Improvements in or in connection with Inclined Retorts.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Feb., 1899 -Accepted, 22nd Apr., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or in connection with Inclined Retorts.
We, WILLIAM INGIAM, of Harlow Heath, Harrogate, in the County of York,
Fire Clay Manufacturer, and THE Leeds Fire ClaY COMPANY LTD., of the City
of Leeds, 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:-
Fire clay or the like retorts, whether inclined or laid level, are usually con-
structed in lengths; which are joined together end to end to form a single
retort; and they are also formed slightly tapering towards the upper end. In
the case of inclined retorts, there is a tendency, owing to the inclination, of the
separate lengths to slide downwards, and now and again to open the joints;
which results in a leakage of gas. Such inclined retorts are usually carried on
several supporting walls; and though these may be arranged to come across the
junctions between the respective lengths of which the retorts are formed, so that
the joint is covered by the brickwork of the supporting wall, yet owing to the
relation between the depth of the cross section of the retort, the thickness of the
wall and the inclination of the retort; such covering of the joint is only partial;
that is, unless the wall is of excessive thickness, the joint is still exposed at the
top side and under side of the retort, being at these places beyond the front and
back faces of the wall respectively; so that leakage of gas may still occur in
such places.
Now the object of this invention is to avoid or obviate the above mentioned
disadvantages, which we effect by forming the junction ends of the retort lengths
with a recess or rebate all round; and in the recess or rebate we fit a strap of
the full width of the recesses or rebate, and about double the depth of the
same. This strap is composed of several pieces of suitable length and shape;
which are formed with overlapping, respectively underlapping ends.
With the exception of the topmost or the three topmost, and the lowermost or
the three lowermost of these strap lengths, the others are imbedded or built in
the supporting wall; whilst two of the above mentioned three lengths, are thus
imbedded or built in about half their length, and thus hold the top and bottom
strap lengths, which may be otherwise unsupported, in position.
The bottom of the recess or rebate may be formed quite flat, or it may be
formed with a groove or grooves, or made dovetailed, or otherwise shaped with
the object of forming a tie to hold two adjoining retort lengths together.
It will be evident, that as the strap projects slightly beyond the outside sur-
face of the retort, and being built in the division wall it prevents or counter-
acts the tendency of the whole length of the retort to slip forward.
And in order that our invention and the manner in which the same is to be
performed, may be more readily and clearly understood, I have annexed hereto
the accompanying drawings; in which Fig. 1 is a part vertical section of a retort
about a division or supporting wall. Fig. 2 is a front elevation and Fig. 3 a
back elevation corresponding to Fig. 1. The dotted lines in Fig. 1 shew a cross

page_text: section on the plane of the junction of two adjoining retort lengths, and Fig. 4
shews another section of the rebated strap.
a indicates one of the division or supporting walls.
6 is one end of one retort length, and
c is the end of the next adjoining retort length
dd is the line of junction of the two retort lengths.
e is the recessed or rebated end of the retort length c, and f is the adjoining
recessed or rebated end of the retort length b.
992 is the rebated strap, fitting in the space left by the recesses or rebates
of the ends e and f: which, as shewn by the division lines n in the dotted cross
section of Fig. 1, is formed in lengths with over and underlapping ends, and so
that the top and bottom lengths, and which are only very partially built
in the division wall, are further secured in position by the adjoining lengths on
each side.
The rebated strap projects about half its depth beyond the outside surface of
the retort, and this half is built or imbedded in the division wall so that whilst
closing the joint dd gas tight, it also supports the retort against the tendency
to slip downwards and forwards.
The inner side of the rebated strap is shewn in Fig. 1 with a double incline,
so as to form a dovetail joint and thus prevent any tendency of the lower
length to slide downwards away from the upper length b. This may be effected
in other ways: as shewn for example in Fig. 4; where the ends of the retorts
are formed with circumferential grooves, h, and the under side of the rebate or
cover strip is shaped to correspond. Such provision may if desired be omitted,
and the recessed ends of the retort lengths and the inner side cover made flat, i.e.,
cylindrical.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that
what we claim is:-
1. In the construction of inclined retorts, the formation of the ends of the
retort lengths with recessed or rebated ends and the fitting in the recess or
space thus formed about the junction of the adjoining lengths of a cover piece
or strap formed in suitable lengths and having the inner side shaped to corre-
spond to the bottom of the recess or rebate of said ends substantially as and for
the purposes set forth.
2. In the construction of inclined retorts the formation of the ends of the
retort lengths with recessed or rebated ends and the fitting in the recess or space
thus formed about the junction of the adjoining lengths of a cover piece or
strap arranged to project beyond the outside surface of the retort and formed in
suitable lengths and having the inner side shaped to correspond to the bottom of
the recess or rebate of said ends substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
Dated this 17th day of February 1899.
J. CLARK JEFFERSON,
30, Park Row, Leeds, Agent for Applicants.