Improvements in or connected with Apparatus for Making Gas from Coal or analogous Material.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Dec., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 13th Sept., 1894-Accepted, 8th Dec., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Apparatus for Making Gas from
Coal or analogous Material.
I, JOHN HENRY RICHARDSON DINSMORE, of 22, Marsden Street, Liverpool,
in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to the manufacture of gas from coal or analogous
material, for illuminating purposes or heating, by distillation of such coal (or
analogous material) by heat out of contact with air; and has mainly for its object
to produce a large quantity of gas, and gas of a high illuminating power, by a
relatively small plant or apparatus.
An apparatus for making gas from coal under this invention, comprises &
rotatable retort or vessel, adapted to be externally heated, and in which the coal is
introduced and distilled.
The retort is set or works in a suitable heating oven or bench, and that part of
it which is subjected to the direct heat of the heating gases, is preferably of fire
clay; whilst at each end an iron mouth-piece or end is provided, which project
wholly or mainly beyond the walls of the oven or bench; apertures being formed in
such wall through which the retort passes and in which it revolves.
In one form or arrangement according to this invention, the retort is practically
or nearly parallel, and the coal is introduced at one end through a mouthpiece
covered by a door, and the gas which is made is conveyed out at the opposite end.
The interior of the retort may be partly plain and partly irregular on its surface,
for instance the first portion may be plain, or the first and last portions plain, and
the central part of irregular formation. The irregular portion may be so made
or formed that as the coal becomes pasty or sticky and adhesive it will carry it
round in rotating further up the side at one point than at another and so cause it to
break up and fall. One form of irregular construction may consist of ribs-say
zig-zag ribs, which at one part are deeper or more acute or extended than at
another and these may be so arranged as to give a tapered formation at this part
of the retort.
The outlet end is preferably tapered and there is provided in connection with it
a fixed outlet pipe working in conjunction with the rotating end of the retort and
making a gas-tight joint with it; and this may be pressed normally-by suitable
means against said retort end. A flexible pipe joint may be provided on the
outlet pipe to allow small movement.
The retort is mounted on rollers at each end outside the oven or bench walls, a
flange or rail being provided thereon, the edges of which rest and run on said
rollers.
The ends are secured to the body of the retort by bolts or the like, a joint or
jointing being provided between them to render the retort gas-tight. The rollers
are mounted on a suitable iron frame at the ends of the oven or bench walls, and
these may also fit in the necks of the apertures in said walls in which the retort
rotates.
The end of the retort at which the coal is introduced is provided with a door,
which in use is so supported and arranged that it may be placed in position and
removed whilst the retort is rotating.
The retort max be rotated by a suitable motor and mechanism.

page_text: One or more retorts may be arranged and worked in one oven or bench, as may
be deemed desirable.
Dated this 12th day of December 1893.
CHEESBROUGH & ROYSTON, Fels. Chart. Inst. P.A.,
15, Water Street, Liverpool, Applicant's Patent Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Apparatus for Making Gas from
Coal or analogous Material.
I, JOHN HENRY RICHARDSON DINSMORE, of 22 Marsden Street, Liverpool,
in the County of Lancaster, 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 :-
This invention has reference to the manufacture of gas from coal or analogous
material for illuminating purposes or heating, by the distillation of such coal (or
analogous material) by heat, out of contact with air; and has mainly for its object
to produce a large quantity of gas, and gas of a high illuminating power, by a
relatively small plant or apparatus.
My invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings,
which shew a gas making apparatus provided with my improvements. In these
drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of the apparatus, and Figure 2 is an
end view.
Referring to the drawings, a is a retort adapted to be rotated, and having an
inlet mouth piece a', and an outlet mouth piece a² with an internally projecting
spiral blade a³ therein, said mouth pieces being made separately from the retort,
and bolted to the end flanges thereof. at and a are the flanges of the mouth
pieces a' and a², these flanges being extended as shewn, and serving as wheels on
which the retort and parts connected with it are supported and run. b is a roller
on which the edge of the flange a runs, and by which it is driven and supported,
said wheel being mounted on the shaft carried by the front plate d of the retort
furnace, and the bracket 63, it-said wheel-being connected with and driven by
bevel gearing b is the supporting wheel for the flange as of the mouth piece a³,
it being similarly supported by a shaft to that just described, and driven by bevel
gearing. These gearings will be connected up together so as to be driven at
the same speed, the wheels band being equal in diameter. The wheel &* is a
flanged one, and the flange a' fits within the flanges of said wheel, and is thus held
laterally, so as to prevent lateral movement of the retort a; whilst the wheel b is
of a similar flanged construction, but its flanges are placed a considerable distance
apart, by which construction, longitudinal expansion and contraction and movement
of the flange a* is provided for. The retort is kept is position sidewise by rollers e
mounted on the plates d at both ends of the oven, and in contact with which the
flanges a and a³ come.
c is the oven or bed in which the retort a works, such retort being heated
externally by a fire or furnace of suitable construction in or in connection with said
oven or retort. The retort a is somewhat narrowed at its necks as shewn, and
extends through the oven or bed c, the spaces about the ends of the retort being
closed as far as possible by the plates d, as shewn, which are secured by bolts or
like means to the opposite end walls of the oven.
The interior of the retort a is irregular internally, it being provided with internal
ribs or projections a*, runuing from the commencement of the part of full diameter,
to near the opposite end of the retort.
The stationary or fixed parts of the apparatus at the inlet end of the retort will
now be described. They consist, mainly, of an elbow f, connected with the mouth
piece a', and having at the upper part an annular open vessel f' in which water or

page_text: other liquid is contained; and a feed hopper and device above such elbow. This
device comprises a hopper g; a mouth h, having a floor h¹ with longitudinal slots /*
therein; and a cylindrical or tapered shoot or chamber i with vertical slots ¹ in
the upper part of same; the floor, upper part of the cylinder i, and the outer part
of the mouth forming an annular chamber at this part. On the lower part of the
chamber i, a box is provided, which has on its lower end a cylindrical tubular
projection j, which fits in the annular vessel f', making a lute joint therewith; and
also a discharge shoot through which the fuel is shot into the mouth piece
elbow. In connection with these parts there is provided a mechanical feeding
device, which at its lower part at ¹ is a plunger, nearly filling the cylindrical
chamber i. On this part there are formed parallel or substantially parallel
projecting parts k², which work in connection with the vertical slots; and above
these again are gradually extended projecting ribs ka, notched on their outer edges,
which are adapted to work in connection with the slots 2 in the floor h¹ of the
hopper mouth h. The plunger is moved up and down by a cam I on the shaft,
working in connection with a lever 1, the outer end of which is fixed on the bar 1³,
and the inner end on the upper part of the feeding device. The action of this part
is, that when the plunger is in the lower position, the top of the projecting part
ribs will lie within the slots h, and the plunger lower end will have passed the
lower ends of the slots i¹. In the return action, the material that lies within the
annular chamber round the top of the chamber i, and that above, can fall through
the slots in the floor and into said chamber i. In the down stroke, the material
under the projections will be forced into the chamber by said projections
whilst that lying below the plunger will be forced downwards. This chamber i
is always full of coal, it being held up therein by a valve m mounted on the
shaft m', and held on its seat by a spring m³, thus when the material is forced
downwards it opens the valve and falls past it into the box j, and so down the
elbow finto the retort. The shaft m of the valve m serves as a vertical support
and slide for the feed device to work on. As soon as the descent of the feed
plunger ceases, or it begins to rise, the valve m is closed by its spring m³. By this
action and construction, crushed coal is fed practically continuously to the retort,
and without the admission of air; that is the air is excluded from the chamber i by
being constantly filled with, practically, closely packed coal, from which the air bas
been expelled.
The upper part of this feeding apparatus, namely, the box j, the chamber i, and
hopper g, will be supported and fixed in any convenient way, and are made
independent of the retort and parts connected therewith, by the loose joint
connecting the box j with the elbow part f, which is supported from the mouth
piece a as hereafter described:
The outlet for gas and coke takes place through the mouth piece a³, where such
mouth piece is provided with a T branch pipe n, fitted onto the end thereof, the gas
passing by the upper branch of said pipe, and the coke through the lower branch,
from which it is carried off by a pipe o. This pipe o may conveniently dip into a
trough with water therein, with which it makes a seal, and from which the coke can
be removed. The upper branch n of the T pipe is connected with the hydraulic
main or chamber p by pipes or and s, the pipe q having an annular open vessel g'
thereon filled with liquid, and the pipe r a pendant tubular part, fitting in the
vessel q', a lute joint being thus formed. This joint, as well as that connected with
the feeding conduits, enable movements to take place in the parts connected with
the retort without affecting the fixed parts, so obviating strains and leakages caused
by contraction and expansion of parts, working, and other analogous causes.
A door n is provided in the T branch n, and a door f is provided in the elbow f,
by which doors access is bad to the interior of the retort at both ends for cleaning
or examining same.
The mouth pieces a¹ and a² are jointed with the elbow and T branch pipe n
by special joints. These consist of flanges f' and n³, the inside faces of which work
on faces on the outside of the ends of the mouth pieces a¹ a³, said flanges being kept

page_text: önto said faces by rings t fastened to the month pieces, and rings (which are cut
or split in halves to get them in position) fastened on the rings t by screws or the
like, and pressing on the outside of said flanges, keeping them up to the faces of the
mouth pieces. By this means, and by the parts connected with the mouth pieces
being free to move, i.e. not fixtures, joints are provided by which the passage of
either gas or air through them will be prevented; and they being also carried and
kept away from the heat of the retort, proper lubrication can be maintained and a
practical working joint secured. To further assist in keeping these joints cool, a
liner made of a bad conductor of heat, can be introduced between the flanges of the
retort, and its mouth pieces. By the construction described and shown, also, a
joint of small diameter, and small bearing surface is provided.
The whole operation is as follows:-Crushed coal is fed by the feeding device,
practically free from air, into the retort a, and the retort being in motion, viz.
rotating, the constantly descending supply of coal will gradually cause the material
to pass through the retort. By the internal ribs or projections of the retort, the
fuel will be carried partly round with it, but the material being sticky or pasty at
the earlier portion of the retort, these ribs or projections will carry it up further at
this point than at the other points further along, where it will fall down, and in so
doing will cause the whole to fall. By the time the coal has reached the outlet
end of the retort, it will be coked or fully carbonized, and such coke will be
caught by the spiral vane f³, and by it worked out of the mouth piece into the pipe n,
down which it falls, and through the pipe o into the seal trough, above referred to.
The gas passes by the pipes q, and s, into the hydraulic main.
As regards the feeding device for supplying coal to the retort, this forms per se
no part of this invention, and is not claimed as such hereunder; and is introduced
only, for the purpose of showing the best means, of which I am at present aware,
for effecting the introduction of the coal, and to exclude atmospheric air from the
retort. This means or device I have devised subsequently to the date of this
application, and am about to apply for Letters Patent, under a separate
application, in respect of same.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The improvement in gas making apparatus, wherein coal is fed to a rotary
retort, carbonized in and by such rotary retort, and the coke discharged, and gas
carried off, constituting a mechanical continuous gas making apparatus ;
substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.
2. In gas making apparatus, a rotary externally heated retort set and revolving
in a suitable oven or bench, with inlet and outlet mouth pieces, having joints
working in connection with fixed or stationary inlet and outlet conduits, and of less
diameter than the retort; substantially as herein set forth.
3. In gas making apparatus, a rotary retort (a) with discharge mouth piece or
ontlet of smaller diameter than said retort, and adapted and constructed
substantially as set forth, by which the discharge of coke is effected.
4. The retort a with inlet and outlet mouth picces, and supporting and revolving
mechanism, constructed, arranged, and operating as herein set forth with reference
to the drawings.
5. The gas making apparatus, having parts combined, constructed, and adapted
to operate particularly as set forth with reference to and shewn in the drawings.
Dated this 12th day of September 1894.
CHEESBROUGH & ROYSTON, Fels. Chart. Inst. P.A.,
15, Water Street, Liverpool, Applicant's Patent Agents.