CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF RETORTS AND OTHER MACHINERY FOR MAKING GAS FROM COAL AND OTHER SUBSTANCES:
Year: 1838

page_text: GRAFTON, of the Town of Cambridge, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West-
minster, the Thirtieth day of August, in the second year of Her reign, did, for
Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said John
Grafton, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I,
the said John Grafton, my exors, admors, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said John Grafton, my exors, admors, or assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times during the term of
years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my
Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF RETORTS AND OTHER
MACHINERY FOR MAKING GAS FROM COAL AND OTHER SUBSTANCES:" in which said
Letters Patent is contained a proviso, that I, the said John Grafton, shall cause
a particular of the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be inrolled in Her said Majesty's High Court of
Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of
the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being
thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
John Grafton, do hereby declare that the nature of my Invention consists, firstly,
[Price (che]

page_text: in charging the retort without exposure to the external air, and discharging the
same with an exposure not exceeding a few seconds of time, whereby the
enormous waste of gas, together with the nauseating effects, destructiveness,
and filthiness usually attendant on the charging and discharging of gas retorts,
are avoided. and consequently the health of the workmen will be better
preserved, as well as great savings effected; secondly, in supplying with
rapidity a large quantity of coals to the retort, and expelling the coke with
facility and despatch: thirdly, in equalizing the surface and depth of the
stratum of coals upon the bottom of the retort. whereby the coals may be
equally carbonized, and the gas extricated from all parts of the mass in about
an equal space of time, and as speedily as possible, so that the purer gases
may not be injured by their passage through a great mass of red hot coke;
and, fourthly, in using two pipes, one at each end of the retort, both being
open at the same time. to carry off the gas, thereby avoiding the speedy furring
up of the retort by incrustation. And in further compliance with the said
proviso. I, the said John Grafion. do hereby describe the manner in which my
said Invention is to be performed as follows, that is to say: -
Firstly, by employing a waggon or carriage traversing the interior of the
retort longitudinally, and passing into a recess or chamber attached to one end
of the retort, where the waggon receives a charge of coals from an air-tight
hopper placed over the chamber, and, after being filled, delivers the coals in a
regulated stratum spread equably over the floor of the retort, and to the tail
of which waggon is attached a flap turning on hinges, which flap on being let
down will act as a rake or expeller io push the coke out through the doorway
of the retort; and, secondly, by employing the two pipes, one at each end of
the retort, as aforesaid. These means of accomplishing my objects of course
admit of various forms and modifications, according to the local and other
circumstances, but the Drawings hereunto annexed. reference being had to
the same, and to the figures and letters marked thereon, exhibit the form [ by
preference adopt, and which is given as a sample sufficiently indicative to a
competent workman to enable him to carry my Invention into effect in as
beneficial a manner as I myself can perform the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure represents a plan of the apparatus, with the brickwork at the top
of the retort shewn as broken through, in order that the plan of the waggon
may be seen as situated within the retort; Figure 2. vertical section of the
same, through the middle of the length of the retort, and of the waggon
chamber, with a view of the parts visible beyond the section; Figure 3,

page_text: vertical and transverse section taken from A to B of Figures 1 and 2, shewing
the waggon and other parts lying beyond the section; Figure 4, elevation of
the furnace or discharging end of the apparatus; Figure ŏ, elevation of the
charging end of the apparatus, omitting, for the sake of clearness, the handle
and the rods for moving the waggon and its sliding bottom, these being sufli-
ciently shewn in Figures 1 and 2; Figure 6, a profile view of the waggon
chamber, the hopper, and slider case. These six Figures are drawn on a scale
of one inch to the foot, for an ordinary size of the apparatus; the following four
Figures are represented of the full size. Figure 7, longitudinal section,
representing part of the front and bottom of the waggon, with a view of the
sockets for receiving the rods for moving the waggon and the sliding bottom;
Figure 8, plan of that part of one of the rods which enters the socket;
Figure 9, profile view of the same; Figure 10, transverse section of one of the
bottom bars of the waggon, with a view of the staple affixed to the sliding
bottom. It may be well here to observe, that similar letters and numbers of
reference are used to denote similar parts in all the Figures. u, the brick-
work surrounding the retort and furnace; b, the retort, built of bricks or
lumps made of fire clay; c, two vertical frames of cast iron, each having two
horizontal flanches projecting inwards, and embracing the ends of the brick-
work forming the floor, sides, and roof of the retort; d, the door of the retort,
of cast iron; e, the door frame, of cast iron, bolted to the frame c, and project-
ing from the retort, in order to form a chamber from which one of the exit
pipes arises; f, a chain attached by a forked end to the door of the retort, and
carrying a weight at the other end to balance the door; g, a pillar, and a pulley,
over which the chain passes to support the door and its balance weight; h,
three vertical bars of wrought iron placed across the door of the retort, the
upper ends of which bars are held by loop pieces hinged to the upper part of
the door frame, and the lower ends hinged by a double jointed link to the
bottom of the door frame, so that the bars when not in use may hang, down
out of the way of the falling coke while it is being discharged; k, three
screws, passing through the middles of the vertical bars, the ends of which
screws press against the door in the ordinary way to force the door tightly
against the face of the door frame, both the door and the face against which it
presses, being ground together until made air-tight; I, the three links, hinged
to the bottom ends of the bars, and to the lower part of the door frame;
m, three loop pieces, hinged to the upper part of the door frame, and falling
down to embrace the upper ends of the vertical bars, the loop pieces also turning
round horizontally in order that they may be readily removed out of the way
of the door when rising or falling; n, an inner door, formed of two thicknesses

page_text: of sheet iron, to screen the heat from the outer door and door frame, and retain
it in the retort; these two plates are held at about an inch apart by ferrules,
through which and through the plates riveis are passed to hold the plates in
contact with the ferrules; p, a hinge, shewn in view for the sake of clearness,
although in use it is placed in the middle of the length of the door; the middle
knuckle of this hinge is united with an arm so jointed with the extremity of a
jib or crane as to have horizontal motion without yielding vertically; when this
middle knuckle is inserted between the other two, and the centre pin put in, the
inner door may with facility be lifted out of the retort or replaced. p', the centre
pin, with a long handle for readily inserting it or taking it out of the hinge,
without inconvenience from the heat of the door; q, two out of four feet for
supporting the door vertically upon the floor of the retort or of the door frame,
near an inch space is left above the inner door for the gas to pass over in its
way to the exit pipe; r, the furnace, including the fire door, the door frame, the
fire bars, and brickwork; s, six flues, passing off from each side of the furnace,
and meeting in one common flue, spread over the whole length and breadth of
the arch forming the top or roof of the retort; these side flues may be more or
less in number; t, the common flue, covering the whole roof of the retort;
u, two flues arising from near each end of the common flue, to lead off the
smoke and vapours to any convenient chimney; v, two horizontal flues, which
may run along over several retorts, and receive their respective flues; one end
of each of these flues is shewn in Figure 1 as continued beyond the retort, and
broken. , long vertical bars or braces of cast iron, two at each end of the retort,
and four wrought-iron tye bolts, passed through the upper and lower ends of the
bars, with washers and nuts to hold the brickwork together; x, the waggon
chamber, oolted to one of the vertical frames c, and supported at the outer end
by two pillars; y, the pillars supporting the end of the waggon chamber; z, the
door of the waggon chamber, which being of similar construction and materials,
and having similar fastenings with the door of the retort, need not to be again
particularly referred to. This door may be counterbalanced like the other, or
each door may be suspended from a jib or crane turning away into any con-
venient spot. 1, cocks through which the rods may pass for pushing and pull-
ing the waggon along the floor of the retort and chamber; 2, cocks through
which the rods may pass for pushing and pulling the sliding bottom of the
waggon; 3, the hopper for measuring the charge of coals, and delivering them
into the waggon; 4, a vertical partition, extending from side to side and from
top to bottom of the hopper, forming it into two compartments, in order to divide
and lessen the strain of the coals in passing into the waggon while the waggon
is being pushed along under the hopper; 5, the lid, ground to fit air-tight upou

page_text: the brim of the hopper; 6, two horizontal rails, placed on a level with the brim
of the hopper, for the lid to run upon as it is slidden from over the hopper;
7, two brackets for supporting the rails 6; 8, six iron wheels attached to the
rails, three to each, for the lid to run upon to lessen its friction; 9, two
wrought-iron cross bars, with screws, for fastening the lid upon the hopper;
10, two loops fixed at the back of the hopper for receiving and holding the
back ends of the bars 9; 11, two loops hinged to the front of the hopper, to be
turned up over the front ends of the bars 9, to hold them against the force of
the screws; 12, the sliding bottom of the hopper, ground air-tight upon a seat
bolted on the top of the waggon chamber, surrounding an aperture about an
inch longer and wider than the bottom of the hopper, this enlarged dimension
of the aperture being made to prevent the lodgment of coals upon the seat;
13,. the seat of the sliding bottom of the hopper; 14, six wheels or rollers,
turning upon studs fixed in the sides of the case, upon which wheels the bottom
of the hopper may run to lessen the friction; 15, two racks, one at each end of
the sliding bottom, by which it is to be moved; these racks are screwed to the
bottom, and are placed outside the hopper to avoid being choked with coals;
16, an axle, working through two stuffing boxes, and carrying two pinions for
driving the two racks; 17, a frame or platform, screwed on the top of the
waggon chamber as a foundation plate for the air-tight case in which the slider
moves, which I call the slider case; this foundation plate may be cast in one
piece with the seat of the slider; 18, a front piece of the slider case, bolted
against the front of the hopper down upon the foundation plate, and against
the two end pieces, having an aperture in the front of the upper part, through
which the slider and the pinions may be put in and taken out of the slider case;
19, a lid, bolted down over the aperture in the front piece 18; 20, two end
pieces of the slider case, bolted against the sides of the hopper, against the front
piece, against the back piece, and down upon the foundation plate. In each of
these end pieces there is a stuffing box, through which the axle 16 works.
21, a back piece of the slider case, bolted against the back of the hopper,
against the two side pieces, and down upon the foundation plate; I prefer that
the hopper, with its lid, its sliding bottom, and its slider case, as also the
waggon chamber and its door, to be made of cast iron; 22, an index near each
end of the axle, indicating upon two dial plates fixed behind them the quantity
of opening which the slider leaves in the bottom of the hopper; these gradua-
tions should correspond with the number of compartments in the waggon;
23, four arms on each end of the axle, for turning, the pinions, and thereby
moving the slider; 24, two pipes, arising one from near each end of the retort,
by both of which the gas makes its exit at the same time out of the retort into

page_text: the hydraulic main, without having to pass over but little more than half the
heated surface that would be necessary if only one exit pipe were employed,
and thus the gas is delivered from the retort less injured by heat; 25. the
waggon, made of sheet iron, about an eighth of an inch thick, the front, back,
and bottom being raised about four inches above the floor of the retort to form
a gauge to the stratum of coals to be deposited, while the sides of the waggon
reach down to the floor, in order that the wheels may be protected from the
coals falling from the waggon; 26, five partitions, dividing the body of the
waggon into six compartments, but they may be more or less in number;
27, the bottom of the waggon sliding upon two supporting bars. The
partitions and the bottom may also be made of sheet iron, about the same
thickness as the sides. 28, the two supporting bars of wrought iron, on which
the bottom slides; 29, two staples, fixed at the back edge of the sliding bottom,
each staple loosely embracing one of the bars, to act as guides to the
slider, and as a stop to prevent the slider being drawn out too far; 30, two
sockets, fixed to the front edge of the sliding bottom, into which rods are
inserted, and fixed at pleasure by the fastening well known by the term
"bayonet joint," the orifice of the sockets being made of a bell-mouth shape to
favour the entrance of the rods, or the rods may be screwed into the sockets;
31, two similar sockets, fastened to the front of the waggon, for the reception
of a pair of rods, by which the waggon may be moved along upon the floor of
the retort and of the waggon chamber; 32, four wheels, upon which the wag-
gon runs, two of these wheels are indicated in Figure 1 by dotted lines, as if
seen through the coals and through the side of the waggon; 33, two wheels
attached to the front end of the sliding bottom of the waggon, to keep it up on
a line parallel to the floor of the retort, and thus free for sliding; 34, two ledges
along the sides of the floor of the retort, to keep the waggon in its proper track;
35, the tail piece of the waggon, made of two sheets of iron, kept at about an
inch apart by several ferrules, through which rivets are passed to hold the plates;
at that distance the tail piece is made double, to prevent the waggon becoming
too hot; 36, the propelling flap or rake, hinged to the tail piece of the waggon,
made also double in a similar manner with the tail piece; a square stud pro-
jects from each end of the flap in a line with the axis of the hinge, upon which
a key with a square hole in it may fit, for lifting up the flap; 37, a catch
attached to one side of the waggon, to hold the flap up when not in use; a
square projects from this catch, upon which a key with a square hole in it fits,
for the purpose of lifting the catch; 38, an aperture through each side of the
waggon chamber for a key to be introduced for turning up the flap 36; 39, an
aperture through one side of the waggon chamber for a key to be introduced

page_text: for lifting the catch 37. to let the propelling flap fall. These apertures may be
stopped when not in use with sliding or revolving shutters or with cocks. The
key for working the flap and the catch may be made of any figure, according
to fancy. 40, two wrought iron rods, secured by bayonet joints with the
sockets of the waggon, and passing through the cocks in the door of the
waggon chamber; 41. a bar of wood coupling the two rods 40 together, and
serving as a handle by which the waggon may be pushed into the retort and
pulled out: 42. a link, placed on two pins or studs in the rods to keep them
from turning in the sockets, and thereby of becoming loosened from the
bayonet joints: 43, two swivel joints, to allow the rods to be turned on their
axes: 44, two arms fixed on each rod, by which the rods may quickly be
turned on their axis. to fix them in the bayonet joints and to loosen them from
the same: 45. two wrought-iron rods, to be secured into the sockets 30 of the
sliding bottom of the waggon, and passing through the cocks 2 in the door of
the waggon chamber; 46. a bar of wood coupling the two rods 45 together,
and serving as a handle for moving the sliding bottom of the waggon;
47 a link. for keeping the two rods 45 from turning in the sockets; 48,
tavo wrought-iron rods, upon which the handles 41 and 46 may slide, these
ods having hooks at one end, by which they are held in eyes affixed to the
two sides of the waggon chamber, the other ends of the rods lying upon
vessels: 49, the two eyes for holding the two rods 48: 50, the iwo tressels
upon which the other ends of the two rods 48 rest; 51. a graduated scale,
affixed to one of the rods 48, to indicate the place of the waggon within
its chamber, and within the retort: 52, two clasps, for holding the two rods of
the waggon while its sliding bottom is being withdrawn; 53, the stratum of
coals partly deposited on the floor of the retort; 54. the coals remaining in the
waggon when it has reached the position shewn in Figures 1 and 2; 55, an
aperture, through which any coals or dust which may pass into the slider box
of the hopper may be raked out; 56, a door closing the aperture 55; 57,.
apertures for inspecting the interior of the retort; 58, apertures for inspecting
the common flue 1. In working the retort, I first take care that the
doors of the retort and of the waggon chamber, and also the sliding bottom
of the hopper, together with the apertures 38, 39, and 57, are all well closed
to exclude the external air. I also observe that the waggon is drawn com-
pletely in the waggon chamber, and the propelling flap or rake down, so
that it may, together with the tail piece of the waggon, form a
screen to
prevent the waggon becoming too hot, and for keeping the heat in the
retort. 1 then make a fire of coke or coal in the furnace, and heat up
the retort to a proper degree, and while the heat is increasing, I fill the

page_text: hopper with coals, broken into picces not so large as the fist. and slide
the cover over and fasten it down upon the hopper with the three
screws turning in the three cross bars 9. When the heat in the retort
is sufficiently raised, I insert the key through the aperture 38, and lift
up the flap of the waggon until the catch holds it, and I open the cocks I and
2, and pass the rods 40 and 45 through, and fasten them into sockets 30 and
31 respectively; I then withdraw the sliding bottom of the hopper about one-
sixth part of the distance of its movement, and let the coals fall down and fill
the compartment of the waggon nearest to the tail, and, after which, I move
the slider another sixth part, and let the second compartment of the waggon
fili: I then move the waggon a sufficient distance to let the third and fourth
compartments fill by a third and fourth withdrawal of the slider of the hopper
the distance of a sixth part each time, and I push the waggon again a suf-
ficient distance to fill the fifth and sixth compartments from the fifth and sixth
withdrawal of the slider, and thus all the compartments of the waggon are
filled, and the hopper of course emptied; I then push, by means of the handle
41, the waggon to the further end of the retort, and withdraw, by means of the
handle 46, the sliding bottom of the waggon, which will allow one-half of the
coals to fall down upon the floor of the retort. The waggon being then draw
along the floor, it will gradually deposit the remaining half of the coals upon the
other half of the floor, and thus a stratum of equal depth will be laid all over
the floor of the retort. The waggon being then drawn into its chamber by
the handle 41, the bottom will by the same action be slidden in under the
waggon; the front end of that bottom being stopped against the door of the
chamber. The four rods 40 and 45 are now taken out, the four cocks 1 and 2
shut, and the flap of the waggon turned down. when the gas will arise from
the whole surface of the coals, and pass off into the hydraulic main through
the two exit pipes 24. While the gas is passing off, the bottom of the hopper
is slidden in, the lid taken off, the hopper filled with coals for the next charge,
and the lid replaced and secured by the screws in the cross bars. Immediately
upon the coal being carbonized, the rods 40 and 45 are passed in through the
cocks, and secured to the waggon and its sliding bottom: the door of the
retort is then opened, and the waggon pushed to that end of the retort by
means of the handle 41, when the flap, pressing against the stratum of coke,
will propel the whole mass of coke out through the doorway, which operation
will be performed in a few seconds, the expulsion being favored by the dis-
charging end of the retort being about three inches below the level of the
chamber end; the outer end of the waggon chamber is also on the same incli-
nation, in order that any tar which may be collected there may run into the

page_text: retort, and give out its gas. As soon as the coke is expelled, the door of the
retort is quickly closed, the waggon withdrawn into its chamber, the key intro-
duced through either of the apertures 38, and the flap lifted up until the catch
37 falls into the position for holding it up. The apertures 38 and 39 being
closed, the whole is in the condition for giving a new charge, in the same
manner as just described.
Now, whereas I lay no claim to the form of the retort as shewn in the
Drawings, nor to the materials of which it is constructed, nor to the means of
supporting and of fastening the doors of the retort and of the waggon chamber,
nor to the form of furnace, or any of its parts for heating the retort; but I do
claim as my Invention, first, a waggon or carriage with a double tail piece,
and a double flap acting as a rake, as herein-before described, traversing length-
ways of the retort when in operation, and reposing when at rest in a recess or
waggon chamber, and receiving coals from an air-tight hopper, and depositing
them in an even stratum upon the floor of the retort, in manner herein-before
set forth; and, secondly, I claim the two exit pipes from near each end of
the retort, allowing gas to escape freely from both at the same time.
which points hereby claimed are set forth and explained in the description
herein-before given, and elucidated by the Drawings hereunto annexed.
All
In witness whereof, I, the said John Grafton, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and thirty-nine.
JOHN (L.S.) GRAFTON.
AVD DE TM Dwan an