Improvements in Washing and Preparing and Coking of Smudge, Slack, or other Coal, and in the Application of the Gases Resulting therefrom, and in Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Jan., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 9th Nov., 1892-Accepted, 31st Dec., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Washing and Preparing and Coking of Smudge,
Slack, or other Coal, and in the Application of the Gases
Resulting therefrom, and in Apparatus therefor.
We, DAN RYLANDS, of Shepcote, Stairfoot, near Barnsley, in the County of
York, Glass Bottle Manufacturer and Colliery Proprietor, and HENRY NAYLOR,
of Dodworth Green, near Barnsley, aforesaid, Mining Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
"
The object of our said invention is to secure the economical use of coal, or
slack, or smudge, which hitherto may have been considered of little or no value.
To attain this object we subject the coal or "slack or smudge to a process of
washing, preparing, and drying, and then deliver the prepared coal, or slack, or
smudge into retorts or ovens for the purpose of making coke or for generating
gases, which gases may be afterwards used in the heating of boilers or of glass
and other furnaces, or for illuminating or for other suitable purposes.
According to our present invention, we construct washing apparatus for washing
the smudge, slack or coal in such a manner that the water passes into the smudge
or slack or coal at one end of a trough or spout, and carries the slack, smudge
or other coal and such dirt as they may contain along the spout or trough in such
a way that all the shale and earthy substances are thoroughly immersed in the
water. A suitable cap may also be used to force into the water any dust which
may float on the top of the water. The spouts or troughs are made of wood or metal
or other suitable material, and in these spouts or troughs we construct at any
suitable distance such stop valves, doors, or movable partitions as may be required
to divert the water mixed with the smudge, slack, or other coal and dirt into such
channels as may be required to thoroughly wash or cleanse the slack, smudge, or
other coal from the dirt. This washing or cleansing is carried on by the alternate
raising and lowering of the said doors or movable partitions or the opening and
shutting of the said stop valves, so that the smudge, slack or other coal is carried
along with the water in such a manner that the deposit of dirt or shale, or
earthy matter is separated from the smudge or slack or other coal, and left in
the spout or trough. The deposit thus left in the trough or spout is afterwards
washed out through doors or valves in the bottom of the trough into tubs or
trucks or other receptacles underneath the trough.
The smudge, slack, or other coal is carried by the water out of the trough into
suitable hoppers or other receptacles. The hoppers are thus filled automatically
with the coal or slack or smudge now cleansed from the dirt and earthy matter it
may have previously contained. The water remaining in the coal, smudge or slack
is then drained through the bottom of the hoppers, which bottoms are suitably
constructed for the purpose. We also place sieves in the sides of the hoppers,
which sieves serve as an additional means for draining away the water, and these
sieves also help to keep the slack in the hopper quite level without any hand
labour. The water drained out of the coal or slack or smudge may be conveyed
into a reservoir or receptacle in which any dirt remaining in the water may be
allowed to settle, and the water can thus be reused in this process any desired
number of times.
The washed smudge, slack, or coal in the hoppers is then passed into a spout or
spouts by means of slides or other suitable arrangements, and the smudge, slack
or other coal is drawn along the spouts by an endless chain or creepers furnished
with metal plates or buckets so arranged that the smudge, coal or slack is turned
over during its transit along the spouts. These latter spouts may be made of

page_text: metal and have a chamber in the sides and bottom through which chamber steam
or hot air is caused to pass.
The spout is thus heated by means of this steam and hot air, and in passing
along this heated spout the coal, smudge or slack is dried. These spouts may be
made of any desired length and dimension necessary to properly dry the coal,
smudge or slack in the required quantity.
The prepared and dried slack, smudge, or other coal may then be stored in a
suitable place ready for use; or the prepared and dried slack, smudge or other
coal may be conveyed along spouts or troughs direct to the place of consumption
by means of creepers, buckets, or a spiral screw, or by other suitable apparatus.
The slack, smudge, or other coal specially prepared, washed and dried by the
process before described is thus rendered useful for a variety of purposes such as
gas making either for illuminating or for heating purposes, or for consumption in
properly constructed furnaces for the melting of glass iron, or other substance,
or for other purposes.
The washed and dried slack, smudge, or other coal may also be utilised for
making coke either in coke ovens or retorts or otherwise, and when so used we
utilise the gases produced during the process of making the coke for any suitable
purpose.
The coke ovens for the purpose of our invention may be constructed of the
bee-hive shape or of any other convenient shape, but in communication with the
coke ovens we so construct a flue or pipe or tube either of metal or refractory
material that the ignited gases may be conveyed from the coke ovens to boilers
for producing steam or to retorts for gas making or to furnaces for glass or iron
melting or for any other purpose to which the heated gas may be applied. The
heat or gas after passing from the retorts or boilers may also be utilised for other
purposes. The number of ovens or retorts may be regulated according to the
quantity of gas or amount of heat required but for example we may state that
three ordinary coke ovens worked according to our invention with our prepared
fuel will supply sufficient ignited gas to produce the required steam in an ordinary
boiler.
In the charging and emptying of retorts which may be placed horizontal or at
any angle we use a hollow scoop made of iron or steel similar in shape to half the
diameter of the retort or of any other suitable shape and of such length as may be
required, to be propelled or withdrawn by power.
This scoop will be made sufficiently large to contain the quantity of coal required
to properly charge the retort at one operation.
The scoop will be filled from a hopper placed in a direct line with the mouth of
the retort or otherwise and then inserted into the retort where by mechanical action
it will be turned over leaving all the smudge or coal it contained evenly distributed
on the bottom of the retort, after which the scoop is withdrawn also by mechanical
action and the retort properly closed. In the process of emptying the retorts the
scoop is also used by being inserted into the retort the convex side upwards and is
then turned half round thus scooping all the contents out at one operation and when
withdrawn the scoop is turned over and the coke it contained emptied into any
desired receptacle where the coke may be cooled as required. It will be well
understood that the scoop will be adapted to the internal shape of the retort.
An important point in that part of our invention which relates to the trough or
spout in which the smudge or slack or other coal is washed consists in so constructing
the trough or spout that it can be adjusted at any pitch to suit the requirements of
the material to be washed, and the partitions, doors and valves are made in sets of
various sizes to suit the pitches for the different sizes of coal or smudge.to be washed.
This part. of our invention is also applicable to the washing of stone or minerals, or
other substances other than coal.
By our improved process the shale dust as well as other impurities are washed out
of the smudge, slack or other coal; economy is effected by the saving of usable
small coal which is lost and wasted in the ordinary method of washing; and the.

page_text: commonest kind of smudge or slack is thoroughly cleansed and otherwise prepared
for purposes for which it would be useless before being subjected to our improved
process of washing preparing and drying.
By our invention any smoke arising from the prepared smudge, slack, or other
coal is also consumed in the ovens or retorts, or flues, or pipes, and we thus avoid
the objectionable smoke usually emitted from coke ovens and retorts and other gas
apparatus; and we secure the greatest economy in the use of our prepared fuel for
coke making by utilising for manufacturing or other purposes the heat usually lost
in the ordinary manufacture of coke; and the coke manufactured by our process
contains less sulphur and possesses more carbon than the coke produced from fuel
washed in the ordinary way.
As regards the manufacture of illuminating or heating gases, a novel feature of
our invention consists in the heating of the retorts either by the heat from the coke
ovens burning ordinary fuel or coke ovens burning our specially prepared fuel, and
also in the heating of retorts by gases manufactured in other retorts either from
ordinary fuel or our prepared fuel.
Our improved flue for conveying the gases from the coke ovens to the boilers,
retorts, or other places, is of an oval or any other improved shape and is so arranged
that there are no bricks protruding at any corners to impede the progress of the
gases.
Another and important arrangement that we attached to our improved coke ovens
and flues secures the economical melting of the steel. In carrying out this we so
form the flue that either at the top or bottom or sides crucibles for melting steel
can be introduced, and this flue is so arranged that these crucibles will be
surrounded by flame and heat and thus the steel will be economically melted. We
form the receptacle for the crucibles so that where necessary a little coke may be
added.
In some cases we also adapt our improved process so as to introduce hot air either
in at any suitable point in the coke oven or in the flue.
Dated this 8th day of January 1892.
DAN RYLANDS.
HENRY NAYLOR.
COMPLETE
SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Washing and Preparing and Coking of Smudge,
Slack, or other Coal, and in the Application of the Gases
Resulting therefrom, and in Apparatus therefor.
We, DAN RYLANDS of Shepcote Stairfoot near Barnsley in the County of York
Glass Bottle Manufacturer and Colliery Proprietor and HENRY NAYLOR of
Dodworth Green near Barnsley aforesaid Mining 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 object of our said invention is to secure the economical use of coal or slack
or smudge which hitherto may have been considered of little or no value. To attain
this object we subject the coal or slack or smudge to a process of washing preparing
and drying and then deliver the prepared coal or slack or smudge into retorts or
ovens for the purpose of making coke or for generating gases which gases may be
afterwards used in the heating of boilers or of glass and other furnaces or for
illuminating or for other suitable purposes.
According to our present invention we construct washing apparatus for washing
the smudge, slack or coal in such a manner that the water passes into the smudge or
slack or coal at one end of a trough or spout, and carries the slack smudge or other
coal and such dirt as they may contain along the spout or trough in such a way that
all the shale and earthy substances are thoroughly immersed in the water.
suitable cap may also be used to force into the water any dust which may float on
A

page_text: the top of the water. The spouts or troughs are made of wood or metal or other
suitable material, and in these spouts or troughs we construct at any suitable
distance such stop valves, doors, or movable partitions as may be required to divert
the water mixed with the smudge, slack, or other coal and dirt into such channels
as may be required to thoroughly wash or cleanse the slack, smudge, or other coal
from the dirt. This washing or cleansing is carried on by the alternate raising and
lowering of the said doors or movable partitions or the opening and shutting of the
said stop valves so that the smudge, slack or other coal is carried along with the water
in such a manner that the deposit of dirt or shale, or earthy matter is separated
from the smudge or slack or other coal, and left in the spout or trough. The
deposit thus left in the trough or spout is afterwards washed out through doors or
valves in the bottom of the trough into tubs or trucks or other receptacles under-
neath the trough.
The smudge, slack, or other coal is carried by the water out of the trough into
suitable hoppers or other receptacles. The hoppers are thus filled automatically
with the coal or slack or smudge and cleansed from the dirt and earthy matter it
may have previously contained. The water remaining in the coal smudge or slack
is then drained through the bottom of the hoppers, which bottoms are suitably
constructed for the purpose. We also place sieves in the sides of the hopper,
which sieves serve as an additional means for draining away the water, and these
sieves also help to keep the slack in the hopper quite level without any hand labour.
The water drained out of the coal slack or smudge may be conveyed into a reservoir
or receptacle in which any dirt remaining in the water may be allowed to settle,
and the water can thus be reused in this process any desired number of times.
The washed smudge, slack or coal in the hoppers is then passed into a spout or
spouts by means of slides or other suitable arrangements, and the smudge, slack, or
other coal is drawn along the spouts by an endless chain or creepers furnished with
metal plates or buckets so arranged that the smudge, coal, or slack is turned over
during its transit along the spouts. These latter spouts may be made of metal and
have a chamber in the sides and bottom through which chamber steam or hot air
is caused to pass.
The spout is thus heated by means of this steam and hot air, and
in passing along this heated spout the coal smudge or slack is dried. These spouts
may be made of any desired length and dimension necessary to properly dry the
coal, smudge or slack in the required quantity. The prepared and dried slack,
smudge or other coal may then be stored in a suitable place ready for use; or the
prepared and dried slack, smudge or other coal may be conveyed along spouts or
troughs direct to the place of consumption by means of creepers, buckets, or a
spiral screw or by other suitable apparatus.
The slack, smudge, or other coal specially prepared, washed, and dried by the
process before-described is thus rendered useful for a variety of purposes such as
gas making either for illuminating or for heating purposes; or for consumption in
properly constructed furnaces for the inelting of glass, iron, or other substances or
for other purposes.
The washed and dried slack, smudge or other coal may also be utilised for making
coke either in coke ovens or retorts or otherwise, and when so used we utilise the
gases produced during the process of making the coke for any suitable purpose.
The coke ovens for the purpose of our invention may be constructed of the bee
hive shape or of any other convenient shape, but in communication with the coke
ovens we so construct a flue or pipe or tube either of metal or refractory material
that the ignited gases may be conveyed from the coke ovens to boilers for
producing steam or to retorts for gas making or to furnaces for glass or iron
melting or for any other purpose to which the heated gas may be applied. The
heat or gas after passing from the retorts or boilers may also be utilised for other
purposes. The number of ovens or retorts may be regulated according to the
quantity of gas or amount of heat required. An important point in that part of
our invention which relates to the trough or spout in which the smudge or slack or
other coal is washed converts in so constructing the trough or spout that it can be

page_text: adjusted at any pitch to suit the requirements of the material to be washed, and
the partitions, doors and valves are made in sets of various sizes to suit the pitches
for the different sizes of coal or smudge to be washed. This part of our invention
is also applicable to the washing of stone or minerals or other substances other
than coal.
By our improved process the shale dust as well as other impurities are washed
out of the smudge slack or other coal; economy is effected by the saving of usable
small coal which is lost and wasted in the ordinary method of washing and the
commonest kind of smudge or slack is thoroughly cleansed and otherwise prepared
for purposes for which it would be useless before being subjected to our improved
process of washing preparing and drying.
By our invention any smoke arising from the prepared smudge, slack, or other
coal is also consumed in the ovens or retorts or flues or pipes and we thus avoid the
objectionable smoke usually emitted from coke ovens and retorts and other gas
apparatus; and we secure the greatest economy in the use of our prepared fuel for
coke making by utilising for manufacturing or other purposes the heat usually lost
in the ordinary manufacture of coke; and the coke manufactured by our process
contains less sulphur and possesses more carbon than the coke produced from fuel
washed in the ordinary way.
As regards the manufacture of illuminating or heating gases a novel feature of
our invention consists in the heating of the retorts either by the heat from coke
ovens burning ordinary fuel or coke ovens burning our specially prepared fuel and
also in the heating of retorts by gases manufactured in other retorts either from
ordinary fuel or our prepared fuel.
Our improved flue for conveying the gases from the coke ovens to the boilers,
retorts, or other places is of an oval or any other improved shape and is so arranged
that there are no bricks protruding at any corners to impede the progress of
the gases.
Another and important arrangement that we attach to our improved coke ovens and
flues secures the economical melting of steel. In carrying out this we so form the
flue that either at the top or bottom or sides crucibles for melting steel can be
introduced and this flue is so arranged that these crucibles will be surrounded by
flame and heat and thus the steel will be economically melted.. We form the
receptacle for the crucibles so that where necessary a little coke may be added.
In some cases we also adapt our improved process so as to introduce hot air either
in at any suitable point in the coke oven or in the flue.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figs. 1 and 2 are views in elevation showing the application of our invention to the
washing, drying, and conveying of coal, slack and smudge, or other substances
capable of being washed dried and conveyed.
Fig. 3 is an elevation of the conveyor shown by Fig. 2 at a¹.
Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation showing the formation of the trough of the conveyor
taken on the dotted line 11 (Fig. 3).
Fig. 5 is also a sectional elevation showing the construction of the conveyor trough
on the dotted line 2, 2, (Fig. 3).
Fig. 6, is a plan view of a portion of the conveyor illustrating the formation and
arrangement of the scraper plates.
Fig. 7 is a plan view of the hoppers in which the material under treatment after
being washed is partially dried. In Fig. 2 the hoppers are also shown in sectional
elevation at m.
Fig. 8 is an elevation of a range of coke ovens and
Fig. 9 a sectional elevation of the same, illustrating one method of utilising the
spare heat and products of combustion given off by the fuel during its conversion
into coke.
In Figs. 1 to 7, a is a hopper kept constantly charged with the coal, slack
or other substance it is desired to wash and dry. The charging of the hopper
being effected preferably by means of a drop bottomed railway or other waggon;

page_text: b is an elevator of the ordinary construction, ca shoot or inclined plane, d a washing
trough the inclination of which can be varied to suit the nature and size of the
coal or other substance to be washed by means of the screw e and hand wheel f;
g is a water cistern supplied by the delivery pipe h of a pumping engine; a pipe
conducting the water from the cistern g to the upper surface of the shoot c;
jie a hoppered shoot and ka valve for the periodical removal of the shale, dirt,
or other substance left after each washing operation. Fig. 2 shows at a washing
trough of similar construction and arrangement to the one previously described;
any suitable number of these washing troughs may be provided, the object being
to provide an ample length of washing surface so as to thoroughly wash and
separate the coal or slack from the shale, ironstone, or other impurities;
mm (Figs. 2 and 7) are hoppers provided with sliding bottom doors nn;
oo are pockets projecting into the interior of the hoppers. The three sides of
the pockets being covered with perforated iron plates as shown at p provide a
ready means of egress for the water entering the hoppers during the washing
operation. The pockets being equally distributed as shown secure a very even
drainage of the contents of the hoppers.
The operation of washing is performed in the following manner :-The coal or
other substance to be washed being by elevator & thrown upon the upper surface of
the inclined shoot c is carried down the shoot by the descending rush of water
maintained by the cistern g through pipe i. Entering the washing trough at the
flow of water and unwashed coal is resisted and stopped by the first movable
partition y This portion of the washing trough having become filled; the water
and coal will flow over the top of the movable partition leaving the shale or other
denser substance at the bottom of the trough. Another partition being now
placed in position at y will cause another portion of the shale or dirt to be
entrapped and this placing of movable partitions is continued the whole length of
the washing troughs d and l. Leaving the trough by the removable valve or
door z, the now washed coal and accompanying water are conducted by the spout 1
and branch spouts 22 to the compartments of the drainage hopper mm it is desired
first to fill. Entering the drainage hopper the water is free to percolate away
from the hopper by reason of the perforated iron plates pp of which the pockets oo
are composed. On leaving the hopper the water is conveyed by spouts 3, 3, to the
depositing tank 4, where any fine dust coal that may have passed through the
perforated plates p p is deposited. The water on leaving the depositing tank
passes away through the hoppered spout and is conducted away to a settling
tank or pond from whence it is taken by the water circulating engine and
again caused to do duty by passing through the washing troughs and hoppers.
After some time the compartments of the washing troughs formed by the
movable partitions will become partially filled with impurities denser than the coal.
This stage having been reached the coal supply is discontinued, water alone now
passing along the washing troughs. One of the movable partitions y being now
removed will cause the water to dislodge the impurities contained in the first and
highest compartment and carry a portion of them into the second compartment and
in so doing will cause any coal that may remain mixed with the impurities to be
borne away by the water. The above described operation having been continued
the whole length of the washing troughs, the valves and are raised when the
impurities and accompanying water pass through the hoppered spouts jjinto the
waggons shown. The troughs being now emptied the coal supply can be again con-
tinued and washing resumed. The washed coal in the hoppered compartments after
being thoroughly drained can be removed by the drop bottomed waggon shown by
Fig. 2 and the contents dropped and deposited in coke ovens, retorts, or other
receptacles; or the coal may be conveyed away from the hoppers by means of the
conveyor shown in detail by Figs. 3 to 6, also in sectional elevation by Fig. 2 at 7.
The first portion of the conveyor from 8 to 9 is formed as shown by Fig. 4 with a
sloping bottom and perforated sides, or openings in the sides may be covered with
wire gauze. The purpose of the inclined bottom and perforated sides is to

page_text: effectually drain away any water still remaining with the coal. The conveyor
trough from 9 to 10 is formed as shown by Fig. 5 with a chamber enveloping the
bottom and sides of the conveyor trough into which chamber steam or hot air is
To still further aid
admitted thus drying the coal as it passes along the conveyor.
in the drying of the coal the scraper plates 11 11 are attached and secured to the
conveyor drive chains 11* 11* at the angle most suitable for the turning over and
mixing together of the particles of coal during their passage along the conveyor
trough. The object of this continued displacement and turning of the coal being to
ensure that every portion of the coal may be brought in contact with the heated
surfaces of the bottom and sides of the conveyor trough.
For some purposes it may be desirable to convey the washed coal directly from
the washing troughs to the hoppers, furnaces, or retorts to be supplied, without
first entering the hoppered compartments shown by Fig. 2.
This can be effected by means of the conveyor a' (Fig. 2). The valve being
in position as shown will prevent the entrance of the coal into the hoppered spout,
and will cause it to be carried into the conveyor.
Figs. 1 and 2 show two lengths of washing troughs only but it will be evident
that any convenient number may be employed, the number varying with the nature
of the substance or material to be washed; also that the troughs may be in
duplicate side by side, so that when one or two of the troughs are employed in
washing, the others may be emptied of the impurities they contain. By this side to
side arrangement a continuous washing is secured, the elevation of the unwashed
coal and the water supply being continuous.
Fig. 8 and 9 show our improved method of utilising the spare heat and products
of combustion given off by coke ovens during the conversion of the raw coal into
coke. From Fig. 9 it will be seen that the ovens 15 15 are connected to the main
flue 16 by the branch flues 17; 18 is a crucible containing the metal to be melted.
Suitable openings for the placing and removal of the crucibles are formed in the
cover of the flue as shown at 19.
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 arrangement of washing trough shown by Figs. 1 and 2 whereby the
inclination of the trough can be varied by means of the hand wheelf and screw e
or other mechanical equivalents for the purpose herein described.
2. The drainage pockets for disposing of the water carried over with the
washed coal into the hoppers m as described and shown by reference to
Figures 2 and 7.
3. The improved conveyor having an angular bottom and one portion of its
length with perforated sides the remaining portion being jacketed for drying
purposes substantially as described and illustrated with reference to Figs. 3, 4,
5, and 6.
4. In our improved conveyor the use of the specially-shaped scraper plates for
turning over and conveying the washed coal as described and illustrated with
reference to Fig. 6.
5. Utilising the spare heat from coke ovens or other furnaces as illustrated and
described.
2000
DAN RYLANDS.