Improvements in Retorts for the Drying or Carbonisation of Sewage Matter, and generally of Vegetable or other Substances.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application,
20th Aug
1007
Complete Specification Left, 14th May, 1898—Accepted, 9th July, 1898
Complete Specification Left, 14th May, 1898—Accepted, 9th July, 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Retorts for the Drying or Carbonisation of Sewage
Matter, and generally of Vegetable or other Substances.
I, WILLIAM HADFIELD BOWERS, of Brookfield Chemical Works, Napier Street,
West Gorton, Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Manufacturing Chemist,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The invention relates to improvements in retorts for the drying or carbonisa-
tion of sewage matter manure sludge cake peat wood sawdust and generally all'
animal vegetable mineral or other substances whether in their natural state or in
a reduced condition which it is necessary or convenient to subject to a process
of drying or carbonisation. The invention is intended for use in a retort con-
structed with parallel flues extending longitudinally along and within the retort
and lying side by side or in tiers or otherwise arranged as may be convenient.
The space immediately above adjoining or surrounded by the flues as the case
may be forms the chamber in which the material to be dried or carbonised is
dealt with. It has a ventilating shaft and a supply inlet and a discharging
outlet for the material in convenient positions.
The chamber, is divided into any convenient number of equal spaces by means
of ribs running parallel to the sides of the retort and these ribs may be of any
desired height provided they do not obstruct the due distribution of heat in the
chamber.
An endless chain is by means of sprocket wheels worked along and in a plane
parallel to the floor of the chamber through each of the spaces so formed in
the chamber. The chain is constructed with bars or scrapers fixed thereto on
each side at convenient intervals. These bars or scrapers are also placed and
work in the same plane as and along the floor of the chamber and they are of
such length as to reach to but at the same time work free of the ribs placed and
fixed in the chamber as before indicated.
By these means the material to be operated upon is swept or dragged through
the several spaces of the chamber until it reaches the outlet and is discharged.
Dated this 19th day of August 1897.

page_text: Improvements in Retorts for the Drying or Carbonisation of Sewage
Matter, and generally of Vegetable or other Substances.
I, WILLIAM HADFIELD BOWERS, of Brookfield Chemical Works, Napier Street,
West Gorton, Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Manufacturing Chemist,
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:―
1
My invention relates to improvements in retorts for the drying or carbonisa-
tion of sewage matter, manure, sludge, cake peat, wood, saw-dust and generally
all animal vegetable mineral or other substances whether in their natural state
or in a reduced condition which it is necessary or convenient to subject to a
process of drying or carbonisation, the object being to provide means whereby
the said treatment is performed more expeditiously and uniform than. heretofore
has been the case.
And in order that my invention may be more fully understood I have caused
to be appended hereunto one sheet of drawings marked with letters of reference
indicating like parts in the various figures.
Fig. 1 is a side view, Fig. 2 a plan with top removed, Fig. 3 an end view, and
Fig. 4 a sectional end view.
' In carrying out this invention I employ same in a retort a constructed with
parallel flues b extending longitudinally along and within the retort a and lying
side by side or in tier or otherwise arranged as may be convenient, see more
particularly Fig. 4.
The space immediately above adjoining or surrounded by the flues b, as the
case may be, forms the chamber c in which the material to be dried or carbonised.
is dealt with. It has one or more ventilating shafts d and a supply inlet e and
a discharge outlet f for the material in convenient positions, say the supply
inlet e being formed in the roof and the discharge outlet f in the floor of the
chamber c. The latter is divided into any convenient number of equal spaces
or compartments by means of ribs 9 running parallel to the sides of the retort
which ribs may be of any desired height provided they do not obstruct the due
distribution of heat in the chamber c, and serve to prevent the material under
treatment of two adjacent spaces or compartments mixing.
An endless chain by means of sprocket wheels is worked along and in a
plane parallel to the floor of the chamber c through each of the spaces or com-
partments so formed in the said chamber. The chain his constructed with bars
or scrapers fixed thereto and projecting therefrom at each side at convenient
intervals. These bars or scrapers are also placed and work in the same plane
as and along the floor of the chamber c and are of such length as to reach to,
but at the same time work free of, the ribs g placed and fixed in the chamber c
as before indicated.
The material to be treated is introduced into the chamber c through the inlet e
and is then swept or dragged through the several spaces or compartments of
the chamber c by the chain h until it reaches the outlet f where it is discharged.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim, is:-
1st. In retorts for the drying or carbonisation of sewage matter and generally
of vegetable or other substances, a hot air chamber c having a material supply

page_text: inlet e and material discharge outlet f, in combination with an endless chain
carrying at its underside scrapers k, which, by the said chain, are moved along
and in contact with the floor of the hot air chamber c, all substantially as set
forth.
2nd. In combination with the travelling scrapers k, ribs g on the floor of the
hot air chamber c between the ends of the said scrapers adapted to form spaces
or compartments for the said scrapers to move in, all substantially as and for
the purpose set forth.