Improvements in the Manufacture of Gas.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Jan., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 4th Oct., 1890--Accepted, 15th Nov., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Gas.
We WILLIAM THORNTON COTTON 136 Camberwell New Road London Engineer
and EDMUND FRANCIS BURDETT CROWTHER Ebor House Withington, Lancashire,
Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
Our invention relates to improvements in making gas from coal, by vertical fire
clay or metal retorts, whien are tapered internally and fitted with draw plates formed
with apertures, which are incased in iron or steel boxes, underneath the retorts to
empty them when required, and circular pans at the outlet containing water to make
the draw plate boxes and retorts airtight.
01 1000
WM. THORNTON COTTON.
EDMUND FRANCIS BURDETT CROWTHER.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Gas.
We WILLIAM THORNTON COTTON, formerly of 136, Camberwell New Road, London,
and now of 5, Cancell Road, Vassall Road, Brixton, Engineer and EDMUND FRANCIS
BURDETT CROWTHER of Ebor House, Withington Lancashire, Mechanical 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:-
Our invention relates to improvements in the manufacture of gas produced from
coal which is carbonised in a series of vertical or inclined retorts.
These retorts may
be constructed of fire-clay or metal, and they taper internally; their larger diameter
being at the bottom, where they are supported upon the upper plate of a box or
casing. This box or casing encloses a draw-plate, provided with apertures, which may
when desired, he brought to correspond with apertures situated immediately below the
retorts and formed in the upper and lower plates of said box or casing. By causing
the apertures in the draw-plate to come beneath the lower extremities of the retorts,
the carbonised products drop out through exit tubes projecting from the underside of the
before mentioned box or casing and fall into a barrow or wagon below. After
the retorts have thus been emptied the draw plate is again caused to assume its
normal position so as to close the retorts. A receptacle or pan, hinged!to each of the
exit tubes and containing water into which said exit tubes dip, serves to form an
effectual seal for preventing air entering to, or gas escaping from, the retorts through
the draw-plate-box or casing.
In order that our said invention may be fully understood and readily carried into
effect, we will proceed to describe the drawings hereunto annexed.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section, shewing three retorts constructed țin accordance
with our invention. Although we have only shewn three retorts, it will be evident
that any required number may be employed, their upper ends being connected
together by unions as is well understood.
Fig. 2 is a plan, and Figure 3 is a longitudinal section of the draw-plate.
a. a are the retorts, which are in this case arranged vertically, but, as before" stated
they may, if preferred, be arranged in inclined positions. b is the draw-plate
carrying slabs of fire-resisting material which are bolted thereto by means of
bolts 61. C. c is the box or casing enclosing the draw-plate and provided with

page_text: apertures c¹, c¹, c², and c², c², c². d, d, are the exit tubes which project into the
receptacles or pan e. e ani dip below the level of the water contained in such
receptacles, thereby forming a hydraulic seal.
The upper ends of the retorts are furnished with pivotted covers a' and lids a². By
turning these covers about their pivots and removing the lids a², coal can be charged
into the retorts and drops into the lower part thereof, where it is supported by the
solid portions of the slabs carried by the draw-plate. The products of combustion
from the furnace. by entering the space A situated beneath the arch B, heat the
portions of the retorts contained in said space A, thereby carbonising the coal and
liberating the gas which passes off to the hydraulic main in the usual manner
When the retorts are to be emptied, the spring catches e are released and the
receptacles or pans e immediately turn downwards upon their hinges e². The crank
handle 63, operating the screw 64, is now turned, and the apertures 6x in the draw-
plate are thus brought beneath the retorts and correspond with the openings c² and c²
in the box or casing c. The carbonised products then fall, by their own weight,
through the exit tubes d into a barrow or wagon beneath and the draw-plate is again
caused to assume the position shewn at Figure 1.
The receptacles or pans are then raised into their horizontal positions, by pressing
a suitable tool against the abutments e³, and are retained in this position by the spring
catches e'. Water is then admitted to the pans to make the water seal or joint, and
said pans are kept supplied with a sufficient quantity of water until they are again
unlatched before emptying the retorts.
Although we have shewn a screw operated by a crank-handle, for effecting the move-
ment of the draw-plate, any other suitable contrivance may be employed for the
purpose.
A separate draw-plate is preferably employed for each line of retorts.
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:-
1. The application, to the lower extremities of vertical or inclined gas retorts, of
draw-plates formed with apertures and enclosed in boxes or cases, together with
means for preventing the entrance of air to, or the escape of gas from, such retorts,
substantially as described.
2. Our improvements in the manufacture of gas substantially as described and
shewn by the drawings hereunto annexed.
Dated this Fourth day of October 1890.
WILLIAM THORNTON COTTON.
EDMD. FRAS. BURDETT CROWTHER.