IMPROVEMENTS IN OVENS OR KILNS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF COKE
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Gjers, of Middlesbrough, in the North Riding
of the County of York, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
OVENS OR KILNS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF COKE."
Sealed the 14th November 1865, and dated the 25th May 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Gjers at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 25th May
1865.
I, JOHN GJERS, of Middlesbrough, in the North Riding of the County
of York, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN OVENS OR KILNS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF COKE," to be as
follows:-
The object of this Invention of improvements in ovens or kilns for the
manufacture of coke is to enable the operation of coking to be performed in a
more rapid, effectual, and economical manner than heretofore. For this
purpose I arrange a number of ovens side by side, and perforate the division
walls with a series of openings leading from the interior of each oven into a
corresponding series of flues, each of which is separated from the next flue
communicating with the same oven by a space sufficient to allow the inter-
vention between such flues of a corresponding flue cominunicating with the
adjoining oven or ovens; or, in other words, the flues communicating with
each oven alternate with and are situated between like flues communicating
with the adjoining oven or ovens in such manner that the flues belonging to
one oven have as much heating effect upon the adjoining ovens on either side
as upon the oven to which they belong. The flues communicating with each
oven by openings, as described, communicate (at their opposite ends) with

page_text: other flues or passages situated at each side beneath the floor of the oven, and
uniting with a central flue or passage, or returning in separate flues terminate
in a vertical flue at the back of the oven, which continued upwards above the
level of the oven to any desired height forms a separate chimney to each
oven; or this vertical flue may lead into a horizontal flue common to a block
of ovens, and terminate in a chimney common to the block.
Suitable openings are provided for the admission of atmospheric air into
the whole of the first-mentioned series of flues communicating with each oven,
the amount of air admitted being capable of regulation by means of longi-
tudinal slides which simultaneously open or close a series of openings, or by
any other suitable arrangement, as required.
In constructing ovens according to my said Invention, I prefer to place a
series of such ovens back to back, and to carry off the products of combustion
by a separate vertical flue for each oven, the two vertical flues for two back-
to-back ovens forming one chimney with a division up the middle and a
separate damper at the top for each oven, but they may be placed in single
rows, and the products of combustion may be led by a horizontal flue to a
common chimney, as aforesaid. In either case, in working such ovens, I
draw the charge of each alternate oven at a period when the ovens on each
side of it are at their greatest heat, so that the flues alternating, as described,
with the flues of the discharged oven keep the same in an intensely heated
state, and when the new charge of coal commences to give off its gases
immediately heat them to such an extent as to cause, by the admission of air
as described, the immediate and thorough combustion of the
burning in their flues still further intensify the heat of their own and the
adjoining ovens, and avoiding much of the loss of heat which ordinarily
occurs during the operations of drawing and recharging, which loss causes
a subsequent serious loss of time and of otherwise available gases before the
newly charged oven and its flues are again brought to a sufficiently high tem-
perature for the combustion of the gases.
gases,
which
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Gjers in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 22nd
November 1865.
· TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
GJERS, of Middlesbrough, in the North Riding of the County of York, s
Engineer, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-eighth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said John Gjers, Her special licence that I, the said John Gjers,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
John Gjers, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN OVENS OR KILNS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF COKE," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said John Gjers, my executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their
bands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature
of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be per-
formed, 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 John Gjers, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
The object of this Invention of improvements in ovens or kilns for the
manufacture of coke is to enable the operation of coking to be performed in
a more rapid, effectual, and economical manner than heretofore. For this
purpose I arrange a number of ovens side by side, and perforate the division
walls with a series of openings leading from the interior of each oven into a
corresponding series of flues, each of which is separated from the next flue
communicating with the same oven by a space sufficient to allow the inter-
vention between such flues of a corresponding flue communicating with the
adjoining oven or ovens; or, in other words, the flues communicating with
each oven alternate with and are situated between like flues communicating
with the adjoining oven or ovens in such manner that the flues belonging to
one oven have as much beating effect or nearly so upon the adjoining ovens
on either side as upon the oven to which they belong. The flues communi-
cating with each oven by openings, as described, communicate (at their
opposite ends) with other flues or passages situated at each side beneath the

page_text: floor of the oven, and uniting with a central flue or passage or returning in
separate flues terminate in a vertical flue at the back of the oven, which con-
tinued upwards above the level of the oven to any desired height forms a
separate chimney to each oven, or this vertical flue may lead into a horizontal
flue common to a block of ovens, and terminate in a chimney common to the
block.
Suitable openings are provided for the admission of atmospheric air into
the whole of the first-mentioned series of flues communicating with each oven,
the amount of air admitted being capable of regulation by means of longi-
tudinal slides which simultaneously open or close a series of openings, or by
any other suitable arrangement, as required.
In constructing ovens according to my said Invention I prefer to place a
series of such ovens back to back, and to carry off the products of combustion
by a separate vertical flue for each oven, the two vertical flues for two back-
to-back ovens forming one chimney with a division up the middle and a
separate damper at the top for each oven, but they may be placed in single
rows, and the products of combustion may be led by a horizontal flue to a
common chimney, as aforesaid. In either case in working such ovens I
draw the charge of each alternate oven at a period when the ovens on each
side of it are at their greatest heat, so that the flues alternating, as described,
with the flues of the discharged oven keep the same in an intensely heated
state, and when the new charge of coal commences to give off its gases
immediately heat them to such an extent as to cause, by the admission of air
as described, the immediate and thorough combustion of the gases, which
burning in their flues still further intensify the heat of their own and the
adjoining ovens, thereby avoiding much of the loss of heat which ordinarily
occurs during the operations of drawing and recharging, which loss causes a
subsequent serious loss of time and of otherwise available gases before the
newly charged oven and its flues are again brought to a sufficiently high
temperature for the combustion of the gases.
The manner in which my said Invention may be conveniently carried into
effect is fully represented in and described with reference to the accompany-
ing Sheets of Drawings, whereof Fig. 1, Sheet 1, represents two horizontal
sections taken at different levels of part of a series or block of ovens placed
back to back, and communicating with a central flue leading to a chinney
common to the whole of the ovens constituting the series or block, that
portion of the Figure (Fig. 1) to the left of the central line A, B, representing
a horizontal section taken at or about the level of the line C, D, of Fig. 2,

page_text: beneath the floors of the ovens, and the corresponding portion to the right of
the central line representing a similar section through the line E, F, of
Fig. 2 above the floors of the ovens.
Fig. 2 (Sheet 1) is a vertical section taken transversely through a portion
of the ovens of the block or series.
Fig. 3 (Sheet 2) is a vertical section of a pair of the ovens taken longi-
tudinally, and showing their position (back to back) with reference to each
other; Fig. 4 is an elevation of the entire series or block of ovens.
Fig. 5 (Sheet 3) a plan, drawn to an enlarged scale, of the trough-girder
tie and slides for admitting air when necessary to the flues of a pair of ovens,
and Figs. 6 and 7 are respectively longitudinal and transverse sections of the
same. Figs. 8 and 9 are respectively a plan, partly in section, and a vertical
section drawn to an enlarged scale of the arrangement employed for closing
the charging holes of the ovens, and for admitting air thereby, as herein-after,
described.
a are ovens forming part of a block or series of such ovens arranged in
two lines or rows placed back to back, as previously described, and having
openings 6 leading from the interior of each oven into corresponding flues c
communicating with horizontal flues d, which open at d' into the central
flues e, leading to the uptakes f (provided with damper slides f¹ for the
purpose of regulating the draught), the upper ends of which terminate in the
main horizontal flue g common to the entire block or series, and terminating
in the lower part of the chimney h. Each of the charging holes i of the
ovens is closed by means of an arrangement of stopper or closing plug shewn
(drawn to an enlarged scale) at Figs. 8 and 9, which stopper or plug is
lowered down into the hole, so that its flanged top rests on the roof of the
oven, as shewn in Fig. 2. The lower parts i¹ of the stoppers or plugs are
formed, by preference, of fire-clay or other like material capable of withstand-
ing intense heat, the flange or upper part being formed of cast iron and
perforated with holes, as shewn, capable of being closed or opened by means
of a plate j formed with corresponding, holes, so that by swivelling or partially.
revolving the plate j upon its axis the holes in, it may be brought to coincide
with those in the flange, or may be otherwise placed so as more or less
to cover and close them as required. The flues c contained in the division
walls between the ovens are continued upward above the openings b, and are
surmounted by the trough ties or girders k, having holes or openings k¹
coinciding with the upper ends or terminations of the flues, and capable of
being wholly or partially closed or opened by means of slides 1, 1, having
holes or openings similar to those in the trough ties or girders, and capable of.

page_text: being moved endwise in the trough or girder so as to cover or expose the
upper entrances to the flues c as required. The ties or girders are provided
with raised brackets or projections carrying standards m, which support the
rails n running from end to end of each row of ovens between the lines of
charging holes. Between each pair of withdrawing doors o may, if desired,
be fixed a crane p for the purpose of assisting in withdrawing the coked
charges.
In working a series or block of ovens constructed as described, I draw the
charge of each alternate oven at a period when the ovens next adjoining on
each side of those discharged are in an intensely heated state, and are in the
midst of the operation of coking their contents, their highly heated flues
alternating with those of the discharged ovens, and keeping up the tem-
perature in them during the operation of discharging. The refilling of the
ovens after their charges have been drawn, and the doors O again closed, is
effected through the holes i, the stoppers or plugs of which are withdrawn for
the purpose, and the coal to be treated conveyed along to the required positions
between the lines of charging holes by suitable trucks or carriages running on
the rails n. When the ovens have been recharged, and the charging holes
closed by means of their stoppers, the discs or plates are turned so as to
ádmit a supply of air to pass down through the openings in the flanges i* to
inix with the gases at the upper parts of the ovens immediately beneath the
arches forming their roofs, and to pass with them into the flue c without
previously striking to any detrimental extent upon the surface of the coking
coal. If the amount of air which can thus be got to mix with the gases
emanating from the coking coal is found to be insufficient for their combustion,
more or less air (at the discretion of the burner) can be admitted by means
of the slides 1, 1, and openings ¹ to pass direct into the flues and supply
the deficiency, but it is preferred, when practicable, to make use only of air
admitted to the tops of the ovens above the coking charges, as described.
The rapidity of draught is farther regulated by means of the dampers f¹,
which control the passage of the currents emanating from each oven, as
required.
Another arrangement slightly differing from the foregoing is shewn by red
lines on Fig. 4. In this arrangement the main flue g, common to all the
ovens of the block, is dispensed with, and a separate chimney q, situated
directly over the uptakes f, employed for each pair of ovens.
It will be seen that in coking ovens arranged and constructed according
to my Invention, the alternation of the side flues of each particular oven with
those of its neighbour or neighbours on one or both sides tends to maintain

page_text: the ovens at a higher and much more steady temperature than in cases where
the flues are not so alternated, and that although the side flues of each oven
are thus of great assistance in heating its neighbour or neighbours, and
keeping up the temperature therein at times when either from the withdrawal
of the charge or charges or other cause, its or their own heating powers are
for the time either diminished or suspended, the heating flues of each oven
are entirely unconnected with and distinct from those of its neighbour or
neighbours.
By these arrangements much of the waste of heat common to coking
operations as ordinarily performed is avoided, while the admission of air
through the highest parts of the roofs of the ovens, so as to mix immediately
with the upper stratum of the gases passing off from the coking coal and to
pass with them into the heated flues without previously striking and acting
upon the surface of the coal, adds still farther to the generally economical and
satisfactory nature of the final result.
Having now fully described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same may be carried into effect, I
desire to point out that it is capable of being modified in various ways without
departing from its distinctive features, I do not therefore limit or confine
myself to the exact forms or details represented; but what I claim is,―
Firstly, the alternation of the flues leading from one oven with flues
leading from the adjoining oven or ovens in such manner as that the said
flues may mutually assist in maintaining the temperatures of their respective
ovens and of each other, substantially as and for the purposes described.
Secondly, the admission of air either through the charging holes or other
openings in the highest parts of the roofs of the ovens to the spaces above
those occupied by the coking charges, substantially as described.
Thirdly, the method of admitting air to the alternated side flues of the
several ovens as required by means of slides, substantially as described.
Fourthly, the general arrangement and combination of parts constituting
coking ovens, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Gjers, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Eighteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
JOHN (L.S.) GJERS.