Improved Apparatus for Feeding Coal to Gas Producers.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Dec., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 10th Oct., 1892-Accepted, 12th Nov., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Apparatus for Feeding Coal to Gas Producers.
I, WILLIAM BAGLEY, of The Chestnuts, Ferry Bridge near Knottingly, in the
County of York, Glass Bottle Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improved apparatus whereby coal is fed and distributed
to gas producers in a regular and continuous manner and by mechanical means thus
enabling me to employ smaller coal than hitherto and thereby effecting a
considerable saving.
In carrying out my invention I employ a hopper in which is caused to rotate a
screw the bottom of the hopper being open to the mouth of the producer. The
lower end of the screw carries a distributor so arranged that as the screw revolves
the coal is fed to the distributor which in revolving with the screw distributes the
coal over the surface of the fire in the producer.
Dated the 9th day of December 1891.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Apparatus for Feeding Coal to Gas Producers.
I, WILLIAM BAGLEY, of The Chestnuts, Ferry Bridge, near Knottingly, in the
County of York, Glass Bottle Manufacturer, 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 :-
This invention relates to improved apparatus whereby coal is fed and distributed
to gas producers in a regular and continuous manner and by mechanical means
thus enabling me to employ smaller coal than hitherto and thereby effecting a
considerable saving.
In carrying out my invention I employ a hopper in which is caused to rotate a
screw, the bottom of the hopper being open to the mouth of the producer. The
lower end of the screw carries a distributor so arranged that as the screw revolves
the coal is fed to the distributor which in revolving with the screw distributes the
coal over the surface of the fire in the producer.
To enable my invention to be fully understood I will describe the same by
reference to the accompanying drawing, in which :-
:-
'
Figure 1 is a vertical section of my improved apparatus; and,
Figure 2 is a plan view of a detail.
a indicates the hopper which has attached to or-formed integral with it a dome b
which forms the base and which is secured to the top of the gas producer. c is the
screw which rotates in the lower opening d of the hopper, the diameter of the said
screw being only very slightly less than that of the said opening so that the coal
cannot pass between them. The shaft e of the screw is suspended at its upper end
in a bearing carried in a beam or bar extending across the hopper and is steadied
at the centre by another bearing 9 carried by arms 1, h, the upper edges of which
are bevelled so that the said arms will offer as little obstruction as possible to the
passage of the coal.
In practice I find it advantageous to enlarge that portion of the hopper between
the arms h, and the opening d, as at i, this enlargement having the effect of
causing the coal to bear more lightly upon the top of the screw than would
[D17

page_text: otherwise be the case, as the coal after passing through the contracted opening
above the enlargement is again loosened as it falls into the enlarged part of the
hopper, whilst at the same time the weight of coal tending to pass through the
upper contracted opening causes sufficient compression to prevent the gas from
producer from escaping upwards through the coal.
jis the distributor arranged at the lower end of the screw. This distributor is
advantageously shaped, as shewn in Figure 2, and is provided with a series of ribs
and grooves radiating from that point of the distributor onto which the coal comes
from the screw, so that as the screw rotates in the direction of the arrow Figure 2
the coal will fall therefrom along the entire length of the rear edge and be thereby
evenly distributed.
k is a damper which serves to shut off the hopper from the interior of the gas
producer during the time that the latter is being "burnt out" and when the heat
produced is so great that the screw and distributor might be damaged.
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 :-
1. The combination with a hopper for feeding coal to gas producers of a worm
the lower end of which is provided with a distributor, substantially described.
2. In a hopper for feeding coal to gas producers and provided with a screw
having a distributor at its lower end the formation of an enlargement above the
level of the screw substantially as, and for the purpose, described.
3. Apparatus for feeding coal to gas producers constructed and arranged as
herein before described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
Dated the 10th day of October 1800
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.