IMPROVEMENTS IN OBTAINING PRODUCTS FROM THE DISTILLATION OF SMALL WOOD AND IN APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED THEREIN."
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Haldane, Drysalter and Manufacturing Chemist,
and James Telfer, Manufacturing Chemist, both of Glasgow, in the County of
Lanark, North Britain, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN OBTAINING
PRODUCTS FROM THE DISTILLATION OF SMALL WOOD AND IN APPARATUS
TO BE EMPLOYED THEREIN."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Haldane and
James Telfer at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the
7th September 1881.
ROBERT HALDANE, Drysalter and Manufacturing Chemist, and JAMES TELFER,
Manufacturing Chemist, both of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN OBTAINING PRODUCTS FROM THE DISTILLATION OF SMALL
WOOD, AND IN APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED THEREIN."
The said Invention has reference to improvements in obtaining products from
the distillation of small wood and in apparatus to be employed therein, and has
for its object to facilitate the process and render it more perfect, to cool and
oxidize the charcoal, and thereafter to further cool it by subjecting it to the action
of atmospheric air, and to separate foreign substances from the wood either before
or after it has been subjected to the distilling action of the retort.
In treating small wood according to our said Invention the said small wood is
passed through a retort to be distilled by being subjected to the action of heat, the
said retort being preferably constructed in the manner described in the Specification
filed in pursuance of Letters Patent, No. 1435, granted to Robert Haldane, one
of the present applicants, as of the 8th day of April, A.D. 1880, or through a
retort consisting of tubes in communication with end chambers, so that by means
of endless chains and scrapers the wood under treatment may be traversed first in
one direction along one tube, and then in the other direction along the other tube.
The space between the tubes is preferably filled in, so that the flaine of the furnace
will not impinge directly upon the underside of the top tube, whereinto the wood
is first fed, the object of the construction of the retorts herein referred to and

page_text: described being to subject the wood on its entry into the retort to a comparatively
gentle heat and to an increasing heat as the wood passes towards the outlet. The
charred wood is passed from the retort by a discharge wheel, such as is described
in the before mentioned Specification, the said wheel having a series of recesses or
receptacles in its periphery, and revolving between flaps to prevent the escape of
gas, the flaps yielding to any obstruction, and the said wood is fed by this wheel
into an apparatus resembling the retort, that is to say, consisting of a chamber or
chambers, or of tubes, through which the charred wood is traversed in one and
then in the other direction along the chambers or tubes, but as the office of this
apparatus is to cool the charred wood the exterior is exposed to the atmosphere,
or is surrounded by a water casing, through which water circulates. An outlet
passage for gases is provided in this chamber for leading the gases therefrom
into a condenser separate from that into which the gases from the retort are
passed.
In both the retort and in this last mentioned cooler where tubes are employed
the wheels which cause the scrapers to be traversed along the tubes may consist of
bosses with pronged projections which bear upon the scrapers to press them forward,
the prongs allowing of the passage of the chain or chains, or wire rope or ropes,
to which the scrapers are attached.
From the cooler the cooled charred wood is passed by a wheel like that herein-
before described, into an inclined rotating, perforated, or reticulated cylinder, with
a trough or receptacle beneath, which may be provided with a creeper or screw,
and charred wood being discharged into the upper end of this cylinder passes
down therethrough, and is subjected therein to the cooling and oxidizing action of
the air, the finer charcoal passing out through the openings of the cylinder, and
being carried away by the creeper or screw, and the larger charcoal passing into a
pit, and therefrom being passed by an elevator if necessary or convenient, or passing
from the cylinder directly into an apparatus to be subjected to the winnowing or
separating and further cooling action of a blast or current of air. This winnowing
machine may resemble those used for winnowing grain, the heavier impurities
passing down shoots, and the charcoal passing into a chamber, from which it is
received into sacks or other receptacles. The charcoal may be passed at once into
the winnowing machine from the cooler in place of being first passed through the
revolving cylinder. A winnowing machine may be applied if desired to winnow
_the_wood as it passes it to the retort in place of or in addition to the winnowing
machine for winnowing the charcoal.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Robert Haldane and James Telfer in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 7th March 1882.
ROBERT HALDANE, Drysalter and Manufacturing Chemist, and JAMES TELFER,
Manufacturing Chemist, both of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain.
" IMPROVEMENTS IN OBTAINING PRODUCTS FROM THE DISTILLATION OF SMALL
WOOD, AND IN APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED THEREIN."
Our said Invention has reference to improvenients in obtaining products from
the distillation of small wood and in apparatus to be employed therein, and has for
its object to facilitate the process and render it more perfect, to cool the charcoal
produced, and to separate foreign substances from the wood either before or after
it has been subjected to the distilling action of the retort.
In treating small wood according to our said Invention the said small wood is
passed through a retort to be distilled by being subjected to the action of heat, the
said retort being preferably constructed in the manner described in the Specifica-
tion filed in pursuance of Letters Patent, No. 1435, granted to Robert Haldane, one
of the present applicants, as of the 8th day of April A.D. 1880, or through a retort
(furnished with the usual condensers or equivalent) consisting of tubes in commu-
nication with end chambers, so that by means of endless chains and serapers the
wood under treatment may be traversed first in one direction along one tube or set
of tubes, and then in the other direction along the other tube or set of tubes.
The space between the tubes is preferably filled in, so that the flame of the furnace
will not impinge directly upon the underside of the top tube whereinto the wood is
first fed (but such space may be left open). The object of the construction of the
retorts herein referred to and described is to subject the wood on its entry into the
retort to a comparatively gentle heat and to an increasing heat as the wood passes
towards the outlet. The retorts in either case are provided with condensers or
their equivalent, as is usual in connection with wood distilling retorts.
The
charred wood is passed from the retort by a discharge wheel, such as is described
in the afore mentioned Specification, the said wheel having a series of recesses or
receptacles in its periphery, and revolving between flaps or their equivalents to
prevent the escape of gas, the flaps or their equivalents yielding to any obstruc-
tion, and the said charred wood is fed by this wheel into another apparatus
resembling the retort, that is to say, consisting of a chamber or chambers, or of
tubes, through which the charred wood is traversed in one and then in the other:
direction through the chambers or tubes, and as the office of this part of the
apparatus is to cool the charred wood the exterior is exposed to the atmosphere, or.
may be surrounded by a water casing through which the water circulates. An outlet
passage for gases is provided in this chamber for leading the gases therefrom into
a condenser separate from that into which the gases from the retort are passed;
the gases may be led into the furnace beneath the retort and therein
burned.
ог
In both the retort and in this last mentioned cooler where tubes are employed:
the wheels which cause the scrapers to be traversed along the tubes may consist
of bosses with prolonged projections, which bear upon the scrapers to press them
forwards, the prongs allowing of the passage of the chain or chains, or wire rope or
ropes to which the scrapers are attached, or any equivalent propelling arrangement
may be substituted.
From the cooler the cooled charred wood is passed by another discharge wheel
like that hereinbefore described into an inclined rotating, perforated, or reticulated
cylinder, bolter, or sieve, with a trough or receptacle beneath it, which may be
provided with a creeper or screw. The charred wood being discharged into the:
upper end of this cylinder passes down. therethrough, and is subjected therein to
the cooling action of the air. The finer portions of the charcoal and sand or grit
pass out through the openings of the cylinder, and are carried away by the creeper:

page_text: -
or screw, whilst the larger pieces of charcoal pass into a pit, and therefrom are
taken by an elevator or blower or its equivalent into an apparatus to be subjected
to the winnowing or separating and further cooling action of a blast or current of
air. This winnowing machine may resemble those used for winnowing grain, the
heavier impurities passing down shoots, and the charcoal passing into a chamber.
from which it is received into sacks or other receptacles. The charcoal may be
passed at once into the winnowing machine from the cooler in place of being first
passed through the revolving cylinder. A winnowing machine may be applied if
desired to winnow the wood as it passes it to the retort in place of or in addition
to the winnowing machine for winnowing the charcoal.
And in order that our said Invention may be properly understood we now
proceed more particularly to set forth the system, mode, or manner in or under
which the same is or may be used or practically carried into effect, reference being
had to the accompanying Drawings and to the letters and figures marked thereon,
that is to say :-
Figure 1 represents in longitudinal section one arrangement of the cooler, into
which the charred wood is received after being operated upon within the retort,
and Figure 2 is a transverse section of the same; Figure 3 is an outside view
drawn to a smaller scale of the whole apparatus (and in which the retort A, which
forms the subject of the herein before referred to previous Patent, is shown). Sheet 2
of the accompanying Drawings represents a modification of our said Invention,
which is hereinafter more particularly referred to.
With reference to Sheet 1 of the Drawings, the charred wood after being passed
through the retort A, Figure 3, is fed through the passage or hopper b provided
with a feed wheel enclosed within the casing 61, Figure 3, the said wheel being
constructed with receivers in its periphery for receiving the charred wood and
feeding it to the cooler in a similar manner to the feeding wheel described in the
Specification of the hereinbefore referred to Patent of the said Robert Haldane, and
the said charred wood is dropped by this means into the cooler B. The cooler
consists, as is seen more especially at Figure 1, of two end chambers B¹, B², con-
nected by two tubes 2. Endless wire ropes or chains C carry the scraper c fixed
to the ropes or chains by collars or pins or other fastenings, the holes in the
scrapers through which the ropes pass being preferably slotted to give play to the
scraper. The said ropes or chains with the scrapers pass continuously through the
tubes into and out of the end-chambers, the-said-ropes-or-chains-being caused_to_
travel by the wheels D in each chamber furnished with arms or carriers & with
forked ends d¹, between which forked ends the wire rope or chain passes, the
carriers d bearing upon the scrapers cause them to traverse longitudinally through
the tubes b².
One of the said wheels D is shown separately in end elevation in Figure 1ª.
The tubes 62 are surrounded by jackets b³ through which air or water is
circulated to facilitate the cooling, the air or water entering the cooler by the
pipe x, and discharged by the pipe x', as indicated by the arrows in Figure 1.
The charred wood is caused to travel by the scrapers through the upper tube b²,
and when it reaches the end thereof it drops to the lower tube through which the
scrapers cause it to pass until it is discharged through the passage or hopper E
provided with a feeding wheel e, similar to that herein before described. An
outlet b is provided for allowing the gas to pass from the cooler to the condensing
chamber or elsewhere. The scrapers c may be either plain at their edges, as in
Figures 1 and 1, or they may be serrated, as shewn in Figure 1b. The tubes b
may be of other shape in cross section than that shown; for example, they may
be D shaped, as shewn at Figure 2a, or oval, or they may be replaced by a chamber
containing a shelf or shelves like the retort described in the Specification of the
aforesaid Patent of the said Robert Haldane.
Figure 4, Sheet 2, of the accompanying Drawings represents in longitudinal
section a cooler constructed for cooling by means of water. In this Figure a retort
is also shown constructed in accordance with the Specification of the aforesaid
=

page_text: Patent of the said Robert Haldane. The cooler F, as shown, consists of a single
tube having within it one central shelf f¹, upon the top surface of which the
chain with the scrapers is represented by the dotted lines f³, the said chain or
rope being operated by the sprocket wheels f³ arranged at the ends of the
chamber; a water casing f* surrounds the chamber or tube f. As shewn in con-
nection with this modification of our said Invention; the retort is provided with
several shelves for the traverse of the wood, which finally is passed through the
hopper or passage G provided with a feeding wheel g, and is dropped upon the
shelf f, from which the charred wood is discharged through the hopper or
opening f provided with a feeding wheel fe.
An arrangement of the tubes like that shewn in Figures 1, 2, and 2ª may be
employed as a retort in place of the arrangement shewn in Figure 4, Sheet 2, the
water casing of course being omitted, and the flame of the furnace which heats the
retort playing around the flues or tubes. Referring again to Sheet 1 of the
Drawings from the cooler B the charred wood passes either at once or through an
intermediate perforated or reticulated cylinder or boltér into a winnowing machine
like those used for winnowing grain. In Figure 3, which represents the order in
which the different parts of the apparatus communicate with each other, A represents
the retort and B the cooler described with reference to Figures 1, 2, and 2; A' is a
blower which may be used for feeding the shavings, sawdust, or small pieces of
wood into the hopper A² of the retort; H is the winnowing machine into which
the charred wood is fed or received, either directly from the cooler B, or after
having passed through a rotating, perforated, or reticulated cylinder or bolter or
sieve, represented at J, to be further cooled and cleaned (freed from sand or grit),
being received therefrom into a pit K; from which it is passed by an elevator L
into the hopper h of the winnowing machine, where the hopper of the winnowing
machine is at a higher level than the cylinder J.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of our said
Invention, and the system, mode, or manner in or under which the same is or may
be used or practically carried into effect, we would observe in conclusion that what
we consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured
to us by the hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent is,-
First. The arrangement and combination of parts constituting the apparatus for
feeding, distilling, and condensing the gas, and cooling and treating the charcoal
produced from the distillation of sawdust, shavings, and other small pieces of wood,
essentially as described and shown in the accompanying Drawings.
Second. The arrangement and construction of a cooler or retort having one, two,
or other convenient number of chambers or tubes with or without a shelf or shelves,
and in combination with a chain or rope with scrapers attached thereto operated
by pronged, sprocket, or other suitable wheels, the said cooler or retort being
provided in the case of the cooler either with or without a water or air casing, and
in the case of a retort with a furnace and flue for heating it, essentially as
described and shown in the accompanying Drawings.
Third. The combination with apparatus for the obtaining of products from the
distillation of small wood, of a winnowing machine, into which the charcoal is
passed directly or after passing through a bolter or sieve, to be acted upon by a
blast of air to separate the charcoal from foreign matters, essentially as described
and shown in Figure 3 of the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Haldane, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Sixth day of March, in the year of Our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and sighto two
ROBERT HALDANE. (L.S.)