Improvements in or relating to Retorts for the Distillation of Shale and other Bituminous Substances, or for the Calcining of Iron- stone and other Substances.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Apr., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 28th Jan., 1895-Accepted, 2nd Mar., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Retorts for the Distillation of Shale
and other Bituminous Substances, or for the Calcining of Iron-
stone and other Substances.
We, JAMES BRYSON, of Pumpherston Oil Works, Pumpherston, in the County
of Midlothian, Engineer, JAMES JONES of Dalmeny Oil Works, Dalmeny, in the
County of Linlithgow, Managing Director, and WILLIAM FRASER of 24 St. Vincent
Place, Glasgow, Managing Director of Pumpherston Oil Company Ld. do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
This invention relates to improvements in or relating to upright or vertical
retorts for the distillation of shale and other bituminous substances; or for the
calcining of ironstone and other substances.
The object of our said invention, amongst others, is to prevent or reduce the
tendency of the shale fluxing or dandering within the retorts. In the carrying out
of our improvements we prefer to construct the retort circular instead of rectangular.
In the rectangular retorts as heretofore, there is a tendency of the shale to clog in
consequence of the extra friction caused by the square corners especially at the
part, or parts, of the retort, which is subjected to the higher temperatures; whereas
our said circular formation affords no clogging corners and the material can thus
descend the retort unimpeded.
The
Also to assist in the above object we ensure that there is a continuous motion of
the materials within the retorts by the following means. We provide the bottom
of the retort with a disc or table to support the material within the retort.
said table has a revolving arm or scraper above it the said scraper being preferably
mounted upon the end of a vertical spindle which spindle preferably works through
the centre of the table. The said arın is curved in such a manner that as the
material rests upon the table, a certain quantity of the material is, by the rotation
of the scraper, being continuously swept off the table and discharged into the
hopper below. The arm may be revolved by a ratchet or worm gearing at the
other or lower end of the spindle which protrudes through the bottom of the hopper,
or by any other convenient gearing. The said rotation of the arm thus causes the
column of material within the retort to be continuously, or approximately so, on the
move downwards and thus the tendency of the material to flux or dander in the retort
is prevented or reduced.
In order to pulverize the material before reaching the hopper, we may form teeth,
or their equivalent, upon the lower part of the retort and also upon the table, with
the revolving scraper similarly toothed.
We may employ any equivalent of the table or scraper such as the employment
of a short worm or screw projecting through the supporting table and into the
retort, and operated by any convenient gearing, so as to effect the continuous, or
approximately so, withdrawal of the material out of the retort, whereby there is a
continuous motion of the material within the retort.
As a modification, we may provide the bottom of the retort with a table
preferably convexed or curved on its surface and at each side of the said table.we
provide rocking arms which are connected together above the table by means of a
cross arm or scraper. As the said arms are rocked to the one side or the other
from their vertical position, a certain quantity of material which rests upon the

page_text: table is pushed or discharged off the table first to the one side and then to the other,
into the hopper below. The rocking arms may be mounted upon a horizontal shaft
below actuated by any convenient gearing. The table is also preferably so mounted
upon the same shaft that when the rocking scraper is not in use it can be swung
round out of its fixed vertical position for cleaning and other purposes. The table
may be held in its vertical position, when the rocking scrapers are in operation, by
providing stops at opposite sides of the table which stops can be withdrawn when it
is required to swing round the table.
Either of our said forms of table and scraper may also be applied to either our
improved circular form of retort or to the ordinary rectangular retort or to any other
form of retort.
Our further improvements relate to the providing of a central hutchway from end
to end of the bench of retorts, the arrangement being such that the discharging
doors of the hoppers of two opposite retorts are made to face each other so that
they may both discharge simultaneously into the one hutch. In lieu of a hutch, the
said central passage through the bench of retorts may be provided with a feeding
screw or worm, or endless band conveyor, mounted within a trough, so that the
material from the hoppers may be continuously drawn away and discharged at the
end of the bench of retorts.
Dated this 19th day of April 1894.
JOHNSONS,
115, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Applicants' Agents.
Improvements in or relating to Retorts for the Distillation of Shale
and other Bituminous Substances, or for the Calcining of Iron-
stone and other Substances.
We, JAMES BRYSON, of Pumpherston Oil Works, Pumpherston, in the County
of Midlothian, Engineer, JAMES JONES of Dalmeny Oil Works, Dalmeny, in the
County of Linlithgow, Managing Director, and WILLIAM FRASER, of 24 St. Vincent
Place, Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, Managing Director of the Pumpherston
Oil Co. Ltd. all in Scotland 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 :→
This invention relates to improvements in or relating to retorts for the distil-
lation of shale and other materials; or for the calcining of ironstone and other
substances.
The objects of our invention are to so construct the retorts, and provide them with
means, whereby fluxing or dandering of the substance being treated is prevented in
the retort; also to effect an intermittent, continuous, or nearly so, movement of the
substance within the retort.
But in order that our said invention may be more readily understood and easily
carried into effect, we will proceed to describe the same with reference to the
accompanying drawings.
Figure 1 is a part sectional elevation, Figure 2 a part sectional end elevation, and
Figure 3 a part sectional plan of our improvements as applied to a double bench of
retorts for distilling shale.
Figure 4 is a part sectional elevation and Figure 5 a part sectional end elevation
of a modification. And
Figure 6 is a part sectional end elevation of a further modification.
Referring to Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the said drawings which illustrate retorts used
for the distillation of shale, we preferably construct the retort A as a circular retort

page_text: having its lower end a formed as a taper, or diminished in diameter, so as to present
no corners to the material being treated during its downward passage, as is the case
with the rectangular form of retorts at present in use.
To ensure of the said
downward passage of the material within the retort, we provide means whereby the
material within the retort, is kept intermittently, continuously, or nearly so, in a
state of agitation or downward movement; that is to say we mount at the lower end
of the retort A a disc or table B, in such a manner as to support the material within
the retort A. The said table B has mounted above it a suitably shaped arm or
scraper C capable of being revolved by means of the upright spindle D, which
preferably works through the centre of the said table B. The arm or scraper C is
so formed, or shaped as shown, that on it being revolved a certain amount of the
material resting upon the table B is swept over the sides of the table B into the
hopper or outlet chamber E mounted underneath. The said arm or scraper C may
be revolved by ratchet and pawl arrangements F Figures 1, 2 and 3-or by worm
gearing F Figure 6; said gearing being mounted on the outer lower end of the
upright spindle D which protrudes through the bottom of the hopper E, there being
suitable stuffing boxes and glands e provided for the said spindle D. Or if desired
the rotating arm or scraper C may be revolved either intermittently, continuously,
or nearly so, by any other convenient arrangement of gearing. The said rotation
of the arm or scraper C thus causes the material in the retort A to be intermittently,
continuously, or nearly so on the move downwards, and by such movement the
tendency of the material to flux or dander within the retort A is prevented or
greatly reduced.
Or as a modification, we may employ a table Gas shewn in Figures 4 and 5, that
is to say, a table having a convexed or curved surface and at each side of the said
table G we mount or provide a rocking arm or lever g; said arms being connected
to each other above the table G by means of a cross arm or scraper G', in such a
manuer, that on the said arms g being rocked to the one side or the other from
their vertical position, a certain quantity of the material resting on the table (+ is
pushed or discharged off the same, first to the one side and then to the other, into
the hopper E underneath. The said rocking arms y are preferably mounted upon
a horizontal shaft gl underneath the table G; said shaft being actuated by means
of an arrangement of reciprocating links or levers or by other suitable means.
The said table G is also preferably so mounted upon the said shaft gl that, when
the rocking scraper G is not in use, the table G may be swung round out of its
fixed vertical position for cleaning and other purposes, there being suitable stops
provided at the opposite sides of the said table G for retaining it in the vertical
position during the time the rocking scraper G¹ is in operation; said stops being
capable of easy withdrawal when desired to swing round the said table G by any
suitable means.
Either of the foregoing forms of table and scraper may be applied to either our
circular form of retort or to the ordinary rectangular or other form of retort, but
when used in rectangular retorts we prefer to employ the latter form of table having
a rocking arin or scraper, as shown in Figures 4 and 5 of the drawings.
Or if desired, we may employ any equivalent of a table and scraper, such as a
short worm or screw which would project through a suitably formed supporting
plate into the retort; said worm or screw being operated by any suitable arrange-
ment of gearing so as to enable it to effect an intermittent, continuous or nearly so,
withdrawal of the waste material from the retort.
It will thus be seen, that, by the use of the foregoing arrangements of supporting
table and scraper, the material within the retort will be kept in a state of agitation
and the waste material will be intermittently, continuously or nearly so, transferred
from the retort into the hopper or outlet chamber before it becomes fluxed or
dandered.
Our said invention also relates to an improved arrangement of the retorts A,
whereby we are enabled to provide a central passage or way for the hutches N :
said passage or way extending from end to end of each bench of retorts, and we also

page_text: so arrange the doors or outlet openings P of the hoppers of two opposite retorts,
that they will face each other, and so enable both retorts being drawn or discharged
simultaneously into one hutch.
Or, as a modification in lieu of employing hutches and butchways, we may
employ a central passage from end to end of each bench of retorts and provide the
same with a worm, screw or endless band conveyor Q (as shown in part sectional
elevation Figure 6) preferably mounted within a trough R so that the waste material
may be discharged from the hoppers of the retorts and drawn along to the end of
the bench and discharged.
When desired to pulverize the waste material before it reaches the hoppers we
may form the lower ends of the retorts and the supporting tables and scrapers or
pushers with teeth, projections or their equivalents.
It will be noticed from the drawings that the supporting tables are formed with
one or more slots, holes or openings, so as to enable a push or stirring rod being
used when desired.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1st. In retorts for the distillation of shale and other bituminous substances, or
for the calcining of ironstone, and other substances, forming the retorts circular
having an outlet bopper with supporting table and movable scraper, whereby a
retort is produced in which the material within it is prevented from fluxing or
dandering during the treatment, substantially as hereinbefore described and shewn
in the accompanying drawings.
2nd. The arrangement and construction of the hopper E, supporting table B,
revolving scraper C, and their connections, whereby the material or substance being
treated in the retort is intermittently, or continuously or nearly so, discharged from
the retort substantially as hereinbefore described and shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3
of the accompanying drawings.
3rd. The modification of the foregoing, consisting of the convexed or curved
table G with rocking scraper G¹, and their connections, substantially hereinbefore
described and shown in Figures 4 and 5 of the accompanying drawings.
4th. In retorts of the kind referred to in Claim 1, arranging the outlet openings
of two opposite retorts in such a manner that the waste material may be simul-
taneously discharged into a hutch or conveyor froin both retorts, substantially as
herein before described and shown in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 26th day of January 1895.
JOHNSONS,
115, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Petitioners' Agents.