IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF FURNACES AND PREOR BAD US MANIRACTIEPE OF BI-SULPHIDE OF CARBON
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Samuel Henry Johnson, F.C.S., of Lea Bank
Works, Stratford, in the County of Essex, Chemist, for the In-
vention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF FURNACES AND
PREOR BAD US MANIRACTIEPE OF BI-SULPHIDE OF CARBON "
Scaled the 26th June 1874, and dated the 23rd February 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Samuel Henry Johnson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 23rd February 1874..
I, SAMUEL HENRY JOHNSON, F.C.S., of Lea Bank Works, Stratford,
in the County of Essex, Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "INPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF FURNACES AND RETORTS
FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF BI-SULPHIDE OF CARBON," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists of an improved method of constructing the
retorts and furnaces employed in the manufacture of bi-sulphide of
carbon, so as to facilitate the replacement of the broken or burnt retorts,!

page_text: avoiding the necessity of pulling down the furnace work, and preventing
loss of heat which occurs in the methods which have been hitherto
adopted. To effect which, firstly, I employ a horizontal retort for the
purpose of vaporizing the sulphur in conjunction with a vertical retort
for heating the carbon to the required temperature.
Secondly. I form the flues for heating the vertical retort in an iron
cylinder, open at both ends, with its axis placed in the same line as the
axis of the retort. Inside this cylinder and concentric therewith I con-
struct a cylindrical lining of fire-brick, leaving a space between it and
the cylinder which I fill with a suitable non-conducting material. By
this construction of apparatus I am enabled to replace the retorts with
great facility, and to reduce the consumption of fuel in the process by
preventing the radiation of heat from the external surface of the fluc
walls.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Samuel Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 22nd August 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, SAMUEL
HENRY JOHNSON, F.C.S., of Lea Bank Works, Stratford, in the County
of Essex, Chemist, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of February, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in
the thirty-seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said Samuel Henry Johnson,
Her special license that I, the said Samuel Henry Johnson, my exc-
cutors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Samuel
Henry Johnson, my exccutors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time andat 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 THE CONSTRUCTION OF FURNACES AND RETORTS
FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF BI-SULPHIDE OF CARBON," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Samuc! Henry Johnson, my executors

page_text: 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.
x
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Samuel Henry Johnson, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement thereof, that is to say :—
My Invention consists of an improved method of constructing the
retorts and furnaces employed in the manufacture of bi-sulphide of
carbon, so as to facilitate the replacement of the broken or burnt retorts,
avoiding the necessity of pulling down the furnace work, and preventing
loss of heat which occurs in the methods which have been hitherto
adopted. To effect which, firstly, I employ a horizontal retort for the
purpose of vaporizing the sulphur in conjunction with a vertical retort
for heating the carbon to the required temperature.
Secondly. I form the flues for heating the vertical retort in an iron
cylinder, open at both ends, with its axis placed in the same line as the
axis of the retort. Inside this cylinder and concentric therewith I con-
struct a cylindrical lining of fire-brick, leaving a space between it and
the cylinder which I fill with a suitable non-conducting material. By
this construction of apparatus I am enabled to replace the retorts with
great facility, and to reduce the consumption of fuel in the process by
preventing the radiation of heat from the external surface of the flue
walls.

page_text: enclosed at the top by an arch. In the sides and end there are passages
b, b, to conduct the products of combustion into the upper retort
chamber c. Below this chamber and between the flues or passages b
there is set an horizontal retort d. As this retort is not required to be
very highly heated the products of combustion do not come in contact
with it excepting at the back or end. The retort d is set so that it may
when burnt out or broken be readily removed without disturbing the
brickwork of the furnace; it it is set in a material which will not burn
very hard, such as a mixture of firc-clay and ashes, so that with little
difficulty this retort may be drawn out from the front. The mouth of
the retort d is closed by an iron cover d'. The retort chamber c is
constructed within a cylinder e of iron plating, the lining f, which is
exposed to the fire, is built up of fire-brick, and between it and the
iron cylinder there is a backing g of sand or ashes; is the upper or
vertical retort; it is set in the chamber c, and it communicates with
the retort d at its lower end. A joint is made between the two sections
with fire-clay, with which a little finely ground glass may be mixed to
cause it to burn more soundly. The upper retort is supported near
its upper end by a number of radial fire-bricks f',f', made for tho
purpose. On the side next the chimney these bricks are set with narrow
spaces between them, and the spaces gradually increase in width in
passing to the other side of the chamber, or that at a distance from the
chimney. This is done with the object of rendering the draft uniforni
all around the vertical retort; is the chimney, it serves for a pair of
furnaces, and is supported between them; is the damper. The
retort is furnished with a cylindrical iron head ', which at h³ com.
municates with a condenser of ordinary construction; ³ is a cover,
which is secured air-tight by means of a luting of whiting or other
material; is a cast-iron pot for melting sulphur. It has a feeding
mouth at , and the melted sulphur can be drawn off from the bottom
of the vessel by a pipe leading into the horizontal retort d; is a cock
upon this pipe for regulating the flow of sulphur.
To admit the pot k an opening is cut in the iron-casing e, extending
to the angle-iron ring at the bottom; and over this opening a cover e¹
can be fixed by bolts. The pot, as the Drawing shews, is set in
amongst and is nearly surrounded by the backing or filling material g,
and it becomes sufficiently hot for the purpose intended. If it should
tend to become overheated the cover plate e¹ can be removed. The

page_text: cock and the connecting pipe is set in a chase in the brickwork,
which is left open at the front, or it may be closed in a temporary
manner if found necessary; is a fire-door provided with counterbalance
weights as is usual; m, m, are sight holes, to enable the workman to
look into the retort chamber c to judge of the heat in it.
In conducting the operation the upper retort is first charged with
wood charcoal in large pieces. The charcoal being of the quality
usually employed in this manufacture, it is made red hot, and in this
state is introduced into the retort. The retort h is heated to a full red
heat, and this melted sulphur is then allowed to flow into the lower
retort d, which is kept free from charcoal as far as possible. Tho
sulphur vapour passes up amongst the red hot charcoal and bi-sulphide
of carbon is formed, the vapour of which passes to the condensor and is
there condensed. The cover h³ is removed every few hours, the charcoal
is poked down, and fresh charcoal already at a red heat is introduced.
The lower cover d¹ is removed only at long intervals to remove the
charcoal ashes which accumulate in it.
When either of the retorts break or become worn out, the furnace
having been cooled the upper retorts is lifted and entirely removed if
necessary, and the lower retort if it has to be removed is drawn out at
the front. The new retort or retorts are introduced in the same way,
and for the purpose of making the joint between them the cover e¹ is
removed; thus, on taking out a few bricks only of the lining ƒ (which
are so placed as to come out readily) and some of the backing g, gives
free access to the interior of the retort chamber c. By these arrange-
ments the cost of repairs is reduced to an extent which is of great
importance to the manufacture. The loss of heat, and consequently the
consumption of fuel in the manufacture is also very much lessened.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner of performing the same, I would have it understood that I
claim the construction of furnaces for the manufacture of bi-sulphide of
carbon with two retorts, communicating the one with the other, and
set horizontally and vertically, or nearly so, and so that when requiring
renewal they can be drawn out and replaced without deranging the
brickwork structure of the furnace, substantially as described.
I also claim the general construction and arrangement of retorts and

page_text: furnaces for the manufacture of bi-sulphide of carbon, substantially as
described and shewn in the annexed Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Samuel Henry Johnson; have here:
unto set my hand and seal, this Twentieth day of August, in the
year of our Lord-One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
⚫ four.
"