APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING COAL GAS AND COKE, AND ALSO MY IMPROVEMENTS IN ARRANGING SUCH APPARATUS
Year: 1828

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
BRUNTON, of West Bromwich, in the County of Stafford, Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty King George the Fourth, by His
Royal Letters Patent. under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland. bearing date at Westminster. the Second day of October,
in the ninth year of His reign. did give and grant unto me. the said John
Brunton, my exors, admors, and assigns. His especial licence, full power. sole
privilege and authority. that I, the said John Brunton. my exors, admors,
and assigns, during the term of fourteen years therein expressed, should
and lawfully might make. use, exercise. and vend. my new Invention and
improvements in "APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING COAL GAS AND COKE, AND
ALSO MY IMPROVEMENTS IN ARRANGING SUCH APPARATUS," within that part of
the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland called England, His
Dominion of Wales, and Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed: in which Royal
Letters Patent there is contained a proviso. obliging me, the said John
Brunton. under my hand and seal, to cause a particular description of the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, by an instrument in writing. to be enrolled in His Majesty's High
Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately after
the date of the said Letters Patent, as in and by the same, relation being
thereunto had, may more fully and at large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Brunton, do hereby declare that
the nature of my said Invention, and the manner in which it is performed,
are particularly described and set forth in the following description thereof,
and in the Drawings hereunto annexed (that is to say):-
My improvements consist, first, of retorts made of a conical shape for the
purpose of facilitating the discharge of the coke at the larger end when the
retorts are fixed in a vertical position with that end downwards, thereby
saving much labor and inconvenience in the discharge thereof, and also
preventing the injury which is occasioned by the breaking and reducing to
powder a portion of the coke attendant upon the ordinary method of dis-
charging retorts.
Secondly, in the adaptation of a perforated pipe of a conical or other
convenient shape to the retorts, for the purpose of enabling the gas to escape
freely through the mass of coal when it is of such a nature as to make it
desirable to facilitate the escape of the gas by some such means.
Thirdly, in an improved furnace or fire-place door or mouth.
Fourthly, in a contrivance for preventing the breaking or disturbance of
flanches or joints, by the expansion and contraction of the hydraulic main, or
the pipes leading thereto.
Fifthly, in improvements in the arrangement of various parts of gas appa-
ratus, which arrangements and also the improvements in the various apparatus
are set forth in the annexed Drawings, and the explanations thereof.
Any convenient number of my retorts may be connected together or placed
in beds, but I have in my Drawings confined myself to a set or bed of twelve
retorts, considering that that number will be found generally useful and
advantageous. The same letters or characters refer to the same parts in each
of the Drawings, and thus illustrate each other.
Figure 1, a ground plan of a bed, or set of twelve retorts; 2, shows the
mode of connecting the mouthpieces of the retorts; 3, a cross section; 4, a
sectional plan of the upper end of Figure 3; 5. a general elevation, shewing
the thoroughfare under the beds of the retorts, for the purpose of discharg
ing. &c.; 6 exhibits the bottom cover or stopper of a retort; 7 exhibits the
perch or support of the coal within the retorts: 8 exhibits a measure that
may be used in charging the retorts.
Figure 1, a ground plan of a double bed of retorts, containing six in each,
and which are marked a. (A) is a wall of fire-bricks passing between the two
beds, and is supported by a sleeper (K). as shown in Figure 3; (B, B.) are two
furnaces heating the two beds of retorts through the flues (C, C, C. C), which

page_text: passing along the outside of the retorts unite and return between them into
the main flue leading to the chimney, as is shewn more distinctly in Figure 4.
2 shews the manner in which the mouthpieces are connected together, (that
is to say) by means of bolts or screws passing through the flanches (d. d, d, d.);
(e, e,) two flanch pieces, shewn also in Figure (1). extending beyond those on
the retorts, and resting on the piers (E, E, Figure 1,) for their support; the
outer part of these flanches marked- form supports for the bottom of the
flues. 3, a cross section by the line 1. 2, in Figure 1, shewing its elevation, with
stand and H pipes, hydraulic main, &c.; (A) is the wall dividing the two beds of
retorts; (D, D.) are the two outside walls or arches connecting the two piers
E. E, (see Figure 5); under these arches are two walls F, F, supported upon
sleepers G., G. and containing four stoppers T, T, T, T, (Figure 5.) for the
convenience of withdrawing in order to clean out the flues, (a, a, a, .) are
four conical retorts, the lower ends of which are shewn with their covers in
various positions; (j), the lower cover or stopper of a retort (shewn more dis-
tinctly in Figure 6); the mode of attaching it to the mouthpiece is shewn in the
Drawing, but I do not claim any particular mode of doing it. ) a perch or
support for the coals within the retorts. and is attached to the rod (g), which
passes through the cover (j). and is secured at the proper height by the
screwed cap (h): the perch is shewn more distinctly in Figure 7. (n), an upper
cover, which when placed on the top of the retort. and luted in the usual
manner, is kept down by the pressure of the lever and weight (o) upon the
centre of it, but which, in case of a stoppage in the pipes. allows it to act as a
safety valve, and thereby prevent mischief: the end of the lever opposite to
the one carrying the weight is attached to the support (p). (b). a perforated
pipe inserted into the retort for the purpose of facilitating the escape of the
gas when generating from small coal; it is kept in its place at the bottom by
the perch (), and at the upper end by the cross bar (m). 1, H, H. H,
Figures 3 and 5, represent the furnace doors. The entrance to each furnace
consists of a frame with two doors meeting in the middle. and there forming
an angle, as shewn in the Drawings. the door opening upwards and the other
downwards; the lower door is opened when the fireplace wants cleaning. The
upper door is opened for the purpose of introducing fuel, a portion of which
lies against the doors. preserving them in a great degree from the action
of the fire, and at the same time preventing the escape of a portion of heat.
(W), the ash-pit, in which is placed the water trough (X): (I. I. I, 1.) are
cover tiles, resting on the upper flanches (e. c. &c.) and upon the walls (A
and D). To prevent any expansion of the hydraulic main, or the pipes
leading thereto breaking or disturbing the flanches or joints connected there-

page_text: with, instead of supporting the hydraulic main in the usual manner. by means
of an inflexible column or standard, interpose or place between the
hydraulic main and the upper part of cach column or standard a crutch or
bearer, the lower part of which is allowed to press upon one end of a
compensation lever, to the other end whereof a weight is attached.
These
levers and weights are so proportioned to the weight of the hydraulic
main as to allow the crutch, upon the upper end of which the hydraulic
main rests, to move up and down with it, and thereby prevent the incon-
venience which might otherwise arise. As a further means of preventing
injury from the expansion of the pipe, I fix to the hydraulic main a requisite
number of dip pipes. each of which descends about three inches into the
liquid contained in the main, and through these dip pipes to about the
same depth in the liquid: the H pipes are passed so loosely as to allow
the liquid to form an hydraulic joint between them, and therefore render a
stiff and inflexible junction of the bydraulic main with the pipes leading
into it unnecessary, and allow them to expand or contract by change of tem-
perature without occasioning any inconvenience. In the Drawing. Figures
and 5. (r), an apperture in the upper end of the retort, through which the
gas passes into the stand pipes: (s) a stand pipe; (f) the pipe usually called
H pipe, leading from the stand pipe (s) to the hydraulic main; (c) a branch
and bonnet in the middle of the pipe (1), for the convenience of cleaning it;
(w) the hydraulic main; (e), a dip pipe fixed to the main. and through
which the end of the pipe (1) passes so freely as to allow the liquid to form
an hydraulic joint between them.
The particular paris I have now described, and the advantages of my
arrangement of them will be evident from the examination by any person
of ordinary attainments of the Figures 3 and 5. The thoroughfare under
the beds of the retorts. for the purpose of discharging them with consider-
able less labor (and with less injury to the coke) than by any other means,
together with the furnace mouths (H), the ash-pits (W). and water troughs
(X), are distinctly shewn in Figure 5. The retoris with their covers, and
the mode of securing the upper cover. so as also to make them serviceable
as safety valves. is distinctly shewn in Figure 3. The hydraulic joint
connecting the hydraulic main and pipe leading into it, and also the crutch
and compensating lever, are fully illustrated by the Figures 3 and 5.
Figure 8 represents a vessel which use for charging the retorts; it is
made of the proper capacity for containing the charge of one retort, and
when placed over it, by withdrawing a sliding bottom which is fitted to it
for the purpose, the contents are emptied into the retort.

page_text: I claim as my Invention the conical retorts for facilitating the discharge
of coke when placed in a vertical position. with the perch passing through
the lower cover. for the purpose of preventing the coal descending below
the action of the fire. I also claim as my Invention the perforated pipe or
tube for insertion into the retort to facilitate the discharge of gas from small
coal. I also claim as my Invention the furnace door or mouth which I have
described. I also claim as my Invention the application of the hydraulic
joint to the hydraulic main, with the pipe leading thereto, and the compen-
sating lever by which the hydraulic main is supporied. I also claim as my
Invention the method of connecting and arranging the retorts in beds, which
T have described, either for making gas and coke from coal, or for the pur-
pose of making coke only. But I do not claim as my Invention the vessel
described (Figure 8) for charging the retorts, nor any part that has before
been used, but which I have thought it right to introduce in my Drawing
in order more fully io illustrate my principle.
In witness whereof. I, the said John Brunton. have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Thirtieth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and twenty-nine.
JOHN (...) BRUNTON.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Thirtieth day of March, in the
year of our Lord 1829, the aforesaid John Brunton came before our said
Lord the King in His Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification afore-
said, and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form above
written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according io
the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Involled the Second day of April in the year of our Lord One thousand
Involled the Second day of April in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and twenty-nine.