IMPROVEMENTS IN RETORT LIDS AND FASTENINGS
Year: 1884

page_text: We WILLIAM ANDREW MCINTOSH VALON and WILLIAM GOATLEY HICKS, both'
of the Gas Works, Ramsgate, Kent, Civil Engineers do hereby declare the nature
of our said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN RETORT LIDS AND FASTENINGS" to be
as follows:-
This invention has for its object the construction of retort lids and fastenings in
such a manner that a practically perfectly gas-tight joint may be made between
the lid and the retort mouthpiece, without the aid of luting. They are especially
adapted for retorts used in gas manufacture, but may be applied to retorts
employed for other purposes.
The invention consists in making the front edge of the retort mouthpiece
V shaped, either acute or obtuse, or of a semicircular or curved form so as to
present but little surface of contact between it and the inner face of the lid, which
is turned or planed true, the edge of the mouthpiece being planed or otherwise
made true also. The cross-bar is hinged to the mouthpiece at one end and is
retained by a catch at the other, the catch being so shaped and pivotted that on
the bar being pushed home the catch rises and then falls in such a way as to retain
the bar until intentionally released. In the centre of the cross-bar there is a
female screw that receives a corresponding male screw, baving a square at its outer
extremity so that it may be turned by a double headed spannor fixed to it. To
the opposite end or inner extremity of the male screw there is formed a ball the
centre of which is not in a right line with the axis of the screw, and is therefore
placed eccentrically to it. This ball enters a hemispherical recess cast in the lid
which is supported by the cross-bar and is capable of being partially revolved
therein, the lid being provided with a plate for holding the ball in its place. The
lid has also two forked guides which receive pins fixed to the cross-bar, so that
on turning the screw the lid is prevented from turning by the same motion.
:
The action of the apparatus is as follows. When it is desired to close the lid,
the cross-bar is pushed home and retained by the catch. This is so arranged that
the lid is thereby brought into contact, or in close proximity to the mouthpiece,
when by a partial turn of the spanner or handle, the screw and consequently the
ball which presses upon the lid makes a partial turn too, and the ball being
eccentric causes the lid when coming in contact with the mouthpiece to assume a
sliding or grinding motion, thereby removing any incrustation or other matter that
may adhere to the mouthpiece, and thus produce a gas-tight joint. To open the lid
it is simply necessary to reverse the motion.

page_text: We WILLIAM ANDREW MCINTOSH VALON and WILLIAM GOATLEY HICKS, both
of the Gas Works, Ramsgate, in the County of Kent, Civil Engineers do hereby
declare the nature of our invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN RETORT LIDS AND
FASTENINGS" 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 to the letters and figures marked thereon, that
is to say:-
This invention has for its object the construction of retort lids and fastenings in
such a manner that a practically perfectly gas-tight joint may be made between
the lid and the retort mouthpiece without the aid of luting. They are especially
adapted for retorts used in gas manufacture, but may be applied to retorts
employed for other purposes.
In order that the invention may be more easily understood drawings are attached
hereto, in which similar letters of reference relate to the same parts in each of the
views. Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the retort mouthpiece, lid, and fastening, 1
Fig. 2 a plan, Fig. 3 a side sectional elevation, and Fig. 4 a side elevation of the
same. Fig. 5 is an elevation of the screw and ball, Fig. 6 is an elevation taken at
right angles to Fig. 5, and Fig. 7 is a plan of the under side of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is
a plan of the cross bar, Fig. 9 is an elevation of the cross bar, and Fig. 10 an
elevation of the double handled wrench having a square hole in the centre and
used for turning the screw. Fig. 11 is a front elevation similar to Fig. 1 but
showing a modification of some of the details of the fastening, Fig. 12 being a side
Bectional elevation, and Fig. 13 a side elevation of this same Fig. 11.
The invention consists in making the front edge A of the retort mouthpiece B
V shaped as shown in Fig. 3 either acute or obtuse, or of a semicircular or curved
form, so as to present but little surface of contact between it and the inner face C
of the lid D which is turned or planed true, the edge of the mouthpiece being
planed or otherwise made true also. The cross-bar E is hinged to the mouthpiece
at one end F and is retained by a catch G at the other, the catch being so shaped
and pivotted that on the bar being pushed home the catch rises and then falls in
such a way as to retain the bar until intentionally released. In the centre of the
cross bar E there is a female screw that receives a corresponding male screw H
having a square at its outer extremity so that it may be turned by a double
handled wrench fixed to it. To the opposite or inner extremity of the screw there
is formed a ball I the centre of which is not in a right line with the axis of the
screw, and is therefore placed eccentrically to it. This ball enters a hemispherical
recess J cast in the lid D which is supported by the cross bar E and is capable of
being partially revolved therein, the lid being provided with a plate K. for holding
the ball in its place. The lid has also two forked guides L which receive pins M
fixed to the cross bar, so that on turning the screw the lid is prevented from 4
turning by the same notion.
The modifications exhibited in Figs. 11, 12 and 13, consists in making the
catch N of the form shown, and so that when the lid is closed, the catch N being

page_text: hinged at O may be swung round so as to embrace in the slot P the end of the
cross bar E. In these Figs. 11, 12 and 13 it will also be observed that the lid
when being closed or tightened up is prevented from turning with the motion of
the ball, by the brackets QQ these being in contact with the under side of the
cross bar. The bosses or plates R R cast on the lid, and the bosses, lugs, or
plates S, S, cast or fixed to the cross bar engage with one another and prevent the
lid from tilting to an inconvenient extent when the lid is open. The mouthpiece
may have a flat face as at T Fig. 12, and the lid an edge like U in the same Fig.
instead of as previously described.
The action of the apparatus is as follows. When it is desired to close the lid
the cross bar is pushed home and retained by the catch. This is so arranged that
the lid is thereby brought into contact, or in close proximity to the mouthpiece,
and parallel thereto by. reason of the lid being supported on a ball, forming a ball
and socket joint, when by a partial turn of the wrench, spanner, or handle, the
screw and consequently the ball which presses upon the lid makes a partial turn
too, and the ball being eccentric causes the lid when coming in contact with
the mouthpiece to assume a sliding or grinding motion thereby removing any
incrustation or other matter that may adhere to the mouthpiece, and thus produce
a gas tight joint. To open the lid it is simply necessary to reverse the motion.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is
1. The construction of retort lids each having a hemispherical recess cast in
them, as herein described and shown on the drawings.
2. The construction of screws, each having a ball or knob attached thereto
placed eccentrically to the axis of the said screw, and capable of being applied to
the lid as herein described and shown on the drawings.