Improvements in Vertical Gas Retorts, together with their Lids, Doors, and other Attachments.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Apr., 1890-Accepted, 10th May, 1890
CUNMEDDIN SIDUITICATION.
Improvements in Vertical Gas Retorts, together with their Lids,
Doors, and other Attachments.
We JOHN GREAVES HAWKINS of Granville Street, Gas Engineer, and JOHN
BARTON, Engineer and Secretary of the Gas Works, both of Peterborough, in the
County of Northampton, 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 for its object the construction and arrangement of vertical
retorts together with their lids and doors in such a manner as to reduce the labour
attending the charging and discharging of the same, in comparison with those made
and set in the ordinary way, and by their use obtain an increased quantity of gas from
a given quantity of coals.
In order that the invention may be easily understood drawings are attached hereto
of which the following is a description, similar letters in each of the views referring
to the same parts. Fig. 1 is a part front elevation and part sectional elevation of a
bench of six retorts, with a regenerative furnace beneath, also in part elevation and
part sectional elevation. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional elevation of three of such
retorts, the section being made at right angles to that of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a part
plan and part sectional plan, one portion of the sectional plan being taken through A, B
Fig. 2 and the other through C, D of the same Fig. Fig. 4 is a part elevation and
part section of one of the doors and appliances for closing the bottom openings of the
retorts, Fig. 5 being a similar view to Fig. 4 but shows the door partially open.
Fig. 6 exhibits a view of one of the slotted arms e, e, taken at right angles to those in
Fig. 4, and Fig. 7 a similar view of the slotted catch a. Fig. 8 is a sectional
elevation of the plate and one of the lids for covering the top openings of the
retorts.
For the purpose of carrying this invention into effect I build the retorts E, E of
fire bricks, some specially moulded and some of the ordinary kind, upon girders For
other suitable supports arranged as convenience dictates. The interior of each of the
retorts is built taper, the largest part being at the bottom, and with a number of
openings G in one or more of its sides, it being observed that each of the openings
has an inclination upwards from the interior to the exterior of the retort. Between
each retort there is built a vertical partition H. By these partitions conduits are
formed for the passage of the gas from the retort to the ascension pipe I, the latter
being furnished with valves or liquid seals at J, J, or other convenient position.
Horizontal flues K lead the heat from the regenerator furnace L forwards and
backwards on two opposite sides of the retorts until it enters the main flue M and
away to the chimney shaft, sight holes and plugs N being provided as shown in the
different figures. Instead of the flue K running to and fro as shown in Fig. 2, once
it is brought to the front of the bench, the heat may be allowed to ascend through
openings or nostrils like those exhibited in black on Fig. 3. On the top of the
setting there is a plate Q of cast iron with openings R leading to the ascension pipes,
and an opening over each retort mouth. Around each of the latter openings a deep
channel is formed by raised flanges S, S, as seen more distinctly in Fig. 8, and into
these channels are made to dip the flange T of each of the lids U, a gas tight joint
being formed by partially filling the channels with loose sand. The flange T may be
made of any convenient shape, but it is preferred to terminate in a somewhat sharp
edge, so as to allow of its entering the sand with facility.
The closing of the upper part of the retorts is by no means confined to the means
just described as any of the ordinary methods may be resorted to.
The upper part of the T shaped girders may have broad flanges or there may be a

page_text: plate or plates V Fig. 4, having suitable openings shaped and placed as shown in the
drawings. Upon these plates that rest upon the girders the retorts are built and are
kept from extending laterally by the flanges W, W. The bottom openings of the
retorts are provided with doors that are capable of being opened and closed. Fixed
to the plate V on one side is a strong ribbed arm X to which a cross bar Y is pivotted
at Z, the opposite end of the cross bar being supported when necessary, by a swinging
and slotted catch a, the slot being shown at 6 Fig. 7. The door c Fig. 4 is formed of
cast or malleable iron or steel, of the section shown, the hollows d, d, being filled with
fire clay. Attached to the bottom face of the door are two slotted arms e, e, the slot
being shown as f Fig. 6. The cross bar Y passes through these slotted arms and
supports them, and the arins. At or near the centre of the cross bar there is a boss
having a female thread to receive the male thread of the screw h, the upper end of
which is swivelled to the door as shown, the other end of the thread having a wire
rope sheave or chain wheel i keyed on to it. Attached to the cross bar Y there is a
wire rope or chain which passes under a sheave k and is then led by other sheaves
to the top of the retort bed, where it may be fastened to a lever to be manipulated by
the attendant. The wire rope or chain m fixed to the sheave i is also led by similar
sheaves to the top of the retort bed, there to be manipulated in a similar manner to
the rope j.
The use of the apparatus is as follows. The regenerator furnace L being supplied
with fuel and the setting of retorts being suitably heated, the doors c, are closed, the lids U
removed and the retorts charged with coal. The edges of the lids U are then thrust
into the sand lute before described when carbonization will commence and proceed,
the gases given off from the coal passing through the orifices or openings G into the
conduits and u. These conduits t and u have over their upper ends loose fire clay
covers, which compel the gas as it issues from the openings G to pass downwards.
Near the bottom of and u an opening is made communicating with the central
conduit v, consequently the gas as it is made passes out from the openings G goes
down and u and up v over the top of the loose covers, along the gasway underneath
the plate to the ascension pipe I and away to the condensers or other apparatus.
By thus keeping the gas for a time in close contact with these highly heated conduits,
the gas becomes permanently fixed, the result being more gas and less tar. If found
desirable the loose covers just referred to may be removed, thereby allowing the gas
as it issues from the openings G to pass upwards directly to the ascension pipes. I,
and without having to go downwards and up the central conduit v. At the bottom
of the conduits there are openings provided with suitable plugs or doors, through
which all three conduits may be examined and cleaned when necessary.
openings and plugs are marked o Fig. 2.
These
When the charge is worked off, the valve J Figs. 1 and 2 is shut. The lid e is
then lowered by manipulating the wire rope m and causing the screw to turn until
the lid touches the boss y of the cross bar Y. By this time the top of d d will be on
a level with the under side of plate V as shown in Fig. 5. The door c being lowered,
the catch a is thrust aside, when the cross bar and door will swing down and allow
the coke to fall from the retort to the floor or into any suitable receptacle placed to
receive it.
When it becomes necessary to close the lid or door c, the wire ropej is actuated by
the attendant until the door or lid c assumes the position shown in Fig. 5, when the
catch a will have fallen or been thrust over the end of the cross bar Y. The attendant
then manipulates the wire rope m and causes the screw to revolve until by so doing.
the door or lid c is closed again, as shown in Fig. 4. Guards may be applied to the
sheave pulleys to prevent the ropes when slack from getting out of their proper place.
It may be here mentioned that the catch a may be operated upon by means of a wire
rope in the same manner as 'those previously described.
In the drawings the doors c and bottom plate V are shown as having faced surfaces,
but luting may be applied if preferred.
Although the retorts are shown as rectangular in horizontal section, they are by no

page_text: means confined to this form, as they may be made circular, oval, rectangular with
rounded corners, or polygonal, and may be built of fire bricks or lumps specially
moulded for the pupose, or the retorts may be made of cast metal.
These retorts may be worked either upon the intermittent or continuous charging
principle, but when the latter is adopted the lids U will have openings in them and
be provided with a hopper into which the coal may be fed either by hand or
suitable machinery.
our said
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is,
1. The construction and use of vertical gas retorts E having openings G on one
or more sides, and as herein described and shown on the drawings.
2. The construction and use of the conduits t, u, v, formed by the partitions HO
and P as herein described and shown on the drawings.
3. The construction of flues K arranged as herein described and shown on the
drawings.
4. The plate or plates Q with flanges S and lid U as herein described and shown
on the drawings, and
5. The retort doors c having fire brick shields d together with the apparatus and
arrangement thereof, for opening and closing the doors as herein described and shown
on the drawings.
Dated.this 10th day of Anril 1890.
W. H. BENNETT,
Agent for the Applicants.