IMPROVEMENTS IN OKENG FOR MAKING COKE
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Arthur Marshall Chambers, of Thorncliffe, in the County
of Yorkshire, Coal and Iron Master, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
OKENG FOR MAKING COKE,"
Sealed the 14th December 1880, in pursuance of an Order of the Lord Chanceшoг,
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Arthur Marshall Chambers
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 15th December 1879.
ARTHUR MARSHALL CHAMBERS, of Thorncliffe, in the County of Yorkshire,
Coal and Iron Master. IMPROVEMENTS IN OVENS FOR MAKING COKE."
86
My Invention relates to ovens used for the purpose of burning coal for the
purpose of making coke, and it has for its object improved methods of constructing
and arranging ovens, and supplying, heating, and regulating the admission of air to
them, so that they are more effective and economical in their operation than has
heretofore ordinarily been the case.
In order to put my Invention in operation I take a coke oven of the usual
method of construction, and circular, rectangular, or other desired shape in plan,
having its sides, bottom, and top (which is preferably arched or domed) lined with
fire brick. The oven has an opening at its front of the usual form, through which
the coke is withdrawn when the process of manufacture is completed, but which is
built up with brickwork or otherwise closed so as to be air tight, or nearly so,
whilst the operation of burning is in progress.
The oven also has a central opening at its top or crown, which opening can be
closed with a separate cover when desired; and I make another opening at or near
its top near the central one, and communicating directly with a chimney, or with a
passage or flue leading to a chimney, such opening being preferably as nearly as
convenient opposite (in plan) to the opening in the front of the oven through which
the coke is withdrawn, as already described.
Round the oven, above the level of this opening or doorway, I arrange a pipe of
metal or other suitable material close to the outside of the firebrick lining to

page_text: This pipe may be of any suitable diameter for the admission of a sufficient
quantity of air to the oven, as hereinafter described, and I bring one of its ends to
the front of the oven, where I close or regulate its opening by a sliding or other
valve, easily adjusted by the person in charge of the oven.
The pipe is then passed round the oven, as already described, until it has reached
any point on the front of the oven above the level of the doorway or opening, and
its end is then turned inward and slightly up through the firebrick lining, so that
its open end is directed across the oven.
It is essential that this open end should be directed exactly to the centre of
the opening already described through which the smoke and gases pass to the
chimney.
Into the pipe, at the angle where its end is turned inward, as described, I insert
the inner end of a smaller pipe of iron or other suitable material, which is exactly
concentric with the inner end of the larger pipe, and the other end of which is
brought to the outside of the oven, so that the state of the interior of the latter
and of the gases in the oven can be observed through it; or a pyrometer can be
inserted for the purpose of ascertaining the temperature in the oven and of the air
passing into it. A cap or stopper may be fitted to the small pipe when it is not
being used. The pipe which passes round the oven, as described, is not connected
with any flue, but is covered in by brickwork, sand, or other material, so that it
may be rendered as hot as possible by the heat from the firebrick lining of
the oven.
The action of the apparatus arranged as described is as follows:-The oven
being filled with the coal which is to be converted into coke through the side
doorway or opening, the latter is built up or closed so as to be as nearly air-tight
as possible.
Whilst the coal so contained in the oven is burning air is admitted through the
external regulating valve, and passing through the pipe round the oven becomes
heated to a high temperature before it is finally discharged in unbroken volume
through a single orifice into the oven opposite the opening to the chimney, where
it combines with the gases from the coal, and causes the conversion of the latter
into coke to take place exactly in the way desired, and with greatly increased
production of coke as compared with ordinary coke ovens.
The condition of the interior of the oven and its temperature can be ascertained
at any time by means of the small pipe.
My apparatus may be applied at little cost to existing coke ovens, and it may be
modified to suit varying circumstances. Any number of ovens may be arranged
side by side, or in any convenient position in relation to each other, each being
provided with an air pipe and regulating valve, arranged as described.
The pipe through which the air passes may be made to pass two or more times,
instead of once, round the oven before its open end is finally turned inward, as
described; or sometimes instead of making the air pipe pass round the oven, as
described, I use a straight pipe passing directly from the outside of the oven into
its interior, and having its inner open end directly in a line with the opening
through which the smoke and gases pass to the chimney.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, and of
an Order of the Lord Chancellor, filed by the said Arthur Marshall Chambers
in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 15th December 1880.
ARTHUR MARSHALL CHAMBERS, of Thorncliffe, in the County of Yorkshire,
Coal and Iron Master. "IMPROVEMENTS IN OVENS FOR MAKING COKE"
My Invention relates to ovens used for the purpose of burning coal in order to
convert it into coke, and it has for its object improved methods of constructing and
arranging ovens, and supplying, heating, and regulating the admission of air to
them, so that they are more effective and economical in their operation than has
heretofore ordinarily been the case.
In order to put my Invention in operation I take a coke oven of the usual well
known method of construction, circular, rectangular, or other desired shape in plan,
and having its sides, bottom, and top (which is preferably arched or dome shaped)
lined with firebrick or other material sufficiently refractory to resist the heat.
The oven has an opening or doorway in front, through which coal can be
introduced into it, and by means of which the charge of coal can be ignited and
the coke withdrawn when the process of manufacture is completed, which opening
is built up with brickwork or otherwise closed, so as to be air-tight, or nearly so,
whilst the operation of burning is in progress. The oven also has a central opening
at its top or crown, which opening can be closed with a separate cover, and
In the crown of the
through which coal can also be introduced into the oven.
oven at a sufficient distance from the central opening just described, I make another
opening or passage communicating directly with a chunney or with a flue leading
to a chimney, such passage being preferably, as nearly as convenient, opposite (in
plan) to the opening or doorway in the front of the oven, through which the coke
is withdrawn, as already described.
Round the crown of the oven, above the level of the opening or doorway, I
arrange a pipe of metal or other suitable material close to the outside of the firebrick
lining of the oven. This pipe I make of sufficient internal diameter for the
admission of the requisite quantity of air to the interior of the oven, as hereinafter
described, and I bring one of its ends to the front of the oven or to other convenient
position, where I provide it with a sliding or other valve by which its opening and
the quantity of air admitted into the pipe can be easily adjusted and regulated by
the person in charge of the oven.
The pipe is then made to pass horizontally round the oven, as already described,
until it has reached a point in front above the level of the doorway or opening into
the latter, and its end is then turned inward and slightly upward through the
firebrick lining of the oven, so that its open end is directed directly across the oven.
It is essential that this open end, which is the full diameter of the pipe, should be
directed exactly to the centre of the opening or passage already described, through
which the smoke and gases pass to the chimney.
Into the pipe arranged as just described I insert, at the angle where its end is
turned inward and upward, as described, the inner end of a smaller straight pipe of
iron or other suitable material, which is exactly concentric with the turned-in end
of the larger pipe, and I bring the outer end of the smaller pipe to the outside of
the oven, so that the state of the interior of the upper part of the latter and of the
gases in it can be observed through the pipe, or a pyrometer can be inserted for the
purpose of ascertaining the temperature in the oven and of the air passing into and
across it. A cap or stopper may be fitted to the outer end of the smaller pipe when
it is not being used. The pipe which passes round the oven, as described, is not
connected with any flue, but is covered in by brickwork, sand, or other material
so that it may be made as hot as possible by the heat from the firebrick lining of

page_text: the oven.
The accompanying Drawing is in illustration of my Invention.
Figure 1 is a transverse section of a beehive or dome shaped oven, showing also a
front view of an adjoining similar oven, Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of the
same, and Figure 3 is a horizontal section through x, y, in Figure 2. The same
letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several Figures.
a is the body of the beehive or dome shaped oven, lined with firebrick or other
sufficiently refractory material; b is an opening or doorway through which the
coke is withdrawn when sufficiently burned, and through which raw coal may be
introduced to be so burned, this opening being used to ignite the charge of coal and
being then built up or otherwise closed air tight, or nearly so, during the process of
burning; c is an opening at the roof or crown of the oven through which coal to
be burned may also be introduced into the oven, preferably by means of waggons
running upon rails, as shewn, upon the top of the oven. This opening is closed
when desired by a loose cover d.
Another opening e is shewn opposite the doorway b and communicating through
the fluef with a chimney (not shown in the Drawing).
g is a pipe of cast iron or other suitable material surrounding the crown of the
oven close to the firebrick lining of the latter. This pipe is covered in with masonry,
sand, or other material, and has one of its open ends brought to the front of the
oven and provided with a regulating air valve at h, whilst its other end is brought
round to the front of the oven over the doorway b and is then turned inward and
upward, its open end i being directed across the oven exactly to the centre of the
opening c. In a line with the open end of the pipe at i is fixed the small pipe l,
through which the state of the interior of the oven at e can be observed, or a
pyrometer can be introduced in order to ascertain the temperature. The outer end
of the pipe Z is closed with a stopper or cap when not in use. The action of the
apparatus, arranged as described, is as follows:-The oven having been filled with
a sufficient quantity of coal to a height somewhat below the level of the pipe g,
the coal is ignited, and when the oven is heated and gases are being evolved from
the coal, the opening b is closed up and air is admitted through the regulating
valve h, and being drawn through the pipe g by the draft of the chimney becomes
highly heated in its passage, and is finally discharged in unbroken volume through
the single orifice of the pipe i into and across the oven, directly to the centre of the
opening & leading to the flue and chimney, and in its passage across the oven it
combines with the gases from the coal, causing the conversion of the latter into
coke, to take place exactly as desired, and with greatly increased production of
coke as compared with coke ovens as ordinarily heretofore constructed and used.
The gases given off by the coal during the process of coking are thoroughly
consumed by the heated air passing from the pipe at i to the opening e; and as
such air is nearly the same temperature as the interior of the oven and traverses
the latter in a single unbroken volume it is not disturbed nor is its direction
altered, and consequently no part of it comes in contact with the surface of the
coal, which is not therefore in any way consumed or wasted away.
The pipe g may be made to pass two or more times round the oven instead of
once; or the air entering the straight pipe i may be heated in a separate furnace
or heating apparatus. It is not necessary that the point at which the air is
admitted to the oven from the pipe g should be above the doorway or opening b, as
it may be arranged at any other convenient point, provided always that it is
directed across the oven exactly to the exit flue from the latter. The operation of
my apparatus is not confined to coke ovens circular in plan, but may be applied to 5
ovens, rectangular or of other shape, and the apparatus may be readily applied to
existing ovens.
I am aware that it has been proposed to admit heated air into the upper part of
coke ovens through several apertures, and I am also aware that coke ovens so
constructed have been used at the Browney Colliery, near Durham, but I have 5
found, in practice, that where such arrangements are used and the air is admitted
through more than one aperture, it is impossible to prevent the currents of air so

page_text: admitted from interfering with and baffling each other, a part of the air being
forced down upon the coal, which is thereby consumed and wasted away, and I do
not claim any arrangement in which more than one current of air is employed. I
am also aware that it has long been usual to admit cold air into the upper part of
coke ovens through a horizontal hole or pipe above the doorway or opening, but I
have found that cold air so admitted falls by its greater specific gravity after
entering the oven, and in passing through the latter consumes and wastes away the
surface of the coal upon which it falls, and I do not claim as my Invention such
method of so admitting cold air; but having described my Invention and the
manner in which it is to be performed, I claim :-The pipe for the admission of hot
air into the coke oven, such pipe being provided with a regulating inlet valve, and
its inner end being directed across the oven exactly to the centre of the exit
opening from the latter, so that a single current of heated air is admitted and
traverses the oven in unbroken volume, substantially as hereinbefore described and
shown in the Drawing. Also, in combination with such pipe so arranged, the
smaller pipe through which the condition and temperature of the oven are
ascertained, substantially as described and shown in the Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Arthur Marshall Chambers, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this 13th day of December, in the year of our Lord 1880.
ARTHUR MARSHALL CHAMBERS. (L.S.)
Witness,
EDMUND EDWARDS,
Of the Firm of Edwards and Co.,
Patent Agents and Engineers,
40, Southampton Buildings.