Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Jan., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 29th Oct., 1895-Accepted, 14th Dec.,
1895
I, RICHARD VARLEY HORSFALL, of Slaithwaite, in the County of Yorkshire,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to gas plant constructed for distilling, cracking, or
gasifying oils, tars, or any liquid hydro-carbons, and consists of an improved
construction of furnaces, arrangement of retorts, and improved connections between
said retorts.
In the accompanying drawing
Figs. 1 and 2 are front elevations of a bench of retorts, and Fig. 3 is part
sectional elevation of the same.
In these views similar letters refer to similar parts.
In this invention I construct apparatus for obtaining gas from crude oils by
means of retorts placed at an angle in tiers in a furnace constructed as hereinafter
described.
I construct each of the aforesaid retorts a b and c or a, a, b and c with short
flanged pipes or openings e and a subsidiary pipe f, said pipes or openings being
formed and connected with the lower ends of the upper retorts and the upper end
of the bottom retort.
I connect the upper end of the pipe with either a main or a condenser as h by
means of a pipe d'in which a valve j may be fitted.
The aforesaid connections e form an ascension pipe by which a direct conduit for
the produced gas is obtained, and also a direct means for the conveyance of
residuals from the upper retorts and the main or the condenser to the bottom
retort. A subsidiary pipe as f may be employed so as to form an additional
passage for the oil from the upper retorts to the lower retort.
The oil may be fed into the retorts in the usual manner by the feed pipes 1, 1,
which project into the raised ends or sides of the upper retorts. If required the
pipe may also be employed to convey residuals from the main or the condenser
11
into the retort b.
In a modification of my invention I construct flanged openings near the ends of
the retorts at the underside only of the upper retorts, and connect each of said
openings by means of an elbow with a vertical pipe which is connected at the lower
end to a flanged opening formed on the upper side of a D retort which is placed at
the bottom of the tier.
I place the hereinbefore described retorts in separate chambers l, m, and n, in
which baffles *, m', and n¹ are constructed preferably as shown on the drawing, but
the number of said baffles may be increased and their depth and positions may be
modified. The hot gases from the furnace are caused to enter a chamber as g from
thence passing through apertures q' formed at the rear end of the roof of said
chamber into the chamber n. After circulating through the chamber they are
deflated by the baffle N¹ placed at the forward end of the chamber n, and pass
upward into the chamber m, where the course of circulation is reversed and a baffle
as m' is placed under the rear end of the chamber. I construct a flue 12 by which
the hot gases after being deflected by the baffle m¹ pass into and are conveyed by
D

page_text: said flue to the front portion of 'the chamber through which they circulate, passing
finally. out under the baffle * into the fluer of the chimney.
Dated this 30th day of January 1895.
THOMAS PRESCOTT,
53 Arcade Chambers, St. Mary's Gate, Manchester,
Agent for Applicant.
Improvements in Plant for Distilling, Cracking, or Gasifying Oils,
Tars; or any Liquid Hydrocarbons.
I, RICHARD VARLEY HORSFALL, of Slaithwaite, in the County of York,
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 :-
This invention relates to gas plant constructed for distilling cracking or gasifying
oils, tars or any liquid hydrocarbons for the purpose of obtaining gas by the
process of destructive distillation.
The object of this invention is to construct or arrange retorts in which said
liquid hydrocarbons may be subjected to and acted upon by the hot gases from a
furnace or furnaces at a progressively increasing temperature in such a manner as
to produce gas of a high illuminating power.
I attain this object by my improved construction and method of heating the
retorts arrangement of retorts and improved connections between said retorts as
shown in the accompanying three sheets of drawings illustrating my invention and
to which I hereinafter refer.
In the several views shown in these drawings. similar letters refer to similar
parts.
In this invention I construct apparatus for the purposes hereinbefore named by
placing retorts either horizontally or at any preferred angle arranged in tiers and
enclosed in separate heating chambers through which the hot gases from an adjacent
furnace or furnaces are caused to circulate.
Fig. 1 is a vertical section representing a bench of three retorts constructed
according to my invention. Fig. 2 is a front view and Fig. 3 a back view of the
same.
In these views the two upper retorts a and bare inclined from the back
towards the front and the bottom retort c is inclined from the front towards the
back. I place said retorts each in separate chambers as 1, m and n in which
baffles l', m', and are constructed preferably as shown on the drawing, but the
number of said baffles may be increased and their depths and positions may be
modified; each of the retorts is supported between the front and back walls of the
aforesaid chambers by a midfeather as t that is perforated transversely and rests on
the arch which forms the roof of the next lower chamber. I form a connection
between the lower ends of each of the two upper retorts a and b and the upper end
of the bottom retort c by means of flanged pipes as e which may be united by the
flanges e¹ so as to form an ascension pipe the upper end of said pipe being connected
with either a main or a condenser by means of a pipe d in which a valvej may
be fitted; the aforesaid pipe is intended to serve as a direct conduit for the gas
that is produced and also a direct means for the conveyance of residuals from
the upper retorts and the main or the condenser h to the bottom retort.
A subsidiary pipe f may be employed so as to form an additional passage for the
oil from the upper retorts to the lower retort.
The oil may be fed into the retorts in the usual manner by the feed pipes ql and q²
which project into the raised ends or sides of the upper retorts, and may also be

page_text: fed into the lower retort at the front if required. The pipe q² may sometimes
be employed to convey the residuals from the main or the condenser into, the
retort b
In applying my invention the hot gases from a furnace or furnaces that may be
conveniently placed near to the said bench of retorts are caused to enter a
chamber as y from thence passing through apertures as q' formed at the rear end
of the roof of said chamber into the chamber; after circulating through the
chamber they are deflected by the baffle n' placed at the forward end of the
chamber n and pass upward through the apertures n² into the chamber m where
the course of circulation is reversed; a baffle as m¹ is constructed near to the rear
end of the chamber m by which the hot gases are deflected and pass up the
apertures m² into the flue 2 by which they are conveyed to the front portion of the
chamber through which they circulate passing out finally under the baffle /¹ into
the fluer of the chimney.
By these means each of the retorts is subjected to different degrees of heat the
greatest amount being caused to circulate and to be uniformly distributed aroun
the bottom retort, the upper retorts being subjected to a decreasing temperature as
the hot gases pass through the several chambers in their passage towards the flue r
and the whole of the products of combustion in the furnaces are thereby utilized.
The aforesaid retorts may be protected on their under sides by a covering of
fire clay.
In Sheet 2 of the drawings a bench of four retorts is shown with the two upper
retorts a and a placed side by side in the top chamber and inclined from front to
back; the oil is fed in at the front in the two top retorts and in the retort b
contained in the middle chamber the oil or residuals is fed in at the back.
In Sheet 3 of the drawings a bench or tier of four retorts is shown the two
upper retorts a and a' being placed one above the other and enclosed either in one
chamber or in separate chambers and inclined from front to back; the oil or
residuals are fed into the two upper retorts at the front and the intermediate retort
is fed at the back.
In a modification of my invention I construct a bench of retorts with each of the
lower retorts enclosed in separate heating chambers and with a nest of retorts of
smaller sectional area placed in the top chamber said retorts being connected at
their ends in the manner herein previously described.
Although only one tier or bench of retorts is shown in the drawings it is
obvious that two or more of said tiers or benches may be employed placed side
by side.
The retorts may be arranged at any angle other than as shown on the drawings
or if desired they may be placed horizontally.
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 apparatus for distilling, cracking, or gasifying oils, tars, or any liquid
hydrocarbons, the use of a bench or tier of retorts in which said retorts are placed
either horizontally or at an angle and enclosed each in separate heating chambers
which may be constructed with baffles, and with flues by which the hot gases from
an adjacent furnace or furnaces are conveyed in a circuitous course over and around
each of said retorts in the manner and for the purpose substantially as herein-
before described.
2nd. In apparatus for distilling, cracking or gasifying oils, tars, or any liquid
hydrocarbons, the use of a bench or tier of. retorts in which each of the lower
retorts is placed or encased in a separate heating chamber, and one or more
retorts are enclosed in the top or upper heating chamber said retorts being
placed either side by side or one over the other substantially as hereinbefore
described.
3rd. In apparatus for distilling, cracking, or gasifying oils, tars, or any liquid

page_text: hydrocarbons in which retorts are employed placed either horizontally or at an
angle, the combination therewith of a subsidiary pipe as f for the purpose and in
the manner substantially as herein before described.
4th. In apparatus for distilling, cracking or gasifying oils, tars, or any liquid
hydrocarbons, the combination of retorts placed either horizontally or at an angle,
separate beating chambers with or without baffles and in which said retorts are
separately enclosed, vertical ascension pipes as e and subsidiary pipes as fall
substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore described.
5th. Apparatus for distilling, cracking, or gasifying oils, tars, or any liquid
hydrocarbons, arranged and constructed substantially as hereinbefore described and
as shown either in Sheet 2, or 3 of the accompanying drawings.
Dated the 28th day of October 1895
THOMAS PRESCOTT,
53 Arcade Chambers, St. Mary's Gate, Manchester,
Agent for the Applicant.