IMPROVEMENTS IN STILLS FOR DISTILLING TAR OR OIL
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederic Lennard of Shoreham, in the County of Sussex,
Managing Director of the Sussex Chemical Works Company Limited, for an
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederic Lennard at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th June 1882.
FREDERIC LENNARD of Shoreham in the County of Sussex, Managing Director
of the Sussex Chemical Works Company Limited "IMPROVEMENTS IN STILLS FOR
DISTILLING TAR OR OIL,"
This invention has for its object the construction of tar stills by the use of
which, among other advantages resulting are economy of fuel, reduced wear and
tear, adaptability for distilling a greater quantity of tar at one time than is usual,
without any increase of labour, more speedy distillation and a larger yield of some
of its valuable products. The same apparatus may be applied to the distillation of
oils, with similar beneficial effects.
The invention consists of a cylindrical vessel or still about Twenty two feet long
and about seven feet six inches in diameter, but is not confined to any particular
size. A hollow cast iron shaft placed eccentrically, passes through a cast iron plate
and stuffing box at one end of the still and works in a suitable bearing in the
inside of the opposite end of the same. Two or more girders fixed transversely on
the inside carry intermediate bearings for the support of the shaft. The shaft has
cast upon it a number of lugs or projections and fixed to these lugs are wrought
iron arms which carry plates or paddles at their extremities. The plates or paddles
are so arranged that on motion being imparted to the shaft they form agitators,
and agitate or keep the contents of the still constantly moving and prevent the
formation of any thick deposit, or incrustation on the bottom of the inside of the
still. The heat from the furnaces is consequently more readily imparted to the tar,
and a more perfect distillation is the result. The still is provided with suitable

page_text: inlets for tar, and outlets for pitch. The still is also furnished with three or more
outlets for the vapours of distillation so constructed as to converge into one before
entering the condenser. The plates forming the still are partly of steel and partly
of iron and are fastened together with butt joints, so that the interior of the still
is smooth and without projections of any kind. The still is set in brick work and
is heated by two, three or more furnaces placed transversely and with suitable
flues so arranged that no rivet is exposed to the fire. Outside each furnace and
fixed to the brickwork is a frame having a cast iron door attached, which will
cover both the furnace and ash hole, so that when a certain degree of temperature
is attained one or more of the furnaces may be closed.
By the adoption of stills so constructed a greater heating surface and a larger
evaporating area is ensured with the resulting advantages before mentioned.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Frederic Lennard in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
8th December 1882.
FREDERIC LENNARD of Shoreham in the County of Sussex, Managing Director
of the Sussex Chemical Works Company Limited "IMPROVEMENTS IN STILLS FOR
DISTILLING TAR OR OIL "
This Invention has for its object the construction of Tar stills, by the use of
which, among other advantages resulting are economy of fuel, reduced wear and
tear, adaptability for distilling a greater quantity of Tar at one time than is usual
without any increase of labour, more speedy distillation and a large yield of some of
its valuable products.-The same apparatus may be applied to the distillation of Oils .
with similar beneficial effects.
The Invention consists of a cylindrical vessel or still about Twenty two feet long
and about seven feet six inches in diameter, but is not confined to any particular
size. A hollow cast iron shaft placed eccentrically passes through a cast iron plate
and stuffing box at one end of the still and works in a suitable bearing in the
inside of the opposite end of the same.-Dependent upon the length of the still,
one two or more girders fixed transversely on the inside carry intermediate bearings
for the support of the shaft.-The shaft has cast upon it a number of lugs or pro-
jections and fixed to these lugs are wrought iron arms which carry plates or paddles
at their extremities.-The plates or paddles are so arranged that on motion being
imparted to the shaft they form agitators, and agitate or keep the contents of the
still constantly moving and prevent the formation of any thick deposit, or
incrustation on the bottom of the inside of the still.-The heat from the furnaces is
consequently more readily imparted to the tar, and a more perfect distillation is the
result. The still is provided with suitable inlets for Tar, and outlets for pitch.
The still is also, dependent upon its size, furnished with one two three or more
outlets for the vapours of distillation, so constructed as to converge into one before
entering the condenser, three outlets being preferred if the size of the still warrants
it, or is of the dimensions before stated.--The plates forming the still are partly of
Steel and partly of iron and are fastened together with butt joints covered with
and rivetted with counter-sunk rivets inside to plates extending over all the joints
so made, so that the interior of the still is smooth and without projections of any
kind. The still is set in brickwork and is heated by two, three or more furnaces
placed transversely to the still, and with suitable flues so arranged that no rivet is
exposed to the fire.-Outside each furnace and fixed to the brickwork is a frame
having a cast iron muffle door attached, which will cover both the furnace and
ash hole, so that when a certain degree of temperature is attained, one or more of
the furnaces may be closed and the distillation continue without additional fuel.
In order that the foregoing may be more easily understood, drawings are
attached hereto of which the following is a description.-Fig 1 is a longitudinal
elevation of the still set in brick work, the interior arrangement of the various
parts being shown in dotted lines.-Fig 2 is a vertical sectional elevation through
Y. Z of Fig 1.-Fig 3 is a plan of the vapour outlet pipes converging into one
before entering the condenser, and Fig 4 is a section of part of the iron and steel
plates and shows the manner in which the butted ends of the plates are fastened
together. In each of the views similar letters refer to the same parts.—In Fig 1
A. A. A is the still and B the brickwork in which it is set.-C. C are the furnace
doors and D. D. D are the cast iron muffle doors, those to the right and left being
open while the central one is drawn as closed.-E is the cast iron shaft supported
at one end of the still by the bearing F and at the other by the cast iron plate G
with stuffing box H, terminating at I and having keyed thereon a driving
pulley J. The shaft is also supported by intermediate bearings K K fixed to the
transverse girders L L.-M. M. are the arms to which are attached the plates or

page_text: paddles N N.-O. O are safety valves and P. P. P. are the still heads.-The dotted
lines as at Q. Q represent the butt joints with their covering plates or straps,
and R R the manholes with their covers.-In Fig 2. S. is the furnace with its
bars T. T and flues U and V.-W. W are the lugs cast on the shaft to which the
arms M are fastened.-X is the pipe leading from one of the still heads P, the
arrangement of which is shown better in Plan on Fig 3.-a is a steam pipe running
nearly the whole length of the boiler and from which a number of smaller pipes b
depend for the purpose of injecting Steam into the fluid that is being distilled. c is
one of the outlet pipes for the pitch led through the brickwork and having at the
point da plug valve or tap placed between it and the pipe which carries away the
fluid pitch to a suitable receiver.-In Fig 3 is shown the four way piece c which
unites the three pipes X leading from the still heads P, before entering the
condenser, In Fig 4 which is drawn to a larger scale, a section of the boiler plates
is shewn, f being a steel plate which extends from the point g round the bottom to
the point h of Fig 2 and i an iron plate which forms the top of the still-j is the
strap or plate that covers the butted ends of the plates, and shows the manner in
which they are fastened by rivets countersunk on the inside and snap headed on
the outside By making the joints thus, all projections on the inside are avoided
and by jointing one set of plates at the points g and h and the next at k. l a break-
joint arrangement is effected which conduces to the strength of the boiler, while
the rivets are protected and never exposed to the direct action of the fire.
By the adoption of the foregoing apparatus the carbonization of Coal Tar is
entirely prevented during its distillation, and by the arrangement of the furnaces
and flues as described, whilst the heating energy is intensely powerful it is
thoroughly distributed and under such control that it may be regulated almost at
will, a condition which is so very necessary at the commencement and finish of a
distillation For running off the pitch or residuum there are one two or more
outlets with pipes and valves arranged as described so that whilst they are not
exposed to the direct action of the fire they can be maintained at such a temperature
that the running off of the pitch may be readily effected without resorting to the
dangerous practice of firing:
It is to be understood that there is no novelty in a cylindrical still or in
mechanical agitators.
Having now described and particularly setforth the nature of this invention
and the manner in which the same is or may be carried into effect I would
observe in conclusion that I do not confine or restrict myself to the precise
details which I have described or referred to, as variations may be made therefrom
without deviating from the principles or main features of this invention, but what
I consider to be novel and original and therefore claim as the invention secured
to me by the herein before in part recited Letters Patent is--
First. The construction of cylindrical stills fitted both internally and externally
and set in brickwork with the furnaces flues, furnace doors, muffle doors and
dampers as herein described and shown on the drawings.
Secondly. The construction of the agitating apparatus within the still arranged
as herein described and shown on the drawings.
Thirdly. The construction of cylindrical stills with butt joints the plates being
fastened together as herein described and shown on the drawings.
In witness whereof I the said Frederic Lennard have hereunto set my hand
and seal this eighth day of December in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty two.