Patent GB-189908486-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in Apparatus for Charging Retorts, and for Stirring and Withdrawing the Charge of Retorts.
Inventor: FOULIS WILLIAM
Filed: 1899-04-22
Granted: 1900-03-10
Abstract: 8486. Foulis, W. April 22. Gas retorts.-Apparatus for charging retorts, and for stirring and withdrawing the charges, of the kind describe 1 in Specifications No. 12,016, A.D. 1890, No. 14,440, A.D. 1891, No. 12,385, A.D. 1892, No. 16,749, A.D. 1893, and No. 13,867, A.D. 1895. Figs. 1 and 1<a> show views of the left-hand and righthand ends respectively of the apparatus, and Fig. 5 a longitudinal vertical section of a hydraulic c y l i n d e r employed. The guide consists of a hollow or box-shaped girder A having a longitudinal slot in its underside. There are four hydranlic cylinders employed, B, B', F, and P. The rods b of the two former are rigidly connected together by a rod b<6>, and act, the first to push forward the rod D of the rake or pusher D', and the second to withdraw it. The rod D is T-shaped in section, and is pivoted to a travelling carriage at c' at one end, while at its forward end it passes over a grooved pulley E. This pulley is carried by pivoted arms from a cross-shaft E<3> having another pivoted arm E<4> connected to a rod e which is attached at e<2> to the rod f of the hydraulic cylinder F. As the rod f is withdrawn, the arm E', and consequently the arms supporting the roller E, are also withdrawn to the left, whereby the roller takes up the position shown in dotted lines, and the rod D and rake or pusher D' are raised as required at the end of the charging stroke or the beginning of the discharging stroke. The hydraulic cylinder F has a ram F' having a longer surface on its rear face f<2> than on its forward face f<3>. Water is continually present in the space on the forward side, being admitted from an inlet g' and a passage f<4>. The water passes through the passage h<2> to a rotary valve H at the other end of the cylinder. This valve is operated by an external handle h<5>, and is provided with two ports (not shown) leading, in one position of the valve, to the ports h<6> leading to the back of the ram F'. It also has a recess h<4>, communicating in another position with the ports h<6> and with an exhaust outlet h<7>. The cylinder is preferably provided with a second cylinder J having a ram j, which also has a larger operative area at its rearward face, and is connected with the cylinder F by the ports f'. The rod j' of the ram operates a slide valve J<2> so as to control the admission of pressure water to the inlets k, k<2> of the two cylinders B, B' alternately, by means of the ports j<3>, j<4>, and of the exhaust therefrom by the port j<5>. The shoot P' is also moved forwards by a hydraulic cylinder P, the rod p of which is connected to the:shoot by a yoke p<2>. To automatically limit the stroke of the pusher when charging retorts, a fixed bracket l carries an arm L pivoted to the pin e', and provided with a pawl l<2> which engages with teeth m on a rod M. On each backward movement of the pusher the pawl slips over one tooth, and engages with it on its return. The rod M is thus gradually driven forwards. As it does this, inclined portions thereon engage pins or stops which they thus bring successively into the path of a projection on the ram b. All the stops are removed simultaneously, and the rod M returned to its original position, by operating a handle l<3>, whereby other inclined portions on the rod M withdraw the stops, and a cam l<4> raises the pawl l<2> from engagement with the teeth m. The hydraulic cylinders B, B<2> are preferably provided with a cushioning- arrangement to prevent shock at the termination of the rearward movement of the rams.