IMPROVEMENTS IN RETORTS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF GAB
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Eugéne Hippolyto Rascol, of Catherine
Street, Strand, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN RETORTS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF
GAB."A communication.
Sealed the 15th June 1854, and dated the 15th December 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Eugéne Hippolyte
Rascol at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 15th December 1858.
I, EUGENE HIPPOLYTE RASCOL, of Catherine Street, Strand, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN RETORTS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS " to be as follows:-
My improvements in retorts consists in constructing them of fire
bricks or blocks of fire clay, properly burnt, which are so formed as
to dovetail, overlap, or interlock into each other, and are united by
a cement capable of resisting the heat to which retorts are subject.

page_text: The bricks or blocks are suitably formed according to the position they
occupy in the retort; the upper or arched part the sides all converge
to a point, as represented in the annexed Figures; communications
may be made with the retort by an opening through a suitable block of
fire clay or formed of small blocks suitably jointed and shaped for the
purpose.
Fig. 1 represents two bricks with their sections according to my
Invention; Fig. 2, a transverse section of retort; Fig. 3, a longitudinal
section of the samo; and Fig. 4, a fire lump with passage through it
into retort.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Eugéne Hippolyte Rascol in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 15th June 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
EUGENE HIPPOLYTE RASCOL, of Catherine Street, Strand, in the County
of Middlesex, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the
seventeenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Eugéne Hippolyte Rascol,
Her special licence that I, the said Eugéne Hippolyte Rascol, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Eugéne Hippolyte Rascol, 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 King-
dom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of
Man, au Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN RETORTS FOR THE MANU-
FACTURE OF GAS" (a communication), upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Eugéne Hippolyte Rascol, by an instrument in
writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascer-

page_text: tain the nature 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 Eugéne Hippolyte Rascol, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement, reference being had to the
Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures
marked thercon (that is to say):-
The Invention of improvements communicated to me consist in
constructing retorts of fire bricks or blocks of fire clay, properly
prepared and burnt, which blocks are formed to dovetail, overlap, or
interlock into cach other, and are united by a cement capable of
resisting the heat to which retorts are subject. The bricks or blocks
are suitably formed according to the position they occupy in the retort.
For the upper and arched part and the side I form the bricks, by
preference, so that the sides all converge to a point, as will be readily
understood by reference to the Drawing. In so constructing the retort
the form of the bricks would necessarily depend upon the form of
the retort, but for the bottom and end, rectangular forms of brick will
answer the purpose. It is unnecessary to give any description of
the mode of manufacturing the bricks, the moulding and manufacture
of fire bricks being well known, which is also the case with fire-proof
cement.
Fig. 1 of the Sheet of Drawings annexed represents a front elevation
of a retort constructed according to this Invention; Fig. 2 represents
a longitudinal vertical section of the same through the line a, b, while
Fig. 3, represents a transverse vertical section of the retort on the line
c, d, Fig. 2; while Figs. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, & 11 represent the bricks
in detail. In constructing these retorts they may be built up with the
furnace, forming a component part thereof. The whole being brick
work the expansion and contraction by heat is uniform and not
liable to result in injury, as is the case in the settings of cast iron
retorts.

page_text: 'These retorts are, moreover, as durable as the furnaces, therefore
when one part is worn out the whole may be renewed simultaneously
with advantage. Fig. 4, represents the side view of a fire brick c, used
for the bottom and end of the retort, its angles being right angles, as
further seen in the end view, Fig. 5. Fig. 6, shows a side view of the
brick f, used as the outer surface of the arch, and, as will be seen in
the end view, Fig. 7, has its sides inclined to each other. Fig. 8,
represents a side view, and Fig. 9, an end view of the brick g, used for
the interior of the arch, also having its sides inclined to each other.
These bricks, as will be seen, are all formed so that a portion of the one
overlaps or interlocks with the other, forming, when properly cemented,
a strong bond or union one with another, which is continued throughout
the whole structure, rendering it of great durability. Bricks, h & i,
of particular form, are represented, as introduced in the centre of the
arch and bed of the retort, but which are not essentially necessary, as
the whole may be constructed of the forms of brick shown. In order
to form the communication for the passage of the gas from the retort,
a suitably formed fire brick 1, is inserted near the mouth; this is
separately-represented in Fig. 10, and-in-plan at Fig. 11. It. is fitted. to
the bricks of the retort, and forms a compact mass with the whole; a
passage m, is made through this block 1, with a socket o, to receive the
pipe p, by which the products of distillation are conducted away. This
opening may be formed by uniting a number of pieces suitably
together.
The retort may be furnished with any suitable closure in front, fitted
to the brick work of the retort, or it may be fitted and depend on the
brick work of the furnace. The bricks of which the retort is constructed
need not necessarily be of the form represented, as various other forms
may be produced, whereby the bricks may be caused to interlock,
overlap, or dovetail into each other in building. In retorts so con-
structed, should the cement deteriorate more rapidly than the bricks, it
may be partially cleared out of the joints and renewed from time to
time, as required.
Having described the nature of the Invention communicated to me,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I desire it to be

page_text: understood that what I claim to secure by the before in part recited
Letters Patent is, constructing retorts of brick work for the manufacture
of gas, substantially as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Eugéne Hyppolyte Rascol, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of June,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
fifty-four.
EUGENE H. RASCOL. (L.S.)
Witness,
W. CLARK,
Patent Agent,
58, Chancery Lane, London.