IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS FROM COALS, AND IN THE PRODUCTION OF BITUMINOUS COKE IN THAT MANUFACTURE, AND ALSO
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Paul Marie Salomon, of Rue Neuve, St. Eustache,
Jacques Loir Montgazan, of Rue de Bondy, and Charles Marie Joseph
de Flers, of Rue Lafitte, all in Paris, in the Empire of France, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS FROM COALS,
AND IN THE PRODUCTION OF BITUMINOUS COKE IN THAT MANUFACTURE, AND ALSO
"
Sealed the 10th June 1856, and dated the 15th December 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Paul Marie Salomon,
Jacques Loir Montgazan, and Charles Marie Joseph de Flers, at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their Petition, on the
15th December 1855.
I, PAUL MARIE SALOMON, of Rue Neuve, St. Eustache, I, JACQUES LOIR
MONTGAZAN, of Rue de Bondy, & I, CHARLES MARIE JOSEPH DE FLERS, of
Ruc Lafitte, all in Paris; in the Empire of France, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS
FROM COALS, AND IN THE PRODUCTION OF BITUMINOUS COKE IN THAT MANUFACTURE,
AND ALSO IN THE APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH, to be as follows:-
Our improvements in the manufacture of gas and coke consists in con-
ducting that manufacture, so that the bituminous matters distilled from the
coal shall be deposited in coke while in a heated state, instead of passing away

page_text: from the retort by the conduct pipes, and afterwards separated from the gas,
as usual. Our improvements also refer to the particular application and
arrangement of the retorts and other parts connected with the manufacture
aforesaid. In manufacturing gas and, coke according to our Invention, we
employ a double set of retorts, that is to say, we place the coals in one retort
from which the gas is distilled much in the ordinary way, but before it passes
away it is caused to pass through a second retort containing coke only. The
gas evolved from the coals in the first retort in passing through the second
retort deposits the bituminous matters with which it is combined in the coke
contained in such second retort, and passes off in a comparatively pure state.
We place these retorts in the same furnace or heated chamber, using one
retort charged with coals to two retorts charged with coke; the retort con-
taining the charge of coals is placed in the upper part of the furnace, while
the two retorts containing the coke are placed below, each having a communi-
cation with the upper retort, at the back end, while the pipes to deliver the
gas into the hydraulic main proceed from the front of the coke retorts. After
the whole of the gas has been distilled from the coals in the upper retort, the
residuum or coke remaining therein is transferred to one of the lower retorts
gas
and is charged with bitumen, as before explained. By thus subjecting the
evolved from the coals to the action of coke in a heated state in a second retort,
the illuminating power of the gas is improved, and coke, rich in bituminous
matter, is produced.
In order to separate the gas from the ammonia and oxide of carbon it
contains, we place a solution of calcium in the hydraulic main, in which there
will be little or no deposit of coal tar, as in the present mode of manufac-
From the bydraulic main the gas may proceed at once to the purifier,
and thence to the gas holder, the operation of the scrubber on the gas so
produced and treated being unnecessary.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Paul Marie Salomon, Jacques Loir Montgazan, and Charles
Marie Joseph de Flers, in the Great Seal Patent Office on, the 14th June
1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, PAUL
MARIE SALOMON, of Rue Neuve, St. Eustace, JACQUES LOIR MONTGAZAN, of
Rue de Bondy, and CHARLES MARIE JOSEPH. DE FLERS, of Rue Lafitte, all in
Paris, in the
the Empire of France, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the nineteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us; the
said Paul Marie Salomon, Jacques Loir Montgazan, and Charles Marie
Joseph de Flers, Her special licence that we, the said Paul Marie Salomon,
Jacques Loir. Montgazan, and Charles Marie Joseph de Flers, our executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said Paul Marie Salo-
mons, Jacques Loir Montgazan, and Charles Marie Joseph de Flers, our exe-
cutors, 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 THE MANUFACTURE OF
GAS FROM COALS, AND IN THE PRODUCTION OF BITUMINOUS COKE IN THAT MANU-
FACTURE, AND ALSO IN THE APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH," upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that we, the said Paul Marie Salomon, Jacques Loir
Montgazán, and Charles Marie Joseph de Flers, our executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under our, 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Paul Marie Salomon, on behalf of myself
and the said Jacques Loir Montgazan, and Charles Marie Joseph de Flers, 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, reference being had to the Sheet of Drawings here-
unto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
Our improvements in the manufacture of gas and coke consist in conducting
that manufacture so that the bituminous matters distilled from the coal shall
be deposited in coke while in a heated state, instead of passing away from
the retort by the conduct pipes, and afterwards separated from the gas, as
usual. Our improvements also refer to the particular application and arrange-
ment of the retorts and other parts connected with the manufacture aforesaid.
In manufacturing gas and coke according to our Invention, we employ a
double set of retorts, that is to say, we place the coals in one retort, from
which the gas is distilled much in the ordinary way, but before it passes away
it is caused to pass through a second. retort containing coke only. The gas

page_text: evolved from the coals in the first retort in passing through the second retort
deposits the bituminous matters with which it is combined in the coke
contained in such second retort, and passes off in a comparatively pure state.
We place these retorts in the same furnace or heated chamber, using one
retort charged with coals to two retorts of the same size charged with coke;
the retort containing the charge of coals is placed in the upper part of the
furnace, while the two retorts containing the coke are placed below, cach
having a communication with the upper retort at the back end, while the
pipes to deliver the gas into the hydraulic main proceed from the front of the
coke retorts. After the whole of the gas has been distilled from the coals in
the upper retort, the residuum or coke remaining therein is transferred to one
of the lower retorts and is charged with bitumen, as before explained. By
thus subjecting the gas evolved from the coals to the action of coke in a
beated state in a second retort, the illuminating power of the gas is im-
proved, and coke, rich in bituminous matter, is produced..
Instead of using one retort containing coals in combination with two retorts
of same size filled with coke, one of each may be employed in combination,
but the coke retort should be about double the capacity of the retort charged
with coals. This relative proportion will in some degree dépend upon the
coals employed, and should therefore be regulated accordingly.
In order to separate the gas from the ammonia and oxide of carbon it
contains, we place a solution of calcium in the hydraulic main, in which there
will be little or no deposit of coal tar. From the hydraulic main the gas may
proceed at once to the purifier, and thence to the gas holder, the operation of
'the scrubber on the gas so produced and treated being unnecessary.
Figure 1 represents a longitudinal vertical section of a retort furnace,
arranged for the manufacture of gas for illumination and bituminous coke;
according to our Invention, while Figure 2 represents a transverse vertical
'section of the same. The furnace D, and the general arrangements of the
chamber C, C, for heating the retorts is somewhat of the ordinary character,
and will not therefore require any particular description. The retorts also are
of the ordinary kind, with proper arrangements for charging and discharging
their contents. A, A, are the upper or coal retorts, and B, B, the lower or
coke retorts. In this case the retorts are arranged in pairs, that is to say,
each retort containing coals is placed in communication with a retort of about
double the capacity containing coke. This communication is effected by
means of the tube G which opens into the retort A, near the upper part, and
into the retort B, near the lower part of that vessel. The tube G is carried
up through the brickwork of the furnace and fitted with a cap, which may be

page_text: removed for the purpose of clearing out the tube G, and keeping that com-
munication free. The pipe F, F, conducts the gas from the retort B to 'the
barrel, the gas passing thence by the hydraulic main to the purifier in the
usual way.
The mode of working is this: the lower retorts B, B, are charged with
coke, the product of a previous distillation of gas, according to the ordinary
manufacture, which is heated to a degree equal to the heat of retort furnaces;
the retorts A, A, are then charged with coals, and closed in. the ordinary
manner, the retorts B, B, are also closed; the coals in the retorts A, A;
having attained a sufficient degree of heat, distillation of the volatile part of the
coals takes place in the ordinary manner, but instead of such product being
allowed to pass away to the barrel and hydraulic main as usual, it is conducted
by the pipe G into the lower retort B, where such volatilized product mixes
intimately with the red hot coke therein contained, the effect of which is, that
the bituminous vapour is separated from the gas for illumination by the coke,
and is deposited therein, while the gas thus purified passes off by the pipe F,
and is subsequently purified in the purifier, and stored as usual, the operation
of the scrubber being dispensed with.
The bituminous part of the coals passing away from retort A, with the gas
in a state of vapour, combines with and enters the pores of the coke, in which
it becomes deposited, thus rendering it of a highly bituminous character, while
at the same time the gas for illumination is greatly improved by the separation
from it of those impurities left in the coke in retort B.
After distilling the whole of the volatile matters from the charge of coals in
A, and subjecting the coke in B to the action of such volatile matters as
described, the charge of coke is withdrawn from retort B, and the remains of
the charge of coals in retort A (which is now coke) is transferred from retort
A to B; a fresh charge of coals is then placed in retort A, when the process
proceeds as before. The coke retort being of double the capacity of the coal
▸ retort, it will contain two charges of the coal retort, and the coke may there-
fore remain in retort B during the distillation of two charges of coals; or
coke, the result of the ordinary manufacture of gas, may be supplied to fill the
remaining capacity of retort B at each time of charging A and B.
Having described the nature of our Invention, and the manner in which the
5 same is to be performed, we declare that we do not claim the several parts or
elements of the machinery or apparatus herein-before referred to when taken
separately, or otherwise than when combined and acting in manner herein-
before described; and we hereby declare that we do claim as the Invention to
be secured by the before in part recited Letters Patent,-

page_text: First, the manufacture of gas from coals, as described, in which the vapours
and gas arising from the distillation of the coals are submitted to the action of
red hot coke for the purpose, and as herein-before set forth.
Secondly, the production and manufacture of bituminous coke by submitting
coke in a heated state to the action of the gas and bituminous vapours arising
from the distillation of coals in the manufacture of gas in manner herein-
before described.
And, lastly, we claim the arrangement of the retorts or chambers A and B
in combination for the purposes, and as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I; the said Paul Marie Salomon, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
Witness,
W. CLARK, Patent Agent,
53, Chancery Lane, London.
P. M. SALOMON. (L.S.)