Improvements in Arrangements and Mechanism 'for Driving and Working Stoking Machinery for Gas Retorts and Machinery used in connection therewith.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Nov., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 5th Aug., 1893-Accepted, 9th Sept., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Arrangements and Mechanism 'for Driving and
Working Stoking Machinery for Gas Retorts and Machinery
used in connection therewith.
I, JOHN WOODWARD of 4 St. Auns Square, in the City of Manchester, in the.
County of Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, to
be as follows:-
There are machines used for charging and drawing gas retorts also for breaking
the coal or cannel and elevators for lifting and carriers for conveying the coal or
cannel used in connection with gas retort stoking machines, and my invention
relates to arrangements by which these machines may be arranged and driven.
The retorts in a gas works are placed in a line and the charging and raking
machines are on carriages which run on rails passing in front of the mouths of the
retorts, the lengthway of the rails being at a right angle to the lengthway of the
retorts.
I arrange the charging and raking mechanism in an ordinary manner each
machine on
carriage with ordinary arrangements for working the scoops and
rakes and raising and lowering them and for moving the carriage, and use a counter
shaft for each carriage having its bearings on the carriage from which counter
shaft rotary movement is transmitted and imparted to the mechanism in each
carriage.
On each counter shaft there is a drum, and against the periphery of this drum
another drum is pressed, the axis of which is upon a lever having its fulcrum on the
carriage, and this drum on the lever comes and is pressed against the periphery of a
drum on a shaft extending in suitable bearings from end to end of the retort house.
The drum on this shaft is or may be made up of a series of drums placed end to end
except at the couplings and bearings for the shaft.
The pulleys on the lever is broad enough if required to span over the space
between the couplings and bearings of the shaft, thus arranged power for driving
each charging and raking machine is transmitted to them in every position of such
machines.
The drum shaft passing from end to end of the retort house is driven by any
suitable gas or other motive engine at one end.
From the same drum shaft or shafts, power is transmitted to the breakers,
elevators and carriers, used in connection with the charging machines, by small
pulleys between the couplings on the drum shafts or by friction pulleys same as
those for transmitting rotary motion to the charging and raking machines.
Dated this Twenty-third day of November 1892.
PETER J. LIVSET,
Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Arrangements and Mechanism for Driving and
Working Stoking Machinery for Gas Retorts and Machinery
used in connection therewith.
I, JOHN WOODWARD, of 4 St. Anns Square, in the City of Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement :--
There are machines used for charging and drawing gas retorts also for breaking

page_text: the coal or cannel, and elevators for lifting and carriers for conveying the coal or
cannel used in connection with gas retort stoking machines, and my invention
relates to arrangements by which these machines may be arranged and driven.
The retorts in a gas works are placed in a line and the charging and raking
machines are on carriages which run on rails passing in front of the mouths of the
retorts, the lengthway of the rails being at a right angle to the lengthway of the
retorts.
I arrange the. charging and raking mechanism in an ordinary manner each
machine on a carriage with ordinary arrangements for working the scoops and rakes
and raising and lowering them and for moving the carriage, and use a counter-shaft
for each carriage having its bearings on the carriage from which counter-shaft.
rotary movement is transmitted and imparted to the mechanism in each carriage.
On each counter-shaft there is a drum, and against the periphery of this drum,
another drum is pressed, the axis of which is upon a lever having its fulcrum on
the carriage, and this drum on the lever comes and is pressed against.the periphery
of a drum on a shaft extending in suitable bearings from end to end of the retort
house. The drum on this shaft is or may be made up of a series of drums placed
end to end, except at the couplings and bearings for the shaft.
The drum shaft driven by friction from the shaft extending from end to end of
the retort house, may be arranged to drive the counter-shaft by an endless belt or
equivalent means.
The pulley on the lever is broad enough if required to span over the space
between the couplings and bearings of the shaft; thus arranged power for driving
each charging and raking machine is transmitted to them in every position of such
machines.
The drum shaft passing from end to end of the retort house is driven by any
.suitable gas or other motive engine at one end.
From the same drum shaft or shafts, power is transmitted to the breakers,
elevators and carriers, used in connection with the charging machines, by small
pulleys between the couplings on the drum shafts or by friction pulleys same as
those for transmitting rotary motion to the charging and raking mechanism.
Fig. 1, is a side elevation,
Fig. 2, an end elevation, and
Fig. 3, is a plan view illustrating my invention applied to the retort charging
and other mechanism.
Fig. 4, is a side elevation,
Fig. 5, an end elevation, and
Fig. 6, a plan view illustrating my invention applied to the retort raking
mechanism.
My invention refers to combinations and arrangements of mechanism for
actuating coal breakers, elevators, charging and raking mechanism used for
supplying coal to and removing coke from gas retorts.
In gas retort houses, the banks of retorts are generally built in straight lines,
with their inner ends back to back in the middle of the house.
The charging and raking machines are upon carriages which run upon lines of
railway that extend the lengthway of the retort house, and parallel to the mouths
of the retorts, the lengthway of which are at a right angle to the railways for the
charging and raking machines.
I prefer to arrange the motor for driving the mechanism at one end and at about
the middle of the retort house, using a gas, steam or other motive engine.
a, Fig. 1, represents the fly wheel shaft of the motor employed; a', a pulley
upon it; a², endless belt or ropes from the pulley a', to a pulley a³, on a counter-
shaft at which pulley may be a wide one, or a separate pulley may be used driving
by a belt or ropes a, a pulley 6', on a horizontal shaft b, extending from end to end
of the retort house.
This shaft b, rotates in bearings on suitable supports from the wall or otherwise,
at intervals of say about six feet apart more or less.

page_text: A corresponding horizontal line shaft (6) is placed on the other side of the house
to drive the machinery for the retorts on that side..
The shaft b, may be driven by toothed gearing and shafting if desired, or each
shaft b, is or may be connected directly with the first motion shaft of the motor
employed.
Each shaft b, has drums 62, keyed upon it, at say three feet apart more or less,
and these drums are to a short extent rounded or inclined in cone form at the
corners for the purpose hereinafter named.
In about the middle of the lengthway of the retort house, there is or may be
any ordinary machine for breaking up coal, and this breaking machine is or may be
driven from a pulley 3, on the shaft b, by a belt or ropes, the pulley on the shaft
being so much smaller than the drums 2, in diameter, as to allow the belt upon it
to work clear of the long drum (hereinafter referred to) that works in contact with
the drums b².
The coal breaker, delivers coal to the scoops or buckets of an endless chain
elevator C, in an inclined position partly shown in Figs. 1 and 3.
The shaft c', for the upper end of the elevator rotates in bearings carried on
framing c², connected with a hopper coal bunker c³, which is carried on beams c*,
supported at one end, say on the walls of the house, and at the other end on
suitable columns e.
The end of the shaft c', for the upper end of the elevator has a spur wheel co,
upon it, that gears with a spur pinion c, on one end of a shaft c³, in suitable
bearings carried by the framing 2, the other end of which shaft has fast and loose
pulleys, upon it for an endless belt c", which passes over suitable guide
pulleys c, rotating on studs in a bracket secured to one of the beams c, and.
then works upon a pulley on the shaft b, of about the same size as that for the coal
breaker.
The hopper coal bunker c³, is high enough to allow the charging and raking
machines to pass clear under it.
There are two slides e, on the under side of the hopper bunker c³, which are
worked, that is opened and closed, by connecting rods and levers or other suitable
nechanism (not shown) so that when the charging machine is brought under the
hopper bunker, the coal from it may be allowed to fall through the holes covered
and uncovered by the sliding doors c, into the hopper of the charger hereinafter
further referred to.
On the upper framing d, of the charging machine there are bearings for an
oscillating shaft d', and at or near each end of this shaft an arm d², is secured,
the upper ends of which form the bearings for a rotary shaft d³.
On this shaft d³, there is a drum , long enough at least to extend from the
middle of one druin 62, to the middle of another drum 62, on the shaft b.
Each end of this long drum d', is coned for a short length so as to easily pass
from one drum 2, to another drum b, on the shaft b, in either direction when the
carriage of the charging machine is moved along the rails.
At one end of the shaft d', there is an arm d³, or there may be an arm from the
arm 2, at one end of the shaft, to the end of which arm d³, a screw shaft de, is
jointed, which shaft 28, passes freely through holes in two arms of a bracket secured
the
to the framing, one arm of the bracket above, the other below a hand wheel dº,
hole in the boss of which is screw tapped..
A helical spring of sufficient strength is placed between the boss of the hand
screw wheel, and the arm of the bracket, both above and below the boss of the
hand wheel, so that the pressure in either direction caused by the hand wheel will
be elastic, and when the hand wheel do, is screwed downwards, the periphéry of
the drum d, will be pressed against the peripheries of one or two of the
drums 2.
When the screw hand wheel d, is rotated the reverse way (that is to screw

page_text: it upwards) the long drum d', is withdrawn from contact with the drum or
drums 6².
Instead of the arrangement described for keeping the drum d', and drums b³, in
elastic contact, an arm is or may be secured on the shaft d', in about a horizontal
position and this has or may have a weight attached to or suspended upon it, or one
end of a spring is or may be connected with the arm and the other end with the
framing of the charging machine.
<<
The long drum d', may be made of cast iron or may be what is known as a
paper drum
or bowl, by preference.
"
There is or may be a pulley d, on the shaft d³, which by a belt ds, drives a
pulley e, fast on the shaft e, in suitable bearings on the framing of the charging
machine.
The shaft e, may be driven from the shaft №³, by a spur wheel smaller than
the long drum d, in diameter, gearing with a spur wheel on the shaft e, or
gearing first with an intermediate spur wheel, and then with a spur wheel on the
shaft e.
Or the long drum d², is or may be arranged so that its periphery will rest and
be pressed upon the periphery of a drun on the shaft e, and be also at the same
time pressed against the peripheries of the drum or drums 62, on the shaft b.
f, is the scoop which carries the charge of coal into the retorts, the mouths 9, of
which are shown in three tiers.
The scoop at the outer end is attached to a shaft or barrel f', which is in two
bearings, one on each of two separate carriages f2, and f³, which have axles and
wheels that run in a channel iron frame 4, in the lengthway of the scoop.
The inner carriage (2) bearing, for the scoop f, stops at the end of the channel
iron framing, when the scoop is pushed into the retort, and then the barrel or
shaft f, of the scoop with the outer carriage f³, can move forward until it comes
against the inner carriage bearing f2.
The scoop is supported upon a horn plate, over which it slides, at the inner end
of the channel iron framing 4, nearest the retorts 9:
The scoop and framing upon which it is carried, has to be raised and lowered
between and against suitable vertical guides upon the framing d, to bring the
scoop opposite to the mouth of the retort to be charged, and the scoop has also
to be moved into and out of the retort and to be turned half round to discharge
its contents when within the retort and to be turned back in the reverse
direction when withdrawn from the retort to be ready to receive the charge of coal
or cannel.
The scoop, is worked in and out of the retort by a chain attached to the shaft
and barrel, of the scoop, and passing over suitable guide pulleys at each end of
the channel iron framing f, in a well known manner, the ends of the chain being
also attached to a drum f, on a vertical shaft f6, in suitable bearings on the
framing.
This drum f, has a key and can slide in a keyway on the vertical shaft f6, and
the boss of the drum f, is connected with the framing carrying the scoop so as to
slide it up and down the vertical shaft f6, with the scoop framing.
At the upper end of the vertical shaft f, there is a spur wheel f7, that gears
with a spur pinion on a short vertical shaft f8, having its bearings on the framing
and upon this shaft f, there is a toothed bevel wheel.
The toothed bevel wheel and spur pinion may be attached together and work
upon a vertical stud secured in the framing instead of the shaft f³.
The toothed bevel wheel gears with one on a horizontal shaft f³, in suitable
bearings on the framing, and the outer end of this shaft has a friction bevel
wheel secured to it that can gear with either of two corresponding friction
bevel wheels fb, on the shaft e.
These two bevel friction wheels are connected together by a boss, and at one

page_text: outer end the boss is formed with a groove for a clutch fork lever fe, having its
fulcrum on a bracket on the framing d.
The two friction bevels fb, have a key to fit a key groove on the shaft e, so that
by sliding them by the lever fe, along the shaft e, one or the other will come
against the bevel friction wheel, on the outer end of the shaft f, and thus the
drum, can be rotated to move the scoopf, either into or out of the retort.
h, is a lever on the end of a square shaft in bearings ou the channel frame for the
scoop and extending the lengthway; which shaft is connected with a lever or ratchet
catch on the framing of the carriage scoop, which catch enters a notch in the
barrel or part on the barrel, and prevents it from partly rotating until the catch is
released by the handle, when the strain on the chain drawing the scoop in
or out as the case may be, causes the barrel and thus the scoop to make a half
rotation.
This arrangement for actuating the scoop in and out and partly rotating it, is
ordinary and well known.
There is also a pair of bevel friction wheels j, on the shaft e, moved to and fro
end ways on the shaft e, and actuated by a lever handle j', in a similar manner
to the bevel friction wheels fb, for actuating the drum f, on the vertical.
shaft f.
These bevel friction wheels j, drive a bevel friction wheel on the upper end of a
vertical shaft, (see Fig. 2) in suitable bearings on the framing, the lower end of
which shaft has a worm 3, upon it gearing with, a worm wheel j, on one end of a
horizontal shaft j, in suitable bearings on the framing.
This shaft, has two drums j, upon it, one at each end, each for a chain that
passes over suitable guide pulleys, on the framing the ends of which chain are
attached to the framing for the scoop f..
This mechanism is ordinary and well known, and by it and the lever handle j',
the scoopf, can be raised and lowered.
There is a similar pair of bevel wheels k, to those above described on the shaft e,
with a lever k¹, for moving them, which will drive a bevel friction wheel at the
upper end of a vertical shaft k2, in suitable bearings on the framing.
The lower end of this shaft k2, has a bevel toothed pinion upon it that gears with
a toothed bevel wheel k³, on a stud in a bracket from the framing d, which has a
spur toothed wheel attached to its boss that gears by an intermediate spur wheel on
a stud in the framing, with a spur wheel k, on one of the axles 45, having the
carrying wheels k, upon them, that run upon the railway.
By this gearing the charging machine can be moved to and fro along the railway
and also brought opposite to the retort to be charged.
The hopper l, on the charging machine is large enough to hold sufficient coal or
cannel for a number of retorts.
At its lower part there is a shaft , extending from end to end of the hopper in
suitable bearings, and this shaft has arms or vanes upon it, which when the shaft l',
is rotated will cause the coal from the hopper to be discharged into the upper end
of a narrow vertical shoot 2, the length of the scoop f.
This vertical shoot has shafts, extending its lengthway in suitable bearings on
the ends of the shoot and each shaft has a directing blade, which in one position
closes the shoot below it, and forms an inclined bottom or director, causing the.coal
descending into the shoot to pass out at a hole in the side of the shoot and into the
Scoopf, previously brought into the position to receive the coal.
The end of each shaft 3, has a handle ', upon it by which it can he moved, and
when the blade in the shoot is turned to a vertical position by the handle *, the
hole in the side of the shoot is closed and the obstruction to the descent of the coal
down the shoot is removed so that coal can then pass from the hopper 1, to the
valve or valves in the shoot below.
The shaft, having arms or vanes, has a bevel toothed wheel 1, on its end, that

page_text: gears with a bevel pinion on the upper end of an incline shaft 18, in suitable
bearings, the lower end of which has a hand wheel ', upon it for rotating the
shaft, and thus the shaft 1.
This arrangement of gearing and hopper mechanism is similar to well known
mechanism for the purpose.
The raking out machine and charging machine start at the retorts at one end of
the house, and pass in succession to those at the other end, the raking machine
first and the charging machine following.
By preference all the retorts on one level are operated upon, and then those at
the next level and lastly those at the higher level, or vice versa, if desired, so that
in such case there is only one adjustment of the height of the scoop and rake for
each tier of retorts.
The mechanism of the raking machine is similar to that for the charging machine
-that is to say, rotary motion is conveyed from the shaft , to a counter-shaft e
and by similar arrangements of gearing from that shaft e, to work the machine to
and fro on the railway.
Also to work the vertical shaft fo, which has a bevel wheel fd, having a key
.sliding in a key groove on the vertical shaft.f, and gearing with a bevel wheel on
a short horizontal shaft f, in bearings on the frame f*, for the rake rod, so that as
the rake moves up and down it keeps up connection with the rotary vertical
shaft f.
The short horizontal shaft 8, has the drum 5, on its end for the chains that work
the rake to and fro, which chains pass from the drum, round a pulley.at each end
of the rake frame f This arrangement is well known mechanism for the purpose.
The mechanism for raising and lowering the rake frame 4, is similar to that for
raising and lowering the scoop frame, except that there is one long drum je, in
about the middle of the horizontal shaft jo, and two chains from it passing over two
guide pulleys, are then connected with the frame f, for the rake about the
middle, which is made capable of oscillation on a fulcrum at the middle of its
length, so that when the rake end ascends, the other end descends and vice versa.
When the rake m, is drawn back to the position shown in Fig. 4, its rake end is
under a T pipe », (see Figs. 4 and 6,) the head of the T pipe being perforated on
its lower side to discharge downwards on the rake rod and head, and this pipe »,
connected by a jointed pipe n', (which allows the rake frame to ascend and descend)
with a water cistern 2, which is filled with water when the raking machine comes
under or about the position of the coal bunker, by a pipe from the water main.
This water pipe arrangement is for cooling the rake when drawn out of the retort
after each operation.
is
The same letters of reference are used on Figs. 4, 5 and 6, as are employed on
Figs. 1, 2 and 3, upon the same or corresponding parts having the same or a
similar function in both charging and raking machines, so that such parts will be
readily understood from the previous description of the charging mechanism.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what 1
claim is.
1. For actuating machinery for charging with coal or cannel and withdrawing
coke from gas retorts, the use of a shaft extending from end to end of the retort
house, geared up with shafts upon the charging and raking machines, so as to
impart. motion to them for traversing such machinery along the railways, and for
actuating the charging scoops and rakes substantially as herein before described.
2. For actuating gas retort charging and raking machinery, the combination and
arrangement of a shaft extending from end to end of the retort house, baving a
series of friction drums upon it, imparting rotary motion to a friction drum carried
by a suitable arrangement of mechanism on the framing of the charging, and on

page_text: that of the raking machines, and imparting the required rotary motion to the
mechanism of such machines substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated
by the drawings.
3. The combination and arrangement of a shaft extending the lengthway of the
gas retort house, for actuating coal breakers, elevators, charging and raking
machines for gas retorts, substantially as herein before described and illustrated by
the drawings.
.
4. The combination and arrangement of driving gearing and mechanism with gas
retort charging and raking machinery substantially as hereinbefore described and
illustrated by the drawings.
De Lis thath don of Avonst 1802
PETER J. LIVSEY.
Agent.