IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Malam, of Skinner Street, in the City of
London, Gas Engineer, for the Invention of" IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS,"
Sealed the 28th March 1862, and dated the 3rd October 186.1.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Malam at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 3rd
October 1861.
1, WILLIAM MALAM, of Skinner Street, in the City of London, Gas
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS," to be as follows:-
Instead of the usual mode of feeding retorts by hand, I employ a self-acting
feeding apparatus. For this purpose I fit a hopper or charging box so that
its discharge end may be within the retort, and I place within the retort a
scoop" shovel, tray, or box, capable of travelling to and fro therein, and
having a portion of its top covered with a lid or fitted with a plate, while
another portion is open. When the open portion is below the hopper mouth the
scoop or tray fills with the coal or substance to be fed in, and it is then caused
to move till its open part comes away from the hopper mouth, and its other
part comes under and closes it; and when it reaches the end of its travel in
this direction it is driven back sharply, so that it may discharge its contents
into the retort, and return for a fresh supply. This may be done in one
arrangement by moving the scoop or tray away from the hopper by a rack,
screw, or other contrivance worked by a wheel with teeth on a portion of its
[Price 8d.]

page_text: periphery, the scoop in its motion compressing a spring, so that when the rack
comes to the smooth part of the wheel the spring is free to act, and forces the
scoop back again. The shock of the tray by shaking the hopper facilitates
feed. The speed may be varied by a train of wheels or multiplied gearing.
The spring may however be otherwise acted on, and set free by other arrange-
ments. This arrangement may also be adapted for being worked by hand,
by furnishing the scoop or tray with a shank or handle extending out of the
retort, it may in this case also be combined with a spring, so that on releasing
it to the action of the spring it will discharge.
In another arrangement the hopper has at bottom a valve door or moveable
end, which is opened and closed by mechanical means, or it may be done by
hand, a shank passing out of the retort; thus it might be opened by the shank
and closed by a spring, and the coal or substance dispersed or distributed by
V or other shaped bar or convenient contrivance. When I place or arrange
retorts in casings of fire-clay or such like refractory material, then instead
of constructing this casing in one piece, I form it of a number or series of
pieces, so that any one of them may be repaired or replaced without having
to repair or replace the whole casing. And I prefer to form the casing of a
series of arches, each arch consisting of detachable segments, the segments and
the arches fitting together by lapping step joint, bevelling or chamfering, or
the like. The bed may also be formed in pieces. The composition I prefer
is a mixture of 3rds Stourbridge clay and 3rd ground stuff.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Malam in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
3rd April 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
MALAM, of Skinner Street, in the City of London, Gas Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Third day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fifth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said William Malam, Her special licence, that I, the said William
Malam, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said William Malam, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time, and at

page_text: all times thereafter 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
IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS," upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that I, the said William Malam, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of
their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature
of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
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 William Malam, do hereby declare the
nature of the 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 thereof, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and to
the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
Instead of the usual mode heretoforeadopted of feeding retorts by hand (by
opening the end or mouthpiece), I employ a self-acting feeding apparatus.
For this purpose, I fit a hopper or charging box, so that its discharge end
may be within the retort, and I place within the retort a scoop, shovel, tray,
or box capable of travelling to and fro therein, and having a portion of its top
covered with a lid,or fitted with a plate, while another portion is open. When
the open portion is below the hopper mouth the scoop or tray fills with the
coal or substance to be fed in, and the scoop is then caused to move till its
open part comes away from the hopper mouth, and its other part comes underand
closes it,and when it reaches the end of its travel in this direction it is driven
back sharply, so that it may discharge its contents into the retort, and return
for a fresh supply. This may be done in one arrangement by moving the
scoop or tray away from the hopper by a rack, screw, or other contrivance
worked by a wheel with teeth on a portion of its periphery, the scoop in its
motion compressing a spring, so that when the rack comes to the smooth part
of the wheel the spring is free to act, and forces the scoop back again. The
shock of the tray by shaking the hopper facilitates feed. The speed of the
scoop's travel may be varied by a train of wheels or multiplied gearing. The
spring may, however, be otherwise acted on, and set free by other arrange-
ments. Thus, this arrangement may be adapted for being worked by hand by
furnishing the scoop or tray with a shauk or handle extending out of the
retort, it is in that case also combined with a spring, so that on releasing it to
the action of the spring it will discharge.

page_text: In another arrangement a hopper is used, having at bottom a valve, door, or
moveable end, which is opened and closed by mechanical means, or it may be
done by hand, a shank passing out of the retort, thus, for example, it might
be opened by the shank and closed by a spring, and the coal or substance
may be dispersed or distributed by a V or other shaped bar or convenient
contrivance. When I place or arrange retorts in casings of fire-clay or
such like refractory material, then instead of constructing this casing in one
piece, I form it of a number or series of pieces, so that any one of them
may be repaired or replaced without having to repair or replace the whole
casing, and I prefer to form the casing of a series of arches, each arch con-
sisting of detachable segments, the segments and the arches fitting together
by lapping, step joint, bevilling, chamfering, or the like. The bed may also be
formed in pieces. The composition I prefer is a mixture of two-thirds Stour-
bridge clay and one-third ground stuff.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, I proceed to describe
the best means known to me for carrying the same into effect.
Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4, exemplify one arrangement of feeding apparatus.
Figure 1 is a longitadinal section of (portion of) retort, and Figure 2 cross
section of the same. A is the retort; A¹ its mouthpiece or end projecting
from the furnace, as is usual; B is a hopper fixed in a socket b on the mouth-
piece, a tight joint being made round it; it opens at bottom within the
retort; C is a scoop (or tray open at one end), shewn in Figures 3 and 4;
Figure 3 being a plan or top view thereof, and Figure 4 a plan of its under
surface. The scoop is partly covered at top by a plate D, the other part being
left open; E is a rack fixed on the under surface of the scoop; F are studs
(for which vertical or horizontal bars may be substituted), fixed on the scoop,
and protruding laterally from it at back; G is a rod secured at one end to
the back of the scoop, and projecting at the other end through a stuffing
box on the retort end; I is a tube screwed to the retort end, acting as a
guard or box for the end of the rod G to work in; J is a spiral spring coiled
round the rod G,aud fitted between the back of the scoop and the inside sur-
face of the retort end; K, K, are two longitudinal pieces of angle iron on
which the scoop travels, they are secured to the sides of the retort end A' by
bearing struts L; M are two stops or abutments on the bars K; N is a
wheel having teeth on one half of its periphery, while the other half is smooth;
the teeth on the wheel N are the same in number as those on the rack E,
and are in gear therewith. Rotary motion is communicated to the wheel N
by an axis O, projecting out of the side of the retort end through a stuffing
-box, and-carrying a handle, pulley, or-other-driving arrangements. In the

page_text: position shewn in the Drawing, the scoop has the open portion of its top
directly below the hopper, and is filling with coal at one end, and discharging
from the other; but as the wheel N revolves in the direction of the arrow
No. 2, its teeth come into gear with those on the rack, and work the scoop C
towards the end of the retort in the direction of the arrow No. 1, whereby
the plate or cover D is brought directly under the hopper, which it closes, and
thereby stops the feed. The scoop in travelling in this direction compresses
the spring J, and by the time the scoop has reached the end of its travel
towards the retortend, the teeth on the wheel (being arranged accordingly) will
have passed the rack, and the smooth or toothless part of the wheel will have
come uppermost, so that the scoop will be disengaged from the wheel, and
the spring being free to act, will drive the scoop back briskly to its previous
position. The studs M are so placed that as the scoop reaches the end of its
travel in this direction, the stops L will impinge against them, and the blow
will cause the scoop to discharge its contents into the retort, the
open portion
of the scoop being meanwhile brought under the hopper as in Figure 1. If
desirable, the tube I may be unscrewed, and a crank handle fitted on the
rod G to work the scoop by hand instead of by wheel and rack, or the scoop
may be propelled by a rack on the outer end of the rod G, driven by a wheel
toothed on a part of its periphery, like the wheel N outside the retort, or by
other arrangements.
I next proceed to describe my arrangements for feeding the retort directly
thereinto.
Figure 5 is a sectional view of such an arrangement. A is the retort;
B, hopper secured thereto, and communicating therewith by a passage R
T,T, are sliding plates for opening and closing the hopper; they are worked by
shanks G, G, passing out of the passage R through recesses g (with stuffing
boxes at their ends), and round the rods G are coiled spiral springs J, fitted
between the plates T and the recess ends; the hopper is opened and closed by
moving the shanks outward and inward. The rods when drawn outward
compress the springs; P, P, are guide plates for directing the coal in its
descent. The shanks G may be worked by mechanical means, such as those
in Figure 1, or other arrangements, or by hand.
Figure 6, longitudinal elevation, partly in section, and Figure 7, cross sec-
tion, refer to a modification of this arrangement. A, A, are the retorts;
and B, B, hoppers communicating therewith by passages R, R; P, P, guide
plates. a, opening between the edges of the plate P, for the coal to descend.
Here the inoveable ends to the hoppers are revolving valves, consisting of feed

page_text: or compartment wheels 1, T, fitted in the passages K. Each wheel is con-
structed of a number of cella, compartments, or cups set round and converging
towards the boss or axis G, and formed by partitions fixed between the sides,
faces, or end plates of the wheel, a boss on the axis of which closes them at
the bottom or narrowest end, while their opposite ends or mouths are open;
the mouth or open end of each cell must be of larger-transverse section than
the feed opening a, so that when any one of the cells comes directly under the
opening a the hopper will be closed. The axis G may be driven by a handle
or otherwise. As the wheel revolves, the hopper is alternately opened and
closed, and the coal falls from it into each cell as it presents itself in turn to
the feed opening a, and descending as the wheel rotates, is discharged through
the
passage Rinto the retort. W are partitions along the bottom of the retort
for distributing the coal, and increasing the internal heat. The axis G rests
on bearings in the ends of the passages R, R, and passes out at one end
through a stuffing box, and it is provided with a handle for starting, and a
pulley for driving it, or it may be otherwise actuated. Y, Figures 5, 6, 7, is
a socket cast on the top of the retort, into which is fitted the passage R; it
may be luted with molten lead, so that the passage may be readily removed,
and a cap screwed on the retort if the hopper has to be taken off temporarily.
Figure S, longitudinal elevation, partly in section, and Figure 9, transverse
section, shew a modification of this arrangement. A, A, are the retorts;
B, B, hoppers; and R, R. passages, as before described; here the moveable
ends to the hoppers consist of a pair of crushing rollers D, D, fitted in a
chamber just below the hopper, and driven by an axis G, the coal is guided to
the rollers by plates P, P. The rollers are fluted or serrated, and in gear,
and they pulverize or reduce the coal as it passes between them, and con-
tinuously feed it into the retort, acting as they revolve as valves opening, and
closing the hopper ends; Figure 10 shews on a smaller scale two retorts
in a furnace fitted with my feeding arrangements. In all the Figures, Z are
covers screwed to the hoppers by bolts and nuts, and having an opening in
tne centre closed by a luted lid Q, which is held down by a screw, but opened
to feed the hopper. The passages R are preferably secured to the hoppers
and retorts, by flanges, bolts, and nuts. r, Figures 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, are necks,
openings, or passages at the upper part of the retorts, communicating with the
feed passages R, and having those passages secured to them as shown. The
forms of valves or moveable ends shewn at T are the best known to me for
opening and closing the hoppers, but I do not restrict myself thereto, as other
forms may be used in performing my Invention.

page_text: Figure 11 is a transverse vertical section, and Figure 12 a transverse hori-
zontal section exemplifying my improvements in my mode of setting retorts in
fire-clay or other refractory casings.
The casing consists of a series of separate arches w, 6, lying one behind
the other, but close together from end to end of the retort; each arch consists
of two sections or halves meeting at top, with a step fitting as at a, so as to
form a complete arch, and resting at bottom on a fire-clay bed, which may
be in one or more pieces; the edges of the sections are bevelled, so that the
edges of the adjacent arches overlap or lie one against the other. If any one
of these sections has to be removed to be repaired or replaced, this may be
readily done without disturbing the others. Other forms than arches may be
adopted to suit the shape of retort.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same may be performed, I declare that what I claim is as follows, in
respect of the apparatus for feeding or charging retorts used in the manufac-
ture of gas
First, I claim the application to a retort of a hopper and travelling scoop
or tray, arranged and combined substantially as described, whereby the feed
is effected and interrupted.
Second, I claim, the application to and combination with a retort of a
hopper communicating therewith, for effecting the feed, the communication
between hopper and retort being opened and closed by a valve door, or moving
or moveable end, whereby the feed is controlled substantially as described.
And in respect of the retort casing, I claim the construction of the casing
in pieces substantially as described, so that any one of the pieces can be
removed or replaced without disturbing the others.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Malam, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Second day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
Witness,
M. HENRY,
Patent Agent,
S4, Fleet Street,
London.
W. MALAM. (L.S.)