Improvements in Apparatus for Charging Gas Retorts.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Jan., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 15th Oct., 1892-Accepted, 26th Nov., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Charging Gas Retorts.
I, JOHN RUSCOE, of Hyde, in the County of Chester, Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to that class of apparatus in which a revolving or rotating
scoop is employed to charge the retort with coal and is designed with the object of
giving a more even distribution of the coal over the bottom of the retort than has
hitherto been found possible.
It consists essentially in constructing the apparatus with two scoops to receive
the charge of coal and caused to rotate in opposite directions to charge the retort,
with suitable mechanism for carrying and actuating the same.
In carrying out the invention I provide a scoop carriage, or carrier capable of
being raised or lowered to any required position, similar to what is described and
shown in the Specifications of my former Patents Nos. 18,108 of 1889, and 14,720
of 1890.
In this carriage I provide bearings or supports for two scoops to be placed side
by side capable of rotating about their axes. The scoops are each preferably
attached to a disc or other head and this head or a shaft connected thereto of cach
scoop are geared together so that the two will be rotated at the same time prefer-
ably in opposite directions. The scoops are actuated or caused to rotate by a
pinion gearing with one or both which is placed to slide on a shaft beneath the
carriage and on which the pinion moves to and fro as carriage is drawn in and
out.
This shaft is driven by any suitable gear at either end. Instead of the two
scoops being geared together by means of spur wheels, other wheels may be
employed or they may be connected together by a cam or cams or by two or more
levers or links connected together or each if desired may be constructed to be
operated independently of the other.
The scoops will be made of a capacity to each contain about half of the charge
so that the two together will contain the full charge required for the retort and as
they are arranged preferably to rotate towards the sides of the retort an even
distribution of the charge of coal is effected. To enable some of the coal to be
deposited first over the centre of the retort bottom, one or both of the scoops may
be mounted upon cranks or eccentric bearings or be otherwise connected together
so that when they begin to rotate they will be carried asunder and any loose or
superimposed coal will be allowed to fall between them on to the centre of the
retort and the remainder of the charge be deposited when the scoops are turned
over. Or the two scoops may be given first a movement inwards to deposit the
superimposed coal at the centre and then turned outwards to deposit the
remainder of the coal as hereinbefore described.
The motion for tilting or turning over the scoops may be applied by gearing so
that they will work automatically or by hand levers which the attendant can
operate at the required times.
Deted this 14th day of Janu
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
6, Bank Street, Manchester, Patent Agents.

page_text: other wheels may be employed or they may be connected together by a cam or
cams or by two or more levers or links connected together or each if desired may
be constructed to be operated independently of the other.
The scoops will be made of a capacity to each contain about half of the charge
so that the two together will contain the full charge required for the retort and
as they are arranged preferably to rotate towards the sides of the retort an even
distribution of the charge of coal is effected. To enable some of the coal to be
deposited first over the centre of the retort bottom, one or both of the scoops may
be mounted upon cranks or eccentric bearings or be otherwise connected together
so that when they begin to rotate they will be carried asunder and any loose or
superimposed coal will be allowed to fall between them on to the centre of the
retort and the remainder of the charge be deposited when the scoops are turned
over. Or the two scoops may be given first a movement inwards to deposit the
superimposed coal at the centre and then turned outwards to deposit the
remainder of the coal as hereinbefore described. The position of the scoops
when receiving the charge of coal and when entering the retort is preferably that
shown in Fig. 4. with the two edges close together.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. An apparatus for charging gas retorts having the charging scoop or apparatus
constructed of two separate rotating scoops placed side by side which receive and
carry the charge of coal into the retorts simultaneously and discharge it at
opposite sides of the retort substantially as described.
2. In apparatus for charging gas retorts the combination with the suspended
scoop frame and scoop carriage, of the two rotating scoops H H placed side by side
to receive and deliver the charge of coal, the rotating discs or heads I I¹ to which
the scoops are attached the pinions JJ' by which the scoops are geared together,
the sliding pinion K geared therewith and the longitudinal shaft L on which they
are actuated substantially as described.
3. An apparatus for charging gas retorts constructed and arranged substantially
as described and shown.
Dated this 14th day of October 1805
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Manchester, Liverpool, and London, Patent Agents.