IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR CLOSING AND FASTENING RETORT LIDS
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
†, ROBERT DEMPSTER, Junior of the firm of Robert Dempster and Sons of
Elland in the County of York, Gas Engineers do hereby declare the nature of my
Invention for "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR CLOSING AND FASTENING RETORT
LIDS" to be as follows:
This Inventien has reference to the means employed in closing, fastening and
self-scaling retort lids, the object of my Invention being to arrange an easy and
certain form of apparatus for effecting this purpose, consisting of a horizontal bar
hinged eccentrically upon a stud projecting from the side of the retort. The front
end of the said horizontal bar is notched, and extends forward a little to the front
in advance of the retort lid.
.A lever arm is connected to the eccentric stud which when operated moves the
horizontal lever either backward or forward for purposes hereinafter explained.
The usual cross-bar for supporting the retort lid is hinged to one or more lugs
projecting from the side of the retort mouthpiece (opposite to the side where tho
eccentric is hinged) and when the retort lid is closed, the end of the cross bar
enters the notch formed in the horizontal bar, the attendant afterwards pulling
down the lever arm, which (by means of the eccentric) draws the horizontal lover
backwards thereby hermetically sealing the retort lid, and holding them until
released.
The advantages of being able easily and hermetically to close retort lids will be
apparent to all concerned in gas works, but considerable advantage is found when
opening such lids, because when the lever arm is operated to reverse the motion of
the eccentric, the horizontal lever is moved forward so as to release its hold of the
cross bar, by which means the retort lid is slightly opened sufficient as to allow
the gas issuing therefrom to be ignited before the lid is entirely removed from
the mouth of the retort, thus avoiding any risk of explosions and damages to the
retorts.
Dated this 19th date of Tam 100%
TASKER & CROSSLEY,
Patent Agents, Halifax,
Agents for the Applicant,

page_text: I, ROBERT DEMPSTER, Junior, of the firm of Robert Dempster and Sons of
Elland in the County of York, Gas Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of my
Invention for "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR CLOSING AND FASTENING RETORT
LIDS" and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This Invention has reference to the means employed in closing, fastening, and
self-soaling retort lids, the object of my Invention being to arrange an casy and
certain form of apparatus for effecting this purpose consisting of a horizontal bar
hinged eccentrically upon a stud projecting from the side of the retort.
The front end of the said horizontal bar is notched, and extends forward a
little to the front in advance of the retort lid. A lever arm is connected to the
eccentric stud, which when operated moves the horizontal lever either backward or
forward for purposes hereinafter explained.
The usual cross-bar for supporting the retort lid is hinged to one or more lugs
projecting from the side of the retort mouthpiece (opposite to the side where the
eccentric is hinged) and when the retort lid is closed, the end of the cross bar
enters the notch formed in the horizontal bar, the attendant afterwards pulling
down the lever arm which (by means of the eccentric) draws the horizontal
lever backward thereby herinetically sealing the retort lid and holding them until
released.
In order that this Invention may be better understood reference is made to the
accompanying Sheet of Drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is front elevation of a retort
mouth-piece with my improvements applied thereto. Fig. 2 plan thereof, and
Fig. 3 side elevation. A is the mouthpiece of a retort, B the lid, and C the cross
bar hinged at D, and employed for supporting and holding the said lid in position;
all of which are of ordinary construction.
In order to force the lid firmly against the mouth of the retort and to hold it
there until released I employ the horizontal bar E, one end of which is placed on
an eccentric boss formed on the lever arm F working on a stud G which enters the
side of the retort mouthpiece at H, and fastened by a set screw I, so that the
upward and downward movement of the said lever arm F will give a backward
and forward movement to the horizontal bar E, the length of movement depending
upon the throw of the eccentric.
The front end of the horizontal bar is formed with a notch which fits onto the
cross bar in such manner that when the lever arm F is drawn downward, the
eccentric boss thereon causes the horizontal bar to move backward, consequently it
draws the cross bar with it, thereby forcing the lid against the retort mouth, which
is perfectly and absolutely scaled up.
When the lever arm is lifted upward it draws the horizontal bar forward thereby
slackening its hold of the cross bar, allowing the lid to be easily removed.
The advantages of being able easily and hermetically to close retort lids will be
apparent to all, connected with gas works; but in addition to that there is
considerable advantage in unsealing such lids gradually by an eccentric as when
the horizontal bar is moved forward by the eccentric the said bar releases its hold
of the cross bar, allowing the retort lid to be slightly opened, so as to permit the
gas issuing therefrom to be ignited before the lid is entirely removed from the
retort mouth, thus avoiding any risk of explosions and damages thereby.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the saine is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is,
The combination of the cross-bar C, and horizontal bar E operated by an
eccentric in manner and for purposes substantially as described.