Improvements in the Method of and Apparatus for Charging Gas Retorts.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Jan., 1893-Accepted, 25th Feb., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Method of and Apparatus for Charging Gas
Retorts.
I, JOSHUA WEBSTER, of the Cagliari Gasworks, Italy, Gasworks Manager,
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:-
My invention consists in improvements in the method of and apparatus for
charging gas retorts whereby much labour and time are saved while storage of
coals in the retort house is avoided with concomitant saving of space and reduction
of dust and dirt. My invention is for the most part applicable to gasworks of
small and medium size.
According to my invention instead of filling the retort-charging scoops with
coals from a heap in the retort house I charge them in the coal store and for this
purpose lay a tramway from the coal store to the retort house and the whole
length of the latter. On this tramway I run a truck the body or frame of which
is adapted to carry a number of scoops the same as the number of retorts in a
bench and which turns around a central vertical pivot or like a turntable. Over-
head parallel with the tramway I lay a wire rope upon which I run
a small
carriage with a hoisting and lowering winch constructed with drum by preference
worked by worm and worm wheel gear from a pendent endless chain which latter is
within reach of a person on the floor of the retort house; from a winding chain
on the drum is suspended a cradle adapted to take a scoop; a handle fitted to the
end of the scoop and readily unshipped serves to push the loaded scoop into the
retort and to remove it therefrom. The worm spindle is provided with a flywheel
which enables the winch chain to be run down quickly. The truck having been
run into the coal store with the empty scoops laid in racks on the truck is there
loaded and then run into the retort house and in front of the retort bench where
by means of the winch one scoop after the other is run into the retorts and run
out empty. The mouthpieces of the latter are provided each with a roller for
supporting the scoop, this roller is by preference mounted in a hinged carriage
which can turn down and be run back under the retort mouthpiece.
In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is an end view and Fig. 2 a side view of a
truck of my construction and as an example adapted to carry five scoops
triangularly, one upper central one and two on each side. But the truck should
in all cases be so constructed that the scoops are placed in the same relative
positions as the retorts in the bench for which it is intended. The scoops A rest
in curved brackets B. The body C of the truck is pivoted on the central pin D'
mounted on the under carriage D so that the body C can be turned round in
any direction suitable for loading or discharging the scoops. Fig. 24 shews a
handle E the end of which can be inserted into a socket A' on the scoop and fixed
by the key E'; this handle serves for pushing the scoop in and pulling it out of
the retort.
The winch is shewn in front view in Fig. 3 and end view Fig. 4. Upon the
wire rope
F overhead in the retort house the wheels G run. In the lower part of
the carriage frame G¹ is mounted the winch drum H having a worm wheel H¹
which by the worm 1' on the spindle I can be rotated from the sheave K with
pendent endless chain K. K' is a fly-wheel on the worm spindle I. From the
winch drum H is suspended by the chain L the cradle L' being formed with two
curved arms adapted for the Scoop A to rest on. The flywheel K* aids the stoker
in bringing the chain L' quickly down.
Fig. 5 is front view of a retort mouthpiece M and Fig. 6 a side view of

page_text: same. Figs. 7 and 8 are two similar views of the retort but with a working part
or carriage N in another position. The under side of the retort mouthpiece M
is formed with two slotted lugs M₁ to which is hinged the carriage N for the
roller N. The latter when in the raised position shewn serves to support the
scoop A; and when lowered and slided back under the mouthpiece it is quite out
of the way. The slots in the lugs M' are by preference inclined as shewn.
The truck B C D having had its scoops A filled with coals in the coal store is
run into the retort house and brought opposite one bench of retorts after the
other. When opposite a bench the body BC of the truck is turned round the
pivot D so that the front ends of the scoops face the retorts.
The winch having
been run along its wire rope F into a position close to the scoop carriage the
scoops A. are one by one suspended in the cradle L' Figs. 3 and 4 aud by means of
the handle E Fig. 24 inserted into socket A' pushed into the retorts, the scoop
support N N having been raised into the scoop-supporting position Figs. 7 and 8.
The scoop framing or body BC having received the empty scoops, the framing is
turned round and fixed in position by a catch or bolt and the carriage B C D can
now be run back into the coal store to have the scoops reloaded for charging the
next set of retorts and so on. After the charging the scoop supports N N are one
by one lowered by the scoop coming against the roller in the act of withdrawing
the scoop from the retort, and are then run back into the normal position shewn
in Figs. 5 and 6, the incline of the slots in the lugs M' assisting this action. When
in this position it is clear of any coal or tar that may drop from the retort mouth-
piece.
By this mode of working the scoops are filled direct from the coal store,
brought straight to the retorts and charged into the retorts without further
handling of the coals. Moreover by means of the winch gear described all
jarring and shaking is prevented which would cause spilling of coals.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
First. The mode of charging gas retorts consisting in filling the scoops in a
coal store away from the retort house and while on a truck running on rails laid to
and along in the retort house, conveying the truck opposite the retorts to be
charged, turning the truck framing or body so as to bring the open scoop ends
opposite the retort mouth pieces, by the aid of suitable hoisting gear, travelling
on an overhead rope line, charging the scoops one by one into the retorts and
withdrawing the empty scoops therefrom and placing them on to the truck again,
turning the truck frame or body round, and returning the truck to the coal store
substantially as set forth.
Second. For the charging of gas retorts the application and use of a railway or
track along the retort house and into a coal store in combination with a scoop truck
constructed substantially as set forth.
Third. The wheeled framing G G'. with pulley K, endless chain K', flywheel K³,
worm and worm wheel H in combination with the hoisting drum H with
chain L and scoop cradle L', the whole constituting a travelling winch for retort
charging scoops and in combination with an overhead wire rope line along the retort
house.
Fourth. The construction of retort mouth piece with slotted lugs and a roller
carriage working therein as described with reference to the drawings.
Dated this 14th day of January 1893.
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.