IMPROVEMENTS IN DRAWING RETORTS, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREFOR
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Foulis, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
DRAWING RETORTS, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED
THEREFOR."
Sealed the 26th May 1877, and dated the 13th December 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Foulis at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th December 1876.
WILLIAM FOULIS, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Civil
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN DRAWING RETORTS, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR
APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREFOR."
This Invention, which relates to improvements in machinery or apparatus for
drawing gas retorts, consists in certain modifications of the Invention for which
Letters Patent were granted to the said William Foulis, No. 59, A.D. 1873.
The object of the present improvements is to enable a considerable reduction in
the weight and dimensions of the drawing apparatus to be effected, at the same
time to diminish the wear and tear of the apparatus. These objects are carried out
by making the piston rod of the hydraulic cylinder a fixture at one end of a
parallel frame or a bar, and provided at the opposite end with a piston, over which
the hydraulic cylinder, which under the present Invention carries the rake, passes.
The hydraulic cylinder is provided with rollers or their equivalent for the purpose
of guiding the cylinder in its motion parallel with the frame or bar. The piston
rod is tubular, and is provided with a second tube or passage, whereby in connection
with a reversing valve the water under pressure, by means of which the apparatus
is operated, is admitted to alternate sides of the piston, and the cylinder with its
rake is driven forward into and draws the charge from the retort.
The drawing apparatus with its frame or bar is suspended at or near the centre,
so that its position may be adjusted as required, and the rake lowered on or into
the charge after the rake has been driven into the retort.
By means of the present improvements a much greater hydraulic pressure is
capable of being employed than under the arrangements described in the Specifi-
cation filed in pursuance of the aforesaid Letters Patent, at the same time a
considerable reduction in the dimensions of the pumps, pipes, and accumulating
mechanism for producing the hydraulic pressure results.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Foulis in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 11th June
1877.
WILLIAM FOULIS, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Civil
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN DRAWING RETORTS, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR
APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREFOR."
My said Invention, which relates to improvements in machinery or apparatus for
drawing gas retorts, consists in certain modifications of the Invention for which
Letters Patent were granted to me, the said William Foulis, No. 59, A.D. 1873.
The object of the present improvements is to enable a considerable reduction in
the weight and dimension of the drawing apparatus to be effected, at the same time
to diminish the wear and tear of the apparatus, and to reduce the quantity of water
used by virtue of a smaller sized hydraulic cylinder being under this arrangement
sufficient. These objects are carried out by making the piston rod of the hydraulic
cylinder a fixture at one end of a parallel frame, or to one end of a bar, and provided
at the opposite end with a piston, over which the hydraulic cylinder, which under
the present Invention carries the rake, passes. The hydraulic cylinder is provided
with rollers or their equivalent for the purpose of guiding the cylinder in its motion
parallel with the frame or bar. The piston rod is tubular, and is provided with a
second tube or passage, whereby in connection with a reversing valve the water
under pressure (by means of which the apparatus is operated) is admitted to alter-
nate sides of the piston, and the cylinder with its rake is driven forwards into and
draws the charge out from the retort. The drawing apparatus with its frame or bar
is suspended at or near the centre from a chain or its equivalent, so that its position
may be adjusted as required.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood I now proceed
more particularly to set forth the system, mode, or manner in or under which the
saune is or may be used or practically carried into effect, reference being had to tho
two annexed Sheets of Drawings and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that
is to say :-
On Sheet 1 of the appended Drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of part of the
machinery or apparatus as constructed in accordance with my said Invention.
The machine or apparatus consists of a framing or carriage A, supported on four
wheels B, fixed to two shafts C, two only of the wheels B and one of the shafts C
being seen at Figure 1. One of these shafts C is rotated, and the machine thereby
moved along the rails from one retort to another by operating the handle D, which
actuates a train of bevel wheels (not shewn in the Drawings) connected to the
spindle E and shaft C. The piston rod H of the hydraulic cylinder F, which cylinder
according to this Invention carries the rake G, is fixed at one end to a frame or
bar I, and is provided at the opposite end with a piston J, over which the hydraulic
cylinder F works water-tight by being packed with a cup leather or by other suitable
packing.
The cylinder F is provided at one end with rollers K, shewn more particularly at
Figure 1, Sheet 2, of the Drawings, which is an enlarged partly vertical section
(looking from the back of the machine) of the cylinder F and bar I on the line a, b,
Figure 1, Sheet 1. The rollers K being attached to the cylinder F by the bolts rin
the manner shewn support the cylinder at that end on the bar I, and allow it to
move freely in a direction parallel with the frame or bar I. To that end of the
bar I next the retorts two rollers K¹ are attached, as shewn more particularly at
Figure 2, Sheet 2, which is a vertical section (looking from the back of the machine)
of the cylinder F and the bar I on the line c, d, Figure 1, Sheet 1. The rollers K¹
are attached to the bracket S, which is fixed to the bar I, and thus allow the
cylinder F to move freely between and be supported and guided by them in a
direction parallel with the bar I. The piston rod H is tubular, and is provided
with an inner tube a, shewn more particularly at Figure 2, Sheet 1, which is an

page_text: enlarged longitudinal section of part of the cylinder F, piston J, piston rod H, and
inner tube a. To that end of the piston rod H, remote from the piston J, is attached
a piston valve L, or other equivalent apparatus, with one of the ports of which the
inner tube a communicates, and thereby admits the water to or from the front side
of the piston J. The annular space between the inner tube a and the hollow piston
rod H is for conducting the water to or from the back of the piston J, with which it
communicates, and by the holes c, c, c, it also communicates with another of the ports
of the valve L by the branch b. The water under pressure is let on by or from the
pipe M, and the valve L is connected therewith, the water being conveyed to the
valve L by a flexible tube N, indicated by dotted lines. Another flexible tube O
conducts the water (after having performed its function of moving out the hydraulic
cylinder F) to the pipe P, to be therefrom discharged on to the hot ashes (coke)
after having been withdrawn from the retort, or if not so desired the water may be
conveyed into the duct Q by shutting off by means of an ordinary or other cock
(not shewn) on the pipe P communication between the said pipe P and the flexible
tube O. The frame or bar I and its connexions are suspended by the block R from
one end of a chain S, which passes over the pulley T, and the other end of which is
attached to a drum f, which is actuated by means of the hand wheel U through the
spindle V, tangent screw W, and worm wheel X, and thereby raised or lowered as
desired.
The machine or apparatus having been moved in front of the retort, from which
it is desired to withdraw the coke or spent charge from which the gas has been
made, the hydraulic cylinder F is adjusted to the proper level by means of the
hand wheel U. The valve L being now operated so as to open communication with
the port leading to the tube a admits the water under pressure from the flexible
tube N to flow through the port which communicates with the inner tube a, and
thereby acts on the end of the hydraulic cylinder F simultaneously allowing the
water to escape by the holes c to the port communicating with the annular space
between the tube a and piston rod H, so that the cylinder E is driven into the
retort by virtue of the water acting on that end of the cylinder F to which the
rake G is fixed. The rake G is now lowered on to or into the charge of coke to be
drawn out, after the manner illustrated in my former Specification, No. 3487, A.D.
1874, which simultaneously operates the valve so that the action of the water is
reversed, and the water under pressure being now admitted to the back of the
piston J presses on the end of the cylinder next the valve, and causes the cylinder F
and rake G, with the charge of coke, to be withdrawn from the retort.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and the system, mode, or manner in or under which the same is or may be
used or practically carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I
consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to
me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the arrangement whereby
the hydraulic cylinder carrying the rake is moveable on a fixed piston rod, substan-
tially as herein-before described and shewn on the annexed Sheet of Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Foulis, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Seventh day of June, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-seven
WILLIAM FOULIS. (L.S.)