom to said combustion chamber, and a coupler on said pipe in said chamber adapted to engage automatically with the ash pit of said grate.

16. In a refuse destructor comprising a refuse storage bin, a primary combustion chamber, a secondary combustion chamber, a grate and an enclosed ash pit thereunder, both of which are together movable into and out of said primary combustion chamber; a fluid-circulation system for supplying air under pressure to said storage bin and for removing the said air, mixed with the gases evolved by said refuse, from said bin and for conveying such gaseous mixture to said primary chamber and the products of com bustion therefrom to such secondary chamber, said system comprising a compressed air main, pipes therefrom to said bin; pipes from said bin; to an exhaust fan; said fan and a pipe therefrom to said primary chamber, a coupler between said pipe and said ash pit, and a flue from said primary chamber to said secondary chamber.

17. In a refuse destructor comprising a refuse storage bin, a primary combustion chamber, and a secondary combustion chamber, a fluid circulation system for supplying air to said bin and for exhausting the air and gases from said bin and conveying the gaseous mixture so exhausted from said bin to said chambers simultaneously or alternatively as desired, said system consisting of a flue from said bin to a fan, said fan and a branched flue therefrom, one branch extending to said primary chamber and the other branch to said secondary chamber, and a valve in each branch, whereby the supply of gaseous mixture may be controlled and proportioned between the chambers as desired.

18. In a refuse destructor, a series of storage bins, a primary combustion chamber below the level of said bins, a series of fire-grates thereinadapted to be severally charged each from a separate bin, and a fluid circulation system comprising means for supplying air under pressure to said bins; a suction fan and a series of fines connecting said fan to said bins; a pipe from said fan adapted to receive the withdrawn air and to carry same under pressure to the said series of fire-grates; a secondary combustion chamber; a second series of fines for receiving the. gaseous products of combustion from said grates and conducting same to the said secondary combustion chamber; a second pipe from said fan leading to said secondary combustion chamber, and a damper therein to regulate the passage of gases therethrough.

19. In a refuse destructor, a refuse storheating chambers to said bins; a primary combustion chamber below the level of saidage bin, means for supplying air under pressure thereto; a primary heating -chamber under said bin; said means for supplying air to said bin including pipes extending through said heatin chamber; a gas combustion chamber adjoining, said heatlng chamber; a secondary heating chamber adjoiningand communicating with said primary heating chamber; a suction fan housed in said secondary heating chamber; and flues from said fan to said bin and to said combustion chamber, the said fan being adapted to withdraw preheated gases from storage bins, means for supplying air to said bins; heating chambers below said bins, valved intakes for supplying cold air to 'said Heating chambers when desired; pipes from said air-compressor extending through said bins; a secondary combustion chamber befan housed in a chamber communicating with said heating chambers, the said fan bea ing flue-connected to each bin and to saidcombustion chambers, to withdraw gases from said bins andto deliver said gases to the combustion chambers as desired.

21. In a refuse destructor, a series of storage bins, means for supplying air under pressure tosaid bins; heating chambers be low said bins, valved intakes for supplying cold air to said heating chambers when desired; 'pipes' from said air-com' ressor extendingthrough said heating 0 ambers to said bins; a primary combustion chamberv below the level of said bins; a secondary combustion'chamber beneath said heating chambers; 'a'suction' fan housed in a chamber communicating with said heating chambers, the said fan being flue-connected to each bin .and to said combustion chambers,

'to'gwithdraw gases from said bins and to "deliver said-gases to the combustion chambers as desired. and flues from said heat ing chambers to said fan.

ROBERT BALMER.

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