Improvements in and connected with Gas Retorts.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Apr., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Jan., 1892-Accepted, 27th Feb., 1992
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Gas Retorts.
We, WILLIAM THORNTON COTTON-No. 5 Cancell Road, Brixton, London S.W.
Engineer, and EDMUND FRANCIS BURDETT CROWTHER, Ebor House Withington,
Lancashire, Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
11
This invention has for it's object an improved, fire clay, inclined gas retort, in
which coal is carbonized and on which, fittings are attached to feed and clear, the
retort, and conduct the gas produced to the hydraulic main pipe.
We accomplish this by arranging an overhead railway from which boxes,
containing coal to be carbonized, are suspended, and conducted along the rails to
the retorts, the lid underneath the coal box, is then unlatched, and the coal is
regulated in it's descent into the retort by partially opening the outlet.
After the retort is sufficiently charged with coal, a fire clay cap is placed over
the aperture to keep the heat in the retort, and a wrot or cast iron door is made
to slide horizontally on a metal surface to make gas tight joint.
Underneath the supply aperture, is another aperture, made at the end of the
retort, for the purpose of using an iron rod or poker, to remove any coke, carbon,
or other substances, that may adhere to the retort, after being discharged. Also
adjoining the aperture through which the retort is supplied with coal, is ancther
aperture, through which the gas produced rises, into a pipe, commonly called the
ascension pipe, in which is a chamber, wherein a portion of tar or other liquor
deposits, as the gas, passes onward to the, hydraulic main pipe.
Dated this 22nd day of April 1891.
WILLIAM THORNTON COTTON.
EDMUND FRANCIS BURDETT CROWTHER.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Gas Retorts.
We, WILLIAM THORNTON COTTON, of No. 5 Cancell Road, Brixton, London
S.W., Engineer and EDMUND FRANCIS BURDETT CROWTHER of Ebor House,
Withington, Lancashire, Mechanical 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 :-
This invention relates to certain improvements in gas-retorts, the said improve-
ments being designed to enable the gaseous products to be taken from the top of
the retort to the hydraulic main, whereby the exhaust is more effective, and the
retort is cleared better; to enable the coal to be fed directly into the retort
from an overhead tram or railway without having to lift the coal or use a shovel;
and to enable the retorts to be effectually cleared of any coke or carbon which may
cling thereto.
The invention is best described by aid of the accompanying drawings, in which
a gas retort is shown, half in section and half in elevation, together with the
hydraulic main and an overhead tramway by which coal may be conveyed to the
retorts.
In this drawing, A is the retort preferably made of fire-clay or earthenware so
as to be rigid and indestructible by oxidation, though other material may be used
if desired. B is an overhead tram or railway from which trucks C containing the

page_text: coal to be carbonized are suspended and can be conducted on the rails to the
retorts, and D doors in the bottom of the trucks for discharging the coal. E is
the aperture in the retort for charging it with coal, any weight of coal being
supplied according to the size of the retort and thickness of the layer of coal
required. The coal can be regulated in its descent into the retort by partially
or entirely opening the doors D, and a funnel or hopper d may be used to facilitate
the charging of the retort. By using this overhead tramway in charging the
retorts, there is no lifting of the coal or using a shovel. After the retort is
sufficiently charged with coal, a fire-clay slab or lid e is placed over the aperture E
to keep in the heat, and any suitable metallic door or dome may be mounted over
the aperture E to make a gas-tight joint.
In proximity to the aperture E is another aperture G through which the crude
gas produced in the retort rises into the stand pipes H and is conducted through
the dip pipes into the hydraulic main I. These pipes / dip to the usual extent
into the condensed liquids contained in the hydraulic main which effectually seals
the lower ends of the dip pipes and prevents any return of the gas towards the
retorts. By taking the gas from the top of the retort, the exhaust is more effective
and clears the retort better. The stand pipes are also shorter and easier to clear
out when required.
In the end of the retort A and underneath aperture E is another aperture J
through which an iron rod or poker may be inserted to remove any coke or carbon
that may adhere to the inner walls after the retort has been discharged. This
aperture is provided with a lid K, which however can be opened when the retort
has to be cleared out.
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The retorts are preferably erected at such an incline as to cause the coke to fall
out of the retort by gravity when the door provided for that purpose at the bottom
is open. The coke can be collected in a wagon or barrow placed for the purpose
underneath.
We have described in this Specification the plan we prefer to adopt, but it is
obvious that once given the general idea alterations may be made without departing
from the nature of the invention, for example, the aperture G may be formed at
the top extremity of the retorts, in which case, one hydraulic main may be located
between the two rows of retorts and the gas conducted from all the retorts into
this one central main which runs the entire length of the retort house. In this
alternative arrangement, the aperture for charging the coal is placed near the top
of the retorts, but sufficiently far therefrom to clear the aperture for the exit of
the crude gas.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is―
1. The general combined arrangement or construction of parts forming the
improved gas retort, substantially as described.
2. The combination, with a sloping gas retort having a vertical opening at or
near the top thereof for charging with coal, of an overhead tram or railway
having trucks for conducting coal to the retorts, whereby the retorts can be
charged without lifting the coal by hand or using a shovel, substantially as
described.