Improvements in the Method of and Means for Charging Gas Retorts.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Nov., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 17th May, 1890-Accepted, 28th June, 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Method of and Means for Charging Gas
Retorts.
I, GEORGE CARELESS TREWBY, of Fenton House, The Grove, Hampstead Heath,
London, N.W. Gas Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this Invention to be as
follows:-
In charging gas retorts with coal there is considerable difficulty in spreading the
coal evenly as required in the retorts and this difficulty is greatly increased when the
retorts are inclined or set obliquely as is now frequently the case.
The chief object of my invention is to overcome this difficulty and I attain this
object by the use and application of a movable division plate which prior to charging
is inserted into the retort and temporarily divides the same into two longitudinal.
chambers. A hopper which may or may not be combined with the movable division
plate is employed to guide the coal into the desired portion of the retort whereby the
coal is laid in an even column between the movable plate and the flat side or bottom
of the retort.
When the retort is charged the hopper and plate are removed and the end made up
in any suitable manner.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Method of and Means for Charging Gas
Retorts.
1, GEORGE CARELESS TREWRY, of Fenton House, The Grove, Hampstead Heath,
London, N.W. Gas 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 :-
In charging gas retorts with coal there is considerable difficulty in spreading the
coal evenly as required in the retorts and this difficulty is greatly increased when the
retorts are inclined or set obliquely as is now frequently the case.
The chief object of my invention is to overcome this difficulty and I attain this
object by the use and application of a movable division plate which prior to charging
is inserted into the retort and temporarily divides the same into two longitudinal
chambers. A hopper which may or may not be combined with the movable division
plate is employed to guide the coal into the desired portion of the retort whereby the
coal is laid in an even column between the movable plate and the flat side or bottom
of the retort.
When the retort is charged the hopper and plate are removed and the end made up
in any suitable inanner.
And in order that my invention may be fully understood and readily carried into
effect I will describe the accompanying two Sheets of Drawings reference being had
to the figures and letters marked thereon.
Figures 1 and 1 are front sectional end views of gas retorts and Figs. 2, 3 and 4
are side elevation, plan and end views respectively of a retort on a reduced scale to
all of which my improvements are applied.
In the Drawings, a represents the retorts to be charged with coal, the retort being
shown in the small views inclined or set obliquely as is now frequently the case but
it is obvious that the retorts may, be set horizontally. In order to overcome the

page_text: difficulty of spreading the coal evenly I employ a division plate 6 which prior to
charging is inserted into the retort and temporarily divides the same into two
longitudinal chambers.
The plate 6 has attached to it a strengthening web of metal c; these parts in Fig. 2
are shown connected to a hopper.d provided at e with a movable door, not shown,
which divides the hopper d from a shoot or trough f fitted below the division plate b
and formed with it.
In charging retorts set obliquely the operation is as follows:-
The division plate b which may if required be furnished with guide pieces to
bring and maintain it in its proper position is placed in the retort so as to divide it
longitudinally from end to end, the hopper and shoot, where such are employed
occupying a position as in Fig. 2 with the door at e closed; the hopper is preferably
just large enough to hold sufficient coal to charge one retort so that when the hopper
is filled and the door e opened the charge of coal passing through the shoot f into the
retort will be spread evenly along its whole length. The division plate with the
hopper are now drawn forward ready to be used in charging another retort while
the filled retort is ready to have its mouth made up in any suitable manner.
Although I have shown and described the part b as a plate of metal it may be in
the form of a grid or lattice frame made in one or several parts and further the plate
may be curved in any desired direction to suit the retort to be charged and the
quality of coal used. For example the plate is shown straight in full lines Fig. 1
and curved in dotted lines in the same Figure and also straight and curved to suit
another form of retort indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1A.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven
tion and in what manner the sane is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The use and application of a movable division plate which prior to charging is
inserted into a gas retort and temporarily divides the same into two longitudinal
divisions substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.
2. The use and application of a movable division plate combined with a hopper for
charging gas retorts as and for the purposes described.
Datal this to
C
1000
H. B. BARLOW,
17, St. Ann's Square, Manchester, Agent for Applicant.