IMPROVE- MENTS IN APPARATUS APPLICABLE TO THE MANUFACTURE AND REVIVIFICATION OF ANIMAL OR VEGETABLE CHARCOAL
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Frederick Chantrell, of Liverpool, in the
County of Lancaster, Furnace Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPARATUS APPLICABLE TO THE MANUFACTURE AND REVIVIFICATION OF
ANIMAL OR VEGETABLE CHARCOAL."
Sealed the 7th December 1855, and dated the 8th June, 1855.
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Frederick Chantrell
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
8th June 1855...
I, GEORGE FREDERICK CHANTRELL; of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster,
Furnace Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS APPLICABLE TO. THE MANUFACTURE AND REVIVIFI-
CATION OF ANIMAL OR VEGETABLE CHARCOAL " to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in certain improvements, which are chiefly applicable
to an Invention for "improved apparatus applicable to the manufacturing
and the 'revivification of animal or vegetable charcoal and other useful pur-
poses," for which Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria was graciously
pleased to grant Her Letters Patent, bearing date the 17th day of October,
A.D. 1853.
To accomplish the said improvements, the furnaces are raised about nine
inches above the level, of the bottom of the narrow retort or char chambers; so
as to reduce the intensity of the heat at the bottom of the chambers.

page_text: The openings in the bed plates at the bottom of the retort or char chambers
are constructed with hopper-shaped mouths, to prevent any portion of the
charge finding a resting place at the bottom of the chamber during the time it
(the charge) is being withdrawn. These hopper mouths also allow of more.
perfect and secure joints being made between the lower portions of the tile
work of the chambers and..the bed.plates upon which they.are..built, thereby
preventing the escape of gases or the admission of air. -
The pipes which conduct the charges from the bottoms of the retort cham-
bers into the coolers are formed with such bends or curves as will cause the
charge to fall into the centre of the coolers.
It is proposed to use three or more parallel coolers for each chamber in
place of two, as heretofore, that a greater amount of cooling surface may be
obtained, and the height requisite for the coolers may be reduced, when
required, by increasing the number of coolers. When three coolers are used,
it is proposed to have three pipes to each chamber to connect the bottoms
thereof with the three coolers; but when two coolers only are used in con-
junction with each retort chamber, two pipes only are used for each chamber,
one connected with the right-hand cooler and the other with the left-hand
cooler.
14°
The pipes connecting the 'bottom of the char chambers with the coolers are
to be fitted to the under side of the bed plates, upon which the retort chambers
are built, by deep socket joints, recesses and projections being formed on the
under sides of the plates to receive the heads of the pipes, which are made fast
thereto by screw bolts, which pass upwards through flanges cast
ends of the pipes.
on the
upper
The joints between the lower ends of the pipes and the coolers are formed
by covering the tops of the coolers first with sheets of thin iron, which rest on
ledges formed on the inner sides of the hopper or funnel-shaped tops of the
coolers, a little below the upper edge. In the sheets of iron holes are cut;
through which the lower ends of the pipes pass a short distance below the
under surface of the plate. On the top of these plates beds of lute arc-spread,
and on the top of the lute a sufficient quantity of sand is laid, to fill up the
space between the lute and the upper edge of the coolers. This has been
found to make a tight joint when the chambers are fully charged; but when
neglected to be filled, the sand is blown off by the expansive gases formed
within the coolers, which will indicate inattention on the part of-the person
whose duty it may be to keep the retort chambers filled. ..
In conclusion, it is proposed to introduce currents or draughts of cold air
between the coolers to facilitate the cooling operation; the draughts or

page_text: currents of air to be created and carried between and against the outer sides of
the coolers by means of a fan blast, or by a draught flue or flues, as may be
found most convenient.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Frederick Chantrell in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 8th December 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
FREDERICK CHANTRELL, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Furnace
Engineer, send greeting..
1
>
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of June, in the year of our Lord, One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the eighteenth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said George Frederick Chantrell, Her special licence that I, the said George
Frederick Chantrell, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said George Frederick Chantrell, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and
at 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 APPARATUS APPLICABLE TO THE MANUFACTURE AND REVI-,
VIFICATION OF ANIMAL AND VEGETABLE CHARCOAL," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said George Frederick Chantrell, by an instrument in
writing under. my hand and seal, 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Frederick Chantrell, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is.
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and
the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
This Invention consists of certain improvements, which are chiefly applicable
to an Invention for "improved apparatus applicable to the manufacturing and
the revivification of animal or vegetable charcoal and other useful purposes,"

page_text: and for which Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria was graciously
pleased to grant unto me Her Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth
day of October, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-
three, and which Invention, I may state in explanation, partially consisted in
"a number of furnaces constructed in a row and parallel to each other, over
which are thrown reverberatory arches with openings to allow the heat to pass
through, which is then carried by an S or backwards and forwards drought
through a series of floors, constructed one above another, openings being left
at alternate ends thereof to allow the heat to pass upward. Between each
furnace a number of narrow retort or char chambers are formed, edge to edge,
extending backwards to the extent of the floors or stages constructed, to cause
the drought to double;" and are built with hopper mouths at the top, and
openings are left at the bottom to allow the charcoal to fall into suitable
coolers on the withdrawal of sliding covers, which close the openings at the
bottom of the chamber, the structure being raised sufficiently above the ground
to allow space for working the coolers.
To accomplish the improvements I have in view by this my present Inven-
tion, I raise the furnaces nine inches or more above the level of the bed plates,
which form the bottom of the char chambers, and upon which they are built,
for the purpose of reducing the intensity of the heat at the bottom of the
chambers.
I construct the openings in the bed plates at the bottom of the char
chamber with hopper-shaped mouths, to prevent any portion of the char finding
a resting place at the bottom of the chambers during the time the charge is
being withdrawn; also to enable me to obtain more perfect and secure joints
between the lower portion of the tile work forming the chambers and the
bed plates upon which they are built, thereby preventing the admission of
atmospheric air or the escape of gases, which are so injurious to the quality of
the char. The openings in the bottom of the chambers can be formed of the
required shape by being cast upon the bed plates, or by forming the tile work
around the openings, so as to partake of the hopper shape.
The pipes which connect the bottom of the char chambers with the coolers,
and through which the charge in the chambers pass into the coolers to the
under side of the bed plates, upon which the retort chambers are built, by deep
socket joints, recesses and projections being formed on the under sides of the
plates to receive the heads of the pipes, which are made fast thereto by screw
bolts, which pass upwards through flanges cast on the upper ends of the pipes,
and I form them with such curves or bends as will cause the charge to fall
into the centre of the coolers.

page_text: The joints between the lower ends of the pipes and the coolers I form by
covering the tops of coolers first with sheets of thin iron, which rest upon
ledges formed on the inner sides of the hopper or funnel-shaped tops of the
coolers, a little below the upper edge. In the sheets of iron, holes are cut,"
through, which the lower ends of the
under surface of the plate.
pipes pass a' short distance below the
On the top of these plates beds of lute are spread, and on-the top of the lute.
a sufficient quantity of sand is laid to fill up the space between the lute and the
upper edge of the coolers.. This has been found to make a tight joint when'
the chambers are fully charged; but when neglected to be fitted, the sand is
blown off by the expansive gases formed within the coolers, which will indicate
inattention on the part of the person whose duty it may be to keep the retort
chambers filled.
.
I propose to use three or more parallel coolers for each chamber in place of
two, as heretofore, that a greater amount of cooling surface may be obtained;
and the height required for the suspension of the coolers beneath the chambers
may be reduced, when required, by increasing the number of coolers. When
three coolers are used, I apply three pipes to each chamber to connect the
bottoms thereof with the three coolers, one leading to the centre cooler and
one to each of the side ones; but when two coolers only are used in conjunc-
tion with each retort chamber, two pipes only are used for each chamber, one
connected with the right-hand cooler, and the other the left-hand cooler;
and, in conclusion, I introduce currents or draughts of cold air between the
coolers, to facilitate the cooling operation; the draughts or currents of air to,
be created and carried between and against the outer sides of the coolers
by means of a fan blast, or by a draught flue, or flues, as may be found most
convenient.
That my Invention may be more readily seen and understood, I have
annexed hereunto Drawings in further explanation of the same; like letters
marked thereon refer to similar parts.
*7
Figure 1 is a partial vertical cross section of my improved char kiln, shew-
ing a portion of my improvement thereon; Figure 2 is an enlarged plan of the
upper sides of one of the improved bed plates; Figure 3 is a plan of the under
side of ditto; Figure 4 is a vertical cross section of ditto, shewing two pipes
attached thereto; Figure 5 is a longitudinal vertical section of ditto.
A, furnaces; B, char chambers; C, bed plates, upon which the furnaces and
char chambers are built, and which are supported from below upon pillars or
girders; D, eyes formed on the under side of the bed plates, into which are fit
the ends of E, the couplers, to which are attached F, the rods, by which the

page_text: coolers are suspended by means of f, nuts, on the end of suspension rods; G,
the pipes, which are socketed on to the under side of the bed plate (C), and
through which the char passes from the retort chamber to the coolers; H, thin
iron covers for the coolers, through which the ends of the pipes. G pass into
the coolers; I, a 'bed of lute, spread upon the top of the cover of the coolers;
K, a bed of sand, which is laid on the top of the lute; L, the thin flat parallel
coolers; M, the mean ring boxes, into which the char from the coolers fall
upon withdrawel of N, slides, used to close the bottom of the coolers; O, the
hopper-shaped openings in the bed plates, which form the bottom of the char
chamber; P, sockets, cast on the under sides of bed plates, by which the
pipes G are connected thereto.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is or may be used or carried into effect,
what I claim as my Invention, and as secured to me by the herein-before in
part recited Letters Patent, is,-
First, the raising the furnaces nine inches or more above the level of the
bottom of the char or retort chambers, as herein-before described.
Second, the forming of the openings in the bed plates at the bottom of the
char chambers of a hopper shape, as herein-before described.
Third, the particular method or way of connecting and jointing the pipes to
the under sides of the bed plates and to the coolers, and forming them with
such curves and bend that they will cause the char to fall into the centre of
the coolers, as herein-before described.
Fourth, the use or application of three or more coolers to each char chamber,
as herein-before described.
And, lastly, the creating of draught or currents of air to act against the
coolers to facilitate the cooling operation, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Frederick Chantrell, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Sixth day of December, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
Witness,
GEORGE FREDERICK (L.s.) CHANTRELL.
WILLIAM WALKER.