IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John West, Gas Engineer, of Maidstone, in the
County of Kent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS."
Sealed the 1st December 1874, and dated the 8th June 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John West at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
8th June 1874.
I, JOHN WEST, Gas Engineer, of Maidstone, in the County of Kent,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAs," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to improvements upon apparatus, and for which
Letters Patent, No. 1255, dated April 4, 1873, and No. 3225, dated
October 4, 1873; were granted to me, and consists in making the charger
much the same in its general form as that described in the Specifications
of the Patents referred to; but by the arrangement to be described its
internal capacity is increased, and much of the gearing is dispensed
with.

page_text: In the improved form of charger the bottom is constructed with a
number of inverted V pieces placed transversely, with spaces or openings
left between each of them. Beneath the bottom of the charger, but
close to it, is made to slide a plate with openings or ports in it, corre-
sponding to the size of the openings in the bottom. When in one
position this plate closes the openings in the bottom of the charger, but
on being drawn out a suitable distance the openings in the bottom of the
charger and that in the plate coincide, and thus allow the material with
which the charger is supplied to fall through into the retort. The
movement of this plate is produced by a partial turn of the driving rod
acting through bevilled gearing and a crank upon a short arm attached
to the plate, and by this means is made to slide backwards and forwards,
thus opening or closing the outlet ports of the charger. The same
partial turn of the driving rod which passes through the body of the
charger also operates upon the rake, hoe, or disc, through the
intervention of a crank and short arm or connecting piece, and raises or
depresses the rake at pleasure, the rake head being made to slide up and
down in suitable guides. The plough is also by preference attached to
the bottom of the charger instead of being fixed to the rake head.
Another improvement consists in attaching to the trolley or travelling
carriage whereon the charger is placed for filling an upright shaft fitted
at the bottom with a bevilled pinion which gears into a bevilled wheel
fixed to one of the wheels upon which the carriage rolls. By turning a
wheel or winch handle fixed to the top of the shaft, the carriage may be
propelled along the rail upon which it runs with the greatest case.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John West in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
8th December 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
WEST, Gas Engineer, of Maidstone, in the County of Kent, send 30
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-

page_text: seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said John West, Her special licence that I,
the said John West, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said John West, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to
time and at all times thereafter 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 “IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS USED IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF GAS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said John West, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause
the 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 John West, do hereby declare the
nature of my 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 accompanying Drawings
and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
This Invention relates to improvements upon apparatus, and for which
Letters Patent, No. 1255, dated April 4, 1873, and No. 3225, dated
October 4, 1873, were granted to me, and consists in making the charger
much the same in its general form as that described in the Specifications
of the Patents referred to; but by the arrangement to be described, its
internal capacity is increased, and much of the gearing is dispensed
with.
In the improved form of charger the bottom is constructed with a
number of inverted V picces placed transversely; with spaces or openings
left between each of them. Beneath the bottom of the charger, but
close to it, is made to slide a plate with openings or ports in it corre-
sponding to the size of the openings in the bottom. When in one
position this plate closes the openings in the bottom of the charger, but
on being drawn out a suitable distance, the openings in the bottom of
the charger and that in the plate coincide, and thus allow the material

page_text: with which the charger is supplied to fall through into the retort. The
movement of this plate is produced by a partial turn of the driving rod,
acting through bevilled gearing and a crank upon a short arm attached
to the plate, and by this means is made to slide backwards and forwards,
thus opening or closing the outlet ports of the charger. The same
partial turn of the driving rod which passes through the body of the
charger also operates upon the rake, hoc, or disc through the
intervention of a crank and short arm or connecting piece, and raises or
depresses the rake at pleasure, the rake head being made to slide up and
down in suitable guides. The plough is also by preference attached to
the bottom of the charger instead of being fixed to the rake-head.
Another improvement consists in attaching to the trolley or travelling
carriage whereon the charger is placed for filling an upright or inclined
shaft fitted at the bottom with a bevilled pinion which gears into a
bevilled wheel fixed to one of the wheels upon which the carriage rolls.
By turning a wheel or winch handle fixed to the top of the shaft the
carriage may be propelled along the rail, upon which it runs with the
greatest case.
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 2
side elevation; Fig. 2 a longitudinal section; Fig. 3.a plan, and Fig. 4
an end elevation of the charger.
In Fig. 1, A is the body of the charger; B, the driving rod; C, the
bevilled wheel gearing; D, the crank; and E the short arm which is
attached to the sliding plate F, seen in Fig. 2; G is the rake, hoe, or
disc, H being the crank, and I the short arm by which the rake is raised
or lowered, while J, J, are the guide bolts which pass through slots K, K,
seen more clearly in Fig. 4; L is the plough fixed to the bottom of the
charger. In Fig. 2, M, M, are the inverted V pieces, and N, N,. the
openings in the plate F. In Fig. 5, representing the propelling
apparatus for the trolley, O is the wheel or winch attached to the spindle
or shaft P, shown in dotted lines, and working through the hollow
casting Q fixed to the trolley, while R is the bevilled pinion; S, the
bevilled wheel, and T part of the frame of the trolley.
Having now described and particularly set forth the nature of this
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or
carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that I do not confine

page_text: or restrict myself to the precise details or arrangements 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 hercin-before in part recited Letters
Patent is,―
Firstly. The bevilled gearing, crank, and short arm, for opening and
closing the ports of the charger, as described and shown on the
Drawings.
Secondly. The sliding plate F, as described and shown on the
Drawings.
Thirdly. The rake with its crank and short arm for raising or
depressing the same, as described and shown on the Drawings.
And, Fourthly. The arrangement of apparatus for propelling the
trolley, as described and shown on the Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said John West, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventh day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four.
3
JOHN WEST. (L.S.)