Improvements in- Means and Apparatus (for Charging Inclined Gas Retorts.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 12th July, 1890
Complete Specification Left, 15th Apr., 1891-Accepted, 6th June, 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION,
Improvements in- Means and Apparatus (for Charging Inclined Gas
Retorts.
I, LUDOVICO VAN VESTRAUT, Civil Engineer, of. The Green, Southall, in
the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The object of this invention is to effect the charging of retorts for carbonising
with the required amount of material when the said retorts are built at an angle
deviating from the horizontal line.
For this purpose I provide a hopper constructed of any suitable material and of
capacity equal to the total charge this hopper to be in the form of a vertical tube,
or the form being varied in width as may be necessary, the bottom end of the
hopper reduced to the width of the entrance to retort and hinged thereto. I provide
a falling bottom which fall is adjustable by suitable stops which can be raised or
lengthened as the angle of bottom is required to vary the velocity of the issuing
material. On the bottom being dropped the front of hopper is opened and a flap
falls forward and engages with the entrance of retort and forins a continuation of
the bottom of the hopper and delivers the material from the hopper to the retort
as it escapes from the bottom of the hopper.
The hopper is carried in a rectangular or other shaped frame and guided therein
by chains, links or bars, so as to be lifted or lowered to the heights of the
respective retorts the said raising or lowering to be performed by any of the usual
means.
The frame and hopper can be supported on a travelling frame on wheels above
or below the front of the retorts so as to be movable from the supply of material
to the mouth of retort.
When it is desired to charge a retort the frame containing the hopper is taken
under the store supply and filled with the requisite amount of material from thence
wheeled to the front of retort after being adjusted to the desired height so as to
allow the requisite velocity of the issuing material to obtain even distribution over
the floor or base of retort, and this can be varied to suit the varying classes of
material and the efficient of friction due to the material, the floor of retort and
the inclination from the horizontal line of same, by increasing or decreasing
the angle of the bottom of hopper. The bottom is then lowered and the front
delivery opened and the issuing material allowed to gravitate into the retort when
the hopper is withdrawn the retort door closed and the same operation repeated on
the next retort.
It will be understood that the foregoing is given by way of illustration only,
and that the shapes, materials, and proportions of the various parts may be varied
in many ways within the scope of my invention.
Dated to way on my
J. P. BAYIY,
18, Fulham Place, W., Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Means and Apparatus for Charging Inclined Gas
Retorts.
I, LUDOVICO VAN VESTRAUT, of The Green, Southall, in the County of
Middlesex, Civil 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 :-
The object of this invention is to effect the charging of retorts for carbonising
with the required amount of material in an even layer when the said retorts are
built at an angle deviating from the horizontal and vertical line.
I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawing,
in which
Figure 1 is a vertical section shewing the retorts d, with the hopper a on the
carriage b delivering the material down the flap into the mouth of the lower
retort. Hoppers at various heights supported from above on rails e, e, or otherwise
are described by dotted lines.
Figure 2, is the front elevation of the hopper and carriage;
Figure 3, is a side elevation.
Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the views.
My invention consists of a hopper a constructed of any suitable material and of
capacity equal to the total charge, this hopper to be in the form of a vertical tube,
or the form being varied in width and length as may be necessary for the material
and charge, the bottom end of the whole of the hopper reduced to the width of
the entrance to retort. I provide a falling bottom k hinged at and A, or at back
end, which fall is adjustable by suitable stops (not shown) which can be raised or
lengthened by levers (not shown), or the chains over the pulleys i, as the angle of
bottom is required to vary the velocity of the issuing material. On the bottom h
being dropped the front of hopper opened by the flap c falling forward to engage
with the entrance of retort and forms a continuation of the bottom of the hopper,
and delivers the material from the hopper to the retort as it escapes from the bottom
of the hopper. The flap cand bottom is closed by the chains j and the ring on
the ends fastened on hooks in the frame, indicated by dotted lines in Figure 3.
The front of hopper having a slide which can be raised or lowered to control the
rate of issue of material when the front is dropped open. In Figure 2, the mouth m
is shown through which the material passes out into the retort.
The hopper is carried in or on a rectangular or other shaped frame which can
run on wheels, or be suspended on wheels from above as shewn in Figure 1, and
guided therein by chains, links, or bars, so as to be lifted or lowered to the heights
of the respective retorts, the said raising or lowering to be performed by any of
the usual means.
The frame and hopper can be supported on a travelling frame on wheels above
or below the front of the retort so as to be movable from the supply of material to
the mouth of retort.
When it is desired to charge a retort the frame containing the hopper is taken
to the store supply and filled with the requisite amount of material, from thence
wheeled to the front of retort, after being adjusted to the desired height so as to
allow the requisite velocity of the issuing material to obtain even distribution over
the floor or base of retort; and this can be varied to suit the varying classes of
material, and the co-efficient of friction due to the material, the floor of retort,
and the inclination from the horizontal line of same, by increasing or decreasing
the angle of the bottom of hopper. The bottom is then lowered and the front
delivery c opened and the issuing material allowed to gravitate into the retort,
when the hopper is withdrawn, the retort closed and the bottom and flap c 5
readjusted, and the same operation repeated on the next retort.

page_text: It will be understood that the foregoing is given by way of illustration only, and
that the shapes, materials, and proportions of the various parts may be varied in
many ways within the scope of my invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of iny said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
A retort-charger comprising a wheeled frame, a hopper supported thereby, and
having an adjustable botton, a flap pivoted to the bottom and adapted to fold over
the front of the hopper when idle and to be used as a chute when lowered, and
a slide in the front of the hopper to regulate the flow of material therefrom,
substantially as herein described and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 13th for the 12th day of April 1891
J. P. BAYLY,
18, Fulham Place, W., Agent for the Applicant.