Improvements in the Mode and Means Employed for Charging and Discharging Retorts used in the Manufacture of Gas.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Apr., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Jan., 1891-Accepted, 14th Feb., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Mode and Means Employed for Charging and
Discharging Retorts used in the Manufacture of Gas.
I SAMUEL JOSEPH WOODHOUSE of 24 Bowling Green Terrace Holbeck Leeds
in the County of York, Gas Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
.
My invention consists in a new method and means for charging and discharging
the retorts in which coal is heated in order to distill and drive off the gas. The
method at present almost universally employed is to throw in the coal by hand and
shovel from the opposite sides or open ends of the retorts. Apart from the fact
that such a crude method cannot be expected to distribute the coal with any
uniformity or evenness over or along the bottom of the retort, there is much loss
both of gas and fuel owing to the time required for discharging and subsequently
charging the retort, and to the great loss of heat due to the cooling of the retort,
whilst both ends are open.
Moreover the labour in front of these retorts, whilst
they are being discharged and charged, is great and oppressive. The object of my
invention is to obviate or reduce to a minimum the loss and disadvantages just
referred to.
My invention consists in the first place of a long scoop or charger, formed in two
halves, which are so connected together, that when the underside of the respective
halves are brought together, the scoop or charger forms a long trough open at the
top, and is capable of holding at once the full charge of coal for the retort, or rather
for a length of the retort equal to the length of the scoop. Usually the retorts are
so long that they are fed from opposite sides to the centre, in which case I make
the length of my scoop or charger one half the length of the retort, and I charge the
latter by means of two scoops one at or from each end. By an arrangement of
pinion and two gear wheels, I first disconnect the two half bottoms of the scoop and
then open them out away from each other, the sides of the scoop meanwhile rising
and eventually more or less overlapping each other in close proximity to the crown
of the retort. As the two half bottoms open out away from each other and assume
an inclined position, the coal contained in the scoop drops out on to the floor or
bottom of the retort, in a uniform or even manner, and without packing or
cramming.
As the scoop when full is of considerable weight, I provide lifting mechanism or
tackle, which is supported from a radial swinging arm attached to the buckstaves
or cast iron brackets employed for tying the brickwork of the retort chambers
together; or from longitudinal guides or supports running along or in front of the
face of the retort chambers. Such mechanism may consist of a rack and pinion
arrangement, differential pulley blocks, or a nut and screw arrangement. In the
case of small plants I provide a carriage or barrow to which the above mechanism
is attached, so as to make it portable and capable of being moved from one set of
retorts to another. In order to facilitate the running in and withdrawal of the scoop,
into and from the retort, I provide the back end of the scoop with runners.
For the purpose of withdrawing the charge I employ a long rake or drag, provided
with prongs or scrapers and having attached at its far end a semi-circular hinged
flap or rake. The former serve to pull out the main body of the coke, whilst the
latter withdraws the smaller loose pieces which would otherwise be left behind or
require the rake to be inserted a second time. By this arrangement the retort is
properly discharged or emptied at one draw. The underside of the rake is provided
with a linked rod or chain, which engages with a chain- or tooth-wheel at the front

page_text: (outside) of the retort, such wheel when rotated' by suitable mechanism giving the
necessary purchase or draw for pulling out the coke.
Dated this 2nd day of April 1890:
J. CLARK JEFFERSON,, A.R.S.M., Wh.. Sc.,
2, East Parade, Leeds, Agent for Applicant..
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Mode and Means Employed for Charging and
Discharging Retorts used in the Manufacture of Gas.
I SAMUEL JOSEPH WOODHOUSE of 24 Bowling Green Terrace Holbeck Leed's
in the County of York Gas Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention consists in a new method and means for charging and discharging
the retorts in which coal is heated in order to distil and drive off the gas. The
method at present most generally employed, is to throw in the coal by hand and
shovel from opposite ends of the retort. Apart from the fact that such a crude
method cannot be expected to distribute the coal with any uniformity or evenness
over and along the bottom of the retort, there is much loss of gas and fuel owing
to the time required for discharging and charging the retort, and to the great loss of
heat due to the cooling of the retort whilst both ends are open. Moreover the labour
in front of these retorts, whilst they are being discharged and charged, is severe
and oppressive. The object of my invention is to obviate or considerably reduce
the loss and disadvantages just referred to.
My invention consists in the first place of a long scoop or charger formed in two
halves, which are so connected together, that when the undersides of the two halves
are brought together, the scoop or charger forms a long trough open at the top, and
is capable of holding at once the full charge of coal for one half of the retort; the
retorts being usually so long that they are fed from opposite sides to the centre, and
are charged by two scoops, that is one at each side. The two halves of the scoop
are connected along the edges of the undersides by means of pins and eye-pieces,
the former being fixed on a long sliding rod attached to the one half, and the latter
being attached to the other half of the scoop. The two halves can be unlocked by
moving the sliding rod, which motion draws the pins out of the eye-pieces. By an
arrangement of pinion, gear wheels and racks, the two halves of the scoop can then
be opened out away from each other, allowing the coal contained in the scoop to
drop out on to the bottom of the retort in a uniform and even manner, and without
packing or cramming.
As the scoop when full is of considerable weight, I provide lifting mechanism
which is supported from a radial swinging arm attached to one of the buckstaves
or cast iron brackets employed for tying the brickwork of the retort chambers
together; or from longitudinal guides or supports running along in front of the
retorts. Such mechanism may consist of a rack and pinion arrangement, differential
pulley blocks, or a screw and nut arrangement. In the case of small plants I provide
à carriage or barrow to which the above mechanism is attached, so as to make it
portable and capable of being moved from one set of retorts to another. In order
to facilitate the running in and withdrawal_of_the_scoop-into-and-from-the-retort,-I-
provide the scoop with two or more pair of runners.
For the purpose of withdrawing the charge, I employ a long rake or drag
provided with prongs and having attached at its far end a rectangular hinged flap
or scraper. The former serve to pull out the main body of the coke, whilst the
latter withdraws the smaller loose pieces, which would otherwise be left behind.
By this arrangement the retort is properly discharged or emptied at one draw.
The underside of the rake is provided with a linked rod or chain, which engages
with a chain wheel at the front (outside of the retort), such wheel when rotated by

page_text: suitable mechanism, giving the necessary purchase or draw for pulling out the coke
without any strain upon the plant.
In the case of large plants, I propose instead of mounting the lifting apparatus
on a hand barrow, (as described for small plants,) to attach the same to the
foot board or other convenient part of a locomotive, and I purpose also mounting
the toothed wheel or other apparatus for withdrawing the above mentioned drag,
and with it the coke from the retort, on one or other of the end buffer beams of the
locomotive. Such mechanism I arrange to be driven by means of a third cylinder
placed at some convenient part of the locomotive, the motions being transmitted by
suitable gear.
And in order that my invention and the manner in which the same may may be
performed may be more readily understood reference is given to the accompanying
drawings and to the letters and marks thereon.
Fig. 1 is a plan looking down on the top of the scoop, when the same is closed
for carrying the coal.
Fig. 2 is a cross section of the same on line A A Fig. 1; and
Fig. 3 is a section shewing the rack and pinion arrangement for opening out the
scoop to discharge the same.
Fig. 4 is a cross section corresponding to Fig. 2, in which the scoop is shewn
opened out to discharge the coal.
In these figs. the dotted line a, a, represents the inner contour line of the retort.
bb and c c indicate respectively the two halves of the scoop. These are connected
as previously described by means of the pins d d, attached to the sliding rod e, and
the eye-pieces ff; and are locked or unlocked by moving the sliding rod e in one
direction or the other. When the two halves are unlocked, they can be opened out
apart, by means of the hand wheel h, rotating the rod i and actuating the pinion j,
intermediate wheel k, and gear wheels 11; which latter actuate the toothed
racks m, m, fixed to the sides of the scoop. The rod i passes through to the far
end of the scoop, where a similar set of wheels and racks are provided. In some
cases it may be preferable to hinge the two halves b and c about two separate axes
(see b c Fig. 4).
Instead of the gear wheel and rack arrangement, the wheels and racks m m
may be replaced by drums and chain arrangement, one end of the chain being
attached to the drum and the other to the bottom edge of one of the halves of the
scoop. Circular sheet iron ends n n, protect the above mentioned gearing from
small coal, coal dust, etc. Three pairs of runners o o serve to facilitate the running
in and withdrawal of the scoop to and from the retort.
Figs. 5 and 6 shew two arrangements for lifting the loaded scoop intended chiefly
for small or moderate sized gas plants.
In Fig. 5, p indicates one of the buckstaves of the retort chambers. A vertical
shaft is carried in two brackets, cast on or otherwise attached to the
buckstaff p. A sliding shoes is fitted over the shaft g, and on this shoe rests the
socket of a radial swinging arm ", provided with a traversing carriage v, to which
the link chains from the scoop are attached. A balance wheel is mounted on
the top of the buckstaff p, and round it is passed a rope or chain attached at the
one end to the shoes and carrying at the other end a balance weight. Or more
preferably the shoes is attached to a differential pulley arrangement mounted on
the buckstaff in place of the wheel w.
2.
In Fig. 6 represents the carriage or barrow before mentioned. On this is
mounted a socket y carrying the circular rack pillar The radial arm 1 is
furnished with a large socket piece 2 which fits over the outside of the rack pillar z.
The socket piece 2 is provided at 3 with a pinion, fitted so as to gear with the teeth
of the rack pillar, and rotable by means of the handle 4. A pawl 5 is arranged
to engage either with the pinion or rack teeth, and so to hold the radial arm at any
desired height. The carriage or barrow a is run up near to any retort which has
to be drawn and charged, with the wheel next to the retort chamber; and the
barrow is made fast to the mouthpiece of one of the adjoining retorts by means of

page_text: short links or chains, which are passed over the hooks 6 on the barrow frame just
above the axle.
Fig. 7 is a front end view and Fig. 8 a broken longitudinal section illustrating
my improved mechanism for withdrawing the coke.
7 is the before mentioned long rake or drag provided with two prongs 88
(see also Fig. 9), hinged so as to give way and lift when being introduced into the
retort (see dotted lines Fig. 8), but incapable of being moved beyond the vertical
in the opposite direction. 10 is the before mentioned scraper mounted at the end
of the drag in a similar manner. 11 is the linked rod rivetted to the drag 7 with
which the chain or toothed wheel 12 at the front of the retort engages. This
wheel is rotated directly by the handle 13 or by means of a set of gear wheels
centred at 14 and 15 respectively, the handle 13 in this case being fitted to the
axle 15. 16. 16. are two steadying or guide rollers for supporting the drag rod 7
so as to engage with the wheel 12. These however may be dispensed with.
I wish it to be understood that the accompanying drawings are to be considered
as illustrations only and I do not limit myself to the exact details and proportions
of the apparatus as shewn but
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in. what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1° The arrangement and construction of scoop or charger, consisting of two
halves hinged together and capable of being locked together, unlocked, and then
opened out on the underside away from each other substantially as herein set
forth.
2° The means herein described and illustrated for locking and unlocking the
undersides of the scoop, also the means for opening out the same away from each
other as set forth.
3° The mode of charging the retorts of gas plants, which consists of filling the
scoop bc, placed near the retort to be charged, lifting the same to the level of the
retort, running the scoop into the retort unlocking and afterwards opening out
apart the undersides to deposit the charge on the bed of the retort and then
withdrawing the scoop.
4° The fixed and portable arrangements of radial arm for raising the loaded
scoop, substantially as herein set forth and illustrated by Figs. 5 and 6.
50 The construction and arrangement of rake or drag, and the means for
withdrawing the same from the retort substantially as herein set forth and as
illustrated by Figs. 7, 8, and 9.
11
01
1
J. CLARK JEFFERSON, A.R.S.M., Wh. Sc.,
2, East Parade, Leeds, Agent for Applicant.