Improvements in the Means of Separately Storing Different Classes of Coal in Overhead Hoppers, and the Discharging of the same Separately by Means of One Set of Apparatus to a Common Measuring Chamber, and Particularly in Connection with the Charging of Inclined Retorts.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 15th June, 1899-Accepted, 9th Sept., 1899
Improvements in the Means of Separately Storing Different Classes
of Coal in Overhead Hoppers, and the Discharging of the same
Separately by Means of One Set of Apparatus to a Common
Measuring Chamber, and Particularly in Connection with the
Charging of Inclined Retorts.
I, WALTER RALPH HERRING, of 4, Cluny Avenue, Morningside, Edinburgh,
in the County of Midlothian, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
The invention relates to improvements in the means of storing separately two
or more different classes of coal in divided overhead hoppers and the discharging
of the same through a common measuring chamber and shoot combined or
separately acting for either class of coal at the will of the operator and more
particularly applicable in connection with the charging of inclined retorts. The
arrangement primarily consists of a sub-divided overhead storage hopper fed by
a conveyor provided with special discharging openings whereby the coal can be
discharged into either division of the overhead storage hopper by the movement.
of a hinged or pivotted discharging flap, by this means the one conveyor is made
to transport different classes of coal and by the movement of the flaps discharge
the same into the different hoppers or pockets provided for the various classes. At
the base of this hopper, the measuring chamber or shoot is fixed and by means
of the slides to be hereafter described the contents of either hopper may be dis-
charged through the measuring chamber at will,
And in order that my invention may be thoroughly understood, I now proceed
to describe the accompanying drawing thereof, reference being had to letters and
figures marked thereon.
Fig. 1, is a vertical section of the conveyor, hopper, measuring chamber and
slides, traversing shoot etc. and with other parts in elevation.
Fig. 2, is a plan of the top slide for discharging from the measuring chamber.
Fig. 3, is an elevation of the measuring chamber with the top slides shut and
the storage hopper closed therefrom, the bottom slide open.
Fig. 4, is a plan of the bottom slide in the central or discharging position.
Fig. 5, is a plan of the top slide open for feeding measuring chamber from
hopper a.
Fig. 6, is a vertical section of measuring chamber with the bottom slide closed
and the top slide open receiving a charge from the hopper a
Fig. 7, is a plan of the bottom slide closed when working from hopper a.
The principal obiect of the arrangement shown is to permit of one convevor c
being made to feed into two chambers of an overhead storage hopper or tank
by means of which two distinct classes of coal may be conveyed by the one con-
veror and discharged into either one or other of the hoppers a or b. In the
process of feeding the retorts or fires, the measuring chamber h intervening can
by means of valves and slides shown obtain its supply of fuel of either class from

page_text: the hoppers a or band by a further movement of the levers discharge the same
into the shoot d for feeding the retorts e, f, and g.
In carrying the invention into practice I construct a measuring chamber h
having a slide i at the top and a slide at the base these said slides are pivotted
to horizontal lever arms k, the arms are pivotted to a lever 7 at the top and
bottom whilst the lever is pivotted to a lug or limb m. This measuring chamber
in its discharge is operated by a hand lever n working on pivots o and is connected
to lever by a horizontal bar p. Above the measuring chamber h I provide the
overhead storage hoppers a and b, these said hoppers are divided by a vertical
divisional plate . Above this hopper is supported by any suitable means an
ordinary push plate or other form of conveyor c and beneath the discharging
openings t in the trough of the same I fix a horizontal plate s upon a central shaft r,
this shaft running the full length of the hoppers and communicating with the
point where the coal is received to permit of the operator deflecting the plate s
so as to discharge the different classes of coal into either hopper a or b. The
openings in the slides i and j can be of any suitable form but must be so propor-
tioned that they duly act in unison.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. The apparatus for storing different classes of coal in overhead hoppers and
the discharging of the same through a common measuring chamber particularly
in connection with the charging of inclined retorts, substantially as above
described in this specification and illustrated on the drawing.
2. The combination and arrangement of the conveyor c hinged filling plates,
hinger, vertical divisional plate g and the hoppers a and b together with the
slides and v, substantially as herein described and according to the accom-
panying drawing.
1000
J. P. BAYLY,
18, Fulham Place, London, W., Agent for the Appplicant.