Year: 1887

page_text: I JOHN ATTERTON of the Iron Works Haverhill in the County of Suffolk,
engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
:-
These improvements consist first in forming that end of the filling scoop which
first enters the retort in such way that it is turned upwards to prevent the coal falling
out at the end of the scoop and so that the portion turned upwards acts as a guard to
and leaves room for a roller or rollers to support the front end of the scoop without
raising the scoop much off the bottom of the retort.
These improvements consist secondly in making and adapting to the cars of the
retort front or mouthpiece a removable bracket roller or rollers upon which the
aforesaid scoop can be placed when charged for filling a retort. The bearings for
the spindle of the said roller or rollers may be made adjustable, so that the position
of the roller or rollers upon it with respect to the ears of the retort front or mouth-
piece and with respect to the level of the retort bottom may be varied. The scoop is
so formed, and the roller last aforesaid (when only one is used) is so made of different
diameters (or rollers of different diameters or at different levels may be used) that
when the scoop is run into the retort the bottom of the scoop runs upon the periphery
of a roller or rollers or part of a roller at a slightly higher level than the bottom of
the retort. But when the scoop is turned over and emptied of coal its edges rest
upon the periphery of rollers or of parts of a roller at a level sufficiently above the
bottom of the retort to allow the inverted scoop to be withdrawn without disturbing
the coal on the retort bottom. The ears of the retort front or mouthpiece may be so
formed that the door can be put in place and secured before the roller bracket is
removed, and the bracket itself is so formed that it is readily lifted on to or off from
the ears.
These improvements consist thirdly in a general arrangement of carrying-bar
runner and gear to lift and sustain, the scoop in a suitable position near the retort
while the retort is being emptied so that the charged scoop can be immediately run
into the retort emptied withdrawn & replaced on the sustaining gear, and the retort
door quickly refixed in position, thus preventing cooling down of the retort_and.
enabling it to be closed as quickly as the coal commences to decompose. For a

page_text: carrying bar iron is preferred fixed, with it central web horizontally, and supported
in a suitable manner from the walls roof or floor of the building or by brackets from
the retort setting. This iron bar carries a wheel with guide-frame and hook from
which a set of quick-motion differential pulley-blocks or other quickly acting lifting
and sustaining gear is hung. The lifting and sustaining gear carries a cradle formed
to receive the scoop. The T iron carrying bar may be prolonged to the coal-store so
that the scoop may be taken on the sustaining gear to the coals; or a suitable truck
for conveying the scoop may be used if the latter is detached from the sustaining
gear.
Dated this Thirty first day of January 1887
THOS. WILKINS,
Agent for the Applicant.
I JOHN ATTERTON of the Iron Works Haverhill, in the County of Suffolk
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:―
These improvements consist first in forming that end of the filling scoop which
first enters the retort in such way that it is turned upwards to prevent the coal falling
out at the end of the scoop, and so that the portion turned upwards acts as a guard to
and leaves room for a roller or rollers to support the front end of the scoop without
raising the scoop much off the bottom of the retort.
These improvements consist secondly in making and adapting to the ears of the
retort front or mouthpiece a removable bracket roller or rollers upon which the
aforesaid scoop can be placed when charged for filling a retort. The bearings for
the spindle of the said roller or rollers may be made adjustable so that the position of
the roller or rollers upon it with respect to the ears of the retort front or mouthpiece
and with respect to the level of the retort bottom may be varied. The scoop is so
formed and the roller last aforesaid (when only one is used) is so made of different
diameters (or rollers of different diameters or at different levels may be used) that
when the scoop is run into the retort the bottom of the scoop runs upon the periphery
of a roller or rollers or part of a roller at a slightly higher level than the bottom of
the retort. But when the scoop is turned over and emptied of coal its edges rest
upon the periphery of rollers or of parts of a roller at a level sufficiently above the
bottom of the retort to allow the inverted scoop to be withdrawn without disturbing
the coal on the retort bottom.

page_text: The ears of the retort front or mouthpiece may be so formed that the doors can he
put in place and secured before the roller bracket is removed, and the bracket itself is
so formed that it is easily lifted on to or off from the ears.
These improvements consist thirdly in a general arrangement of carrying bar,
runner and gear to lift and sustain the scoop in a suitable position near the retort
while the retort is being emptied; so that the charged scoop can be immediately run
into the retort, emptied, withdrawn and replaced on the sustaining gear and the retort
door quickly refixed in position thus preventing cooling down of the retort and
enabling it to be closed as quickly as the coal commences to decompose. For a
carrying har T iron is preferred fixed with its central web horizontally and supported
in a suitable manner from the walls roof or floor of the building or by brackets from
the retort setting. This T iron bar carries a wheel with guide frame and hook
from which a set of quick motion differential pulley blocks or other quickly acting
lifting and sustaining gear is hung. The lifting and sustaining gear carries a cradle
formed to receive the scoop. The T iron carrying bar may be prolonged to the coal
store so that the scoop may be taken on the sustaining gear to the coals; or a suitable
truck for conveying the scoop may be used if the latter is detached from the
sustaining gear.
Fig. 2. is an end view of the same.
Fig. 3 is a section showing the position of the scoop when it is being withdrawn
from the retort.
Fig. 4 is a section of the scoop with view of roller bracket and end of retort,
showing the position of the scoop on the roller while being withdrawn from the
retort.
Fig. 5 is a section of the scoop with view of roller and end of retort showing the
position of scoop on the roller while being run into the retort.
Figs. 6. 7. 8. show other arrangements of brackets and rollers.
Fig. 9 is a plan of the
scoop.
Fig. 10 is a side view of the scoop barrow.
Fig. 11 is an end view of the scoop barrow.
The end of the scoop turned upwards is marked, a. The roller to support that
end, b. The ears of the retort front, c, are by preference made substantially as shown
with slot or stop, c₁, for the cross bar of the retort door, and slot or stop, for the
brackets, d, which carry the rollers, d₁, etc. The bearings, e, for the roller spindle
are adjustable by means of their screwed shanks, f, and nuts, g. It will be seen that
the bar and door for closing the retort can be placed on the ears, c, and secured by
slot or stops, c', while the brackets, d, and rollers still hang on the same cars at the
stop or slots, C, and may remain there till required for another retort. The bottom
of the scoop rests upon the central curved portion of the roller, d₁, whilst being run
into the retort; and when the scoop is turned over and is being withdrawn it rests
upon the cylindrical portions, d₁₁, of the roller. If either of the arrangements shown
in Figs. 6. 7. 8. are used, the scoop rests on d when being inserted and on d₁
when being withdrawn.
'111
The Tiron bar, h, carries the runner i, which supports a differential pulley block
or other suitable hoisting apparatus, k, which in turn supports the cradle, L., which
is formed to fit the scoop m. By preference I use a quick hand hoist with selfsustaining
single chain lift of the "Pickering type.
وو
The working of the apparatus is as follows:-
The scoop being supported by the cradle 1. if the T iron, h, is long enough to reach
the coal heap, or by the barrow, n, if the coals are at a distance, is filled with the
required charge of coals The scoop is then brought nearly opposite the mouth of
the retort which is to be charged; being suspended at suitable level by means of the
cradle, l, and gearing, k. As soon as the retort is ready to be recharged the front

page_text: end, a, of the scoop m, is at once guided on to the roller, d₁, or on to the part of the
roller; d. The workman then lifts the scoop out of the cradle 1, pushes it by its
handle to the end of the retort and turns it over. He then bears upon the scoop-
handle, thus keeping the roller, b, against the top part of the retort; the edges of the
scoop being kept clear of the coal in the retort by reason of the periphery of parts du
of roller or of rollers d₁ being sufficiently above the bottom of the retort for that
purpose. The scoop can then be quickly and easily withdrawn and replaced on the
cradle without disturbing the evenness of the charge on the retort bottom.
•
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:
1. The use of a roller or rollers and adjustable brackets substantially as and for
the purposes herein before described.
2. The cradle, 4, substantially as shown.
3. The combination and arrangement of apparatus for raising sustaining and
carrying a retort scoop substantially as hereinbefore described.
THOS. WILKINS,
Agent for the Applicant.