Improvements in Apparatus for Burning Cement-making Materials, Lime, Chalk, and the like, and the Obtainment therefrom of Carbonic Acid Gas.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Jan., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 1st Oct., 1896-Accepted, 12th Dec., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Burning Cement-making Materials,
Lime, Chalk, and the like, and the Obtainment therefrom of
Carbonic Acid Gas.
I, WILLIAM ROWLAND TAYLOR, of 2 Star Hill Villas, Rochester, in the
County of Kent, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention has for its object to provide efficient apparatus for burning
cement-making materials, lime, chalk, and the like, and the obtainment therefrom
of carbonic acid gas in a practically pure condition. According to my invention
I provide, in connection with the kiln, or kilns, in which the cement-making
materials, lime, chalk, and the like, are burnt, or fused, a retort, or bed of retorts,
in which the cement-making materials, (preferably in the form of perforated
bricks, or blocks, fluted, or corrugated, on the exterior), are placed, the said
retorts being heated by the heat from the fusing kiln, or kilns, to expel the
contained moisture from the bricks, or blocks, the mouths, or doors, of the retorts
being left open so that air can enter to assist in expelling the moisture and
destroying organic matter contained in the bricks, or blocks, of material. When
the said bricks, or blocks, of material have been subjected to this drying process a
sufficient length of time the mouths, or doors, of the retorts are closed and com-
munication established (for instance by pipes provided with stop cocks), between
the interior of the retorts and an exhausting device so as to extract from the
interior of the retorts the air contained therein. As soon as carbonic acid gas
commences to be withdrawn from the retorts the exhaustion is discontinued and
communication with the exhausting device closed and communication with the
interior of the retorts and a discharge passage for the carbonic acid gas opened
aud as the air has been removed the said gas is practically pure. The carbonic
acid gas having been exhausted from the retorts the mouths, or doors, thereof, are
opened and the bricks, or blocks, are removed and placed in the fusing kiln, or
kilns. The retorts are heated by the heated products from the fusing kilns, which
heated products, after heating the retorts, are conducted through suitable Hues
to beneath the floor, on which the wet slurry is dried to a constituency to admit
of its being moulded into bricks, or blocks.
A convenient arrangement of apparatus for the purposes of my invention
consists of a duplicate arrangement of fusing kilns, preferably circular or of dome
form, and each provided with a perforated fire-clay support for the material t
be fused, beneath which is a chamber provided with a valve, or damper, for
regulating as required the admission of air.
The heated products from this kilu preferably enter a two-arched chamber
formed in the lower part of a bed of retorts, which retorts are arranged side
by side in rows, the rows being arranged one above another with a separating
partition, between each two rows. At one end of each partition, is a passage
for the heated products, these passages being arranged alternately at oppisite
ends of the said partitions so as to form a circuitous passage for the heated
products which pass from the arched chamber through perforations in the crowns
of the chambers to beneath the lowermost row of retorts. The heated products-

page_text: after circulating around the lowermost row of retorts pass through the passage
at the end of the lowermost partition into the space between the said lowermost
partition, and the next partition above, between which two partitions is situated
the next row of retorts. The heated products after circulating round this row
of retorts pass, in like manner, to the next row of retorts above, and so on to
any desired number of rows of retorts and pass thence by suitable flutes to
beneath the floor on which the slurry is dried. The flues beneath this floor
are preferably arranged so as to cause the heat to traverse in a circuitous
course beneath the said floor. The mouths of the retorts can be arrangel to
project outside the brick-work, and the bricks, or blocks, of material can be
carried on trays fed into the retorts from trolleys arranged to travel on a gallery,
or platform, opposite the mouth of the retorts and extending to the opening
through which the fusing kilns are charged. The fusing kilns and beds of retorts
are preferably built in duplicate the heat from both kilns, after heating the retorts
passing into a single flue by which it is conducted to beneath the floor on which the
slurry is dried. Dampers are provided so that either kiln, or both, kilns can be
worked as desired. Beneath the beds of retorts there may be provided a space in
which the moulded bricks, or blocks, can be partially dried before being placed in
the retorts, or into the fusing kilns.
Dated this 1st day of January 1896
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Apparatus for Burning Cement-making Materials,
Lime, Chalk, and the like, and the Obtainment therefrom of
Carbonic Acid Gas.
I, WILLIAM ROWLAND TAYLOR of 2 Star Hill Villas Rochester in the
County of Kent, Engineer, 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 :-
My invention has for its object to provide efficient apparatus for burning cement
making materials, (lime, chalk, and the like) and the obtainment therefrom of
carbonic acid gas in a practically pure condition.
According to my invention I provide in connection with the kiln or kilns in
which the cement making materials, (lime, chalk, and the like) are burnt or fused
or in connection with the passage for the discharge of waste products of combustion
from other furnaces, a bed of retort or beds of retorts in which the cement making
materials (preferably in the form of perforated bricks or blocks fluted or corrugated
on the exterior) are placed, the said retorts being heated by the waste heat from
the fusing kiln or kilns or from other furnace or furnaces to expel the contained
moisture from the bricks or blocks the mouths or doors of the retorts being left
open so that air can enter to assist in expelling the moisture and destroying organic
matter contained in the bricks or blocks of material. When the said bricks or
blocks of material have been subjected to this drying process for a sufficient length
of time and the organic matter contained in the material has been destroyed, the
mouths or doors of the retorts are closed and communication established (for
instance by pipes provided with stop cocks) hetween the interior of the retorts and
an exhausting device so as to extract from the interior of the retorts the air
contained therein. As soon as carbonic acid gas commences to be withdrawn from

page_text: the retorts the communication with the exhausting device is close:l, and com-
munication with the interior of the retorts and a passage for the escape of the
carbonic acid from which the air has been removed, opened, the said gas being
practically pure.
The carbonic acid gas having been exhausted from the retorts the mouths or
doors thereof are opened and the bricks or blocks are withdrawn and may be fused
on the kilns or be used for building or other purposes.
In order that my invention may be clearly understood I will further describe
the same with reference to the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 of which represents in vertical section a convenient arrangement of
apparatus for purposes of my invention the section being taken on the line z-z,
Figure 2.
Figure 2 is a horizontal section on the line 1-2, Figure 1, showing in dotted.
lines the arrangement of flucs beneath the floor on which the wet slurry is
partially dried.
Figure 3 is a vertical section on the line 3-4, Figure 1, and Figure 4 is a
vertical section on the line 5-6, Figure 2.
Figures 5 and 6 are elevations at right angles to each other an. Figure 7 a plan
of one of the trays on which the bricks or blocks of cement making material are
stacked for drying.
I have shewn in the drawings a duplicate arrangement of fusing kilns and
retorts but I do not restrict myself to this arrangement as it is obvious that one
kiln and one bed of retorts may be provided and instead of heating the retorts by
the heated products of combustion from the kilns as indicated in the drawing the
said retorts may be heated by the waste products of combustion from any other
furnace or furnaces,
In describing my invention with reference to the accompanying drawing I shall
refer to one set of retorts and one fusing kiln only the corresponding parts in the
other set of retorts and parts connected therewith being indicated by similar letters
of reference with the numeral 2 added.
Referring to Figures 1 to 4. A is a kiln in which the cement making material
is fused or burnt. B is a bed of retorts in which the cement making material is
dried and from which the carbonic acid gas is drawn off for use. The cement
making material is preferably formed (by moulding) into perforated briel:s or
blocks with grooved or fluted outer surfaces, so as to ensure the said material
being efficiently and rapidly dried and burnt or fused. These bricks or blocks
are placed or packed on trays such as is shewn for example in Figures 5, 6 and 7 the
said trays with the bricks thereon being slidden into the retorts or drying chambers.
The kiln A is preferably circular in the interior and provided with an arch or
dome shaped roof a and with a perforated support for the cement making material
to be fused. Beneath the support & is a chamber e provided with a valve or damper d
for regulating as desired the admission of air to the chainber c the air thus adinitted
passing through the perforations in the support & into the chamber containing the
cement making material to assist in the fusing thereof.
When the apparatus is in operation the heated products from the kiln A pass
into chambers é beneath the retorts, the roof of the said chambers being preferably
arched and perforated with holes through which the heated products pass into
the chamber above containing the retorts y. The retorts g are arranged side by side
in horizontal rows, the rows being arranged one above another with a separating
partition between each two rows, a passage i being provided at one end of each
partition the said passages being arranged alternately at opposite ends of the said
partitions so that the heated products passing through the perforations f come first
into contact with and circulates round the lowermost row of retorts g and then
pass through the passage i at the end of the lowermost partition 4 into the space
between the said lowerinost partition and the next partition above in which space
is situated the next row of retorts. The heated products after circulating round
this row of retorts pass in like manner to the next row of retorts above. I have

page_text: shewn only three rows of retorts but a greater or less number of rows may he
provided as desired the heated products passing in a circuitous direction through
the several spaces containing the retorts in the manner described. The heated
products pass thence by a flue or passage k into a flue communicating with a
space m beneath the floor C on which the wet slurry is partially dried to a con-
sistency for moulding into bricks or blocks. The space beneath the floor C is
divided by partitions or baffles m' as shewn in Figure 4 and by dotted lines in
Figure 2 so as to cause the heated products to be distributed over the whole of
the under surface of the floor C (as shewn by the arrows) before passing to the
chimney n. When a duplicate arrangement of kilns and retorts is provided as
shewn the flues kk are fitted with dampers o o so that if it be desired to work only
one set of retorts the communication between the other set and the flue can he
cut off. Beneath the beds of retorts and also beneath the floor on which the wet
slurry is partially dried space p is provided in which the trays with the mould sl
bricks or blocks thereon can be placed and become partially dried before being
placed in the retorts. The space p is heated by the heat radiating from the flues
and m and if desired the floor of this space may be further heated by causing the
products of combustion in their passage to the chimney after acting on the floor on
which the slurry is dried, to pass through flues arranged beneath the floor of the
said space p. The mouths of the retorts g project outside the brickwork of the
bed of retorts and the trays on which the bricks or blocks are carried can be fed
into the retorts from trolleys capable of travelling on a platform or galley D
arranged in front of the mouths of the retorts and extending to the opening 7
through which the blocks or bricks can be fed into the fusing kiln A. The
retorts communicate by pipes provided with stop cocks with a passage in
connection with an exhausting device not shewn in the drawing but which may he
a fau or other suitable apparatus. When the retorts are charged with the bricks
or blocks the said retorts are for a suitable time kept open to admit air to assist in
expelling the moisture and destroying organic matter, contained in the said bricks
or blocks after which the mouths of the retorts are closed and communication is
opened between the exhausting device and the interior of the retorts to extract from
the interior of the retorts, the air contained therein. As soon as carbonic acid gas
commences to be drawn from the retorts by the exhausting device the communica-
tion between the said device and the retorts is closed and communication is opened
through pipes or passages t provided with stop cocks u, between the interior of the
retorts and a pipe or passage E communicating with a gas holder or with the
place where the gas is required for consumption.
As the air has been removed from the interior of the retorts the gas is practically
pure. The carbonic acid gas having been exhausted from the retorts the mouths of
the said retorts are opened and the bricks or blocks removed and placed or fed
into the kilu A through the opening 2 or they may be stored for use. While the
bricks or blocks are being treated in one bed of retorts the other bed of retorts
may be discharged, and recharged with partially dried bricks or blocks so that the
process may be continuous. F is an opening in the lower part of the kiln through
which the fused cement making material is withdrawn.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The obtainment from cement making material (lime chalk and the like) of
carbonic acid gas in a practically pure condition by first submitting the cement
making material to a drying process in heated retorts, to which air is admitted to
assist in the drying process the said retorts being afterwards closed and the air
exhausted from the interior of the retorts after which the carbonic acid gis in a
practically pure condition is allowed to pass from the retorts through suitable
passages into a gas holder or to the place of utilization substantially as hereinbefore
described.

page_text: 2. In apparatus for burning cement making material (lime, chalk, and the like)
and recovering therefrom carbonic acid gas in a practically pure condition the
combination of a drying floor on which the wet slurry is partially dried; a bed of
retorts in which the remaining moisture and carbonic acid gas is driven off from
the material and a fusing kiln in which the dried material is burnt or fused, the
drying floor and bed of retorts being heated by the heat from the burning or fusing
kiln or the waste heat from furnaces substantially as herein before described.
3. In apparatus for burning cement making material (lime, chalk and the like)
the combination of a duplicate arrangement of fusing kilns and beds of retorts a
floor on which wet slurry is partially dried, a space beneath the floor, and means
for opening and closing the communication between the said space, and either one
or both beds of retorts and with the fusing kiln or fusing kilns substantially
as hereinbefore described.
4. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting apparatus for burning
cement making material lime chalk and the like and the obtainment therefrom of
carbonic acid gas in a practically pure condition substantially as hereinbefore
described.
Dated this 1st day of October 1896.
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.