Improvements in Gas Retort Charging Apparatus.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Feb., 1895.
Complete Specification Left, 16th Oct., 1895-Accepted, 23rd Novi, 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Gas Retort Charging Apparatus.
I, GASTON ALOYSIUS BRONDER, of No. 35 Broadway, in the City of New
York, in the State of New York, United States of America, Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:
To enable the object and nature of my invention to be more clearly understood,
I will first refer briefly to the arrangement of retorts and coal-bins in the retort
house of a gas works. Generally, the retort house. has one or more retort stacks,
which have from a hundred to one hundred and fifty retorts on each side, with
projecting mouth pieces, the said retorts generally ranging in three tiers, the
several retorts of the three tiers being situated directly one above another.
An apparatus embodying the whole of my invention is intended to receive, from
a suitably located elevated bin, a sufficient quantity of coal to charge all or any
number of the retorts on one side of a stack, to run along the whole length of the
range of retorts, and to deliver the coal in automatically weighed quantities to one
retort at a time in each of the tiers, or in as many of them as may be desired.
My invention comprises a main carriage provided with wheels which run on a
railway track extending in front of the retorts along the whole length of the stack
or stacks to be charged by the apparatus, which carriage consists of a horizontal
platform, uprights, and diagonal braces. Upon this carriage the charging, apparatus
is mounted.
"Stationary bins are arranged at an elevation near the track, so that the charging
apparatus may pass under them, to be loaded with coal.
The main carriage has embodied with it, or fixed upon it, a track which is
arranged transversely to the stationary track, and in a' direction corresponding with
the length of the retorts, the said transverse track receiving the supporting wheels
of a second carriage, which I term the scoop carriage, and which carries the
scoops, which correspond in number with the tiers of retorts in the stack, and which
are arranged one above another, at such heights as to be capable of entering
respectively a retort of each of the tiers in the stack. The main carriage has also
supported upon it, by columns, a coal hopper, for receiving coal from the bin or
bins, and for supplying it to the scoops, the said hopper being situated at one side
of the scoop carriage track, and being divided into three compartments of about
equal capacity, one for supplying each of the scoops.
On the main carriage are placed two steam engines, and a boiler for supplying.
the said engines with steam, one engine being for propelling the main carriage along
the stationary track in front of the range of retorts, and the other engine being
for propelling the scoop carriage back and forth on the main carriage, for the
purpose of carrying the scoops forward from the side of the coal hopper into the
reforts, to charge the latter, and of withdrawing the scopps from the retorts.
There may also be on the said carriage a water tank for supplying the boiler
nith water.
The scoop carriage is provided with scoop supports consisting of shelves or
brackets arranged one above another, one for each scoop, and under each of these
shelves or brackets are bearings for the journals of two, rollers, upon which the
Scoops are placed, the upper parts of said rollers protruding upwards through
openings in, the shelf or bracket, the said rollers being respectively at the rear, and

page_text: constitutes the fulcrum upon which the scoop oscillates, as a scale beam, for
weighing the coal received from the charging hopper, as will be hereinafter
described, and both rollers serve to reduce the friction upon the carriage of any
scoop that may be lecked back to the main carriage, when it is desired to keep
that scoop inoperative, while the scoop carriage runs back and forth with. the
other scoops, to charge retorts in less than the whole number of tiers.
To provide for locking the several scoops, or any number of them, operatively to
the scoop carriage, or for locking either one or more of them to the main carriage,
to render it or them inoperative, there is provided, on the rear portion of each
scoop, a locking device, which may consist of a transversely sliding bolt manipulated
by a hand lever. By sliding the said bolt out from the scoop in one direction, the
said. bolt is made to enter a staple on the scoop carriage, and so to lock the scoop.
operatively to that carriage, and by sliding the said bolt in the opposite direction,
it is made to enter a staple on the main carriage, to lock the scoop to that carriage,
where it is inoperative. The staples must be sufficiently elongated in an upward
direction to permit the upward and downward movement of the scoop in its
operation as a scale beam, as will be hereinafter further explained.
The scoops consist each of a long box or trough built of steel, and open at the
top and the forward end. Their sides and bottoms may be double, and lined with
asbestos, to make them heat proof. The rear end of the bottom is cut away or
recessed to permit the oscillation of the scoop on the forward rollers, and at the
said end there is a permanent weight, by which the scoop is balanced horizontally,
with the coal charge in it, and weighted down, when empty, so as to lift or tilt up
the forward end somewhat. This permanent weight may be sufficient for the
minimum charge, and changeable weights may be added for heavier charges.
While the scoop is in use, it is locked to its carriage, and when it is brought back
by this carriage to the position för charging its back end is stopped by, and
eventually lies on, an angle-iron bar fastened to the main carriage, right under an
indicating hand. When the proper coal charge is put in the scoop, it balances the
weight, weighing.the coal exactly, and lifting the indicating hand, shewing to the
attendant who has control of the charging, that the proper charge is attained.
Within the scoop, and lying loose upon the upper edges thereof, is a scraper
frame, consisting of angle-iron side bars and cross braces, and carrying a series of
scrapers, of which several are pivotted to the side bars, in such manner that their
lower edges will swing forward to allow them to pass backward freely over any
coal underneath them, but will stop against the bottom of the scoop, when they
meet any resistance from the coal in front of them. The rearmost one of these
scrapers is rigid, and it forms the back of the coal space in the scoop while it is
drawn back against a stop in the scoop. The scraper frame is capable of a
movement back and forth relatively, to the scoop, to an extent a little greater than
the length of that part of the scoop which contains the charge, in order that first,
after the scoop with the scraper frame in it has been moved forward into the retort,
with the charge of coal in it, nearly to the back end of the retort, the scraper may
have a still further movement to push the charge of coal up to the extreme rear
end of the retort, and second, that the scoop may, while the scrapers remain thus
pushed forward, move back far enough to be withdrawn from the charge in the
retort, while the scrapers continue to hold back the charge. In order to counter-
balance the weight of that portion of the scraper frame which, with the scrapers,
projects beyond the end of the scoop, during and immediately after the discharge
of the scoop into the retort, as just described, the said frame is loaded at its rear
end by a suitable weight.
For the purpose of producing the continued movement just described, of the
scrapers within the scoop, beyond the movement of the latter within the retort, a
lever is pivotted by a fulcrum pin to the weight or back part of the scoop, one end
of the said lever bearing against the weight or back part of the Ecraper frame, and
the other end projecting laterally from, the scoop, so that during the latter part of
the-forward movement of the scoop, the said projecting end comes in contact with
A.

page_text: a stop affixed to the bottom of its respective hopper, after which the continued
forward movement of the scoop causes the scraper frame, and scrapers to move
forward with an accelerated velocity relatively to the scraper.
The detention of the scrapers within the retort, for the purpose of scraping, the
charge from the scoop, as the latter is moved back by the scoop-carriage, is effected
by means of a hooked gravity pawl, which is pivotted by a pin to the main carriage.
The scraper frame passing under and past the hook of the said pawl, as the said
frame completes its forward movement, is held by said pawl until the scoop; has
been drawn back clear of the charge in the retort, when the said pawl is tripped
out of engagement with the scraper by means of a trip piece on the outside of the
scoop. This projection does not act directly upon the. pawl, but acts upon an
angular tappetpiece which is pivotted to the said pawl, and the upper part of which
overlies the edge of the scraper frame. After the scoop has been drawn back clear
of the charge, the said trip piece on its side strikes the lower pendent portion of
the tappet, and so presses down its upper part on the edge of the scraper frame,
that the said tappet operates as a lever to raise the pawl and unlock the, said
frame.
The drawing back of the scraper frame, to bring the scrapers back into the
scoop, is effected by means of a bar which I term the backing bar, two pulleys and
a.wire rope or chain. The backing bar is fitted to slide back and forth lengthwise
of the scoop, in guides provided within the frame. While the scraper frame is
held stationary, as above described, to permit the discharge of the scoop into the
retort by the drawing back of the scoop, the backing bar is projected back through
the rear of the scoop, with a movement of two to one in proportion to the movement
of the scoop, by means of the pull of the scoop on the rope or chain passing around
the pulleys before mentioned. This projection of the backing bar continues until
the scraper frame has been unlocked by the lifting of the pawl. The backing bar
is then immediately, by the continued movement of the scoop, brought against the
stop herein before mentioned on the main carriage, and, by the further continued
backward movement of the scoop, while the said bar is so stopped, the said bar is
caused to be returned with the secop, and, by the action of the rope or chain and
pulleys, to draw back the scrapers to the position they are to occupy while the latter
is being charged, and while it is running forward to charge the retort.
I will now complete the description of the hopper, and the means of charging the
scoops therefrom. The compartiments constitute separate hoppers, having their
mouths side by side, and at, or nearly at, the same level for receiving the coal, but
having their throats or delivery openings at the sides, and one above another. Each
of these compartments, or separate hoppers, bas at its throat or delivery opening a
retaining trough into which the coal descends by gravitation, and which, when
filled, stops the coal from further descending. These troughs are open at the sides
towards the scoop carriage, the said carriage being also open above the scoops
towards the said troughs, and each trough having at its outer edge a shute to
project over its respective scoop. In the centre of this trough is a rotary scraper,
consisting of a shaft working in bearings in the ends of the trough, and a number
of attached scraping blades or buckets which extend the whole length of the hopper
and trough, which length is equal to the length intended for the coal layer in the
scoop. The shaft is manipulated by a band crank, by which the attendant on the
machine may turn it, for the purpose of scraping the coal in desired quantity from
the bottom of the trough upward and over the edge of the latter, whence it runs
down the shute into the respective scoop. To prevent any jamming of the coal in
the throat of the hopper behind the trough, there is provided along the upper edge
of the opening, between the said throat and the retaining trough, a longitudinal
bar or slide, on which are a number of ribs or projections at short intervals
throughout its length, for stirring or loosening the coal, the said bar being movable
from time to time for the purpose by a hand lever.
The steam engine herein before briefly referred to for driving the scoop carriage,
gives motion to the said carriage by means of a chain or wire rope, which runs

page_text: around; and is driven by a drum on a horizontal shaft, mounted in suitable bearings
on the main catriage; the said chain or rope running around two pulleys arranged
on the said carriage, near-opposite ends thereof. The said horizontal shaft is
geared with; and derives motion from, the shaft of the engine by an endless screw
on the said shaft, and worm gear on the said horizontal shaft. The engine is
furnished with a reversing valte and reversing gear, which may be of any suitable
kind: In order to provide for stopping this engine automatically at each end of
the movement of the scoop cartiige, a hand lever has connected with it a horizontal
tappet bar, which runs on a guide secured to the main carriage. The turned down
ends of the said bar constitute tappets against which the axle of the rear wheels
of the carriage respectively strikes; as the carriage approaches the end of its
forward or backward movement; for the purpose of shifting the hand lever above
mentioned to a position to stop the engine, which, with the carriage, when thus
stopped, continues at rest until again started by the attendant.
:
The steam engine hereinbefore referred to; for thoving the main carriage along
the face of the retort 'stack, is geared with one of the axles of the main carriage
by an endless screw on the shaft of the said engine, and a worm gear on the said
axles: The said engine is furnished with a reversing valve and reversing gear,
which may be of any suitable kind. The reversing gear may consist, in part, of a
rock-shaft furnished with a hand lever, and with connections with the reversing
valve, which is also a stop valve. To enable the speed of the machine on the
track to be slowed before stopping it opposite the retorts, a brake actuated by a
rock shaft and a foot treadle is applied to the shaft of the engine to be operated by
the attendant standing in a position in which he can manipulate the engine levers,
and the crank handle of the scrapers by which the coal is delivered from the
hopper troughs to the scools.
I will now proceed to describe the charging operation, first supposing all the
compartments of the hopper to have been charged under and from an elevated bin,
and tie scoop carriage to be in its rearmost position, close to the rear uprights of
the main carringe.
.
:
The empty scoops, or as many of them as are to be used, are locked to the said
carriage, and are then opposite the hoppers, with their front parts tripped up to
receive coal from, the troughs of the hoppers. The main carriage being now
brought to a position in which the scoops are opposite the retorts; the scoops are
then charged, not directly from their respective hoppers, but from the troughs,
which are kept supplied from the hoppers, the charging being entirely under the
control of the attendant, who, by means of the hand cranks, turns the scraper
shafts and scrapers, which latter raise the coal from the retaining troughs, and
cause its delivery therefrom over the shutes into the scoops. The attendant, as he
thus loads a scoop, watches the index band, until, when the scoop has received the
weight of coal necessary for the charge, the weight is counterbalanced and raised,
and is caused to raise the index hand. The coal thus loaded and weighed in the
scoop, lies between and in front of the scrapers, which are in their rearmost position
in the scoops. The engine is now started, to run the scoop carriage forward, &
carry the coal-laden scoops into the retorts, the front ends of the scoops being
brought pot quite to the rear- end of. the retort. In this position, the movement
of the scoop carriage, scoops, and scrapers, is arrested by the automatic stoppage
of the engine, produced by the rear axle of the said carriage striking the front
tappet of the tappet rod, as explained, but just before this stoppage occurred, the
forward movement of scraper frames and scrapers had been accelerated, as herein-
before explained, and the coal in the scoops, which up to that time had its front
portion sloping backward from the end of the scoop, was, by the said accelerated
movement, pushed forward in the scoops, and a portion of it was pushed out
therefrom into the rear parts of the retorts, and against the rear ends of the latter,
where they are the hottest, and the generation of the gas is most effective. The
scraper frames are, by the accelerated movement just mentioned, brought to such a
position that their rear cross braces pass the hooks of the retaining pawls:

page_text: When
To run back the scoop carriage and scoops, the attendant reverses the engine,
but during the first part of this movement, the scraper frames are detained by
the pawls, and the scrapers are held back, and the coal being held back by them, is
discharged from the scoops into the retorts. This discharge of the coal from the
scoops lightens the front ends of the latter, so that the said ends and the scrapers
are lifted by the weights on the rear ends of the scoop and the scraper frame, the
Scrapers being, by this lifting, raised nearly clear of the coal in the retort.
the scoops have run back clear of the coal in the retort, their projections, by their
action on the tappets, as hereinbefore described, lift: the pawls, and liberate the
scraper frame, so that the said frames and the scrapers will be free to be drawn
back into the scoops by the action of the backing bar and cord or chain, in com-
bination with the pulleys, as hereinbefore explained. The scoops are now in
position relatively to the hoppers to be refilled for a repetition of the charging
operation, when the main carriage shall have been moved to the next retort.:
D
Improvements in Gas Retort Charging Apparatus.
I GASTON ALOYSIUS BRONDER of No. 35, Broadway, in the City of New
York, in the State of New York, United States of America, 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 :-
To enable the object and nature of my invention to be more clearly understood,
I will first refer briefly to the arrangement of retorts and coal-bins in the retort
house of a gas works. Generally, the retort-house has one or more retort stacks,
which have from a hundred to one hundred and fifty retorts on each side, with
projecting mouth-pieces,-the said retorts generally ranging in three tiers, the several
retorts of the three tiers being situated directly one above another.
1.
An apparatus embodying the whole of my invention is intended to receive, from a
suitably located elevated bin, a sufficient quantity of coal to charge all or any
number of the retorts on one side of a stack, to run along the whole length of the
range of retorts, and to deliver the coal, in automatically-weighed quantities, to
one retort at a time, in each of the tiers, or in as many of them as may be
desired.
.
.
I will now proceed to describe, with reference to the accompanying drawings,
an apparatus embodying my invention, and to afterwards point out its novelty in
claims.
:
Fig. 1 represents a vertical sectional view of three retorts belonging to three
different tiers, arranged one above another, and a corresponding sectional elevation
of my apparatus.
Fig. 2 is a plan view of my apparatus, having the feeding hopper partly removed,
to expose the parts below.
Z
Fig:-1,
Fig. 3 represents a vertical section of my apparatus, at right angles to Fig:-1,
taken approximately in the line az of Fig. 2.
Fig. 4 represents a longitudinal section of one of the coal scoops for charging
the retorts, and the scraping apparatus with which the said scoop is furnished, for
discharging the coal therefrom into the retort...
Fig. 5 is a plan view corresponding with Fig. 4.

page_text: Fig. 6 represents à transverse section in the line y y of Fig. 5, looking to the
right.
Fig. 7 represents a transverse section in the line
left.
=
of Fig. 5, looking to the
Figs. 8 and 9 are detail views which will be hereinafter explained.
Fig. 10 is a plan view of a retort house, with the roof removed, to show the
arrangement of the retorts, the coal bins, and the railway tracks, upon which
my apparatus runs, to receive. the coal from the said bins, and deliver it to the
retorts, showing also an outline diagram of my apparatus.
Fig. 11 represents a transverse section corresponding with Fig. 10...
Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures.
Referring first to Fig. 1, A A', A, are three. retorts, arranged one above
another in. a stack, the face of which is indicated by the line S.. B (Figs. 1, 2, 3, 10,
and 11) is:a.railway track running in front of..the retorts along the whole length
of the stack or stacks to be charged by the apparatus, and having running upon it
the supporting wheels c c of the carriage C, C¹, C, which I will hereinafter
designate as the main carriage, consisting of a horizontal platform C, uprights C',
and diagonal braces. C. Upon this carriage, the whole of my apparatus is
mounted. In Figs. 1, 2, 3, I have represented only one of my charging
apparatuses, as that is sufficient for the illustration of my invention, but for a
stack in which there are retorts on both sides, as is usual, I should use one of such
apparatuses on each side of the stack, as may be understood by reference to
Fige. 10 and 11, in which a stationary track B is shown on each side of the stack.
These figures also show coal bins D D, arranged above the stacks at such height
that my apparatus may pass under them to be loaded with coal, to be carried along
the whole length of the stacks.
Fig. 10 shows two stacks S, S, arranged in line with each other, with a space
between them; over which, at a point central to the length of the stacks, arc
arranged the two coal bins D D, one for the charging apparatus on one side, anţ
the other for the corresponding apparatus in the other side of the stacks, each
charging apparatus serving to charge the retorts on one side of the two stacks.
The bins may be filled, by any suitable means.
The main carriage C, C, C, has embodied with it, or fixed upon it, a track a a,
which is arranged transversely to the stationary track B, and in a direction
corresponding with the length of the retorts, the said track a a receiving the
supporting wheels ee of a second carriage E, which I term the scoop carriage, and
which carries the scoops F, F1, F2, which correspond in number with the tiers
of retorts in the stack, and which are arranged one above another, as shown in
Figs. 1, and 3, at such heights as to be capable. of entering respectively a retort
of each of the tiers in the stack. The main carriage C, C, C, has also supported
upon it by columns H', a coal hopper H, for receiving coal from the bin or bins,
and for supplying it to the scoops F, F, F, the said hopper being situated at one
side of the scoop carriage track a a, and being, as shown in Fig. 3, divided into
three compartments.h,,, of about equal capacity, one for supplying each of the
scoops. The position of the said hopper is indicated in Fig. 1 in dotted outline,
the section of said figure being such as to omit the hopper. Only the compartment.h³
is shown in Fig. 2, the section line of which is below h. h. The hopper and its
appurtenances will be hereinafter more fully described.
In the example represented, there are also (see Fig. 2), on the main
carriage C, C, C³, two steam engines, C and E*, and a boiler G for supplying the
said engines with steam, the engine C* being for propelling the main carriage
along the stationary track B and along the range of retorts, and the engine E*
being for propelling the scoop carriage E back and forth on the track a a, for the
purpose of carrying the scoops forward from the side of the coal hopper into the
retorts, to charge the latter, and of withdrawing the scoops from the retorts.
There is also represented on the said carriage a water tank G, for supplying the
boiler G with water.

page_text: The scoop carriage E is provided with scoop supports, consisting of shelves or
brackets 6 616, arranged one above another, one for each scoop, and under each of
these shelves or brackets are bearings for the journals d d of two rollers, fand f¹,
upon which the scoops are placed, the upper parts of said rollers protruding
upwards through openings in the shelf or bracket, said roller f being at the rear
end of the carriage, and the said roller f¹ being at the front end of the carriage, as
shown in Fig. 1. The front roller f¹ of each scoo p-support.constitutes the fulcrum
upon which the scoop oscillates, as a scale beam, for weighing the coal received
from the charging hopper H, as will be hereinafter described, and both rollers serve
to reduce the friction upon the carriage of any scoop that may be locked back to
the main carriage C, C1, C2, in which condition the-uppermost scoop. F is shown
in Fig. 1, where it is desired to keep that scoop inoperative, while the-scoop-
carriage runs back and forth with the other scoops, as when it is only. desired to.
charge retorts in less than the whole number of tiers, as will be hereinafter
explained.
To provide for locking the several scoops, or any number of them, operatively to
the scoop carriage E, as is illustrated by F¹ in Figs. 1 and 2, or for locking either
one or more of them to the main carriage C, C, C³, to render it or them inoperative,
as is illustrated by F in Fig. 1, there is provided on the weight I, or rear portion of
each scoop, a locking device, represented as consisting of a transversely sliding..
bolt, manipulated by a hand lever j³. By sliding the said bolt out from the scoop.
in one direction, to the position shown in Figs. 2 and 5, the said bolt is made. to
enter a staple on the scoop carriage, and so to lock the scoop operatively to that
carriage, and by sliding the said bolt in the opposite direction, it is made to enter a
staple on the main carriage, to lock the scoop to that carriage where it is
inoperative. The staples i, j, must be sufficiently elongated in an upward direction,
to permit the upward and downward movement of the scoop in its operation as a
scale beam, as will be hereinafter further explained.
The scoops, the construction of which is best shown in Figs. 4, 5, 6, 7, consist
each of a long box or trough built of steel, and open at the top and the forward
end. Their sides and bottoms may be double, and lined with asbestos, to make them
heat-proof. The rear end of the bottom is cut away, or recessed, as shown at g
in Figs. 1 and 4, to permit the oscillation of the scoop on the forward rollers f³, and
at the said end there is a permanent weight I, by which the scoop is balanced-
horizontally, with the coal charge in it, and weighted down when empty, so as to..
lift or tilt up the forward end somewhat. This permanent weight may be sufficient
for the minimum charge, and changeable weights may be added for heavier charges..
While the scoop is in use, it is locked to its carriage E, and when it is brought
back by this carriage to the position for charging, its back end is stopped by, and
eventually lies on, an angle iron bar g', fastened to the main carriage C, C1, C2,
right under an indicating hand i. When the proper coal charge is put in the scoop,
it balances the weight I, weighing the coal exactly, and lifting the indicating
hand, showing to the attendant who has control of the charging, as will be
hereinafter explained, that the proper charge is attained.
Within the scoop, and lying loose upon the upper edges thereof, is a scraper
frame J, J', consisting of angle-iron side bars J and cross braces J!, and carrying a
series of scrapers J, Ja, of which several, J2, are pivotted to the side bars. J in. such.
manner that their lower edges will swing forward, to allow them to pass backward
freely over any coal underneath them, but will stop against the bottom of the scoop
when they meet any resistance from the coal in front of them. The rearmost.
one, JB, of these scrupers is rigid, and it forms the back of the coal space in the
scoop, while it is drawn back against a stop in the scoop, as shown in Fig. 4.. The:
scraper frame is capable of a movement back and forth relatively to the scoop, to
an extent a little greater than the length of that part of the scoop.which contains
the charge, in order that, first, after the scoop, with the scraper frame in it, has
been moved forward into the retort with the charge of coal in it, nearly to the back.
end of the retort, as illustrated by F' in Fig. 1, the scraper may have a still further-

page_text: .
.
movement, to push the charge of coal up to the extreme rear end of the retort;
and, second, that the scoop may, while the scrapers remain tbus pushed forward,
move back far enough; as illustrated by F in Fig. 1, to be withdrawn from the .
charge in the retort while the scrapers continue to hold back the charge. In order
to counterbalance the weight of that portion of the scraper frame which, with the
scrapers, projects beyond the end of the scoop during and immediately after the.
discharge of the scoop into the retort, as just described, the said frame is loaded at
its rear end by a weight?".
For the purpose of producing the continued movement just described of the
scrapers within the scoop, beyond the movement of the latter within the retort, a
lover Kis pivotted by a fulcrum pin.k to the weight I, or back part of the scoop,
one end of the said lever bearing against the said weight, or back part of the
scraper frame and the other end projecting laterally from the scoop, so that during
the latter part of the forward movement of the scoop, the said projecting end comes
in contact with a stop k affixed to the bottom of its respective hopper, after which
the continued forward movement of the scoop causes the scraper frame and scrapers
to move forward with an accelerated: velocity relatively to the scraper.
The detention of the scrapers within the retort, for the purpose of scraping the
charge from the scoop as the latter is moved back by the scoop-carriage, is effected
by means of a hooked: gravity pawl n, which is pivotted by a.pin n' to the main
carriage: This pawl is shewn in Fig. 1, and partly in Fig. 2, but is better, shown
in Fig. 8 and 9, Fig. 8 being a side view of parts of the said carriage, of the
scoop, and of the scraper frame, and Fig. 9 being a plan corresponding with Fig. 8, .
the rearmost cross Brace J of the said frame, passing. under and.past the houk-of,
the said pawl, as the said frame completes its forward. movement, and being held
by said pawl until the scoop has been drawn back clear of the charge in the retort,
when the said pawlis tripped out of engagement with the scraper by means of a
trip piece p on the outside of the scoop, as shown on the scoop Flin Fig. 1. This
projection does not act directly upon the pawl, but acts upon an angular.tappet
piece-n which is pivotted to the said pawl, and the upper part of which overlies
the edge of the scraper frame. After the scoop has been drawn, back clear of the
charge the said trip piece p on its side strikes the lower pendent portion of
the tappet, and so presses down its upper part on the edge of the scraper frame,
that the said tappet operates as. 'a lever to raise the pawl n and unlock the
said frame
..
The drawing back. of the scraper frame, to bring. the scrapers back into the
scoop, is effected by means of a bar L, which I term the backing bar, two
pulleys and a wire rope or chain. M, shown in Figs. 4 and 5, and also, shown
partly in bige. 1, 2, 6, and 7. The backing bar is fitted to slide back and forth
lengthwise of the scoop in guides m provided within the frame. While the scraper.
frame is held stationary, as above described, to permit the discharge of the scopp
into the retort by the drawing back of the scoop, the backing. bar Lis projected
back through the rear of the scoop, as shown.in the scoop F, with a movement of
two to one in proportion to the movement of the scoop,,by means of the pull of the
scoop on rope or chain Mpassings around the pullies 11. This projection of the
backing bar continues until the scraper frame has been unlocked by the lifting of
the pay h.Thebacking bar is then immediately, by the continued movement of
the scoop brought against the stop g hereinbefore mentioned, on the, main,
carriage, and by the further continued backward movement of the scoop,.
while the said bar is so stopped, the saidi bar. is caused: to be returned with the
stoop, and by the action of the rope or chain M and pulleys, 7, to draw back the.
scrapers to the position they are to occupy: while the latter is being charged, and
while it is running forward to charge the retort, which position is shewn in Figs. 4
and 5 and in the scoop in Fig. 1.
I will now complete the description of the hopper, and the means of charging,the
scoops therefrom: The compartments hhh constitute.separate: hoppers, having:
their mouths side by side and at or nearly at the same level for receiving the coaly,

page_text: 1
but having their throats.or, delivery openings.q. at the sides, and above one another.
Each of these compartments or, separate, hoppers has, at its throat or delivery
opening, a retaining trough N, into which, the, coal descends by gravitation, and
which, when, filled, stops the coal from further, descending. These troughs Nare
open at the sides: towards the scoop.carriage, the said carriage being also open
above the scoops towards the said troughs, and each trough having at its outer
edge a-shute N, to project over its respective scoop. In the centre of this trough
is a rotary scraper, consisting of a shaft O, working in bearings in the ends of the
trough, and a number of attached scraping blades or buckets oo, which extend the
whole length of the hopper and trough, which length is equal to the length intended
for the coal layer in the scoop The shaft is, manipulated by a hand crank O¹
(see Fig. 2), by which the attendant on the machine may turn it for the purpose of
scraping-the coal, in desired quantity, from the bottom of the trough, upward and
over the edge of the latter, whence it runs down the shute Ninto the respective
scoop. To prevent, any jamming of the coal in the throat g of the hopper, behind
the trough N, there is provided along the upper edge of the opening, between the
isaid throat and the retaining trough N, a longitudinal bar or slide q' (see Figs. 2
& 3), on which are a number of ribs or projections at short intervals throughout its
length, for stirring or loosening the coal, the said bar being movable, from time to
times for the purpose by, a hand,lever q (see Fig. 2)
The steam engine E, bereinbefore, briefly referred to, for driving the scoop
scarriage, gives motion to the said carriage by means, of a chain, or wire rope Q,
which runs around; and is driven by a drum Qon:a horizontal shaft Q, mounted
fin suitable bearings on the main carriage.C, CC, the said chain or rope running
around two pulleys 77, arranged on the. said carriage, near opposite ends thereof.
The said shaft is geared with, and, derives motion from, the shaft e of the
engine Eby an endless screwe on the said shaft e", and a worm gear g³ on the
said shaft The.engine,Eis furnished with a reversing valves, and reversing
gear,which may be of any suitable, kind. The reversing gear is represented
in Figs: 1.and 2. as consisting, in part, of a rock shaft s furnished with a hand
levers, and with a connections with, the engine valve, which is both a reversing
valve and a stop valve. In order to provide for stopping this engine E*
automatically at each end of the movement of the scoop.carriage, the hand lever s
has connected with it a horizontal tappet. bar & (see Figs. 1.and 2), which runs on
a guide. s secured to the main carriage. The turned down ends of the said bar
-constitute tappets & and-s, against which the axle e of the rear wheels, e. e. of the
carriage E respectively strikes, as the carriage approaches the end of its forward
-or backward movement, for the purpose of shifting the lever sl to a position to stop
the engine, which, with the carriage, E, when thus, stopped, continues at rest until
again, started by the attendant.
The steam engine Cherein before referred to, for moving, the main carriage
along the face of the retort stack, is.geared with one of the axles d of the main
carriage by an endless screw.c on the shaft of the said engine, and a worm gear d
on the said axle.. The said engine C is furnished, with a. reversing valve t*, and
reversing gear, which may be of any suitable kind. The reversing gear is
represented in Figs. 1 and 2 as consisting, in part, of a rock shaft t, furnished with
a hand lever t¹, and with connections t, with the reversing valve t, which is also
a stop.valve. To enable the speed of the machine on, the track B to be slowed
before stopping it opposite the retorts, a brake, u, actuated by a rock shaft u and a
foot-treadle.u (Fig. 2), is applied to the shaft of the engine C to be operated by
the attendant, standing, int a. position in which he can manipulate the engine
leversandtand the hand crank O': of, the scrapers oo, by which the coal
is delivered from the hopper troughs N. to. the scoops.
t
In Fig. 2, I have!represented, the steam pipe for supplying steam from the
boiler G to the two engines C2D,and the exhaust pipes w to, for exhausting the
steam from the engines to the smoke stack of the boiler..
Having now :described the details of the apparatus or machine, I will, before
わ

page_text: describing the operation of the apparatus in charging gas retorts, explain that in
Fig. 1, wherein the operation is fully illustrated only one of the scoops, viz ²,
is shewa in operative connection with the scoop carriage E, the lower scoop and its
appurtenances being shewn in the position which is connected operatively with the
said carriage they would occupy when said carriage is in its most forward position,
and the uppermost scoop E is shewn in the position it would occupy when the said
carriage is in its rearmost position. I have thus shown these three positions of the
scoops in
in one figure, to avoid the necessity of three different representations of the
.side elevation of the machine with the scoop carriage in as many different positions.
The scoop carriage in this figure is shown in the act of running back with the
scoop F, the scrapers of which are still in the retort wherein they have deposited
the coal from said scoop.
'
23
"
I will now proceed to describe the charging operation; first supposing all the
compartments of the hopper H to have been charged under and from the elevated
bin D, and the scoop carriage to be in its rearmost position close to the rear-
uprights of the main carriage.
3.
typ:
The empty scoops, or as many of them as are to be used, are locked to the said
carriage E, and are then opposite the hoppers, with their front parts tripped up to
receive coal from the troughs N of the hoppers. The main carriage being now
brought to a position in which the scoops are opposite the retorts, the scoops are
then charged, not directly from their respective hoppers, but from the troughs N,
which are kept supplied from the hoppers, the charging being entirely under the
control of the attendant, who, by means of the hand cranks O'turns the scraper
shafts O and scrapers o; which latter raise the coal from the retaining troughs, and
cause its delivery therefrom over the shates-N into the scoops. The attendant, as
he thus loads a scoop, watches the index hand until when the scoop has received
the weight of coal necessary for the charge, the weight is counterbalanced, and
raised, and is caused to raise the index hand- The coal thus loaded and weighed
in the scoop lies between and in front of the scrapers J, JJ, which are in their
rearmost position in the scoops. The engine is now started, to run the scoop
carriage forward, and carry the coal-laden scoops into the retorts, the front-ends
of the scoops being brought not quite to the rear of the retort, as illustrated by the
scoop in Fig. 1 In this position, the movement of the scoop carriage,-scoops,
and scrapers, is arrested by the automatic stoppage of the engine E, produced by
the rear axle e of the said carriage striking the front tappet of the tappet rods,
but just before this stoppage occurred, the forward movement of the scraper frames
and scrapers had been accelerated by the action of the lever K(see Fig. 5), as
herein before explained, and the coal in the scoops, which; up to that time, had its
front portion sloping backward from the end of the scoop as indicated at 20 in
Fig. 4, was, by the said accelerated movement, pushed forwards in the scoops and
a portion of it was pushed out therefrom; as illustrated in the scoop: Fin Fig. 1,
into the rear parts of the retorts, and against the rear ends of the latter, where.
they are the hottest, and the generation of the gas is most effectives: The scraper
frames are, by the accelerated movement just mentioned, brought to such a position
that their rear cross braces J pass the hooks of the pawls S
To run back the scoop carriage and scoops, the attendant reverses the engine: E*
by the hand lever but during the first part of this movement, the scraper frames
are detailed by the pawls n and the scrapers are held back, and the coal being held
back by them, is discharged from the scoops into the retorts; as illustrated by the
retort A and scoop Fin Fig. 1. This discharge of the coal from the scoops
lightens the front ends of the latter, so that the said ends and the scrapers are
lifted (as illüstrated by the scoop F in Fig. 1) by the weights I and on the srear
ends of the scoop and the scraper frame, the scrapers being by this lifting,raised
nearly clear of the coal in the retort. When the scoops haves tun back clear
of the coal in the retort, their projections p, by their action on the tappets:m²pas
hereiubefore described, lift the pawls n, and liberate the scraper frame so that the
said frames and the scrapers will be free to be drawn back into the scoops by the

page_text: action of the backing bar and cord or chain M, in combination with the pulleys,
as hereinbefore, explained. The scoops are now in position relatively to the
hoppers, to be refilled for a repetition of the charging operation, when, the main
carriage shall have been moved to the next refort.
Having how particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inv
and in what manner the-same is to be performed, I'declare that what
tion and
claim is
1 In an apparatus for charging a rowi of gás retorts, the combination of an
elevated stationary coal bin, situated in front of and above the retorts a carriage
arranged to run along the front of the row of retorts, and under-the said elevated
bin, and to pass the said bin in opposite directions, a hopper on said carriage, to
receive coal directly from said stationary elevated bin, coal scoops on said carriage
for receiving coal from said hopper, and means of operating said scoops, to deposit
the so-received coal in the retorts, substantially as herein set forth action
92: The combination in a retort charging apparatus,, of a main carriage for
running along in front of the retorts, a scoops carriage arranged to run
trausversely upon the first mentioned carriage, and having two or more scoop
supports, scoops upon said supports, and locking devices for locking: each scoop
either to the scoop carriage or to thermainkcarriage; that it may either, move with
the scoop carriage, or leave the latter. free tojmove without it, substantiallycas
herein set forth oli
3In a retorte charging apparatus, the combination of a carriage having
thereon.itwo or moreishoppers, the delivery openings of which are one above
another, troughs,, one for each hopper, arranged opposite said openings, to receive
and retain coal therefrom, a scoop carriage arranged to run transversely upon the
first mentioned carriage, two or more scoops arranged one above another on said
scoop carriage, at different levels below said troughs respectively, and rotary
scrapers, one in each of said troughs, substantially as herein set-forth.
4. The combination with the coal-hopper, having its throat at one side, and
a coal receiving and retaining trough outside of said throat, of a movable bar
arranged in the upper part of the said throat, and. provided with projections for
loosening the coal therein, substantially as & for the purpose herein set forth.
5. In a retort-charging apparatus, the combination with a scoop carriage, of a
coal-scoop, a bearing on said carriage for said scoop, on which said scoop is capable
of vertical oscilliation as a scale beam, and a weight applied to said scoop for
weighing therein the coal to be deposited by it in a retort, substantially as herein
set forth.
6. In a retort-charging apparatus, the combination with a main carriage, and a
scoop carriage arranged to run on and transversely to said main carriage, of coal
scoops, locking devices for locking said scoops to said main carriage in stationary
relation thereto, and in inoperative relation to the scoop carriage, and rollers in
said scoop carriage for supporting said scoops, while so locked, to the said main
carriage, substantially as herein set forth.
7. The combination with a scoop and a carriage therefor, and a roller on said
carriage on which said scoop is capable both of moving longitudinally and of
oscillating vertically as a scale beam, and a weight on said scoop for weighing the
coal deposited therein, substantially as herein set forth.
8. The combination with the scoop and the scraper frame and scrapers therein,
means of moving the scoop, scraper frame, and scrapers together into the retort,
and means of producing a further forward movement of the scrapers within the
scoop; to push the coal back therein and therefrom to the back of the retort,
substantially as.herein set forth.
:
9. The combination with the main carriage, and the scoop carriage arranged to
run transversely thereon, of a scoop on the scoop carriage, a scraper frame and
scrapers fitted to said scoop, a lever, as K, carried by the scoop carriage, and
bearing against the-scraper frame, and a stop, as k', on the main carriage, for