Improvements in Machinery for Charging Gas Retorts.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Dec., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 20th Sept., 1890-Accepted, 1st Nov., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery for Charging Gas Retorts.
1, JOHN WEST of Albion Iron Works, Miles Platting, Manchester, in the County
of Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:
This invention relates to improvements in machinery for charging gas retorts for
which Letters Patent No. 723, dated January 17th 1888 were granted to me, and
has for its object the addition of a coal elevator for picking up and supplying coal to
the charging machine.
The charging machine described in the Specification of the Patent No. 723-1888
received its supply of coal from overhead fixed hoppers placed in convenient positions
in the retort house and which are fed by fixed coal elevators. In my present invention
I combine a coal elevator with the travelling charging machine and arrange the
elevator to pick up the coal from the floor of the retort house or coal store either while
the charging machine is travelling or stationary. The coal is elevated and delivered
to the coal hopper carried by the charging machine; the coal during delivery being
guided to the hopper by a shoot arranged to distribute the coal in the hopper.
The elevator is arranged at an angle for picking up and delivering the coal and
consists of an endless band or chain to which are attached coal buckets spaced at
suitable distances apart, along the band or chain.
The elevator band or chain together with the buckets work round pulleys, one
pulley being placed at the top and one at the lower end of the elevator and fitted to
shafts having bearings and standards fixed to and supported by the main framework
of the charging machine.
The elevator is driven by gearing, belts or chains worked by any of the shafts which
are set in motion by the main driving gear of the charging machine, or it can be
driven by a separate motor fixed in any convenient position on the machine, and the
gear can be arranged to be thrown in and out of action by an arrangement of clutches
with levers or screws.
To the bottom of the elevator is attached a special feeder in the form of one or more
plough breasts fixed in a position in advance of the elevator, as the machine is
travelling. These plough breasts are for the purpose of cutting through the coal and
feeding it to the elevator buckets.
Dated thie 21st day of December 1889.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery for Charging Gas Retorts.
I, JOHN WEST of the Albion Iron Works, Miles Platting, Manchester, 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 relates to improvements in machinery for charging gas retorts for
which Letters Patent No. 723, dated January 17th 1888 were granted to me, and has
for its object the addition of a coal elevator for picking up and supplying coal to the
charging machine.
The charging machine described in the Specification of the Patent No. 723-1888
received its supply of coal from overhead fixed hoppers placed in convenient positions
in the retort house and which are fed by fixed coal elevators.

page_text: In my present invention I combine a coal elevator with the travelling charging
machine, and arrange the elevator to pick up the coal from the floor of the retort house
or coal store, either while the charging machine is travelling or stationary. The coal
is elevated and delivered to the coal hopper carried by the charging machine; the coal
during delivery being guided to the hopper by a shoot or by guide plates arranged to
distribute the coal in the hopper.
In the accompanying drawings
Fig. 1 represents a side elevation of the elevator and machine for charging the
retorts,
Fig. 2 an end elevation of the same machine.
The elevator is arranged at an angle for picking up and delivering the coal, and
consists of an endless band or chain A, Fig. 1 and 2. To this chain coal buckets B
are attached and spaced at suitable distances apart along the band or chain A.
The elevator chain A with the buckets B work round the pulleys C and D, the pulley C
being at the top end of the elevator and the pulley D at the lower end. The pulleys C
and D-are fitted to shaft C and D¹ carried. by bearings and standards E and F fixed to
and supported by the main framework G of the charging machine.
The elevator is driven by gearing, belts, or chains worked by any of the shafts which
are set in motion by the main driving gear of the charging machine, or it can be
driven by a separate motor fixed in any convenient position on the machine, and the
gear can be arranged to be thrown in and out of gear by a clutch with levers or screws.
The arrangement for driving shown on the accompanying drawings is by a screw
worm H, Fig. 1, fitted on the end of the shaft I which is set in motion by the main
driving gear of the machine. The worm H gears into and drives a worm wheel J
keyed to the shaft K, Fig. 2, at the end of which shaft is keyed a chain wheel L
driving a chain M and chain wheel N, keyed to the shaft C¹ which drives the pulley C.
and the chain A and the buckets B. The worm H is not directly set in motion by the
shaft I, but by a sliding clutch O keyed to the shaft and provided with claws to engage.
in similar claws formed on the end of the worm H. This sliding clutch is held either
in or out of gear by a fork P with levers and rod Q terminating with a screw and hand
wheel R.
To the bottom of the elevator is attached a special feeder in the form of one or more:
plough breasts S fixed in a position in advance of the elevator, when the machine is
travelling. These plough breasts are for the purpose of cutting through the coal and
feeding it to the elevator buckets B.
After the coal is elevated it is delivered to guide plates or shoots T, which will distribute
the coal in the hopper U of the charging machine.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1st. The combination of a coal elevator with the chargings machine, the former
being arranged to work while the latter is travelling or remaining stationary, and as
berein described and shown on the drawings, and,
2nd. The arrangement of the plough breasts S for feeding the coal to the elevator,
as herein described.
Dated this 30th day of Santambar 1000
W. H. BENNETT,
Agent for the Applicant.