AN IMPROVED RETORT AND ARRANGEMENTS OF RETORTS FOR MANUFACTURING PROVISIONAL SPATION
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Tyler Barnsley Bennett, of Aston, near
Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, for the Invention of
"AN IMPROVED RETORT AND ARRANGEMENTS OF RETORTS FOR MANUFACTURING
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Tyler Barnsley
Bennett at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 5th November 1875.
I, JOHN TYLER BARNSLEY BENNETT, of Aston, near Birmingham,
in the County of Warwick, do hereby declare the nature of my said
Invention for "AN IMPROVED RETORT AND ARRANGEMENTS OF RETORTS POR
MANUFACTURING GAS AND OTHER PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
My improved retort is constructed of metal, clay, or other material,
in any desired shape, sufficient thickness being left to allow the required
hollows and projections to be formed upon it.

page_text: On each of the lower sides of my retort I form, through the substance
of which it is made, two holes running in a longitudinal direction,
commencing at the front and terminating a short distance from the
other end; connected with these are smaller ones leading into the
retort;
these are for supplying the retort with air when it is desired so
to do.
Upon the top of the retort is a groove for a pipe to supply hot blast
or air from a heat box into the chamber.
Upon the two upper sides of a retort constructed according to my
Invention, at a convenient distance from the front, are two holes of a
suitable size, which connect the retort with the chamber in which it is
placed. When at work these can be opened or closed as desired by
suitable dampers. These dampers are so formed that they can when
closed be made air-tight, by means of luting being placed round the
joints before they go in or through a suitable opening in the front of the

page_text: described, which air mingles with the volatile unburned matter and
causes combustion, and the heat so generated sustains the heat in the
chamber or flues over the whole bed of retorts or object to be heated.
It will be understood that as the coal becomes consumed, the retorts
causes combustion, and the heat so generated sustains the heat in the
chamber or flues over the whole bed of retorts or object to be heated.
It will be understood that as the coal becomes consumed, the retorts
can be charged as often as required.
At the back or other suitable part of the chamber I provide an air
box, in which the blast air is heated before it is forced into the
chamber.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Tyler Barnsley Bennett in the Great Scal
Patent Office on the 4th May 1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
TYLER BARNSLEY BENNETT, of Aston, near Birmingham, in the County
of Warwick, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of November, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the
thirty-ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said John Tyler Barnsley Bennett,
Her special license that I, the said John Tyler Barnsley Bennett, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
John Tyler Barnsley Bennett, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at
all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Islo
of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED RETORT AND ARRANGEMENTS OF
RETORTS FOR MANUFACTURING GAS AND OTHER PURPOSES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that 1, the said John Tyler Barnsley Bennett, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my,
or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner

page_text: the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the
Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Tyler Barnsley Bennett, do
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner è
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement (that is to say)
-
My improved retort is constructed of metal, clay, or other material,
in any desired shape, sufficient thickness being left to allow the required
hollows and projections to be formed upon it or within it.
In carrying my Invention into effect, it is found to be more con-
venient to dispense with the two longitudinal holes on the lower sides
of my retort, and in the place of these I provide an air passage within
the retort which is more fully described in the accompanying Drawing.
I also dispense with the groove at the top of my retort for a pipe to :
supply a hot blast, as this is, in carrying my Invention into effect, found
to be unnecessary.
Upon the upper part of a retort constructed according to my Inven-
tion, at a convenient distance from the front end, I provide a hole or
holes of a suitable size, which connect the retort with the chamber or
bed in which it is placed. The hole or holes can be opened or closed as
desired by suitable dampers or stoppers.
These dampers or stoppers are so formed that they can when closed
be made air-tight, by means of luting being placed round them before
they are put in or through a suitable opening or damper hole in the
front of the retort.
I construct upon the outer surfaces of my retort suitable projections,
so that when two or more are used in one bed the required appertures or
flues are formed to allow a large heating surface.
When a number of retorts are desired to be used they are placed side
by side, and one upon another, in a suitable chamber or bed.
The method of charging a bed of my improved retorts is described in
the Provisional Specification. Any convenient mouth-piece may be used,
but I prefer to construct it with one or more openings for the admission

page_text: of air, which openings can at pleasure be closed by a plug or tap or
any other well known means, it is also provided with an inner perforated
disc.
When heat is required in the chamber or bed the dampers or stoppers
of some of the retorts are opened. The ascension pipes having been
previously closed, air is then allowed to enter the retort through the
mouth-piece and perforated air passage; this mingles with the volatile
unburned matter and causes combustion, and the heat so generated
sustains the heat in the chamber or flues over the whole bed of retorts.
It will be understood that as the coal becomes consumed the retort
can be re-charged as often as required.
I disclaim that part of my Provisional Specification which relates
to the box for heating the blast air, as it is found no blast will be
required.
That my Invention may
be fully understood I have annexed Drawing
hereto, which I now proceed to describe,―
Fig. 1 is a plan; and Fig. 2 a longitudinal section of a retort
constructed according to my Invention.
Fig. 3 is a damper or stopper and the parts connected with the said
) damper.
Fig. 4 is a transverse section upon the line Y, Z, (Fig. 1) of my retort
with the air passage L shown within it.
Fig. 5 is an inside view of the lid of my retort; Fig. 6 is an external
view of the same.
5 Fig. 7 is the lid, and its diaphraghm (Fig. 8) and plug pin section
upon the line A, B, (Fig. 5); Fig. 8 is the air diaphragm having
suitable holes therein.
Fig. 9 is a front elevation of a bed of retorts, constructed according to
my Invention.
Fig. 10 is a modification of my Invention, showing a retort in plan
having transverse projections.
Similar letters of reference are used to indicate the same parts in the
several Figures.

page_text: K, K, K, K, are projections formed upon any retort, which are for the
purpose (when two or more retorts are placed together in one bed) of
forming the necessary flues; L is the air passage, having perforations
therein which may be either attached to or separate from the retort;
I is the fluc or outlet from the retort into the chamber, at the front
end of which is fitted the damper or stopper (Fig. 3); m is the opening
or passage into which is fitted the ascension pipe, which connects the
retort with the hydraulic main. In Fig. 9, E, E, E, E, are the
ends of retorts, constructed according to my Invention, to which the
ascension pipe is attached. F, F, F, F, F, F, are the ends of retorts
constructed according to my Invention to which the dampers or stoppers
are applied; the twelve O's are the dampers or heat regulators for direct-
ing the current or currents of heat within the chamber; G is a door for
closing the opening in front of the flue or outlet I, shown open; H is
a door similar to G, but shown closed; through these doors G or H
(as the case may be), are inserted screws or fasteners for the purpose of
holding the damper or stopper, Fig. 3, in position.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner in which the same is or may be performed, I desire it to be
understood that without limiting myself to the precise details herein- 2
before described (as these may be varied or modified without departing
from the nature of my said Invention) what I claim as the Invention
to be protected by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
First. The construction of the retort with projections upon it for the
purpose of forming flues outside the retorts when two or more are 2
placed in a bed or chamber, either separate from or in combination with
the flue I and air passage L, substantially as herein-before described and
illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
Second. Utilizing the heat generated by the combustion (within the
retort) of the unused combustible matter, substantially as herein-before 8
described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
Third. The flue or outlet I from the retort into the chamber separately
or together with its stopper, substantially as heroin-before described and
illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
Fourth. The air passage L in combination with the retort, sub- 3

page_text: stantially as herein-before described and illustrated in the accompanying
Drawings.
Fifth. The combination of the several parts or their modified
equivalents for manufacturing gas, substantially as herein-before
described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Tyler Barnsley Bennett, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Third day of May, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
JOHN TYLER BARNSLEY BENNETT. (L.S.)