IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Colvin Fraser, of Colchester, in the County.
of Essex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS USED IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF GAS."
Sealed the 4th June 1867, and dated the 7th December 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Colvin Fraser
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
7th December 1866.
I, ALEXANDER COLVIN FRASER, of Colchester, in the County of Essex, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS," to be as follows:-
These improvements consist in such modifications and additions as to adapt
the principles for which Letters Patent were granted to me in the year 1864
to retorts constructed of clay as well as those made of iron.
These further improvements consist in forming three, or more or less,
longitudinal ribs along the interior of the bottom of the retort, which are con-
tinued at the end up the back thereof in a vertical direction. On the interior
of the top and sides are also formed channels or grooves extending from the
front to the back, and these or some of them communicate with each other by
transverse grooves similar to the longitudinal ones.
In some cases ribs may be substituted for grooves, or a combination of both
may be employed. The form of the ribs or grooves, as the case may be, may

page_text: be varied to suit the different objects for which they are introduced, the upper
ones being principally designed to prevent the deposit, or if deposited to admit
of the more easy removal of carbon, while the lower ones are made more
particularly to allow the gas given off during the process of distillation &
more ready passage for escaping from the coal or substance from which it is
eliminated. It is also proposed to construct three or more or less ribs along,
or across, or both, the exterior of the top, sides, bottom, and back of retort
for the purpose of strengthening the same. All these improvements are
equally well adapted for retorts, whether they be made of clay or iron or of
any substance capable of being moulded or cast.
ovens used for distillation.
They are also applicable to
The objects of the improvements are a more speedy and perfect carbonization
of the coal or other material, whereby a greater quantity of good gas and a
better quality of coke are realized, less carbon formed in the retort, and greater
facilities afforded for its removal, whilst the duration of the retort or oven is
prolonged, and considerable saving effected in the working expenses.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Alexander Colvin Fraser in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 7th June 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALEXANDER
COLVIN FRASER, of Colchester, in the County of Essex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year of Пer reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Alexander Colvin Fraser, Her special licence that I, the said Alexander
Colvin Fraser, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said Alexander Colvin Fraser, my executors, 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 APPARATUS USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Alexander Colvin Fraser, my
executors 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
c

page_text: 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 Alexander Colvin Fraser, 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:―
These improvements consist in such modifications and additions as will
admit of the principles for which Letters Patent were granted to me in the
year 1864 being adapted to retorts constructed of clay as well as those made
of iron.
These further improvements consist in forming three, or more or less,
longitudinal ribs along the interior of the bottom of the retort, all or some of
which are continued at the end up the back thereof in a vertical direction. On
the interior of the top and sides are also formed channels or grooves extending
nearly from the front to the back, and these or some of them communicate
with each other by transverse grooves similar to the longitudinal ones..
Between the transverse or vertical grooves slightly projecting ribs are also
formed.
In some cases ribs may be substituted for grooves, or a combination of both
may be employed. The form of the ribs or grooves, as the case may be, may
be varied to suit the different objects for which they are introduced, the upper
ones being principally designed to prevent the deposit, or if deposited to admit
of the more easy removal of carbon, while the lower ones are made more
particularly to allow the gas given off during the process of distillation a
more ready passage for escaping from the coal or substance from which it is.
eliminated. All these improvements are equally well adapted for retorts,
whether they be made of clay or iron or of any substance capable of being
moulded or cast; they are also applicable to ovens used for distillation.
In order to make the foregoing description more intelligible Drawings are
attached hereto.
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section through A, B, of Fig. 2; C is one of the
bottom longitudinal ribs continued up the back till it meets and forms one
with D at the top; E, E, E, E, are some of the longitudinal grooves on the.
inner side of the retort, while F, F, F, F, are the transverse grooves; G,G,G,G,
are the vertical ribs formed by slightly increasing the substance between the
depressions on each side of them. Fig. 2 is a transverse section through H, I,
of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a horizontal section through K, L, of Fig. 2; and Fig. 4

page_text: is a front elevation. Where the same letters occur in different Figures they
will be found to refer to the same part.
The Drawings exhibit the plan preferred for clay retorts, and as that for
iron is practically the same I have thought it unnecessary to give illustrations
of them also, believing that the description and Figures will give a clear idea
of the principles of this Invention.
The objects of the improvements are a more speedy and perfect car-
bonization of the coal or other material, whereby a greater quantity of good
gas and a better quality of coke are realized, less carbon formed in the
retort, and greater facilities afforded for its removal, whilst the duration of the
retort or oven is prolonged and considerable saving effected in the working.
expenses.
Having now described and particularly set forth the nature of this Invention,
and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into effect,
I would observe in conclusion that I do not confine or restrict myself to the
precise details or arrangements which I have described or referred to, as
variations may be made therefrom without departing from the principles or
main features of this Invention, but what I consider to be novel and original,
and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in
part recited Letters Patent is, the construction of retorts or ovens substantially
as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Colvin Fraser, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Sixth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.