Improvements in and relating to Fire Clay and Metal Retorts other for the Manufacture of Gas from Coal, Oil, Tar, or Material.
Year: 1894

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This Print is in accordance with the Original Specification as it stands after
Amendment (under Section 18 of the Patents, &c. Act, 1883), as allowed by
the decision of the Comptroller General of the 11th day of March 1896...
A
Date of Application, 18th July, 1884
Complete Specification Left, 14th May, 1895-Accepted, 15th June, 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Fire Clay and Metal Retorts
other
for the Manufacture of Gas from Coal, Oil, Tar, or
Material.
ALEXANDER SCOTT Gaswork Manager and PETER MCLEAN Engineer both of
Galashiels in the County of Selkirk North Britain, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to certain improvements in fire clay, cast iron or
other metal retorts used in gas works for the manufacture of gas from coal, oil, tar
or other material and can be applied to the retorts either while being made or after
they have been in use for some time. These retorts are usually made of a cylindrical,
To the open
elliptical or similar form having one end closed and the other open.
end is fixed a mouth-piece having gas escape branch cast on and door for cleaning
purposes.
The retorts are filled with coal, oil, tar or other material from which gas is made
and are subjected to a strong external heat.
In the case of the metal retort it is found in practice that owing to the unequal
heating or expansion and contraction of the metal caused by the oil, tar, or other
material coming in contact with the heated retort or from other causes the retorts
are very liable to crack on the under side usually near the open or inlet end which
soon renders them useless or causes great expense through the leakage of gas, oil,
tar or other material.
The purpose of our invention is by preventing the cold oil, tar or other substance
from immediately impinging on the heated retorts, to keep these from cracking or
prevent them from doing so for a longer period or again when the retorts are cracked
or split, by covering the apertures to prevent the leakage of the gas, oil, tar or
other material and thus produce a greater quantity of gas from the same material.
This also appreciably lengthens the life of the retorts and saves their replacement.
For this purpose we insert inside each retort a liner made of malleable iron or
steel plate either full length of same or any shorter distance that may be deemed
necessary and of any convenient thickness preferably three eighths of an inch.
These liners whether for new or for retorts already in use can be made of similar
shape and size to inside section of same so as to entirely fill them when inserted.
The joints being welded or riveted or can be fitted only to the under portion of
retort coming half the diameter or any other convenient distance up the sides.
These may be fixed to sides of retort by any method that may be deemed best in
the circumstances. One method is by bolts passing through sides or by set screws

page_text: or studs screwed into the metal sides, the boltheads or nuts being countersunk into
liners.
Another method is by angle iron or other shaped half rings pressing hard against
upper side of retort and riveted to liners so as to keep these in correct position.
In the case new retorts any of the foregoing methods of fixing may be
adopted or the liner can be put in mould and cast with retort or can be dropped
into the retort after it has been cast and when partly cool and thus shrunk in, or if
the liner be less than the full circle or ellipse, catch ribs can be cast on each side
of retort against which the edges of liner will press when it is driven or shrunk in
and so be retained in proper position.
In the case of fire clay retorts-these are not at present suitable for oil, tar or
other liquid or semi liquid material as when heated such liquid percolates through
the pores of the clay. To obviate this we insert into them malleable iron or steel
plate liners similar to before described either full diameter of retort or any smaller
portion that may be deemed best and having a plate riveted or welded or otherwise
fixed at lower end to keep oil, tar or other material within the liner.
These can
be fixed with bolts or by any other method as deemed best.
Dated this Seventeenth dur of Jule 1801
ALEXR. SCOTT.
PETER MCLEAN.
Improvements in and relating to Fire Clay and Metal Retorts
for the Manufacture of Gas from Coal, Oil, Tar, or other
Material.
2
ALEXANDER SCOTT, Gaswork Manager and PETER MCLEAN, Engineer, both
of Galashiels in the County of Selkirk, North Britain, 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 :-
This invention has for its object certain improvements in retorts used in gas
works for the manufacture of gas from coal, oil, tar or other gas producing
material. As at present constructed these retorts are each a single chamber or
vessel made of fireclay, cast iron, or other material closed at one end and open at
the other and are built into the retort oven or bench and subjected to a strong heat
on their external surfaces. To the open end is bolted or otherwise fixed a metal
mouthpiece having gas escape branch on its upper side and door for charging or
cleaning out purposes.
In the case of cast iron or other metal retorts it is found in present practice that
either owing to unequal heating, or to expansion and contraction due to the
comparatively cold oil, tar or other gas producing material coming into contact
with the heated surface or from other causes, that the retort is very liable to burn
out or crack on the underside generally near the inlet end thus allowing the gas
and gas producing material to leak through in quantity and speedily rendering the
retort useless.
The purpose of our invention is to preserve the retort from so burning out or
cracking or to prevent its doing so for a longer period or otherwise even if so
burned out or cracked to prevent the escape and consequent waste of gas or gas
producing material by covering up the fissure or crack in the retort.
We effect our purpose by introducing inside retort chamber a liner made of
malleable iron, steel or other approved material extending the full length of retort.
This acts as a shield and prevents the oil, tar or other gas producing material from
immediately impinging on the heated retort and thus allows the latter to remain at a
more uniform temperature throughout.

page_text: At same time if there be any fissure or crack in bottom of retort it prevents
any leakage of gas or gas producing material as the interstices between retort and
liner are quickly filled with carbon.
We do not bind ourselves to any particular thickness or form of liner or any
particular method of keeping it in position.
Preferably the liner should be about three eighths of an inch thick and should
be of similar form to the inside of retort.
In the case of cylindrical or eliptical shaped retorts the liner may be full size, filling
all the space inside.
Or again if it is desired to have liners filling the inside of retort these can be
dropped in loosely or cast with the retort or expanded into place.
In the case of fireclay retorts these are at present unsuitable for producing gas.
from oil, tar or any other liquid or semi-liquid gas producing material as when
heated such oil tar or other liquid material is absorbed by, or percolates through.
the pores of the fireclay and is lost.
We effect the purpose of our invention in this case by inserting a malleable iron
or steel liner or inner retort preferably three eighths of an inch thick and of circular
shape nearly filling the space inside of the clay retort but leaving sufficient room.
for expansion. This liner or inner retort has one closed end welded, riveted or
otherwise securely fixed and made tight.
The other end projects out through open end of fireclay retort and has flange to
which the mouthpiece can be bolted or otherwise fixed. The use of the outer fireclay
retort is to transmit the heat to, and yet protect the inner liner or retort from the
furnace gases or flame.
In accompanying drawing Sheet No. 2 we show one arrangement.
Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section J being the fireclay retort, E the malleable iron
or steel liner or inner retort, B the mouthpiece bolted to it, K being the front
supporting wall on frame of retort bench.
Fig. 7 shows cross section of same and Fig. 8 an end elevation showing flange-
for bolting to mouthpiece.
Having particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said invention
what we claim is
(1.) The combination of a metal retort with an inside liner of malleable iron, steel.
or other material for the purpose of protecting the retort and for preventing the
leakage of the gas or gas producing material through any fissure or crack that may
have taken place in the retort.
(2.) The combination of a fireclay outer retort with an inner iron or steel liner
or retort for the purpose of preventing the gas producing liquids or materials from
being absorbed by or percolating through the sides of the fireclay retort.
Dated this Thirteenth day of May 1895.
ALEXANDER SCOTT.
PETER MCLEAN.