Improvements in the Construction of Beds for Gas and other Retorts.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 30th May, 1895
Complete Specification Left, 28th Feb., 1896-Accepted, 4th Apr., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of Beds for Gas and other
Retorts.
I, MICHAEL JOHN JOYCE, Builder, Basinghall Avenue, London, E.C. do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to improvements in beds for retorts. I provide a tunnel
or alley commencing at the bed of the furnace and terminating under the bed of the
retorts. Such alley or tunnel may be covered with an arch or in any other manner.
Holes
The height and width is regulated by the length and breadth of the retort.
or openings preferably fitted with doors and opening into the furnaces may be provided
on both sides of the tunnel for the purpose of the fire bars being clinkered and the
furnaces cleansed from ash in the tunnel or alley. I may also provide ventilating
shafts and flues from the soffit of the arch to the top of the covering of the retorts
and I may also provide shoots for removing flue dust or any other dust that may
accumulate at the top of the retorts.
Dated this 30th day of May 1895
Improvements in the Construction of Beds for Gas and other
Retorts.
I, MICHAEL JOHN JOYCE, of Basinghall Avenue in the City of London,
Builder, 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 :-
My invention relates to the construction of the beds of gas retorts and other
analogous retorts, and has for its object to provide means whereby the workmen
engaged in clinkering and clearing the furnaces are protected from hot coke, tar,
or the like which may fall from the retorts.
According to my invention I provide a tunnel or alley extending along beneath
the retorts and covered by an arched or other roof.
The height is sufficient to enable a man to pass through and it extends from the
On each
bed of the furnace upwards to a sufficient height beneath the retorts.
side of the tunnel are openings to the furnace bars and ashpits for enabling the
fire bars to be clinkered and the furnaces cleansed from ash by men in the tunnel
or alley.
The accompanying drawing represents in transverse section an arrangement
according to my invention as applied to a bench of horizontal retorts although my
invention is not limited in its application to horizontal retorts.
AA are retorts mounted in the bench B. C are the platforms for charging and
clearing the retorts. D are the furnaces and d the doors for charging the furnaces
with fuel. E is the tunnel or alley provided according to my invention, covered
in by an arched top as shewn. e are the doors opening into the said tunnel or alley
so that the furnace bars can be clinkered and the furnaces and ash pits cleared by

page_text: men in and protected by the tunnel or alley. Ventilating shafts may also be
provided opening from the soffit of the arch to the top of the covering of the
retorts and shoots may also be provided for removing flue dust or any dust
that may accumulate at the top of the retorts.
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 :-
:―
The combination with gas or other retorts of a tunnel or alley with openings
from the sides thereof to the ash pits and furnaces and arranged so that the furnace
bars can be clinkered and the furnaces and ash pits cleared without the operators
being exposed to danger from coke, tar, or the like, falling from the retorts,
substantially as herein before described.
Dated this 28th day of February 1896.
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.