IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF RETORTS FOR REBURNING ANIMAL CHARCOAL
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Paul Thomas Goodwin, of Camden Street, Camden
Town, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF RETORTS FOR REBURNING ANIMAL
CHARCOAL,"
Sealed the 6th September 1867, and dated the 14th March 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Paul Thomas Goodwin
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
14th March 1867.
I, PAUL THOMAS GOODWIN, of Camden Street, Camden Town, in the County
of Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF RETORTS FOR REBURNING ANIMAL
CHARCOAL," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in certain improvements in the construction and
internal arrangement of revolving retorts for reburning or recarbonizing
animal charcoal, whereby the efficient performance of that operation is greatly
facilitated. The retort is constructed of cast iron, and is divided into two internal
longitudinal chambers by means of a diaphragm or division plate of cast iron,
which is placed in the interior of the retort. . The retort may be made of a
corrugated form, the corrugations forming a series of grooves or channels
extending the whole length of the retort, which is thus strengthened. and the

page_text: heating surface thereof increased; the diaphragm or division plate may be
fixed by being placed and fitted in two of the corrugations; or the retort, when
not corrugated, may be provided in the interior thereof with grooves or channels
for the reception of the diaphragm or plate, or in the case of the application
of the diaphragm or division plate to a retort previously used in combination
with other arrangements, the same may be held in position by means of sockets
or grooved pieces of iron attached to the interior of the retort, or otherwise
secured as will be well understood by persons conversant with mechanism of
this character.
For the purpose of affording a large extent of surface over which the
charcoal under treatment may be spread during the revolution of the retort,
and be thereby subjected to the influence of the heat employed, and also
for the purpose of effectually stirring it, and thus throwing off the dust
and finer particles which it is not desirable to retain, projections or ribs formed
of cast iron may be attached to or formed on the respective surfaces of the
diaphragm or division plate, such projections or ribs having also the effect
of carrying the charcoal forward through the retort whilst in a state of
revolution.
.
The accompanying Drawings will more clearly explain the nature of this
Invention.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a retort shewing the projections or ribs
attached to or formed on the diaphragm or division plate; Figure 2 is a
transverse section of the same arrangement.
Figures 3, 4, and 5 represent another arrangement. Figure 3 is a longi-
tudinal section of a retort shewing a front view of one set of the projections
or ribs attached to or formed on one side of the diaphragm or division plate;
Figure 4 is a cross longitudinal section of the diaphragm or division plate with
the projections or ribs, and Figure 5 is a transverse section.
Instead of using a continuous diaphragm or division plate, as before mentioned,
a series of plates, with or without projections or ribs, may be placed in or
attached to the interior of the retort, the same being alternately placed at right
angles to each other and extending across the interior of the retort.
Figures 6 and 7 in the accompanying Drawing shew the last-mentioned
arrangement.
The retorts constructed in accordance with this Invention are charged and
heated in the usual manner, and are caused to revolve by means of suitable
gearing actuated by any motive power adapted for the purpose.
An important feature connected with this Invention, as herein-before
described, is that the internal diaphragms or division plates can be readily

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Paul Thomas Goodwin in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 14th September 1867.
1
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, PAUL
THOMAS GOODWIN, of Number 139, Camden Street, Camden Town, in the
County of Middlesex, Engineer, send greeting.
...WHEREAS, Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of March, in the year of our. Lord.
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirtieth year of Her
reign did, for Herself, Her heirs, and successors, give and grant unto,
me, the said Paul Thomas Goodwin, Her special licence that I, the said Paul.
Thomas Goodwin, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others.as
1, the said Paul Thomas Goodwin, 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 THE CONSTRUCTION OF RETORTS FOR REBURNING
ANIMAL CHARCOAL," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Paul
Thomas Goodwin, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing.
under my, 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 Thomas Goodwin, 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
to the figures and letters marked thereon, that is to say :-
... My said Invention consists in certain improvements in the construction and
internal arrangement of revolving retorts for reburning or recarbonizing animal.
charcoal, whereby the efficient performance of that. operation is greatly.
facilitated. The retort, is constructed, of cast iron, and is divided into two

page_text: internal longitudinal chambers by means of a diaphragm or division plate of
cast iron which is placed in the interior of the retort; the retort may be made
of a corrugated form, the corrugations forming a series of grooves or channels
extending the whole length of the retort, which is thus strengthened and the
beating surface thereof increased. The diaphragm or division plate may be
fixed by being placed and fitted in two of the corrugations; or the retort when
not corrugated may be provided in the interior thereof with grooves or channels
for the reception of the diaphragm or division plate or plates; or in the case
of the application of the diaphragm or division plate or plates to a retort pre-
viously used in combination with other arrangements the same may be held in
position by means of sockets or grooved pieces of iron attached to the interior
of the retort, or otherwise secured, as will be well understood by persons
conversant with mechanism of this character.
For the purpose of affording a large extent of surface over which the
charcoal under treatment may be spread during the revolution of the retort,
and be thereby subjected to the influence of the heat employed, and also for
the purpose of effectually stirring it, and thus throwing off the dust and finer
particles which it is not desirable to retain, projections or ribs are attached to
or formed on the respective surfaces of the diaphragm or division plate or
plates, such projections or ribs having also the effect of carrying the charcoal
forward through the retort whilst in a state of revolution.
Instead of using a continuous diaphragm or division plate, as before men-
tioned a series of plates with or without projections or ribs may be placed in
or attached to the interior of the retort, the same being alternately placed at
right angles to each other, and extending across the interior of the retort, and
the same principle of construction and arrangement may be varied in details
without departing from the Invention.
An important feature connected with the internal diaphragms or division
plates is that they can be readily removed and replaced, although they may,
if preferred, be cast with and form part of the retort itself.
The retorts constructed in accordance with my said Invention are charged
and beated in the usual manner, and are caused to revolve by means of
suitable gearing actuated by any motive power adapted for the purpose; an
effective mode of producing such revolution, and which by preference I adopt,
is as follows: Instead of applying the motive power to the retort or cylinder
itself I apply it to one or more of the pulleys or rollers by which the weight
of the retort or cylinder is borne, and the surface or surfaces of which work
against the surface of the retort.or cylinder, a sufficient amount of friction
being thereby produced to cause the latter to revolve. By connecting the

page_text: pulleys or rollers by means of chains or gearing, as well known and under-.
stood, two or more retorts or cylinders may be caused to revolve simul-
taneously in accordance with the arrangements just described, by the adoption
of which much mechanism is dispensed with, and the necessity for the same
avoided.
:
I will now proceed to refer to the accompanying Drawings, from which the
nature of my said Invention will be more clearly understood; the Figures
are all drawn to a scale of three-quarters of an inch to a foot, and the same
letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the Figures.
Figure 1 represents a front end elevation of the apparatus complete, and
shews the mode which may be adopted for driving a pair of retorts; Figure 2
is a longitudinal vertical section of the same taken through the centres of the
retorts; Figure 3 is a back end elevation of the retorts and apparatus con-
nected therewith; Figure 4 is a sectional plan taken through the centre of
the top retort, and shewing in section the diaphragms or division plates; in
these four Figures the retorts are represented as completely mounted and in
working order. Figure 5 shews a transverse sectional elevation of the retort
and division plate; Figure 6 is a part longitudinal section of a retort with the
division plates alternately at right angles with each other; Figure 7 is a
transverse section of the same; Figures 8 and 9 represent a part longitudinal
section and a transverse section of a retort shewing another form of division
plates in section and elevation; Figure 10 represents another arrangement of
division plates.
'
A and B represent respectively the upper and lower cylinders or retorts
placed horizontally, or nearly so, and are surrounded by any suitable arrange-
ment of brickwork C, C, C, C, a clear space c, c, c, being left round both
retorts for the free circulation round them of the flame and products of com-'
bustion from the furnace D, D, and which escape by the flues E, E, into the
main flue F leading to the chimney (which is not shewn in the Drawings.).
The retorts are shewn carried on antifriction rollers G, G, G, G, which are
supported by frames H, H, fixed to the columns H', H". The main. shaft
J, J, is carried in suitable bearings K, K, supported from brackets fixed to.or
cast on the columns H', H"; this shaft is actuated by a steam engine or
other power, and revolves in the direction of the arrows; Z is a mitre clutch
wheel for communicating the power from the main shaft J to the mitre
wheel Z, which is keyed on the spindle of one of the rollers on which the
retort or cylinder rests; a rotary motion being given to the roller causes the
cylinder to revolve; 9, 9, 9, 9, Figures 1 and 2, are small cog wheels keyed
fast to the spindles of the rollers G, G, G, G. An endless flat, link chain

page_text: 9, 9, 9, 9, communicates the motion to the rollers supporting the bottom
cylinder. The cylinders revolve in the direction of the arrows, and the speed
of working may be varied as desired. Each retort is shewn with grooves
M, M, M, M, cast on the interior and extending the entire length thereof, in
which are fitted loosely a number of division plates N, N, N, N; each plate
has projections or ribs cast or formed on both sides of the same n, n,'n, n, so
that when a rotary motion is given to the retort or cylinder these plates
effectually turn over and agitate the charcoal, and from the shape of the ribs
or projections cast or formed thereon cause it to traverse from one end of the
cylinder to the other. The dotted lines n', n', n', shew the relative position of
the ribs on the opposite side of the plate. The retorts are provided with end
plates or rings P, P, P, P, bolted to the retorts. A feed hopper o is fitted
loosely into the end of the cylinder A, and is connected to the charging
floor R, R, by a pipe o¹. o² is a feed valve, shewn closed, for regulating the
supply of charcoal. The charcoal after traversing the top cylinder is discharged
through the hopper S which is connected to the bottom feed hopper T by a
pipe s. The charcoal then passes through the bottom cylinder and is dis-
charged through the hopper U into the cooling box V, which is provided with
sliding, doors at the bottom V, V, V₁. U¹ is a peep glass fixed to the hopper
for examining the charcoal while being reburnt. A pipe Y is fitted to the
top discharge hopper S, S, for the purpose of carrying off the vapours or
gases, and also the dust and finer particles given off during the process of
reburning, the same being taken into any convenient chamber or flue, where
the dust. and fine particles are deposited. d, d, is the fire-door, and d¹ the
ash-pit. The division plates N, N, Figures 8 and 9, are shewn so arranged in
the cylinder that there is an open space between each, as shewn at x, x, x.
The cylinder shewn in Figures 6 and 7 has four grooves M², M³, M³, M²,
extending the whole length, in which are slid in from one end division plates
N, N, N, N, placed alternately at right angles to each other; these plates
having ribs cast or formed thereon similar to those shewn in cylinders A and B,
Figure 2.
may here observe that I have entered into the foregoing details of the
arrangement of the retorts or cylinders with the view of enabling my said
Invention to be clearly understood, and it should especially be remarked that
the retorts or cylinders may be mounted and actuated in various ways, and
that they may also be used singly instead of in pairs as shewn in the Drawing,
although I consider the latter the preferable mode of arranging them, the
top cylinder acting as a drying cylinder ensures the charcoal being thoroughly
reburnt in the lower, whilst a saving of fuel is effected.

page_text: Having thus fully described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention,
and the manner in which it is to be performed, I would observe in conclusion
that I do not confine or restrict myself to the use of the precise details herein-
before described and set forth, as variations may be made therein without
affecting or departing from the principles of my said Invention; and that
what I consider novel and original, and therefore claim as constituting the
Invention secured to me by the said herein-before in part recited Letters
Patent are, the construction and internal arrangement of revolving retorts or
cylinders for reburning or recarbonizing animal charcoal, as substantially
herein-before set forth and described, or any mere modifications thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said Paul Thomas Goodwin, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of September, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
Witness,
R. S. MORDAUNT VAUGHAN,
54, Chancery Lane.
PAUL T. GOODWIN. (L.s.)