Improvements in Vertical or Inclined Retorts for Distilling snale, Coal, and other Analogous Substances.
Year: 1888

page_text: Improvements in Vertical or Inclined Retorts for Distilling snale,
Coal, and other Analogous Substances.
I, JAMES JONES of Dalmeny, in the County of Linlithgow, North Britain, Oil
Works Manager and Secretary do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This Invention, which relates to improvements in vertical or inclined retorts for
distilling shale, coal and other analogous substances, has for its object to enable the
whole charge of a retort when the same is being discharged to move freely and at the
same rate at all points down through the retort into and out of the discharge mouth-
piece.
Under one modification the Invention consists in constructing that portion of the
underside of the discharge orifice or mouth-piece more or less approximately flat or at
a slightly obtuse angle with the vertical axis of the retort. By means of this
construction the attendant when having opened the door for drawing a charge is
enabled to thrust the shovel directly under and fully back into the whole thickness of
shale in the retort and as the entire body of shale at the lower body of the retort is
thereby disturbed, the charge descends evenly through the retort as the drawing or
discharging operation is going on.
Under another modification the discharge orifice or mouth-piece is formed in a
continuous incline from the line of its junction with the bottom of the retort to the
discharge door. The incline is at such an angle as will enable the spent shale to move
freely down it. In this arrangement the discharge orifice is provided at its outer end
with a sliding damper or door for the purpose of starting and stopping the discharge
of spent shale at any moment required. The door or damper is contained within a
casing fitted with a stuffing box through which the spindle for raising or lowering the
door or damper slides. The retort mouth-piece is or may be further closed outside by
means of any of the ordinary or well known kinds of retort doors.
Another improvement in retorts of the kind hereinbefore referred to, consists in
forming the fire-clay blocks of which they are built with feather and groove joints on
all four sides of each block.
·
T
1
1000
ST. JOHN V. DAY,
115, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow,
Petitioner's Agent.

page_text: Coal, and other Analogous Substances.
I, JAMES JONES of Dalmeny in the County of Linlithgow, North Britain, Oil Works
Manager and Secretary, 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 which relates to improvements in vertical or inclined Retorts for
distilling shale, coal and other. analogous substances, has for its object to enable the
whole charge of a Retort, when the same is being discharged, to move freely and at
the same rate at all points down through the Retort into and out of the Discharge
Piece.
Under one modification the Invention consists in constructing that portion of the
underside of the Discharge Orifice or mouth piece more or less approximately flat or
at a slightly obtuse angle with the vertical axis of the Retort By means of this
construction the attendant when having opened the door for drawing a charge is
enabled to thrust the shovel directly under, and fully back into the whole thickness
of shale in the Retort, and as the entire body of shale at the lower body of the Retort
is thereby disturbed, the charge descends evenly through the Retort, as the drawing
or discharging operation is going on.
Under another modification the discharge orifice or mouthpiece is formed in a
continuous incline from the line of its junction with the bottom of the Retort to the
discharge door-The incline is at such an angle as will enable the spent shale to move
freely down it--In this arrangement the discharge orifice is provided at its outer end
with a sliding damper or door for the purpose of starting and stopping the discharge
of spent shale at any moment required. The door or damper is contained within a
casing fitted with a stuffing box, through which the spindle for raising or lowering
the door or damper slides-The Retort mouthpiece is, or may be further closed
outside by means of any of the ordinary or well known kinds of retort doors.
Another improvement in retorts of the kind hereinbefore referred to, consists in
forming the fireclay blocks, of which they are built, with feather-and-groove joints on
all four sides of each block.
In order that my invention may be properly understood and readily carried into
effect, I will now proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto annexed :-
Fig. 1 is a part sectional end elevation of a series of vertical Retorts constructed in
accordance with my said invention, and with my improvements applied thereto.
Fig. 2, is a part sectional front elevation.
Fig. 3, is a part plan of the same.
In the Drawing Fig. 1. I have shewn two different arrangements of Discharge
Orifices applied to the same set of Retorts.
The Orifice A, is shewn approximately flat; for the purposes already described.

page_text: As shown at B, the orifice is formed in a continuous incline from the line of its
junction with bottom of the Retort to the Discharge Door, for the purpose as already
described. In combination with this orifice is shewn the sliding Damper or Door C,
contained within the casing c, the spindle for raising or lowering the damper being
fitted with the stuffing box c¹; the said damper may be opened or closed by any
suitable arrangement of handle and lever, such for example as that shewn on sheet 2
of the accompanying Drawings.
The feather-and-groove joints of the fireclay blocks are shown at D, Figs. 3 and 6,
my invention consisting in providing such joints all round the blocks instead of only
at the horizontal joints as at present.
In sheet 2 of the accompanying Drawings of which Fig. 5 a part sectional front
elevation; and Fig. 6, a part sectional plan, I have shewn my arrangement of inclined
orifice B Fig. 4. applied to a Retort with two discharge orifices, and I have also shewn a
method of supporting the lever which operates the damper by means of the steam
pipe d; but it is to be understood that I-may operate the damper in any convenient
manner.
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 :-
1st. In vertical or inclined Retorts, constructing the underside of the Discharge
Orifice more or less approximately flat, or at a slightly obtuse angle with the axis of
the Retort, substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore described and shewn on
sheet 1 of the accompanying Drawings.
2nd. In vertical or inclined Retorts a Discharge Orifice formed in a continuous
incline from the line of its junction with the bottom of the Retort to the Discharge
Door, substantially as hereinbefore described and shewn with reference to the
accompanying Drawings.
3rd. In vertical or inclined Retorts the sliding Door or Damper C, substantially as,
and for the purposes hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying
Drawings.
4th. In the construction of Retorts, the employment of fireclay blocks having a
feather-and-groove joint all round each block; or on all four sides of same, sub-
stantially as hereinbefore described and in part shewn with reference to Figs. 3 and 6
of the accompanying Drawings.