FORM 2
THE PATENT ACT 1970
&
The Patents Rules, 2003
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
(See section 10 and rule 13)
1. TITLE OF THE INVENTION:
"System and Method of Fuel Feeding in Manually Operated Boiler"
2. APPLICANT
(a) NAME: FORBES MARSHALL PVT. LTD
(b) NATIONALITY: Indian Company
(c) ADDRESS: P.B# 29, Mumbai-Pune Road, Kasarwadi,
Pune-411 034. India
3. PRREAMBLE TO THE DESCRIPTION
COMPLETE
The following specification particularly describes the invention and the manner in which it is to be performed.

System and Method of Fuel Feeding in Manually Operated Boiler
Field of the invention
The present invention relates to a fuel feeding and more particularly, to a system and method of fuel feeding in a manually operated boiler using a control system.
Background of the invention
A boiler is a device used for generating a steam, which consists of two principal parts, a furnace and a drum/shell. The furnace provides heat, usually by burning a fuel, such as coal, briquettes, chopped wood, bagasse and the like. The drum/shell is a device in which the heat changes water into steam. The steam is then taken out of the boiler for use in various processes in heating applications.
Conventionally, fuel feeding in the boiler is extremely labor oriented. The fuel is stored within the boiler house in front of the boiler and shoveled or thrown by a hand inside the furnace. This process is totally manual. As the boiler pressure drops by a sufficient margin and if the fuel bed is depleted, an operator puts more fuel in the furnace. This cycle is repeated 2-5 times in an hour. The whole process of manual feeding is therefore troublesome and time consuming.
Drawbacks of the prior art
1. Manual fuel feeding in the boiler is laborious and time consuming.
2. The fuel feeding operator is also exposed to hot flames for a longer time.
3. Distribution of fuel on furnace grate is uneven.
4. Bed thickness of fuel on the grate is not uniform. In some pockets, the distribution of the fuel is more than required or recommended and in some pockets it is lesser.
5. During fuel feeding cycle, the boiler draws in more air resulting in more heat loss by radiation and convection resulting in lesser actual efficiency.

6. Due to the difficulties involved, the operator tends to feed in more than required quantity of fuel in the boiler resulting in incomplete combustion.
Accordingly, there exist a need to provide a system and method of fuel feeding in the boiler that overcomes the drawbacks of the prior art.
Objects of the invention
An object of the present invention is to reduce number of labors required for fuel feeding in a manually operated boiler.
Another object of the present invention is to substantially reduce the time required for the fuel feeding in the manually operated boiler.
Yet another object of the present invention is to reduce an operator's exposure to heat from a furnace while feeding the fuel in the manually operated boiler.
Still another object of the present invention is to ensure uniform distribution of the fuel over the furnace bed while feeding the fuel in the manually operated boiler.
Further object of the present invention is to ensure even bed height as per the design requirement.
Furthermore object of the present invention is to increase an actual direct efficiency of the boiler by reducing heat loss during feeding process.
One more object of the present invention is to ensure better fuel combustion in the boiler.
Summary of the invention

Accordingly, the present invention provides a system and method for fuel feeding in a manually operated boiler. The system comprises a tray, a tie rod, a lever, a plurality of wheels, a pair of guides and a control device.
The tray includes a front plate, a rear plate, a plurality of shafts, a plurality of flaps and a pair of link rods. The front plate and the rear plate forms a front side and a rear side of the tray. The plurality of shafts connects the pair of the side plates to each other and also provides stiffening and support. The plurality of flaps is movably arranged horizontally within the tray thereby forming a plurality of compartments therein. The plurality of flaps rotates about the plurality of shafts. Each compartment of the plurality of compartments is capable of receiving the fuel therein. The pair of link rods is capable of joining the plurality of flaps together.
The tie rod joins the pair of link rods at the front side of the tray. The lever is coupled to the tie rod. The plurality of wheels is provided at the base of the tray to facilitate movement of the tray. The pair of guides facilitates movement of the plurality of wheels thereon.
The control device consists of a pair of motors and an actuator. The pair of motors drives the tray and the guide arrangement .The actuator is adapted to pull the lever to drop the fuel on the grate. The control device controls an operation of the system. Specifically, the control device controls movement of the tray, the lever, the pair of guides and the plurality of wheels.
In accordance with the method of present invention, the tray filled with the fuel is guided by the pair of guides inside a furnace. The lever is pulled by any one from by use of a spring lock manually and by use of the actuator of the control device. In case of manual pulling of the lever in the forward direction, the disengagement of the spring lock results in tilting of the flaps and dropping of the fuel from the plurality of the compartments on to a furnace bed and uniform spreading thereon.

Alternatively, the lever is pulled in the forward direction by use of the actuator of the control device.
Brief description of the drawings
Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a system for fuel feeding in a manually operated boiler, in accordance with present invention; and
Figure 2 shows a flowchart of a method for fuel feeding in the manually operated boiler, in accordance with present invention.
Detailed description of the invention
The foregoing objects of the present invention are accomplished and the problems and shortcomings associated with the prior art. techniques and approaches are overcome by the present invention as described below in the preferred embodiments.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a system and method of fuel feeding in a manually operated boiler using a control system. The system reduces number of labors and time required for fuel feeding in the manually operated boiler. Furthermore, the system reduces an operator's exposure to heat from a furnace while feeding the fuel in the manually operated boiler.
The present invention is illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings, throughout which reference numbers indicate corresponding parts in the various figures. These reference numbers are shown in bracket in the following description.
Referring now to figure !, there is shown a system for fuel feeding in a manually operated boiler. Specifically, the figure 1 shows the system (100). The system

(100) comprises a tray/basket (30), a tie rod (40), a lever (50), a plurality of wheels (60). a pair of guides (70) and a control device (not shown).
The tray/basket (30) (hereinafter referred to as "the tray (30)") includes a front plate (10), a rear plate (12), a pair of side plates (14), a plurality of flaps (16), a plurality of shafts (18) and a pair of link rods (20a, 20b).
The front plate (10) and the rear plate (12) form a front side (not numbered) and a rear side (not numbered) of the tray (30). The pair of side plates (14) forms sides of the tray (30). Each plate of the pair of side plates (14) is coupled to other plate by a plurality shafts (18) for providing support thereto.
The plurality of flaps (16) are movably arranged horizontally within the tray (30) thereby forming a plurality of compartments (24). Each compartment of the plurality of compartments (24) is capable of receiving the fuel, for example coai, briquettes, chopped wood, bagasse and the like therein. In an embodiment, the number of compartments and width of each compartment can be changed with respect to a furnace dimensions.
The plurality of flaps (16) rotates about the plurality of shafts (18) passing there through either centrally or at the edges. The plurality of shafts (18) is supported by the pair of side plates (14) of the tray (30). In an embodiment, one flap per shaft arrangement is used.
The plurality of flaps (16) are linked together by the pair of link rods (20a, 20b) at both sides of the tray (30). The link rods (20a, 20b) are joined at front side of the tray (30) by the tie rod (40). In an embodiment, both the link rods (20a, 20b) can be moved in any direction of length by pulling the lever (50) either manually or by the actuator that is a part of the control system. The lever (50) is coupled to the tie rod (40) and fixed to the front side of the tray (30).The movement of the lever (50) is controlled by a spring lock (55) in case of manually operated lever.

The plurality of wheels (60) are provided at the base of the tray (30) and facilitates easy movement of the tray (30). The plurality of wheels (60) moves on the pair of guides (70) that are positioned outside the furnace and adapted to extend into the furnace through the door opening. In an embodiment, the pair of guides (70) is made of pipes or tubes or is a part of the grate itself. The pair of guides (70) are cooled continuously by use of any one of forced circulation of water and part of the combustion air flowing therethrough. Alternatively, the entire tray (30) can be kept hanging in the air and thus there is no need for wheels or guides.
The control device consists of a pair of motors (not shown) and an actuator (not shown). The pair of motors drives the tray (30) and the guide arrangement .The actuator is adapted to pull the lever to drop the fuel on the grate. The control device controls an operation of the system (100). Specifically, the control device controls the movement of the tray, the lever, the pair of guides, the plurality of wheels, opening and closing of the furnace door.
Now referring to figure 2, a flowchart of a method for fuel feeding (herein after referred as "the method (200)") in a manually operated boiler using a control device, in accordance with the present invention is shown. The method (200) is described in conjunction with the system (100). The method starts at step (110).
At step (120). the method (200) involves filling the tray (30) with the fuel and arranging the tray (30) outside the boiler.
At step (130), the method (200) involves opening a feeding door (not shown) of the furnace and adjusting the height of the tray (30) and the feeding door in order to prevent excess fuel from being fed into the furnace. Opening of the feeding door activates an interlock (not shown) and pushes an ID fan damper (not shown) to a minimum position. The pushing of the ID fan damper reduces the amount of combustion air drawn into the furnace.

At step (140), the method (200) involves guiding the tray (30) over the pair of guides (70) into the furnace. In an embodiment, as the tray (30) reaches the end of the pair of guides (70). the spring lock (55) attached to the lever (50) is disengaged incase the tray is being pushed manually and pushed in forward direction thereby tilting the plurality of flaps (16) causing dropping of the fuel from the plurality of compartments (24) on the furnace bed. As the tray (30) covers the entire bed, the fuel is uniformly spread over the bed. Alternatively, the lever (50) is pulled in forward direction by the actuator of the control device.
At step (150). the method (200) involves pulling the lever (50) in backward direction once the fuel is on the bed. In an embodiment, the forward push of the lever (50) to release the fuel on the bed is configured to release with backward pull. The entire operation takes place in short span of time.
At step (160). the method (200) involves withdrawing the tray (30) out of the furnace and closing the feeding door. The ID fan damper returns to the original position after the door is closed. The method stops at step (170).
The entire process of feeding, door opening, door closing and the tray (30) movement is made completely automatic by use of the control device. The control device also monitors the boiler load continuously and triggers the feeding cycle based on a predefined logic that is set depending on a combination of input parameters.
Advantages of the invention
1. The system (100) and the method (200) enable the fuel feeding using lesser number of labors and within a fraction of time.
2. With the use of the system (100), the feeding time required is much lesser, subsequently the operators are exposed to heat for a much shorter period of time.

3. The mechanical feeding of the system (100) ensures even distribution of the fuel over the furnace bed,
4. The feeding mechanism of the system (100) and the method (200) ensures even bed height as per the system (100) requirement.
5. The feeding door of the furnace opens for a very short time that subsequently results in much lesser amount of air drawn resulting in lesser heat loss and higher actual efficiency. The amount of air drawn during the feeding cycle is controlled by throttling the ID fan damper automatically.
6. The system (100) forces right quantity of fuel input thereby ensuring better combustion.
The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the present invention and its practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the present invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is understood that various omission and substitutions of equivalents are contemplated as circumstance may suggest or render expedient, but such are intended to cover the application or implementation without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention.

We Claim:
1. A system for fuel feeding in a manually operated boiler, the system comprising:
a tray having
• a front plate and a rear plate forming a front side and a rear side of the tray,
• a pair of side plates forming sides of the tray, each plate of the pair of side plates coupled to other plate by a plurality of shafts for providing support thereto,
• a plurality of flaps movably arranged horizontally within the
tray thereby forming a plurality of compartments therein, the plurality of
flaps rotates about the plurality of shafts, each compartment of the
plurality of compartments capable of receiving the fuel therein, and
• a pair of link rods capable of joining the plurality of flaps
together;
a tie rod joining the pair of link rods at the front side of the tray;
a lever coupled to the tie rod, and fixed to the front side of the tray;
a plurality of wheels provided at the base of the tray facilitating movement of the tray;
a pair of guides facilitating movement of the plurality of wheels thereon; and
a control device controlling an operation of the system, the control device having
• a pair of motors driving the tray and the guides, and
• an actuator adapted to pull the lever to drop the fuel on a grate,
wherein when the tray filled with the fuel, the tray is guided by the pair of guides inside a furnace, the lever is pulled in the forward direction causing tilting of the flaps and dropping of the fuel from the plurality of the compartments on to a furnace bed and uniform spreading thereon.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the feeding and the tray movement is controlled by the control device.
3. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lever is pulled by using any one of a spring lock manually and by the actuator of the control device.