Patent GB-282415-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in apparatus for extracting the volatile constituents from carbonaceous materials
IPC: C10B1/04
Filed: 1927-12-14
Abstract: 282,415. Parker, R.. B. Dec. 14, 1926. [Convention date]. R eto rt furnaces; charging and discharging; cooling discharged materials.-A vertical retort, in which a zone of combustion is maintained on a grate at the lower end, is provided with inter-connected means for charging fuel and discharging coke without opening the retort to the atmosphere. As shown, the retort 5 is fitted at the lower end with perforated grate bars 18 resting on and communicating with boxes 15, each of which is supplied, through valved pipes 16, with gas under pressure, e.g. air, steam, carbon dioxide, or distillation gases, from a main 17, the whole grate structure 15, 18 being supported on beams 14 which may be vertically adjustable by means of jacks to vary the position of the grate. Above the bars 18 is provided a reciprocating discharging-bar 19, which is interconnected with the bell valves 28, 29 of superposed charging-hoppers 26, 27, so that its movement operates these valves in such a manner that when one is open the other is closed. The bar 19 is supported at each end in a carriage 64, Figs. 7, 12, to which are secured hollow piston-rods 65, 66 extending within cylinders 53, 54, and through which passes a screwed rod 49 carrying a nut 82 disposed within the carriage: The rods 49 are driven from an electric motor through worm gears 50, 59, and as the bar 19 is reciprocated, cooling water, admitted through the cap 54<1>, is caused by the pistons 65<1>, 66<11> to circulate through the carriages 64. The bar 19 itself is hollow, and is cooled by water under pressure, which is supplied to one end through a cylinder 70 and hollow rod 66<1>, and passes out through a similar arrangement at the other end. Pistons 67 are secured on the ends of the hollow rods 66<1> and one of the latter has an extension in the form of a solid rod 52 projecting within a cylinder 55 slidably mounted in the supporting plate 58. To prevent lodgement of fuel between the hopper valves 28, 29 and their seats the valves are formed at the bottom with a roughened projecting part which contacts with a chilled-steel ring 101 secured in the base of the hopper; the valves may also be given a slight rotary motion as they approach their seats. The valve 28 is carried by a rod 30 around which is arranged a tube 31 supporting the valve 29, the rod 30 and tube 31 having secured thereto pistons 35, 33 arranged within cylinders 34, 32 respectively. These cylinders are supplied with fluid under pressure through four-way valves 111, 111<1>, Figs. 15 and 16, which are operated by levers 112, 112<1> formed with curved ends to engage over pins 115, 116 on vertical bars 113, 114. The curved ends of the levers 112, 112<1> are also provided with hanging weights 120, while the opposite ends are attached by wires 117, 118 to pivoted bars 125 connected by links 127, Fig. 17, to a pair of arms 129 hinged on a shaft 130. The arms 129 are normally maintained by springs 131 in the position shown in full lines on Fig. 17, but are forced to the right as the valve rods 30, 31 rise, by projections on discs 38; immediately the discs have passed the arms 129 the latter are released and snap over to form a support on which the discs 38 rest. The bars 113, 114 are connected by a rope 56 which passes over a pulley 104 at the top of the framing 37 and over pulleys 56<b>, Fig. 15, to pulleys 56a, Fig. 2, the part of the rope between the pulleys 56<a> being secured by a pair of adjustable buttons in the end 72 of the cylinder 55. In operation, as the bar 19 travels towards the left, Fig. 12, the end of the rod 52 forces the cylinder 55 inwardly and the bar 113 is moved upwardly by the rope 56; during this movement the pin 115 operates the lever 112 to admit pressure fluid to the top of the cylinder 34 and to withdraw the upper pair of arms 129 to allow the valve 28 to open. The valve 29 is meanwhile kept closed by the lower pair of arms 129. The valve 28 close immediately the pin 115 passes out of engagement with the lever 112, the weight 120 causing this lever to assume its original position to admit fluid to raise the piston 35. As the bar 19 moves in the opposite direction, a collar 63 on the rod 52 contacts with the cylinder 55, forcing it to the right and thus moving the bar 114 upwardly; this movement operates the lever 112<1> to open the valve 129, the valve 28 being meanwhile kept closed by the upper pair of arms 129. The means for supporting and actuating the bar 19 is housed in spaces c at the sides of the grate structure, so as to be shielded from the heat, and the coke is discharged at the other two sides of the grate into a hopper 10 communicating through a bell valve 11 with a second hopper 8 closed by a sliding door 9. Quenching pipes 13 are disposed in the upper part of the hopper 10 and the quenched coke is delivered from the hopper 8 on to a conveyer arranged in the channel 2. The gas evolved during the treatment is taken off at the top of the retort through a series of openings 21, Fig. 1<a>, which are regulated by gates 91 vertically adjustable by means of rack and pinion gearing operated by hand-wheels 23. The retort tapers towards the upper end and the walls 5 are stepped as shown in Fig. 1, the space 7 between the steps and the outer metal casing 6 being filled in with sand. Water-cooled cutting edges 46 are arranged at the base of the retort to co-operate with the bar 19, while in the walls 5 are disposed vertical beating-flues 94, Fig. 19, connected by passages 95, 96 with horizontal flues 92, 93, this flue system serving either for the passage of hot gases or for the combustion of liquid or gaseous fuel. Specifications 282,416, 282,417; 282,418, and 282,419, [both in Class 55 (i), Coking &c.], are referred to.