IMPROVEMENTS IN RETORTS FOR DISTILLING SHALE, COAL, AND OTHER SUBSTANCES
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
I, PETER Dow, of Whitelees, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Mineral
Oil Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of the said invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN RETORTS FOR DISTILLING SHALE, COAL, AND OTHER SUBSTANCES
to be as follows:-
This Invention, which relates to Improvements in Retorts for distilling Shale,
Coal, and other substances, is a developement in the Application of Steam, or,
Steam and Air, in the lower part or chamber of the vertical class of Retorts now
generally used for the purposes of such distillation.
The object of the present Improvements is to enable the temperature of the
Retort to be regulated at any point by providing for the admission of Steam, or
Steam and Air, at any one or more points therein and so that those points of
admission can be varied from time to time according to the state of the material.
undergoing distillation at any or at several parts of the Retort.
The foregoing object is effected by placing a vertical Steam pipe at the exterior
of each Retort, and in providing such Steam pipe with a series of branches at,
different levels, each such branch having also upon it a valve or cock for opening
or closing the admission of Steam as required.-A further valve or cock is also.
provided in each case for opening or closing the admission of air.-A spy hole with
a shutter is also formed in the said Retorts in the neighbourhood of the several
branches for the purpose of inspecting the state of the material at different levels
in the Retort.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
1, PETER Dow of Whitelees, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Mineral
Oil Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of my said invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN RETORTS FOR DISTILLING SHALE, COAL AND OTHER SUBSTANCES
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement :—
My Invention, which relates to Improvements in Retorts for distilling shale,
coal and other substances, is a development in the application of steam, or steam
and air, in the lower part or chamber of the vertical class of Retorts now generally
used for the purposes of such distillation.
The object of the present improvements is to enable the temperature of the
Retort to be regulated at any point, by providing for the admission of steam, or
steam and air, at any one or more points therein and so that those points of
admission can be varied from time to time according to the state of the material
undergoing distillation at any or at several parts of the Retort.
The foregoing object is effected by placing a vertical steam pipe at the exterior
of each Retort, and in providing such steam pipe with a series of branches at
different levels, each such branch having also upon it a valve or cock for admitting
the steam into the said Retorts, or shutting it off therefrom at different levels as
required. A further valve or cock is also provided in each case for admitting air
into the said Retorts or shutting it off therefrom at different levels as required.
A spy-hole with a shutter is also formed in the said Retorts in the neighbourhood
of each branch for the purpose of inspecting the state of the material at different
levels in the Retort.
In order that my said Invention may be most fully understood and readily
carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the drawings hereunto annexed.
Figure 1 is a front elevation of a portion of a bench of Retorts provided with
apparatus constructed according to, and constituting my present Invention.
Figure 2, is a transverse section of the same taken on the line A B Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a horizontal section of the same taken on the line C D Figure 1.
The object of the present improvements is to enable the temperature of the
Retort to be regulated at any point, by providing for the admission of Steam, or
Steam and Air, at any one or other number of points therein, so that those points
of admission can be varied from time to time according to the state of the material
undergoing distillation at any or at several parts of the Retort.
In carrying out these present Improvements I place a vertical steam pipe a, at
the exterior of each Retort b, and connected with the main steam pipe e, or other
source of steam supply, and from each such steam pipe a, there are led off the
several branches c, situated upon different levels and leading into the lower
chamber of the Retort b,-Each of these branches c, is provided with a valve or
cock (not shewn in the drawings, it being explained that any ordinary valve or
cock situated between the several branch pipes c, and the pipes a, may be used).
By means of these several valves or cocks, and their several corresponding branch

page_text: pipes c, not only the quantity of steam admitted into the Retort b, but the precise
zone or region of the Retort into which such steam or steam and air is admitted,
may be regulated from time to time according to the state or "working" of the
materials within the said Retorts. A further valve or cock (also not shewn on the
drawings) is also provided, whereby the quantity of air admitted into the Retorts b,
may be similarly regulated.
A spy-hole d, fitted with a shutter (such shutter not being shewn on the
drawing, the same being well understood by practical users or experts acquainted
with such distilling apparatus) is also formed in the said Retorts in the neighbour-
hood of, or preferably on the same horizontal line as, the several branches c, for
the purpose of inspecting the state of the material undergoing distillation at
different levels in the Retort b,-Theso soveral such spy-holes d, are each marked
as such in Figures 1 and 3.
It is to be understood although only fivo steam branches c, are represented upon
the annexed drawings as provided to each Retort, that any other number of such
branches c, and spy-holes d, may be employed for their respective purposes.
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 I am
aware there is no novelty in the introduction of steam or steam and air into the
lower part of retorts or retort-like vessels in which shale, coal, or other carbonaceous
or bitumenous substances undergo distillation or analogous treatment, such intro-
duction of steam or steam and air being extensively in use under several well-
known Patents granted to William Young and George Beilby separately and to the
said William Young and George Beilby jointly, but what I claim is
Providing Retorts for distilling shale, coal and other substances with a series of
steain and air pipes or jets at a series of different levels therein, practically corre-
sponding with a series of spy-holes so that steam or steam and air can be turned
into or shut off from any part or level of the said Retorts according to the state or
working" of the materials in the said Retorts as ascertained by inspection thereof,
through the said spy-holes, as hereinbefore described and shewn upon the annexed
sheets of Drawings.