IMPROVEMENTS IN CONSTRUCTING GAS RETORTS IN THE FURNACES OF STEAM ENGINES OR OTHER FURNACES
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Gedge, of No. 4, Wellington Street South,
Strand, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN CONSTRUCTING GAS RETORTS IN THE FURNACES OF STEAM
ENGINES OR OTHER FURNACES."-A communication from Nicolas Delannoy,
of Tournay, in the Kingdom of Belgium.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said John Gedge at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and Declaration, on the
9th June 1857, pursuant to the 9th section of the Patent Law Amend-
ment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
GEDGE, of No. 4, Wellington Street South, Strand, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
CONSTRUCTING GAS RETORTS IN THE FURNACES OF STEAM ENGINES OR OTHER
FURNACES," and have petitioned Her Majesty to grant unto me, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, Her Royal Letters Patent for the same, and have
made solemn declaration that the said Invention was communicated to me
by Nicolas Delannoy, of Tournay, in the Kingdom of Belgium.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Gedge, do hereby declare that
the following Complete Specification, under my hand and seal, fully describes

page_text: and ascertains the nature of the said Invention, and the manner in which the
same is to be performed, reference being had to the accompanying Sheet of
Drawings, and to the figures and letters marked thereon, similar letters of
reference denoting similar parts in each of the Figures respectively.
The principal object of this Invention is to employ the caloric generated in the
furnaces of steam engines in the distillation of gas, the apparatus herein-after
described being equally applicable to furnaces of every description; and, instead
of increasing the consumption of fuel, diminishing it by reason of the additional
heat given out by the retorts during distillation. The small furnace beneath the
retorts being fed by the waste from the larger furnace doubles this economy,
and in some cases is equivalent to the quantity of coal with which the retort
is charged, consequently the distillation of the gas is performed almost free
of cost, and in this economy consists the great merit of this Invention.
In the Drawing, Plan A, Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4 shew the position of a retort d
in the furnace of a steam engine a, placed about two inches from the back
of the chimney b, and the same distance crossways beneath the generator c.
This retort d, which is supported upon the interior masonry of the furnace,
is protected upon the side facing the fireplace by a refractory plate, whereby
contact with the fire where it is fiercest is prevented. This retort d', which
has a length of five feet and one inch, and a diameter of eleven inches,
occupies the entire breadth of the furnace, projecting at e nine inches beyond
the masonry of the furnace. The length and elevation of the retort will vary
with that of the furnace. An escape pipe f, placed above and at the extreme
end of the retort, permits the passage of the gas to a scrubber, and thence
through purificators to the gasholder. This retort is supported at both ends
by the masonry of the furnace, and in the centre by the supports i, the entire
bed being level; between each support vent holes ; are left, which permit the
flame from the fireplace to circulate beneath the retort; this flame turns
round the two ends of the retort through the passage k. The three vent
holes i have an opening beneath the grate, that the stoker may cleanse them
at will. The number of supports i varies with the size of the furnace, and the
number of vent holes in the same proportion.
Plan B: Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4 shews the position of a second retort, placed
parallel to the first, of the same size, and distant therefrom three to four
inches. This retort projects at e about seven inches and a half beyond
the masonry of the engine, possesses, like the first, an escape pipe f, and
is supported in the same manner. This second retort, being protected from
the flame by the first, requires no refractory plate, and the back plate of the
chimney is placed in the rear without any modification. In addition to
·

page_text: the parts described in Plan A, a cast-iron plate o is placed at the end of each
vent hole against the retort d¹, protecting it from direct contact with the
flame. In furnaces where the heat is too interse, a wall or line of masonry p,
of four inches high and four and a half to five inches thick, running the entire
width of the furnace, is placed before the plates. In the back of the chimney the
same number of vent holes jare pierced as in front of the retort, and serve to
mitigate by direct passage of the flame any excess of heat beneath and at the
back of the retort; these back vent holes are regulated by a slide r, which is
opened or shut, as required. An opening in the masonry of the generator
beneath the retort shews a small fireplace s, with door t, and door of ash-pan u;
this small fireplace has a depth of three feet and six or seven inches, by
a width of from nine to ten inches, and an elevation of nine inches, the ash-pan
being in the like proportion. The upper part of the furnace gives passage to
the flame through three flues, two having openings of nine inches, and one of
nine and a half inches; the flame from these flues having no issue behind the
retort, (by reason of the arch v tying the retort to the back of the furnace,)
is brought back towards the ends of the furnace bars, passing by the front vent
holes, thus adding to the draught in the furnace of the steam engine. When
two parallel furnaces are applied the small furnace s is placed beneath and
between the two retorts, the flame from the flues of the latter having no
passage between the retorts, by reason of the arch w which joins the upper
parts, nor between the last retort and the back plate of the chimney, because
of the arch v returns, as in the previous case, in front of the first retort, and
participates in the draught of the engine furnace. One retort only may
be used in conjunction with a small furnaces; but in this case the small
furnace must be placed immediately under the retort, the same combinations
and proportions being used as with two retorts, with the exception that there
will be but one arch connecting the retort to the back of the chimney.
Plan C: Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4, in addition to the parts shewn in A, B,
shews a third retort d², following and parallel to the second, and the same
distance from it as it is from the first. In this case the small furnace is placed
beneath the second and third retorts; this last is joined to the chimney back
by the arch, and the second and third by the arch x. If desired a fourth
retort may be added in the same manner at the extremity of the generator;
and this last will not, any more than the second and third retorts, require any
refractory plate, by reason of its distance from the fire.
Having now described the nature of the Invention communicated to me, as
aforesaid, by Nicolas Delannoy, and the means which it is carried into
practical effect, I would, in conclusion, observe that I do not confine myself to

page_text: the precise disposition of the retort mentioned or referred to in Plan A, or that
of the retorts shewn in Plans B and C, nor to the relative disposition of the
.other parts of the various apparatus, nor to the precise proportions they may
bear to each other, as herein set forth or illustrated, as departure may be made
from the disposition and proportion of parts mentioned to suit the circum-
stances of particular cases without at all departing from the principle of these
improvements.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Gedge, have hereunto set my hand
and affixed my seal, this Ninth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
Witness,
W. E. GEDGE,
4, Danes Inn, Strand.
JOHN GEDGE.
(L.S.)