CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF MANUFACTURING RETORTS, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH
Year: 1847

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I; ORLANDO
BROTHERS, of Blackburn, in the County of Lancaster, Civil Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at. West-
minster, the Nineteenth day of August, in the eleventh year of Her reign, and
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty-seven, did,
for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said Orlando
Brothers, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I,
the said Orlando Brothers, my executors, administrators, and assigns, and such
others as I, the said Orlando Brothers; my executors, administrators, or assigns,
should at any time agree with and no others, from time to time, and at all
times during the term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might.
make, use, exercise, and vend, within England and Wales, and the Town of
Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD
OF MANUFACTURING RETORTS, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS CONNECTED
THEREWITH;" in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso, that I; the
said: Orlando Brothers, shall causer a particular description of the nature of
my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to
be inrolled in Her Majesty's High. Court of Chancery within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters
Patent, as in and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully
and at-large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Orlando Brothers, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention,
and the manner in which the same is to be performed, is particularly described
and ascertained in and by the Drawings hereto annexed and the following
explanation thereof (that is to say) :-
My Invention applies more particularly to retorts to be employed in the
manufacture of gas for illumination, and consists of an improved method of
manufacturing such retorts from plastic substances by the use or employment
of a contracting core or mould, upon which the retorts are formed, composed
of inclined planes or wedges, and other apparatus connected therewith, as
hereafter described, and so arranged that as such plastic substances contract
in drying, the solid core or mould can be made to contract also, and, conse-
quently, prevent such retorts from cracking or becoming distorted whilst
drying, and previous to their being placed in the kiln. I prefer making such
retorts of what is called the D shape; but I distinctly wish it to be understood,
that I do not bind myself to any particular shape or form providing the same
Inrinciple is employed

page_text: frame A; h, h, are iron wheels by which the retort and frame can be more
easily moved (see Figure 2).
Figure 2 is a longitudinal elevation or view of the cast-iron frame and
apparatus by which the retorts are made, being eight feet long, sixteen inches
wide, thirteen and a half inches high, and three inches thick, or thereabouts;
the said frame is composed of the front piece A, A, the sides E, E, the end
piece H, H, and the bottom of wood or iron b, b, b; the depth of the rectan-
gular frame being about nine inches. B, B, represents the projection of the
contracting solid mould; the same letters in this Figure refer to similar parts
of the apparatus as in Fig. 1 as there described.
Figure 3 is a plan view of the afore-mentioned frame, showing the top part
of the mould or core B, B, and C, C, being that part of it marked 2, 6, and 3,
in Figure 9. F, F. shews the manner in which the plastic substance
surrounds the mould or core; there is a groove in the centre of the middle
piece m, m, m.
Figure 4, a front view of the mould or core, consisting of nine inclined.
planes or wedges, viz. B, B, B; the centre piece has two rabbits affixed to it.
to keep the entire core together..
Figure 5 is a view of the reverse end of the core..
Figure 6 is a plan of the bottom part of the core or mould, the middle,
piece tapering toward the end C.
Figure 7 is a plan of the middle part of the core or mould (see Figures 4.
and 5), the two side pieces tapering in a longitudinal direction towards the
end C, C, but increasing in their vertical depth towards the ends C, C, as,
shewn in Figures 4 and 5.
Figure 8 is a vertical longitudinal section of the core or mould through
about the centre in Figures 4 and 5; it is a section also of that part of the.
core or mould numbered 6, 7, and 1, in Figure 9.
Figure 9 this Figure and all hereafter described are drawn to a scale of
about one inch to one foot. This Figure shews a vertical section through
Figure 2, the retort supposed to be just made with the core or mould in it.
The numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9, will be hereafter explained in the.
mode of manufacturing the retorts.
Figure 10 shews the plastic substance, bottom sides, and end laid down...
Figure 11 shews the plastic bottom and one end laid down.
Figure 12 shows a retort with the core or mould drawn out, and all the.
apparatus stripped off it ready to go into the kiln to be burnt.
:
}
Figure 13 shews a retort that has had the core or mould drawn out with;
the laths f, f, and the sickle-shaped pieces of iron g, g, y, attached to the frame,

page_text: A, A; these laths prevent the semicircular part of the retort from settling
outwards by its own weight, and thereby keep the retort in its shape until dry.
Figure 14 shews the first part of the core or mould that is drawn out,
numbered 1 in Figures 9, 10, and 11.
Figure 15 shews the second part of the core or mould that is drawn out,
numbered 2 and 3 in Figures. 9, 10, and 11.
Figure 16 shews the third part of the core or mould that is drawn out,
numbered 4 and 5 in Figures 9, 10, and 11..
Figure 17 shews the retort with the core or mould entirely drawn out,
with the contracting apparatus upon it, which will be hereafter described.
Figure 18 is a vertical section through about the centre of Figure 9, .with
part of the core or mould numbered 6 partially drawn out.
Figure 19 shews a longitudinal elevation of the retort, with the core or
mould drawn out, but with the contracting apparatus upon it.
Figure 20 shews the fourth part of the core or mould that is drawn out,
numbered 6 in Figures 9, 10, and 11. The remaining part of the core or
mould 7, 8, and 9 are now drawn out, see Figure 13.
Figure 21 is a plan of the contracting apparatus; it is composed of four bars
of wrought-iron; by reference to the Drawing a, b, c, and d, it will be per-
ceived there is a nut and screw at each end, but so arranged that the apparatus
can be tightened either endways or longitudinally; e, f, g, and h, are four strong
pieces of wood, which are placed against the ends and sides of the retorts, upon
which pieces of wood the contracting apparatus acts; when the bottom and
sides of the retort are sufficiently dry as to be stripped of the frame and mould,
this contracting apparatus is put on and for about fifty hours gently tightened
by means of the nuts both endways and longitudinally, or otherwise the bottom
of the plastic substance of which the retort is composed, on account of its con-
tracting in drying, would crack, not having sufficient tenacity to overcome its
adhesion to the bottom of the frame upon which it is placed.
Figure 22 is a perspective view of the apparatus in which the retorts are
made, but only shewing the bottom part of the core or mould in the said frame
with the plastic substance around it; the sides of the frame are shewn in one;
also the frame is shewn upon a wooden bottom without wheels, loose wheels
and axles being put under when it is required to move the apparatus; the
letters in this Figure have the same reference to the same parts as before
described.
Description of the process of manufacturing retorts from plastic sub-
stances, as illustrated by the following Figures, drawn to a scale of about
one inch to one foot.-In the first instance, the cast-iron frames (Figures 1, 2,

page_text: and 3,) are bolted together, and the sides inside lined with slabs of planed wood,'
oiled to prevent the plastic substance from adhering to the frames.
Secondly, pieces of the plastic substance used, previously well tempered, are
made into balls about six or eight inches in diameter; then the man employed
in making the retorts begins at either end of the frame, and with tolerable
force throws these balls of the plastic substance upon the bottom of the frame,
and at the same time as he goes along towards the opposite end kneads these
balls well together until the thickness of the substance used is as thick as the
depth of the frame A, A, under the core or mould B, B, B, (Figure 1),.more
particularly shewn in Figure 18 at i, i. The surface of the plastic substance is
then worked level and of uniform thickness by a straight edge, the frame i, i,
(Figure 18) being the guide for thickness.
Thirdly, the core or mould (Figures 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8,) is now put together
and laid upon the bottom of the plastic substance (see Figure 11), and placed
within the frame as shewn in Figures 1, 2, and 3, but without the apparatus.
ffff, and g, 9, 9, 9, in the former. At one side (see Figure 11) two pieces
of wood, about six inches long and three inches thick, are placed, also one at the
end of the core or mould, so as to keep the core steady whilst .the plastic
substance k (Figure 11) is worked into the bottom at.l, until.level with the
top of the frame at E. The pieces of wood are.now removed, and the opposite
side and end are in turn filled with the plastic substance, care being taken to
work it well in. This stage of the process will be seen by referring to
Figure 10, in which Figure it will be perceived that the plastic substance
surrounds the core or mould as high as E, E.
Fourthly, the plastic substance is now worked on the top of the core or mould
until the thickness is equal to d, d, Figure 1, and d, d, Figure 18. After this
a straight edge is placed upon the curved part of the front plate A, A, and end
plate H, H, (Figure 2,) and worked right and left, and vice versâ; also, see
Figures 18 and 19, the plastic substance, by these means, is made of equal
thickness and smooth exterior. In this state the retort is allowed to remain in
a drying shed (artificially heated by flues or otherwise to about 90° F.) for
about twenty-four hours, when the different parts of the contracting solid core
or mould are gradually drawn out so as to allow of the contraction of the plastic
substance made use of. The time required in drawing out the different parts
of the core or mould will entirely depend upon the state of the plastic sub-
stance used and the size of the retort made; if the plastic substance be well
tempered previous to use, a retort eight feet long, sixteen inches wide, and
thirteen and a half inches high, placed in a drying shed heated to about 95° F.,
may have the core or mould entirely withdrawn in about sixty hours from the

page_text: time it was first made. The laths f, f, f, and the sickle-shaped pieces of iron
before described should then be put on, and remain on for at least twenty-four
hours longer. After that time has expired, the whole of the apparatus should
be stripped off the retort as shewn in Figure 12, and the contracting apparatus
be put on, and gently but gradually screwed up both endways and lengthways
during the space of thirty-six hours longer; after that the contracting apparatus
may be removed, and the retort allowed to remain in the drying shed until
quite dry. The said drying shed ought to be kept at an uniform heat of 90° F.
during the whole period; should such be the case, a retort of the size before
named will be sufficiently dry and ready to put into a kiln in the space of four-
teen days. In conclusion, I wish it to be particularly understood that I do
not claim as my Invention any mode of baking retorts made from plastic
substances, but that I do claim as my Invention the method of manufacturing
retorts from plastic substances, by the employment or use of a contracting solid
core or mould composed of inclined planes or wedges, and the other apparatus
connected therewith, as heretofore described and exhibited in the Drawings
annexed to these Presents.
In witness whereof, I, the said Orlando Brothers, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twelfth day of February, One thousand eight
Inrolled the Nineteenth day of February, in the year above written.