IMPROVE- MENTS IN RETORTS, AND IN THE MODE OF WORKING THE SAME TO OBTAIN CRUDE PARAFFIN AND OTHER OILS PROM CANNEL COAL, BITUMINOUS MATTER, WOOD, PEAT, BONES, OR OTHER MATERIAL
Year: 1866

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by James Nicholas at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 12th June
1866..
I, JAMES NICHOLAS, of Aspull, near Wigan, in the County of Lancaster,
Oil Refiner, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN RETORTS, AND IN THE MODE OF WORKING THE SAME TO OBTAIN CRUDE
PARAFFIN AND OTHER OILS PROM CANNEL COAL, BITUMINOUS MATTER, WOOD, PEAT,
BONES, OR OTHER MATERIAL," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus and mode of
working the same for the distillation and carbonization of cannel coal, bitu-
minous matter, wood, peat, bones, or any material that is submitted to a
decomposing distillation for the purpose of obtaining crude paraffin or other
oils, or for the carbonization of other materials.
the retort is a
being provided
My apparatus consists of a peculiarly constructed retort so arranged that a
large superficial area of almost any size can be submitted to the direct action of
beat, and is of the following construction :-The bottom of
plane surface, by preference an iron p'ate, the sides and back
with two flanges standing upwards at right angles with the
flanges being about three inches apart, the front of the plate having but one
flange, which is moveable up and down by means of binges, the top of the
retort is a similar plate a few inches shorter, its sides and back being pro-
vided with one flange so arranged that these flanges will drop down between
plate, the said

page_text: the flanges on the bottom plate; its front is provided with a moveable
flange on hinges moveable up or down, the bottom and upper portion of
the retort when placed on one another, the front flange on the lower portion
being up, and the front flange on the lower portion being down, thus form
a sort of box or retort. At the back (by preference) on the upper portion
of the retort are holes or pipes by which the products of distillation pass
to ordinary condensers. On the top of the upper portion of the retort is
an opening furnished with a lid arranged on the principle of an hydraulic
joint, and this hole is for the purpose of charging the retort. In the interior
of the retort are rakes similar to those used in rectangular cooking ovens to
draw out by pulleys the charges when exhausted. In the front or the moveable
flanges of the upper and lower portions of the retort are holes opposite each
other for the purpose of inserting a poker for stirring up the charge in the
course of distillation, and these holes have covers to close the holes when
the stirring is not going on. The joiut or opening between the flanges of the
lower and the flanges of the upper portion of the retort along the sides and
back is filled with lead, which when the retort is heated melts and forms a
joint similar to an hydraulic joint with molten lead in lieu of water; this lead
is covered with sand or other material to prevent rapid oxidation. The move-
able flanges in front of the retort are luted with lime and secured in an
ordinary way, and the space between these two flanges is filled up with sand;
this retort is laid on a platform made of bricks and tiles, heated with one or
more furnaces connected with flues winding in a sinuous course beneath so
arranged that the heat communicated to the retort shall be as uniform on the
bottom as possible, the said flues communicate to a chimney or shaft direct, or if
desirable pass over the top of the retort, in which case it is desirable to protect
the top of the retort by brickwork from too great action of the heat; the plat
form or bed is sufficiently higher at the front than the back to cause the oil
as formed to run to the back where the holes or pipes connected with the
condenser are situated. On the top of the retort is a pipe connected to
a cistern of water, connected to another pipe perforated with small holes in
the interior and at the front of the retort, and extending its full breadth.
Prior to the retort being drawn or discharged a small quantity of water is
allowed to run down the pipe, which being dispersed into the retort by the
perforated pipe over a large surface of heated material gets converted into
steam, which as it rushes through the retort forces what volatile matter
remains in the charge out into the condensers. Where the retort is made of
a large size it is advisable to have supports in it, these supports being con-
nected with one portion of the retort only (either the upper or the lower) in

page_text: order not to interfere with the difference of contraction and expansion that
will be experienced by the upper and lower portions of the retort being at
different temperatures. When it is desirable to take this retort to pieces it
will be necessary to run off the lead in a molten state out of the joint between
the flanges, and this is done by a tap placed at the bottom of the returt at
the back or lowest side.