Improvements in and relating to Retorts for the Distillation of Shale and other Substances.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Dec., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 5th Sept., 1898-Accepted, 29th Oct., 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Retorts for the Distillation
of Shale and other Substances.
I, ANDREW GORDON, of Holmes Oil Works, Uphall, in the County of Lin-
lithgow, Manager, do hereby declare the nature of my invention to be as
follows:-
1
This invention has reference to and comprises improvements in or relating to
upright retorts for the distillation of shale and other substances.
The principal objects of my invention are the construction of retorts in such a
manner that the loss of heat from the burning gases in the flues is greatly re-
duced, and the erection and working of said retorts at a less cost per ton, or given
quantity, of shale or other material efficiently treated, than hitherto.
In the carrying out of my improvements the retort is constructed in an annular
form as follows:-There is erected an outside circular brickwork casing having a
central within it, leaving an annular space between it and the outer casing, into
which the shale or other material is charged. This structure is supported several feet
above ground preferably on iron pillars. The lower portion of the central column
is formed of brickwork and the upper portion of a hollow cylinder of iron and in
In the outside brickwork
the brickwork portion flues are formed around it.
casing surrounding glues are also formed near its inner surface. The lower por-
tion of the retort is divided into several spaces by walls radiating from the central
column to the outer casing. These walls have also flues formed in them. The
heating gases are being burnt in all these flues, and passing away up through the
iron portion of the central column and a funnel erected on the top of it, com-
municate the necessary heat to the material in the retort. The central column
and division walls with their flues being entirely surrounded and in contact with
the shale or other material to be heated, it is obvious that the loss of heat must
be much less than with ordinary round or rectangular retorts which have only
outside flues and in which much of the heat is lost by radiation into the outside
brickwork.
In order to effect the continuous or nearly so discharge of the spent material
from the retort, I provide the following means. An iron ring or annular table
is placed under the bottom of the retort, the material in the retort being sup-
ported by this ring. The upper surface of the ring is flat for several inches wide
in the middle, being then bevelled off to its outer and inner edges at an angle a
little less than that which would cause the supported material to slip off the ring
of its own accord. In order to push the material off the ring or table into an
annular shaped hopper provided around and under it, scrapers are made to move
backwards and forwards on the flat portion of the rings surface thus pushing a
little of the material over the outer and inner edges of the ring alternately and
so gradually discharging the retort. These scrapers preferably four in number are

page_text: made several feet in length in the form of an arc of a circle corresponding to the
circle of the ring, and are placed end to end around it in the flat portion. Each
two opposite scrapers are connected together by a rod' or rods which pass through
stuffing boxes in the sides of the hopper above mentioned. To one end of the
rod or rods a' straight or rectangular link is attached at right angles in a hori-
zontal position.
An eccentric block working in the straight link gives motion to the scrapers.
The eccentric may be fixed in a vertical shaft which is driven by any suitable
means. The hopper mentioned into which the spent material falls has one or more
circular openings at the bottom. These openings are closed by flat cup shaped
covers hinged to open downwards and balanced by a short lever and weight.
When closed they are fastened by a catch and a little water being run into
them form a water seal with the edge of the hopper orifices, when opened from
time to time the spent material falls from the hopper into hutches in conveyors,
screws, or other ordinary means of removing it.
Dated the 2nd L
AT
1
100%
W. R. M. THOMSON & Co.,
96, Buchanan Street, Glasgow, Agents..
Improvements in and relating to Retorts for the Distillation
of Shale and other Substances.
I, ANDREW GORDON, of Holmes Oil Works, Uphall, in the County of Lin-
lithgow, Manager, do hereby declare the nature of my invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement in writing reference being made to the accom-
panying sheet of drawings:-
This invention has reference to and comprises improvements in or relating to
upright retorts for the distillation of shale and other substances.
The principal objects of my invention are the construction of annular retorts,
and in such a manner that the loss of heat from the burning gases in the flues is
greatly reduced, and the erection and working of said retorts at a less cost per
ton, or given quantity, of shale or other material efficiently treated, than hitherto,
also the obtaining of an increased yield of products from same.
According to my improvements the retort can be made of much larger capacity
than those at present in use and being built separately and circular in form can
be much more effectively bound together with iron hoops or casing, than is the
case with such retorts as are built together in groups and enclosed in a
rectangular building. Cracking of the structure and consequent loss of products
of distillation are thus obviated.
And in order that my said invention may be properly understood I have here-
unto appended a sheet of explanatory drawings in which Figure 1 is an elevation
partly in section, and shown broken for economy of space, of a retort constructed
according to my improvements, Figure 2 is a sectional plan one half taken on the
line 1-2 and the other half taken on the line 3-4; Figure 3 is a plan on the
line 5-6 while Figure 4 is a diagram view of an alternative arrangement of
delivery hopper.
In the carrying out of my improvements the retort is constructed in an annular
form as follows:-There is erected as shown in the drawings an outside circular
brickwork casing A bound together with iron hoops A¹ and having a central

page_text: column A within, leaving an annular space A³ between it and the outer casing A
into which the shale or other material is charged.
This structure is supported several feet above the ground level preferably on
iron pillars B. The lower portion of the central column A² is formed' of brick-
work and the upper portion of a hollow cylinder a of iron forming the inner wall
of the annular retort while the outer wall is formed by the iron rings or
cylinders a preferably jointed together as are also the rings of inner wall by
spigot and faucet joints a². Flues C are formed in the brickwork portion of the
central column A2 and in the outside brickwork casing A flues C₁ are also formed
near its inner surface for the circulation of the heating gases which are fed from
the circular gas pipe D all in a usual manner. The lower portion of the annular
retort is divided into spaces by walls E as shown in Figure 2 radiating from. the
central column A2 to the outer casing A. These walls E have also flues E' formed
in them connecting the flues C and C¹. The heating gases are burnt in all these
flues to communicate the necessary heat to the material in the retort and pass
away up within the iron portion of the central column A3 and a funnel a³
erected above it, and which passes up within the top feeding hopper F and heats
up the raw material therein previous to its descent to the retort.
The gases pass-
ing within the spaces a to heat the iron part of the annular retort, and escaping
to the funnel a3 by the passages a³.
The central column and division walls with their flues being entirely surrounded
and in contact with the shale or other material to be heated, it is obvious that
the loss of heat must be much less than with ordinary round or rectangular retorts
which have only outside flues and in which much of the heat is lost by radiation
into the outside brickwork. Also the walls of the flues in the outside casing being
circular the heat from the gases burning in these flues and radiating from the
surface of the outer circumference converges much more directly on to the retort
and its contents than if these walls were flat, as is the case with the flue walls
of the ordinary rectangular retorts. The products of distillation pass off from
the retort by the pipes G fitted at distances apart around it, to the annular casing
as indicated.
In order to effect the continuous, or nearly so, discharge of the spent material
from the retort, I provide the following means. An iron ring or annular table H
Figures 1 and 3 is fitted under the bottom of the retort, the material in the retort
being supported by this ring. The upper surface of the ring is flat for several
inches wide in the middle part h, being then bevelled off to its outer and inner
edges h¹ and h² at an angle a little less than that which would cause the sup-
ported material to slip off the ring of its own accord. In order to push the mate-
rial off the ring or table H into an annular shaped hopper I provided around and
under it, scrapers J are made to move backwards and forwards on the flat por-
tion of the ring surface thus pushing a little of the material over the outer and
inner edges of the ring H alternately and so gradually discharging the retort.
These scrapers J preferably four in number are made in the form of an are of a
circle corresponding to the circle of the ring H, and are placed end to end around
it on the flat portion h. Each two opposite scrapers J are connected together by
a rod or rods J¹ which pass through stuffing boxes J2 in the sides of the hopper
above mentioned. To one end of the rod or rods J¹ a straight or rectangular
link Je is attached at right angles in a horizontal position.
An eccentric block K working within the rectangular link J³ gives motion to
the scrapers J. The eccentric may be fixed on a vertical shaft K¹ which is driven
from any source of power by any suitable means such as worm screw and wheel
gearing as indicated at K. The hopper I mentioned into which the spent mate-
rial falls has one or more circular openings I¹ at the bottom. These openings I'
are closed by flat cup shaped covers 12 hinged to open downwards and balanced
by a short weighted lever 13.

page_text: When closed they are fastened by a catch I and a little water run into them
forms water seals with the edges of the hopper orifices. When opened from time
to time the spent material falls from the hopper into hutches or conveyor screws,
or other ordinary means of removing it.
Figure 4 shows an application of a screw conveyor for the purpose of removing
the spent material. In this case the annular retort has its contents discharged
by the scrapers J into a large circular hopper I, fitted with a box I below, within
which and a casing L' the screw conveyor L works to remove the spent material
falling from the hopper I into the box 15, and deposit it in a truck or otherwise
as desired. Water would be run into the box and casing to the level indicated
by the dotted line in order to form a water seal.
Small doors M are fitted around the hoppers I, and holes M¹ are formed in the
annular plate H above the doors to enable prickers or other such implements to
be introduced to loosen the mass of material within the retort when it becomes
caked or fast therein.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
First. The construction and use of annular retorts for the distillation of shale or
like materials constructed and arranged all substantially as herein described and
illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
Second. In retorts for the distillation of shale or like materials the forming of
said retorts annular, with a central column and outer casing surrounded and con-
nected by flues, all substantially as herein described and illustrated by Figures 1
and 2 of the accompanying drawings.
Third. In annular retorts for the distillation of shale or like materiais the
fitting of an annular plate or table below said retort with scrapers working thereon
and actuated by rods and worm gearing, for the purpose of discharging the spent
material into a hopper below, all substantially as herein described and illustrated
by the accompanying drawings.
Fourth. In retorts for the distillation of shale or like materials the combination
of an annular retort with an annular plate or table, scrapers working thereon and
a discharging hopper for the spent material all substantially as herein described
and illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
Fifth. In annular retorts for the distillation of shale or like material the fitting
of an annular hopper below an annular plate and scrapers, provided with dis-
charge openings and closing devices for sanie, all substantially as herein described
and illustrated in Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.
Sixth. In retorts for the distillation of shale or like material the combination
of an annular retort, annular plate and scrapers, with a hopper below fitted with
a screw conveyor for the discharge of the spent material, all substantially as herein
described and illustrated by Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings.
Doted the 3rd dow of Contoh
W. R. M. THOMSON & Co.,
96, Buchanan Street, Glasgow, Agents.