IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS For The DISTILLATION OF COAL SHALE AND OTHER MATERIALS to be as follows:
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd July, 1886
Complete Left, 22nd Apr., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 24th May, 1887.
I OSWALD ROSE of 40 Doddington Grove Kennington in the County of Surrey
Engineor do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS For The DISTILLATION OF COAL SHALE AND OTHER MATERIALS to be
as follows:-
"
My invention relates to apparatus for the distillation of Coal Shale and other
materials where the substances to be treated are propelled through an externally fired
retort by mechanical means.
In this class of apparatus it is usual to feed the Coal or Shale into what is known
as a hopper at the front end and from which it is propelled through the retort by
means of a continuous Screw to the outlet end. The outlet end is provided with a
receptacle for receiving the coke or ash. This receptacle is capable of being opened
and closed by a gas tight door.
It has been found in treating coal and shale that it is desirable first to take off the
volatile products in accordance with the varying temperatures that the substances to
be treated are subject to. Secondly it is desirable to first break the material up into
convenient and somewhat uniform sizes before it passes into the retort and that
during the time it is being propelled through the retort it is advisable to continuously
disturb or break it up so as to prevent as much as possible its being carried or
propelled forward in a caked mass. It is further found that the receptacle and the
gas tight door as generally used are inconvenient and where the machine is automatic
in its action difficult to keep gas and air tight.
I
To more readily fulfil the conditions mentioned and to remedy the objections named
propose to construct the apparatus as follows
It is generally known that coal and shale during their process of distillation yield
off different products in proportion to the heat employed that is to say that when they

page_text: are treated at a temperature of about 600 deg. Fah. the volatile products are nearly all
converted into liquids or tar or oil and water and at a temperature of about 900 deg.
Fah. the yield is more gas and less tar or oil and if the heat of the retorts is still
further augmented a still larger yield of gas is obtained and less tar. Now as my
object is principally to treat coal waste shale & other bituminous substances so as to
extract the tar and oils I propose to work at temperatures from about 600° to 900°
of heat Faht and so as to fully secure the benefit from the distillation of the material
during its progress through the retorts I propose to arrange the apparatus in the
following manner. I take a cylindrical retort constructed of cast iron, fire clay or
other suitable material say of 40 inches inside diameter and 10 feet long placed in a
horizontal position and above this at suitable distances apart vertically and transversely
I place two other cylindrical retorts of a lesser diameter constructed of cast iron firo
clay or other suitable material and arranged with a feeding hopper at one end con-
nocted with the two retorts and the other end arranged with passages connected with
the larger or lower retort. The lower or larger retort would be set immediately
above the furnace and if cast iron retorts are used it would be protected from
immediate contact with the flames by means of a fire brick arch or other suitable
contrivance. The heated gases from the furnace pass directly under and over the
fire brick arch, under the large retort from thence directly over the large retort and
under the two upper or lesser retorts again over the top of the upper retorts and away
to the chimney shaft or flue. By this means it will be obvious that the larger retort
will be at the highest temperature and the upper ones at a lower temperature. To
each of the retorts I fit a proper ascension pipe leading to a suitable condenser, so
that the volatile products as they are given off at the varying temperatures condense
and their varying products kept separate thereby facilitating subsequent distillation.
For the purpose of breaking up the material previous to its passing into the retorts
I propose to fit within the hopper and near the base a pair of rollers fluted or provided
with teeth such as generally known as toggle teeth and to have the rollers so arranged
that they may be easily adjusted so as to crush the material to be treated to a desirable
size or form. The rollers shall also be so arranged that they may be run at any
desired speed so as to feed the material into the retorts in a regular and required
quantity. For the purpose of propelling the material through the retorts I first take
cast or wrought iron shafts of suitable diameter consistent with strength to prevent
their seriously deflecting or bending whilst hot and to the upper retort intermediate
shafts are fitted, smaller shafts at each end in any suitable manner the ends of the
shafts at the outlet end passing through the retort cover which forms a suitable
bearing and thrust box and the opposite end passes through a combined stuffing box
and bearing in the retort covers and of sufficient length to allow of the driving gear
to be fixed. The intermittent shaft passing through the lower retort is fitted at the
geared end with a smaller shaft passing through a combined bearing and stuffing box
and of sufficient length for the gearing wheel to be attached and the shaft at the
outlet end to be of sufficient length to allow it to pass through the outlet mouthpiece
attached to the retort cover as also to admit of its running in a suitable support
bearing. These shafts for the purpose of cheapness and lightness I prefer to be made
hollow. To the, intermediate or larger portion of these shafts working inside the
retorts I attach propeller blades of a suitable form or shape and secure them to the
shafts by screws bolts rivets or any other suitable means. These blades are constructed
in such a form or shape that the forward part of the blades from the plane of a screw
thread while the after part of the blades are set back at a suitable or convenient angle.
The periphery working at a suitable distance from the insides of the retorts. The
periphery of the blades may be or may not be kept concentric with the main body of
the shaft. By this arrangement during the time the material in the retorts is being
carried or propelled forward it is disturbed by the angular portion of the blades which
thereby breaks up rouses or disintergrates the material allowing the volatile products
to be more readily given off. At the outlet end of the lower retort I make the body
of the shaft part way taper and fit to it a continuation of propeller blades, but so
arranged that the outer periphery shall correspond with the taper of the body of the

page_text: shaft, or I may place a continuous taper screw thread in lieu of the blades, the smaller
end of the taper being towards the outlet end. Outside the taper parts having the blades
or screw thread attached' I fit a cone shaped cover made of cast iron or other suitable
material corresponding with the taper of the blades or screw thread but with sufficient
clearance to permit the blades or screw to work freely inside. By this arrangement
as the shaft with the blades or screw thread are propelled round they will convey the
coke or ashes along inside the cone cover and force the coke or ash through the con-
tracted mouth piece thereby making a practically gas and air tight outlet. It will be
obvious that when the apparatus it at rest or first started some time will elapse before
the material is propelled through the retorts to the outlet end, and during this time it
is essential to keep the retort outlet gas and air tight; for this purpose use a gland
or cover fitting part way into and against the outlet face of the mouth piece. The gland
or cone is kept against this face by coil or spiral springs secured by bolts or other suitable
means, so that when the coke or ash is forced against the gland or cover by means of
the propeller blades or screw, the springs will yield and permit the gland or cover to
be moved forward thereby releasing the material when the apparatus is in full
operation the springs may be altogether released and the gland or cover pulled back
at will I propose to attach to the outside end of the taper Cone Cover movable mouth-
pieces so that they may be changed and others substituted varying in diameter and
length applicable and suitable to the class of material to be treated. The retorts are
heated by means of an ordinary furnace or I may use the gas produced by the retorts
in conjunction with the furnace or separately for heating the retorts.
The action of the apparatus is as follows
The main shaft of the lower retort and preferably from the outlet end, is rotated by
retort
means of a separate engine and gearing or other suitable means and the upper
shafts are goared up with the lower retort shaft by worm wheels, spur gearing chain
gearing or other suitable means so arranged that the upper retort shafts shall have a
proportion of about half the number of revolutions to the lower retort shaft. The
material to be treated is fed in at the hopper, where if necessary it is broken up from
thence it passes into the two upper retorts which have a temperature of about 600°
degrees Fah it is propelled along by the blades to the outlet passages through which
the material will pass to the lower retort having a temperature of about 900 deg. Fah
through which it is propelled and thoroughly treated to the outlet mouthpiece.
Each retort is provided with a separate ascension pipes through which the volatile
products are conveyed to the Condensers and thence to proper receptacles in the
usual manner.

page_text: I OSWALD ROSE of 40 Doddington Grove Kennington in the county of Surrey
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:-
My invention relates to apparatus for the distillation of coal shale and other
materials wherein the material to be treated is propelled through an externally fired
retort by mechanical means and appliances.
In this class of apparatus it is usual to feed the coal or shale or other material into
an hopper at one end of the retort whence it is propelled through the retort by means
of a continuous Archimedean screw to the other end thereof. This the outlet end is
provided with a receptacle for the treated material which receptacle is fitted with a gas
tight door capable of being opened and closed when required.
It has been found when thus treating the coal or shale or other material that it is
desirable to take off the volatile products in accordance with the varying temperatures
to which the material that is being treated is subjected and also that it is desirable to
break up the material before treatment into pieces of a convenient and somewhat
uniform size and shape and further that during its passage through the retort tho
material should be continuously disturbed or broken up to prevent as much as possible
the formation in and between the threads of the screw of a caked mass. It is more-
over found that the receptacle for the treated material with its gas tight door as
generally used is inconvenient and where the apparatus is automatic in its action is
difficult to keep gas and air tight.
Now the objects of this my invention are to remedy the evils in and objections to
this class of apparatus aforesaid and to fulfil to a very considerable extent if not
altogether the conditions and requirements hereinbefore stated by which the efficiency
of the apparatus will be greatly increased with which objects I construct and work my
apparatus in manner as is hereinafter described.
It is a matter of common knowledge that coal and shale and other materials during
the distillation thereof yield different products with and under the variations of the
heat employed. Thus when these materials are treated at a temperature of about
600° Fahr. the volatile products are nearly all converted into liquids or tar or oil and
water but when the temperature is increased to about 900° Fahr. the yield is more gas
and less tar or oil and as the temperature is still further increased so more and more
gas is obtained and less and less tar or oil.

page_text: Now my intention in this invention is so to treat chiefly the waste or refuse of coal
and shale and other bituminous materials as to extract therefrom a maximum amount
of tar and oil and I therefore propose to work only at temperatures from about 600°
to 900° Fahr. and I so arrange my apparatus as to utilize to the fullest extent this
method of treatment and obtain the best results therefrom.
In the accompanying drawings 1 have shewn a very convenient suitable and
efficient form and style of this iny apparatus in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal
section of the apparatus Figure 2 is an end elevation thereof and Figure 3 is a longi-
tudinal section on an enlarged scale of one end of the apparatus.
On any convenient base or walls or otherwise I horizontally place a cylindrical
retort A made of cast iron fire clay or other suitable material and of any convenient
size and proportions where above I also horizontally place preferably two other
cylindrical retorts B made of the same or other material and preferably of the same
length as but of a smaller diameter than the aforesaid retort A and these retorts B are
at suitable distances both from each other horizontally and above the lower retort A
vertically and at one end to these retorts B is fitted a feeding hopper C while at the
other end passages D are made connecting each retort B with the retort A. I consider
that in most cases the best results are obtained by the use of three retorts as herein
described and as shewn in the drawings but when for any cause it is expedient or
desirable so to do I may use two or four or any suitable number of retorts in every
case one retort being a larger one the other one or more retorts being preferably
smaller.
The larger retort A is set immediately over the furnace E but if metal retorts
are used a fire brick arch F would be interposed to prevent the direct impact of the
flames on the retort A. In this case therefore the heated gases from the furnace E
pass under the arch F and then over the saine through the flue G under the retort A
thence through the flue G¹ above the retort A and under the retorts B and finally
through the flue G above the retorts B to the chimney shaft G¹ which flues can all
be made and arranged in any usual or convenient manner. By this arrangement it is
obvious that the retort A will be maintained at an higher temperature than the retorts B
and to each retort is fitted a separate ascension pipe H.
To break up the material as it passes into this apparatus and to regulate such
passage I fit at or near the base of the funnel part of the hopper (a chamber J
wherein are arranged two rollers K fluted or provided as shewn with toggle teeth or
with other similar and suitable appliances. These rollers K are so mounted in the
chamber J in any usual manner that they can be adjusted in respect of each other so
as to allow larger or smaller pieces-only as may be desired of the required shape to
pass into the retorts B and the rollers K are also so revolved and by such appliances
in any usual manner that their speed can be altered as may be desired whereby tho
quantity of the material that is so allowed to pass into the retorts B is regulated.
In each retort is placed a large shaft L which must be of sufficient strength to with-
stand without deflection the heat of the retort and is preferably as shewn of a diameter
about half that of the retort wherefore on account of cheapness and lightness the same
is preferably an hollow shaft and on the shafts L in the retorts B at each end near the
retorts covers are fitted dises M which loosely fit the interiors of the retorts while on
the shaft L' in the retort A the similar disc M is only fitted at the one end near the
retort cover and these discs M. prevent the material in the retorts affecting the retorts
covers. These shafts L may pass through and be supported by and in bearings fitted
with thrust blocks and stuffing boxes in the retorts covers but I preferably fit and
attach smaller shafts N thereto whereby these bearings and other appliances can be
and are of a more convenient size and shape and for the small shafts N at the entrance
ends of the retorts B are fitted in the retorts covers suitable bearings and thrust blocks
while for the small shafts N" at the other ends of the retorts B are fitted in the retorts
covers combined stuffing boxes and bearings and for the small shaft N" at this end of
the retort A is fitted in the retort cover a combined stuffing box bearing and thrust block
all which appliances may be made and fitted in any usual or convenient manner. The
shaft which forms a continuation of the large shaft L' at the other end of the

page_text: retort A is prolonged any convenient distance being supported on and by a suitable
standard or otherwise and to this shaft O is preferably applied the power by which the
apparatus is driven.
Round and on the shafts are secured in any convenient manner the propeller.
blades P which blades Pare of such a shape and form as is shewn in the drawings
that the leading parts P of the blades form parts of one or more screw threads round
the shafts L of a rather coarse pitch while the following parts P' of the blades are set
back at a much greater angle or form parts of one, or more screw threads round the
shafts L of an extremely fine pitch and the peripheries of these blades P have a suitable
clearance from the interiors of the retorts and may be concentric with the shafts L or
otherwise and these blades P are so secured on the shafts L at suitable and convenient
distances apart.
The shaft L' at the outlet end of the retort A is preferably tapered as shewn at Q
to meet and be connected to or formed with the shaft O and on this preferably tapered
part Q may be fitted correspondingly decreasing propeller blades P but I preferably
secure thereon a continuous tapered screw thread R and a correspondingly tapered or
coned cover S is fitted to the open end of the retort A. To the end of the tapered
or coned cover S is attached a tube or mouthpiece T of any suitable dimensions having
regard to the particular material that is to be treated and on the end of this mouth-
piece T is fitted round the shaft O a gland or cover V which is pressed tightly in to
and against the outlet face of the mouthpiece T by coiled springs V₁ or other appliances
and this cover V is so formed and fitted as to render this mouthpiece T gas and
air tight.
The shafts L are all connected together by any usual and suitable gearing preferably
through the small shafts N" in such a manner that the shafts L in the retorts B shall
revolve at about half the speed of the shaft L'in the retort A. In the drawings a
convenient method is shewn whorein a small wheel X is fitted on the end of the
shaft N of the retort A while larger wheels W are fitted on the ends of the shafts N"
of the retorts B and round the three wheels is the endless chain Y.
The furnace E by which the retorts are heated can be constructed to burn any usual
or other fuel and I can conveniently use therein the gas produced in the retorts or
otherwise which would be conveyed to the furnace by the pipe Z.
The action of this apparatus is as follows.
Sufficient heat is produced in the furnace to maintain a temperature of about
900° Fahr. in the retort A and about 600° Fahr. in the retorts B. The shafts Lin the
retorts are caused to revolve preferably as hereinbefore mentioned through the shaft Q
by any convenient power at the desired speeds. The coal or shale or other material
is fed into the hopper C and the rollers K being properly adjusted and regulated and
revolved this material is passed into tho retorts B in pieces of the desired size and
shape and in the desired quantity. In the rotorts B which are as is aforesaid at the
lower temperature the material is slowly propelled along by the leading parts P." of the
propeller blades and at the same time is disturbed broken up and disintegrated by the
following parts P₁ of the propeller blades whereby the volatile products at this the
lower temperature are the more readily given off which volatile products pass through
the ascension pipes H of these retorts B to one or more suitable condensers. The
material so far treated then passes through the passages D into the retort A which is
as iş aforesaid at the higher temperature where through the same is quickly propelled
along by the leading parts P" of the propeller blades and at the same time is disturbed
broken up and disintegrated by the following parts P¹ of the propeller blades whereby
the volatile products at this the higher temperature are the more readily given off
which volatile products pass through the ascension pipe H of this retort A to a suitable
condenser. Thus the volatile products so given off at the varying temperatures are
kept separate and the subsequent treatment thereof is thereby facilitated. The material
then approaches the outlet end of the retort A and in the coned cover S is caught by
the propeller blades or by the screw thread R and forced in such quantity into the
contracted mouthpiece T as to fill the same so fully and closely as to make it practically
gas and air tight and as the material is still being so forced into this mouthpiece T the

page_text: cover V will be lifted from its seat thereby allowing the treated material to fall out of
the mouthpiece T and then the cover V can if desired be released from the springs V₁
or other appliances and can be pushed back along the shaft O as it will no longer be
required.
I have thus described and I have shewn in the accompanying drawings very suitable
forms and proportions of this my apparatus and of the several parts thereof and also
very convenient methods and arrangements for constructing and fitting and actuating
the same but I do in no wise limit myself exactly thereto for the apparatus and all the
several parts thereof may be so formed and proportioned and may be so constructed
and fitted and actuated as may be desirable or convenient or expedient in each indi-
vidual case having regard to the particular material that is to be treated the source
and the intensity of the heat by which such treatment is to be effected and the various
and different products of such treatment that it is desired to obtain.
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 the blades P secured on a shaft L and fitted and formed with the two
parts P1 and P set at an angle to each other substantially as and for the purpose
hereinbefore described and declared.
2. The combination with the retort B containing the shaft L with the blades P of
the hopper C fitted with the chamber J containing the rollers K substantially as and
for the purpose herein before described and declared.
3. The combination of the retort or retorts B each fitted with an ascension pipe H
and containing the shaft L with the blades P the passage or passages D and the
retort A also fitted with an ascension pipe H and containing the shaft L' with the
blades P substantially as hereinbefore set forth.
4. In a retort the combination of the shaft Q carrying the tapered blades P or the
tapered screw thread R the tapered or coned cover S and the mouthpiece T fitted with
a moveable cover V substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore described
and declared.
5. The apparatus for the distillation of coal shale and other materials substantially
as hereinbefore described and shewn in the accompanying drawings.