Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 16th June, 1887
Complete Left, 26th Sept., 1887
Complete Accepted, 28th Oct., 1887
I, THOMAS HAILES of 21, High Street, Brentford, in the County of Middlesex do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object the construction of pipes used in the manufacture
of gas for conveying gas from the retorts to the hydraulic main, in such a manner as
to relieve the retort either in part or entirely from pressure, while the arrangement
admits of the pipes being cleaned with great facility should any obstruction occur
within them.
The invention consists in making the ascension pipes enter the bottom of the
hydraulic main, which may be supported on crutches fixed to the retort bed, or upon
independent columns in front of it. In either case the ascension pipe rises above the
liquid level in the hydraulic main. Immediately over each ascension pipe there is a
hole in the top plate of the hydraulic main to which a stuffing box and gland is
attached. Through this stuffing box and gland a pipe that is large enough to pass
over the upper part of the ascension pipe and act as a sleeve, rises and falls gas tight,
at the will of the operator. The upper part of this sleeve rises above the hydraulic
main and is fitted with a cover that is bolted on to it. Fixed to the hydraulic main
there is a pillar or other support to which is pivotted a lever having a counterbalance
weight at the back end and provided with a rod which depends from its front end, the
lever is attached by a pair of pivotted links to the upper part of the sleeve or pipe
which encircles the ascension pipe so that by pulling or thrusting the rod the sleeve
may be raised or lowered at will.
The action of the apparatus is very simple. When the retort is charged with coal
and the lid closed, upon thrusting the rod upwards, the sleeve will be raised out of
the liquid in the hydraulic main and above the ascension pipe, when a free passage for
the gas will be opened and the retort entirely relieved from pressure, or supposing

page_text: that it is desired to work with a certain amount of seal, then the rod is thrust only
sufficiently far to raise the sleeve to such a height in the liquid as to give the required
seal. On the charge being worked off, immediately before slacking the lids the rod is
pulled down to its full extent when the sleeve will cover the upper part of the ascension
pipe and so effectually close the passage from the ascension pipe to the hydraulic main.
Instead of the foregoing arrangement, the apparatus may be made to work the
reverse way, that is to say, that on pulling down the rod the sleeve will be raised,
and on thrusting the rod up, the sleeve will descend and seal the passage.

page_text: 1, THOMAS HAILES of 21 High Street, Brentford, in the County of Middlesex 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:
This invention has for its object the construction of pipes used in the manufacture
of gas for conveying gas from the retorts to the hydraulic main, in such a manner as
to relieve the retort either in part or entirely from pressure, while the arrangement
admits of the pipes being cleaned with great facility should any obstruction occur
within them.
In order that the invention may be easily understood drawings are attached hereto
of which the following is a description. Fig. 1 is a transverse sectional elevation of
the hydraulic main and shows a part of the ascension pipe and a portion of the dip
pipe also in section, the sleeve or dip pipe being raised so as to allow a free passage
for the gas. The view shews the arrangement for adapting the invention to hydraulic
mains that are placed over and supported by crutches on the retort stack. Fig. 2 is a
similar section shewing the sleeve or dip pipe down, or sealed in the liquid in the
hydraulic main, the arrangement being such as to adapt it for hydraulic mains that
are carried in front of the retort stack upon independent columns.-Fig. 3 is an
elevation of part of the upper portion of the sleeve or dip pipe, the view being taken
at right angles to those shown in section.-In each of the Figs. similar letters refer to
the same parts.
The invention consists in making the ascension pipe A enter the bottom of the
hydraulic main B, which may be supported on crutches one of which is shown at C
fixed to the retort bed D, or upon independent columns (which are not shown) in
front of it. In either case the ascension pipe A rises above the liquid level in the
hydraulic main. Immediately over each ascension pipe there is a hole in the top
plate of the hydraulic main to which a stuffing box and gland E is attached. Through
this stuffing box and gland provided with any suitable packing, a pipe F, that is large
enough to pass over the upper part of the ascension pipe, and act as a sleeve or dip
pipe, rises and falls gas tight, at the will of the operator. The upper part of this
sleeve F rises above the hydraulic main and is fitted with a cover G that is bolted on
to it. Fixed to the hydraulic main there is a pillar H or other support to which is
pivotted a lever I having a counter balance weight J at the back end and provided
with a rod K which depends from its front end. The lever I is attached by a pair of
pivotted links L, L, to the upper part of the sleeve or pipe which encircles the
ascension pipe so that by pulling or thrusting the rod K the sleeve may be raised or
lowered at will.
The action of the apparatus is very simple. When the retort is charged with coal
and the lid closed, upon thrusting the rod upwards, the sleeve F will be raised out of

page_text: the liquid in the hydraulic main and above the ascension pipe A, when a free passage
for the gas will be opened and the retort entirely relieved from pressure,—or,
supposing that it is desired to work with a certain amount of seal, then the rod is
thrust only sufficiently far to raise the sleeve F to such a height in the liquid as to
give the required seal. On the charge being worked off, immediately before slacking
the lids the rod is pulled down to its full extent when the sleeve will cover the upper
part of the ascension pipe and so effectually close the passage from the ascension pipe
to the hydraulic main.
Instead of the foregoing arrangement, by altering the position of the fulcrum I, the
apparatus may be made to work the reverse way, that is to say, that on pulling down
the rod the sleeve will be raised, and on thrusting the rod up, the sleeve will descend
and seal the passage.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is
The construction and arrangement of gas dip pipes as herein described and shown
on the drawings