Improvements in Gas Retort Chargers.
Year: 1891

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Gas Retort Chargers.
1, ANDREW HICKENLOOPER, President of the Cincinnati Gas Light and Coke
Company, of Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America, 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 relates to gas-retort-chargers and consists in the improved apparatus
constructed as hereinafter more fully set forth and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings in which
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of so much of a gas retort-charger as shows my.
improvement complete.
Fig. a rear elevation of the same.
In existing gas-retort-chargers there are employed a wheeled platform adapted
to run upon ways parallel with the system of retort benches in gas works, a steam
boiler and reservoir for supply of steam used in charging mounted on said platform,
a supplemental carriage or supporting frame adapted to run upon said platform to
and from the face of the retort benches, a vertically adjustable charging hopper
mounted on said supplemental carriage and the necessary connections and minor
appliances for adjusting and utilizing the apparatus and its parts.
In the use of said machines in gas works but one retort of the vertical series of
retorts in each bench (usually three in number) was charged while the main
platform remained in one position.
As the apparatus possessed but one charging chamber and nozzle, it was
necessary to adjust it to the level of the retorts successively. In practice, after
charging a lower retort, for example, of a vertical series, the supplemental carriage
was withdrawn and the main platform (carrying the entire apparatus) moved aside
to allow the coal in the retort to be levelled and the retort lid closed. Meanwhile
the charging chamber was withdrawn and elevated to the level of the next retort,
and the main platform moved back into line and the supplemental carriage again
moved forward to adjust the charging nozzle to the retort. The same operations
were performed for the third retort in series each retort remaining open until
charged.
These operations involved much labour and loss of time besides waste of heat in
the retort bench.
In my improved apparatus separate containing and charging devices are provided
for each retort in vertical series ;-(two three or more as the case may be),
mounted permanently upon the supplemental carriage in vertical series, at levels
corresponding with the several retorts. The containing hoppers being separately
filled or loaded while the entire machine is being shifted laterally from bench to
bench, one adjustment of the supplemental carriage brings all the containing
hoppers and charging nozzles into proper relations respectively with each retort of
the vertical series of retorts of a bench, instead of requiring removal and
readjustment for each separate retort as formerly. Moreover as each containing
hopper and charging chamber is charged ready for action, no time is lost in
admitting several charges successively to a common charging chamber; but all
being thus made ready prior to the one final adjustment of the apparatus to the
retorts, the charging of the entire vertical series occupies but a small portion of
the time formerly required, thereby largely increasing the value and effective
capacity of the charging apparatus.
Thus in practice but five to fifteen seconds are consumed in charging an ordinary
vertical series of three retorts each taking about three hundred pounds of coal.

page_text: Referring now to the drawings A A designates the guide-rails upon which the
entire charging machine is run parallel to the front face of the retorts, and
B designates the wheeled platform upon which are mounted the boiler, reservoir,
supplemental carriage or charger proper, and the necessary attachments, only such
parts being herein shown and described as appertain to my invention.
The supplemental carriage C is mounted upon wheels a running upon cross
rails b, laid upon the floor of the platform B and propelled (by mechanism not
shown) for the purpose of adjusting the apparatus towards or away from the retorts
as hereinafter indicated. Upon the triangular supporting frames formed by the
upright braces C of the supplemental carriage C is secured a series of two or
more in the present case three-"hoppers" D' D2 D3 of the general form shown
terminating below in horizontal charging conduits d¹ d² d³ constituting charging
chambers the forward, ends of which project forward beyond the front of the
supplemental carriage as "nozzles" each adapted in shape and size to enter the
mouth of a retort.
At the rear of each charging conduit just behind its angle of junction with the
hopper of which it forms part is located the blast-distributor ¹² 3 respectively.
The hoppers are arranged one above the other in vertical succession with their
substantially vertical fronts in a common plane. Their rear walls flare rearwardly
and by the succession of the hoppers one above another each lower one is about
half covered at the top by the next above. The remainder of the top opening
however of each lower hopper is prolonged upwardly to the top of the carriage by
an inclined chute as c² 3 respectively the first or topmost hopper of the series
requiring no chute.
The uppermost hopper and the connecting chutes of the lower hoppers open above
in a common horizontal plane at the top of the frame the three openings being
arranged in rearward succession from front to rear of the carriage. This arrange-
ment of the openings adjacent to each other in a common horizontal plane makes it
extremely convenient to fill them at one time to a common measurement level.
The chutes are each closed below by a lid or bottom e hinged at the rear as at
and normally upheld by a gravity catch swinging outward at the side. By this
construction the chutes may be loaded with second charges before the hoppers are
discharged of previous charges. These supplemental hoppers or chutes may be
also so proportioned in size as to contain only the proper charge of coal for the
charging hoppers below.
p
The construction thus described dispenses entirely with the mechanism formerly
employed in raising and lowering the discharge conduit.
In lieu also of the flexible steam connection formerly used which was on many
accounts objectionable I employ a vertical stand pipe 9 at the rear of and on one
side of the supplemental carriage with fixed horizontal steam connections h¹ h² h³
leading thence to the blast-distributors a¹² ³ respectively. Controlling valves i¹2 23
are arranged in these connections near the stand pipe with their operating handles
in convenient reach of the attendant. At its bottom the stand pipe g terminates in
a chamber having an opening in the bottom normally closed by a screw plug or
valve by which the water of condensation may be from time to time withdrawn.
At the top of the stand pipe is a rotating pipe connection m and at the reservoir a
similar rotating pipe connection n these being connected across by two corresponding
joints of pipe l, l, united at their free extremities by a similar rotating connection o
forming a hinged pipe connection permitting the movements of the supplemental
carriage to and fro while preserving a proper steam connection of the strength
required to sustain the expansive shocks produced by the explosive use of the
steam and also durable in relation to injuries from external heat and abrasion.
Moreover as will be seen this connection permits a wide range of movement of the
supplemental carriage while preserving a tight and durable steam connection at all
times. A controlling valve k governing the supply of steam through the jointed con-
nection to the stand pipe is located at the reservoir R. In a practical use of the
machine the valves of the stand pipe connections may be left open and the

page_text: charging done by the main valve k; but it is preferred to use the stand-pipe valves
for charging as those stand in similar relations to their blast-distributors and the
force applied is therefore more equal throughout the series.
Ordinarily when the coal used is approximately uniform in size and character
the uppermost hopper and the chutes or supplemental hoppers are convenient
measures of the quantity required when exactly filled up to the common level of
their tops.
In some cases however a weighing and distributing car H may be employed
running upon a track-way erected at the top of the carriage so as to adjust the car
to either of the hopper openings. The trackway may be a pivotted frame upheld
at one end upon a coiled spring s suspended from a cleat s¹ secured to the frame or
otherwise provided with weighing devices.
I do not herein claim the distributing
car or weighing devices as of my invention and therefore further or more detailed
description of the same is unnecessary.
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. In a retort charger a carriage adjustable to and from the face of the retort-
bench, two or more fixed charging hoppers arranged in vertical succession with
discharge nozzles in a common vertical plane adapted to enter the mouths of two
or more retorts simultaneously, a blast distributor to each hopper at the rear of
the discharge nozzle, a stand pipe upon said carriage having an extensible connec-
tion with a reservoir of blast force and connections between said stand pipe and
blast distributor combined and arranged substantially as set forth.
2. In a retort-charger the combination of a fixed vertical series of hoppers each
having a discharge nozzle and blast-distributor at the rear of said discharge nozzle
the stand pipe at the rear of the carriage and pipe connections thence to the blast
distributor, the valves in such connections a pipe connection between said stand
pipe and the reservoir and a valve governing such connection, and controlling the
entire series of blast-distributors substantially as set forth.
3. In a retort charger the combination of a carriage adjustable to and from a
retort-bench, a fixed vertical series of hoppers thereon, each having a discharge
nozzle and blast-distributor at the rear of said discharge nozzle, a stand pipe on the
carriage, pipe connections thence to the blast distributors controlling valves in said
connections, a pipe connection between said stand pipe and a reservoir of blast force
and a valve governing said connection and controlling the entire series of blast
distributors substantially as set forth.
4. In a retort-charger of the character described the combination of the hoppers
arranged in fixed vertical succession, the blast-distributors attached thereto, the
stand pipe the pipe connections thence to the blast-distributors and the jointed
pipe connection constructed and arranged as shown between the head of the stand
pipe and the top of the reservoir substantially as set forth.
5. In a retort charger of the character described, the combination of the series
of hoppers and their blast-distributors, the fixed vertical stand pipe, the lateral pipe
connections between the stand pipe and the blast-distributors, the extensible pipe
connection between the stand pipe and the reservoir, and a drainage chamber in
the stand pipe below the blast connections substantially as set forth.
DL: DOLL J
1001
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.