IMPROVE- MENTS IN FURNACES OR APPARATUS FOR THE TREATMENT OF MATERIALS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF SULPHATES OF SODA OR POTASH WHICH APPARATUS IS ALSO APPLICABLE FOR CARBONATING, CALCINING, OR DRYING OTHER CHEMICAL PRODUCTS OR MATERIALS
Year: 1883

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by John Mackenzie at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 18th January 1883.
JOHN MACKENZIE of Stockton on Tees in the County of Durham
"IMPROVE-
MENTS IN FURNACES OR APPARATUS FOR THE TREATMENT OF MATERIALS FOR THE
PRODUCTION OF SULPHATES OF SODA OR POTASH WHICH APPARATUS IS ALSO
APPLICABLE FOR CARBONATING, CALCINING, OR DRYING OTHER CHEMICAL PRODUCTS
OR MATERIALS
"
My Invention relates to furnaces or apparatus which may be worked on a
continuous system for the treatment of materials for the production of sulphates of
soda or Potash or for carbonating calcining or drying other chemical products or
materials.
In constructing an apparatus according to my Invention I provide a large
chamber forming a furnace in which are arranged and supported a vessel or retort
or vessels or retorts or one or more systems or series of vessels or retorts the
exterior surfaces of which are exposed to the heat generated in the furnace by the
combustion of coal, coke, gas or other combustible materials. In cases where two
or more vessels or retorts form one system they are connected end wise by passages
or communications so as to afford a continuous passage through each or overy
vessel or retort of the system from the point of supply in the uppermost vessel or
retort to the point of discharge in the lowest vessel or retort the size number form
and arrangement of the retorts or vessels and their connections depending on the
amount of material to be operated upon and the length of time required for its
exposure to the heat of the furnace. In order to obtain a regular continuous flow
of the material through the retorts or vessels of the apparatus I provide each retort
or vessel with an internal central shaft placed longitudinally and revolving in
sockets constructed with external covering caps or their equivalents to prevent any
escape through them of the gases evolved during the process. Each shaft is
provided with a series of blades fixed at an angle so as to constantly agitate and
carry forward the material through the entire length of each retort or vessel to the
passage or communication connecting it with a vessel or retort placed in a lower
position in which the same process is repeated until the material is discharged at
the outlet.

page_text: The salt and acid or other materials to be operated upon are fed or forced into
the uppermost retort or vessel by means of a screw or other suitable appliance and
the discharge is accomplished in the same manner the pressure so applied being
sufficient to compress the materials passing through the inlet and outlet pipes in
such a manner as to cause then to act as continuous gas tight plugs. In this way
the vessel or retort or the vessels or retorts and their connections are rendered gas
tight at every part except where outlets are provided for the discharge of the gases
which are conveyed in pipes of considerable length which are connected at one end
to suitable positions on the retorts or vessels the other end being immersed in
water contained in a tank or connected to a condenser of the ordinary type. By
these means the discharged gases are cooled on their passage through the pipes
previous to their being forced through a seal of water or passed through the
condenser of the ordinary type.
It will be seen that by this arrangement of my apparatus the obnoxious effects
resulting from the escape of these gases are obviated also that the material passed
through the retorts or vessels of the apparatus are thoroughly exposed to the heat
of the furnace without being brought into contact with the products of combustion
and the gases are therefore delivered to the condensers in a pure state consequently
any class of combustible materials may be used for heating the furnace without
injuriously affecting the condensers. The shafts and appliances for feeding
working and discharging may be driven by any suitable means such for instance as
endless bands bevel wheels and pinions or worms and worm wheels.