IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY AND APPARATUS FOR CHARGING AND DIS-. CHARGING GAS RETORTS
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William John Warner, Engineer of the Gas
Works, South Shields, in the County of Durham, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY AND APPARATUS FOR CHARGING AND DIS-.
CHARGING GAS RETORTS"
Scaled the 18th January 1876, and dated the 22nd July 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William John Warner
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 22nd July 1875.
I, WILLIAM JOHN WARNER, Engineer of the Gas Works, South
Shields, in the County of Durham, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY AND APPARATUS FOR
CHARGING AND DISCHARGING GAS RETORTS," to be as follows:-
:-
.
This Invention has for its object the production of means whereby gas
retorts may be charged and discharged with expedition and economy,
while the excessively fatiguing manual labour now employed may be
greatly reduced if not entirely dispensed with

page_text: The Invention consists in arranging the retorts directly over one
another in a similar manner to that in some cases now adopted, but this
is not essentially necessary to the working of the apparatus, but to
reduce the number of adjustments of the machine to the retorts, one tier
being charged at each adjustment
5
In front of the range of retort benches are constructed two troughs,
one for a waggon or waggons for the reception of the discharged coke
to run in, and the other, which may be in direct communication with
coal stores at the side of the house, for contaming a quantity of coals,
from which through the intervention of the apparatus to be described 1
the retorts are charged.
Over both troughs and in front of the benches is placed a strong
quadrilateral or otherwise suitably shaped frame capable of being moved
along the whole length of the retort house on a rail or tramway.
It is proposed that the engine or engines for actuating the machinery 1
shall be fixed to this framework, and the boiler too, if found necessary,
but it is preferred that the boiler shall be stationary, and the steam
conveyed to the engines by flexible pipes.
Depending from the upper part and revolving round suitable rollers
near the top and bottom of the frame is a "Jacob's ladder" system of 2
buckets or elevator, which dips into the trough, and carries the coal to
the upper part of the machine, from whence the coal falls into a shoot
or shoots so arranged that the coal may be deposited in the scoop or
other appliance used for charging the retort at whatever height the
latter may be The scoop itself or charger which is raised and lowered
to the retorts, or a fixed scoop for cach retort in the tier may be
employed, is in shape somewhat like the ordmary scoop, but much
shorter, and is propelled by the direct action of steam operating through
an independent steam cylinder placed at its rear The scoop, instead of'
being thrust in the retort in the ordinary way, and then withdrawn, is
not intended to enter the retort, or if so but very slightly, the coal being
supplied to it in small quantities and injected into the retort by a very
quick and sudden action imparted to the scoop, such action being
repeated until the retort is fully charged.
It is also proposed to effect the charging of the retort, when found
more desirable or convenient, by allowing the coal to fall upon a wheel,
fluted cylinder, or drum, which upon being made to revolvo with a high

page_text: velocity will throw the coal into the retort, the proper distribution of
the charge being regulated by the speed of the revolving drum, and also
by a feeding nozzle or plates, which also may be used in the other
arrangement; and the scoop delivery may be thus regulated, and this
again by the speed and position of the scoop, or an ordinary scoop may
be employed actuated in a similar manner to the rakes for drawing the
charge.
The apparatus for drawing the coke consists of a guide or slotted or
grooved tube for the rakes on cach side of tho charging cylinder, from
which, through the intervention of pullies, the rakes are actuated.
Through cach tube passes a rake 1od; to the opposite end to that of the
head is a stud or projection attached to an endless chain, by which the
rake is drawn into and out of the retort The rake heads when entering
tho retort pass in over the coke, and near the top of the rotort, but on
the rake attaining its full distance intended the stud upon the rake rods
wluch traverses the slots or grooves in the rake tubes causes the two
rake heads to turn partially round upon the tubes receiving an axial
motion, embed themselves into or behind the coke, ono head being a
little in advance of the other, when upon the reversal of the action of
the chain the rake is withdrawn, bringing with it the coke.
The coke as discharged falls into a waggon or receiver placed in the
trough, as before described. At suitable intervals this waggon or lift is
hoisted by means of the engines, which also serve to propel the apparatus
generally backwards and forwards in front of the retort benches to the
top of the framework, upon which there is a short rail or tramway
placed, so that the waggon may be run to openings in the side of the
retort house, where the waggon may be tapped, the coko falling down
shoots to the outside of the retort house, or the waggon may be allowed
to pass through the opening and down an incline.
Where the retort house will not admit of this mode of disposing of
the coke the waggons may be run along the trough to the end, and from
thence to the outside of the house on the same or about the same level,
or may be carried overhead to a longitudinal rail or tramway to be used
also for conveying the coal into the retort house. The hoist for coke
may be used also for the setting and fitting up of the retorts.
For cleaning the furnaces a cleaning bar or poker attached directly to

page_text: the charging cylinder is to be employed, and the charging scoop used for
feeding the fires. It is thus proposed to do the whole of the carbonizing
work by machinery.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Jolin Warner in the Great Scal Patent
Office on the 22nd January 1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
JOHN WARNER, Engineer of the Gas Works, South Shields, in the
County of Durham, send giccting
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by ler
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of July, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the
thirty-ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her hoirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said William John Warner, Her
special licence, that I, the said William John Warner, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William
John Warner, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully
might make, use, excrcise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY AND APPARATUS FOR CHARGING
AND DISCHARGING GAS RETORTS," upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said William John Warner, 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 samo 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 John Warner, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-

page_text: a
"
Depending from the upper part of the framework E, and revolving
round suitable rollers attached near the top and bottom of the frame, is
"Jacob's ladder
system of buckets or elevator F, which dips into the
trough B, and carries the coal to the upper part of the machine, from
whence the coal falls into a shoot or shoots G, G, G, Fig 3, so arranged
that the coal may be deposited in the scoop or other appliance used for
charging the retort at whatever height the latter may be The scoop or
charger itself, II, Figs. 1 and 2, which is raised and lowered to tho
retorts, or a fixed scoop for each retort in the tier may be employed, is
in shape somewhat like the ordinary scoop, but much shorter, and is
propelled by the direct action of steam operating through an indepen-
dent steam cylinder I placed at its rear The scoop, instead of being
thrust in the retort in the ordinary way and then withdrawn, is not
intended to enter the retort, or if so but very slightly the coal being
supplied to it in small quantities, and injected into the retort by a very
quick and sudden action imparted to the scoop, such action being repeated
until the retort is fully charged.
The charging of the retort, when found more desirable or convenient,
may also be effected by allowing the coal to fall upon a wheel, fluted
cylinder, or drum, which upon beng made to revolve with a high
velocity will throw the coal into the retort, the proper distribution of the
charge being regulated by the speed of the revolving drum, and by a
feeding nozzle or plates, which may be also used in the first arrangement
before described. The scoop delivery may be thus governed, and further
regulated by the speed and position of the scoop, or an ordinary scoop
may be employed and actuated in a sunılar manner to the rakes to be
herein-after described for drawing the charge.
The apparatus for drawing the coke consists of two guides or slotted
or grooved tubes J, J, for the rakes K, K, placed one on each side of the
charging scoop and its attendant steam cylinder, which also actuates the
rakes through the intervention of chains and pulleys, the chains being
attached to the rake bars, and the pulleys to a part of the framework E¹.
Through each tube passes a rake rod, and to the opposite end to that of
the head (which is partially cylindrical and strengthened by one or more
ribs) is a stud or projection attached to one of the endless chains by
which the rake is drawn into or out of the retort The rake heads when
entering the ictort pass in over the coke and near the top of the retoit,
but on the rake attaining the full distance intended the stud upon the

page_text: rake rods which traverses the slots or grooves in the rake tubes causes
the two rake heads to turn partially round upon the tubes, receiving an
axial motion, and imbed themselves into or behind the coke, one head
being a little in advance of the other, when upon the reversal of the
5 action of the chain the rake is withdrawn, bringing with it the coko.
The cokc as discharged falls into a waggon or receiver L, Fig. 1,
placed in the trough D, as before described. At suitable intervals this
waggon or receiver is hoisted by means of the engines, which also serve
to propel the apparatus generally backwards and forwards in front of the
O retort benches to the top of the framework, which is made overhanging
at the part marked M, Fig 1, and whercon there is a short rail or tram-
way placed, so that the waggon may be run to openings N in the side of
the retort house, where the waggon may be tipped, the coke falling
down a shoot or shoots to the outside of the retort house, or the waggon
may be allowed to pass through the opening and down an incline O, as
shown in Fig. 4.
Where the retort house will not admit of this mode of disposing of
the coke the waggons may be run along the trough to the end, and from
thence to the outside of the house on the same or about the same level,
or may be carried overhead to a longitudinal rail or tramway to be used
also for conveying the coal into the retort house.
For cleaning the furnaces a cleaning bar or poker attached directly to
the charging cylinder is to be employed, and the charging scoop used
for feeding the fircs. It is thus proposed to do the whole of the car-
5 bonizing work by machinery.
It will be obvious that the carriage of the coke over the machine may
take place by using a separate frame or traveller P, Fig. 4, the same
being made to travel over the charging and drawing machine on rails
supported on brackets at the side of the house and along the top of the
) retort stack. In such case the traveller would be formed with two
lattice girders Q, Fig. 4. On the top edges of these girders runs the
carriage R, from which the coke tub is suspended.
Such an arrange-
ment would thus form a travelling crane, a boiler and engine being
provided at one end. The boiler, if of sufficient capacity, may also serve
5 to supply steam to the engines attached to the machine beneath, the
same being conveyed by flexible pipes.

page_text: In lieu of the "Jacob's ladder," exhibited in the previous Figures, a
coal clevator may be employed for feeding the scoops already described, or
the retorts may be charged directly by this machine
For this purpose
on each side of the frame is fixed a ram S worked by hydraulic power,
the ram heads carrying a hollow horizontal shaft, one end of which
works in a stuffing box Fixed on this shaft is a steam cylinder T, with
a piston, to the rod of which is attached the elevator and charger U.
The rams are for the purpose of adjusting the centres of motion to the
varying heights of the retorts, a pump being attached to the main shaft
of the engine to supply the rams with water power. A semicircular
motion is given to the scoop or charger through the intervention of
pullies V, V, V, and pitch chain W, being driven by an eccentric on the
main shaft.
Instead of the charger being driven by the shaft the said shaft may
be fixed, and the charger made to revolve round it by a semi-rotary
engine; the action of the charger would then be under the direct control
of the engine, and would be cushioned by steam in the ordinary way,
otherwise the force of the vibration might be controlled by a break or
buffer. The charger should be counterbalanced on the shaft, but to
prevent confusion this is not shown. The stroke of the piston from the
cylinder T is adjusted to the varying heights of the retorts by ordinary
valvular arrangements.
The action of the charger may be thus described. Steam being con-
veyed to the cylinder through the hollow shaft previously mentioned,
and the vibratory action being imparted, as before described, the charger
immbeds itself in the coal lying in the trough B, and carries such quantity
of coal with it as is necessary for a single motion. The charging is thus
effected in the same manner as already described, that is to say, injected
by frequent and sudden vibrations of the scoop.
Fig. 2 is a plan, and Fig 3 a front elevation of the machine arranged as
first described, and Fig 5 a front elevation of the machine arranged as
last described.
Similar letters refer to the same parts in each of the views.
The whole of the arrangements and apparatus, with the exception of
the setting of the retorts, a trough in front for the coke waggons to run
in, the waggons themselves, the "Jacob's ladder," and the rail or tram-
way for the various parts of the apparatus to run on are now.

page_text: Having now described and particularly set forth the nature of this.
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or
carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that I do not confine
or restrict myself to the precise details or arrangements which are heroin
described or referred to, as variations may be made therefrom without
deviating from the principles or main features of this Invention, but
what 1 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 construction and arrangement of machinery and apparatus
for charging and discharging gas retorts as herein described and shown
on the Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said William John Warner, have here-
unto set my hand and scal, thus Twenty-second day of January,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
SIX.