IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR DISCHARGING, AND IN THE ARRANGE- MENT AND CONSTRUCTION OF COKE OVENS; ALSO IN THE MODE OF UTILIZING THE WASTE HEAT OF COKE OVENS
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Jobson, of Darlington, in the County of
Durham, Colliery Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR DISCHARGING, AND IN THE ARRANGE-
MENT AND CONSTRUCTION OF COKE OVENS; ALSO IN THE MODE OF UTILIZING
THE WASTE HEAT OF COKE OVENS."
Scaled the 23rd July 1869, and dated the 23rd February 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Jobson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
23rd February 1869.
I, ALFRED JOBSON, of Darlington, in the County of Durham, Colliery
Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR DISCHARGING, AND IN THE ARRANGE-
MENT AND CONSTRUCTION OF COKE OVENS; ALSO IN THE MODE OF UTILIZING THE
WASTE HEAT OF COKE OVENS," to be as follows:-
The nature of this Invention consists in hinging the movable bottom
of coke ovens to cast-iron standards or to a cast-iron frame placed under.
the coke oven, and in raising and lowering the said bottom to discharge

page_text: the coke by means of toothed segments and pinions or other equivalents.
For discharging coke ovens I make use of a system of tramways and
traversers by which the empty "bogies" or small trucks are brought
under the coke ovens, and the full ones are conveyed to the stage or
wharf from whence the coke is removed. The tramways passing under
the coke ovens are inclined so that the "bogies" or trucks may pass
along them with very little manual labor, and they are arrested below
the coke ovens to receive the coke which is discharged by lowering the
movable bottom above referred to. The "bogies " or trucks when
laden are run on to a traverser placed at right angles to the tramways
under the coke ovens, and the laden "bogies" or trucks are taken by
the traverser to a cooling cistern into which they are lowered, or to a
station where the coke is watered, or the coke is watered whilst in the
bogies or trucks immediately under the coke ovens; the coke after
having been immersed in the cistern, or partially saturated, is passed, if
required, through a drying chamber heated by the waste heat from the
coke ovens, and then the laden trucks are run on to the platform of a
hoist or to the bottom of an incline, by which they are raised to the
level of the stage or wharf, in passing from which to the railway trucks
or vessel the coke passes over a screen of the usual construction. After
the coke has been discharged from the "bogies or trucks they are
lowered by means of the hoist or incline and then run down an inclined
tramway to be again used for collecting the coke from the ovens.
My improvements in the mode of utilizing the waste heat from coke
ovens consist in placing steam boilers or evaporating pans of suitable
size and construction on the top of coke ovens having movable bottoms
in such a manner that the bottom of the steam boiler or evaporating
pan forms the roof of the coke oven, and in heating them with the waste
heat of the coke oven. In some cases I increase the evaporating power
of such boilers or vessels by attaching water tubes to their bottoms.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Alfred Jobson in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 18th August 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALFRED
JOBSON, of Darlington, in the County of Durham, Colliery Agent, send a
greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of February, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the
thirty-second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Alfred Jobson, Her special license that
I, the said Alfred Jobson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Alfred Jobson, my exccutors, administrators,
and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time
to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands,
and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MACHINERY OR
APPARATUS FOR DISCHARGING, AND IN THE ARRANGEMENT AND CONSTRUCTION OF
COKE OVENS; ALSO IN THE MODE OF UTILIZING THE WASTE HEAT OF CORE
OVENS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Alfred
Jobson, my exccutors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed
in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alfred Jobson, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement (that is to say) :-
The nature of my Invention, and the manner of carrying the same
into practical operation, will be fully understood by reference to the
following Specification, and to the three accompanying Sheets of
Drawings forming part thereof.
The description of coke oven employed in the proposed improved system
of discharging coke ovens and utilizing the waste heat arising from them,
is that known as the rectangular or oblong shaped coke oven with
certain necessary modifications in size and general structure, but my:
improvements may be applied to other descriptions of coke ovens..
On Sheet 1, Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of three rectangular
coke ovens to which my improvements in machinery or apparatus for
discharging are applied, and Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of the
same.

page_text: The coke ovens are built on pillars of fire-brick or stone a in such a
manner as to allow of space beneath them for the application of my
improved system of unloading or discharging them, and no door is
formed in front of the oven. The bottom instead of being constructed
in the ordinary manner, is formed either wholly or principally of a
moveable bottom or door b opened and closed and supported when shut
by means of toothed arcs or segments c. The framework of the door b
is of iron, which may be cast, but I prefer that it should be malleable
iron, the bottom part being one piece of plate secured to the surrounding
angle iron in such a manner as to bind the whole securely together and
to exclude the air as far as practicable. On the plate iron are supported
fire-clay quarries of suitable thickness bedded in ground fire-clay to
protect the iron from the action of the fire, and to maintain the lower
part of the coke oven as hot as possible. To still further prevent the
radiation of heat a stratum of any non-conducting substance may be
interposed between the fire-clay quarries and the bottom iron plate.
The door b is not permanently attached to the supporting segments or
ares c but is laid loosely upon them, so that any twisting or warping
of it from the effects of the heat may not extend to them, and so that it
may be capable of being readily removed off the segments or arcs when
repairs are required by merely unscrewing the small fasteners or hooks
which are provided to prevent the door slipping off the segments or arcs
when the coke oven is being discharged. The door is made of such
dimensions that to allow for expansion and probable warping the space
of about an inch is left between it and the surrounding brickwork,
which space will require properly luting up every time the coke oven
is used. For the purpose of rendering the bottom of the coke oven
when burning as nearly air-tight as possible moveable strips of sheet
iron may be supported either in grooves in the under side of the door
or by means of the metal segments, and used in conjunction with the
luting for closing the aperture between the edge of the door and the
brickwork. Three toothed segments are required for the door of a
rectangular coke oven of ordinary size, but the proper number will vary
according to the dimensions of the door and the weight of coals resting
upon it. The toothed segments or arcs c are made of cast iron and are
actuated by means of the pinions d keyed on the shaft e, or instead of
toothed gearing they may be moved by friction wedge and groove
garing. The doors and segments are hinged on the fulcrum bar f
placed lengthways of the coke oven, which bar is supported on

page_text: standards placed in recesses in the brick pillars a which support the
coke oven, these standards are bolted down to the pillar, and these
recesses are left sufficiently wide to allow of the segments or arcs c
turning back into them when the door is being let down to discharge
the coke oven. The shaft e of the pinions d revolves in bearings cast or
fixed to the lower part of the standards g and the shaft extends to the
outside of the coke oven wall, where it is turned by means of a loose
handle, the power may be augmented if necessary by the employment
of an additional pinion h and wheel i, in which case the wheel i is made
so that it can be readily slipped off the end of the shaft to allow the
coke carriage being taken in or out from under the coke oven, and
the catch or pawl k takes into a ratchet wheel on the axle of the
pinion h, or on the shaft e to retain the bottom or door bin any required
position. The object of thus fixing the door or bottom and arranging
the mode of working it, is that no part of the brickwork of the coke
oven which is affected to any extent by heat, shall be liable to be
injuriously shaken by the weight or working of the door. In some cases
two smaller doors with suitable apparatus for opening and closing them
may be used instead of the single doors shown. The row of coke ovens
is provided with the usual tramways B over the top for the waggons that
supply the coal, and each oven is constructed with flues in both the
sides and ends in any ordinary manner for the purpose of expediting
the operation of coking, or it may be built without flues. A suitable
air hole m which is also used for levelling the coals is left in the front
wall and a hole n is left in the crown or arch for charging the coke oven
whilst the waste gasses are allowed either to escape through the hole
in the arch, or they are conducted through an aperture in either of the
end walls into a flue or flues, and thence into a chimney as is customary
in such structures. The inner walls of the oven may be slightly
inclined to facilitate the discharging of the coke, though in coking
many descriptions of coal this is unnecessary. The door 6 is made
in some cases the full size of the bottom of the coke oven, or for the
purpose of maintaining the heat of the inner walls and diminishing the
size of the door it is made somewhat less with the rest of the space
of the bottom of the oven filled up by sloping brickwork as shown
in the Drawing. The end walls of the oven are supported on arches
which abut against the side pillars a and a hole o is formed in the front
wall to allow of the bar on which the segments are supported being
withdrawn when required, and also to allow of the space between the

page_text: hinged side of the door and the coke oven wall being cleaned out when
necessary.
Figure 3 represents a section of a single coke oven showing a different
arrangement of the standard and hinge f; this arrangement is
however equally applicable to coke ovens of this description when built
together.
On Sheet 2, Figure 4 is an elevation, and Figure 5 a plan of my
improved arrangement for the construction of a number of coke ovens in
two blocks, various other arrangements however are obviously practicable
and may be adopted according to the situation.
The peculiar novelty of my Invention consists in discharging the coke
into carriages or bogies and running them towards the main railway by
means of traversers running on tramways as herein-after described.
It will frequently be the most convenient arrangement where the
number of coke ovens is considerable to place the hoist and the tram-
ways for the laden and empty coke carriages so that an equal number of
ovens is at cach side of them, and that the hoist may thus always be in
as central a position as possible. In such cases the blocks of ovens may
be built at right angles to the main line of railway, and the hoist fixed
in a position somewhat more central than that shewn on the plan, the
tramways being arranged accordingly.
In the Drawing the arrangement shews one traverser E running on a
central tramway for the laden carriages answering for both blocks of
ovens, each block having its own separate traverser F at its higher
side for the empty carriages. It would be perfectly practicable to
dispense with the centre traverser altogether, and by placing one of the
traversers F on a higher level than the other to work the ovens by means
of two traversers only, but I prefer the arrangement shown as niore
convenient; and in all cases where a hoist is employed for raising the
coke and adjusting the differences in level between the respective tram-
ways, the crossings of the various tramways may be readily effected in
any convenient manner by means of moveable rails or temporary bridges
capable of being easily removed and replaced from time to time. The
stove I for drying the coke is shewn as built at the end of a block of
ovens, which is a convenient position, but its situation may be varied
provided the waste heat can be readily drawn through it, and it is on a
proper level for allowing the carriages to enter at the high end and run
out at the lower towards the hoist II or incline.

page_text: A, A, are coke ovens built in two blocks of two lines in each; B, B,
are tramways on the top for loading the ovens as usual through the
apertures n, as shewn; C, C, are chimneys connected with the oven
flues when such are employed for conveying away the heated gasses;-
D, D, are tramways under cach oven for the coke carriages j,j, to run
on; E is the central traverser for the laden coke carriages; F, F, are
the traversers for transporting the empty carriages upon; G are the
rails of the main line of railway; H is the hoist; I, the drying stove, and
J the chimney for inducing a current of hot air through it. In the
spaces beneath the coke oven and extending far enough out at each end.
to meet the traversers F, are the tramways D, on which the carriages
or waggons j run; these waggons are by preference of sufficient capacity
to contain the coke discharged from one coke oven, and they are
provided with a door in any suitable part; one side of the wagon is
made a few inches higher than the other; or in some cases two smaller
carriages placed together may be employed, the tramways D are laid
with a steep descent from the traverser F, on which the empty coke
carriage is brought through, and underneath the coke oven to the
traverser E, on which the laden coke carriage is placed. To prevent
the coke from falling in between the sides of the carriage j and the wall,
when the oven is being discharged, I hinge a piece of sheet iron, see
Figure 1, of proper size to the top of that side of the carriage which is
next to the outer side of the oven door, and usually made higher, as.
shown in the Drawing, which sheet iron is laid over and covers the
space whilst the coke is falling; or instead of this an angle-shaped.
projection to accomplish the same purpose is fixed in the pillar
wall a just above the top edge of the higher side of the carriage. The
cooling of the coke is performed either in the manner usual in coke.
works, or it may be done in the carriage under the coke oven, or in
central positions among the rows of coke ovens, either by discharging
water upon the coke, or by lowering the laden carriage into a water tank
below. Sometimes I cool as much of the coke whilst it is in the oven.
as can be done without materially cooling the inner walls of the coke
oven, and then immediately discharge the coke and complete the process
when in the carriage below. After being cooled the coke is usually at
once taken away in the carriage to be filled into trucks, but as in some.
cases portions of it may have absorbed too much water whilst being
cooled a drying stove. I is provided in a convenient position, heated by
waste heat from the coke ovens drawn through it by means of flues and

page_text: a chimney J. A continuation of the tramway for the laden carriages is
led through the drying stove with a descending gradient towards the
place of loading into trucks. Doors are placed at each end of the drying
stove, and the laden carriage whilst in transit may be left in it as long as
needful, and the coke thus dried before being sent away. For the
purpose of raising the coke so as to load it into trucks, and also to allow
of the efficient use of tramways at different levels for the laden and
empty coke carriages or "bogies" respectively, so that the transit of the
coke towards the trucks, and of the empty carriages back again, may be
accomplished with economy of manual labour, the hoist H is provided,
worked by any available power in a central and convenient position near
the main line of railway if possible; or in some situations an "incline"
will be found more suitable, either as a substitute for the hoist or in
conjunction with it. The hoist marked H, or the incline, is so placed
that the laden coke carriages can be conveniently run down to it from
the coke ovens, and lifted to a platform of suitable beight and structure
provided with proper tipping and screening apparatus, whence the coke
can be discharged into trucks standing below on an adjacent line of
railway, or otherwise disposed of. The same hoist may also be made use
of in some instances for lifting to the top of the coke ovens the coals
required for loading them. The tramway used for the empty coke
carriages leads from the hoist H or incline and forms a direct communi-
cation with the traversers F, placed at the higher sides of the rows of
coke ovens.
The platform of the hoist is sufficiently raised to allow
of the carriages traversing the entire round principally by their own
gravitation.
The arrangement of tramways, their gradients, and the position of the
hoist or incline, will require to be modified according to the number of
coke ovens, the site, and the position of the truck railway; but the same
principles of arranging and working them principally by means of gravi- ;
tation, as herein described, the necessary differences in level being adjusted
by means of the hoist or incline will be applicable in every case.
The mode of working is as follows:-The coke oven being empty and
in a glowing heat from the previous charge, and the door 6 closed and
luted, a sufficient quantity of coals is filled in through the hole n in the
top, and levelled by means of the hole m in front. When the coke is
sufficiently burnt or manufactured, and it is necessary to discharge the.
oven, the damper is put in the flue, if flues arc. used, in the ordinary.

page_text: manner;
the luting or other temporary stopping is then removed from
the edges of the door b; an empty carriage j is brought under, and the
space between it and the wall covered by the moveable plate j₁ or angle
plate j, as before described, the coke oven door 6 is then slowly lowered
by turning the pinions d, and the coke allowed to slide or fall gently
into the carriage j, such portions of the coke as remain behind in the
oven being raked down. The coke is cooled either in the oven or before
being removed away in the carriage, as before described, or it is taken
in the carriage on the tramway down to the traverser E, and so to a
central cooling station, where it is cooled by one of the methods
already referred to. After being cooled the coke may be lowered down
in the carriage to the stove I, and exposed to the heat passing through
it for a sufficient length of time, and thus the surplus moisture' may be
driven off; but this latter process will generally be found unnecessary if
the cooling is judiciously effected. The laden carriage is now moved
forward to the hoist H or incline, by means of which it is raised up to
the level of the platform where the coke is emptied out of the carriage,
inspected and screened, or otherwise disposed of. After the carriage j is
emptied it is lowered down on the platform of the hoist, or run down
the incline to the level of the tramway leading to the traversers F for the
empty carriages, which being on a higher level than the traverser E for
the full ones allows the carriages to descend by gravitation to receive
in passing under the coke oven another load of coke.
On Sheet 3, Figures 6 and 7 represent a transverse and longitudinal
section of my improved apparatus for utilizing the waste heat of coke
ovens having moveable bottoms. The steam boiler K is placed on the
coke oven in such a manner that the bottom of the boiler forms either
wholly or partially the top of the coke oven. Any ordinary description
of boiler of suitable shape, especially if flued, may be used, but I prefer
to make use of the kind known as water-tube boilers, as being best
adapted for raising steam by means of such a variable description of
heat, and in all cases the boiler will require to be effectually protected
from the weather by masonry or other covering. In placing the boiler
on the coke oven the inner lining of it is relieved from the weight of the
boiler as much as possible, and in some cases the boiler may rest upon
metal girders and columns fixed into the side masonry of the coke oven.
The opening into the flues of the coke oven or otherwise into the chimney
is placed at such a height and in such a position that the hot gasses
may be drawn through and amongst the tubes and along the bottom of

page_text: the boiler, so as to raise steam in the most efficient manner practicable.
In certain cases it will be necessary to have flues for conducting a
portion of the gasses through and around the boiler, and afterwards into
the chimney, distinct from those used for heating the sides and ends of
the coke oven, and to such flues dampers can be applied to regulate the
heat.
-No especial description of flues or chimney is shewn on the plan,
because their size and position will necessarily vary with the kind of
boiler which may be preferred; but in many instances where the boiler
is longer or wider than the interior of the coke oven it will be necessary
to leave suitable spaces under the boiler at the ends or sides of the coke
oven, so as effectually to expose the whole length of the bottom of the
boiler to the escaping gasses. In some cases it may be desirable to
partially protect the bottom of the boiler from the direct action of the
heat from the coke oven by means of a fire-brick arch.
For the purpose of loading any such coke oven with coals when a
steam boiler is placed on the top, I lay a tramway near the boiler for
the coal wagon L, and the coals slide down the aperture M into the
coke oven.
An evaporating pan may be placed on the top of a coke oven, having
a moveable bottom in the same manner as the steam boiler just described,
when the same expedients, so far as they are applicable to the required
purpose, are adopted for loading the oven, and utilizing the waste heat in
the most efficient manner.
Having thus stated the nature of my Invention, and described a con-
venient mode of carrying the same into operation, I wish it to be
understood that I do not intend to limit myself to the details given, as
the same may be considerably varied or modified according to the
number and size of coke ovens, the locality, and the level, and position
of the railway by which the coke is taken away.
I claim, firstly, the improved mode of constructing, supporting,
working, and clearing the moveable bottom or door of coke ovens, as
shewn and described.
Secondly. The improved system of tramways and traversers in com-
bination with coke ovens having moveable bottoms, whereby the carriages.
or bogies are caused to travel from the point where the coke is supplied
to that where it is delivered with very little manual labour.

page_text: Thirdly. The application of the stove as described for drying the coke
after having been cooled with water.
And, lastly. The improved mode of utilizing the waste heat of coke
ovens having moveable bottoms, as shown and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said. Alfred Jobson, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of August, One thousand
eight hundred and sixty-nine.
ALFRED JOBSON. (L.S.)