Improved Methods of and Means for Removing or Loosening Retort- carbon or "Scurf" from the Interior Surface of Gas-retorts.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Mar., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 28th Dec., 1897-Accepted, 25th Mar., 1898
Improved Methods of and Means for Removing or Loosening Retort-
carbon or "Scurf" from the Interior Surface of Gas-retorts.
I, CHARLES BILLINGTON, Junior, Albert Terrace, Wolstanton, Stoke-on-Trent,
Staffordshire, Brass Founder, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:
"
This my invention has reference to improved methods of loosening or detaching
scurf or retort-carbon from the interior surface of gas-retorts, without impairing
such retorts.
One way of carrying my said invention into practice is by attaching or fixing a
cast-iron, a wrought-iron or other suitable adjustable metallic pipe or pipes in any
suitable position so that the tapering or nozzle-end of same may be readily placed
centrally or eccentrically within an opening, or pipe attached near to the lower
end of the side of a gas-scrubber, the other end of such pipe or pipes being attached
to a steam-generator, or other steam receptacle so that steam may be conducted
from such steam-generator or generators, or be injected by any suitable appliance
into such "scrubber."
It will be readily understood that when steam is allowed to pass into such
scrubber" at its lower end from the nozzle of such steam-conducting pipe or pipes,
or from the nozzle of an injector or like appliance that an induced current of air
will enter with the steam by reason of the pipe or opening near to the lower end
of such scrubber" being larger than the inserted nozzle-end or ends of such
steam-conducting pipe, pipes or injector, such mixture of steam and air being
deprived of its steam by means of a jet or spray of cold water, or water having
the temperature of the surrounding atmosphere passing into, or being injected into
such "scrubber" from its upper end, such air deprived of its steam I then convey,
or force by means of a suitable blower or blowers from the upper end of such
"scrubber" through a suitably shaped pipe or pipes having a tapered, or nozzle-
shaped outer end against the outer edge of the hot or heated scurf or carbon
adhering to. the interior surface of a gas-retort, or retorts soon after its or their
charge has been withdrawn, so that such retort carbon will be effectually loosened
from the interior surface of such retorts, and enable same to be readily scraped
or removed therefrom by any suitable means. Or such steam and air may be
conducted successively by a suitable pipe or pipes into a
66
"
دو
second or more
scrubbers," and deprived of its steam during its passage through such
"scrubbers" by means of a spray or jets of water as herein before described. Such
air deprived of its steam or moisture other than that naturally retained by absorp-
tion I conduct, or force under pressure through a suitably shaped pipe or pipes
from the upper end of the last "scrubber" through which it has passed, into and
through a suitable nozzle or nozzles against the outer edge of the hot "scurf" or
carbon adhering to the interior surface of such gas-retorts, so as to loosen or detach
such carbon.
In a modification of the foregoing I conduct or inject a current of air by means

page_text: of a steam-jet or jets into a condensor, or a series of condensors successively of
suitable shape, into metallic columns, or into a straight, curved, horizontal,
vertical or inclined tube or pipes having suitable bends or elbows, such mixture of
steam and air I deprive of its steam or moisture during its passage through such
appliances by means of a jet or sprays of water as before described, or such mixture
may be cooled or deprived of its steam by means of cold water, or water having the
temperature of the surrounding atmosphere being sprayed, poured or allowed to
run over the exterior surface of such appliances, the air thus cooled or deprived of
its steam I conduct, or force under pressure by means of a suitable blower through
a suitable pipe or pipes against the hot or heated "scurf" or carbon adhering to
the interior surface of gas-retorts soon after their charge has been withdrawn, for
the purpose of loosening or detaching such carbon from such retorts. The nozzle
end of such air-conducting pipes may be held by a workman, or be adjustably
mounted so as to enable the air issuing from such nozzles to be readily directed
against the "scurf" or carbon to be: loosened or detached.
Dated this 23rd day of March 1907
$
Improved Methods of and Means for Removing or Loosening Retort-
carbon or "Scurf" from the Interior Surface of Gas-retorts.
I, CHARLES BILLINGTON, Junior, Albert Terrace, Wolstanton, Stoke-on-Trent,
Staffordshire, Brass Founder, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement: -
This my invention has reference to improved methods of loosening or detaching
66 scurf" or retort carbon from the interior surface of gas-retorts without impairing
such retorts.
One way of carrying my said invention into practice is by attaching or fixing a
cast-iron, a wrought-iron or other suitable pipe of any suitable size in any suitable
position so that the tapering or nozzle end of such pipes may be readily placed
centrally or excentrically within an opening or pipe attached to, or formed near to
the lower end of the side of a gas-scrubber, the other end of such pipe or pipes I
attach to a steam-generator so that steam may be conducted from such steam
generator or steam generators into such "scrubber," or be injected by any suitable
appliance or appliances into same.
It will be readily understood that when steam is allowed to flow or pass into
such "scrubber" at its lower end from such steam conducting pipe or pipes, or
be injected thereinto by an injector or like suitable appliance, that an induced
current of air will enter such "scrubber" with the steam by reason of the pipe
or openings near to the lower end of such "scrubber" being of a larger size or
diameter than the inserted nozzle-end or ends of the steam-conducting pipe, pipes
or injectors, such mixed air and steam being deprived of its steam by means of a
jet, jets or spray of cold water, or water having the temperature of the surrounding
atmosphere passing into, or being injected by any suitable appliance or appliances
into such "scrubber" from its, or at its upper end, such air after extraction from
such mixture of air and steam I then convey under pressure through a pipe or pipes
of any suitable shape, size and metal having a tapered or nozzle-shaped outer end
or ends against the outer edge of the hot or heated "scurf" or carbon-adhering

page_text: 66
to the interior surface of a gas-retort or retorts soon after its or their coke or charge
has been withdrawn, so that such retort-carbon or scurf" will be effectually
loosened from the interior surface of such retorts, and enable such carbon to be
scraped or removed therefrom by using any suitable tool or tools. Such steam and
air may be conducted by a suitable pipe or pipes from the first "scrubber" into
a second or more "scrubbers" successively, and deprived of its steam, or have the
steam extracted therefrom during its passage through such "scrubbers" by means
of a spray or jets of water as herein-before described. The air deprived of its
steam or moisture other than that naturally retained by absorption I conduct
through a metallic pipe or pipes of suitable shape, size and thickness from the
last scrubber" through which the air has passed into and through a suitable
nozzle or nozzles against the outer edge of hot "scurf" or carbon adhereing to
the interior surface of gas-retorts after the coke or charge has been withdrawn
therefrom for the purpose of loosening or detaching such carbon from such retorts.
In a modification of the foregoing I conduct or inject by means of a steam-jet
or jets a current or currents of air into a condenser or series of condensers succes-
sively of any suitable shape, into metallic columns, or into a straight, a curved, a
horizontal, a vertical or inclined tube or pipes of any suitable shape and size having
any suitable number of bends or elbows, such mixture of steam and air having its
moisture or steam extracted therefrom during its passage through such pipes or
appliances by means of a jet or sprays of water as hereinbefore described, or such
mixture of air and steam may be cooled or deprived of its steam by means of cold
water or water having the temperature of the surrounding atmosphere being
sprayed, poured or allowed to run over the exterior surface or surfaces of such pipes
or appliances, the mixture of air and steam thus cooled or having the steam
extracted therefrom I conduct through a suitable metallic pipe or pipes against the
hot or heated "scurf" or carbon adhering to the interior surface of gas-retorts soon
after their coke or charge has been withdrawn for the purpose of loosening or
detaching such carbon from such retorts. The nozzle end of such forced air
conducting pipe or pipes may be held by a workman or workmen, or be adjustably
mounted in any suitable manner to enable the forced air current issuing from such
nozzles to be readily directed against the "scurf" or carbon to be loosened or
detached.
In order that my said invention may be more readily understood and ex-
plained in detail I have hereunto annexed a sheet of drawings shewing two ways
of carrying my said invention into practice, and on which letters of reference are
marked.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
On reference to Figure 1 a, b represent two metallic gas-scrubbers connected
near to their upper end by a metal pipe or tube c. When steam from a boiler or
steam generator d is permitted to flow through a pipe e into the scrubber « air
will be drawn by suction into such scrubber through an air-injector f, the steam
being condensed or extracted from such mixture of air and steam in such scrubber
by means of a spray of water of the temperature of the surrounding atmosphere
being diffused into such scrubber by any suitable appliance g from or at its upper
end, such air will then flow from the scrubber a into the scrubber b, where water
from a sprinkler or like suitable appliance further cools the injected air, from
the last scrubber 6 I conduct such cooled air through a flexible or other suitable
pipe or tube i having a nozzle j at its outer end, against the "scurf" or retort
carbon adhering to the interior surface of a gas retort / after its charge has been
withdrawn for the purpose of loosening or detaching such carbon from such retorts.
Water and condensed steam flowing from the lower end of such retorts into a
pipe or tube m by which it may be conveyed into a cistern or other suitable
receptacle.
On reference to Figure 2 a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, represent a number of jointed pipes
into which air and steam may be injected through an air injector i in a manner
similar to that described in reference to Figure 1, the steam being extracted from,

page_text: or such air being cooled as it flows or passes through such tube or series of tubes
by water being sprinkled or sprayed by any suitable appliance from the upper
curved end of such pipes, the cooled air, or air deprived of its steam being con-
ducted from such length of pipe or the last pipe of such series of pipes by any
suitable tube or pipe having a nozzle at its outer end against the hot retort carbon
or "scurf" adhering to the interior surface of gas-retorts after their charge has
been withdrawn for the purpose of detaching or loosening such scurf" or carbon
from such retorts. Condensed steam and water flowing from the lower bent or
curved connecting portion of such series of pipes into a pipe j for conduction to a
cistern or like suitable receptacle.
"
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. The method of forcing or conveying a current of air by means of a jet or jets
of steam through an opening, pipe or pipes into the lower end of a gas-scrubber,
into a condenser, or into a series of gas-scrubbers, or a series of condensers succes-
sively, cooling such mixture of air and steam by means of a spray or sprays of
cold water, or water having the temperature of the surrounding atmosphere injected
or sprayed into such scrubbers or condensers from their upper end, and forcing
such air deprived of its steam from the last scrubber or condenser through a
suitable pipe or pipes against the "scurf" or carbon adhering to the interior
surface of gas-retorts after their coke or charge has been withdrawn for the purpose
of loosening or detaching such carbon from such retorts as herein substantially
described set forth and shewn at Figure 1 of the drawings hereto annexed.
2. The method of forcing or conveying a current of air by means of a jet or
jets of steam through an opening, pipe or pipes into the lower end of one pipe, or a
pipe of a series or cluster of straight, curved, vertical, horizontal or inclined
metallic pipes connected by bends, elbows or branches of suitable size, cooling such
mixture of air and steam during its passage through such pipe or series of pipes
by means of a spray or sprays of cold water or water having the temperature of
the surrounding atmosphere being injected into such pipes at or from their upper
end, or by means of such water being poured, sprayed or allowed to run over the
outside or exterior surface of such pipes, and forcing such air deprived of its steam
from the last pipe of such series or cluster of pipes through a suitable pipe or pipes
against the "scurf" or carbon adhering to the interior surface of gas-retorts after
their coke or charge has been withdrawn for the purpose of loosening or detaching
such carbon or scurf" from such retorts as herein substantially described set
forth and shewn at Figure 2 of the drawings hereto annexed.
Dated this 24th day of December 1897.
JOHN NEWTON,
Longport, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffs., Agent for Applicant.