Improvements in Apparatus for Charging Retorts, and for Stirring and Withdrawing the Charge of Retorts.
Year: 1899

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION,
Improvements in Apparatus for Charging Retorts, and for Stirring
and Withdrawing the Charge of Retorts.
I, WILLIAM FOULIS, of 45, John Street, in the City of Glasgow, North Britain,
Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
:―
My invention relates to apparatus for charging retorts, and for stirring, and
withdrawing, the charge of retorts, such as described in the Specifications of
Letters Patent No. 12016 dated the 31st July A.D. 1890: No. 14440 of the
26th August A.D. 1891; No. 12385 of the 4th July A.D. 1892: No. 16749 of the
6th September A.D. 1893 and No. 13867 dated the 20th July A.D. 1895.
The principal object of my invention is to improve the apparatus so as to
simplify its construction, and render it very easily operated, and very efficient
in action. and not liable to readily get out of order."
As regards the apparatus for charging retorts; I provide an arrangement by
which, instead of tilting the whole frame to elevate the pusher, by which the
charges are forced into the retort, the said pusher, and its rod, only are elevated,
and the operation is effected in such a manner. that the leverage through which
the power is applied to elevate the pusher is largely increased during the first
portion of the movement. To effect this the end of the pusher rod, nearest to
the retort, rests upon a roller, or pulley, preferably grooved to fit the said rod.
This roller, or pulley, is suspended by levers secured to a cross-shaft mounted
in bearings on the beam along which the longitudinally moveable parts travel,
the said shaft having also secured to it a lever to which is attached a rod operated
by the plunger of a hydraulic cylinder by means of which the said shaft is rocked.
When the aforesaid roller, or pulley, is in its lowest position the levers carrying
it are perpendicular to the point of suspension, and therefore the leverage to lift
the pusher, is very effectively applied.
The said hydraulic cylinder is preferably arranged as follows:-The ram of
the said evlinder is made so as to present a larger surface to the water at its
rearward face than it does at its forward face, and the water is constantly in
communication with the space of the cylinder forward of the ram. A valve,
preferably a rotary valve, operated by a lever, is provided so that when this valve
is in one position water is admitted to the space in the cylinder to the rear of
the ram to move it forward, owing to the surface of the ram at that side being
larger than at the other side; and, when the said valve is in another position, the
said rear space is opened to the exhaust and the pressure of the water on the
forward face of the ram moves back the said ram and the rod and lever and the
roller on which the pusher rod rests are operated to elevate the pusher for
the back stroke thereof. In connection with the said cylinder I prefer to provide
a second cylinder with a similarly constructed ram operating a slide-valve con-
trolling the passage of water to the hydraulic cylinders for actuating the rams
connected to the pusher, so that, when the rotary valve aforesaid is operated, in
one direction, the pusher is lowered and moved forward into the retort and when

page_text: it is operated in the other direction the pusher is raised, and then withdrawn.
The stroke of the pusher has to be less at each succeeding stroke,
as the first charge has to be put in at the far end of the retort, the next
charge further forward, and so on, till the retort is charged. In order to effect
this I provide a pawl, carried by a lever which is moved by the rod which operates
the aforesaid roller, or pulley, which raises the pusher, which pawl engages with
notches, or projections, in, or on, a rod, and at distances apart corresponding to
the stroke of the pawl. This rod at its forward end is provided with inclines which
are arranged as to successively act upon stops to project them in the requisite
order to stop the pusher so as to allow it only to take the successively shorter
strokes. The first stroke of the pusher may be stopped by a fixed stop. At the
next stroke the pawl engages with the forward notch, or projection, in, or on,
the said rod and the forward incline projects the forward moveable stop, and at
the next stroke the said pawl engages with the next notch, or projection, in, or
on, the said rod, and the next incline projects the next moveable stop, and so on.
When the retort is charged the said rod is drawn back by a hinged handle, pro-
vided for the purpose, the said rod being provided with other inclines. which
then withdraw all the moveable stops ready for the next operation, the said
hinged handle being provided with a cam, or nose, which lifts the pawl, and also
with a projection which rests on a stop on the lever carrying the pawl, and holds
up the handle, and consequently the pawl, till the first stroke of the next charging
operation is commenced.
I prefer to employ a hydraulic evlinder for moving backwards and forwards
the plate, or shoot, which communicates between the machine and the retort.
The guide, or beam, along which the reciprocating parts travel is preferably
formed like a hollow girder, or of box form, in cross section, with a longitudinal
slot at its under side, and the travelling parts are provided with rollers which
run along in, or on, the said girder, or hollow box. Apparatus for stirring, or
drawing, the charge of retorts can have the reciprocating parts and the guides or
beams on which they travel similarly arranged.
The hydraulic cylinders and rams by which the pusher is operated are prefer-
ably provided with a cushioning arrangement which confines a certain amount
of water in the cylinder, at the rear of the ram, and prevents shock, the said
arrangement consisting of a passage for the water having two branches one opening
into the rear end of the cylinder, and the other opening into the cylinder at a
short distance in advance of the rear end, a valve being arranged between the two
branches which closes the passage for water in the direction from the rear to
the forward branch, but allows of the free passage of incoming water through the
rear branch. When the ram approaches the end of its back stroke, and after it
passes the forward branch passage, water is confined between its end and the
end of the cylinder and can only pass slowly between the ram and cylinder, or
by a restricted passage provided for the purpose, but when water is admitted to
the cylinder it can pass through the said valve to the rear of the ram to start
the stroke. Both of the cylinders in be provided with this arrangement if
desired. This cushioning arrangement is applicable both to the charging and
the stirring, or drawing, machine.
Datal
1
1 1000
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C..
Agents.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Charging Retorts, and for Stirring
and Withdrawing the Charge of Retorts.
I, WILLIAM FOULIS, of 45, John Street, in the City of Glasgow, North Britain,
Civil Engineer, 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:-
My invention relates to apparatus for charging retorts, and for stirring and
withdrawing the charges of retorts such as are described in the Specifications of
Letters Patent No. 12016 dated the 31st July A.D. 1890; No. 14440 of the
26th August A.D. 1891; No. 12385 of the 4th July A.D. 1892; No. 16749 of the
6th September A.D. 1893 and No. 13867 dated the 20th July A.D. 1895.
The principal object of my invention is to improve the apparatus so as to
simplify its construction, and render it very easily operated, and very efficient
in action, and not liable to readily get out of order.
As regards the apparatus for charging retorts; 1 provide an arrangement by
which, instead of tilting the whole frame or beam to clevate the pusher by which
the charges are forced into the retort, the said pusher, and its rod, only are
elevated, and the operation is effected in such a manner that the leverage, through
which the power is applied to elevate the pusher and its rod, is largely increased
during the first portion of the movement. To effect this the end of the pusher
1od, nearest to the retort, when the pusher is being elevated, rests upon a roller,
or pulley, preferably grooved to fit the said rod. This roller, or pulley, is sus-
pended by levers secured to a cross-shaft mounted in bearings on the beam along
which the longitudinally moveable parts travel, the said cross-shaft having also
secured to it a lever to which is attached a rod operated by the plunger of a
hydraulic cylinder by means of which the said cross shaft is rocked. When the
aforesaid roller, or pulley, is in its lowest position the levers carrying it are sub
stantially perpendicular to the point of suspension, and therefore the leverago
to lift the pusher, is very effectively applied.
The said hydraulic cylinder is preferably arranged as follows: The ram of
the said cylinder is made so as to present a larger surface to the water at its
rearward face than it does at its forward face, and the water is constantly in
communication with the space of the cylinder forward of the ram. A valve,
preferably a rotary valve, operated by a lever, is provided so that when this valve
is in one position water is admitted to the space in the cylinder to the rear of
the ram to move it forward, owing to the surface of the ram at that side being
larger than at the other side; and, when the said valve is in another position, the
said rear space is opened to the exhaust and the pressure of the water on the
forward face of the ram moves back the said ram, and the rod and lever and the
roller on which the pusher rod rests are operated to elevate the pusher for
the back stroke thereof. In connection with the said cylinder I prefer to provide
a second cylinder with a similarly constructed ram operating a slide-valve con-
trolling the passage of water to the hydraulic cylinders for actuating the rams
connected to the pusher, so that, when the rotary valve aforesaid is operated in
one direction, the pusher is lowered and moved forward, into the retort and when
it is operated in the other direction the pusher is raised and then withdrawn.
The stroke of the pusher has to be less at each succeeding stroke,
as the first charge has to be put in at the far end of the retort, the next
charge further forward, and so on, till the retort is charged. In order to effect
this I provide a pawl carried by a lever which is moved by the rod which operates
the aforesaid roller, or pulley, which raises the pusher, which pawl engages with
notches or projections in, or on, a rod and at distances apart corresponding to
the stroke of the pawl. This rod, at its forward end, is provided with inclines which

page_text: are arranged as to successively act upon stops to project them in the requisite
order to stop the pusher so as to allow it only to take the successively shorter
strokes. The first stroke of the pusher may be stopped by a fixed stop. At the
next stroke the pawl engages with the forward notch, or projection, in, or on,
the said rod and the forward incline projects the forward moveable stop, and at
the next stroke the said pawl engages with the next notch, or projection, in, or
on, the said rod and the next incline projects the next moveable stop, and so on.
When the retort is charged the said rod is drawn back by a hinged handle, pro-
vided for the purpose, the said rod being provided with other inclines, which
then withdraw all the moveable stops ready for the next operation, the said
hinged handle being provided with a cam, or nose, which lifts the pawl, and also
with a projection which rests on a stop on the lever carrying the pawl, and holls
up the handle, and consequently the pawl, till the first stroke of the next charging
cperation is commenced.
I prefer to employ a hydraulic cylinder for moving backwards and forwards
the plate, or shoot, which communicates between the machine and the retort.
The guide, or beam, along which the reciprocating parts travel is preferably
formed like a hollow girder, or of box form, in cross section, with a longitudinal
slot, at its underside, and the travelling parts are provided with rollers which
run along in, or on, the said girder, or hollow box. Apparatus for stirring, or
drawing, the charges of retorts can have the reciprocating parts and the guides or
beams on which they travel similarly arranged.
in
The hydraulic cylinders and ranis by which the pusher is operated are prefer-
ably provided with a cushioning arrangement which confines a certain amount
of water in the cylinder, at the rear of the ram, for the forward stroke
retort chargers and at the rear of the ram for the back stroke
in apparatus for drawing retorts, and prevents shock, the said arrangement
consisting of a passage for the water having two branches, one opening
into the rear end of the cylinder, and the other opening into the cylinder at a
short distance in advance of the rear end, a valve being arranged between the two
branches which closes the passage for water in the direction from the rear to
the forward branch, but allows of the free passage of incoming water through the
rear branch. When the ram approaches the end of its back stroke, and after it
passes the forward branch passage, water is confined between its end and the
end of the cylinder and can only pass slowly between the ram and cylinder, or
by a restricted passage provided for the purpose, but, when water is admitted to
the cylinder, it can pass through the said valve to the rear of the ram to start
the stroke
In order that my invention may be well understood I will describe with refer-
ence to the accompanying drawings the manner in which it can be performed.
Figure 1 is the left hand end and Figure 1 the right hand end of the apparatus
according to my invention partly in side elevation and partly in longitudinal
vertical section.
Figures 2 and 2 are similar portions of a plan of the apparatus.
Figure 3 is an elevation of the left hand end of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a view of a detached portion of Figure 3.
Figure 4 is a transverse section on the line 4-4 of Figure 1.
Figure is a longitudinal vertical section of a hydraulic cylinder for effecting
the raising and lowering of the charge-pushing, or withdrawing, device and the
valve for controlling the supply of pressure water to the main hydraulic cylinders
by which the said device is moved longitudinally.
Figure 6 is a view of Figure 3 partly in end elevation and partly in transverse
vertical section.
Figures and 8 are respectively a face view and a vertical section of a detached
portion of Figure 5.
Figure 9 is a plan and Figure 10 a transverse section on the line 10-10 of
Figure 9 of part of the apparatus shewn in Figure 2".

page_text: Figures 3 and 5 to 10 are drawn to a scale larger than that to which Figures 1,
2, 3 and 4 are drawn.
Like letters of reference indicate like parts throughout the drawings.
A is a guide, or beam, preferably formed like a hollow girder, or of box-form
in cross section, with a longitudinal slot a, at its underside, this guide, or beam,
being adjustably supported on a moveable bogie (not shewn in the accompanying
drawings) in substantially the manner described in the aforesaid specifications.
On this guide, or beam, A, are rigidly secured the two hydraulic cylinders B B²
the moveable plungers, or rams, b, b, of which, through the pulleys &, chains b
and carriage C, are caused to impart forward and backward longitudinal move-
ment to a rod 1).
The outer ends of the rams b, b, rigidly connected together by a bar 6º, are pro-
vided with rollers which travel along the upper surface of the guide, or beam, A,
and the carriage C, is mounted on rollers e which travel along ledges, or paths, a²,
on either side of the longitudinal slot a, so that the said rams and carriage are
capable of being moved along the guide, or beam, A, with a minimum of frictional
resistance.
The rod D is preferably of T-shape in cross section and at one end is pivotted
at (Figure 1) to the carriage C and near its other end, where it carries a rake,
or pusher, D, or other device for operating on the charge, it passes over a roller,
or pulley, E, preferably grooved to fit the said rod as shewn in Figure 4. The
roller, or pulley, E, is journalled in the free ends of two lever arms E, whose
upper ends are rigidly secured to a cross shaft E³ mounted in bearings a³, on
the guide, or beam A, the said shaft having also rigidly secured to it a lever
arm to which is pivotted a rod e connected to the rod f, of the ram 13 of a
hydraulic cylinder F secured to one side of the guide, or beam, A.
The ram F of the hydraulic cylinder F, as shewn in Figure 5, is made so as
to present a larger surface to the pressure water at its rearward face f, than it
does at its forward face f, and the pressure water is constantly in communication
with the space in the cylinder I', forward of the ram F2, this part of the cylinder
communicating with the source of pressure supply through the port, or passage, f,
valve chamber g, and inlet g². A valve H (preferably a rotary valve as shewn)
is provided in a valve chamber with which the pressure water has constant
communication through a passage leading from the forward end of the cylinder F
to the part of the chamber at the rear of the valve H. The valve it is pro-
vided with two ports, and a recess h, and can be rotated by a hand lever h
so as to bring the said ports, into register with two ports h (shown in dotted
lines in Figures 5 and 6) and thereby admit pressure water to the back of the
ram 1, or so as to bring the recess, over the ports so as to place these ports
in communication with the exhaust outlet h, in which latter position the pressure
on the forward face of the ram F forces the said ram into its rearmost position.
When pressure water is admitted at the rear of the ram F the said ram is caused
to move forward owing to the area of the rear face of the ram being larger than
that exposed to the pressure water at the forward face thereof. When the ram F*
is moved backwards, it (through the rod f, connecting rod e, lever arms E, E³,
and cross-shaft E³) also draws the roller, or pulley, E, backwards from the position
in which it is shewn in full lines, to that in which it is shewn in dotted lines in
Figure 1, so that the operative end of the rod 1), and the raking, pushing, or
cther, device thereon, are raised by the said roller, or pulley. When this roller,
or pulley, is in its lowest position the lever arms E2 are perpendicular to the rod D,
or approximately so, and therefore the leverage exerted through the lever
arms to raise the rod 1) and its attachments is considerably greater during
the first portion of the longitudinal rearward movement of the said rod (when
it requires more power to raise it) than it is during the latter portion of the said
movement.
In connection with the cylinder F. I prefer to provide a cylinder J, having a
ram j, which, like the before described ram F, has a larger operative area at its

page_text: rearward face than at its forward face so that when pressure water is admitted
to the rear of the ram greater pressure will be exerted on the rearward face
than on the forward face and consequently the said ram will be moved forward.
The rod of the ram operates a slide valve J which, through the ports j³, j³, j³,
controls the passage of water to, and from, the before mentioned cylinders B, B³,
and, when the apparatus is employed for charging retorts, the said ports are
connected as follows:-
The port is connected to the inlet k of the hydraulic cylinder B, the function
of which is to propel the rod D, and its attachments forward into the retort,
the port is connected to the inlet of the hydraulic cylinder 133, whose function
is to withdraw the rod D, from the retort, and the port is connected to the
exhaust, or sump, from which the water can be pumped into the accumulator.
The port, or passage, , through which the pressure water passes to the rear
of the ram from the cylinder F is closed by the ram F when the ram 12 is
in its rearmost position as shewn in Figure 5, the said port, or passage, being
opened early in the forward stroke of the ram F, so that the ram is also moved
forward to move the slide valve J from over the port through which the pressure
water then passes into the cylinder 1, the cylinder B, at this time being open
to the exhaust, so that the grooved roller E, and rod D, are lowered and at the
same time the pusher or device carried by the said rod is forced forward into
the retort. When, by turning the valve H the pressure is released from the back
of the rams 2 and the pressure of the water on the forward faces of the said
rams causes them to travel backwards so that the grooved roller E and rod D
are raised, and pressure water being admitted to the cylinder Be the rod and the
pusher or other device carried thereby are at the same time withdrawn from
the retort.
to
When the apparatus is employed for drawing retorts the connections between
the hydraulic cylinders B B2 and the valve ports are the reverse of those
herein last described so that the roller E carrying the rod D is in its highest posi-
tion when tho rake or like device, carried by the rod D is being pushed into the
retort and in its lowest position when it is being withdrawn from the retort.
When the apparatus is employed for charging retorts the stroke of the rod D
and pusher D has to be less at each succeeding stroke as the first charge has to
be pushed to the far end of the retort, the next charge to a position further
forward in the retort, and so on until the retort is charged. In order to effect
this I provide a lever L, the upper end of which is pivotted to a bracket / rigidly
secured on the guide, or beam, A, and the lower end of which is forked and engages
with the pin c, by which the rod e and rod f are joined together. To the lever L
is pivotted a pawl which engages with teeth in on the rear end of a rod M,
the said teeth being formed at distances apart corresponding with the stroke of
the pawl. The rod M at its forward end is provided with inclines m², m³, m³, m³, m³,
which are arranged so as to successively act upon stops ², n³, n², n³, nº,
pro-
ject them in the requisite order to stop the pusher D when it has completed its
strokes each of the particular length required; a detached part of this mechanism
is shewn in Figures 9 and 10. The forward end of the ram 6 is provided with a
projection which, at the end of the first forward stroke of the said ram and
pusher D, is stopped by a fixed stop N. At the return stroke of the pusher D₁
and corresponding backward stroke of the grooved roller E, and rod e, the pawl 13
is moved backward so as to be in a position to engage with the first of the rack
teeth m.
At the next forward stroke of the rod c and ram the pawl / engages
with the first of the rack teeth m and, through the incline m³, as shewn in
Figure 2, forces the stop into the path of the projection #, so that the forward
movement of the pusher D² will be stopped when, as shewn in Figure 9, the said
projection comes against the stop At the next forward stroke of the rod e
and ram the pawl / engages with the second of the rack teeth m, and the
incline m³ forces the stop n³ into position to stop the pusher D2 in the retort at
a point farther forward than that determined previously by the stop n³. By the

page_text: engagement of the pawl with the third of the rack teeth m the stop n' will be
moved into its operative position and the forward travel of the pusher De will be
correspondingly limited, and so with the other stops n n each of which arrests
the pusher 12 at a point short of that allowed by the stop last previously brought
into operation.
The rod M has pivotted to it a handle by which it can be drawn back into
its starting position and it is provided with a series of inclines m² so that when
thus drawn back it will withdraw all the stops into their inoperative positions ready
for the next charging operation. The pivotted handle 73 is provided with a
cam at 4, which, when the handle is used for moving back the rod M lifts the
pawl out of engagement with the rack teeth m and it is also provided with
a projection (Figure 3) which rests on a stud, or stop, 1º, on the lever L, to
hold up the handle 3, and consequently the pawl, until the commencement of
the first stroke of the next charging operation.
When the apparatus is used for stirring, or drawing, the charges of retorts the
last described stopping mechanism is dispensed with.
The hydraulic cylinders B and B are preferably provided with a cushioning
arrangement which confines a certain amount of water in one of the said cylinders
at the rear of the ram thereof so as to prevent shock at the termination of the
rearward movement of the rams. This arrangement as shewn in Figure 1. as
applied to the cylinder B, consists of a passage having a branch opening into
the extreme rear end of the cylinder and a branch opening into the evlinder B
at a short distance in advance of the rear end, a valve being arranged between
the two branches, which closes the passage for water in the direction from the
branch to the branch but allows of the fred passage of incoming water through
the branch. When the ram. approaches the end of its back stroke, and after
it passes the forward branch k, water is confined between its rear end and the
end of the cylinder and can only pass slowly between the ram and cylinder:
or by a restricted passage provided for the purpose, but when water is admitted
through the inlet & it can pass through the passage . lift the valve and enter
the cylinder B by way of the branch and thus force the ram b forward.
As shown in Figures 1 and 1* I prefer to employ a hydraulic cylinder P for
moving backwards and forwards the plate. or shoot, P³, which communicates
between the machine and the retort, the said plate, or shoot, P. being connected
to the ramp by a yoke 2 which admits of the grooved roller E working freely
between its two arms.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. In apparatus for charging, stirring or withdrawing the charges of retorts,
a frame or beam, and a rod carrying a device for operating on the charge and
longitudinally moveable on the frame, or beam, and mechanism for imparting
longitudinal movements to the rod. and mechanism for raising and lowering the
said rod and the device carried by it, independently of the frame or beam; sub-
stantially as hereinbefore described.
2. In apparatus for charging stirring or withdrawing the charges of retorts the
combination of a roller or pulley suspended from the frame or beam along which
the longitudinally moveable parts travel and means for operating the said roller
or pulley to lift the rod carrying the device which acts upon the charge sub-
stantially as herein before described.
3. In apparatus for charging, stirring or withdrawing the charges of retorts
the combination of means for lifting independently of the frame or beam the
rod carrying the device which acts upon the charge and the hydraulic arrangement
for effecting the said lifting substantially as hereinbefore described.
4. In apparatus for charging, stirring or withdrawing the charges of retorts

page_text: the combination of means for lifting independently of the frame or beam the
rod carrying the device which acts upon the charge and a hydraulic arrangement
for effecting the said lifting and for distributing the water to the rams which
effect the longitudinal movement of the said rod and device carried by it, sub-
stantially as herein before described.
5. In apparatus for charging retorts the arrangement of sliding stops for arrest-
ing the pusher rod and a bar with inclines thereon for protruding and withdraw-
ing the said stops substantially as hereinbefore described.
6. In apparatus for charging retorts, the combination with a frame or beam, a
pusher rod longitudinally moveable thereon and mechanism for imparting longi-
tudinal movements to the pusher rod, of mechanism for raising and lowering the
pusher rod independently of the frame or beam, and stops operated by the said
mechanism, for limiting the longitudinal movement of the pusher bar substan-
tially as herein before described.
7. In apparatus for charging retorts, the combination with a guide, or beam, a
pusher rod longitudinally moveable thereon and mechanism for imparting longi-
tudinal movements to the pusher rod, of a rod having inclines thereon rack and
pawl and motor mechanism for moving the said rod longitudinally step by step,
and stops arranged on the frame, or beam, and operated successively by the
inclines on the said rod for limiting the movement of the pusher rod substantially
as herein before described.
8. In apparatus for charging retorts the combination of a longitudinally move-
able pusher rod, a rod having inclines thereon, stops operated by such inclines for
limiting the movement of the pusher rod, rack and pawl and motor mechanism
for moving the rod, and a handle for returning the rack to its starting position,
a cam on, or in connection with, the handle for raising the pawl, and means for
temporarily supporting the handle, and thereby the pawl, substantially as herein-
before described.
9. In apparatus for charging stirring or withdrawing the charges of retorts
a beam formed like a hollow guide or box with a longitudinal slot beneath and
paths along which run rollers carried by the parts longitudinally moveable on or
in the said beam substantially as hereinbefore described.
10. In apparatus for charging retorts or for stirring. or drawing, the charges
thereof, the combination of a hollow beam, in box-form in cross-section, a rod
carrying, or constituting, a charge-pushing, stirring, or withdrawing, device longi-
tudinally moveable in the said beam, a carriage mounted on rollers adapted to run
on paths within the beam, and connected to the rod, hydraulic cylinders and
rams for imparting longitudinal movement to the carriage, and rollers on the rams
running on the guide, or beam substantially as hereinbefore described.
11. In apparatus for charging stirring or withdrawing the charges of retorts
the combination with the hydraulic cylinders by which the rod carrying the device
which acts on the charge is operated of a cushioning arrangement consisting of
a water passage with two branches controlled by a valve which allows of free
passage of the incoming water for one stroke of the said rod but which retards
the exit of water on the reverse stroke of the said rod substantially as herein before
described.
12. The arrangement and combination of parts constituting apparatus for
charging retorts substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
Dated this 3rd day of January 1000
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C.,
Agents.