IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR GENERATING ILLUMINATING GASES FROM COAL OR OTHER SUBSTANCES
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Newton, of the Office for Patents,
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for the
Invention of "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR GENERATING ILLUMINATING GASES
FROM COAL OR OTHER SUBSTANCES."-A communication.
Sealed the 21st October 1856, and dated the 13th May 1856.
PROVISIONAL. SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his .Petition, on
the 18th May 1856.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR GENERATING ILLUMINATING GASES
FROM COAL OR OTHER SUBSTANCES, to be as follows:-
The first part of this Invention has for its object the conversion into gas of
a large proportion of the tar vapor generated in the retorts, thereby giving a
greatly increased product of gas. This part of the Invention consists in con-
structing the upper part of the retort so as to form a circuitous passage for the
escape from the retort of the gas and vapors generated from the coal or other
material placed in the lower part thereof, whereby the vapors are caused to
pass over or between extensive heating surfaces, and are consequently kept for
a considerable time at a high temperature, which causes the greater portion of

page_text: the vapor which would be condensed on leaving a common retort to be con-
verted into permanent gas. The object of this part of the Invention is
effected by adapting to the upper part of the retorts several horizontal shelves
or plates, having an opening at one end and being closed at the other; the gas
is thereby allowed to rise up and pass between these heated shelves and return
back between another pair above, thus performing a circuitous journey before
leaving the retort.
The second part of the Invention relates to a novel kind of fastening for
the moveable heads of the retorts, and which admits of the beads. of the retorts
being more handily and quickly attached and detached than the modes of
fastening heretofore generally, used, and which can be expeditiously removed
from a worn-out retort and applied to a new one. In order to apply the
fastening, each retort is cast with a strong lug on each side close to the mouth,
and these lugs have a square hole made horizontally through them, so as
to receive the square shank of one of two hook-headed bolts, which, with a
bail attached to the two bolts, and an inclined or curved edged projecting rib
on the outside of the moveable head of the retort, constitute the fastening.
The hook-headed bolts are made with their shanks of such length, that, when
inserted through the lugs from the back side thereof, the said shanks will protrude
through the front of the lugs some distance beyond the front of the mouth of
the retort. The hooked heads of the bolts are formed with knuckles or joints
at the ends of their hooks for the purpose of attaching the bail by joint pins.
The bail is of such form that it may be thrown back over the neck of the
retort. The hook-headed bolts may be made of wrought or malleable cast
iron, but the bail should be of wrought iron. The head of the retort is of a
proper form to fit the flanged mouth thereof, in the same manner as the heads
of the retorts heretofore used. It has two lugs so situated on its sides that
when it is in place the said lugs rest on those parts of the shanks of the hook
bolts which protrude through the lugs of the retort mouth, besides being pro-
vided in front with the inclined or curved edged rib before mentioned.
The third part of the Invention consists in a novel arrangement of flues in
R bench of five retorts, whereby the flame and heated products of combustion
are brought into action on the retorts in such a manner as to heat them indi-.
vidually in all their parts, and collectively, with a greater degree of uniformity
than they can be heated in the common bench of five retorts, thereby increas-
ing the durability of the retorts, and at the same time effecting a considerable
saving of fuel.
The five retorts are severally arranged relatively to each other substantially.
In the same manner as in the bench of five retorts commonly used. The fire-

page_text: place is at the centre of the bottom of the bench, and some distance below the
lowest retorts, but it extends only part of the length of the retort bench. From
the sides of the fire-place short horizontal flues lead under the lowest retorts,.
which, as well as all the other retorts, have their entire length resting on fire-
clay tiles to protect their bottoms from the too strong action of the flame from
the fire. The flues" communicate with other flues, the latter of which com-
municate with a central flue in the rear of the fire-place. From the rear of
this latter flue an upright flue leads up to another horizontal flue, which passes
up.through the centre of the bench under the top retort. From the front end
of the top horizontal flue a short flue descends a short distance, and then parts
in two branches leading in opposite directions to two wide flues which contain
the bottom retorts. At the rear of these latter flues there are openings leading
into a large open space in which are placed the three upper retorts. Over the
front of the open space is the exit flue leading into the chimney..
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 13th November 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the nineteenth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
William Edward Newton, Her special license that I, the said William Edward
Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
William Edward Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVED APPARATUS
FOR GENERATING ILLUMINATING GASES FROM COAL OR OTHER SUBSTANCES," being a
communication from abroad, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said William Edward Newton, by an instrument in writing under my hand
and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the

page_text: 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 William Edward Newton, do hereby
déclare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed,
and 'to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say)
The first part of this Invention of "Improved 'Apparatus for Generating
Illuminating Gases from Coal or other Substances," has for its object, the con-
version into gas of a large proportion of the tar vapor generated in the retorts;
thereby giving a greatly increased product of gas. This part of the Invention
consists in so constructing the upper part of the retort as to form a circuitous
passage for the escape from the retort of the gas and vapors. generated from
the coal or other material placed in the lower part thereof, whereby the vapors
are caused to pass over or between extensive heating surfaces, and are conse-
quently kept for a considerable time at a high temperature, which causes the
greater portion of the vapor which would be condensed on leaving a common
retort to be converted into permanent gas.
The second part of the Invention consists in a novel kind of fastening for
the movable heads of the retorts, and which admits of the heads of the retorts
being more handily and quickly attached and detached than the modes of
fastening heretofore generally used, and which can be expeditiously removed
from a worn-out retort and applied to a new one:
The third part of the Invention consists in a novel arrangement of 'flues in
a bench of five retorts, whereby the flame and heated products of combustion
are brought into action on the retorts in such a manner as to heat them indi-
vidually in all their parts, and collectively, with a greater degree of uniformity
than they can be heated in the common bench of five retorts, thereby increasing
the durability of the retorts, and at the same time effecting a considerable
saving of fuel.
The Invention is illustrated in the accompanying Drawing in which Fig. 1
is a front 'elevation of 'a bench' of five retorts, in which all the features of the
Invention are illustrated; Fig. 2 is a vertical section, at right angles to Fig..1,
in the line a; Fig. 3 is" a vertical section, parallel with Fig. 1, in the line
y, y; Fig. 4 is a horizontal section, in the line z, z, of Figs. 1, 2, 3; Fig. 5
is a horizontál section, in the line, *, of Figs. 1, 2, 3; Fig. 6 is a side view
of part of a retort head fastening, on a larger scalo than the other Figures:
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several
Figures.

page_text: A, A, A; A', A, (Figs: 1, 2, 3, 4,) are the retorts, the exterior shell of which
is or may be of the same form as that of the retorts heretofore used in the
manufacture of coal gas; B, B, are the movable heads, which are taken off to
charge the retorts; and C, C, are the outlets by which the gas leaves the
retort. Each of the retorts is provided in its'upper part with a number of
horizontal partitions D; D, D, which are arranged one above the other; extend-
ing all across the retort, and from one end nearly to the other; leaving a
narrow opening a at one end. The openings a come at opposite ends of the
retort alternately, as is shewn in Fig. 2, which is a longitudinal section of a
retort, and therefore the partitions form a passage E, E, E, running alter
nately in opposite directions from end to end of the retort, forming a circuitous
communication from the lower part of the retort which contains the charge to
the outlet C. There may be any. number of the partitions D, D, D, according
to the distance required for the circulation of the vapors, and it will be neces-
sary, where many partitions are required; to make the shell of the retort of a
greater depth than usual in proportion to its width. The partitions will gene
rally be cast in the retort, though. they may be made separate and secured in
some suitable manner within the retort. Those of the partitions which require
to fit up close to the moveable head B of the retort should be received within
lips b, by provided on the interior of the lead, as shewn in Fig. 2, in order to
make a good joint.
.
and
Retorts constructed as above described are to be charged in the usual way,
the whole charge being contained in the part below the partitions. They may
be heated by any well-known arrangement of furnace and flues, or by the
arrangement of flues which forms part of this Invention. The
gas
vapors
generated therein, instead of passing off immediately from the retort, as when
generated in the common retorts heretofore employed, are caused to pass
backwards and forwards in a-serpentine direction through the passages E, E, E,
as indicated by. the arrows in Fig. 2. Theso passages are as hot as the main
bodies of the retorts which contain the charges, and by that means the tarry
vapor is kept heated long enough for a considerable portion of it to be con-
verted into gas.
The novel fastening of the movable heads of the retorts is shewn in
Figs. 1, 2, and 4. To apply this fastening, the neck F of each retort is cast
with a strong lug c on each side close to the mouth, and these lugs have a
square hole made horizontally through them from back to front, so as to receive
the square shank of one of two hook-headed bolts G, G, which, with a bail H,
attached to the two bolts, and an inclined or curved-edged projecting ribe on

page_text: the outside of the movable head B of the retort, constitute the fastening. The
hook-headed.bolts G, G, are made with their shanks of such length, that, when
inserted through the lugs c, c, from the back side thereof, as shewn in Figs. 2
and 4, the said shanks will protrude through the front of the lugs some distance
beyond the front of the mouth of the retort. The hooked heads of the bolts
G, G, a side view of one of which is shewn detached in Fig. 6, are formed with
knuckles or joints d, d, at the ends of their hooks, which knuckles hook over the
tops of their respective lugs c, c, as shewn in Fig. 2, these knuckles being for
the purpose of attaching the bail H, by joint pins passing through them. The
bail is of such form that it may be thrown back over the neck of the retort, as
shewn in dotted outline on the middle retort A', in Fig. 2, and shewn in bold
outline on the two right-hand retorts A, A', in Fig. 1. The hooked-headed bolts
may be made of wrought or malleable cast iron, but the bail should be of wrought
iron. The head B of the retort is of a proper form to fit the flanged mouth
thereof, in the same manner as the heads of the retorts heretofore used. It has
two lugs g, 3, so situated on its sides that when it is in place these lugs g, g,
rest on those parts of the shanks of the hook bolts which protrude through the
lugs c, c, of the retort mouth, besides being provided in front with the inclined
or curved edged rib, before mentioned, which is indicated by h. This rib is of
the form best shewn in Fig. 2, so as to allow the bail to swing back over it to
the position shewn in dotted lines in Fig. 2, but when the bail is brought down
over it, as shewn on the bottom retort in Fig. 2, and on the top and left-hand
bottom retorts in Fig. 1, and is forced down in contact with its edge, it (the
rib) will act like a wedge inside the bail, and will draw the hooked heads of
the bolts close up to the back of the lugs c, c, and force the head B close up to
the mouth of the retort.
When it is required to draw the charge from the retort, the head B is
unfastened, by lifting up the bail and throwing it back over the top of the neck
of the retort, which leaves the head B, supported by its lugs g, g, resting on the
shanks of the hook bolts, from which it can be removed by hand, the rib h
serving as a handle; after charging the retort, the head is placed up again to
the mouth on the top of the shanks of the hook bolts, and the bail pulled down
over it; a hammer may be used to drive the bail down tight to secure the head
closely, or to drive it up to unfasten the head.
To detach the fastening from a worn-out or burnt retort, the bail is thrown
back over the neck, and the hook bolts driven backwards from the lugs c, c, of
the retort by a hammer; it can then be applied to a new retort. One of these
fastenings will outlast several. retorts. This fastening is applicable with equal

page_text: advantage to a retort of the common kind, or to the improved retort herein-
before described. The novel arrangement of the flues in the retort bench is
illustrated in Figs. 2, 3, 4, and 5.
:
The five retorts A, A, A, A1, A2, are severally arranged relatively to each
other, substantially in the same manner (shewn in Fig. 3) as in the bench of
five retorts commonly used; the fire-place I (see Figs. 2, 3, and 5,) is at the
centre of the bottom of the bench, and some distance below the lowest retorts
A, A, but it extends only part of the length of the retort bench, as shewn in
Figs. 2 and 5. From the sides of the fire-place short horizontal flues i, i, lead
under the lowest retorts A, A, which, as well as all the other retorts, have their
entire length resting on fire-clay tiles j, j, to protect their bottoms from the two
strong action of the flame from the fire. The flues i, i, communicate with
other flues k, l, and m, m, (see Fig. 5,) the latter of which communicate with
a central flue n in the rear of the fire-place. From the rear of this latter
flue'n an upright flue p (see Fig. 2) leads up to another horizontal flue 2 (see
Figs. 2 and 4), which passes up through the centre of the bench under the top
retort A². From the front end of the top horizontal flue q a short fluer (see
Figs. 2 and 3) descends a short distance, and then parts in two branches s, s,
leading in opposite directions to two wide flues t, t, which contain the bottom
retorts. At the rear of these latter flues t, t, there are openings u, u, (see
Fig. 4,) leading into a large open space J, in which are placed the three upper
retorts A¹, A¹, and A². Over the front of the open space J is the exit flue K,
leading into the chimney.
The flame and heated products of combustion from the fire pass through the
flues k, l, m, m, under the lowest retorts A, A, thus heating the bottoms of such
retorts; they then enter the flue n, and from thence pass up the flue p into
the flue q, under the top retort A, and pass through the latter flue in a forward
direction, and escape therefrom down the flue r, and through the branch- flues.
8, s, into the wide flues t, t, through which they pass in a backward direction to
heat the sides and upper parts of the retorts A, A, and bottoms of the retorts
A', A'; they then pass up through the openings u, u, into the space J, J,
through which they pass in a forward direction to heat the sides and upper
parts of the retorts A', A¹, and A², and finally escape to the chimney K.
By this arrangement of flues it will be seen that the flame is prevented from
striking directly upon any of the retorts as it does when the bench is constructed
in the usual manner, which is so destructive to the retorts. The arrangement
is applicable with the same advantage to retorts of the construction in common
use, or to the improved retorts herein-before described.

page_text: Having thus fully described the nature and particulars of the improvements
in apparatus for generating illuminating gases, which have been communicated
to me by my foreign correspondent, I desire it to be distinctly understood that I
do not mean or intend to confine myself to the precise details, herein described,
as such may be varied or modified 'without departing from the principle of the
Invention'; but what I claim as new in the above-described improvements, and
desire to secure by. Letters, Patent as aforesaid, is,
First, the construction of the upper parts of the retorts so as to form within
the retort a circuitions. passage or communication between the lower part, which
contains the charge, and the outlet where the gas passes off, for the purpose of
heating the tarry .vapor sufficiently, and keeping it. heated long enough for a
considerable portion to be converted into permanent gas.
Second, I claim the use and application, for the purposes above set forth, of
the fastening for securing the movable, heads B of the retorts, such fastening
consisting of a bàil.II, connected with a retort mouth by hooked-headed bolts
G, G, passing through lugs g, g, on the sides thereof, and operating in com-
bination with an inclined'on curved-edged rib e, or its equivalent, on the retort
head B, substantially as herein described...
Third, the. within-described arrangement of the flues by which the flame
and heated products of combustion are caused to pass, first, under the bottom
retorts A, A, next under the top retort A, then under: the retorts A', A',
and over A, A, and finally over A', A', and A³, as herein, set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Newton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Thirteenth day of November, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
W. E. NEWTON. (L.s.)
1
BAEN