Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Mar., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 6th Dec., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 15th Jan., 188
1, ALEXANDER MCDOUGALL, of Penrith, in the County of Cumberland, Gentleman,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The improvements relate to arrangements for the continuous charging of gas-
retorts with coal or other gas-producing materials, and the like continuous removal
of the coke from the retorts when distillation is effected; and have for object the
carrying on of uninterrupted carbonization of the gas producing materials, avoiding
the necessity of opening the retorts for charging and withdrawal, and thus preventing
the escape of gas, the admission of air, or other detrimental action well known to gas
manufacturers; and which improvements are applicable to horizontally, diagonally,
and vertically set retorts.
To accomplish this and to effect my improvements, I affix to one end of the retort,
a hopper, by means of a siphon connection for the purpose of charging such retort
with coal or other substance to be carbonized. This siphon I keep sealed by means of
liquid, by preference tar or other hydro-carbon fluid; but water or other liquids may
be employed for the purpose.
The coal or other substance is put into the hopper either by manual or mechanical
means, and is lifted along the rising branch of the siphon-by preference constructed
an archimedian screw or
at an incline for facility in this respect-by means of
mechanical equivalent therefor, which thus passes the material to be carbonized
through the liquid seal, and precipitates it into the retort.
In similar manner the coke is drawn through a liquid seal at the bottom of vertical,
and diagonal retorts, or at the end of horizontal ones, and this may be effected
mechanically, as in the feeding arrangement, or the coke may be discharged by means
of perforated or other shovels by hand labour.

page_text: In the case of horizontal retorts the coal or other carbonizing material is drawn or
propelled forward, from the front end to the sealing well or siphon at the back, by
any suitable mechanical means, and the gas may be taken off at any convenient
point in the usual or other suitable manner, and variations may be made in
details of the apparatus without departing from the peculiar character of the
invention.

page_text: I, ALEXANDER MCDOUGALL of Penrith, in the County of Cumberland, Gentleman,
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 :-
gas retorts
The improvements relate to arrangements for the continuous charging of
with coal or other gas producing materials, and the like continuous removal of the coke
from the retorts when distillation is effected, and have for object the carrying on of
uninterupted carbonization of the gas producing materials, avoiding the necessity of
opening the retorts for charging and withdrawal, and thus preventing the escape
of gas, the admission of air, or other detrimental action well known to gas manu-
facturers, and which improvements are applicable to horizontally, diagonally, and
vertically set retorts.
To accomplish this and to effect my improvements, I affix to one end of the retort
or it may be a group of retorts, a hopper, by means of a siphon connection, or
equivalent, for the purpose of charging such retorts with coal or other substance to be
carbonized.
This siphon, or equivalent, I keep sealed by means of liquid, by preference tar
or other hydrocarbon fluid; but water or other liquid may be employed for the
purpose.
The coal or other substance is put into the hopper, either by manual or other
mechanical means, and is lifted along the rising branch of the siphon, or equivalent
feeding tube, by preference constructed at an incline for facility in this respect-by
means of an archimedian screw or mechanical equivalent therefor, which thus passes
the material to be carbonized through the liquid seal, and after lifting it to the required
height, precipitates it into the retort.
In similar manner the coke is drawn through a liquid seal at the bottom of vertical
retorts, or at the end of horizontal ones, and this may be effected mechanically, as in the
feeding arrangement, or the coke may be discharged by means of perforated or other
shovels by hand labour.
In the case of horizontal retorts, the coal or other carbonizing material is drawn or
propelled forward, from the front end to the sealing well or siphon at the back by any
suitable mechanical means, and the gas may be taken off at any convenient point in
the usual or other suitable manner.
But that the improvements may be better understood, I will, by the aid of the
accompanying drawings, proceed more fully to describe means employed by me.

page_text: In both these arrangements, inclined retorts are used; but it will be obvious that
by alteration of the position of the parts, retorts may be arranged in any suitable
position.
The same letters indicate corresponding parts wherever they occur.
a. a. are the retorts which may be arranged in any convenient form or number in
the setting. b. b. is the hopper or receptacle for the deposit of coal to be carbonized ;
which hopper or receptacle is in communication with the retorts by means of the
tubes c. c. and which are in siphon or such other form as enables them to be sealed by
means of the liquid seal shewn at d. d. The coal is lifted by the archimedian screw e.e.
to the height of the branch tubes c¹ c¹ when it falls by gravity to the mouth of the
retort.
Here it is carried forward by means of the second screw f. f. or the ram g. g. This
ram may be actuated as shewn by means of levers and link motion, or by other
mechanical means.
Any overflow of surplus coal which may be carried upward in the arrangement as
shewn in Figs. 1. and 2. is allowed to fall through the tube h. h. into the hopper
or receptacle into which the tube dips for the purpose of keeping the liquid seal
intact.
The resultant coke on arriving at the back end of the retort falls down the shoot k. k.
into the well or receptacle b. b. and can either be withdrawn therefrom by mechanical
or hand labour.
It will be observed that in neither of the cases shewn in the drawings, is there any
provision for taking off the gas; but it will be obvious that this can be done at any
convenient point, which is usually at or near the mouthpiece.
Although only two arrangements of apparatus are shewn it will readily be under-
stood that other forms may be employed whereby the improvements can be carried out,
and many variations in detail may be made without departing from the peculiar
character of the invention, which mainly consists in the employment, in the process of
continuous carbonization of coal, for gas making or other purposes, of a liquid seal,
for to keep the retorts always closed and yet to allow the coal to pass through such seal
into the retorts and out again without hindrance.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The employment of a liquid seal in apparatus for the continuous carbonization of
coal, for the purpose and in manner substantially as herein shewn and described.
2. The employment with an archimedian screw in conjunction with a liquid seal
for the purpose of lifting or carrying forward the coal to the mouths of the retorts, for
the purpose and in manner substantially as herein shewn and described.
3. The combination of apparatus of the character indicated with the liquid seal
for the purpose and in manner substantially as herein shewn and described.
Dated this 5th day of December 1888.
WILLIAM GADD, C.E.,
Agent.