Improvements in the Manufacture of Coke and in the Ovens and Apparatus Employed therefor.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Dec., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 27th Sept., 1889-Accepted, 2nd Nov., 1889
PROVISIONAL. SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Coke and in the Ovens and
Apparatus Employed therefor.
We, JAMES NIMMO of Number 8 Chalmers Crescent Edinburgh, North Britain,
Coal Master, and JOHN SCOTLAND 10 Broom Knoll Street, Airdrie, North Britain,
Architect, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to improvements in the manufacture of coke, and consists
for the most part in an improved bottom, floor or grate for the purpose of
facilitating the discharge of the coke after it has been made.
In carrying out our Invention, we mount the floor centrally upon a horizontal
axis for the purpose of bringing the floor from the horizontal to vertical, or the
said floor may have a sliding motion in lieu of or in addition to a tilting motion*
for the purpose of discharging the coke. The floor is preferably of the ordinary
circular description, in order to fit the ordinary shape of Coke Ovens; but our
Invention is equally applicable to floors of rectangular or other shape; for the
purpose of tilting the floor I may employ a worm working into a wheel keyed upon
the one extremity of the horizontal spindle carring the floor, the said worin being
actuated from the outside of the oven through a suitable arrangement of connecting
rod and hand-wheel.
After the coke has been made upon the floor of the Oven, it can be immediately
discharged by tilting the floor without having to wait until the coke has sufficiently
cooled to enable the workman to rake it out of the ordinary side door at the level
of the floor, a further advantage is obtained by our improvements in that a frosh
charge of Coal may be fed into the Oven before the latter has lost any material
portion of its heat, great economy of time is thereby obtained. In feeding the
Oven in accordance with our improvements, we charge the coal in through the top
of the Oven, by lifting off the Cap, and we prefer to employ a spreader below the
feeding mouth of the Oven for the purpose of scattering the coal evenly over the
floor.
In order to guide the Coke into the wagon, we construct the bottom of the Oven
as a quick slope from the level of the floor to the level of the receptcale, into which
the coke is to be discharged.
We take advantage of this arrangement for the purpose of quickly cooling the
coke by discharging the same into a receptacle filled or partially filled with water,
the position of the said receptacle being such that the contents therefrom can be
tilted into the wagons running immediately under the said receptacle or cooler, the
tilting of the Cooler, may be effected by balancing it upon any suitable arrangement
of horizontal axis, and the releasing and locking of the Cooler may be effected by
any suitable arrangement of trigger; or we may so mount the Cooler that it tilts
automatically after a certain load has been charged into it.
The interior of the Oven may be lined with ordinary fire-brick or fireclay; and the
tilting floor; we also preferably line, on its exposed surface with the same material.
In order however to maintain the floor in shape and good condition, we preferably
lay the firebrick upon a castiron bed; the blocks of fireclay being clamped to the iron
bed by a series of bolts & nuts, arranged preferably in circular series according to
the laying down of the fireclay pieces, in order to compose a floor of circular plan.
In order to keep the floor practically airtight against the side of the Oven in view
of the expansion and contraction of the extended aera of the floor we arrange the
blocks of fireclay with slightly loose junctions between each other, and as regards
the ring of blocks which are in contact with the side of the Oven, in lieu of vertical
bolts as employed for clamping the main body of the blocks, we clamp up the said

page_text: outer ring of blocks by a horizontal arrangement in such a manner that the expansion
and contraction of the cast-iron bed does not draw upon the said fireclay blocks.
The tilting floor may be mounted so as to fit the barrel of the Oven, or the
mounting of the floor may be such that the face of the fireclay is caused to overlap
upon the bottom.of.the barrel portion of the Oven, so as to assist in making an air-
tight joint.
The tilting of the floor may be effected in various ways, for example the floor may
be formed in two halves, each of which being hinged upon the same central axis, or
they may hinge upon separate axes by hinges at the outer edge of the floor, the Hoor
opening from the centre; in either of these cases the floor may be barrel fitting or
abutting, as referred to in the first described construction of floor.
In lieu of gearing for tilting the floor, 1 may employ an equivalent system, such
as a lever working in a quadrant, this latter arrangement being preferable where
speed is a desideratum.
Dated this 26th day of December 1888.
JOHNSONS,
115, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Petitioners' Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Coke and in the Ovens and
Apparatus Employed therefor.
We, JAMES NIMMO, late of No. 8 Chalmers Crescent, Edinburgh, but now of
No. 20 Dixon Street, Glasgow, Coal Master, and JOHN SCOTLAND, 10 Broom Knoll
Street, Airdrie, Architect, both in the County of Lanark, North Britain, 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 relates to improvements in the manufacture of Coke and in the
ovens and apparatus employed therefor, and consists for the most part in the employ-
ment of an improved bottom floor, or grate for the purpose of facilitating the
discharge of the coke after it has been made.
We will now proceed to describe the said Invention, reference being made to the
accompanying Drawings.
Figure 1, sheet 1, of which is a front elevation of an oven and apparatus made in
accordance with our invention.
Figure 2, sheet 1, a sectional elevation of same.
Figure 2", sheet 1, a part sectional elevation of a modification of same.
Figures 3 and 4, sheet 2, a part sectional clevation and part sectional plan of our
improved floor.
Figures 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, sheet 2, are part sectional elevations of modifications of same,
and Figure 10, sheet 2, a part sectional plan of the arrangement of a row of ovens
made in accordance with our invention.
In carrying out our invention we construct an oven A (Figures 1, to 4,) of brick
or other suitable material a, (more particularly shown in Figure 2) and we line that
part of its interior which is subjected to the great heat with fire brick or other suit-
able material a', this oven being provided with the necessary inlet and outlet openings,
that is, the inlet or charging opening B, which is formed at its top, the inspection
opening C, the discharge opening D, and the refuse discharge opening E, being
formed near its bottom.
At a convenient part of the oven's interior we mount our improved floor F,
(Figures 2, 3, and 4,) the said floor being hung centrally upon a horizontal axle f
for the purpose of giving the said floor a tilting motion from the horizontal to the
vertical position thus discharging the coke. This floor is preferably of the ordinary
circular description (as shown more particularly in figure 4, sheet 2), but our
invention is equally applicable to rectangular or other shaped floors. The said tilting

page_text: motion of these floors being obtained by means of suitable mounted worm and worm
wheel arrangement G, or its mechanical equivalent; immediately under the said
tilting floor we form the bottom of the oven as an incline a², extending from the
level of the tilting floor to the level of the discharge opening D, which is provided
with a suitable door or cover (made of firebrick set into an iron frame or any other
suitable arrangement,) d, the said incline having a suitable scree a³, formed in it
for cleaning the coke before it is discharged from the oven, the refuse falling through
the said scree into the interior A', of oven from whence it can be discharged or
raked out at will through the opening E, which is also provided with a suitable door
or cover e. Or if desired to tilt the floor further back than the quarter of a circle,
part of the inclined plane may be omitted as shown by dotted line a Figure 2.
Immediately outside the discharge opening D, we mount a suitable bucket or
receptacle H, for the purpose of receiving the coke and cooling it before discharging
it into the railway wagon J, or other vehicle. This bucket H, being also capable of
tilting by means of it being hung on suitable horizontal axes h, and so balanced on
the said axes as to tilt automatically after a certain weight of coke has fallen into
it, or so arranged as to be tilted by any suitable kicker or trigger arrangement ¹.
To enable the bucket H, (which is lined with fireclay slabs or other suitable
material 2) to quickly cool the coke before discharging it into the vehicle J, we
fill or partially fill it with water or it may have a jet of water playing on it, so as,
on the hot coke entering the bucket it gets immediately cooled by coming into contact
with the water, after which it is then discharged into the vehicle J, which is placed
immediately underneath as shown in Figures 1, and 2. The tilted position of the
bucket H, being shown in dotted lines in Figure 1.
The whole arrangement being such that on the coal being brought along in the
hutches which run on the overhead platform K, the movable sheet iron shoot K¹, is
put in position as shown, and the damper B', opened, (the said damper being mounted
in such a manner that it may be easily and quickly manipulated,) the coal is then
allowed to fall on to the top of the tilting floor F, which is in its horizontal position.
After the required charge of coal has been put in and the coal ignited, the damper
is gradually closed as combustion proceeds; and when the man in charge considers
that sufficient combustion has taken place, the damper B', is closed, and if desired
the shoot K, may be removed and a suitable sheet of metal placed on top of the
opening B, (as shown at b, figure 2) and all the crevices around the doors and
shafts of the floor filled up with fireclay, the dross or coal is caused to burn and
change into coke as at present, the said operation being watched by the man in
charge through the inspection door C, when desired, the said door C being mounted
in such a nanner that it may be easily and quickly manipulated.
Instead of
When the man in charge finds the coking operation to have proceeded far enough
and the coke completely made, he manipulates or tilts the floor F, by means of the
worm and worm wheel arrangement G, and thus discharges the coke on to the
inclined screen a³, where it gets freed from all refuse, and thence, if desired, through
the opening D, (the doors d having been opened), into the cooling bucket H, where,
after it is sufficiently cooled, it is tilted into the wagon or vehicle J.
allowing the coke to get immediately out through the opening D, after leaving the
floor F, we prefer to let it remain at the foot of the screen a³, or immediately
behind the doors d, until the floor F, has been tilted back into its horizontal position
and freshly charged with dross or coal, after which the doors d, may then be opened
and the coke allowed to fall into the cooling bucket H, or if desired in addition to
the cooling bucket, we may cause water to be put on the coke when it is on the
tilting floor, or when it is lying behind the doors d, or on them both, but preferably
we only use the cooling bucket, as by its use the heat of the oven is kept at a more
uniform degree.
Some of the advantages thus gained are, a great saving of time and heat, as owing
to the quick method of emptying and charging this style of oven, there is practically
no loss of heat at all, (and if the coke is kept behind the doors d, till the oven is
recharged there is absolutely no loss of heat,) while by the old method several hours

page_text: and often days elapse between the emptying and charging operations, thus losing
nearly all the heat and wasting time, and again as this oven is self-emptying it saves
the time of workmen withdrawing the coke after being made, and owing to the
special construction of this oven with its tilting floor formed at a sufficient height
above the railway it is enabled to empty itself direct into the wagon, (the material
being at the same time screened and cooled) thus saving the workmen's time in
cooling, screening, and loading, and we calculate that owing to these advantages we
will be able to make two charges of coke with our oven, for one charge of coke by
the old method, thus manufacturing more coke in a given time than is at present
done.
In constructing our improved tilting_floor F, Figures 3 and 4, sheet 2, we prefer-
ably employ a cast iron circular frame L, formed in two halves and joined together
by bolts and nuts 1, or their equivalents, both halves being mounted in a suitable
manner on a horizontal shaft f, the said shaft and frame being held in proper position
to one another by means of cutters or keys f¹, passing through the flanges of the
frame immediately underneath and touching the shaft, the said frame L, has mounted
on its top-side a number of series of fireclay blocks M, so arranged as to overlap each
other at their outer-edges as at m, and to overlap as at m¹, and underlap as at m²,
each other alternately at their radial joints, or the radial joints may be so arranged,
if desired, that one brick overlaps at both edges, while the next underlaps at both
edges, thus forming a circular floor which is capable of expansion and contraction
owing to the variations of heat which it is subjected to. These blocks being also
held close to and in proper position to the iron frame L, by means of a suitable
number of bolts and nuts 1, preferably arranged as shown, in Figure 4.
The ends of the horizontal shaft f, carrying this tilting floor, are caused to project
through the sides of the oven and are here carried in suitable bearings f2, and for
the purpose of allowing the floor to be easily tilted, we mount at the one end of
this shaft a worm wheel G¹, which works into a worm g, carried by an upright
shaft g, which works in suitable bearings, and has a suitable hand wheel or its
equivalent G, mounted on its top end, the whole arrangement G, being placed on a
convenient part of the working platform N.
The outer edge of the said tilting floor may be made to exactly fit the barrel of the
oven, or it may be made as shown that is, the half which tilts downwards is made a
little larger in diameter and works in a check a², formed in the wall of the oven, thus
forming a very close joint when the floor is in the horizontal position.
The said tilting of the floor may be effected in various ways, for example, the floor
may be made in two halves each of which is hinged or mounted upon the same
central axis as at P, Figures 5 and 6, or they may be hinged upon separate axes at
the outer edge of the floor as at Q, Figures 7 and 8, the floor in this case opening
from the centre. In either of these cases the floors may be made to fit inside the
oven as shown at Figures 5 and 7, or they may be made to abut against the brick-
work as shown in Figures 6 and 8. Or, in lieu of either of the aforementioned ways
the floor may be provided with a sliding motion instead of a tilting motion, such as
is shown at R, Figure 9, in which case the floor is caused to slide out and in by
any suitable means and preferably assisted by means of small wheels or rollers r
mounted underneath in any suitable manner.
In some cases where an extra large heating surface or better distribution of the
heat is required in the oven we preferably form a suitable heat passage S, Figure 2
sheet 1, which extends from near the top of the oven downwards till it reaches the
floor which is also provided with a passage S¹, thence upwards and out above the
damper B¹..
As a modification of our worm and worm wheel arrangement for tilting the sai
floor, we may employ any equivalent arrangement such as a lever working in
quadrant, and having a connecting rod attached to it and to a small crank formed o
keyed on the one end of the horizontal shaft of the floor, this arrangement being very
efficient where speed-is a desideratum.
Figure 10, sheet 2, shows a part sectional outline plan of the one end of a rov

page_text: of retorts made in accordance with our invention, in this case the ovens A, are
formed as shown, that is the fire-brick lining of the one abutting against that of the
next as at A³, and having their tilting floors' axles running from front to back, and
each oven provided with the necessary openings as already described, the only
difference in this case being that instead of the inclined plane a², and screen a³, as
already described, being parallel to the axis of the oven floor, they would be at an
angle to it, and have the discharge openings D, formed at their backs, thus enabling
the coals to be supplied by the line of rails X, X, hoisted to top platform where
hutches run, by a suitable elevation Y, and the coke having been manufactured, is
delivered into the wagons on line of rails Z, Z, while all the inspection doors and
tilting arrangements are placed conveniently to the working platform N.
The single oven or group of ovens hereinbefore referred to, may be fitted with
suitable ties on their outside, preferably by a series of circular ties or rings (made
of iron or other suitable material,) with vertical straps so arranged around their
outer shells as to prevent the ovens from bursting.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :-
:-
First. In the manufacture of coke the employment of an oven having a movable or
tilting floor constructed at a sufficient height above the level of the railway, by which
means the oven empties itself direct into the wagon, the coke at the same time being
screened and cooled before it reaches the wagon, substantially as herein before described
and shown in the accompanying Drawings.
Second. In the ovens and apparatus for effecting our improvements in the manu-
facture of coke, the general arrangement and construction of the oven A, having
openings B, C, D, and E, inclined plane a², screen a³, tilting floor F, tilting arrange-
ment G, bucket H, and their respective connections or the mechanical equivalents of
same, all substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described and shown in
Figures 1 to 4 inclusive, of the accompanying Drawings.
Third. In the manufacture of coke the general arrangement and construction of the
movable or tilting floor F, having a cast iron frame L, series of fire-brick blocks M,
so arranged as to allow for expansion and contraction, horizontal shaft f, having
bearings, and in combination therewith the employment of a worm and worm
wheel arrangement G, or its mechanical equivalent, all substantially as and for the
purposes herein before described and shown in Figures 3 and 4; also any modifications
of said floor, such as are described with reference to Figures 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9, of the
accompanying Drawings.
21
1000
JOHNSONS,
115, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Applicants' Agents.