IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPLICADI
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Woodward, of the Firm of Adam Woodward &
Sons, Queen's Foundry, Ancoats, in the City of Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Engineers, for an Invention of “IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPLICADI
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Woodward at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th June 1881.
JOHN WOODWARD, of the Firm of Adam Woodward & Sons, Queen's Foundry,
Ancoats, in the City of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Engineers.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO APPARATUS USED IN THE MANUFACTURE
OF GAS."
My Invention refers to arrangements and apparatus for opening and closing the
communication between each gas retort and the "hydraulic main," the object being
to allow the gas to pass freely and without resistance from the retort to the
hydraulic main when the process of distillation is going on, but to shut the
communication by causing a "head" of the liquid in the hydraulic main to close
the outlet from the dip pipe when the retort is having the coke removed or is being
recharged, or at any other time as desired.
This object has been accomplished hitherto by a variety of arrangements, but
they are found objectionable, as they soon get out of order by reason of the
rapid accumulation of tar preventing them from perfectly shutting off the
communication, or otherwise their passages become entirely closed or clogged by
tar.
My Invention is especially designed to prevent the accumulation of tar upon
those surfaces which have to form the joints against the passage of gas, or the
accumulation or deposit of tar upon the parts of the apparatus, so as to obstruct
its movements and prevent perfect action.
My Invention consists in forming a flange on the exterior of the dip pipe, which
is or may be faced up on its upper side in the lathe, and in arranging round the
dip pipe a hoop or short cylinder of two different diameters, the upper and lower
Pains G21

page_text: ends of the inner cylinder being turned up in the lathe, so that when the lower
end is resting on the flange on the end of the dip pipe it will form a perfect joint,
which will prevent the passage of gas, the lower end of the enlarged part of the
short cylinder then dipping into the liquid in the hydraulic main.
When the short cylinder is drawn up to its highest position the upper turned
edge of its smaller cylinder comes close against the turned under-surface of the
flange or plate carrying the dip pipe and other parts, so that in this position there
can be no current of gas between the short cylinder and " dip pipe" to leave a
deposit of tar, while the valve or short cylinder will be fully withdrawn clear of
the liquid in the hydraulic main, thus allowing a free escape of the gas from the
retort.
The short moveable cylinder is or may be formed in two halves jointed, so as to
be screwed together over the end of the "dip pipe," and there is a trunnion or
projection on each side to enter a fork secured on the end of a slide rod or spindle
on the exterior of the "dip pipe," which slide rod passes through a stuffing box. :
The upper end of this slide rod has notches formed on it for the forked end of a
lever, which has an arm carrying a "tumbler weight," so that when the lever is
moved by a rod the tumbler weight will carry the slide, rod, and thus the valve or
short cylinder to its highest or lowest position, according to the direction of
movement imparted, and so retain the valve open or closed.
The "dip pipe" and flange upon which it is carried, the stuffing box for the
slide rod, and the fulcrum for the lever, are all formed in one piece or casting by
preference.
37
Instead of working the valve or short cylinder by a rod outside the "dip pipe
it is or may be worked by a rod passing through a stuffing box down the interior
of the "dip pipe," either at the centre or at one side, such rod having a T or hook
formed at its lower end, so that it may be readily engaged with or detached from
the valve or short cylinder by a half turn or side movement of the spindle or rod
when required or when the "dip pipe" is to be cleaned out.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Woodward in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
23rd December 1881.
JOHN WOODWARD, of the Firm of Adam Woodward and Sons, Queen's Foundry,
Ancoats, in the City of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Engineers.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO APPARATUS USED IN THE MANUFACTURE
OF GAS."
My Invention refers to arrangements and apparatus for opening and closing the
communication between each gas retort and the hydraulic main, the object being
to allow the gas to pass freely and without resistance from the retort to the
hydraulic main when the process of distillation is going on, but to shut the
communication by causing a "head" of the liquid in the hydraulic main to close
the outlet from the "dip pipe" when the retort is having the coke removed or is
being recharged, or at any other time as desired.
This object has been accomplished hitherto by a variety of arrangements, but
they are found objectionable, as they soon get out of order by reason of the
rapid accumulation of tar preventing them from perfectly shutting off the
communication, or otherwise their passages become entirely closed or clogged by
tar.
My Invention is especially designed to prevent the accumulation of tar upon
those surfaces which have to form the joints against the passage of gas or the
accumulation or deposit of tar upon the parts of the apparatus so as to obstruct its
movements and prevent perfect action.
My Invention consists in forming a flange on the exterior of the "dip pipe,"
which is or may be faced up on its upper side in the lathe, and in arranging round
the "dip pipe" a hoop or short cylinder of two different diameters, the upper and
lower ends of the inner cylinder being turned up in the lathe, so that when the
lower end is resting on the flange on the end of the dip pipe" it will form a
perfect joint, which will prevent the passage of gas, the lower end of the enlarged
part of the short cylinder then dipping into the liquid in the hydraulic main.
"
When the short cylinder is drawn up to its highest position the upper turned
edge of its smaller cylinder comes close against the turned under surface of the
flange or plate carrying the "dip pipe" and other parts, so that in this position
there can be no current of gas between the short cylinder and dip-pipe to leave a
deposit of tar, while the valve or short cylinder will be fully withdrawn clear of
the liquid in the hydraulic main, thus allowing a free escape of the gas from the
retort.
The short moveable cylinder is or may be formed in two halves jointed, so as to
be screwed together over the end of the "dip pipe," and there is a trunnion or
projection or projections on each side to enter a fork, or for the fork to enter, which
fork is secured on the end of a slide rod or spindle on the exterior of the "dip
pipe," which slide rod passes through a stuffing box.
The upper end of this slide rod has notches formed on it for the forked end of a
lever which has an arm carrying a tumbler weight, so that when the lever is moved
by a rod the tumbler weight will carry the slide rod, and thus the valve or short
cylinder to its highest or lowest position, according to the direction of movement
imparted, and so retain the valve open or closed.
:
The "dip pipe" and flange upon which it is carried, the stuffing box for the
slide rod, and the fulcrum for the lever are all formed in one piece or casting by
preference. Instead of working the valve or short cylinder by a rod outside the
dip pipe," it is or may be worked by a rod passing through a stuffing box down
"

page_text: "
the interior of the "dip pipe," either at the centre or at one side, such rod having a
T head or hook formed at its lower end, so that it may be readily engaged with or
detached from the valve or short cylinder by a quarter turn or side movement of
the spindle or rod when required, or when the "dip pipe" is to be cleaned out; or
the rod is or may be secured by a screw or screw nut to a cross piece on the valve
or short cylinder.
Fig. 1 is an elevation with part of the "dip pipe," and the valve, and the
hydraulic main shown in section; Fig. 2 is another elevation but taken at a right
angle to Fig. 1, showing part of the hydraulic main broken away to expose the
dip pipe" and valve.
Fig. 3 is a plan view, and Fig. 4, a plan section taken below the line A-B,
Fig. 2.
The above Figures illustrate my Invention according to one arrangement for
imparting movements to the valve.
Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation, and Fig. 6, a plan section below the line A-B,
Fig. 5, of another modification showing a different arrangement for conveying
movements to the valve.
'
a represents the hydraulic main; b is the "dip pipe"; one part below the flange
upon it is within, and the other part without the hydraulic main to which the
flange is secured by bolts, as shown.
The exterior part of the "dip pipe "has a bend and flange 62 by which a junction
is formed with the pipe from the retorts.
The upper exterior. end of the dip pipe has a lid b³, by removing which the
interior state of the "dip pipe" (b) can be inspected, and any obstructive matters
removed; b is a flange on the end of the "dip pipe," the upper side of which is
faced to form a seating for the valve when it is in the shut position, as shown in
Figs. 1 and 2, with its lower end dipping below the surface of the liquid in the
hydraulic main.
The valve or cylinder c is made in two parts so as to be placed on the "dip
pipe," and it is screwed together by bolts, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4, and its upper
edge is turned or faced to fit against the under face of the flange b¹ carrying the
dip pipe when the valve is open, that is, when in its highest position with the
lower edge clear of the liquid in the hydraulic main.
Upon each side of the valve projections c¹ are formed, as shown, and between
these projections (c¹) enters the ends of a fork d', which is secured on a rod d
sliding through a stuffing box 6".
There are projections c² one on each side of the valve, which act as stops
against the ends of the fork to prevent the valve c from turning so much that
the projections c' would get away from the fork.
The upper end of the rod d is reduced, as shown, so as to pass into a fork in a
levere having its fulcrum e¹ on a part from the "dip pipe" e.
e² is the tumbler arm and weight, and e³ the arm by which the lever is actuated.
As shown is Fig. 1, the tumbler weight lever e² is pressing the facing of the valve
down against the tlange seating on the end of the "dip pipe," and when moved in
the other direction the tumbler weight will press the upper edge of the valve
against the under side of the flange b
The modification shown by Figs. 5 and 6 is the same as that shown by the
other Figures, except that the rod d for actuating the valve c passes through a
gland in the lid 63 at the upper end of the "dip pipe," and is connected with a
bar c³ formed across the valve.
The lower end of the rod d. is formed with a double T head that passes through
a slot in the cross bar c³, and then is turned a quarter turn to bring it in its
proper position, when one T head will be above, and the other below the cross
bar e. There is a projection c* from the valve c in this modification which is
forked or has a hole in it to slide upon or against a pin or stud f secured in
the flange b' carrying the "dip pipe," this pin or stud f preventing the valve from
turning round, and thus getting off the T end of the rod d.

page_text: Thus arranged when the lid 63 is removed, the rod d can by a quarter turn be
readily detached to inspect the "dip pipe" and remove any obstructing matters.
I have now particularly described the nature of my said Invention and the
modes of carrying the same into effect, and claim as my Invention,-
Firstly. The combination and arrangement of a valve and "dip pipe,"
substantially as bereinbefore described and illustrated by the Drawings.
Secondly. The combination and arrangement of a valve so that one facing will
come against a seating on the end of the "dip pipe" when closed, and another
facing of the valve will come against another seating when the valve is opened,
substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by the Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Woodward, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Second day of December, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty one.
JOHN WOODWARD. (L.S.)