IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPERTAINING TO CERTAIN ROTATING FURNACES FOR THE MANUFACTURE. OF SULPHATE OF SODA AND POTASH OR OTHER CHEMICALS, AND APPARATUS FOR DISCHARGING THEIR CONTENTS.”
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Jones and John Walsh, both of Middlesbrough
on Tees, in the County of York, Chemical Manufacturers, for an Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPERTAINING TO CERTAIN ROTATING FURNACES
FOR THE MANUFACTURE. OF SULPHATE OF SODA AND POTASH OR OTHER
CHEMICALS, AND APPARATUS FOR DISCHARGING THEIR CONTENTS.”
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Jones and John
Walsh at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 6th March
1880.
WILLIAM JONES and JOHN WALSH, both of Middlesbrough on Tees, in the
County of York, Chemical Manufacturers. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPERTAINING
TO CERTAIN ROTATING FURNACES FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF SULPHATE OF SODA
AND POTASH OR OTHER CHEMICALS, AND APPARATUS FOR DISCHARGING THEIR
CONTENTS."
In rotating furnaces for making sulphates of soda or potash or other chemicals
we employ one large knife or stirrer, preferably of a curved form, extending from
near the centre of the pan to its circumference.
During the operation this stirrer is buried in the charge, and is securely retained
in its position at the required angle by means of two or more stays attached to
the girders which sustain the arch.
In the bottom of the pan and near to its outer edge we have one or more holes,
which may be of any required size or shape, which holes are kept closed with
accurately fitting doors until the charge is ready for drawing.
Immediately below the holes a receiving shelf is fixed, which being attached to
the pan is carried round with it on its rotation, and prevents loss of any of the
contents.
The drawing of the charge is performed in the following manner, namely:-The
rotating pan being stopped the door underneath the bottom is opened, when a
small portion of the charge falls through upon the receiving shelf. The pan is
again set in motion, and as its contents are brought successively round to the fixed

page_text: stirrer a portion of them, say, enough to charge one barrow, is precipitated through
the hole onto the receiving shelf, from which it may either be raked by hand into
the barrow or (as the pan continues its rotation) may be scraped at one operation
into the barrow by the action of a stationary scraper (or clearing knife), which is
placed for that purpose outside the pan, and securely held by outside supports.
Or, secondly, instead of discharging in the above manner by means of a receiving
shelf and the fixed scraper we attach to the bottom of the pan below the hole or
holes a box capable of holding the required charge, and having a hinged drop
bottom with a "sneck" or catch, so arranged that as the pan goes round the
bottom of the box is raised again, and closed or "snecked" after it has discharged
its contents into the barrow below.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Jones and John Walsh in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 6th September 1880.
WILLIAM JONES and JOHN WALSH, both of Middlesbrough-on-Tees, in the
County of York, Chemical Manufacturers. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPERTAINING
TO CERTAIN ROTATING FURNACES FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF SULPHATE OF SODA
AND POTASH OR OTHER CHEMICALS, AND APPARATUS FOR DISCHARGING THEIR
CONTENTS."
Fig. 1 is a partial vertical section of apparatus showing scraper and barrow_in
elevation; Fig. 2, partial end view with part of pan removed, so as to show section
of door hole;. Fig. 3, plan; Fig. 4, section showing a modification where a hand
scraper is used; Fig. 5, plan of same; Figs. 6, 7, and 8, three views of apparatus
for automatically opening and closing the bottom of the receiving box hereafter
explained; Fig. 9, separate view of knife or scraper. Like letters refer to corre-
sponding parts in all the Drawings.
In rotating furnaces for making sulphates of soda or potash or other chemicals we
employ one large knife or stirrer A, preferably of a curved form, extending from
near the centre of the pan X to its circumference. During the operation this
stirrer is buried in the charge, and is securely retained in its position at the
required angle, about thirty five degrees from the horizontal, by means of two or
more stays attached to the girders P, which sustain the arch.
In the bottom of the pan X and near to its outer edge we have one or more
holes B, which may be of any required size or shape, which holes are kept closed
with accurately fitting doors until the charge is ready for drawing. Immediately
below the holes a receiving shelf C is fixed, which being attached to the pan is
carried round with it on its rotation, and prevents loss of any of the contents.
The drawing of the charge is performed in the following manner, namely:-The
rotating pan being stopped the door underneath the bottom is opened, when a
small portion of the charge falls through upon the receiving shelf C. The pan is
again set in motion, and as its contents are brought successively round to the fixed
stirrer A a portion of them, say, enough to charge one barrow, is precipitated
through the hole B onto the receiving shelf C, from whence it may either be raked
by hand, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, into the barrow G or (as the pan continues its
rotation) may be scraped at one operation into the barrow by the action of a
stationary scraper (or clearing knife) D, which is placed for that purpose outside
the pan, and securely held by outside supports E, E.
Or, secondly, instead of discharging in the above manner by means of a receiving
shelf and the fixed scraper we attach to the bottom of the pan below the hole or
holes a box K, Figs. 6, 7, and 8, capable of holding the required charge, and having
a hinged drop bottom L with a "sneck" or catch M. This sneck is free to rotate
on journal N, and has a counterweighted arm V, tending to hold it in a locked
position. R, R, are two rollers supported on standards S, and wide enough apart
to let the sneck pass freely between them. Tis a catch firmly fixed to a support
or pillar E.
The manner of action is as follows:-The bottom L being closed and resting on
sneck M as the pan revolves (the nearest side in the direction of the arrows) the
sneck M comes against the arm of catch T, and if in the position shown simply
reverses it; if reversed already the catch catches hold of the sneck M, and drawing
it back liberates the bottom L, which falls, as shown in Fig. 6, discharging its
contents into a barrow (not shown) below. As the pan revolves the bottom comes
in contact with rollers R, which lift it up till it rises above the sneck, which being
pressed forward by the counterweight immediately catches the bottom. The
rollers R being some inches apart allow the sneck to pass between them untouched.

page_text: Having now described our Invention, and the best mode known to us of
carrying it into effect, we wish it to be understood that what we believe to
be new and desire to claim under the herein before in part recited Letters Patent
is,-
First. The stirrer or knife (A), substantially as and for the purposes described.
Second. The mode of and apparatus for discharging the contents of rotating
furnaces, substantially as herein described and shown, and especially the mechanism
for automatically discharging the contents of the box (K) into a barrow or .other
receptacle, substantially as herein set forth.
In witness whereof, we, the said William Jones and John Walsh, have here-
unto set our hands and seals, this Fourth day of September, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty.
Witness,
PETER WARD,
Wm. P. Thompson, & Co.,
Patent Agents,
Liverpool & London.
WILLIAM JONES. (L.S.)
JOHN WALSH. (L.S.)