IMPROVEMENTS IN REVOLVING RETORTS AND IN THE MODE OF APPLYING HEAT TO THE SAME, DESIGNED FOR PRODUCING OIL FROM COALS, SHALES, CANNELS, AND OTHER SUBSTANCES, OR FOR DISTILLING OILS
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Gano Winter, of Chester, in the County of
Chester, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN REVOLVING RETORTS AND
IN THE MODE OF APPLYING HEAT TO THE SAME, DESIGNED FOR PRODUCING OIL
FROM COALS, SHALES, CANNELS, AND OTHER SUBSTANCES, OR FOR DISTILLING
OILS."
Scaled the 2nd June 1865, and dated the 5th December 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Gano Winter, at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
5th December 1864.
I, JOHN GANO WINTER, of Chester, in the County of Chester, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN REVOLVING
RETORTS AND IN THE MODE OF APPLYING HEAT TO THE SAME, DESIGNED FOR PRO+
DUCING OIL FROM COALS, SHALES, CANNELS, AND OTHER SUBSTANCES, OR FOR DISTILLING
Os," to be as follows:-
The nature of my Invention consists in the application of heat to that
portion of the retort which is covered in its interior by the substance from
which the extracts are to be obtained; the heat being applied to such portion
enables me to employ very thin wrought, rolled, or cast metals in the con-
struction of the body of the retort, thereby cheapning the construction and
effecting a saving of fuel, and also enabling me by such confinement of the
heat to impart an adequate quantity of the same to the solid or liquid contents,
as the case may be, without superheating the oily vapors within the retort,

page_text: which depreciates their value. By means of dampers, which may be auto-
matic or adjustable by hand, or by fixed obstructions which will to a certain
extent control the fire, I limit the application of heat to about one-half of the
body of the retort, making it as much less in practice than one-half as may
be required to produce the desired results.
In constructing my improved retorts I make the elevating buckets or ribs
extending the length of said retort at least three and one-fourth inches in
width, thereby bringing the entire body of contents into more uniform and
thorough contact with the heated metal, and thereby securing a more perfect
permeation or dissemination of heat throughout the substances desired to be
decomposed or distilled.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Gano Winter, in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 5th June 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
GANO WINTER, of Chester, in the County of Chester, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-eighth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said John Gano Winter, Her special licence that I, the said
John Gano Winter, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said John Gano Winter, 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, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN REVOLVING RETORTS AND IN THE MODE OF APPLYING
HEAT TO THE SAME, DESIGNED FOR PRODUCING OIL FROM COALS, SHALES, CANNELS,
AND OTHER SUBSTANCES, OR FOR DISTILLING OILS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said John Gano Winter, my exocutors 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Gano Winter, 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 follow-
ing statement; referonce being had to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings
making a part of this Specification :-
My Invention consists in the application of the active heat to that portion
only of the retort where the interior surface is covered by the substance being
decomposed, and the means employed for limiting and regulating the said
application, in order to prevent so far as practicable any injury to the extracts
obtained from said substances, and thereby economizing fuel and time in the
process of decomposition by the use of thinner material in the construction of
the retort.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of my improved retort; Figure 2 is a
transverse section of the same; Figure 3 is a side elevation, and Figure 4 a
transverse section of a modified form of said retort. Like letters refer to
corresponding parts in each of the Figures.
A foundation or support A, Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4, is constructed of brick-
work or other suitable material. On this foundation are fixed the bearings a
for the journals of the revolving retort B to work in. The retort B is of the
usual form; and may be constructed of wrought iron, as shewn in Figures i
and 2, or of cast iron, as shewn in Figures 3 and 4. C, Figurès 1 and 2, is
a hollow shaft extending from end to end through the interior of the retort,
and securely fixed to the ends thereof. The ends of this shaft are supported
in the bearings a, and the retort B and shaft C revolve together. The
apertures 6 in the hollow shaft c are made to allow the vapor distilled from
the substance being decomposed to enter said shaft and pass off in the direction'
indicated by the arrows, Figure 1, into the condensers. These condensers" aro
constructed in the usual manner, and are not therefore èxhibited in the
Drawings. Instead of the hollow shaft C; with the apertures b for the escape
of the vapor, the journals may be formed of short pieces or studs C', as shown
in Figures 3 and 4.
D, Figures 1, 2, and 4, are the elevating ribs or brackets, extending the
entire length of the retort. In Figures 1 and 2 these ribs are shown made of
T iron, rivetted or otherwise secured to the interior of the shell of the retort,
but in Figure 4 the said ribs are shown formed by the flanges of the cast-iron
segments c composing the shell of the retort. E, Figures 2 and 4, is the coal
or other substance to be decomposed; F is the furnace; and G, Figures 1, 2,
8, and 4, is the jackets encasing the upper portion of the retort. In Figures
3 and 4 this jacket is shown capable of being opened so as to reduce the

page_text: temperature of the retort when required, and to render any part of said retort
easy of access for repairs or other purposes.
Hand H, Figures 2 and 4, are dampers, consisting of plates of iron or
other suitable material, extending the entire length of the retort, and so
arranged as to close when required the space between the sides of the founda-
tion A and the side of the retort B, in order to prevent a current of heated
air passing round the portion of the retort not covered by the coal or other sub-
stance. The dampers H and H¹ are made to work on hinged joints d, so that
the edges and e¹ of said dampers may rest upon the surface of the retort B
without causing any obstruction to the motion of said retort. The damper H
is made to rest upon the surface of the retort, at such an angle as to be
kept in contact with said surface by the weight of the material forming said
damper, while the damper H', being on the under side of the retort B, is
kept in contact therewith by means of the weight of fixed on the arm or lever g,
Figures 2 and 4.
Instead of the dampers being kept in positions by means of weights, as
shown, springs or other like means may be employed for that purpose. I do
not confine myself, to the particular form and arrangement of damper here
described, as any equivalent means, whether consisting of dampers adjustable
by hand or otherwise (or if preferred fixed obstructions), may be used, the
object being to confine the application of the active heat to that part of the
retort covered by the coal or other substance being decomposed. The heated
surface being so limited the active heat from the furnace is communicated
more directly and undividedly to the coal or other substance treated than in
any apparatus heretofore employed, and the fuel is economized. The active
beat being shut off from that part of the retort occupied by the vapor a higher
degree of heat may be maintained in the furnace without superheating said
vapor, and thus the process of decomposition may be carried on with greater
rapidity without impairing the quality of the oil or other products eliminated.
The operation of my improved retort is as follows:-The coal or other
substance treated being placed in the interior of said retort, the fire is
lighted in the furnace F, the flue damper I is opened, and the retort B is
caused to revolve by any suitable means. The active heat and products of
combustion, which in the apparatus at present in use pass entirely around the
perimeter of the retort, by my improved arrangement are limited to that por-
tion of the under surface of the retort contained between the dampers H and
H. The heated air and products of combustion after traversing the same
escape through the flue j. Now it is obvious that as the retort revolves in
its bearings every part of its exterior is brought successively in contact with

page_text: the heated air of the furnace, but since the coal or other contents of the retort
shifts so as always to cover the part so in contact, a great proportion of the
heat contained in said part is abstracted and absorbed by the contents of the
retort before said part comes in contact with the vapor in the part not in
contact with the substance being treated. The heat being thus rapidly
absorbed by the contents of the retort, the said retort may be constructed of
thinner metal, and therefore at a less cost than heretofore, and the consumption
of fuel is greatly reduced.
In order that the substance to be treated may be thoroughly and rapidly
shifted, and thus be brought into complete and uniform contact with the
surface of the heated metal, the elevating ribs or brackets D extending the
entire length of the interior of the retort, are preferably made not less than
three and one-fourth inches in width, and wider if necessary.
Having thus fully described said improvements, and shewn how the same
may be conveniently and advantageously carried into practice, I claim the
Invention substantially as herein set forth and illustrated in the annexed Sheet
of Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Gano Winter, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Third day of June, One thousand eight hundred
and sixty-five.
JOHN G. WINTER. (L.S.)
Witness,
GEORGE IIASELTINE,
International Patent Office,
No. 8, Southampton Buildings,
Chancery Lane,
London.