AN IMPROVED METHOD OF EFFECTING THE COMBUSTION OF COALS AS USED IN THE PRODUCTION OF HEAT
Year: 1855

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Henry Huthnance at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 17th July
1855.
I, HENRY HUTIINANCE, of Stratford, in the County of Essex, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF
EFFECTING THE COMBUSTION OF COALS AS USED IN THE PRODUCTION OF HEAT" to be
as follows:-
This Invention relates to an improved system or mode of effecting a more
perfect combustion of coals for heating purposes, whereby the formation of
smoke is effectually prevented, and a greater amount of heat is obtained with
considerable economy of fuel. The improvements consist in submitting tho
coals to a coking or distilling process in one or more retorts or coking appa-
ratus. These retorts or coking apparatus are placed above the fire grates
of the furnaces or fire-places, either inside the same or so conveniently near
to them that the coke may fall from the retorts or coking apparatus on
to the fire grates below or into a receptacle contiguous thereto, by which
means the fire on the grates may be conveniently fed or supplied by the hot
coke falling from the retorts. The gases or products of the distillation
carried on in the retorts or coking apparatus are conveyed by one or more

page_text: holes, pipes, or tubes from the retorts or coking apparatus to some place con-
veniently situated for effecting their combustion, or atmospheric air may be
conveyed to the retorts by means of holes, pipes, or tubes, to effect the com-
bustion of the gases therein; any other suitable arrangement may be used, so
that the combustion of the gases is effected in a place separate and distinct,
or partitioned from the furnace where the combustion of the coke or other
fuel is carried on. The retorts or coking apparatus may be made of any
suitable material, and of a shallow cylindrical form, one end of which is
made open, having in some cases a cover or other arrangement fixed
thereto, to introduce atmospheric air, or to prevent the escape of gas. The
other end or base of the retort is closed or solid, with the exception of
an opening for the coke or fuel to fall through on to the fire below. The
interior of the retort must be divided into compartments (corresponding
nearly in size and shape to the opening in the base) by means of arms or
partitions resting loosely on the base, from the centre of which they radiate,
and around which they are moveable, so that the space between any two arms
can be brought exactly over the opening in the base of the retort. These
moveable arms or partitions are for the purpose of causing the coals to travel
around the retort or coking apparatus in a complete circuit from the aperture,
by which they are admitted to the opening in the base of the retort through
which they fall on the grate or fire below, during which time they are coked
or distilled by the heat from the fire below, or by a separate fire, if found
desirable.
Thus, as each space between the arms presents itself to the opening in the
base of the retort to be emptied, another and adjoining space will be filled with
fresh coals, or in some arrangements the same space will be filled again. On
the cover of the retorts or coking apparatus over the opening in the base is
cast or otherwise fixed a piece of metal, corresponding in shape and size to the
opening in the base of the retort, which must project from the cover to the top
of the moveable arms or partitions, but between which piece of metal and
the base of the retort there must be-space-enough-for the arms-to move freely.
This arrangement is for the purpose of forcing or assisting the coke or fuel
to fall through the opening in the base of the retort as it is carried under it by
the arms or partitions, and also for the purpose of preventing the escape of gas
from the retort or coking apparatus.
In some arrangements of this apparatus I apply a door or other suitable
means of closing the opening in the base of the retorts or coking apparatus for

page_text: preventing the escape of gas, and also for the purpose of keeping the coals
from falling through when the retort is so arranged that the coals are admitted
within the same space or division of the retort as that from which they are
expelled. Any convenient means may be used for actuating or rotating the
arms or partitions in the retorts or coking apparatus.